In third world countries, eating in moderation is the only way to go as there is literally not a lot of food to go around. In places like Indonesia, Thailand or the Philippines, the staple food is rice.  When you examine their meals, you will realize that more than ¾ of what they eat will consist mainly of various types of organic vegetables and rice put together, mostly harvested from the land.  If they are lucky they might get a small amount of fish (perhaps 60-80g each at most) and a little egg to accompany the rest of the rice and vegetables. Egg is generally regarded as a cheap source of good quality protein so it is frequently served. This is the foundation of what people eat 3 times a day. Meat tends to be only served on special occasions. In some poorer areas of  Thailand, only two meals are served a day due to scarcity of food in certain regions. In Australia, we are fortunate; we do not have a problem with food scarcity, instead we get the privilege of dying from diseases caused by excessive food intake!

Studies have shown, without any shadow of doubt, that calorie restricted diets are associated with longer life expectancy. Now we know the reason why. This is because calorie restricted diets are anti-inflammatory and hence synonymous with good health.

This led some people to think that if calorie restriction is associated with longevity, then surely starvation or fasting occasionally must be better! Unfortunately (or fortunately), this was not found to be so.  Starvation is associated with inflammation.  Quite remarkably this is an adaptation that has evolved through human history to ensure survival during times of famine. Inflammation causes insulin resistance which is a state where the body is not sensitive to the hormone insulin.  Consequently, more and more insulin gets produced by the pancreas setting up a vicious cycle causing insulin resistance.  High circulating insulin helps conserve the body’s reserves sparing the breakdown of fat and protein!  This inbuilt metabolic miracle is hugely responsible for our survival in times of food scarcity.  And this is also precisely the reason why, punishing low calorie diets do not serve you!  They could make you more and more insulin resistant such that you are no longer able to break down fat at all!  In other words, when you ‘yo-yo’ diet you are destined to get fatter and fatter making each endeavour less and less effective.

Listed below are common behaviours and dietary practices that either promote or reduce inflammation:

Which camp do you belong to?  Make changes to get into the anti-inflammation camp right away.  Studies have shown you could be saving yourself 7-10 very good years.

Quite on the contrary, linoleic acid (omega-6 fatty acid) has been proven to be the most potent cholesterol-lowering nutrient in the diet with impressive cardiovascular benefits (20-35% reduction in clinical cardiovascular end-points) according to a study by Ascherio in 2002. Where can you find omega-6 fatty acids?
They are found in:
1. walnuts
2. sunflower oil
3. sunflower seeds
4. sunflower margarine spread

In the 1980s, two lines of evidence came together on the cardio-protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids. Firstly, epidemiological studies proved beyond any shadow of doubt that populations eating large quantities of fish have very low rates of heart disease. A meta-analysis by He et al found that 5 or more fish meals a week was associated with a 40% reduction in cardiovascular disease. Secondly, long chain omega-3 fatty acids were shown to significantly lower blood fats (triglycerides), reduce inflammation, blood thinning (anti-thrombotic) and relax blood vessels (vasodilatory). All factors are beneficial for lowering cardiovascular risks.

Fish that live in cold water are rich in omega-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids – particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA). The NHMRC Nutrient Reference Value for EPA, DPA and DHA is 160mg/day for men and 90mg/day for women. To prevent chronic disease, the values have been set at the 90th percentile. At this level, the targets for omega-3 fatty acids have been revised higher to 610mg/day for men and 430mg/day for women respectively. Where can you find these fatty acids?

From the above table, it is obvious that fish provide the highest quantity of omega-3 fatty acids. A 610mg per day target for men translates into approximately 100g of fish most days of the week! The upper limit for children, adolescents and adults are currently set at 3000mg/day. The GISSI – Prevenzione intervention study found that intake of 850mg of EPA and DHA significantly reduced the risk of sudden cardiac death by 45%. Dietary intake of 850mg of omega-3 fatty acids could be difficult to achieve on a daily basis. One may consider a 1000mg/day fish oil supplement as a preventative measure.

In 2000, De Catherina et al found that both omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties; the protective effect appears to increase depending on how unsaturated the molecules (i.e. the number of double bonds). With this new evidence, Nutrient Reference Values have been formally set for these nutrients. The NRV for adequate intake of omega-3 (alpa-linolenic acid) and omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid) are 1.3g/day and 13g/day respectively for men and 0.8g/day and 8g/day respectively for women.

Strong scientific evidence linking dietary deficiency of omega-3s with increase risk for cardiovascular events has lead to the creation of the Omega-3 Index (by Clemens von Schacky and Bill Harris). Essentially, the Omega-3 Index represents the percentage of EPA and DHA in red blood cell membranes.
This Index is a measure of the omega-3 status of an individual. As I write, this index is increasingly being used as a valid risk factor for heart disease!

References

1. He K et al. Circulation 2004; 109:2705-11.
2. Sands SA et al. Lipids 2005; 40:343-7.
3. Harris WS. Pharmacol Res 2007; 55:217-223.
4. Sacks FM, Campos H. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006; 91:398-400.
5. Asherio A, Am J Med 2002; 113:9S-12S.
6. De Caterina R et al. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71:213S-223S.
7. Ferrucci L et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006; 91:439-446.

