How genomic sciences have ushered in the new era of personalized nutrition

Millions of Americans are taking food supplements in a never ending battle to stay young, feel better, and treat their ills. They take these based on what they read, see and hear with a small percentage actually getting advice from their healthcare practitioners. For most, this guessing game leaves people uncertain, confused and often ingesting supplements that are not specific to their individual needs.

How is one to choose from the hundreds of nutritional supplements?

With over half of the population of the United States taking nutritional supplements the vast majority are uncertain as to what they’re taking and why. Many times this shot-gun approach leads to the over (or under) consumption of vitamins and minerals. For the most part, the very nutrients the body craves never make it into the shopping cart.

In the last sixty years, the nutritional science has pushed forward and made tremendous breakthroughs in this area. The era of ‘one size fits all’ is coming to an end.

In a book published in the 1950’s entitled Biochemical Individuality, University of Texas biochemist, Roger Williams argued:

“Each of us has a unique chemical makeup that induces various responses to foods, drugs and the environment. The reason we are unique is that our genes are different.”

75-90% of the people who lose weight on a diet regain the pounds after their diet ends. So cites a study in the nutrition research clinic of Baylor College School of Medicine. And 95% of people who lose 40 pounds or more were the most likely to regain it back. This back and forth weight gain and loss, a typical unhealthy pattern, has been termed the "Yo Yo Effect."

In a two-year study of 150 dieters, director John Foreyt found certain factors key in the long term maintenance of weight loss:

… Enjoy the feeling of exercise. Says Foreyt, "If you walk briskly or do any kind of exercise for 45 minutes in the morning you'll have a sense of control all day."

… Have internal motivation. People who are really losing weight for themselves in order to feel and look better are more successful. If they lose it for an event, like a class reunion or summer, they often gain back the weight when the event is over.

… Enjoy other healthy aspects of weight loss. People who keep weight off enjoy the fact that their clothes fit better, they have good muscle tone, lower cholesterol and better blood pressure.

Too many weight conscious people get most of their dietary information from popular magazines. What's worse, many doctors are told by patients that they are following certain dietary advice in advertisements from TV, radio, magazines and newspapers—two sources which grossly mis-inform individuals about the facts of being overweight.

That's what a study showed in the International Journal of Obesity (vol.10, 1986) and in the International Journal of Eating Disorders (vol.3, 1984). It was revealed that 75% of the information in articles on dieting was unreliable. Fortunately, certain basic facts about being overweight exist:

… Being overweight or obese is not usually due to overeating. Actually, most overweight people eat very little, relative to their thin counterparts. Actually, it's not unusual for a slim individual to consume in excess of 3,000 calories a day and maintain their weight.

Wine is not only the oldest dietary alcoholic beverage but the oldest medicinal agent in continuous use throughout human history.

The use of wine dates back more than 6,000 year with interest by physicians, scientists, poets and peasants. Even today, wine and other alcoholic beverages are classified as foods (it's the U.S.D.A.'s fifth food group) and is used daily in most cultures. More healthy benefits have been bestowed upon wine than any other natural substance.

There are few known unhealthy effects from moderate amounts of alcohol consumption, with negative consequences seen mostly in heavy drinkers. Women are more susceptible to alcohol not only because of size, but due to the less amount of alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomach, which breaks down alcohol before it's absorbed. Once in the blood alcohol is destroyed in the liver.

The four-billion dollar fresh tomato market is getting an artificial shot - the first genetically engineered tomato will hit the market in 1994. It's the first food created by the use of recombinant DNA. Called Flvr Savr, developed by Calgene, a California biotechnology company, will hit the market first in the Midwest.

While some question the quality of the product of whether the market will really embrace such a product, others, like Jeremy Rifkin, are actively campaigning against it. A Washington D.C. based activist, Rifkin opposes the genetically engineered food on the grounds of safety and ethics. Others ask why we need to spend more money to develop a further excess of our food supply when we are already paying farmers not to produce.

