Farmers Markets. I love these.  They’re one of my favorite things about summer time, and they’re growing in popularity.  You can find an abundance of quality local produce (and often other things!) at a fairly reasonable price.  Every major city has at least one, and most rural areas have a few to pick from.  Illinois is well-known for it’s sweet corn, which is one of my favorite farmer market treats.  I’ve also bought pasture-raised pork, fresh flowers, and amazing vegetables as our local market!

Natural Foods Stores. These run a big more expensive than markets (sometimes) but there are many options for being cost-effective here.  Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are great options that are fairly populous.  It isn’t hard to find them.  There are, of course, smaller chains or even just local or regional places.  There’s a place in the Chicago suburbs that I happened on accidentally once.  I don’t even remember the name, but it was all whole foods.  Nuts, vegetables, even their desserts were about as whole as you can get.  (Chocolate covered nuts and espresso beans?  Yes please!)

Go to the Source! I love farmers.  I love farmers of all sorts.  I especially love farmers that I can go straight to for my food.  Have you ever been to a berry farm?  Have you ever collected your own eggs?  I love places like that, and I love fostering a relationship with the people that grow our food.  I’ve had the joy of picking my own peaches, apples, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries on farms.  I’ve also gotten to visit the locations where my beef, pork, and rabbit meat have been raised in the past.  There’s nothing like being able to see your food from start to finish!

The paths you can follow to obtain your food are numerous!  There’s nothing wrong with your standard grocery stores.  It’s just valuable to note freshness of food, and its origin.  There’s definitely some merit to understanding the history of your food, and trying alternate paths can really open doors to that!  So, explore your options.  These are not, by any means, the only ways to get directly to your food.  However, I hope this post encourages you to explore your options!  Food is all around us.  It’s up to us to find the right choices.

It may be hard to understand, but the same powder that can help lower cholesterol, started in a field just like any other crop.

We strongly promote whole foods, those foods that are as class to their natural state as possible.  We suggest you use fresh garlic, rather than garlic salts and powders.  Try some real tarragon, rather than “Italian seasoning-flavored” mixes.  Use the real thing.  I’m sure this raises confusion as to Nutrim, and what it is.

Nutrim is about as whole as you can get with a bran powder.  It’s 100% oats.  It’s just cooked and ground down according to a USDA process.  And you won’t find another oat bran as pure and rich in oat beta glucan fiber as Nutrim.

So, next time you drink your 100% pure orange juice, think about the fact that several people worked long and hard to get that juice to you as safe, secure, and nutritional food.  Origin of food is an interesting topic, one that I love talking about.  Do you every stop to think about the fact that your whole wheat bread used to be a grain on a plant in a field somewhere?  Or the fact that your favorite soup comprises of several different products that had to be produced?

Part of the benefit of farmer’s markets is the face-to-face contact that buyers have with the people that worked directly with the product.  That’s an underestimated benefit in a fast-paced world like ours.

Food comes a long way from start to finish.  Are you well-versed on your food’s journey?  Check it out, you may end up finding out some useful information.

Low Fat
Over 50 years ago Dr. Pritikin suggests that a diet low in fat can help with weight management and also likely help with heart disease risk reduction. This fit nicely into the message that was being promoted during the time that fat was bad, especially saturated fat, and we should decrease levels at all cost. The food companies said, “why not” and began creating foods that were low in fat. To this day the grocery aisles are loaded with low-fat anything you can think of.

Low Carb
Not so long after came Dr. Atkins with the idea that a low carb diet will help people lose weight. People really missed their steak and eggs, so this diet had no problem coming to the forefront of diet trends. It wasn’t long until restaurants offered low carb menu items. So now we have access to low carb or low fat anything, but still today the CDC comes out with a report that says we are still gaining weight and there seems to be no end in sight.

A High Fat Diet Helps the Heart?
The one interesting twist in today’s research showed that the low carb, and therefore high fat, diet may actually have some benefits for heart health. The low carb diet shows significant benefits for increasing HDL cholesterol, which is the cholesterol that helps protect the heart. The effects seen on HDL cholesterol during a low carb diet are similar to that of a drug.

By this time you are completely confused, but let me try to bring some clarity to this picture. I will start with heart disease.

