Green Coffee Bean Extract: Sift through the Facts and that Dr. Oz Factor

It’s hard to miss hearing about the new weight loss superstar, green coffee bean extract, as it’s endlessly being featured in magazines like Woman’s World and, on talk shows like Dr. Oz. There is a lot of hype behind green coffee bean extract, but what’s the science behind it?

There are a handful of published research papers investigating green coffee bean extract’s potential to help weight loss. The jury is still out, but it looks that green coffee bean extract has some promising effects on body weight. The studies to date suggest green coffee bean extract supplementation causes an average weight loss of about 2.5kg when compared to placebo. Is it the weight loss solution we’ve all be waiting for? Stay tuned for more details as scientists uncover more about this interesting bean.

Here’s a closer look at what the research is saying. A double-blind, placebo controlled study, out of the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, reported that green coffee bean extract appears to reduce weight in overweight adults. The study found overweight adults shifted into a healthy weight range while taking green coffee bean extract. How does green coffee bean extract cause weight loss? It is likely thanks to chlorogenic acid. Scientists think chlorogenic acid blocks fat absorption and slows the release of sugar into the blood stream. However, more studies are needed.

Here's the studies if you'd like to read more:

Onakpoya I., et al. The use of green coffee extract as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2011;2011. pii: 382852. Epub 2010 Aug 31. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20871849

Vinson JA, et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossover study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects.Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2012;5:21-7. Epub 2012 Jan 18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22291473 

My Confession:

Weight loss isn't easy! This time of year I LOVE to bundle up under a blanket on the couch and stuff my face with baked goods. I'm sure I'm carrying around a few extra pounds. And, soon enough spring will come, my clothes will be tight and I'll be faced with having to shed those pounds. How will I do it? More exercise, more vegetables, more water...and far less couch and baked goods. But, for now - it sure is cozy here on the couch. 

How to Succeed with your New Year's Resolution

Oh, that head-hanging, depressing feeling of failure! Why do so many of us fail - over 88% of us do according to a 2007 survey by psychologist Richard Wiseman of the University of Hertsfordshire. But, not this year! This year is your year for success – and, here’s how.

Resist that urge to make a list of resolutions for 2014 - just pick one. When you ask your brain to focus on too many things it loses willpower. Jonah Lehrer in How We Decide (Houghton Mifflin, 2009) describes an experiment with several dozen undergraduates psychology students in which one group was given a two-digit number to remember, and the second group a seven-digit number. Then they were presented with the choice of a bowl of fruit or a piece of chocolate cake. The students with seven digits to remember were almost twice as likely to choose the chocolate cake than those with only two digits to remember. When the prefrontal cortex in the brain is required to remember more numbers it has less energy to focus on willpower, making it harder to resist the decadent dessert. By focusing on just one resolution your brain can maximize its willpower and thus give you more likelihood of success in your resolution.

Be realistic with your resolution. Setting a large, unattainable resolution is not only a recipe for failure, but can leave you feeling beaten and unconfident. By choosing a habit changing resolution, something you could do in less than 2 minutes a day, you’ll enjoy feelings of triumph and satisfaction. For example, instead of pledging to lose weight, resolve to replace your morning scone with an apple, or take the stairs at work instead of the elevator.  

Decided on a resolution? Great! Now, let’s get started. First, write it down and tape it on the fridge or tell a friend. Being accountable to your resolution helps you feel motivated to succeed.

You can do it! And, perhaps a little external motivation will help. Try setting weekly goals to allow for frequent chances to give yourself a pat-on-the-back. Or,  try rewards. For example, motivate yourself with the reward of a piece of decadent chocolate cake if you complete a week of healthy eating. Or, maybe you’ll find motivation in a new pair of yoga pants once you complete your resolution to be more active. Whatever it is, find something that’ll keep you motivated.

Believe you can do it! By setting just one small, realistic resolution to live healthier and happier, you can roll into next month holding your head high and enjoy feeling self-confidence and accomplishment. 

