Tofu consumption is associated with cognitive impairment and brain atrophy

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2000 Apr;19(2):242-55 and a recipe for pulled chicken with guacamole.

Study title and authors
Brain aging and midlife tofu consumption.
White LR, Petrovitch H, Ross GW, Masaki K, Hardman J, Nelson J, Davis D, Markesbery W.
SourceNational Institute on Aging, NIH, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10763906

Books:

White examined the associations of midlife tofu consumption with brain function and structural changes in late life in 3734 people.

The study revealed:
(a) Poor cognitive test performance and low brain weight were each significantly and independently associated with higher midlife tofu consumption.
(b) A similar association of midlife tofu intake with poor late life cognitive test scores was also observed among wives of the study members (using the husband's answers to food frequency questions as proxy for the wife's consumption).

To conclude: Higher midlife tofu consumption is associated with cognitive impairment and brain atrophy in late life.

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Recipe of the day

Pulled Chicken with Guacamole

Guacamole

Ingredient list:
1 ripe avocado
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 14.5-ounce can of diced and fire roasted tomatoes, especially ones with peppers
Garlic powder
Salt

Directions:
Slice a ripe avocado in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash the avocado up with a fork. Add a handful of chopped onion to the bowl. Add can of diced tomatoes. Add a generous dusting of garlic powder. Stir ingredients together. Taste and add garlic powder and salt as needed. Pile pulled chicken (see below) on top. Enjoy!

The taste of guacamole improves with a little age. If you can wait, let your guacamole sit in a covered plastic container in the refrigerator for at least an hour before eating. I eat some right away, but I have noticed that I like leftovers in the morning a lot.

Pulled Chicken

Ingredient list:

Food Mall: Chicken

1 whole young hen

Red chili powder
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Salt

Directions:
Remove chicken from packaging. Remove giblets (package including the heart, liver, and neck) from the body cavity. Freeze the giblets to use in making chicken stock later. Rinse chicken and add the whole bird to pressure cooker (alternate method noted below). Dust generously with salt, garlic powder, red chili powder, and black pepper. Add enough water to almost submerge the chicken. In my case that was about 10 cups. Lock top on pressure cooker. Increase heat to high. After achieving high pressure, reduce heat to the lowest level consistent with maintaining high pressure. Cook under high pressure for 20 minutes. Turn off heat under pressure cooker, use the slow-release method to bring pressure down, and remove top. Remove chicken from pressure cooker with tongs (because it is hot!) and transfer to a large mixing bowl. If the chicken falls apart, remove the pieces as best you can with tongs and scoop the rest out with a slotted spoon. Leave the broth in the pot while you continue. Use a pair of tongs to separate the chicken from the bones and skin and transfer it to another large bowl. Once you have all the chicken separated, pull the chicken apart with a pair of forks.

Discard the bones and skin. Let the broth cool for 30 minutes to an hour and then transfer to plastic containers. Keep what you need for cooking over the next 4-5 days in the refrigerator and freeze the rest.



Ketogenic diets can allow unimpaired endurance performance

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in Nutrition and Metabolism 2004 Aug 17;1(1):2 and a recipe for pemmican.

Study title and author:
Ketogenic diets and physical performance.
Phinney SD.
Source6108 Boothbay Court, Elk Grove, CA 95758, United States of America. sdphtb@earthlink.net.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC524027/?tool=pubmed

In this review Phinney examines the effectes of a ketogenic diet on physical performance.

The study found that:

Books:

(a) Early Arctic explorers such as Schwatka and Stefansson have shown that great feats of endurance could be achieved on a ketogenic diet, with a couple of caveats.

   (i) Schwatka found that it took two or three weeks to adapt to the diet.
   (ii) Stefansson found that protein should not exceed 20% of the diet or malaise may occur.
(b) Studies of short duration or/and a high protein content show the ketogenic diet to impair physical performance.
(c) Studies of a duration long enough to allow adaptation, that contain protein at around 20% of the diet and with optimized sodium and potassium intake, result in an unimpaired or even increased physical performance in endurance activities.

In conclusion: Ketogenic diets may result in improved athletic endurance if sufficient adaptation time is allowed and protein, sodium and potassium intake are optimized.

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Recipe of the day

Pemmican

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Brisket

3 pounds beef, such as brisket or bottom round

1 pound beef suet or tallow

Instructions:
Slice beef into thin strips, spread on racks placed on cookie sheets and bake several hours in a 150-degree oven until well dried. (You may also use a dehydrator.) Meanwhile, cut suet or tallow into small pieces and place in a pan. Melt over medium-high heat and allow to boil until any pieces of skin, meat or gristle have become crisp. Pour the hot fat through a strainer into a glass measuring cup-you should have about 3/4 cup rendered fat.

