Belly fat is usually detectible—people generally have a good idea if they tend to accumulate fat in their midsection, as opposed to their hips and bottom. But how do you know if your liver is fat? Well, abdominal fat and liver fat often go hand in hand. In fact, fat from the liver can be sent to the belly, and vice versa. Often, an underlying feature of both of these is inflammation, which may come from the gut. Nutrients and other substances—including fat, toxins and inflammatory compounds—are absorbed from the small intestine and travel straight to the liver via the portal vein.

A recent study found that obese individuals with high amounts of abdominal fat and liver fat are at increased risk for heart disease. The researchers found that liver fat is strongly associated with increased secretion of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), which contain the highest amounts of triglycerides, known to increase heart disease risk.

It has long been known that abdominal fat can be dangerous. The increasing knowledge about the dangers of liver fat adds to the story, as these two go hand in hand, each setting the body up to be more susceptible to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Together, belly and liver fat mean trouble.

Both liver and abdominal fat can be reduced with exercise and weight loss. These steps, in addition to addressing any underlying gut dysfunction that may be contributing inflammation to the liver, can help reverse these metabolic precursors to heart disease.

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To me, a very interesting gut connection is that of microbial gut balance to obesity, a condition plaguing one-third of Americans. Studies are very new on this subject of the link between the gut and obesity. In fact, there have only been a few. But boy are they changing how the world looks at the gut—namely, they’re really starting to look!

This new study builds on previous animal studies by looking at the effect of a probiotic (Lactobacillus plantarum) on weight loss. It is already known that there is a difference in the gut flora between obese and lean individuals. This new study found that when rats fed a high-energy-dense diet (high fat, high calorie) were also given L. plantarum, they did not gain as much weight as the animals who did not receive the probiotic. Another group received the less-friendly E. coli bacteria and gained more body fat than those who didn’t.

That’s right—changing the gut bacteria influenced the amount of weight and fat these animals gained. This is an exciting study, because it is just the beginning of what will be a fascinating journey linking the gut to obesity, and all the many conditions related to obesity.  

I’ve known for a long time that in order to heal the body, you have to first heal the gut. In order to heal your gut, however, you have to understand the importance of its function. The gut is not merely a food processor—food in, poop out—but rather gut function is the very foundation upon which your health is built. With an unhealthy digestive tract—and there are many different ways the digestive tract can be unhealthy—you will be less able to heal your body. So start with your gut. What are you waiting for?

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The American Heart Association (AHA) released a scientific statement this week on triglycerides and cardiovascular disease. In the statement, certain lifestyle factors—diet and exercise—were considered with regard to their effects on lowering triglycerides. Almost one-third of Americans have high triglycerides. Since 1976, average triglyceride levels have risen alongside the growing epidemic of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, all of which can lead to cardiovascular disease. 

The AHA statement recommends the optimization of nutrition-related practices, which can result in a marked triglyceride-lowering effect ranging between 20% and 50%.  They recommend the following:

• Weight loss
• Reducing simple carbohydrates
• Increasing dietary fiber
• Eliminating trans fats
• Reducing fructose (mainly high-fructose corn syrup)
• Reducing saturated fats
• Eating a Mediterranean-style diet (high in fresh fruits and vegetables, high fiber, lean meats, healthy fats)
• Consuming marine-derived omega-3s

These recommendations are right on, and in line with what I have been recommending for years—not just for a healthy heart, but for overall health and well being. 

The statement made a point of talking about the importance of marine-based omega-3s.  Here’s a quote:

“Non–marine-based PUFAs [like canola, flaxseed, walnuts] have not demonstrated consistent reductions in triglycerides; this may reflect very low conversion rates of alpha-linolenic acid [ALA]…to the active triglyceride-lowering omega-3 compounds EPA and DHA.”

While ALA is a great source of omega-3s, it takes many complex steps in the body to convert it to the heart-healthy DHA and EPA, which are naturally found in fish oil.  Further, they state:

“Because the amount needed for significant triglyceride lowering (2 to 4 g) is difficult to attain through diet alone on a daily basis, supplementation with capsules may be needed.”

That’s why I recommend fish oil supplements—it’s not easy to get all that EPA and DHA from eating fish alone.  And then you have to worry about the contaminants found in fish… (that’s another blog).

I know that for a while now, the AHA has been recommending EPA and DHA fish oil for high triglycerides.  It’s nice to see this statement together with other recommendations for supporting heart health.  Cardiovascular disease is such a huge problem in this country, and it can largely be avoided by incorporating the lifestyle changes mentioned above. 

Right on AHA!

