I recently had the opportunity to speak at Google on the subject of nutrition and heart health, “Human Engine Optimization.” View at: http://bit.ly/11XbLqa.
Key points included:
1 of 4 US adults take calcium supplements. The wisdom of this strategy has been called into questi
on with recent studies suggesting that calcium pills may increase heart risk by up to 30%. In contrast, calcium contained in food has not been linked to heart problems.
Why would calcium in supplements act differently from that in food? The answer is unclear, but is likely due to the high concentration of calcium in pill form that triggers a sharp rise in blood levels. This rapid calcium shift is believed to contribute to plaque buildup and blood clots.
To be sure, studies linking calcium supplements and heart risk are conflicting. Some report no link to heart disease, others show problems only in the absence of Vitamin Read More
I am pleased that nutrition education among doctors has been the focus of two recent front page news
stories-in large part due to the background material supplied by the Gaples Institute.
Doctors want to do the very best possible for their patients. Surprisingly, however, they are not supplied the tools when it comes to nutrition.
The average medical student receives 20 hours of nutrition education in total during 4 years of medical school-much of which takes place in the first 2 years when the focus is biochemistry. It only gets worse in later training. Shockingly, nutrition education is not part of the required curriculum for doctors in training in many specialties-including cardiology!
The Gaples Institute is working to change that. We are partnering with others Read More
Atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heart beat, is frustrating for both patients and cardiologists because of frequent recurrences. And frustration is mounting as more adults than ever are being diagnosed. A recently published study on a new approach to treatment deserves attention for a number of reasons. The first reason this study is remarkable is that the investigators tested an innovative treatment – yoga. Secondly, the study is significant because the results were… strikingly positive!
This was the subject of a front page Chicago Tribune article (link below this post) that included the work of the Gaples Institute in promoting the need for doctors to learn more about nutrition – and for dietary counseling to play a larger role in medical care.
Why is it so important that the prescription for nutrition be filled quickly?
A new study on the Mediterranean Diet is out-with the wonderful result of highlighting much needed attention on the role of nutrition in health. Let’s unravel the report and put it into perspective.
The study examined the effect of a Mediterranean diet on people at high risk for heart disease. Participants were then asked to follow either a Mediterranean style diet (either supplemented with olive oil or with nuts) vs a “control” diet with reduced fat.
The trial was stopped prematurely because the early results were so conclusive: the Mediterranean diet groups crushed the combined rate of heart attack, heart death, and stroke by 30%.
Why is this study important?
Op-Ed by Stephen Devries and Andrew Weil
Published in the Huffington Post in response to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation that stated: “Clinicians may choose to selectively counsel patients rather than incorporate counseling into the care of all adults in the general population.”
A summary of our response: “The finding that lifestyle counseling as currently practiced produces poor results is indisputable. The recommendation that followed, however, was stunning. Our national health demands a call to action, but the task force sounded retreat instead.”