Sudhir Ahluwalia's Blog, page 46

Foods for cancer patients?

Weight loss, fatigue, and low immunity are common problems faced by people who have cancer. The role of nutritionists in advising the right diet to patients becomes quite critical. It is the selection of foods having the appropriate quantity and type of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and micronutrients that lies at the heart of the nutrition management of cancer patients.
Foods are known to build and maintain a strong and healthy immune system. Foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, squashes, and tomato are rich in carotenoids converted to Vitamin A by the body.
Bananas, baked potatoes, chickpeas, certain types of fish (e.g., tuna), and lean chicken are rich in Vitamin B6. Citrus fruits, strawberries, guava, leafy vegetables, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, and spinach are Vitamin C sources.
Cereals, milk, and fatty fish have high Vitamin D levels. Almonds, broccoli, hazelnuts, spinach, and sunflower seeds are rich in Vitamin E.
Beans, peas, and leafy green vegetables are rich in folic acid, while poultry, seafood, beans, broccoli, and kale are good sources of iron.
Selenium is found in barley, broccoli, garlic, sardines, tuna, and zinc in chickpeas, baked beans, lean meat, poultry, and yogurt, and crabs. Vitamins and minerals are critical to building the immune system, which helps the body fight infections and disease.
Modern-day dietitians look at diet and nutrition for cancer patients and survivors in not dissimilar terms as ancient medicine systems. Personalized diet is not the focus in modern diet planning, but recommended food recipes are nearly universally local and based on what is available locally.
The demand for energy in cancer patients is particularly high. Cancer patients lose a lot of weight due to loss of muscle and stored body fat. Patients must choose foods that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. These are vegetable oils (such as olive, peanut, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, flaxseed) and seafood.
Saturated fats are to be avoided. These can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. Foods to avoid include meat, poultry, milk, cheese, butter, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and palm oil. Trans-fat-containing foods such as margarine, hydrogenated vegetable oils, and animal products are not recommended. Trans fats increase the bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol.
Carbohydrates meet the immediate need for energy. The best source of carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These also contain vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients. Foods containing insoluble fiber are highly recommended. These help in easy stool evacuation, a problem often faced by cancer patients.

Additional reading on natural solutions for various diseases:

Natural Solutions series – cancer, diabetes and obesity Similar Posts:

Diet for cancer patients – An Ayurveda, TCM perspectiveNutritional benefits of legumesAnti-nutrients role in nutrition

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What does a business mentor do?

Paul Graham, the co-Founder of Y Combinator, advised Brian Chesky and Gebbia, the initial two founders of Airbnb, to focus on the customer. The advice led to Chesky undertaking frequent visits with Airbnb’s early hosts, mostly based in New York. Remember Chesky and Gebbia were based out of San Francisco that is on the West Coast.
The advice, interaction, and feedback from those early Airbnb customers resulted in major changes to the fledgling Airbnb platform. The listing photos were pretty bad and were replaced with professional pictures. The listing requirement of an air mattress and obligatory free breakfast was made away with. It enabled hosts to provide their properties for rent without being physically present on location. Not just that, it introduced a user-friendly payment system.
Chesky, in the course of his entrepreneurial journey, sought mentors. Some of the famous individuals who mentored the Airbnb founders are John Donahoe of eBay and Marc Benioff of Salesforce, Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn, Bob Iger of Disney, and many others.
Mentors played an important role in the journey of Airbnb. Mentors act as a sounding board to ideas, give useful tips, offer alternative ways of looking at things. They can play a critical role in the business.

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What is the best diet for weight loss?

Several popular diets promoting claims of dramatic weight loss exist in the market. The popular diets are- Paleo, Vegan, Low carb, Dukan, Keto, Ultra Low fat, Atkins, HCG, Zone, Weight Watchers, Intermittent Fasting, and Ornish, to name some of them.

The multiplicity of diets has the weight loss enthusiast confused—proponents of each diet claim that their recommendation is the best for you. Let us try and demystify these diets. Let us now see the scientific support for these diets.

