Guest guest Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 http://askbillsardi.com/sdm.asp?pg=obes Special report How to Overcome the Weight Monster By Bill Sardi Copyright 2003 Hold on America, one diet expert is gone (Dr. Atkins), and the next one promises to save us from ourselves (Dr. Phil). At least that’s what Dr. “tough love” Phil is saying to his 65-million TV audience. But the irony of it all is that while TV viewing is non-caloric, as a sedentary activity it adds a lot of pounds to Americans. It might be better to eat your TV set than watch it. TV watching and video game use are major reasons why American youth are so overweight. [int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Sep; 27(9):1100-5] Almost any diet will do: A press release issued from the American Heart Association meeting says most diet plans work, the high-fat Atkins diet, Weight Watchers diet, the ultra-low fat Dean Ornish diet, and the low-carb Zone diet. Doctors are so overwhelmed by the epidemic of obesity, they are practically begging their patients to begin dieting. In his no-nonsense book entitled “The Ultimate Weight Solution,” Dr. Phil wants America to know that weight loss is achievable by simply re-programming your life. As Dr. Phil says, “you never see a fat coyote,” but then again, nobody is going to live like a coyote and hunt for and grow their own food or walk everywhere like animals do. (For the record, Bill Sardi is 6 foot even and currently weighs 198 pounds while Dr. Phil is 6 foot 4 inches tall and weighs in at 240 pounds.) Books often don’t provide the specific instruction one needs to successfully control weight. To be successful at weight control you have to understand your body, your stage of life, your family environment, your hormones, your geographical location, the season of the year, and certainly deal with the food culture that surrounds you. America: Programmed for obesity First, let’s get over the idea that you are guilty and entirely responsible for the epidemic of obesity now rampant in the USA and spreading to other developed nations. Americans didn’t suddenly lose willpower. It’s just that they never had the opportunity to make bad food choices as they do today, and were never bombarded by messages to “drink beer and eat chips” when watching football on TV as they are today. All-you-can-eat restaurants don’t help either. Prepared food or restaurant food is what most Americans eat today. Our lifestyles have changed. We’re on the run. Life is much more fast-paced today. Sometimes limited food choices are made in airports, schools, on a quick lunch break at work. What’s expedient is favored over what’s nutritious. In America, donuts reign. French fries are the supreme vegetable choice for Americans. Desserts are everyday instead of a once-a-week treat as they once were long ago. Fast food is really fat food, designed to compete for the taste buds of Americans by adding fat. You have one reason not to feel guilty about gaining weight. It’s not necessarily a failure in willpower but rather a culture that has been designed around foods that induce weight gain. America as a society is overweight because obesity is programmed into our lives. Animals are fattened in the feeding pen just prior to slaughter, which results in about 17 pounds of additional weight for meat eaters. Sugar is laced into bread (sour dough means they didn’t add sugar). Canned goods and prepared foods have sugar added. While half the world can’t find enough calories, in the past 3 to 4 decades Americans have increased their calorie consumption from around 2900 calories to 3700+ calories. Some Americans consume 5000+ calories per day. If you think you are controlling the food pantry in your home, mom and dad, you might like to know that about half of the soda pop kids drink is consumed away from home. [J Am Diet Assoc. 2003 Oct; 103(10):1326-31] It’s getting more difficult to control the family diet. Is there a way out? Yes, but most Americans aren’t likely to find their way out of this extra large mess. Still, for those individuals who really do want out of the weight trap, then here is information you may find useful. Don’t blame it on your genes Did you ever notice how spouses begin to look alike, by body shape? They don’t share the same genes, but they do share the same dinner table. Canadian researchers have concluded that environmental factors rather than genetics play the strongest role in obesity. [Obes Res 1999 Nov; 7(6):545-51] It’s easy to come to mistaken conclusions regarding excess weight and family genes. For instance, a person might say that Asian kids are leaner and Hispanic children are chubbier, so it must be in their family’s genes. But actually, one study showed that Asian school kids watched less television and drank less soda pop than Hispanic kids, factors that related to body weight. [Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2003 Sep; 157(9):882-6] Don’t fall into the mental trap of saying your excess weight must be genetic. Prisoner of war camps disprove this. Waist gain: In just