Pizza is a vegetable.  Yes, many of my patients have heard me say this.  Why?  Because the USDA declared it a vegetable after lobbying by a number of food companies.  So why is it a vegetable -- because it has some tomato paste on it and may have the occasional vegetable thrown on the top of the pizza.  Actually, getting it declared a vegetable allowed food companies to get it into the school lunch programs in the U.S. So thanks to the same government department that gave us the Food Pyramid, so too pizza as a vegetable.

We often like to think in Canada that things are different - but are they?  I would suggest not.  Most of the Government of Canada's Food Guide is almost exactly the same as the USDA Food Pyramid.  Sure the graphics are different and how it is presented differs as well, but the information is almost identical. 

For the last 60 years, since the introduction of a very high carbohydrate diet (pushed by grain companies who had a surplus), we have seen a steady increase in obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.  We have been told fat is bad and actually makes us fat.  However, the research has not borne this out and it is carbohydrates which make us fat (converted in the liver).

If you are tired of being tired (pun intended) - come and learn about a new way to eat at our clinic.  Many of my patients come in with digestive (and skin - they are linked) issues and find that through diet their condition resolves. 

If you are fed up and want to learn more about our food.  Contact our clinic - we have free movie passes to the airing of the the documentary - FED UP which looks at food in North America. 

And yes, the top of the movie pass mentions that 'Congress says pizza is a vegetable.'

For your free movie pass to the May 14th screening (sponsored by the Edmonton Journal, 630 CHED and iNews 880) - call:


780.628.2991

There has been much debate about the usefulness of fish oil over the last couple of years.  Some research shows benefit and other research does not.  Unfortunately, when one looks closely at the studies often the very fish oil is to blame.  To often poor quality fish oil is used and in amounts that are of no real benefit.  I remember discussing with a pharmacist about the fish oil they were selling.  Her face dropped when I suggested that my patients would have to take 20 capsules a day to get enough DHA and EPA. 

In regards to the benefit of fish oil and mental function, there is an interesting research study done by Tuft's University.  In the study they found that grouping people on the basis of EPA and DHA consumption those with the lowest intake (lowest 25 % of participants) had the greatest cognitive decline over a two year period. 

One of my biggest concerns is the quality of the oil as well.  Almost all fish oil is tested for heavy metals, but not necessarily PCB's.  Also, the cheaper the product the poorer the quality of the oil.  If it is not converted back into a triglyceride when it is refined there is no real benefit in taking the product no matter what the DHA and EPA levels are.

References:

• http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140427121051.htm?utm_content=buffer594a0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

There are a number of reasons that people eat too much.  Take a group of 5 people and together they could probably come up with 50 reasons.  However, we often over look some causes and others are new.  The article in the Huffington Post is quite good - it serves both as a reminder to us all and mentions a few new causes.
The seven they mention (with my comments):

1. Small print on the bottles - we often are not told how prescription medicines will affect us - for some drugs - it affects our waist line.
2. The Veggies in Your Cupboard - this was a surprise to me as I was not aware that Bis-phenol A (BPA) affected appetite.
3. The Snow Drift  - living in Alberta this is a common problem for six months of the year.  More snow, colder temperatures - the salad does not look as tempting.
4. The Habit that Saves You Time - this is one of the biggest problems that many people encounter.  They eat at their desk and continue to work.  Eating while stressed causes us to gain more weight as our body believes it needs to conserve resources.
5. The Drink in the Lunch Bag - often I find this is not a problem for most people.  However, the sugar filled fruit is often the substitute.  Grapes taste good but are loaded with sugar.
6. The Cravings that Discriminate by Gender - this is a common one for women just before the start of their period.  There is much that we can do in the clinic to help reduce not only the carb cravings but also, PMS in general.
7. The All Nighter You Pulled for Work - again, I do not find this to be a big issue for most people.  BUT!  Many people make compromises with sleep and believe that they can get by on less than 8 hours.  Not so.  A restful night's sleep is one of the most important aspects of our daily life.
   
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   To read the article - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/18/reasons-youre-still-hungry_n_5133980.html?&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000045