I'm Gonna Cause Myself a Heart Attack. Take That!

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry--apparently the "Heart Attack Grill" in Chandler, AZ is suing "Heart Stoppers Sports Grill" in Delray Beach, FL., for stealing its ideas, including signs with EKG heart monitors on them, waitresses dressed as nurses and offers of free food to patrons weighing more than 350 pounds.

As the author of the Salon.com article points out, the merits of the case aren’t particularly important. What’s of greater concern is the fact that so many people feel the need to “rebel” against the suggestion that they eat healthy, feeling that it impinges on their freedom. It's almost as if the people who eat here are eager to have a heart attack, like poor eating habits are a source of pride. 

These places go to extremes to encourage unhealthy habits,like they're trying to send a messages to health-conscious people. 

We all have the right to eat (or drink or smoke) ourselves to death, but some people seem to feel that they must take advantage of that “ability.” 

And exactly who are these people "rebelling" against? I mean, “I’ll show you—I’ll eat so much meat and fatty crap that I have a heart attack,” isn’t exactly a logical mentality. It’s really no skin off my back, you know? One could even argue that it’ll ultimately result in less “problem people”  who are driving up health care costs for the rest of us.    

But that’s the thing; the obesity epidemic and healthcare crisis does impact everyone. And the more meat people eat, the more animals are killed. Meat production causes climate change and other environmental problems that affect us all too.  It’s not exactly  a  “personal choice” that no one else should care about.

Shouldn’t people be prouder about making healthy, humane, environmentally-friendly choices than about their “right” to eat unhealthy food?

For everyone who prefers to make smarter, more responsible choices, here are a couple of basic heart-healthy tip—it’s not only Valentine’s Day, it’s American Heart Month, after all!

*Reduce your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the amount of saturated and trans fat you eat.  The easiest and tastiest way to do this is by switching to a plant-based diet. As Dr. William C. Roberts, the editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Cardiology, says, “A vegetarian diet is the least expensive and safest means of achieving the plaque-preventing LDL [good cholesterol] goal.”  You can always get a free vegetarian starter kit at www.GoVeg.com.

*Exercise. To get your heart really pumping, try cardio activities like cycling, swimming, rowing, running, and even walking. About.com has some basic exercise tips for beginners http://exercise.about.com/cs/exbeginners/a/exforbeginners.htm

One For The Fellas

I’ve already posted a lot of info on how soy is healthy for women (studies show that it can reduce your risk for breast cancer, help your heart, protect against osteoporosis, and lessen hot flashes in menopausal women) and how it’s just healthy in general—it’s cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and it may prevent colon cancer. I’ve even read about research suggesting that the antioxidants in soy may benefit asthma sufferers.

But a new study shows that there's another reason why soy is a good for guys too. It’s already thought to prevent prostate cancer, of course, but, according to cancer researchers, men who don’t smoke and eat a lot of soy may also have a lower risk of long cancer. The research, as you can see, is small and hardly conclusive, but it may be worth sharing with the men in your life.

Of course, the not smoking part is KEY for ANYONE--but soy may play a role too!

A Surprising Leading Health Threat

I’ve written about antibiotic resistance and animal agriculture before, but I just saw an eye-opening article on the subject and I wanted to share it with everyone. It might be a bit surprising since antibiotic resistance doesn’t often spring to mind when people think of top health hazards, but, as the World Health Organization points out, antibiotic resistance is one of the leading threats to human health.

The article is long and detailed, but for those of you who prefer to cut to the chase, per say, I copied a few excerpts below that I thought summarized the issue nicely:

 “Researchers say the overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals has led to a plague of drug-resistant infections that killed more than 65,000 people in the U.S. last year — more than prostate and breast cancer combined. And in a nation that used about 35 million pounds of antibiotics last year, 70 percent of the drugs went to pigs, chickens and cows. Worldwide, it's 50 percent”.