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It is well known that probiotics are beneficial for the digestive tract. Indeed, these beneficial gut bacteria outnumber cells in the body (and their genes GREATLY outnumber our own genes).

Scientists have taken the research of probiotics beyond the gut lately, finding that their effects are far reaching. A recent study in pregnant women found that daily administration of two probiotic strains—Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium lactis—along with dietary counseling during the first trimester of pregnancy resulted in reduced waist circumferences six months after giving birth.

Three groups were involved; one taking probiotics along with counseling, one taking a placebo along with counseling, and one taking a placebo without counseling. The probiotic + counseling group had the lowest percentage of women with waists measuring over 31.5 inches at the end of the study.

It has long been known that probiotics are beneficial during pregnancy, both for mom and baby, and studies continue to support their many advantages.  I recently talked about probiotics protecting against development of gestational diabetes.

Research of probiotics and metabolic outcomes like abdominal fat and weight loss is relatively new. With obesity rates at an all-time high, going back to the gut in order to build a strong foundation of health is essential. Whether pregnant or not, when our guts are out of balance, the rest of the body suffers. Begin with balancing the gut, and good health for the rest of the body will follow.

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For this week’s ‘Renew You’ Challenge, I decided to tackle something on everyone’s mind this time of year…those extra pounds many of us are carrying around.

So, it turns out, obesity is contagious. No, not in the same way as getting sneezed on by someone with a cold, but more like as when you spend a lot of time with people who are obese, you’re more likely to become obese yourself. Gaining weight is socially contagious.

Researchers aren’t exactly sure why this happens. They think it may be that unhealthy eating habits are shared, resulting in weight gain.

Well, I say if weight gain can be contagious in this way, so can weight loss! This week, if you find yourself in a group of friends that is gradually trading up dress sizes, be that friend who says, “Wait a minute! We’re on a downward spiral here. Let’s turn this around.”

You could suggest eating at healthier restaurants for lunch, or even swapping that high-cal lunch for a low-cal salad (topped with lean protein for sustained energy to last the afternoon). Maybe challenge one person per week to cook up a healthy meal so that everyone learns to search out healthy ways of cooking and eating on their own.

Start an exercise group, even if it’s a short walk once a week. (It’s likely to spark the inspiration in your friends, and you, to exercise more throughout the week.) Get creative, but not pushy. Take it one step at a time and understand that it can be hard to get people to change their habits. Don’t they say that you have to do something 12 times before it becomes habit?

Don’t give up – living healthier is also contagious!

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“Renew You” Challenge – Be a part of my Weekly Challenge to help set you off in the right direction for bringing health to your week. This week we’re talking about walking!

Okay, confession time: How many times have you circled a parking lot in search of the spot closest to the front of the store? Or taken the escalator when you could have easily taken the stairs? Believe me, I’m guilty too—sometimes my days are so busy that I just want to get where I’m going as quickly as possible, but the reality is we just aren’t walking as much as we should—and it can have a pretty big impact on our health.

They did a study recently at the University of Tennessee that compared people in the U.S. to folks in other countries, and guess what they found? Americans average only about 5,100 steps a day, compared with other countries like Australia and Switzerland where people average more than 9,550 steps daily—or even Japan where they average about 7,200 steps each day. And not only that, but American men are outwalking the women by about 400 steps a day, so I say let’s get moving!

Even if you don’t like to exercise, walking is a really easy way to improve your health, and it’s something the whole family can get involved in. Experts say just 30 minutes a day three to five times a week provides countless benefits for the whole body, including heart health, weight loss and so much more. This week, do your best to add more steps to your day, whether you start parking farther away, add in a brisk walk during your lunch break, or even walk the dog instead of just letting him out in the yard. As your steps add up, so will the health benefits.

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Okay, so maybe it isn’t a headline you expect to see very often, but lately things are changing, and I say they’re definitely changing for the better. More and more people are becoming aware of the vast numbers of microscopic bacteria living inside their bodies, and a whole new field of science has emerged to study the literally trillions of microorganisms that grow and thrive inside us—helping us do everything from digesting our food to boosting our immune defenses and protecting us against illness and disease.

To help you get an idea of just how important these bacteria are, consider this: In the human body there are 10 times more microbial cells than human cells. Just think about that for a second—it means that roughly 90% of our genetic makeup is microbial. Whoa! I don’t know about you, but I think it’s pretty amazing that something we can’t even see can be such an important part of who we are.

In the gut especially, there are about 100 trillion bacterial cells. Some are good, some are bad, and some are neutral, but the key is making sure you always have more good than bad (somewhere around 80% to 20%), because the good guys—called probiotics—help to nourish and protect not just your digestive tract, but your whole body.