We reported in a recent blog about how red meat was not shown to increase risk of heart disease, whereas processed meat was shown to increase heart disease. We saw similar news launched this year about how saturated fat intake was not necessarily associated with increased risk for heart disease, whereas trans fats found in margarine were.

This shoots some big holes in the arguement that fat, especially saturated fat, increases heart disease risk. At the same time we find out that certain processed foods that are high in fat are likely to increased heart disease. So what we find is a high fat diet, sans the processed food, may actually benefit heart disease.

But Which Diet is Better for Weight Loss
As far as weight management, there does not seem to be a significant difference between the low fat or the low carb diet. The interesting point of both of these diets, and their founders, is that both highly advocate the eating of whole foods. If you read the initial works of both doctors you will find both diet plans are packed full with unprocessed, healthy whole foods. So is the fact that the diet is low fat or low carb have anything to do with it, I don’t think so. Does it have everything to do with eating whole foods… I’ll let you decide for yourself.

Resources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/health/nutrition/04fat.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100802/ap_on_he_me/us_med_dueling_diets/print

Things have been hectic lately.  Between great opportunities and stressful set-backs (such as, loved ones being in the hospital), stress has been a huge factor in my life lately.  Now, stress can be good, in moderation.  It can keep you on your feet and help you prioritize.  However, overt stress is hard on the body and mind.  It tests your self-control and tempts you into slipping back into bad habits.  As hard as I try most of the time to eat right, though, sometimes it just seems like such a good idea to have that Mountain Dew or sneak some McDonald’s instead of that healthier option I’d been planning on.

Stress eating.  It’s a horrible cycle.  Usually, there’s guilt.  In fact, in many ways, a stress-triggered craving can be tied to some serious health problems, such as eating disorders.  Often, emotional eating leads to feelings of guilt or regret, similar to what some people would experience after a bulimic binge.  While the self-induced harm isn’t quite as significant as that in a full-blown eating disorder, it’s hard on both the body and the mind.  You eat to get rid of the negative feelings, to “feel” better…and often end up feeling worse in the end.

I think it’s valuable to note that most Americans know that they eat wrong.  They understand that they should try harder.  But emotional eating is a hard cycle to break.  It’s a tough monster to beat.  Understanding just how hard it can be might make it easier to beat, though.  And every person who understands the downfalls of emotional eating, has the tools to beat it.

So, next time you’re feeling fried and that chocolate cake, that sugar-loaded soda, or that huge plate of nachos is giving you “the eye,” consider your options.  You can stress eat, feel better for a few minutes, and feel badly about it afterward, or…you can take the high road, remember your well-being, and feel accomplished later.  You may want that triple-chocolate fudge brownie, but I’m sure you’ll be happier you didn’t give in later on.

Since I was skeptical I was quickly turned off by what I saw on this “live” show.  It was hard to identify what it was about the show that made me think the reality was fabricated, but I got the impression that something was not right.  As the week progressed I heard bits and pieces of the story of what really happened from people who were there at the “live” show.  Everything I was hearing confirmed my initial thoughts about the show.

My wife was frustrated that I no longer wanted to watch the show because I really thought it was fake.  Even as she heard some of the stories from those that had been there, she was still interested in watching the show.  That was until someone shattered her perception of the show with one fact, the judges on the show received cue cards before the next act even took the stage.   This point was more shocking to her than when she heard that the judges were reading from a teleprompter.  When she watched one of the judges checkout a cue card to give the current performer a critique, she was disgusted.

How could they know how to critique a live act before they even watched them perform?  All of the details I continue to learn about the show reinforce for me that the producers are creating a synthetic reality.  They create stories that connect with our souls by taking parts of the most genuine pieces of our human nature, and everything we enjoy, and recreating it on stage.  Just like in a chemistry lab, different components are mixed together to give the desired outcome.  What you are left with looks and feels just like the real thing.

Now I am not against someone weaving a good tale when you know it is fiction.  I do take offense to someone who would decieve you into believing that what they created is something real.  Just as I was about to step off the roller-coaster of frustration I was experiencing about the show, I realized that the same exact thing was happening to our food.  It is hard to identify the issue by looking at the surface, but when you look behind the scenes it becomes obvious.