A review of four diets emphasizing different nutrients – protein, carbohydrate, and fat, showed no diet achieved more clinically significant weight loss when compared to the other. Weight loss took place regardless of macronutrients. Weight loss was an outcome calorie deficit created during dieting. (Sacks et al., 2009)

A comparison trial with obese individuals subjected to either a low-carbohydrate diet or a conventional weight loss diet showed that outcomes are better in individuals on a low-carb diet at the end of a year. Lipid and sugar levels in the blood were more favorable in such individuals. (Stern et al., 2004)

The effectiveness of four popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and Ornish) for weight loss and cardiac risk factor reduction was studied. No significant variations in weight loss and related parameters between diets exist, indicating that all the diets were equally effective. (Dansinger et al., 2005)

The choice of the diet plan depends on the comfort of the individual, food preferences, and goals. It should be a plan that you can continue over an extended time. Only then will the desired results be obtained. The program you may pick should include all foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and nuts.

Food choice and food availability in the local grocery store are other important criterion for picking a diet plan. Food should fit your lifestyle and budget. Diet put means eating healthy, lower-calorie meals. And these should be accompanied by a fitness regime.

Additional reading:

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What is the best oil for weight loss?

There are many regional preferences for cooking oils and their use in different parts of the world. The most consumed cooking oils in the world are palm oils (65.15 Million metric tons), Soybean oil (54.59 MMT), rapeseed oil (28.65 MMT), and sunflower seed oil (17.63MMT).
Fats are an essential constituent of food. These are a necessary constituent of most cooked food. It is also the most calorie-dense food averaging nine calories per gram. Carbohydrate and protein food, average calorific density is four calories per gram.
Oils contain saturated fats, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats are the healthiest. These are cardio-protective, regulate blood sugar, and could also aid a weight loss process.
Saturated fatty acids are mostly solid at room temperature. In contrast, fats that stay liquid at room temperature are full of unsaturated fatty acids. Some common examples of cooking fats rich in saturated fatty acids are butter, cheese, dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat content milk, cream, beef fat, fatty beef, etc. Vegetable oil examples of saturated fat-rich oil are coconut oil, palm oil. Olive oil, on the other hand, is rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
Eating foods that contain saturated fats raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association recommends that an individual’s diet get 5 to 6% of calories from saturated fat.
A daily requirement of 2000 calories a day would calculate about 13 grams of saturated fat per day. American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats found in animal-based foods like butter, cheese, red meat, etc., in the diet.
In a diet for overweight and obese individuals, the choice of oil and the quantity of oil consumed play an essential part. Oil should provide between 5 to 6 percent of the total calories consumed. Olive and canola oils are excellent oils for a diet for the overweight. The best health benefit will accrue when a combination of oils is used rather than consuming a single oil. Each cooking oil has health benefits, and a mixture works best.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Obesity

Nutrition Facts- a guide to good health Similar Posts:

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How is low glycemic index food good for diabetics?

When we eat, in the digestive process, sugar is produced. Sugar finds its way from the digestive system into the blood, where insulin released from the pancreas helps break it down to release energy. This energy then becomes available to the body for its survival and other functions.

Excess sugar not required by us is converted into fats and stored in the liver. This stored fat is broken down into energy and made available when demand exceeds supply

Insulin plays a blood sugar regulatory role. It prevents blood sugar levels from either rising too high. When blood sugar levels get too high, such a condition is called hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is a low blood sugar condition.

High glycemic index foods cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. The body does not have the ability to convert this excess blood sugar into the blood. This sugar circulates in the blood and the kidneys try to filter out this sugar from the bloodstream. The kidneys get overloaded and in time their functioning gets disturbed.

Foods with a low GI, on the other hand, help in glycemic control in diabetes and lipid management. Most fruits and vegetables, beans, dairy, and some grain are low-glycemic foods with a 55 or lower glycemic load.

Bananas, sweet potatoes, raisins have a glycemic index of 56 to 69. These are medium glycemic foods, while high-glycemic foods like sugar, ice cream, heavily processed food rich in calories and fat, and watermelon have a value ranging from 70 and above. Watermelon is 70 on the glycemic index putting the fruit in the high-glycemic category.

On the other hand, bananas, apples, grapes, and oranges (raw) all are in the medium Glycemic Index category, with values being 47, 40, 43, and 48, respectively.

Legumes are low-fat foods and have a role in weight management and obesity control. The legume family of plants includes pulses, which are the dried seed of legumes. Some of the more popular legumes with low-fat content include chickpeas, lentils, peas, beans of multiple types – red kidney beans, black-eyed beans, navy beans, adzuki beans, cannellini beans, butter beans, etc.