a decade, the waist circumference of American adults increased from 37.5 to 38.8 inches for men and from 34.9 to 36.3 inches for women. [Obes Res. 2003 Oct; 11(10):1223-31] It’s abdomonal obesity that really increases the risk for disease. A 9-year study of middle-aged US males revealed the following: WAISTLINE FACTOR Source: Am J Clin Nutr. 2003; 78:719-27 Increase/decrease in waist circumference Hydrogenated fats instead of polyunsaturated fats+0.30 inches Smoking cessation+0.78 inches Television watching 20 hours/week+0.23 inches12 grams increased fiber intake-0.25 inchesVigorous weekly physical activity-0.15 inchesHalf-hour a week in weight training-0.36 inches Letting out a small notch in your belt every year: For most people weight gain progresses slowly with advancing age. Adults gain about 2 pounds a year between the ages of 20 and 40 years. This means an excess of about 100 calories per day. Just taking 2000 more steps a day, or about 15-20 minutes of walking, would negate this weight gain. [The Lancet 2003; 362: 1046-47] 10,000 Steps to success: About 70 percent of the population doesn’t get enough physical exercise. How much running around do you do in your job or home chores? Will that suffice for weight maintenance? A pedometer and encouragement to walk 10,000 steps each day might be a helpful way of gauging your activity levels. [WMJ. 2003; 102(4):31-6] Exercise works, even mild walking programs. Formal programs of exercise training can reduce body weight and fat, but, in many cases, the changes produced by exercise are small. When combined with calorie restriction, exercise results in little further weight loss, but there may be a loss of body fat and a trimming and shaping effect. An exercise program that burns off 1500 calories per week, or 300 calories per day, is a minimal goal. [Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1996 Dec; 25(4):965-88] Do you get much more out of a more prolonged exercise program? One study showed that women who report less than 150 minutes a week involved in vigorous physical activity achieved about a 4.7 percent weight loss. Women who spent 150 minutes or more per week in physical activity achieved a 9.5 percent weight loss. More than 200 minutes of intense physical activity per week produced a 13.6 percent weight loss. Yes, greater results are achieved with more prolonged weekly activity. [JAMA. 2003 Sep 10; 290(10):1323-30] Select the types of fat: The type of fat in your diet needs to be selected. Laboratory rats fed a high fat diet consisting of different types of oils. Soybean oil produced the greatest rise in body weight compared to fish or palm oil. Exercise reduced the body weight of the fish and palm-oil fed animals, but not the soybean oil fed animals. Soybean and palm oil induced insulin resistance (the inability of insulin to enter cells and burn calories properly). [Obesity Research 10: 947-955, 2002] This author likes flaxseed meal, one tablespoon a day, which provides loads of fiber, essential omega-3 oils and other nutrients. (Forti-Flax by Barlean’s is a good brand. Find at www.barleans.com) Gender differences in weight control: There is a gender-related factor in weight gain. While women have the curse of not only being shorter than men and thus are more “pudgy” in appearance than males of the same weight, they also undergo greater demands and changes in their body than males due to childbirth and the change of life (menopause). Women also have another subsequent problem, the control of iron. Menstruating females may be low in iron, not necessarily anemic (cold hands and feet are a sign), and have low iron stores. Tests conducted at the School of Public Health in Harbin, China, give us a hint at the importance of iron for women. Laboratory rats provided sufficient amounts of iron exhibit improved thyroid hormone production. The body fat of obese rats is lower when given iron supplements. It suggested that adequate iron can improve the level of serum thyroid hormone. [Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2002 Jun; 31(3):174-7] Lean red meat is a good source of readily absorbable iron. Iron pills, however, are problematic, and may cause nausea and increase the rate of infection. One iron pill per week would do, instead of daily supplementation for women. The only safe form of iron supplement is carbonyl iron (Ferronyl brand name), since toddlers are not at mortal risk with accidental overdose. Once menopause sets in, women shouldn’t be taking supplemental iron because they no longer have menstruation to control it. The thyroid is the themostat: The thermostat is the body’s governor of metabolism (rate of calorie burning). Surveys show that less than 10 percent of overweight individuals are low in thyroid hormone. [Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2002 Mar; 31(1):173-89] But this figure is misleading. Blood tests often miss real cases of low thyroid. If women are fatigued and cold and gaining weight, they should place a thermometer under their armpit when they first arise in the morning and, while