True Health Revealed

In today’s episode, we begin our interview with Dr. Dean Ornish with a discussion about how to prevent and possibly reverse dementia as well as other chronic diseases. Dr. Ornish and his wife Anne posit a unifying theory that many chronic diseases are all driven by the same lifestyle factors and can not only be prevented, but in many cases, reversed.Over the last 4 decades, their scientific studies have supported a unifying concept that a therapeutic lifestyle can collectively address high cholesterol, excessive weight and obesity, pre- and type 2 diabetes as well as early prostate cancer, to name a few.And now they postulate that lifestyle changes can perhaps even affect the progression of early stage Alzheimer’s disease.Although lifestyle change is not as glamorous or powerful as high tech surgical procedures in affecting a health improvement in patients, Dean and Anne Ornish and their team show how powerful simple lifestyle changes are in helping reverse chronic disease.“When you change your lifestyle, it changes your genes,” Dr. Ornish explains. He adds, “What you gain is so much more than what you give up.” Dr. and Anne Ornish also point out that every (even small) step counts. They emphasize it’s “not all-or-nothing” but an approach that emphasizes a spectrum of lifestyle change.The Ornish lifestyle program is one of the first Medicare covered intensive cardiac rehabilitation programs to reverse coronary heart disease, because it’s been proven to work. Visit Ornish.com for more information.Our interview continues with a discussion about the influence of community, depression, social media and more, on chronic disease. Dr. Ornish gives his advice on how to stick to a change in food intake and other lifestyle habits, and how the Mediterranean diet differs from the Ornish diet for heart disease reversal.But, the practical scientist that he is, he reinforces that cutting CRRAHP™ (calorie rich, refined and highly processed) foods, increasing fiber rich foods like beans and lentils and eating low total (and especially saturated) fat, no matter which “diet” you choose, improves health. And remember: What you gain is so much more than what you “give up!”Key Messages on How to Prevent Dementia and Other Chronic Diseases:In addition to lowering blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight:• Microbiome matters: the amyloid in the brain that’s often seen in Alzheimer’s really begins in your gut.• Ounce for ounce, lentils and beans often have more protein than steak… without the harmful stuff.• Food can be delicious as well as nutritious: you don’t have to sacrifice taste for healthy lifestyles• Awareness is always the first step in healing.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are the most commonly used dietary supplements by populations worldwide. They are called supplements because that is the intention: to fill in nutritional gaps in your diet, not to make up for a bad diet.No supplement replaces a healthy plant forward diet but what should you take to help make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need for good health? The aisles are full of vitamins, minerals and all kinds of supplements – in all kinds of forms – promising all kinds of benefits.Today we interview nutrient researcher Dr Jeffry Blumberg, Professor Emeritus in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science at Tufts University. He unpacks the real evidence on supplements to help you personalize what you should take.Key Messages on the Facts about Vitamin and Mineral Supplements:Children, young women, older adults, vegetarians, and vegans are at the greatest risk of several deficiencies.A diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods is the best way to prevent deficiency.Taking more than the recommended dose could result in toxicity.Consult your physician if you suspect you have a nutrient deficiency and to check if your medications could interfere with nutrient absorption.Form doesn’t matter (eg pill vs gummy vs liquid). What matters is to take your supplements regularly.Supplements do not prevent chronic disease.Supplements lack standardization so one multivitamin can be very different from another.ResourcesCenter for Science and Public InterestNational Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements Linus Pawling Institute at Oregon State University Your physician, registered dietician and pharmacist

Today’s podcast will help you demystify science and sort sense from nonsense. Kathleen interviews Dr. Joe Schwarcz, a well-respected scientist whose mission is to fight false facts and help you decode pseudo-science from real science so you can make better choices for your health.Key Messages:Recognizing the difference between hazard (probability to cause harm) and risk (measure of whether the hazard can cause harm) is critical to understanding most issues.Only the dose makes the poison.Scientific literacy of the public is poor in part due to a lack of science education in school.All foods and virtually everything in the world is a chemical. Just because a food’s chemical name is hard to pronounce, it doesn’t mean it is bad or not good for you.Most people know about health but they eat to satisfy their taste buds.Eating more produce is much more important to health than whether it is conventional or organic.‘Natural’ and ‘superfood’ are examples of food claims that imply health halos yet are not regulated and simply marketing terms.