Cut dried beef into pieces and process in batches in the food processor, several minutes per batch, until the beef is reduced to a coarse powder. In a bowl, mix powdered beef and warm fat. Press into a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and cover tightly. Pemmican may be stored at room temperature.



Statins increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 73%

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in Stroke 2008;39:497 and a recipe for balsamic glazed pork steak with stir fried broccoli.

Study title and authors:
Statin Treatment and the Occurrence of Hemorrhagic Stroke in Patients With a History of Cerebrovascular Disease

Mervyn D.I. Vergouwen, MD; Rob J. de Haan, PhD; Marinus Vermeulen, MD, PhD; Yvo B.W.E.M. Roos, MD, PhD

Books:

From the Departments of Neurology (M.D.I.V., M.V., Y.B.W.E.M.R.) and Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (R.J.d.H.), Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

This paper can be accessd at: http://stroke.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/39/2/497

The purpose of this review was therefore to investigate the effect of statin treatment on the occurrence of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in patients with a history of cerebrovascular disease.

The study found that:
(a) Statins decreased the risk of  ischemic stroke by 20%
(b) Statins increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 73%

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Recipe of the day

Balsamic Glazed Pork Steak with Stir Fried Broccoli

Ingredient list:


2 bone-in pork steaks

3 stalks of broccoli
Coconut oil
Balsamic vinegar
Garlic powder
Jamaican Allspice
Salt

Directions:
Pre-heat non-stick grill-pan or skillet over medium heat. Season both sides of pork steak with salt, garlic powder, and Jamaican Allspice. Lay pork steak in the hot grill-pan and let sear undisturbed for 6 minutes. Turn with tongs to let the second side sear for 6 minutes. Splash balsamic vinegar generously across the top of the meat. After the second side has seared, turn again and coat the other side with balsamic vinegar. Turn again and let the freshly coated side sear a few more seconds. Meanwhile, cut florets from broccoli stalks and divide into bite-sized pieces. Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in a wok. Add broccoli and stir until broccoli is coated with coconut oil. Add a little water if the wok becomes too dry before the broccoli is sufficiently tender. When done, transfer pork steaks to a plates. Fill the rest of the plate with broccoli. Enjoy!

High manganese exposure associated with ADHD: Soy milk formula contains about 80 times the levels of manganese found in breast milk

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics 2003 Mar;3(2):145-8 and a recipe for spicy pork.

Study title and authors:
Does soy-based infant formula cause ADHD?
Crinella FM.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19810830

Books:

This paper reviewed the evidence of the connection between soy and ADHD.

Crinella found that:
(a) The mineral manganese may cause behavioral problems if consumed in high doses.
(b) High manganese exposure results in lower levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a key role in inhibiting behavior seen in cases of ADHD.
(c) Studies on manganese miners have shown that it causes a number of behavioral problems.
(d) High doses of manganese exposure have been known to produce a syndrome called "manganism," marked by tremors similar to Parkinson's disease and spasmodic, often violent, behavior.
(e) Soy milk formula contains about 80 times the levels of manganese found in breast milk.

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Recipe of the day

Spicy Pork

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Pork Tenderloin

1 lb pork tenderloin cut in half

Rub with this mixture:
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp thyme
generous pinch of ground allspice

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a roaster pan and brown tenderloin pieces on all sides to seal in juices. Bake about 40 minutes.

Statins increase the incidence of liver damage

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2006; 355:549-559 August 10, 2006 and a recipe for deep fried quail.

Study title and authors:
High-Dose Atorvastatin after Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack

Karam JG et al The Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL) Investigators

Books:

This study can be accessed at: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa061894

The study divided up 4731 patients who had had a stroke into 2 groups who had treatment of either (i) 80 mg of a statin drug per day or (ii) placebo.

Elevated liver enzymes may indicate the liver is damaged.

The study found:
(a) The statin group had a 66% higher incidence of  hemorrhagic strokes.
(b) The statin group had a 2.31% more deaths.
(c) Elevated liver enzyme values were more common in patients taking statins.

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Recipe of the day

Deep Fried Quail

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Quail

3-4 birds per person

8 cloves garlic
2 centers lemon grass
1 T black pepper (crushed)
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions:
This is rather low-rent, but my favorite quail dish is deep-fried. Take your birds and marinate them with garlic, lemon grass, black pepper (crushed) and oil overnight. Reduce marinade to a fine emulsion in a mortar and rub it into the quail (inside the body cavity, under the skins, etc.)