laying still, wait 5 minutes. If the axillary temperature is under 98 degrees, low thyroid may be a problem. Ladies only section It’s not difficult to understand why women have such a difficult time controlling their weight. They are very complicated animals biologically. For one thing, women are a moving target, their hormones cascading and plunging like a roller coaster, and then childbirth, menopause and other factors like birth control pills all come into play. Read about it below. When do females crave carbohydrates? Hormonal fluctuations involving the menstrual cycle influence appetite control and eating behavior. Changes in appetite, food cravings and calorie consumption during the menstrual cycle may parallel cyclical rhythms in serotonin, a mood-controlling brain chemical. The premenstrual period is a time when women are especially vulnerable to over-consumption, food craving and depression, all which are associated with low serotonin activity. [Hum Reprod. 1997 Jun; 12 (6):1142-51] By time of day, one study showed that carbo-craving more often occurs around 4 PM and 9 PM, particularly during the premenstrual period. Also, when women are deprived of sunlight (the winter blues, seasonal affective disorder), they are carb cravers. Since the brain chemical called serotonin reduces carbohydrate intake, its precursor tryptophan can be utilized to enhance the release of serotonin. [The J Clin Psychiatry. 1988 Aug; 49 Suppl:37-9] For example, the serotonin-inducing drug fenfluramine decreases carb-craving by about 40 percent. However, tryptophan-rich foods might be helpful, like dried figs, pineapple, bananas, popcorn, turkey meat. As estrogen levels rise with the monthly cycle, so does the need for magnesium. Among chocolate cravers, 9 of 10 are women, and chocolate provides a significant amount of magnesium. About 50 percent of all food craving is for chocolate. About 44 percent of American females and 17 percent of American males crave chocolate. [Appetite 1999; 33: 61-70] Oddly, only 32 percent of women in one study linked their food cravings to the monthly cycle. [Appetite 1991; 17: 167-75] Stage of life and weight control Pregnancy: In one study, hypertension was found in 42.4 percent of pregnancies of obese women vs. only 5.84 percent of non-overweight pregnant women. Carbohydrate metabolic difficulties were found in 11.8 percent of obese subjects vs. 1.2 percent of a control group. The main consequence of maternal obesity on the child is an overly large baby (over 9 pounds) that may need to undergo early induced birth to avoid complications or stillbirth. The rate of cesareans for obese women is high. A careful diet of 1200-1500 calories per day is recommended with 40 percent from protein and 30 percent from fats. Rapid-absorption sugars should be excluded. [Lyon Mediterr Med Med Sud Est. 1985 Oct; 21(16):10179-80] After childbirth: Women are prone to gain weight after childbirth. [Obstet Gynecol. 1995 Nov; 86(5):834-8] The hormones are still raging to grow a baby, and hunger pangs remain. In one study, women were on average about 8.8 to 14.52 pounds heavier 18 months after childbirth. Most of the women in this study gained weight after weaning their infant from breast milk. [J Hum Lactation 1998 Jun; 14(2):119-24] Exercise after childbirth does not produce significant weight loss unless calories are limited as well. [Obes Res. 2002 Aug; 10(8):841-53] Menopause: Menopause may trigger weight gain in females. Menopause results in a reduced expenditure of calories during rest and with physical activity and increased weight gain at the waist. [Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2002 Jul; 81(7):603-11] Oral contraceptives: Oral contraceptives appear to cause weight gain because estrogen stimulates the appetite. [Lyon Mediterr Med Med Sud Est. 1985 Oct; 21(16):10179-80] It’s common for young women who use oral contraceptives to smoke tobacco to make up for the weight-gains caused by birth control pills. Those polycystic ovaries: It is estimated that 5 percent of the female population is affected by polycystic ovary syndrome. They are likely to experience weight gain, menstrual irregularity and sugar control problems. [Minerva Ginecol 2002 Apr; 54(2):97-114] Black or white: For as yet unknown reasons, young black women tend to burn fewer calories per day than young white females. The difference is about 71 calories per day. [Am J Epidemiol. 2001 Oct 15; 154 (8):718-24] SAD in the winter: Are you living in Boston, Seattle, or along the Canadian border? Are you gaining weight in the winter? There may be more to weight gain than just being snow bound in the winter. In Sweden, during winter months at this northern latitude, winter depression and weight gain often set in. It’s the lack of sunlight that’s the problem. Solar radiation (visible light, not invisible UV rays) via stimulation of the retina at the back of the eyes, triggers the production of brain and adrenal hormones. In winter months researchers at the Umea University Hospital in Sweden use light therapy to control weight. Just 4.5 weeks of light therapy produced a 3.3 to 5.28 pound weight loss and improved mood. [int J Eat Disord. 