What Is CKM Syndrome?

CKM syndrome is a systemic disorder characterized by reduced function in the kidneys, metabolism, and heart. By defining the syndrome, the AHA aims to highlight the interconnected nature of obesity, insulin resistance, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease; increase prevention; and encourage health care providers across different specialties to work together and embrace more holistic patient care approaches.

Two primary components of CKM are metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease. Characterized by abdominal obesity, high blood sugar, and hypertension, metabolic syndrome can lead to heart and blood vessel problems, making the development of cardiovascular disease subtypes such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral artery disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure more likely. It can even lead to Type 2 diabetes, increasing the risk of developing kidney and vascular diseases.

Chronic kidney disease also raises the likelihood of heart and blood vessel problems. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death among chronic kidney disease patients. According to AHA’s advisory, just 10% of those with chronic kidney disease survive long enough to reach kidney failure. The authors noted that chronic kidney disease is a proinflammatory condition that, in addition to contributing to heart and blood vessel problems, can lead to complications like anemia and bone mineral metabolism issues that exacerbate cardiovascular disease. Meanwhile, heart problems, particularly heart failure, can contribute to chronic kidney disease. And issues with blood vessels, such as atherosclerosis, can affect kidney blood vessels, leading to resistant hypertension and kidney failure.

The Stages of CKM Syndrome

Recognizing that early detection represents an opportunity for intervention, the authors outlined the following five stages of CKM syndrome.

• Stage 0: In Stage 0 of CKM, a person is not overweight or obese and does not have chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic risk factors, or impaired glucose tolerance. This stage is most common among young children, adolescents, and young adults. AHA recommends that school programs encourage healthy eating and physical activity to help reduce weight gain and improve heart health. For young adults, avoiding weight gain can reduce the likelihood of developing CKM syndrome risk factors, including metabolic syndrome and prediabetes or diabetes.
• Stage 1: Individuals are overweight or suffer from obesity, abdominal obesity, and/or dysfunctional adipose tissue without the presence of other metabolic risk factors or chronic kidney disease. They may also have impaired glucose tolerance or prediabetes.
• Stage 2: Conditions include hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and/or chronic kidney disease.
• Stage 3: This stage focuses on individuals who show signs of subclinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (encompassing such conditions as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease, and aortic disease) or heart failure along with CKM syndrome risk factors or chronic kidney disease.
• Stage 4: This stage includes patients with clinical cardiovascular disease with excess body fat and other metabolic risk factors and/or chronic kidney disease. It is divided into two subgroups: 4a for those without kidney failure and 4b for those with kidney failure. Individuals may have previously suffered a stroke, heart attack, or heart failure.

“The main takeaway from my perspective is the fact that there really is no prevention; there’s only intervention,” says Columbus Batiste, MD, FACC, FSCAI, co-founder of Healthy Heart Nation. “Everyone is at risk for disease. The way [the AHA] characterized it was not ‘healthy and normal,’ and then stage one. [Instead] they say, ‘CKM Stage 0.’ I think that sets the tone.”

Still, Batiste says, “I would love for them to go a little bit more in-depth with a lot of the strong data we know about the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.”

For example, a 2021 meta-analysis of nearly 100 studies found that diets focused on plant-based foods that limit consumption of refined cereals and starches are associated with a lower cardiovascular risk than diets that include mostly animal foods. Additionally, increasing your alkali intake by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help reduce urinary markers of kidney damage in stage 2 chronic kidney disease patients.

But diet is just one part of the equation: Batiste also emphasizes the critical role exercise plays in helping individuals reduce excess belly fat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise per week, or 30 minutes a day for five days a week.

“I always like to tell patients that it’s about lifestyle exercise,” Batiste says. “That means gardening, that means sweeping, it means vacuuming, it means climbing stairs. … Simple things actually add up to an awful lot, so a person doesn’t have to engage in hour-long brutal workouts to still glean the benefit of just basic, simple walking.”

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post What Is CKM Syndrome? American Heart Association Identifies New Condition That Links Heart Disease, Kidney Disease, Obesity appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), these events serve as a reminder that 42,000 women and 500 men die of the disease in the U.S. each year. While deaths from the disease have declined over time, breast cancer remains the second-leading cause of cancer death among women (second only to lung cancer). The disease disproportionately affects Black women, whose breast cancer mortality rate is higher than among white women (even though Black women have lower breast cancer incidence rates).

As the drums beat at each rally, PCRM organizers hope to deliver a message of hope, says Vanita Rahman, MD, clinic director at Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“[People may feel] that breast cancer maybe is inevitable or it’s genetic or if they have a family history, there’s not much they can do about it,” says Rahman. “They may feel helpless or powerless to prevent it, and we’re really hoping that they’ll see that there are things we can do.”

