This article from Harvard School of Public Health breaks bad fat into two categories: Bad and Very Bad.

The message is clear: choose good fats over bad whenever possible.  You’ll live longer, be healthier and have a much lower chance of seeing a specialist like me.

excerpts from the article:

Most people don’t get enough of these healthful unsaturated fats each day. No strict guidelines have been published regarding their intake. Prudent targets are 10 to 25 percent of calories from monounsaturated fats and 8 to 10 percent of calories from polyunsaturated fats. Since no one eats by percentage of daily calories, a good rule of thumb is to choose unsaturated fats over saturated whenever possible.

Bad Fats: Saturated Fats

Our bodies can make all the saturated fat we need, so we don’t need to eat any of it. That’s why saturated fat can be in the bad category—because we don’t need to eat any of it, and it has undesirable effects in cardiovascular disease. In the United States and other developed countries, saturated fats come mainly from meat, seafood, poultry with skin, and whole-milk dairy products (cheese, milk, and ice cream). A few plant foods are also high in saturated fats, including coconut and coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Saturated fats boost total cholesterol by elevating harmful LDL. Like all dietary fat, saturated fat also raises the protective HDL. Unsaturated fat is much preferable since it lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good.

As a general rule, it’s a good idea to keep your intake of saturated fats as low as possible. Saturated fats are part of many foods, including vegetable oils that are mainly unsaturated fats, so we can’t eliminate them from our diets. Seven percent of total calories or lower is a good target. Red meat and dairy fats are the main sources of saturated fat in our diets, so keeping these low is the primary way to reduce intake of saturated fat.

Very Bad Fats: Trans Fats

Trans fatty acids, more commonly called trans fats, are made by heating liquid vegetable oils in the presence of hydrogen gas, a process called hydrogenation. Partially hydrogenating vegetable oils makes them more stable and less likely to spoil. It also converts the oil into a solid, which makes transportation easier. Partially hydrogenated oils can also withstand repeated heating without breaking down, making them ideal for frying fast foods. (Fully hydrogenating a vegetable oil creates a fat that acts like a saturated fat.) It’s no wonder that partially hydrogenated oils have been a mainstay in restaurants and the food industry.

Most of the trans fats in the American diet come from commercially prepared baked goods, margarines, snack foods, and processed foods, along with French fries and other fried foods prepared in restaurants and fast food franchises.

Trans fats are worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDL and lower good HDL. They also fire inflammation, (12) an overactivity of the immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Even small amounts of trans fat in the diet can have harmful health effects. For every extra 2 percent of calories from trans fat daily—about the amount in a medium order of fast-food French fries—the risk of coronary heart disease increases by 23 percent. Eliminating trans fats from the U.S. food supply could prevent between 6 and 19 percent of heart attacks and related deaths, or more than 200,000 each year. (13)

The average American eats about six grams of trans fats a day. Ideally that should be under two grams a day, or zero if possible. A new labeling law that forces food companies to list trans fats on the label should help curb the consumption of these harmful fats. Not only can consumers now see which products contain trans fats—something that wasn’t easily done in the past—but many food makers are now trying to claim the high ground by using trans-free oils and fats in their products.

As trans fat intake dwindles in developed countries, it is on the rise in developing nations. Inexpensive partially hydrogenated soybean oil has become a staple not only for the food industry but for home use. This shift away from traditional cooking oils and toward trans-rich partially hydrogenated oils is contributing to the slowly growing epidemic of cardiovascular disease in developing nations around the world.

Read more about how to spot trans fat on food labels.

I pinched this list of good dietary fats from Zach Smith’s great article at shapefit.com.  Check out the entire article for full explanations on each item and why they are good to inlcude in a healthy, well-rounded diet.  I left the great explanation on coconut oil to show you what you can expect if you clickthrough.

Fats

Fat is probably the most misunderstood macronutrient of the three(protein, fats and carbs). People just refuse to believe that it can be healthy and actually help them lose their own body fat. Even when the high carb, low fat diet phase proved to be a failure of monstrous proportions, people still couldn’t grasp the fact that dietary fat is an ally of a fit body. Dietary fats increase your chance of getting fit and staying fit. It is so important if your goal is to become truly healthy. Fat regulates our hormone levels. Fat is absolutely essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Fat controls our appetite by regulating leptin response. Fat also lowers insulin response when we eat carbohydrates with it. Fat also burns fat, at least some fats do, and do it well and that is the main point of this article. Now that we know we need to eat fat, how much fat to eat for our specific body and what kind of fats are best? All fat is not created equal and some fats are bad, just as some carbohydrates are bad and some proteins not ideal either. Here is a list of the best fats we can eat.