Allow them to come to room temperature, dry them off, and then deep fry them in oil. They'll puff up and then deflate. Cook them to your taste (either very crispy or not so). I serve them Vietnamese-style with salt and pepper powder (roast white peppercorns with salt and some lemon zest, then crush) and limes. Squeeze the lime on the quail, dip in salt/pepper combo, and eat. They are great served with pickled carrots and daikon (again, Vietnamese-style).

High carbohydrate/low fat diets associated with irritable bowel syndrome in infants and children

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Pediatrie 1990;45(9):605-9 and a recipe for poached eggs with collard greens in beef broth.

Study title and authors:
Irritable colon in children: dietary aspects

Chouraqui JP, Dietsch J, Réthoré B, Revol E.

Books:

Unité de nutrition pédiatrique, CHU, Grenoble, France.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2175423

In this study the complete dietary histories of forty cases of irritable bowel syndrome were examined in infants and children aged 6 to 42 months.

It was found that the majority (92.5%) of these patients had been on high carbohydrate, high protein and low fat diets.

Advice was given to change to a diet that increased dietary fat and lowered carbohydrates and even proteins intake. This resulted in the irritable bowel syndrome been cured in 76% of the patients.

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Recipe of the day

Poached Eggs with Collard Greens in Beef Broth

Ingredient list:

3 eggs

Food Mall: Eggs

2 bunches of collard greens (20 stems)

32-ounces of beef broth
1 sweet yellow onion
Extra virgin olive oil
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Salt

Directions:
Chop onion into bite-sized pieces. Add a generous splash of olive oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion and let cook until soft. Add beef broth and one teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cover and let heat while you prepare collards. Rinse collard greens well. Strip or cut leaf from stems. Discard stems. Cut collards into one-inch wide strips. Add collards to beef broth in pot and stir well. Taste broth and add salt if you think it needs more. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for one hour. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to an air-tight container and save in the refrigerator.

When it is time for breakfast, ladle 2-4 cups of collard greens and broth into a sauce pan over medium heat. Crack 2-3 eggs into a coffee cup. Reduce heat to low when the collards begin to boil. Pour the eggs into the pan, dropping each yolk in a different area. Cover and let cook for 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and eat!

Statins implicated in multiple sclerosis

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the Journal of  Neuroscience Research 2010 Nov 15;88(15):3361-75

Study title and authors:
Simvastatin interferes with process outgrowth and branching of oligodendrocytes.
Smolders I, Smets I, Maier O, vandeVen M, Steels P, Ameloot M.
Biomedical Research Institute, School of Life Sciences, Hasselt University and Transnational University Limburg, Diepenbeek, Belgium.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20857509

Oligodendrocytes are a type of brain cell. They are the cell type that is predominantly affected in multiple sclerosis. Myelin is the protective sheath coating our nerve fibers.

Books:

Any adverse effects on oligodendrocytes and myelin are detrimental and are implicated in multiple sclerosis.

The study focused on the effects of stain drugs on oligodendrocytes and myelin in a laboratory setting.

The study found:
(a) Cholesterol is required for the growth of oligodendrocytes.
(b) Statins inhibited the growth of oligodendrocytes.
(c) Statins inhibited the growth of myelin.

To conclude: Statin treatment has detrimental effects on oligodendrocyte growth, which is the prior step in (re)myelination, and thereby inhibits the healing of multiple sclerosis lesions.

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Soy allergy is very common in children

This post includes a summary of a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2010 Mar;125(3):683-6 and a recipe for skate and garlic spinach.

Study title and authors:
The natural history of soy allergy

Savage JH, Kaeding AJ, Matsui EC, Wood RA.

Books:

SourceDepartment of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20226303

Savage notes that soy allergy is very common in children.

The study examined 133 children with soy allergy.
64% had asthma
71% had allergic rhinitis
85% had atopic dermatitis
88% had concomitant peanut allergy.

Savage found that by the age of 7 about 50% of the children still continued to suffer from the effects of the soy allergy.

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Recipe of the day

Skate and Garlic Spinach

Food Mall: Fish

Ingredients:

◦3T + 2T fat

◦2 skate wings
◦S&P
◦1/2 lb. fresh spinach
◦3-5 gloves garlic, finely chopped

Method:
In a saute pan over medium high heat, melt about 3 T fat. Pat the skate wings dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with S&P. Place the wing in the pan and saute for about 7 minutes, flip once you see a little bit of color and saute on the other side. You shouldn’t see any pink or redness, if you do, cook it longer.

For the spinach, use the same saute pan and saute the garlic in about 2 T melted fat. Add the spinach all at once and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. Then use some tongs or a spatula to turn it over so the fresh spinach gets wilted. This should take less than 10 minutes.