April's CR Diary

April, just a quick rundown of your sample daily diet...

Breakfast:
Ditch the flax oil. Instead, add a tablespoon of ground flax seed to your cereal -- flax lignans and fiber are far more beneficial than flax oil. Instead of flax oil, too, pop two high quality fish oil pills, as you'll get a far greater EPA/DHA benefit, with less non-beneficial oil. If you like a little oil in your eggs, use olive oil -- olive polyphenols have recently been revealed as some of the most potent yet discovered, and the reason behind olive oils benefits. Also, stop with the wheat bran. And you definitely need more carbs in the morning to restore glycogen stores, otherwise your body will eat away at its own muscle tissue slowly but surely. I'd recommend a small bowl of whole oat oatmeal (Quaker Instant is fine, it's still 100% whole oat). Oatmeal is the one grain I eat because of it's proven effect of lowering blood sugar levels the rest of the day, due to beta-glutans. You should also have several food and plant extracts in the morning, but that's a different story.

Lunch:
First, you should completely drop dairy from your diet. Yes, despite the dairy industry's brainwashing that it's a great source of calcium. The bigger issue is that dairy contains casein protein, which is proven beyond any doubt to cause chronic diseases. I could talk about this for hours, but instead, if you care at all about your long term health, I implore you to read this book, The China Study, and when you're done you'll thank me. Trust me. Trust me, Trust me. Casein accelerates cancerous cells -- which we ALL have in our bodies -- into true cancerous growth and tumors. It's like pouring gas on a smoldering fire, setting it ablaze. (BTW, whey protein, derived from milk, is fine, because the casein has been removed.)

As a general rule, you want protein each and every meal. So, if you drop the yogurt you'll need to find another protein source for lunch.

Afternoon Snack:
Once again, yogurt contains casein, and is like a cancer fire-starter.

Dinner:
Where to start! Drop the flax oil! Drop the brewer's yeast -- you absolutely do not want yeast in your body ever! It's a bad thing. Yeast is the enemy of beneficial bacteria in your gut...a key to proper digestion and your body's immunity system. It's still truly amazing to me that yeast still hangs on as a supplement, when it's one of the worst things you can possibly take. Shiver. Moving on, where's the protein. Especially for your final mean of the day, you'll help your night long hunger if you go with extra protein at night, plus it prevents catabolic breakdown during the night. You really want a slow digesting protein in your body during the night, like a real meat (whey protein, for example, digests far too fast for this purpose). Finally, the wine is an unnecessary calorie load. You're probably justifying wine for the resveratrol, but you're likely not getting enough to matter. And alcohol is second only to fat for caloric density, and it's generally bad for spiking insulin, causing a hunger crash later in the night.

That's it for now. I could have gone into a lot more detail, but gotta start slow. ;-)

Hmm, I actually have to agree with Scott on a few points. I wouldn't ditch the flax oil, but if you're only getting 4 grams of ALA a day, you're not getting enough. Even with your low ratio of omega-6's, you're still probably barely getting the minimum DHA/EPA that your body needs. But omega-3's are essential for improving mental health and accuity, as well as improving cell membranes, so getting more than the minimum (not too much more, of course) is most likely going to benefit you. That is, if you can free up some calories somewhere else.

Adding a fish oil supplement is likely going to be too much vitamin A, however (Scott, are you aware of the effects of vitamin A on bone health?). I'd either add more flax oil, or if you don't have the calories to spare, I'd research fish oil supplements and see if there's one on the market that's lower in vitamin A than usual. MR might be able to help there, as I believe he's one of the ones that alerted us to fish oil's drawbacks.

As for switching to ground flaxseed, unfortunately, that'll add calories, mostly in the form of protein, and you already get lots of protein at breakfast. So maybe just replace oil with ground seeds at dinner, and keep the oil for breakfast. Either that, or you can cut back a smidge on the eggwhites. Maybe do 3/4 cup, which should free up enough calories for the flaxseeds' protein, perhaps with room to spare.

By the way, ground flaxseed will also add lots of fiber, which you seem to be lacking (and I assume therefore that you supplement).

Maybe MR can fill us in here, but I thought that soaking/draining the wheat bran (or any grains or legumes for that matter) helped reduce the lectins and other toxins. Is there something about wheat bran that is different in this respect? (honest question.)

April, is the brewer's yeast cooked in your soup? If so, I assume then that this would eliminate the problem Scott points out, assuming it is a problem (no offense Scott, just the first I've heard this). Dead yeast are just more nutrients, right?

