April 2013

Carnitine -- Any idea what it is? It’s an amino acid that turns fat into the energy needed to fuel the human body. The highest concentration of carnitine is found in red meat and dairy products but it can also be found in lots of other foods like fish, poultry, wheat, legumes and nuts and in supplemental form in energy drinks. Up until now carnitine has received mostly positive attention for its ability to increase male sperm count, boost weight loss, improve moderate, persistent asthma symptoms and provide some protection from the harmful effects of oxidative stress. But, according to Dr. Stanley Hazen, carnitine has a a dark side.

It has long been believed that a diet high in red meat (saturated fat and/or cholesterol) and salt was the major cause of heart disease.  But the culprit may actually be a chemical process that involves gut bacteria and carnitine. After evaluating 2595 patients Dr. Hazen, study author and section head of Preventative Cardiology and Rehabilitation in the Miller Family Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, concluded that a compound called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), previously reported to promote the formation of atherosclerosis in mice, is formed when bacteria from our digestive tract breaks down the carnitine we consume. Dr. Hazen’s work has been called “potentially groundbreaking” and I would expect there to be many more studies that concentrate on gut bacteria in the future. You might expect that as a result of his research Dr. Hazen would be a vegetarian.  Not so -- Dr. Hazen still consumes red meat, just not often, proving once again that when it comes to a healthy diet it’s all about moderation, moderation, moderation.

If you need another reason to be cautious when consuming red meat I have one for you.  According to Michael Van Amburgh, PhD., associate professor of Animal Science at Cornell University, some farmers supplement their cattle’s daily feed with as much as 50 pounds of stale gummie bears, chocolate candy (including the wrappers) and bakery scraps instead of more expensive feed. One livestock farmer from Central Kansas defends this practice by saying that it doesn’t affect the nutritional quality of the beef.  How is that possible? Call me negative but I’m thinking this is another one of those nasty realities in the food processing business of which most consumers are blissfully unaware. Fortunately/Unfortunately . . . now you know.

Make the time to be good to you and ask yourself -- What do I like most about being a woman?

Good Health!

Terry

“If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

~Margaret Thatcher

Let me know what you think about this month's post by leaving a comment. 

PLEASE NOTE:  It may take up to 24 hours for comments to appear.