Photo of finished stir-fry

In this article, we look more closely at the benefits of Shiitake mushrooms and how to prepare them in a quick and tasty stir-fry.

Mushrooms are often regarded as vegetables but they are really a fungus. Shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for over 5,000 years. They are commonly known as the ‘symbol of longevity’ in Asia because of their health promoting properties.

Shiitakes’ legendary benefits can be attributed to an active compound called lentinan. Lentinan appears to confer healing benefits that boost the immune system and strengthen its ability to fight infection by reducing inflammation. Lentinan is a polysaccharide which is also known as branched chain beta-glucan. Branched chain beta-glucan has also been demonstrated to confer anti-cancer activity particularly in gastric cancer, stimulating cancer cell apoptosis.
Another active compound called eritadenine is also found in shiitake. This compound appears to lower cholesterol levels by up to 12% when consumed regularly.
A powerful antioxidant has been discovered in mushrooms, it is L-ergothioneine.  In 2005, the American Chemical Society meeting in Washington, D.C., revealed that mushrooms contain higher concentrations L-ergothioneine than chicken liver and wheat germ (two food items previously erroneously nominated as highest in this antioxidant). The shiitake may contain up to 13 mg of ergothioneine in a 3-ounce serving. This is almost forty times as much as that found in wheat germ. What is even more wonderful is that L-ergothioneine is not destroyed with cooking!

Stir-fried Shiitake and Asparagus Recipe

Ingredients

• Garlic, 8 cloves, chopped
• Asparagus, 3 bunches, cut into 15cm pieces
• Shiitake, 2 trays, quartered
• Water
• Chicken stock powder, 1.5 teaspoon

Preparation
Fry chopped garlic; add asparagus and then shiitake followed by some water. Lastly add 1.5 teaspoon of chicken stock powder.

Couscous Salad

In 2001, an anticancer drug hailed ‘a miracle’ was approved by the Food and Drug Administration Department (FDA). This drug is called Gleevec.

Gleevec seems to be able to arrest the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) needed for cancer cell growth. Did you know that herbs and spices rich in fatty acids of the terpene family also act along the same lines as Gleevec?
Terpenes seem to stimulate cancer cell death (apoptosis) thereby limiting cancer cell growth, containing tumours. Armed with this knowledge, lets look at preparing a dish that is low in glycaemic index and rich in herbs.

The following recipe is prepared with couscous as the principal ingredient. Couscous has a glycaemic index of 61 and glycaemic load of 8.7. The glycaemic index of a food item measures how it affects your blood glucose level (low glycaemic index <55, 56<moderate glycaemic index<69, high glycaemic index >70). You can think of this as a number which represents the glycaemic/glucose ‘potency’.
In this instant, couscous is considered a moderately high glycaemic index food. Adding lemon and lime to couscous will reduce the glycaemic index of the meal as the acidity of these citrus will reduce the rate at which food goes into the small intestine from the stomach, thus lowering the rate of rise of blood sugar level even more. Achieving a flatter blood sugar response long term is the mainstay for management of insulin resistance. Studies have shown that frequently choosing low glycaemic index and glycaemic load food items in one’s diet will enhance insulin sensitivity and even prevent some cancers (preliminary studies seem to indicate that high insulin levels are associated with some tumours)!
Turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Its absorption increases a thousand fold by adding olive oil and pepper in the recipe. The following is a low glycaemic index, ‘anti-inflammatory’ and terpene-rich meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Couscous, 1cup
Cherry tomatoes, ½ punnet
Chickpeas, 1cup (soaked, boiled and drained)
Cold pressed olive oil, 1 tablespoon
Mint, ½ a bunch
Parsley, ½ a bunch
Coriander, ½ a bunch
Lemon, ½ whole
Lime, ½ whole
Sugar, 1 teaspoon
Turmeric, 1 teaspoon
Water
Pepper
Chicken stock

Preparation

Put couscous in a bowl, pour boiling water and then add chicken stock and turmeric and set aside for 10 minutes. When liquid has been absorbed, separate couscous grains with a folk.
Add chick peas, tomatoes, mint, parsley, coriander, lemon, lime, sugar, pepper and cold pressed olive oil. Mix well and serve.

References

J. McMillan-Price, P. Petocz, F. Atkinson, et al., ‘Comparison of 4 diet of varying glycaemic load on weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction in overweight and obese young adults; a randomised controlled trial’ Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(14), 2006: 1466 – 75.

G. A. Santisteban, J. T. Ely, E. E. Hamel, et al., ‘Glycaemic modulation of tumour tolerance in a mouse model of breast cancer’ Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 132(3), 1985: 1174-9.

E. Weiderpass, G. Gridley, I. Persson, O. Nyren, A. Ekbom, H. O. Adami, ‘Risk of endometrial and breast cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus’ International Journal of Cancer, 71(3), 1997: 360-63.

C. A. Plouzek, H.P. Ciolino, R. Clarke, G. C. Yeh, ‘Inhibition of P-glycoprotein activity and reversal of multidrug resistance in vitro by rosemary extract’ European Journal of Cancer, 35(10), 1999:1541-5.