Join Kathleen Zelman and author of Zero Waste Cooking for Dummies, Rosanne Rust, RDN to learn how to eat clean, reduce food waste, enhance food safety in your kitchen, navigate grocery shopping, and understand processed food for healthy eating that is good for you and the planet.Key Messages on the Real Truth About Clean Eating:Clean eating is a marketing term, not a descriptor of food.Take stock of the your food in your kitchen and make a plan to reduce food waste.Learn how to use your freezer. Almost all foods can be frozen so you don’t waste food.Other than baby formula, expiration or “best by” dates are only guidelines so don’t throw out unless the food smells and/or looks suspicious.Evaluate your waste habits. Identify what you throw out routinely and adjust purchasing habits.Produce and dairy are the foods we waste the most.

They discuss how to become more aware of where food comes from; choose foods intelligently; pay attention to nutritional principles; snack judiciously on a plant forward diet plan and eat less ultra-processed food.Say his name and most people recognize this award winning power house, chef extraordinaire, bestselling author of more than 20 books, teacher, lecturer and champion of culinary simplicity, healthy and socially responsible, guilt free pleasure and common sense advice. He has been writing about food and food policy for more than 25 years, has his own podcast and is a regular on all forms of media.If you follow the New York Times food section, you know Mark’s column – he started his journey at NYT in 1984 and stayed for 30 years, creating delicious recipes, writing cookbooks and opinion pieces. About 20 years ago he became focused on a way to eat that is good for the environment, good for us and delicious. That journey continues today and in fact, his latest book How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered, is co-authored with Dr. David L. Katz, founder of the True Health Initiative.Key Messages from Our Discussion about Foods and Food Choices with Mark Bittman:Plant forward diet plans are best for health and the environment.The more control you have over your diet, the better off you will be. Set up your personal rules, make a plan and get back into the kitchen.Vegan diets are not the holy grail, what’s more important is to eat more plants. It is not an ideal.60% calories produced in U.S. are in the form of ultra-processed foods.Take care of yourself, enjoy the foods you love but be smart, no austerity required.Try to use everything in the kitchen to reduce food waste.

Climate change, greenhouse gasses and reducing our carbon footprint are critical issues to the planet and to each and every one of us. Solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change are emerging and having an impact yet we need to do more.Dr. Frank Mitloehner, also known as the greenhouse guru, is a UC Davis professor, air quality specialist, and Director, UC Davis CLEAR Center. He joined Kathleen on Earth Day to help us all understand the environmental and health impacts of agriculture, food waste, fossil fuels and more.You don’t want to miss this fascinating discussion that will enlighten you about causes of climate change. It will inspire you to make informed decisions that can improve the health of the planet and ourselves. Start today by reducing your food waste to make your personal impact on global warming.Key Messages about Greenhouse Gasses and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint:There are 3 greenhouse gasses (GHG):carbon dioxide from fossil fuels, oil, coal, gas, transportation, power and cement industrymethane from organic material decomposing under oxygen deprived conditions from swamps, rice paddies, food waste and ruminant animalsnitric oxide from nitrogen decomposing in the groundEstimated GHG impacts:4% livestock8-10% food waste10% agriculture27% transportation25% electricity24% industryPlant-based diets have the lowest carbon footprint.Methane is uniquely different from the others as it is naturally destroyed within 10 years, whereas the others’ GHGs stay forever.Innovation is turning methane into a solution. California dairy farmers are covering their lagoons (60% methane) to trap the methane gas which is being cleaned as a renewable natural Bio Gas for semi-trucks and buses.Food waste is an astronomical problem! In the U.S. we waste 40% of all food produced. Of that 40%, half or more is from produce and 10-20% from animal sources. That’s almost twice the annual emissions produced by all cars driven in the U.S. and Europe. What would the impact be if we could reduce waste?

