KIss my asparagus Part 1

• Oxidation and inflammation play a major role in cardiovascular disease (heart), cancer, diabetes, dementia, arthritis.


• Many inflammatory conditions lead into cancers; eg ulcerative colitis, crohns, hepatitis B and C

• Why you might ask? Well inflammation damages cells and arteries, damaged cells form “free radicals” or oxidants that further damaging tissue by breaking them down or oxidization. Free radicals damage DNA that cause mutations and then cancers grow uncontrolled by stop DNA.

• Hence we hear about “anti-oxidants” as foods that prevent this stress on the body…FOOD not supplements!!!!

• Think of B’s: BEANS (more they make you fart the better they are) & berries. As well as artichoke hearts. Listed in order of highest potency: black berries, prunes (only 3 x a week, can cause extreme constipation), raspberries, strawberries (chocolate covered counts), red delicious apples, granny smith apples, pecans, sweet cherries, black plums.

• Cool fact about the history of ex-lax; back in early centuries they found that the chemical phenolphthalein was naturally found in prunes, so they first marketed it in a drug called “BOBO” then added it to chocolate “Ex-Lax” (means excellent laxative), then it became refined into a more gentle form, now known as “senakot.”

• Normal amount of Bowel Movements according to GI doctors 3/day-3/week

• Stress causes us to build fat around our visceral organs, and eventually becomes a new organ…abdominal fat.

• Visceral fat (around organs) - triggers the immune system to release macrophages (big eaters) to attack it and destroy it (too bad they are not more efficient at it), which creates more inflammation so the problem is even worse.

• Hierarchy of Fat: worse to best

o Trans fats (one Oreo cookie 1% of dietary intake)

 Partially hydrogenated…on the label…makes fat solid at room temperature and withstand frying temperatures, and extend shelf life.

 If you ever encounter a Melina stool in a child who comes out negative for occult blood ask how many Oreo cookies they ate…blackens stool

o Saturated fats

 Reduce but not too much

 SPAM is death in a can however. (In the war there was a SPAM factory next to a bomb factory, because of the nitroglycerine in TNT the workers who ate the SPAM didn’t feel the effects of it, but once the war ended there was a large increase in heart disease due to the narrowing of their vascular system).

 Saturated means that they have less areas of molecular bonding were oxygen can attach to, instead they are “saturated” with hydrogen

 Examples are red meat, coconut oil, palm kernel oils, cheese, cream, milk, and butter

 Recommendation less than 10% of total calories

 HDL- high density (good cholesterol) & LDL- low density cholesterol (bad cholesterol) is now known to have two sizes

• Small and dense vs. large land loose: small and dense stick to artery walls, large and loose easier to deal with.

• Statin drugs help (eg Crestor or Lipitor)

• Increased triglycerides + decreased HDL’s= small density LDL’s (found in diabetic patients)

• Cool fact internal mammary artery is only artery than cannot infarct breast tissue with cholesterol plaques, therefore breast cannot gain fat

o Omega-3 fatty acids

 The good anti-inflammatory fats (marine omega-3 acids DHA and EPA) found in fish

 EPA- antinflamatory effects and decreases platlet aggregation (bleeding problems) with good platlet counts there is no sticking together

 DHA- incorporated into cell membranes of the retina and nervous system

• Protects eyes from macular degeneration, protects white matter in brain (with myelin sheaths faster synapses), found that breast fed children have higher IQ’s because of natural DHA.

 Vegetable omega-3: flaxseeds (1/5 as potent as marine omega-3), walnuts, chia seeds, canola oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, krill oil (10x the cost of other oils, but can absorb 20-30% more omega-3)

 Omega-3 act like aspirin thinning the blood, cancer patient need be careful about using large doses, can hemorrhage.

 Fish during pregnancy is fine just choosing the right fish, at least 3 portions of fish /week

 Heart disease, preventative eating of omega-3 is better effects on health than after being diagnosed, about 1 gram at least twice a week.

 About 3.5 oz. of omega-3 about a palm size (no fingers!)

 A diet rich in omega-3’s may delay type 1 diabetes in children prone to the disease (highest risk: blonde, Scandinavian, blue eyes) diabetes increases the aging process.

 Metformin does the same thing as omega-3’s prevents telomeres shortening (DNA parts responsible for aging changes) about 500mg has been showing positive results with decreased risk of breast cancers and prostate cancers, no BRCA results yet.

 Cool fact: if men and women over age of 65yrs took 1,800mg of omega-3 daily, could reduce hospitalizations due to heart disease by 37,000 cases/5 years

 Omega-6 and omega-3 use the 3:1 ratio (omega-3 :omega-6)

 Top fish for omega-3 with methyl-mercury: (METHYL-mercury; damaging to babies brains (50 days in body) vs. ETHYL-mercury; immunization (3 days in body))



• Salmon (H/L)

• Sardines (H/L)

• Pacific oysters (H/M)

• Trout (H/M)

• Canned or fresh tuna (H/H)

• Flounder (M/M)

• Sword fish (M/H)

• Mackerel (M/H)

• Tilefish (M/H)

• Grouper (L/H)

• Halibut (L/H)

• Catfish/shrimp (L/L)



o MUFA’s mono saturated oils

 Olive oil (brain oil), is an antinflamatory (in joints as well), stabilizes white matter (just a dab though, high calorie). Use extra virgin…better taste.

 White matter is the stuff in our brain that connects the dots

 Other MUFA foods; hazelnut oil, avocado, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and pesto.

 Fun fact about avocado’s; names after Aztec word for “testicle” due to how it grows in pairs…takes 9 months to ripen. The Aztecs used foods because they were shaped like certain body parts…eg sweet potatoes look like the pancreas so they would give a person sweet potatoes if they needed to balance sugar…like the pancreas does.

• Alcohol: (5 oz glass any color) anti-inflammatory, boosts HDL’s, prevents clotting, red wine found to have an anti-oxidant property. Remember to sip...not slam

• Purple grapes have same properties as wine.

• Hard stuff (1-2 oz for women, 2-3 for men) beer

o Fun fact to get rid of that red wine headache; have an aspirin before you drink it.

• THE MOTTO: Bike a mile, eat a Bowl of Beans, pop a Blueberry and guzzle a Brewski