Mushrooms are an excellent food for diabetes and weight loss. They are low in calories, contain nearly zero fat, and generally rich in protein and minerals. They provide various minerals and trace elements such as potassium, copper, vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, and folates. Mushrooms are widely used in Chinese medicine. (Cheung, 2010)

Consumption of whole-grain products results in a more significant reduction in the percentage of fat mass. Lipid profile improvement in diets rich in whole wheat indicates a cardioprotective role. (Kristensen et al., 2012)

Additional readings:

Natural Solutions for DiabetesNatural Solutions for ObesityNutrition Facts- a guide to good health

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How do I reverse type 2 diabetes?

Dr. Neal Barnard, associate professor of medicine at George Washington School of Medicine, recommends a vegan diet to people with diabetes. According to him, a vegan diet can even reverse diabetes. (Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes published his book in 2007)
The diet recommendations of Dr. Neal Barnard are more in consonance with the current day thinking, which claims that the link between the gut, diet, and lifestyle diseases like diabetes is intimate. Effective restoration of gut microbiota Reversal and repair of gut microbiota to good health is possible through dietary changes.
There is a huge amount of scientific literature on the appropriate diet for patients with type 2 diabetes. Most of these recommendations help in keeping under control the blood sugar levels of type 2 diabetes patients.
According to the American Diabetes Association, nutrient-dense foods are the best for individuals who have diabetes. These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals but low in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
These nutrients are available in non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, and the like. These should be consumed as far as a possible whole and minimally processed.
Apple, cantaloupe, strawberries, and blueberries, brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, and oatmeal are other food recommendations.
A diabetic diet can include starchy vegetables like corn, green peas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, plantain, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, and green lentils.
Similar recommendations are made by the Diabetes body in the UK too. While both these bodies do not prohibit the consumption of fish, meat, chicken, and dairy, they do not also expressly support their use.
In my research on natural solutions for diabetes, I have found that a combination of diet, exercise, and herbs can provide relief to type 2 diabetes patients. While there is scientific human trial-based evidence supporting diet and exercise, unfortunately, the scientific support on the use of herbs is limited.
The answers to reversing diabetes type 2 patients are complex, and the solutions are not as black and white as people may want these to be. There is no doubt, in my mind, though, that reversal of lifestyle diseases like diabetes is possible through a combination therapy which also includes the use of modern medicine-based therapies. It is best to try these under the expert supervision of a diabetologist. Home remedies can cause more harm than good.

Additional reading:
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What is the difference between cinnamon and cassia?

Cinnamon originates from several species, including Cinnamomum zeylanicum syn Cinnamomum verum in the Family Lauraceae. Sri Lanka old name Ceylon is the largest producer of this cinnamon.
Cinnamomum brumannii, Cinnamomum cassia, and Cinnamomum loureirii, classified as cassias, grow in Indonesia, China, and Vietnam.
Cinnamon and cassia have similar aromatic properties, but they differ in flavor, eugenol content, and look and texture of the bark. Cinnamon is milder, with less eugenol and a thinner, light-colored bark.
Cinnamon is more expensive compared to cassia. Cinnamomum verum yields the most valuable cinnamon, known as true cinnamon. Cinnamon is also produced from the aromatic bark of an unrelated species belonging to a different genus and family, Canella winterana, from the Canellaceae family.
Cinnamon contains the alkaloid coumarin, a fragrant chemical used in cosmetics, colognes, and tobacco. Sri Lankan and Indonesian cinnamons have lower levels of alkaloid. When consumed regularly, coumarin is believed to impact the liver negatively.
Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment issued a warning that a 132-pound adult who regularly eats more than 2 grams (0.07 ounces) of cassia cinnamon daily could suffer harmful side effects. The agency reports no side effects, however, from occasional consumption of cinnamon.
Other European countries have issued formal warnings advising consumers accordingly. The U.S. FDA lists cassia, and Ceylon cinnamon as safe for human consumption, but it does not specify quantities.
Sri Lankan cinnamon is easily ground into a powder, whereas other species’ tough and woody texture can damage the grinder. Once ground, however, it is difficult to distinguish the origin of the cinnamon.

Additional reading:

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Does consuming Chinese herbal tea leads to weight loss?