“America's farmers give their pigs, cows and chickens about 8 percent more antibiotics each year, usually to heal lung, skin or blood infections. However, 13 percent of the antibiotics administered on farms last year were fed to healthy animals to make them grow faster. Antibiotics also save as much as 30 percent in feed costs among young swine, although the savings fade as pigs get older, according to a new USDA study.

However, these animals can develop germs that are immune to the antibiotics. The germs then rub into scratches on farmworkers' arms, causing oozing infections. They blow into neighboring communities in dust clouds, run off into lakes and rivers during heavy rains, and are sliced into roasts, chops and hocks and sent to our dinner tables.”

Some legislatures and scientists have proposed banning the use of antibiotics in farmed animals who are not sick, but although this is a good first step, I think there is a much better solution: Stop raising animals for food in the first place. The fewer animals we raise, the fewer germs there will be—not to mention all of the other health threats from eating meat, eggs, and dairy products! 

In case you haven’t checked it out yet, www.VegCooking.com has lots of vegan recipes, tips, and product suggestions.

P.S. I lifted the picture from TreeHugger—I think it illustrates the issue perfectly!

Women Having More Heart Attacks: Protect Yourself!

I recently read a Los Angeles Times article stating that heart attack rates are  increasing among middle-age women, likely because obesity rates are also increasing. The claim stems from  a disturbing new University of Southern California study suggesting "an ominous trend in cardiovascular health among midlife women."

I’m no doctor, but I do know that going vegan is a good way to stay slim and reduce your risk of heart attacks. Last February, in honor of American Heart Month, I wrote an article about the link between eating meat, eggs, and dairy products and high cholesterol, which leads to heart disease. 

Most of the PNNers I’ve “met”already know how important it is to eat healthily and exercise, but the LAT article might be a good reminder for when you feel yourself slipping into bad habits! 

If you're interested, you can even try to win a copy of Alicia Silverstone's new book, The Kind Diet. I've only read excerpts so far, but I'm sure the whole book ROCKS, just like Alicia!

How My Friend Beat Breast Cancer

I’ve written about my good friend, Elaine Sloan, and her battle with breast cancer before, but since it’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately and I wanted to share her success story with you. Holistic Voice, a natural health site that I occasionally write for, solicits success stories from people who have overcome health issues, so I encouraged her to write about how she went vegan after her mastectomy and hasn’t had a relapse in the 17 years since.

My friend is passionate about promoting both animal welfare and healthy living, as am I, and her story is very informative and inspiring. 

I hope you’ll keep her advice in mind this month, ladies. While wearing a pink ribbon is a good way to raise awareness about breast cancer, eating a wholesome vegetarian diet is an effective way to actually prevent the disease. Since meat, eggs, and dairy products are high in fat, concentrated protein, and hormones, they can  raise your cancer risk. Vegan foods, on the other hand, are low in fat and high in fiber and phytochemicals, which knock out carcinogens and fight inflammation.

Studies show that women who eat lots of vegetables and soy are less likely to develop breast cancer than women who eat meat. One recent study from the National Cancer Institute suggests that young girls who eat soy foods are even less likely to develop breast cancer as they get older.

Weight plays a factor too, and, on average, veggie eaters tend to weigh less. You can also control your weight and decrease your risk of cancer even more by exercising. Researchers followed nearly 80,000 Japanese adults for a decade and found that those who exercised regularly had lower risks of developing any type of cancer.

My last tip is a bit trickier: Keep stress to a minimum, if possible. I say it’s tricky because I’m in the middle of moving to another state (Florida, here I come!) and negotiating on a house and other high-stress stuff like that; so I know it’s easier said than done, but I’ve seen lots of helpful stress reduction tips on PNN.

Happy breast cancer awareness month everyone—stay well!

P.S. If anyone wants to read more about the Love/Avon Army  of of Women and other cruelty-free breast cancer charities, check out my lifestyle blog on the PETA site 

The Best Foods For Bone Heath

A while back, I wrote an article pointing out that milk isn't essential for bone health. Calcium is important, of course, but there are healthier sources of calcium. Just this afternoon, I came across this Los Angeles Times blog pointing out that meat and dairy can actually cause osteoporosis. Fruits and veggies are much better for bone health, according to the LAT blog. 