If you have a skeptical eye you may have already seen some subtle changes happening in our food, butter flavored food with no butter and guacamole with less than 2% avocado.  What can be seen on the surface only starts you down the rabbit hole of fake food, skepticism will only get you to part of the story.  To learn the full the full story you will need to dig, and dig deep.  Those creating this alternative reality are good at what they do.  They are working all the angles to give you a feel like you are experiencing the real thing, only to sell you a package with a false reality inside.  In some ways it is not unlike a good magic show.  You have to pay close attention to catch the trick and reveal the full reality of what you are actually seeing.

To overcome this false reality we will need to stop accepting foods “made with whole grain” and “made with extra virgin olive oil”, and actually start eating whole grains and extra virgin olive oil.  It takes just a little bit of training to start identifying the added colors that deceive the eye, added flavors that deceive the pallet, and marketing talk that convinces our minds that processed foods are beneficial for our bodies.

So as I need to step off of this roller-coaster for now, I leave you with one last question.  What is the next aspect of reality to be synthesized?  If we are not careful we will end up being offered something that tastes, looks, and feels like life…with only 1% real life added.

There is one fact I have known for a long time but have been unable to put it into words until now.  It is at the core of what we profess everyday as we talk in the office, meet in the conference rooms, and even think about when we are away from work.  As we observe a country who struggles with obesity, heart disease and cancer we have come to realize that food is not our problem but it is processed food that is the issue.

The article I saw today really puts a big exclamation point on that statement.  For half a century now we have been told that the consumption of red meat is one of the main culprit responsible for heart disease.  If there has been one nutritional fact we could stand, if all other food advice failed, we knew we could fall back on red meat as one of the causes of heart disease.

A group of researchers reviewed the literature to find out the relationship between meat and heart disease.  Their findings were published in the AHA journal in a  review that included 20 studies and over 1 million people.   After looking at all the data the research team found that when you separate the information on processed meat, like deli meat and hot dogs, out from information about meat with nothing added you find out some incredible information.  Red meat is not found to increase the risk of heart disease where processed meat was found to increase the risk of heart disease by a whopping 42%.

Since I am constantly looking over the research I am constantly presented with these two opposing facts, real food increases health and processed food destroys health.  Whether its nuts and beans decreasing heart disease or the “high carb” whole grains associated with a lower risk of diabetes it is always the same.  Eat real food and experience health, eat food imposters and suffer the consequences.

Even though disease management cost continue through the roof and the debilitation of disease is highly inconvenient, processed food will continue to be our cost effective and convenient choice.  If we continue to live for convenience today we will have to pay for it at some point.

Now I don’t want to minimize the struggle that we have today trying to break free from cheap and convenient processed food.  We all live in the same place and are face with the same tempation to choose the cheaper and more convenient choices.  We have to ask ourselves if I am saving time and money on food today, what I am saving it for?  Am I saving it for a time when my health has failed and I would pay anything and trade in my long, painful days to have my health back?

We want to be a company that is there with you on the journey to better health and help you to enjoy the adventure of rediscovering real food.  As we return to real food we will find that it offers a greater variety and tastes and experiences that we could never enjoy with heavily processed foods.

Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20479151

On our Facebook page, we’re running a new contest, which we’re calling Inspire Health. This contest is meant to help our community see each other’s motivation. Here’s the idea:  post a picture of what motivates you on our Facebook fan page wall. Include an in-depth explanation. After all, your picture must have a story attached to it!  Is it a competition with your sibling? Is it your a pet? Your significant other? Your children? Your grandchildren? Share with us and the rest of the Oathealth community.

Originality and creativity matter.  At a currently-undetermined date in the next few weeks, the Oathealth staff will vote on the entry we think deserves to win.  A 1st place winner will receive 6 free cans of Nutrim.  A 2nd place winner will receive 3 free cans.

Everyone has a story, and we want to hear the story of what keeps your heart health goals on track.  Share with us.  Join us on our Facebook page.  Help us inspire health!

To learn more about this contest, visit our Facebook page and be sure to read all of the information on the “Inspire Health” tab at the top of the page.  See our Facebook page here.

UPDATE:

The Facebook issues that had previously been putting Inspire Health on hold have been resolved.  Anyone who has a Facebook profile can go to our page, “Like” it, then post on our wall to enter the contest.  Be sure to read the rules on the “Inspire Health” tab and good luck!

