The Greatest Legacy

Today, August 26, 2009, Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy died. Senator Kennedy spent his entire career attempting to make the United States (and the World) a place where everyone, not just the privileged few, would have a bright, healthy future.

The United States has become a much better, more open society thanks to the efforts of Senator Kennedy. A society where everyone has the opportunity to make contributions is one that is more creative and dynamic. One that will be able to continue to lead the world in the 21st century as it did in the 20th.

Unfortunately, there is a segment of US society that wishes to limit access; that wishes to maintain their status quo. Sadly, they do not appear to understand that societies that do these things stagnate, wither, and die. Creativity and change are necessary for a dynamic, growing society.

If the United States is to be the world leader that it has been in the past, more change, more opportunities for all its citizens will be required. The greatest legacy that Senator Kennedy would wish to leave to all citizens of the United States would be universal health care.

Tens of millions of Americans have either no or limited health insurance which means they receive inadequate health care. Failure to provide adequate insurance and health care to all of it citizens means that the United States is failing to reach for the future. As much as some of us might wish to hold on to the past, it slips away. If the United States is not to slip into the past, and become a has-been, a backwater, changes must be made.

The Greatest Legacy will be when the Congress passes the health care bill championed by Senator Kennedy. Then all the citizens of the United States will be given the opportunity to achieve a Bright, Healthy Future.

Brain Power

US News and World Report just published an article on “America’s 10 Brainiest States.” Degree of braininess was based on population surveys concerning the following indicators of brain health:

· Eat a Healthy Diet:
o Low saturated fat and cholesterol
o Five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables
o Daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids, especially from eating fatty fish
o Breast feed infants

· Exercise at least 30 minutes each day.
· Watch your weight.
· Do not smoke.
· Sleep around 7 - 8 hours each night.
· Mental Stimulation:
o Read every day.
o Play mentally challenging games.
o Learn new things.
· Get involved:
o Volunteer
o Join clubs
o Stay in touch with family and friends

State rankings were based on the analysis of these factors. You can read more about the methodology of the study here: http://www.lifesdha.com/brainindex/About--i-lifesDHA--i--Index-of-Brain-Health.aspx (Washington, DC was included as a state for the purposes of this research.)

According to the researchers, the top 10 brainiest states/polities are: District of Columbia, Maryland, Washington (state), Vermont, Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine, and New Hampshire. The 10 lowest-ranking states are: North Dakota, South Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Louisiana.

I found this distribution rather intriguing and wanted to explore it further, so I compared this ranking of state brainpower with the map of the Electoral College distribution from the 2008 Presidential Election.

All of the top 10 brainiest states are Blue States. All of the lowest ranking states, except for Indiana, are Red States. Further examination showed that of the top 25 brainiest states, only 7 (Georgia, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, and Alaska) are Red States. The other 18 are Blue States. And of those 7 Red States, all are in the West except for Georgia.

Now, as we know, Correlation does not equal Causation. But it is an intriguing distribution worthy of further thought.

A correlation that, in this case, does equal causation is that the indicators of brain health listed above match with the AnthroHealth Way to Health and Well-Being about which I’ve been writing since 2002. http://www.anthrohealth.net/aharchives.htm

So keep eating those sardines!

The Brain Health research website also includes a brief on-line survey you can take to see if you are living a brain healthy lifestyle: http://www.lifesdha.com/50-States/View-All-Rankings/tabid/330/Default.aspx

I want to hear what you think about the Blue State/Brainy State correlation, so please add comments to this blog.

Don’t Drink It!!

New research has been published stating that drinking milk will help prevent coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. Oh, please! That is like saying that red meat is heart healthy. Milk is loaded with saturated fat. Leave a glass of milk sitting on the counter and watch the clumps of fat appear. Saturated fat is NOT good for you.

Why would these researchers conclude that it is? Well, I did a little sleuthing and found out (surprise, surprise) that at least one of the researchers, Dr. Ian Givens, is associated with the British Dairy Industry [Centre for Dairy Research]. http://www.feedforhealth.org/default.asp?ZNT=S0T1O734

Givens et al. state that compared to men (in Britain) who did not ingest any dairy products, those who did drink milk or eat other dairy products were healthier. This research evidently has yet to be published in a journal, so I do not know how the study was conducted.