10.) Organic, unpasteurized butter & cream

9.) Olives

8.) Peanuts and natural peanut butter

7.) Organic flaxseeds and high lignan flaxseed oil

6.) Organic, extra virgin olive oil

5.) Raw nuts, cold pressed nut oils and natural organic nut butters (excluding peanuts)

4.) Wild salmon and other fatty fish

3.) Organic, extra virgin coconut oil: There was a time, not long ago, this would have been considered a dangerous, artery clogging food recommendation. That’s because it is a tropical oil, and although vegetarian, a saturated fat. We have been programmed over the last 30 years to shun any and all saturated fats, mostly as a means to keep cholesterol levels under control. What has been discovered is that some saturated fat is not the health enemy it once was portrayed to be. The fatty acids in coconut oil are actually very different than in other foods in that they are primarily in the form of medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs. MCTs are fats that burn fat and provide energy. They act as a metabolic primer, stoking your internal fat burning furnace. The primary MCT in coconut oil is Lauric Acid, and this MCT is extremely healthy in that it has potent antimicrobial properties. This helps not only give the oil a long shelf life, preventing rancidity, but also helps protect our immune systems upon eating. You want to be lean and healthy, eat extra virgin coconut oil! It is also a great oil to cook with!

2.) Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil

1.) Neptune Krill Oil

Now, I would suggest 50% or more of your total fat intake come from above preferred foods list. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat other fats like those inherent to protein sources, such as meat, poultry or dairy fat. It just means you should eat those foods more sparingly now and refocus on the healing nature of the fats above.

from an article by Zach Smith at shapefit.com

Flaky dermatitis on the legs can be caused by many different problems.  I frequently see this associated with varicose veins.  This leads to venous hypertension and poor oxygenation of the tissue and skin, resulting in discoloration and dermatitis. Diagnosis is easy with examination and simple ultrasound, both done in my Frisco, TX office.

If I find problems with the veins, this can be treated with laser ablation, where the bad veins are closed by heating them up with a laser.  This is also done in the office and has replaced vein stripping.  We also can treat this problem with injection sclerotherapy, where a tiny needle is used to introduce a sclerosing solution into the abnormal veins.

These procedures, along with good skin care and compression often result in cure of the dermatitis.  Many of the treatments are paid for by insurance, and the uninsured are offered a cash discount that makes treatment very affordable.  It is important, however, that the treatment is instituted sooner rather than later, as progression of the problem is more likely to result in permanent and unsightly skin changes.

Many people have vein problems and may not even know it.  Large bulging veins are certainly dangerous and should be treated, but sometimes relatively small abnormalities like spider veins or even skin problems and dermatitis on the legs can be signs of underlying vascular problems.  Symptoms such as tiredness, aching legs, heaviness, pain, swelling, redness, restlessness, and discoloration are sometimes present.  This is easy to evaluate and pretty inexpensive to do with ultrasound, a painless test that shows us how the veins are functioning.  If problems are found, treatment is minimally invasive and done in the office.  Insurance covers most treatments, and those without insurance are welcome and can receive a cash discount.

It is also important to realize that vein problems may lead to complications and risks to health.  It can lead to blood clots, dermatitis, swelling, infections, and even life-threatening embolism if left untreated.  Really everyone should be evaluated, as the tests are easy to do and inexpensive.

Having spa services located in my medical office is beneficial for many reasons.  Many of my patients have skin problems that come with their medical issues, and benefit from evaluation by our aesthetician during or after their medical issues are treated.  That results in convenience for them, as they can experience the spa during the same visit as their medical appointments.  We focus on comfort.  Also, while it is not common to have problems from med-spa services, it is nice to know that we have a fully trained staff prepared with certification in CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), a registered nurse (RN), medical assistants, and of course my double board certification in Surgery and Phlebology.  We are well equipped to deal with any medical issues.

The procedures I do here in my office are a wonderful compliment to the services we provide in our spa.  Many women and men enjoy the results of Botox injections to lessen or eliminate the wrinkles associated with aging.  Injectable fillers such as Radiesse and Juvederm are great for enhancing facial features to achieve a fuller, more youthful appearance.  These procedures should always be done, as we do here, by a physician and not by a lesser trained person with a doctor supervising from across the city.  This is so that if there should be any issue or problem, the doctor is right there to make sure everyone is safe.  These types of procedures can be combined with facial rejuvenation and beautification procedures such as microdermabrasion, removal of blemishes and pigmented lesions, non-surgical face or body lifts and many others, for results that are superior to routine application of products or facials that you may get in other locations.