The technology was approved by the FDA in early 1992 saying that recombinant DNA is no different than classical plant breeding. However, the FDA will require further testing if the residues in the tomato turn out to be a allergen. Presently, Vice-President Gore is working with the FDA to determine whether their policy on genetically engineered foods needs to be changed. 
Other genetically engineered foods are headed our way: potatoes with a chicken gene and a wax-moth gene, tobacco with firefly genes (the plants will grow in the dark), trout genes in carp, and others.

There are four basic kinds of food eaters, and most Americans fit into one of these categories:

Traditional Eaters--about 37%. They consume almost anything, even junk food.

Weight Conscious Eaters--28% of all eaters fall into this category. Folks in this group chow down on low calorie foods lots of raw vegetables and artificially sweetened sodas.

Health Conscious Eaters--19% of American eaters are focused on healthy foods, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Uncommitted Eaters--those people who really don't give much thought to what they eat. They amount to 16% of the population.

Unprocessed natural fats and oils should be part of a healthy diet. As a basic necessary food, fats provide nutrients which, when not present in the diet, can create deficiencies and ill health.

In addition to studies quoted in our newsletters, another interesting one (Am. Journal Dis. Child. 143, 59: 537-542, 1989) reveals that a low fat diet can cause growth failure in children. The children, originally diagnosed as having a genetic form of high cholesterol, were on a very low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. The result was dwarfing in some and insufficient weight gain and lack of normal growth in other children. As a result of this type of diet, inadequacies in energy, vitamin and mineral intake were found. The authors state that a modified fat and cholesterol intake, carefully monitored, would be therapeutic and also ensure proper nutrition for developing children.

Dietary fats are important for good health.  This may sound a bit far fetched, if not outfight strange, but it's true.  As far bas as 1929, dietary fats were found to be "essential" in our diet.

Balance is the key to making fat work for you. There are two important considerations:
a) Consume a variety of good fats. These include unrefined oils, such as extra virgin olive and safflower and sesame. Fats from butter, meats, eggs and dairy are good as well, as long as they are part of a balanced diet.
b) Avoid hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) fats. These include margarine and many of the fats used to make breads and other products (read labels). Hydrogenated fats can disturb the metabolism of fats in the body. Also, fried or cooked fats should be avoided for similar reasons.

Why are fats so good? Here are ten reasons:

1. Fat as a Source of Energy.

The body uses two main fuels for energy: carbohydrates and fats. The energy is obtained by changing carbohydrates to sugar (called blood sugar or glucose) and fats to fatty acids. However, fats can provide more than twice the energy of sugar.
Therefore, it makes more sense for the body to use fats whenever possible. One important factor related to this is a moderate level of activity, such as easy, aerobic exercise.
If the body cannot burn fat for energy (due to a lack of dietary fats or exercise), two things may happen:

In the summer of 1991, a Congressional investigation uncovered an improperly conducted food consumption survey. That doesn't sound so bad, but the survey, performed every decade and costing 7.6 billion dollars, is used by the government for setting such policies as nutritional status, school lunch programs and allowable pesticide levels in foods. The scientific panel from the General Accounting Office which uncovered the problem said the marketing company which conducted the 1987 survey maintained that some of the data was lost, but finally admitted that it had never been done. Despite this, the Food and Drug Administration has decided to use the survey anyway.

It is surveys such as this which the government used to pass the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, and begin going into effect late this fall. (The entire law will not be in effect until 1993.) The new law, the first update since 1938, regulates terms used on food packages as well as health claims. Although it's a step in the right direction to help consumers, companies are already finding new methods of deception. One crafty example is a company which promotes "their new labeling" so consumers are aware how good their product is, when actually the company is now required to produce that "new" label. Of course it's all legal: companies spend millions a year promoting products, some methods disguised as educational. That's why most people get most their nutritional information from advertisements.