My Confession - I've stopped making resolutions. Instead, whenever I go back into a "routine", no matter what time of year, I take it as an opportunity to try to retune my healthy ways. And, when I find inspiration in life to be healthier (such as an upcoming trip to the beach, or feeling to tired to play with the kids) I use it to drive me back onto the path of health. Best of luck to all of you striving to be healthier - health is a very rewarding path to take. 

Enough is Enough - Supplement Concerns in the Media

Yesterday, the media was full of stories about an editorial (simply the opinion of a few doctors) about the usefulness of a multivitamin by the general, well-nourished public. However, the media has shortened and oversimplified the editorial so the public thinks they are being told that we should not take a multivitamin. 

What's the real deal? Yes, you should be taking a multivitamin, if you are in need of additional nutrients in your diet. Who needs more nutrients? People who have illnesses that put them at risk for low nutrient levels (such as digestive absorption problems, etc.), vegetarians/vegans, pregnant and breastfeeding women, elderly with limited diets, 'picky-eaters' children, stressed-out adults...the list goes on and on. 

Did you know that the foods we eat today have very little nutrient value compared to the foods we ate 50 years ago? And, I'm not just saying that - there are studies out of Canada and the UK showing that we need to eat over 50 peaches today to get the same amount of some nutrients we would have gotten in eating just one peach half a century ago.

It's worth reading more about all of this. I've re-read the studies the editorial discusses - these are very general, large studies talking about some very major diseases (cardiovascular disease and cancer) that have multiple risk factors and reasons for developing. If you had asked me before the studies were published, what I thought they would find, I would say, "No, in this type of study design I don't think a multivitamin is going to statistically have a significant result saying it prevents these disease."But, please note that smaller, more focused studies have found supplements help cardiovascular disease and prevent cancer. 

All in all, do your research. Decide for yourself what supplements you should or should not be taking. Talk to a nutritional expert (including RDs, NDs, RHNs and even some MDs). Don't let the reporters of your local 6 o'clock news channel dictate what is best for your health - they are NOT the experts. 

My Confession - in my family all take a multivitamin and I'm an expert in this stuff yet, that news report even made ME wonder if we should stop. It bothered me so much I went and dug up the articles and read them for myself. What did I decide? Our household will continue to take the supplements we have determined are beneficial for our health needs with confidence.

Holiday Stress: How not to gain weight over the holidays

One thing you can't forget this holiday season - stress won't just keep you up at night, it'll also add weight to your waistline.

It sucks! I totally agree. But, when you're feeling stressed about getting all the people on your list crossed off, baking three dozen cookies for the holiday party, and getting all the trim and decorations up your body is producing coritsol. Cortisol is a hormone that helps you get through a stressful situation. Originally, it was designed to help you out run a bear back in the days when we lived in caves, but today's stress isn't as easily found and lost again. Lifestyle stress, including holiday stress, just seems to linger and linger. Phew! My stomach is getting into a knot just thinking about it.

When your body is stressed it is in a state of hyper-awareness for survival and, it stores fat as a precaution in case their won't be food later. But, over the holidays is there ever NOT a plate of delicious, high calorie food around? So, you end up putting more and more weight on. Talk about the need for a diet plan after the holidays (Ah, ha! Maybe that's why we are all drawn to weight loss resolutions in the New Year?!).

Take a break! Get to a yoga class. Read a book. Go for a walk. Or, even just take a few deep breaths while you read this. Love yourself - try not to stress too much and enjoy the holidays!

My Confession - I'm not sure if it's stress, shortbread or an evolutionary drive to put weight on when it gets cold outside but, I'm always finding my waistline a little tighter after the holidays. Either way - those shortbread sure are delicious! Yum.

Help Fighting Sugar Cravings

Why do we crave sugar? It can be addictive - eating sugar causes dopamine release in the part of the brain associated with reward and motivation. "Ah, ha!", you say. That explains why you can be found rummaging through drawers and cupboards like a frantic robber in search of something sweet.