Please contact us at (972) 378-5347, www.friscolegs.com or www.europeanmedspa.com if you would like more information.

An article from Science Daily chronicles the studies of University of Illinois researchers:  Flaxseed-Fed Chickens Shed Light on Ovarian Cancer

Flaxseed is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, one type of omega-3 fatty acid.   In a previous post, I pointed out that sometimes we are so focused on reducing fats in our diets that we end up substituting the bad ones in and not getting any of the good ones.  We need fats in our bodies!!!

Please learn more healthy diets and use more good fats like flaxseed, coconut and olive oils in your every day cooking.

If you want to reduce fats, cut out the bad ones!

Until recently, cardiovascular disease was considered a “man’s disease.” Virtually all major studies on heart disease and stroke recruited men as participants and reported their findings based on disease in men. Unfortunately, heart disease recommendations were made in both men and women based on this limited information. As a result, heart disease and stroke was going undiagnosed in women and, when it was diagnosed, was ineffectively treated. Evidence began to emerge that showed that cardiovascular disease is not the same in men and women. Studies were coming to light that women were developing heart disease and stroke in alarming numbers. Fortunately, over the past decade a groundswell of new research and insights about cardiovascular disease in women has appeared. Public health campaigns began to raise awareness about these devastating diseases in women and research initiatives were funded by the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization and other international groups to study the scope of the problem and how best to meet the needs of women throughout the world.

Despite making great strides in public awareness and health care initiatives, heart disease and stroke remains the number one killer of women worldwide. According to the World Health Organization cardiovascular disease is the cause of death for one third of all women on the planet (1)—a staggering statement. In the United States alone more than 40 million women have diseases of the heart and blood vessels and one in three American women that die this year will do so from heart disease and stroke (2). Sadly, many physicians still do not realize that more women than men die of cardiovascular disease each year (3). Worst of all, the majority of these cases can be detected and treated early thus saving the lives of countless American women. Blood tests, CT, and ultrasound studies can mean the difference between effective treatments and a silent disease that strikes with devastating consequences.

What is a Heart Attack?

Read the rest of this entry »

Harvard researchers have found a link between low-carb diets and a decrease of endothelial or vascular progenitor cells (EPC) production in mice.  Low EPC counts in humans have been linked to atherosclerosis, or arterial plaque buildup, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus.

EPC are critical for the natural function of the epithelium, the interior lining of the entire circulatory system, from the heart to the smallest capillary.

Although a low-carb regime can help you lose a few pounds quick, it should not be a long-term weight management strategy, if used at all.  Reasonable portions, a healthy balanced diet and exercise are still the key to looking great, feeling great and staying healthy.

Heart disease claims one American life every 37 seconds, over twice the rate of all cancers combined. Still, it remains a highly preventable disease. We have recently developed a test called the CIPA-SCAN™ that can detect early signs of atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart attack and stroke, before any symptoms appear.

In this age of health awareness and medical testing it seems unfathomable that heart disease can afflict so many and strike with such stealth. Yet two-thirds of women and half of all men who die from heart attack show no prior symptoms. This may be because tests like Angiograms and EKGs detect a problem only after significant arterial blockage has occurred. The new revolutionary CIPA-SCAN™ can detect a problem before any signs or symptoms appear.

This recently developed test combines three image screenings used to detect atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.) before signs or symptoms appear. The 20 minute CIPA-SCAN™ uses FDA approved software and holds an advantage over more expensive and intrusive procedures because it can assess heart risk before plaque accumulates in the arteries, and does not require undressing, exercising or drawing blood.

The first phase of the CIPA-SCAN™, the Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (CIMT) test, measures the first two layers of the carotid artery. The thicker the arterial wall, the greater the risk for heart attack or stroke.

While the CIMT itself has been used in clinical studies for over 16 years, the CIPA-SCAN™ can now calculate a “vascular age” in comparison to one’s chronological age based on the thickness of the carotid artery. By this measure a 46 year old with a vascular age twenty years above her chronological age shares the same risk for heart attack or stroke as a 66 year old.

The CIMT scan has been published in JAMA, NEJM, Lancet, Circulation and Stroke, with articles citing results from large clinical trials where thousands of people were tested. The American Heart Association recommends CIMT as a safe, inexpensive and accurate predictor of future cardiovascular events.

The 2nd phase of the CIPA-SCAN™, Plaque Detection, scans the carotid artery for any current plaque build-up and incorporates the findings into the final result.

Finally, an Ankle-Brachial-Index (A.B.I.), looks for peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.), plaque accumulation in the legs which limits blood flow to the lower extremities and more than doubles the risk for heart attack and stroke.