I really don't know much about the "low-acid diet" other that what I read in the blog, and I am always skeptical of any "named" diet that makes specific claims about certain foods, or any diet other than a "common-sense diet," with an array of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes, for that matter.  But I was happy to see this quote from an ADA spokeswoman: "A plant-based diet is not only good for bones, it's good for a lot of other things too."

Should Hot Dogs Have Warning Labels?

In case you haven’t heard, a nonprofit group called The Cancer Project recently filed a lawsuit seeking warning labels on hot dog packages sold in New Jersey. Check out my blog on Care2.com for the full details: http://www.care2.com/causes/health-policy/blog/should-hot-dogs-have-warning-labels/#comment-190462

I’m in favor of the idea simply because it will prompt people to think about how their food choices affect their health, our health care cost, and hopefully even animals and the environment. After all, the main point of the labels is to get people to think.

There’s no doubt that many people will buy hot dogs even if they have warning labels of course. I mean, they buy them now knowing that they aren’t healthy. It isn’t exactly a secret. But labels may make it harder for some people to stay willfully ignorant.

Lots of people panic that it would open the door for everything to be labeled, but I think they miss the point. We can’t always avoid all the bad foods, compounds, chemicals, pesticides, and other toxins around, but we can identify major disease culprits and try to make smarter choices. Once people think about the lawsuit more, I hope they’ll understand that it’s more of an educational issue than anything else.

I’m sure the Cancer Project wants to win, of course, but when you consider how much media attention the issue has generated, the lawsuit has already been successful. Controversy stimulates debate, after all.

The idea seems to make some people feel threatened that someone else is telling them what to do, but no one can make choices for anyway else. People are still responsible for their own actions—the labels would just give them more information—or a reminder, perhaps.

Of course, I think no matter what, some people will take the lawsuit at face value only, and rebel. However, many will “get it” and maybe even realize that labels wouldn’t hurt—it’s not as if they give off an electric shock when people reach for the package!

I personally hope that they'd make people consider buying veggie dogs instead. They’re not exactly a “health food,” but they’re far less likely to cause colorectal cancer—and they obvious don’t cause animals to suffer either.

Swine Flu By Any Other Name Is Still Swine Flu

As Laurie Boris pointed out in her recent post, "Common Misconceptions about Swine Flu," health officials are assuring people that they can't catch swine flu from eating "properly prepared" pork. (The virus evidently spreads much like a common cold, so even vegetarians are at risk.) But because government officials are worried that people will stop buying pork—which I think is a very good thing for multiple reasons—they want to remove the word "swine" from "swine flu." Authorities are now referring to swine flu as the "H1N1 virus." How dumb do they think we are?

Swine flu is called "swine flu" for a reason—because it afflicts pigs. (The current strain is apparently a combination of pig, bird and human influenzas.) You may not get swine flu from eating pork, but raising pigs for pork is what puts us at risk for swine flu in the first place.

Animal-borne diseases like swine flu and bird flu flourish in filthy, crowded factory farms. (Unlike the cute rescued pig in picture, factory-farmed animals are packed by the tens of thousands into filthy sheds and slaughtered on killing floors that are contaminated with feces, vomit and other bodily fluids. The conditions are anything but sanitary.)

Other harmful organisms, including salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, and E. coli, which is found in the feces of farmed animals and often sprays in every direction when animals are eviscerated, have spread from animals to people. MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus bacterium that kills more Americans than AIDS, has been linked to pig farms.

I'm no scientist, and unlike Dr. Michael Greger, I can't explain exactly how factory farm viruses mutate into pathogens that can be spread to people (even after reading his thorough, informative explanation). One part seems fairly simple to me though: The fewer pigs, chickens and other animals we raise for food, the fewer animal-borne diseases there will be. And since meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol and can cause heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers, everyone would be better off if they traded in their pork sausage, hamburgers, and chicken for soy sausage, veggie burgers, and chickpeas.