1996 Dec; 20 (4):443-46] A study conducted in Seattle found that women who took a brisk outdoor walk during winter months and took a multivitamin were less likely to be depressed and assumedly experience weight gain. [Women’s Health 2001; 34: 93-112] Again, tryptophan-rich foods would be advisable in winter months at northern latitudes. MSGeeeee!: Another reason why Americans are programmed to be overweight is that the FDA permits foods to be laced with a nerve stimulant that induces obesity. Few people understand that glutamate, as monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods, is a nerve stimulant. That’s how it enhances taste in foods, it stimulates the taste buds. Researchers in Germany now theorize that MSG-laced foods are making people obese. The MSG intoxicates the signals coming from the hypothalamus which results in weight gain and hypertension. Even babies in their mother’s womb can be exposed to MSG which can create a propensity towards obesity later in life. German researchers now recommend abandonment of MSG as a flavoring agent. [J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Sep; 16(7):965-8] MSG is often hidden in foods, labeled as “hydrolyzed vegetable protein.” As an aside, MSG can over-stimulate neurons in the brain and retina. Laboratory rats given a diet high in glutamate experienced thinning of their retina, which means it is destroying the sensitive nerve layers at the back of the eyes. Here is the language used by the authors of the study: “The present study suggests that a diet with excess sodium glutamate over a period of several years may increase glutamate concentrations in vitreous and may cause retinal cell destruction.” [Exp Eye Res. 2002 Sep; 75(3):307-15] Weight-loss drugs are problematic: Drugs used to treat excessive weight gain are: 1. Appetite inhibitors. Amphetamines do this but are banned because of their addictive effect. Sibutramine (Meridia) is another weight-loss drug being used that inhibits appetite. [An Sist Sanit Navar. 2002; 25 Suppl 1:143-61] Sibutramine is a centrally-acting agent which enhances satiety and thermogenesis by inhibiting serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake. It is appropriate for patients who are unable to lose weight by lifestyle modification. [Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2002 Dec; 3(12):1711-8] In November 1997, the US Food and Drug Administration approved sibutramine, a serotonin inhibitor, for the treatment of pathological obesity and the management and maintenance of weight loss. In March 2002, sibutramine was temporarily withdrawn from the Italian market on the basis of 47 adverse event reports received between April and December 2001. Here is the rationale behind the use of sibutramine. In the words of Italian doctors, “The overall risk/benefit profile of sibutramine remains favorable, with the rate of fatal reports involving patients receiving sibutramine being 200 times less than the obese women's mortality rate in the Nurses' Health Study.” So the doctor’s say there is strong evidence supporting the usefulness of the correct use of sibutramine in the management of obesity. [Eat Weight Disord. 2002 Sep; 7(3):161-7] What about ephedra? Hey, wait a minute, that’s what the advocates of ephedra (Ma Huang) are saying. Ephedra poses health risks, but obesity poses even bigger risks. Ephedra is the stimulant/diet supplement that has been widely blasted in the news media in the USA for serious side effects. No question about it, ephedra is problematic. Just drink 10 cups of strong coffee and see if your heart doesn’t begin to flutter. But this reveals why there is an effort to remove ephedra from the marketplace. It is the most effective lean body mass agent ever, and the drug companies want to remove it as a competitive product. Their surrogates, the doctors, want patients to come to them for weight loss management, so the two conspire to eliminate the over-the-counter ephedra. So doctors continue to prescribe sibutramine, which may raise blood pressure and has amphetamine-like side effects. Once this drug is stopped, weight is gained back. Some doctors do not believe this drug is appropriate for the management of obesity. [Prescrire Int. 2001 Oct; 10(55):140-5] But there are no front-page news stories condemning this drug like there are for ephedra. 2. Fat blockers, like Xenical (orlistat) block fat absorption by about 30 percent. In one study, orlistat produced about 6.6 pounds additional weight loss over and above that achieved by dietary measures over a period of a year. [int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Jun; 21 Suppl 3:S24-30] Xenical (orlistat), a lipase inhibitor, depletes the body of beta carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D. Vitamin D levels may be depleted even when 400 IU supplements are taken to prevent this occurrence. [Pharmacotherapy. 