The combination of these 3 imaging tests is unique in the medical community but when performed together they offer tremendous insight into a person’s risk for heart attack, stroke, and P.A.D. prior to any symptoms.

Frisco, Texas based Vascular One Diagnostics performs the 20 minute CIPA-SCAN™ in an office environment and analyzes the findings to create a user-friendly risk report so patients can understand the results along with their doctors. Steps can then be taken to halt or even reverse the damage.

When I had my CIPA™ scan done, I couldn’t believe it. I am a fairly young and active physician with no significant medical issues, but my vascular age showed I was older than I thought.  That was a wakeup call.  Lifestyle changes are the #1 most difficult thing to do that can make the most impact on my patients’ health. Several of my patients quit smoking on the spot after we reviewed their CIPA-SCAN™ results. This test has been a remarkable motivator.

However, many potential CIPA-SCAN™ candidates – people age 40 and above without any symptoms – fail to receive the message before it’s too late. Preventative tests like the CIPA-SCAN™ are doubly important for individuals with traditional red flags such as family history of heart disease, weight problems, high cholesterol or high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The CIPA-SCAN™ is less time consuming than giving blood and feels the same as having a sonogram. “I lost my brother to heart disease,” says Paul G., 51, himself a CIPA-SCAN™ patient. “He was only 42. So for me, taking 20 minutes on a lunch break to potentially add 20 years or more to my life seems like time well spent.”

Please give my clinic a call if you would like more information about the CIPA-SCAN™ at (972) 378-5347.

Here’s to your vascular health!

Dr. Mary Newport has discovered some very interesting evidence supporting the relationship between MCT(medium chain triglycerides) fats and reversal of neural dysfunction.  In her article discussing the use of coconut oil to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms, she details the trials and tribulations she and her husband Steve have gone through in his struggle from progressive dementia to severe Alzheimer’s disease… and back.

Dr. Newport writes, “If you are using any type of hydrogenated vegetable oil or any oil with transfat, do not use any more and get rid of it!  Extra virgin olive oil, butter and other natural, non-hydrogenated oils are okay to use along with the coconut oil.  It is possible to use coconut oil in place of all other oils, however, since it contains no omega-3 fatty acids, it is very important to eat salmon twice a week or get enough omega-3 fatty acid from other rich sources such as fish oil capsules, flax meal, flax oil (not for cooking) or walnuts…

… Cardiovascular disease was rare at the beginning of the 20th century, and has skyrocketed, along with other devastating diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes type II, obesity, since mass produced hydrogenated vegetable oils containing trans fats were introduced into our diets and replaced these other natural fats. Sadly, the incidences of cardiovascular and other serious diseases are becoming more and more common among people in other areas of the world who have changed over from their indigenous foods to the ‘western’ diet.”

The day she discovered information that MCTs could be beneficial to her husband’s condition, a physician evaluating him for a drug trial told her his diagnosis for Alzheimer’s Disease was “more towards severe than moderate”.  She began using coconut oil that day and says he has made a marked improvement from the progressive degeneration he was experiencing.

While not yet generally accepted by the scientific and medical communities, I would guess that ‘MCT’ will be as familiar a term as ‘transfat’ in the coming years.

It’s a fascinating article.  Take a look, get educated and pass it on.  Perhaps there is truth to this and we can curb the projections that 15,000,000 people in the United States alone will have Alzheimer’s Disease by the year 2050.

Learn more from Dr. Mary Newport at:

Coconut Oil and Ketones

Coconut Oil Dietary Guidelines

or even try googling “coconut oil”…

I’m finishing up a busy week here at my clinic and trying to get out to Margaritaville, but wanted to pass on the results of a comprehensive review of over 600 original medical journal articles published from 1950 to 2007 on the causal link between ‘mediterranean diets’ and coronary heart disease.

Frankly, the study is a bit thick, but they conclude that, healthwise,  the ‘mediterranean diet’ creams our accepted food culture here in the states.  The mediterranean diet is characterized by a higher intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, whole grains, cheese or yogurt, fish, and monounsaturated relative to saturated fatty acids, compared to a western diet which includes more processed meat, red meat, butter, high-fat dairy products, eggs, saturated fats, and refined grains.

The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency to help reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.  Their website has a great primer on Diet and Nutrition primer including great FAQ-style writeups on topics from ‘Know your Fats’ to ‘Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations‘.  Eating well isn’t hard to do, it just takes some education and planning. 

Dietary Guidelines for Americans is published jointly every 5 years by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Guidelines provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.

Hey, I like a good steak like any of the rest of you, but paying attention to these things can literally add years to your life.

See you in Margaritaville!