Is The Fountain Of Youth In Your Fridge?

About two weeks ago, the National Cancer Institute released the results of a study showing that people who eat even a small amount of red meat each day are more likely to die early, mostly from heart disease or cancer. This probably doesn't come as a surprise to anyone, but it does underscore the importance of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

Unlike red or white meat, plant-based foods have cancer-fighting antioxidants and can help increase your life expectancy. According to Dr. Neal Barnard, the president of PCRM and the author Eat Right, Live Longer (and the health expert I respect above all others), plant foods can practically "age-proof" your body by strengthening your bones, cleaning your arteries, dissolving fat, rejuvenating your skin, and boosting your immune system.

A while ago, I helped a co-worker research an article on foods that fight disease and promote longevity. Most of the health magazines and Web sites I reviewed advised people to eat the following foods for a more youthful appearance and a healthy body: 

1. Spinach

High in vitamins K, A, and C, iron, folate, calcium, manganese, and magnesium, spinach helps ward off heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis, and arthritis. It may also help improve your eyesight and brain function.

2. Orange Fruits and Vegetables

Carrots, sweet potatoes, mangos, and certain melons can help you maintain good vision and smooth, glowing skin. They’re rich in beta carotene, which our bodies need to produce vitamin A.

3. Tofu

This versatile soy food has been called the “elixir of longevity,” because many Japanese people rely on its nutrients for a long life. It's a "protein powerhouse" that contains lots of manganese, iron, selenium, and other necessary nutrients, but is virtually free of saturated fat and is low in calories.

 4. Blueberries

The antioxidants in blueberries reportedly help prevent everything from cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, and hemorrhoids, to peptic ulcers, heart disease, and cancer. Research indicates that blueberries can lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.

5. Avocado

Foods rich in monounsaturated fats keep your skin and hair looking healthy, and help reduce your risk of heart disease. Avocados are also a great source of potassium, vitamin K, vitamin E, and folate.

6. Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and the antioxidant, lycopene. Studies show that lycopene may help stop certain cancers, including prostate cancer.

7. Garlic

It acts as an anti-coagulant in the blood, so it reduces your risk of strokes. It’s also known to destroy cancerous cells in cancer patients.

Eating healthy food isn't exactly the same as a diving into the mythical fountain of youth, but if you keep your kitchen stocked with healthy foods, you will feel lighter and healthier and you may even live a longer, more energetic life.  

Bone Up On Bone Health

You don’t have to drink milk in order to build strong bones. Leafy green vegetables and other plant-based foods are plentiful in calcium. Just recently, researchers at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney compared the bone health of 105 post-menopausal vegan Buddhist nuns and 105 non-vegetarian women, and found that their bone density was identical.

Although some vegans tend to get less protein and calcium, this isn’t  usually a problem considering that many people who eat animal products actually get more of these nutrients than they need. Clinical and population evidence even shows that dairy products can cause, rather than prevent, osteoporosis, because excessive protein leeches calcium from the body, causing severe bone deterioration. A study funded by the dairy industry found that post-menopausal women who drank three glasses of milk a day actually lost bone mass twice as fast as those who didn’t drink milk. (They don't mention this study in milk ads, of course.)

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says, “You can decrease your risk of osteoporosis by reducing sodium and animal protein intake in the diet, increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, exercising, and ensuring adequate calcium intake from plant foods such as leafy green vegetables and beans, as well as calcium-fortified products such as breakfast cereals and juices.”

So, if you stock up on spinach, collard greens, kale, broccoli, sesame tahini, almonds, and other calcium-rich plant foods; lift weights and do cardio exercises, you’ll build strong bones—no cow needed. 