However, since the vast majority of adults in the world cannot process dairy products past weaning age due to lack of the enzyme lactase, it seems highly improbable that those adults who drink and eat saturated dairy fat (primarily those of northern European ancestry) would have less CHD and strokes than does the rest of the world’s populations.

On the up side, not all fats are bad for the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines are good for the heart. And the brain. [See my blog Vegging Out below.] And, according to new research, the eyes: eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps prevent age-related macular degeneration and blindness. http://ajp.amjpathol.org/cgi/content/abstract/175/2/799

So, forget the milk and cheese. They don’t do a body good. Instead, add sardines, salmon, and even walnuts to your diet if you are really interested in helping your heart and preventing strokes.

Salud!

Dietary Disorder

I recently read an article written by a vegan (no animal products whatsoever) dietician who mentioned vitamin D supplementation. Unfortunately for herself and her readers, the information she gave them was inaccurate, even potentially harmful. She stated that vegans should not use vitamin D3/cholecalciferol since it came from animal sources. Instead, they should use vitamin D2/ergocalciferol which is from plant sources.

The idea that ergocalciferol (D2) is equivalent to cholecalciferol (D3) has been shown to be based on archaic, erroneous data as shown by the quote below.

“The case that vitamin D2 should no longer be considered equivalent to vitamin D3 is based on differences in their efficacy at raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, diminished binding of vitamin D2 metabolites to vitamin D binding protein in plasma, and a nonphysiologic metabolism and shorter shelf life of vitamin D2. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, should not be regarded as a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification.”

Check out this link for the full article as published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/84/4/694

It is impossible to get enough vitamin D from one’s diet to achieve the optimal level of 50 – 60 ng/mL of 25 OHD even if one were to properly eat foods with D3 such as sardines. Therefore, if one is going to avoid UVB exposure, then one must take vitamin D3 supplements with 1000 IU/day as a minimum dosage. More is probably necessary to optimize 25 OHD.

The article allowed for comments, so I commented on it as above. My comment was up for about two hours and then disappeared. The vegan dietician has both MPH (Masters of Public Health) and RD (Registered Dietician) degrees, so one would assume that she was trained in critical thinking and the scientific method. However, removing my comment does not support that supposition.

By removing my comment, she is denying her readers the opportunity to judge the validity of her own comments. She evidently also denies the validity of research published in one of the major journals in her own field.

Vitamin D3/cholecalciferol is absolutely necessary for optimal health. Using the plant-based form will not cut it. Hiding that information from one's readers does not alter the facts, but it does alter one's perceptions of the one doing the hiding.

Vegging Out

The July, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has a position statement on vegetarian and vegan diets. Their position states that, “Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.” This is disturbing advice, especially since the ADA defines a vegetarian diet, “… as one that does not include meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing those foods.”

Brain growth is very rapid during infancy and childhood. Brain growth requires the fatty acids arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). A healthy, well-fed mother provides these fatty acids in her breast milk. Infant formulas need to be supplemented with these fatty acids; not all of them are. Research has shown that breastfed infants have, on average, higher IQs than do formula-fed infants. Here’s the takeaway message: brain growth requires animal-based fatty acids, not plant-based ones.

Monkey species like capuchins that eat meat are smarter than ones that do not like howlers. Chimps and orangutans show more complex behaviors in the wild than do the vegan gorillas.

Among the best sources of the brain growth fatty acids are fish and shellfish. There is evidence that brain growth was spurred in our hominid ancestors when they began including fish and shellfish in their diets. If not for that dietary change, we would probably still be small-brained hominids dodging cheetahs on the savannas.

The fatty acids AA and DHA are also needed to maintain brain health throughout one’s life. Lack of these fatty acids leads to neurological disorders, even dementia.

Vegging out means sitting around passively doing little thinking, i.e. a couch potato (a relatively useless vegetable). If you don’t eat fish and shellfish your brain will veg out. If you want to do that to yourself, well… However, deliberately stunting your infant or child’s chances for healthy brain development…? How can the ADA really believe that vegging out is a good option for anyone?

Dermatological Purdah

Once again, The American Academy of Dermatology Issues (AAD) has published a statement that, “The Academy continues to recommend that individuals protect themselves from UV exposure when outdoors, such as seeking shade whenever possible, wearing sunscreen and covering up with a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves, pants and sunglasses.” This amounts to Dermatological Purdah: do not allow any skin exposure to the sun!