Some Science on Sugar

According to studies, sugar does actually affect the brain. Researchers at the University of California trained rats to successfully navigate a maze, then replaced their water with 15 percent fructose syrup (soda is typically 12 percent). After six weeks of the fructose syrup, the rats were slower to complete the maze. When the rat’s brains were dissected the researchers discovered the sugar disrupted relay chemical messages, and thus effected the ability of the brain to form memories. 

(A Neat Fact: This study also experimented with omega-3 fatty acid intake and found when the rats’ diet were supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids they could complete the maze faster.)

Science isn't sure yet how directly sugar is linked to chronic disease. However, science does know that sugar does have a high glycemic index, and diets with a high glycemic index can lead to disease: The Nurses Study followed over 75,000 women for a decade and illustrated that a high glycemic load is linked with a high risk of coronary heart disease. 

"Big Sugar" - Estimated at $77.5 billion last year, the global sugar industry (nicknamed ‘Big Sugar’) is overseen by the Sugar Association. It has used millions of dollars to influence research, dietary guidelines and media to keep the bitter reality about sugar hidden. Check out documentaries online about Big Sugar - it's a really fascinating story.

My Confession: I totally love sugar! It's like my body has been invaded by a Sugar Monster that likes to randomly roar and stomp until its fed. So, I have a few bars of organic, free-trade dark chocolate hiding in the panty (shhh, don't tell the kids), and I take a few chunks to the couch as my post-kids-to-bed treat at night. It's nice - a little something sweet that doesn't contain too many calories...and, it's great at getting that pesky Sugar Monster to shut-up.

How to Avoid Bloating and Other Holiday Eating Gut Dilemmas

Santa’s belly may be round because he’s bloated. It’s just a hypothesis but after I read this new study on probiotics and the affects a simple diet (one with lots of sugar), I started to wonder.

FACT: Positively influencing the microflora in our gut (doing things so we have more good probiotics and less bad microbes such as salmonella and E. coli) makes us healthier.

New research published last week in Applied and Environmental Microbiology* reported how the microflora in the gut is affected by both diet and the status of our hormone receptor sites.

DIET: In the study, mice were given a diet with phytoestrogens or without. A phytoestrogen is a plant compound that acts like estrogen in the gut, offering positive benefits to the body. When phytoestrogens were present, the mice had a healthier microflora. When the mice ate a diet of mostly simple sugar (similar to the shortbread and hot chocolate diet we all consume over the holidays) they had more proteobiotics (bad microbes).

HORMONES: The study compared normal mice to a group bred to not have receptor sites for a specific hormone in the gut.  As we age, the number (status) of receptors in our gut changes - thus, we have different microflora with age and we should take this into account when we consider probiotic supplements and which foods we eat. In other words, we could enjoy better gut health if we eat more healthy foods such as those that contain phytoestrogens. Also, this opens the door for manufacturers of probiotics to do a better job of creating age-specific probiotic supplements that could take this hormone-receptor status into account. But, hold your horses, folks! Give them a few years yet as this is pretty new research.

My Confession: I love shortbread. Mmm! And, I have been known to say, “Why not eat some junk – you’re on vacation/holidays.” But, in the study they found negative changes in the mice’s gut flora with just 2 weeks on a simple diet. Yicks! No wonder a weekend of holiday parties can make me feel so bloated. Maybe I need to keep my holiday bad-diet to shorter stints of time, and counteract with more probiotics and foods with fibre and phytoestrogens in them. And, phew - just imagine what Santa feels like after his 6 weeks of pre-Christmas holiday engagements where he’s expected to eat cookies – no wonder he’s got such a big belly. Someone get the man some probiotics!

*Link to the study -  http://aem.asm.org/content/79/18/5763 

Omega-3 fatty acids: Good or Bad

Can omega-3s harm you?
It's time to delve into another media frenzy that has taken a perfectly good clinical study and caused utter confusion amongst society. So, here's what you love me for. Keep reading for the 'real deal', the 'inside scoop', the 'truth uncovered'...