Meat and MRSA...or Superbugs and You

Did everyone see the New York Times article linking hog farms to MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus bacterium that kills more Americans than AIDS? The connection between meat and MRSA isn't necessarily news. As the article mentions, scientists have been talking about the link between hog farms and MRSA for years. What I found telling was that even after the article's author, who once raised pigs, commented that we've become a nation that produces cheap bacon, but puts people's health at risk by doing so, he still says that he'd offer his kids B.L.T.'s. To me, that's a meat addiction.

Granted, it's not so much that people are going to "catch" MRSA from eating pork-based bacon, sausage, or hot dogs. (Of course, I can't really say the same thing about stomach and colorectal cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems.) But, as the author points out, many "superbugs" like MRSA are resistant to antibiotics because antibiotics are overused in animals. Approximately 70 percent of the antibiotics used in the U.S. aren’t given to human patients—they are fed to farmed animals.

Unlike the rescued pig in this picture, most animals live on filthy factory farms that are breeding grounds for disease. The animals are fed antibiotics just to keep them alive long enough to send them to slaughter. Anyone who eats meat, milk or eggs is also eating the antibiotics given to the animals raised for those products. Scientists from the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and other health groups fear that the overuse of antibiotics in farmed animals is causing the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

I've researched this subject in the past and discovered several disturbing examples. One USDA study showed that 66 percent of beef samples were contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have reported that 96 percent of the chicken flesh they tested was contaminated with antibiotic-resistant campylobacter bacteria. Another study conducted by the CDC indicated that chicken sold in supermarkets is often tainted with a potentially fatal bacterium that is not even affected by Synercid, a drug commonly used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria.  

Over the years, more than 30 antibiotics have received FDA approval for use in livestock, and many of those same drugs are used to treat human illnesses. So when you get sick, the antibiotics you’re prescribed may not work, either because you’ve built up a tolerance for the drug by consuming it in your chicken, pork, or even fish dinner or because the bacteria have mutated and figured out how to beat the drug.

While ending the routine use of antibiotics in farmed animals is a good first step, there is a much more comprehensive solution: Stop raising animals for food in the first place. The fewer animals we raise, the fewer superbugs there will be to battle. Not to mention all the other diseases that exists largely because we raise and eat animals.

As for a "meat addiction," it's honestly not that hard to break—if you try. There are healthy, humane, and tasty alternatives to bacon (tempeh-based "bacon" and Yves Canadian veggie bacon are my faves) and soy sausage and veggie dogs are staples in most halfway decent grocery stores. Check out some vegetarian resource sites (like VegCooking.com) and you'll see how many different products there are. And stay tuned for my next vegan product pick: Tofurkey sweet Italian sausage.

Show Your Own Heart Some Love This Month!

February is American Heart Month--and February 6 is National Wear Red Day, a day designed to raise awareness about heart disease in women. Whenever you see red this month, consider it a reminder to eat green.

Heart disease—the leading cause of death in America—is caused primarily by high cholesterol, and cholesterol is found only in meat, eggs, and dairy products. Plant-based foods are not only low in saturated fat and calories, they’re cholesterol free. You can keep your ticker ticking long and strong if you exercise and eat healthy vegetarian foods. Here’s what some leading experts have to say on the subject:

*David Jenkins, a professor of nutrition at the University of Toronto: “The evidence is pretty strong that vegans, who eat no animal products, have the best cardiovascular health profile and the lowest cholesterol levels.”

*Dr. William C. Roberts, editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Cardiology: “A vegetarian diet is the least expensive and safest means of achieving the plaque-preventing LDL [low-density lipoprotein cholesterol] goal.”

*Dr. William Castelli, director of the Framingham Heart Study: “Vegetarians have the best diet. They have the lowest rates of coronary disease of any group in the country… they have a fraction of our heart attack rate and they have only 40 percent of our cancer rate.”  

Renowned doctor Dean Ornish has even found that a low-fat vegetarian diet, moderate exercise, and relaxation techniques can actually reverse heart disease. So here’s my “prescription” for all of you: Eat a healthy vegan diet and have a happy American Heart Month!