Panera Bread Inc has been a leader in accommodating those who desire a healthier version of convenience food. They have also heavily invested in their tech platform allowing modification of food orders to personal preference AND making the updated nutrition facts available. Further, Panera has been a cutting edge leader in having third party assessment for their food’s carbon impact on the environment with their “Cool Foods” program.Now with over 2100 restaurants in 47 states, Panera makes it practical to eat conveniently and healthily almost everywhere in the United States (and they also have a presence in Canada). This is not to say that they don’t serve more indulgent, riskier foods. But that is reality and they certainly don’t skimp out on having several, VERY healthy options (especially considering their ability to modify orders GREATLY to personal preferences using their app) for those of us plant rich, less processed/refined food seekers.Sara Burnett, VP of Food Beliefs at Panera and self-described Flexitarian, comes from a science background. With her combined passion for food, it’s not surprising that she helped team Panera come to provide anti-biotic free chicken, and she makes sure their food providers/farmers treat their animals as humanely (spacing, fresh air) as possible.

You are what you eat and our food is killing too many of us. We need to turn back the clocks and eat like grandma. Our diets lack enough healthy food and improving nutrition would make the biggest impact on our health. Join Kathleen and Dr. Barry Popkin, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition at UNC Chapel Hill as they dive into the changes in food and habits that have had the greatest impact on our nation’s children and adults.The number of eating occasions has been the major change over the last 20 years contributing to overweight, obesity and chronic diseases. It has gone from snacking once daily with healthy foods to snacking three-four times a day with nutrient poor ultra-processed foods.Kids need snacks. Learn about the best snacks to enjoy, impact of sugar and how food labeling can improve what we choose.Key Messages on Drowning in Junk Food:Roughly 60% calories eaten in U.S. are ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat.Ultra-processed foods are loaded with fat, sugar, calories, and additives. These foods have the greatest negative impact on our health.Most ultra-processed foods are not satisfying, and have addictive qualities.Not all processed foods are bad for your health, choose minimally processed foods.All sugars – honey, maple syrup, agave and more – are the same and act the same in the body.Fresh fruit is more filling and nutritious than the juice. Liquid calories are not as satisfying.Treats are fine in moderation.

Lifestyle Medicine, rather than pills and procedures, should be the core of virtually all healthcare related interactions. Lifestyle related behaviors including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, risky substances and social connections are behind approximately 80% of early, preventable chronic disease and death in the United States.Fortunately, that is the mission of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the Executive Director for which, Susan Benigas, is our guest on this episode. Susan is one of a kind. Her knowledge on the state of lifestyle medicine in medical education and medical practice is tremendous and her energy is infectious.She takes us through the journey of the foundation of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, its current state and future. We discuss the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, the distinctions between Lifestyle Medicine and both functional and integrative medicine. And Susan explains how to find physicians who are certified by the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.In between all of that are a number of extra details that you’ll just have to listen to hear for yourself! Thanks to Susan‘s energy, the episode will fly by in a flash!

Who should use CBD, how should you procure it and how much should you take? Learn all about the risks, benefits and scientific evidence that supports the role of CBD in health.Join Kathleen and RDN Janice Bissex, a holistic cannabis practitioner, and Program Director of Cannabinoid Medical Sciences at John Patrick University School of Integrative & Functional Medicine. Janice is also an author of Simple Guide to CBD: Fact, Fiction, and a Path ForwardWithout sufficient high-quality evidence in human studies, we can’t pinpoint effective doses, and because CBD currently is typically available as an unregulated supplement, it’s hard to know exactly what you are getting.Key Messages:CBD and THC are cousins but serve vastly different purposes.  CBD is not intoxicating.  Marijuana contains THC and is psychoactive.  Legally, CBD products can only contain .03% THC.If you decide to try CBD, talk with your doctor to make sure that it won’t affect any other medicines you take.In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce or stop seizures. Epidiolex, which contains CBD, is the first cannabis-derived medicine approved by the FDA.Buyer beware, since CBD is not regulated so purchase from a reputable source and request a certificate of analysis. According to a report from the World Health Organization, "In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential” and is considered safe. CBD is a plant that contains over 100 ingredients including health promoting terpines, cannabinoids, hemp, flavonoids and more. https://www.jannabiswellness.com