Let me present some science-supported facts on the properties of tea. This will help you make fact-based deductions on herbal tea’s effectiveness or otherwise for weight loss.

The most well-known chemical constituent of tea is caffeine, which is stimulating in nature. Caffeine in tea is approximately 4 percent in dry weight. Tannin is the other principal constituent of tea.

Caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline are polyphenols belonging to the phenolic group of compounds. These chemical compounds help defend the plant against insects and pests. Theobromine and theophylline are responsible for the bitterness of the tea.

The major flavonols in tea are- catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate. Epigallocatechin gallate is the most active of these catechins. Another compound – L-theanine, is an amino acid found in tea. Theanine in green tea plays a role in reducing stress. Oxidized catechins (theaflavins in black tea) are said to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Tea decreases lipid and carbohydrate absorption, increases lipid metabolism, inhibits de novo metabolic production of fat, and increases carbohydrate utilization. (Grove et al., 2010) Green tea intake is associated with increased weight loss due to diet-induced heat generation attributed to the catechin epigallocatechin gallate. (Shixian et al., 2006)

High caffeine intake was associated with weight loss through heat and fat oxidation and suppressed leptin in women. (Leptin is a molecule that triggers a signal of satiation to the brain). In habitually low caffeine consumers, the green tea-caffeine mixture improved weight management, partly through heat generation and fat oxidation. (Westertep-Plantenga et al., 2005)

However, I would like to point out that the scientific studies on tea weight loss properties have not been validated in random human clinical trials. Tea has not received regulatory acceptance as a weight loss herb from most jurisdictions n the world.

Additional reading:
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Do Americans have a higher risk of getting diabetes than Europeans?

China (116 million), India (77 million), and the U.S.A. (31 million) have the highest numbers of people living with diabetes. $727 billion is estimated to be the estimated global health expenditure on diabetes (2017 figures)

Diabetes is among the top 10 causes of death in adults. In 2017, the disease was the cause of 4 million deaths. Just under half a billion people are living with diabetes worldwide. This number is projected to increase by 25% in 2030 and 51% in 2045. (Saeedi et al., 2019)

Obesity is one of the key risk factors for diabetes. 36.47% of Americans are obese. You can see the 2016 rankings in the link below.

https://data.worldobesity.org/rankings/

Let me also share with you the country-wise diabetes incidence data.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.DIAB.ZS

Obesity is not the only risk factor for diabetes. Multiple risk factors like overweight or obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, enhanced cholesterol levels, smoking, gene dysfunction can cause diabetes. Racial factors also have been found to strengthen risk. (Feskens et al., 1989; Choi et al., 2001; Salman. I et al., 2013; Knowler et al.,1990)

Other risk factors identified are – strong family history of diabetes, age, obesity, and physical inactivity. (Fletcher et al., 2002)

Obesity and body fat distribution are risk factors for both cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Disturbed liver function and increased levels of lactate are prime risk factors. These serve as indicators of the body’s impaired ability to metabolize glucose. (Ohlson et al., 1988)

Based on the above brief facts, we can safely conclude that Americans are more likely to contract diabetes when compared to people from other parts of the world.

Other references:

Natural Solutions for DiabetesNatural Solutions for Obesity

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Does obesity cause type 2 diabetes?

Let me present a few evidence-supported facts on this subject. This will help you make deductions.

Overweight and obesity are significantly associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status. Intentional weight loss reduces the risk of overweight people developing diabetes. Obesity and type 2 diabetes both are preventable and require continuing effort to incorporate a balanced diet and physical activity in the lifestyle. These changes aim to achieve healthy weight loss. (Mokdad et al., 2003)

Clinical trials show that as little as 5% weight loss can prevent most obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance from developing type 2 diabetes. (Astrup et al., 2000) The partial reversibility of the evolution of obesity towards diabetes occurs with lifestyle changes and weight loss programs. (Felber et al., 2002)

Type 2 diabetes is a disease characterized by progressive insulin resistance that typically accompanies advancing age, inactivity, and weight gain. The disease accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality. Diabetes enhances cardiovascular risk and increases the chances of developing other complications such as blindness and renal failure. There exists a linkage of type 2 diabetes with the genome. (McCarthy, 2010)

Additional references available in Kindle, print, and audiobook formats:

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