2002 Jul; 22(7):814-22] Orlistat and sibutramine are widely studied weight loss drugs. They have been shown to produce about a 13.07 and 20.81 pound weight loss over and above lifestyle modification. These drugs can also produce unwanted side effects. About a third of the people who begin taking these drugs abandon them before completing a course of therapy. [Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003; 4: CD004094] 3. Metabolic stimulators Phentermine (Adipex, Fastin, Ionamin, Zantryl) has been shown to cause a 5 to 15 percent weight loss if given daily or intermittently. Compared with sibutramine and orlistat, phentermine is cheaper, and specific formulations allow once-daily administration. However, phentermine is indicated only for short-term treatment. Common side effects are dry mouth, insomnia, increased blood pressure, and constipation. [Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2001 Jul 15; 58(14):1301-8] Mood and food: It is interesting that physicians prescribe mood-elevating drugs to treat problems like binge eating. Depression and weight gain seem to go hand in hand. Drugs like citalopram (Celexa) are being used with some success. But long-term studies are few and maybe this mood elevating drug will pose other problems. [J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Jul; 64(7):807-13] Severely obese people, especially younger women with poor body image, are at high risk for depression. Improvement in mood occurs with weight loss. [Arch Intern Med. 2003 Sep 22; 163 (17):2058-65] Depressed women are more likely to be placed on mood-elevating medications, which list weight gain as a side effect. Natural weight control agents Natural fat blockers don’t work. Chitosan-based supplements are sold as fat trappers and fat magnets. They purportedly block fat absorption and cause weight loss without food restriction. The effect of chitosan on fat absorption has been found to be negligible. The fat trapping claims associated with chitosan are unsubstantiated. [Obesity Research 11:683-688, 2003] Growth hormone doesn’t work either: The bulk of studies indicates growth hormone administered with low calories diets has not been found to enhance fat loss or preserve lean tissue mass. [Obesity Research 11:170-175 (2003] Low-dose growth hormone fails to reduce body fat. [J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 May; 88(5):2113-8] Chromium supplements disappoint: It doesn’t appear that chromium supplements help people lose significant amounts of weight. [int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Apr; 27(4):522-9] Vitamin D, a future fat fighter? Some studies appear to indicate calcium may help in the battle of the bulge. But a recent study in Norway indicates otherwise. Of particular interest is that vitamin D, especially supplemental vitamin D, may help with weight control in males living in northern climates. This makes sense since vitamin D helps control parathyroid levels. Future studies may help provide an understanding of the role of vitamin D in weight management. [J Nutrition 132: 102-06, 2002] Green tea is known for its calorie-burning properties, apart from its caffeine content. [Am J Clin Nut 1999; 70: 1040-45] Decaffeinated or regular green tea appears to partially block fat absorption from the diet and should be utilized by anyone attempting to control weight. CLA is another over-promoted weight-loss remedy: Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), may help animals lose weight, but not humans. The latest studies suggest CLA may even be harmful to humans. [J Lipid Res. 2003 Aug 16] Grape seed extract, the natural fat blocker: While orlistat inhibits lipase, the fat-breakdown enzyme, so does grape seed extract, which may prove to be a safe weight control agent. [Nutrition. 2003 Oct; 19(10):876-9] Cayenne pepper is a secret metabolic booster. Few people know about it. Adding cayenne pepper to foods can increase the sense of fullness when eating meal. [Eur J Clin Nut 1997; 51: 846-55] Cayenne pepper also increases calorie burning after a meal. [J Nut Sci Vitaminol 1995; 41: 647-56; Med Sci Sports Ecerc 1997; 29: 355-61] Tobasco sauce and ginger have similar properties. [british J Nutrition 1998; 80: 493-94] Careful when you are dieting Lose weight, watch your bones wither: Here is another shocker for women. Weight reduction reduces bone mineral density in overweight postmenopausal women! It’s not difficult to understand why. With restricted fat intake, less estrogen is produced, and hormone levels drop. Estrogen is required to retain bone strength. [Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Feb; 73(2):347-52] Advice: consume a tablespoon of flaxmeal every day. Lose weight, but watch for gallstones: Overweight individuals who go on a low-fat diet are at risk to develop gallstones. In one study nearly 55 percent of low-fat dieters developed gallstones, whereas none of the dieters who consumed higher-fat low-calorie diets developed gallstones. [int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998 Jun; 22(6):592-600] Between 10 percent and 25 percent of overweight men and women may develop gallstones