While most natural foods are healthy and taste good, they have been a staple for thousands of years. But for too many people, meals have become processed and unnatural. The three basic foods below give you dozens of possible healthy, quick and easy, and inexpensive combinations of meals.

Eat Your Vegetables 
An unfortunate tradition is not liking vegetables. This is auspiciously changing, as Americans are eating 20% more vegetables than a decade ago. When prepared right, they can be as delicious as any other healthy food. In most regions, fresh vegetables are available throughout the year. Scanning a good cookbook will give you many good ideas for vegetable recipes. But starting with the basics is the first step.

Although most vegetables have their own unique good taste, many people still search for the spice that's right. With hundreds of recipes at your disposal, consider the basic spice first: salt. The best way to prepare many vegetables is cooked (steamed) in a saucepan with just a little water. When done, add unsalted (sweet) butter and some sea salt. This is especially great for asparagus to zucchini.

The lack of energy-fatigue-is one of the most common complaints heard by doctors. This symptom may take various forms. Physical fatigue is the most frequent complaint. It can strike at particular times of the day, or may be felt all day long. Some people say they just can't perform like they could when they were younger. But age is no excuse for fatigue. Mental fatigue is also common, often resulting in an inability to think clearly or make decisions.

But where does our energy come from? The answer is both simple and complex, and can be provided through discussions about atoms and molecules, or by talking about various types of foods and their breakdown.

Basically, our energy comes from the foods we eat; specifically, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Although most foods contain all three, there's usually a predominance of one of these. Carbohydrates include whole grains, legumes, pasta, breads and desserts, while meats, fish, cheese make up the protein family. Fats include oils and butter.

You work out several days a week, or more, but have too much body fat. Your diet is high carbohydrate and low fat but you aren't getting the results you expected. Your performance is also off, and you're still looking for an answer. Perhaps you're eating too many carbohydrates and not enough fat!

It's long been known that eating a high carbohydrate diet can result in stored fat and poor performance.

Most of your performance energy comes from both dietary fats and carbohydrates. For too many athletes, the predominant energy source is carbohydrate when it should be fats. Up to 80% of your energy can be obtained from fat, and when this happens, you'll store less and have more endurance. The amount of fat and carbohydrate you use for energy is determined to a large extent by both the diet and through training. Eating large amounts of carbohydrates -above a certain threshold - can prevent your body from using fats for energy, leaving you tired and more fat. One reason for this has to do with your levels of insulin. 
Insulin is a hormone released by your pancreas following carbohydrate ingestion and the associated rise in blood sugar (glucose).

Insulin triggers three important events: 1) it brings some blood sugar into the muscles where it's used to energy, 2) it converts some blood sugar to glycogen (the stored form of sugar) and 3) insulin not only stores some blood sugar as fat, but it prevents existing fat from coming out of storage for use as energy.

by Kevin C. Vigilante, MD, MPH, and Mary M. Flynn, PhD, RD
International Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vo3, No 2, Aug/Sep 2001

Note: The information on this website is not a substitute for the advice of & treatment by a qualified professional.

The Mediterranean diet encompasses a broad range of cuisines native to the entire area bounding the Mediterranean Sea. Despite this diversity, all these cuisines that we collectively label "the Mediterranean diet"¹ share many common characteristics. While not strictly vegetarian, these cuisines are traditionally plant-­based diets in which red meat is consumed only a few times a month. Fruits, vegetables, bread, cereals, legumes, and nuts are eaten in abundance, and red wine is a part of everyday life. Chicken and fish appear on the table in low to moderate amounts, and dairy is consumed mostly in the form of yogurt and cheese - and usually as a condiment.

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of this dietary approach is its use of olive oil, which is the principal fat source and the culinary foundation of these cuisines. Despite the high percentage of fat in this diet, the evidence suggests that this is one of the world's healthiest cuisines and should be considered a model for healthy eating.