By the way, forgive my ignorance, but what's the importance of the brewers yeast? Is it high in vitamins or something?

There's no vitamin A is the fish oil supplement I use:
http://www.lef.org/newshop/items/item00820.html

Also, the negative effects of any soda, or lack of weight bearing exercise, or lack of proper supplement mixing (calcium should always be taken with magnesium, for example), play a far more devastating role in bone degradation.

Why people stick with flax oil is beyond comprehension. Not only is is less beneficial than good fish oil, but it has proven negative associations that I've linked to previously, such as prostate problems. The flax industry has really pulled a fast one.

Before we start getting our wires crossed again, it should be pointed out that it is I, not April, who is drinking the soda, and I have been planning since before I started my diet to stop drinking sodas eventually (sooner rather than later, as well).

As for weight bearing exercise, one needn't become a body builder to get the benefits of strength training. Recent studies (and, quite frankly, simple logic) indicate that bone health is adequate in CR'd people. This is mainly due to the fact that the bones have a lower BMD, and hence a lower tensile strength, but they also have to support a lot less weight. If tensile strength alone were the best indicator of bone health, obese people win hands down. Although that was once a joke, I've heard many overweight bring that up in defense, saying that obesity doesn't hurt all aspects of health, and even improves some.

As for calcium, I'd have to double check, but I seem to recall that the RDA for calcium is as high as it is BECAUSE people take calcium and magnesium at the same time. I seem to recall that there are benefits to taking them at different times, allowing the total amount required of each to be a little lower. At any rate, yes, there is a certain ratio of the two, per day, that needs to be roughly maintained.

By the way, what are all the negatives to flax oil you keep tlking about? I've seen lots and lots of benefits to flax seeds. The fiber, the phytonutrients, the ALA (which, as it turns out, is useful for more than just turning into EPA/DHA), etc. The only negatives I saw were that it might partially block absorption of certain micronutrients (a problem that can be worked around), and that it doesn't prevent certain things that fish oil does, but that's not really a negative. It can be if you have no DHA/EPA in your diet, but that's not how I'll be running my diet.

If April doesn't supplement DHA/EPA in some form in her diet, and if she indeed is only getting 4g of ALA in a typical day, then I'd be curious if April has a good reason. But flax oil isn't the problem.

As long as you are wanting comments on your diet (though I am not sure you want this many!), I agree with Scott on nasty casein. I use whey protein in my smoothies, but regular milk and yogurt make me stuffy. There's lots of evidence against cow's milk out there. It would be one thing if you used it more sparingly, but you eat it every day, several times a day. It's also full of hormones and antibiotics normally.

As you know from the past, I wish you would Zone more than you do. Your breakfast is too low and your dinner is too high in carbs. The reverse is true for protein.

And 4g of ALA was not enough for me. I could tell it in my joints. I had to add in a fish oil cap. But I don't see any problem with the flax seeds and flax oil!

Even dead yeast is an allergen for me, so I avoid it. I really don't think eating killed yeast will make you grow yeast in your body. Eating lots of starchy carbs will, though. And taking antibiotics. Yeast is an allegen - i.e. easy to develop an allergy too.

It's so interesting to me to see y'all arguing about why flax seed meal, dairy, etc. is or isn't 'good' for you. Consider the average American diet:

Breakfast:
too busy
morning snack of pop-tart like pastry

Lunch:
#2 super sized, diet coke to drink (snicker)

Dinner:
spaghetti with meatballs, garlic-margarine soaked bread, half a container of Ben -N- Jerry's for desert

I'm not saying that eating the best diet possible isn't extremely important, especially to the more 'hardcore' among us, but c'mon... I think we're talking about the difference between a 97% and 99% on the test.

I eat non-fat high-protein dairy products every day (I do avoid all animal fats though) and never have problems with "stuffiness" or other allergy symptoms. But my ancestors were all from northern Europe (Ireland, England, Scandinavia) so maybe I've got particularly dairy tolerant genes. I know many people have lower tolerance for dairy. At any rate, there seem to be drawbacks to just about every possible source of protein on earth, so until we start pillaging distant galaxies, it's a matter of going with what causes the least amount of damage in general and to you indiviually.

Damn, I REALLY wish we had a forum where these discussions could be conducted, instead of backstage in the comments of blogs.