Late last month, a study was published that investigated whether there was potential risk to taking high dosages of fish oil - dosages far greater than what one would consume eating the American Heart Association's recommended 2 servings of fatty fish a week, or a daily fish oil supplement. In fact, the researchers even point that they still recommend people continue to consumer fatty fish regularly and take supplements.

Why do this study?
These studies are important - once researchers discover a nutrient can offer the body healthy benefits (such as fish oil's proven ability to help boost cardiovascular, immune, mental, joint and digestive health), it's scientifically responsible to investigate if an upper limit exists. And, the study found that there may be a point where too much fish oil may have negative effects on the immune and cardiovascular system. But, its important to put these findings in perspective - this research is not about whether fish oil is dangerous, it helps scientists better determine how much fish oil is most beneficial to our health.

What's a Safe Dosage?
To date, research studies have used anywhere between 500mg and 9g of omega-3 fatty acids*. But, what is the "best" dosage for you? Well, that depends on your health condition, diet, age and weight. Health Canada says a safe dosage for adults is 100-5000mg of EPA + DHA (those are two types of omega-3 fatty acids) daily. Curious about your kids? Health Canada suggests kids under 8 years of age get 50-1500mg of EPA+DHA daily. Read more on Health Canada's Monograph for fish oil here - http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=88&lang=eng

*Note: The amount of omega-3 fatty acids is not the same as the amount of fish oil. Fish oil contains some omega-3 fatty acids - read your supplement label carefully.

Interested in reading what the media has to say? Here is a bit more of a well rounded story on this latest study:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131028135035.htm

My Confession? Our family not only takes a fish oil supplement each morning in our shake, we seek out environmentally conscious fatty fish choices in our diets to support the little kids' brain development, and the aging joint of us big kids'.

Dark Winter Days: How to beat SAD and other darkness-linked health issues

It's dark going to work, and dark when you come home. In the fall and winter, we experience fewer hours of daylight. This darkness has amazing effects on living things around us - just look at the yellow, orange and red leaves (or in your neck of the woods they may already be brown and on the ground). The dark days of winter have just as profound effects on our bodies as the leaves - such as changes to mood and sleep-wake cycles as well as cessation of vitamin D production.

Do You Feel Like Hibernating?

Mr. Sun helps to tell our body when it is time to be awake and active. When exposed to sunlight, sensors in our eyes send messages along a nerve pathway to the hypothalamus in the brain. From there, factors involved in determining if we feel awake or sleepy are controlled, as well as the body’s temperature and hormones. One of the major hormones that regulate our sleep-awake cycle is melatonin, produced by the pineal gland.  Melatonin is only produced during dark hours giving you a sleepy sensation, thus with fewer sunlight hours, and an increased use of artificial lighting during the fall our body can lose the natural day-night rhythm causing people to have trouble sleeping, or experience daytime drowsiness. 

Skip the Sunscreen 

At latitudes above 35°, there is minimal, if any, pre-vitamin D3 production in the skin as it doesn't experience much sunlight. Vitamin D is an important fat-soluble vitamin in the human body involved in bone health including calcium absorption in the gut, maintenance of blood phosphate levels, bone growth and remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Researchers are also discovering links with vitamin D deficiency and diseases including some forms of cancer, autoimmune diseases, heart disease, rickets and osteoporosis. Get your D in! Vitamin D supplements are a great idea. Food wise - fortified milk and salmon are the best sources (of note, studies have found that wild salmon has 75-90% more vitamin D than farmed salmon.) 

It's a SAD Time of Year

Are you experiencing fatigue, oversleeping, overeating, weight gain, cravings, moodiness or depression? SAD is a type of depression that has a seasonal cycle, provoked by the decreased number of sunlight hours in a day. According to the Mood Disorder Society of Canada, 2-4% of Canadians suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  How does this all work? Well, serotonin is converted into melatonin in the body – serotonin and melatonin are chemicals in your body that cause happiness and sleep. Research shows promising results for the use of light therapy, melatonin, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Other SAD coping strategies include meditation and a healthy diet focusing on nutrient-rich foods such as green vegetables, cherries, mushrooms, nuts and seeds.