Evidently, the AAD would be thrilled if we returned to the fashions of the Edwardian era. Note the stylish summer wear of these two women. No sunglasses, but even better for concerned dermatologists, they are wearing gloves and carrying a parasol. What could be better for the AAD?! Let’s return fashion to the days of Fin de Siècle. No more worries: Skin will be smooth and untanned. Why live in the 21st century when the 19th will do so much better?

The AAD does admit that following their fashion purdah restrictions will mean that vitamin D supplementation will probably be necessary. However, they think that 1000 IU/day will be adequate. Adequate? Unlikely. It is estimated that at least 80% of the US population has inadequate levels of serum vitamin D. And the vast majority isn’t following purdah restrictions. 1000 IU/day is better than nothing, of course, but if you are already at inadequate levels (and the odds are that you are), and then you follow the AAD’s advice, 1000 IU/day will be nowhere near enough to optimize your vitamin D levels. Before deciding to undertake dermatological purdah, get you 25 OHD levels checked. Anything under 50 ng/mL means that you need to take a supplement. Vitamin D3 now comes in 2000 IU/day pills.

Think it isn’t that serious? Muslim women who practice purdah in Saudi Arabia (pretty darn sunny there) have dangerously low, even undetectable, levels of serum vitamin D. Edwardian women who practiced dermatological purdah had such high rates of flattened pelvic inlets that obstetricians thought that was what a normal pelvis looked like. Childbirth is hard enough with a normal pelvic inlet. Can you imagine what it was like in Edwardian times? Do you want to return to that era? I don’t.

Sure, you need to make sure that you don’t overdo sun exposure. But get real AAD, dermatological purdah is not the answer either.

It's About Time!!

Way back in 1992, I began doing research on vitamin D deprivation. At that time, there were only a few other researchers looking at this topic. If anyone else thought of vitamin D at all, they figured it was a very minor problem resolved by drinking milk; and that it only affected bones. My research pointed to vitamin D deprivation being a widespread problem that affected multiple regions in the body beyond bones. But trying to get most of my colleagues to take this seriously was an arduous, disappointing process.

Between 1999 and 2001, I submitted grants to NIH trying to get funding to do a major research study on vitamin D deprivation among heavily-pigmented women. There was no interest in such research at that time. I wrote articles on vitamin D deprivation that have been widely cited, but still the issue wasn’t considered important enough for the NIH.

Part of the reason for this is the massive public relations campaign against sun exposure launched and carried out by dermatologists and their media friends. Yes, too much UVB exposure can be a problem; but not enough exposure is a much bigger problem. Only in the past year or so has the media finally, finally realized this. Now we are seeing articles on vitamin D deprivation and the importance of maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D if one wishes to avoid multiple health problems such as heart disease, cancer, auto-immune conditions, and, of course, keeping the skeletal system strong.

And FINALLY the NIH is going to fund a major study on vitamin D deprivation. It’s only taken almost two decades, but better late than never. This study will enroll 20,000 participants from throughout the nation. However, the group is limited to women who are 65 or older, or men who are 60 or older. Also, they need to be free of any major health problems. The study will be double blind in that participants and researchers will not know whether the participant is receiving actual vitamin D3 (2000 IU/day) or a dummy pill. The vitamin D dosage is also large enough that effects should be noticeable, unlike other recent studies where the dosage was much lower.

The study begins in January 2010 and will run for five years, so we cannot expect to read about results any time soon. However, It’s About Time! Maybe we will now see many other major research projects done on this important topic.

Just today a large cancer research study [ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/07/AR2009070702252.html ] found that even after controlling for a variety of factors, African Americans had higher rates of adverse outcomes for breast, colon, and ovarian cancers than was true of European Americans. This study evidently did not look at vitamin D levels, but, as I pointed out in one of my articles (Health Disparities: Reframing the Problem. Medical Science Monitor 2003; 9 (3): SR9-15), vitamin D deprivation is the probable factor involved in this disparity [ http://journals.indexcopernicus.com/fulltxt.php?ICID=4712 ]

Meanwhile, there is no evidence that taking 2000 IU of vitamin D3/day causes problems; and there are many studies that indicate there are important benefits. So, take your vitamin D every day and you will be ahead of the curve when the NIH study is finally analyzed and published.