Breaking Genetic Rules

Genes tend to be a fairly important part of our risk factors, right?  If your family has a hereditary likelihood of having heart disease, you’re doomed…correct?  Well, the Mediterranean Diet is testing those concepts.  Apparently, scientists are saying this diet is going fist-to-fist with the idea that your genes dictate your risk.

What Does This Mean?

Well, for one, it puts accountability back into our hands.  This study proves that not everything is outside of our reach, including heart health.  The study clearly states that the closer a patient’s diet was to the Mediterranean Diet, the more likelihood there was to challenge the predisposition towards heart disease.  Putting it plainly, there are ways for us to prevent heart disease despite our family history.

You Can Be in Control

The Mediterranean Diet shows that there’s hope for people with a family history of heart disease.  There is not magical cure to most of life’s health problems, but eating right and taking proper care of yourself can definitely make a huge difference.  If a good diet can challenge the potency of genetics, then everyone has some chance for a healthier heart.

To view the American Heart Association’s explanation of the study, click here.

A recent study showed that this is a very real problem.

Much like the Joe Camel effect with cigarettes a few years back, popular cartoon characters are helping children make the wrong decisions.

This isn’t just a matter of childhood obesity and health now.  It’s a matter of lasting health over the next several decades.  The children of today are the businessmen, politicians, doctors, and leaders of tomorrow.  We want our children to grow up healthy and strong, so that someday they are healthy, strong adults, correct?  That means that the manipulation of cartoon characters as food marketing devices is something we, as consumers, parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens ought to be wary of.

Not all of the foods that these cartoon characters represent are bad.  However, most of them aren’t healthy by any means, either.  Awareness of ingredients, processing methods, and overall nutritional content is the best way to judge whether or not Dora of Big Bird are trying to sell you healthy cereal or a sugary nightmare.  Even in regards to healthier food that had character branding, results weren’t always a good as with processed foods.  “We think what might be going on with that is familiarity,” said Christina Roberto, a doctoral student working at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. “Which means that kids are simply really used to seeing characters on foods that are processed. And those foods are also more palatable, so the effects might be accentuated.”

Researchers even went so far as to say that the childhood obesity spike runs parallel with the amount of money put into food marketing, including that which includes popular cartoon characters.

So, if you take anything away from this, I hope you understand that the food choices we make throughout out entire lives, even in childhood, can influence our health in the long run.  These marketing ploys that have kids begging for treats in the store, could contribute to poor health many years down the road.

To see more about this study, click here.

High Blood Pressure

This is the biggest and most obvious one.  Blood pressure is a serious health concern for many reasons.  Blood pressure is also a primary factor in the likelihood of several types of stroke.  High blood pressure accounts for roughly one-third of all strokes and is the most prevalent and serious risk factor.

Smoking, Abdominal Obesity, Diet, and Exercise

The other four of the top five risk factors of stroke are smoking, abdominal obesity, diet, and exercise.  These all play into your overall health in unique ways, but they do have a unifying factor:  they all play a significant part in your overall risk of stroke.  The important thing to note here is that there’s a degree of personal responsibility tied to all of these factors.  Smoking is a choice-turned-addiction, and quitting is a great step towards better health.  Weight management, diet, and exercise are all within your hands.  Proper care and communication with your health care practitioners can lead you to good results on all these fronts.

These first five factors, blood pressure, smoking, abdominal obesity, diet, and exercise, account for 80% of the risk factors for stroke, according to this study.  Experts were able to make the study show even more specific results than this.

90% of Risk

In addition to the above risks, these complications make up 90% of the risk related to stroke:  blood lipids, diabetes, alcohol, stress, and depression.  These factors alone can create serious complications, but in combination with some or all of the other factors can be deadly.  Some decisions can be made to limit the severity of these factors, such as quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake.  Stress management and proper nutrition can also make a difference.

Overall, the valuable lesson here is that living healthfully for your entire life is the best option.  It’s never too late to take proper care of yourself, but many of these factors were in the works long before stroke becomes a likely threat.  The earlier you can adopt healthy habits, the better.

To see an article about the study, click here.