In just the last few years scientists have made some pretty amazing discoveries about the role of probiotics in human health, and studies show that taking a daily probiotic supplement can help with digestive conditions such as irritable bowel, diarrhea and constipation, as well as aid in vitamin production, weight loss, mental health, and of course building up our immune defenses by crowding out harmful, disease-causing bacteria.

So the next time you hear someone talk about bacteria, resist the urge to cringe and remember the good guys! Probiotics literally means “for life,” and no wonder. I heard this great quote the other day by Dr. Jeffrey Gordon at the Center for Genome Sciences at Washington University, and it really sums it up: “Most people have this view of our encounters with microbes from the perspective of disease. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most of our interactions with microbes are beneficial and are healthy.” Like I said, hooray for bacteria!

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“Renew You” Challenge – Let’s start this week off right! Be a part of my Weekly Challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week.

Take a few seconds and think about all the ways you’ve tried to lose weight. And don’t tell me that you’ve always been good about eating right and exercising, because we’ve all been there. We’ve all struggled with the ups and downs of keeping off unwanted pounds. And if you haven’t, well, consider yourself one of the lucky ones!

For most of us, keeping our waistline in check is a constant balancing act of “Should I?” or “Shouldn’t I?” Like “Should I have a salad for lunch even though I want a burger and fries?” or “Shouldn’t I get up off the couch and work out even though I’d rather watch this show on TV?” So when I read about a recent study where all people had to do was drink a couple glasses of water before they ate in order to lose weight I thought, “Hey! I can do that! Anyone can do that!”

I’m absolutely serious, folks. Researchers at Virginia Tech found that overweight and obese men and women who drank two cups of water before each meal consumed fewer calories and lost more weight than those who didn’t. And guess what? They ate the same exact diet as those in the non-water-drinking group! And three months into the study they had lost nearly 30 percent more weight just by doing this one little thing every day.

So your challenge this week? You guessed it! Drink at least two 8-ounce glasses of water before each meal, and let’s see if we can get rid of those extra pounds! Sure, it’s not some magic bullet or be-all, end-all diet miracle, but it’s simple, it’s doable, and it’s a great first step toward living healthier every day.

Bottom’s up!

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“Renew You” Challenge – Be a part of my Weekly Challenge (I mean, opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. This week is about losing weight…

Take it from me – losing weight doesn’t have to be a struggle. (And yes, I mean that!) It’s just that too often we get caught up in all the “dos and don’ts” of dieting that we forget to simplify things and just take one step at a time. So before you skip this blog post just because it says “diet goals” in the headline, take a second to hear me out.

I read about an interesting study the other day that really made sense to me. It looked at the ways people achieve goals; specifically, it looked at what their focus was that helped them through the process, and what they found was pretty cool.

When people focused on “how” they were going to achieve their goals, they were less likely to actually achieve that goal than when they focused on “why” they wanted to achieve it. Makes sense, right? I mean be honest, do you want to think about cutting calories and exercising more, or do you want to visualize a slimmer, healthier body and maybe even fitting into your “skinny” jeans again? Now you’re starting to get the idea!

The problem is that people get so caught up in following every little detail that they end up getting frustrated and just giving up altogether, but like the study showed, when folks step back and simply focus on why they want to achieve a certain goal like weight loss (for example better health, more energy, being there for grandchild’s graduation, looking good, etc.) they are more likely to persist. 

So this week, consider a goal that you are striving towards. It could be weight loss, sticking to a gluten-free diet, even be saving a little extra money—whatever!  Take that goal and write down the reasons that you want to achieve it. Then decide on your number one reason, and spend a little time thinking about it every day. I bet it helps you achieve your goal!

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This weeks “Renew You” Challenge – You all know how I feel about fiber, right? Heck, I wrote a whole book on it—that’s how important I think it is, and with good reason!

Not only can adding more fiber to your diet help with digestion and regularity, but studies tell us that fiber is essential for a healthy heart, getting rid of toxins in the body, and even helping with weight loss and appetite control, which is why I recommend eating at least 35 grams of fiber every day.

So this week, I want you to work on eating more fiber, and part of that involves keeping track of your daily fiber intake (and yes, this means writing it down) to see just how much fiber you’re really eating. Even though a lot of foods nowadays are fortified with extra fiber, it can still be pretty hard to get enough, so before you start be sure to check out my website, www.fiber35diet.com, for more information on simple ways to add more fiber to your diet.

Even if you’re not trying to lose weight, there’s a phase of the diet that encourages you to eat healthier and get plenty of fiber while maintaining a healthy weight. Think of it as long-term eating plan!

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