I'm looking forward to your rebuttals April, especially on the flax/fish oil controversy. ;-)

-Liz

you know what drives me crazy? those ads for acid reflux medication -- if your diet makes you feel like crap, then maybe your body is trying to tell you something! don't just pop a pill and ignore it! although this discussion is interesting, i don't think that one size fits all with regard to nutrition. strident recommendations about other people's diets should be avoided. april looks great and feels great and she's very mentally sharp, fish oil or not. although it's always fun to tinker and try new things, ultimately we should all go on our best instincts and personal experience.

Jay, not to be rude, but I'm going to start ignoring you in the future if you continue to put words in my mouth. It's getting boring correcting you. For example, I've very explicitly said that ***flax oil*** is the problem, yet you come back with: "what are all the negatives to flax oil you keep talking about? I've seen lots and lots of benefits to flax seeds."

I've said previously, that flax seeds are great -- I supplement them myself. But do not confuse the seeds with straight oil. Apples and oranges. The seeds contain some oil too, but not nearly as much, plus the seeds contain fiber, lignans, and other nutrients. Similarly, it's okay to eat an orange, but you should never drink pure orange juice (or any fruit juice).

Any case of putting words in my mouth: "one needn't become a body builder to get the benefits of strength training."

I have never said that you need to be a bodybuilder. Let that sink in, because even in your own blog you love to repeat this. All I've said is that you need to engage in strength training to build muscle mass. Muscle mass has 20+ amazing benefits, like improved blood pressure, strengthened joints, tendons, and bones, improved immunity, improved cardio function, better flexibility, and many more.

Oh, and I never pointed the finger at April for drinking sodas.

As a hard and fast rule, ALL DAIRY should be avoided. A study of centenarians should that most do not eat dairy. And, there's indisputable research that proves that casein promotes cancer. Again, for anyone still eating dairy (non-fat, too -- the fat isn't the deadly factor), I implore you to read The China Study: http://tinyurl.com/atst4

Scott, I apologize. When you started mentioning names of body-builders, and recommending their exercise programs, I assumed you were repeating the typical "bigger is better" mantra that I've seen coming from strength training enthusiasts.

As long as we're clear that being the size of Schwarzenegger or Cutter or Coleman is more likely bad for your long term health than good, then I think we're okay. A moderate amount of muscle mass probably has enough benefits in the form of increased tissue health and reduced risk for heart disease, etc., that it's worth the tradeoff of all the excess muscle tissue, which, essentially, becomes more and more toxic as you age, and requires more and more calories (which correlate negatively with lifespan: or in other words, are toxic). Also, pushing yourself too far will yield diminishing returns while increasing the risks that the protein, carb, and oxidative overload will poison your body in the long term.

But yes, as long as we're talking about moderate strength training, then I'll concede that for people not doing a CRON lifestyle, it's most likely better than doing little or no strength training.

For people practicing CRON, cardio at least is probably necessary. As for strength training, as long as it doesn't build too much muscle mass, it should be okay. What's too much will be a personal decision, based more than anything on the high calorie requirements of maintaing muscle tissue.

I personally would like to maintain the muscle mass I have, but I suspect that, five years from now, I may be willing to shed excess muscle. After all, if I've got enough muscle to support my 220 pound frame, then it should be way more than enough to support a 140 pound frame, and hence I can afford to lose ten pounds of muscle. On the other hand, quality of life issues might make me want to keep that muscle. I don't see myself going as severe as some CRON practitioners.

There's lots of evidence against cow's milk out there. It would be one thing if you used it more sparingly, but you eat it every day, several times a day. It's also full of hormones and antibiotics normally.

My breakfast mixture of Peace cereal with oat clusters with flax and 500 mg of Omega 3 and Kelloggs Smart start with antioxidents plus one tablespoon of wheat germ covered with blueberries and just enough milk to cover or should I use water. My lunch mixture of frozen vegetables carrots, green beans, peas,lima beans,broccoli and a salad lettuce,tomatoes.carrots with olive oil instead of french or italian.whey protein instead of the usual cottage cheese. Supper same mix of vegetables and salad and wild salmon. substitute almonds and peanuts for the salmon sometimes.apple and orange between meals, grapefruit is healthy for breakfast.Rye or spelt bread with cherry or raspberry jam for lunch and supper. take aricept,namenda.alpha lipoic acid plus biotin for Alzheimer;s and Hyaluronic acid and calcium with vitamin D plus magnesium.Thyroid.selenium and kelp iodine before breakfast. any comments on my future eating?