within a few months of beginning a very low calorie diet, and perhaps one third of these will develop symptoms of gallstones. Persons with the highest body mass index before weight loss and those who lose weight most rapidly appear to be at the greatest risk for gallstones. [Ann Intern Med. 1993 Nov 15; 119(10):1029-35] (Check out the Gall Bladder Support product at www.lifespannutrition.com) Excess weight can be painful: Adults over age 60 Underweight Overweight (more than 30 lbs) Knee pain 12.1%55.7%Hip pain 10.4%23.3%Back pain 20.2%26.1%[Obes Res. 2003 Oct; 11(10):1159-62] More failure: America, we are losing the war to remain trim and fit. Between 1986 and 2000 the self reported number of Americans who are more than 100 pounds overweight quadrupled from 1 in 200 to 1 in 50. [Arch Intern Med. 2003 Oct 13; 163(18):2146-8] There is frustration everywhere when it comes to weight control. In England, 843 obese adults were enrolled in a weight loss program by 44 physicians. Actually a group that underwent a 4.5 hour weight loss program was actually 4.1 to 8.6 pounds heavier after 18 months. [bMJ. 2003 Nov 8; 327(7423):1085] British health authorities anticipate the life expectancy will drop for the first time in more than a century due to obesity crisis. They say this reversal will be one of the most historic changes in health care in the 21st century. [Guardian, London Nov. 9, 2003] How to activate the “reversal factor” If Americans are going to continue to over eat fast foods and slouch into Lazy-Boy chairs to watch television every night, then they need to employ the “reversal factor” that the French, Italians and other Mediterranean countries utilize. These countries eat high fat meals and plenty of calories. But they don’t experience anywhere near the same risk for heart and blood vessel disease. Called the French paradox, this “reversal factor” is found in red wine which contains a magical molecule called resveratrol which erases many of the undesirable risks of obesity, such as high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks and blood clots. Resveratrol, a component of red wine, is considered to be the major molecule responsible for the healthy properties of the French paradox. [Free Radic Biol Med. 2002 Feb 15; 32 (4):314-8] Does red wine work? Would you offer a glass of wine to a very obese individual? Despite all the risk elimination attributed to tea-totaling, light-to-moderate wine consumption is associated with a much lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes, reduced insulin resistance, and more favorable blood vessel risk profile in the severely obese. Australian researchers propose that light to moderate alcohol consumption should not be discouraged in the severely obese. [Obesity Research 2002 Apr; 10 (4): 245-52] In a study of obese adults with a wide waistline and hypertension, a glass of red wine with the noon meal resulted in a reduction in blood pressure (about 5 points) which lasted through the day. [J Stud Alcohol. 2002 Mar; 63 (2): 247-51] While much is said about the calories in wine, over a 6-week period, the addition of two glasses of red wine to the evening meal did not increase body weight. [J Am College Nutrition 1997 Apr; 16 (2):134-9] In 1964 the village of Roseto, Pennsylvania came into public view. The men there ate plenty of pasta and were known for the bulging waistlines, but the mortality rate from heart attacks among 55-64 year old males living there was almost zero. Decades past without a mortal heart attack in that village till one case was reported in 1971 in an adult male under age 45. [J Am Med Assoc 1964; 188: 845-49] Over the span of three decades the heart attack rate slowly rose to match that of the rest of the USA, which sociologists attributed to the loss of close family relationships. The “reversal factor” had been completely overlooked. These immigrants drank plenty of red wine, as much as 5 glasses a day. [Diabetic Med 1956; 28: 2196-98] As red wine consumption dropped, the “reversal factor” disappeared. The “French paradox” had been reported but mistakenly attributed to strong family ties about 25 years before the 60 Minutes television show first reported about this phenomenon in November of 1991. Still, the alcohol in red wine may not be advisable for adults with liver problems or other health problems. A non-alcoholic resveratrol extract, stabilized to prevent spoilage (currently produced resveratrol pills are biologically inactive), will soon become available in a pill and serve as an alternative to wine. Copyright 2003 Bill Sardi Knowledge of Health, Inc. Not for commercial duplication. Individuals may make copies for personal use. The information in this report is for information purposes only and readers are advised to seek other sources of information before making personal health care decisions. NEW WEB MESSAGE BOARDS - JOIN HERE. Alternative Medicine Message Boards.Info http://alternative-medicine-message-boards.info Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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