She and her PCRM colleagues recommend a four-pronged approach to your individual risk: eating a whole-food, plant-based diet; exercising regularly; minimizing alcohol intake; and maintaining a healthy weight.

There’s plenty of research to back up these recommendations. One 2019 study associated a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with a 21% reduced risk of death from breast cancer. Another, involving 51,928 women enrolled in the Black Women’s Health Study, found a link between increased vegetable consumption and lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative/progesterone receptor-negative breast cancer, which is one of the hardest-to-treat forms of the disease. The findings also suggested that higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, and carotenoid-rich vegetables, such as carrots and other yellow-orange vegetables, may reduce the risk of breast cancer overall.

“There’s epidemiological evidence showing that high-fiber foods help decrease the risk of breast cancer,” says Rahman, referencing a 2016 study. “Most Americans do not get sufficient fiber in their diet … and fiber is only found in plant foods.”

Rally organizer and breast cancer survivor Donna Green-Goodman credits her diet as one reason that she is today, 27 years after her diagnosis, cancer-free. “The diagnosis and poor prognosis made me make some hard decisions,” Green-Goodman said. “They were giving me two to five years to live; I decided to go to a whole food, plant-based diet.”

Other lifestyle measures play a significant role, as well: Regular exercise, reduced alcohol intake, and weight control could reduce breast cancer risk by about 30%, according to a 2014 position paper published in Breast Cancer Research. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening exercises weekly and maintaining a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9. Rahman recommends alcohol be avoided, as even one drink per day can elevate the risk of breast cancer, according to the 2015 results of two prospective U.S. cohort studies.

“Our goal is to really help women feel empowered that there are things they can do right now and continue to do to reduce their risk and to reduce the risks of the women that they care about,” says Rahman. “We are not just setting targets. … These are all tools that can help empower us.”

Find a Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rally to support near you.

Photo courtesy Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Physicians, Survivors Rally Across U.S. to Demand Better Breast-Cancer Prevention Efforts appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

1. Avoid Supermarketing Tricks

If you aren’t paying attention, you’ll fall for classic spending traps, warns Toni Okamoto, author of Plant Based on a Budget. For example, stores will advertise “sale” items by placing goods at the endcaps of aisles. “When you go to the section where those products belong, you’ll often find that there are cheaper options,” Okamoto says. Also check above and below eye level to find good deals.

2. Venture Out To Farmers Markets

Don’t be afraid to look beyond the supermarket, says nutritionist Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of Plant-Powered for Life. “I like to go to farmers markets to see what is seasonal—often you can find good deals on produce there.” Find a farmers market near you through LocalHarvest. There’s even plenty to be scored—spices, whole grains, canned goods—at the dollar store, Palmer says. And if you do stick to the neighborhood grocer, “Don’t be afraid to use store brands, which are often discounted,” she adds.

3. Consider Frozen Produce

While buying in-season remains the best way to save on fresh produce, you can find year-round savings in the freezer aisle on favorites such as berries, says Samantha De Galicia, a Los Angeles-based holistic health coach.

“There’s a misconception that frozen isn’t as healthy, but you can still get full nutritional value from frozen fruits and veggies, because they’re frozen when they’re stem-picked and ripe—when they have the most nutrients,” De Galicia says. “Plus, frozen can sometimes be a lot cheaper for much larger quantities than you’d find in the fresh aisle.”

4. Buy Dry Foods Instead of Canned

Canned foods offer yet another always-in-season option. But beware: Canned beans tend to be more expensive than dry—up to 20 cents more per serving! The extra time spent soaking can add up to dollars saved and far less sodium. A family of four stands to save nearly $80 a year buying dry beans versus canned, according to the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.

5. Hit The Bulk Bins

Many grocery stores have a section dedicated to bulk bins, where you can have your pick of whole grains, cereals, nuts, and spices. This is a great place to save money, says Robin D. Everson, executive director of the North Texas Community Health Collaborative and an instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Food for Life program. “You’re able to purchase as much or as little as you like without paying for fancy and unnecessary packaging that advertises a particular brand.”

6. Don’t Buy Pre-Chopped Fruits and Veggies

Skip the prechopped fruits and veggies. Buying and chopping them yourself can translate to serious savings—up to 392 percent when it comes to onions, according to estimates from Consumer Reports. Prechopped also means increased air exposure and reduced shelf life. The cost of convenience equals dollars down the drain when these go bad. Instead, set aside time each weekend to flex your knife skills while prepping meals for the week ahead.

The post Tips For Vegan Shopping and Maximizing Savings at the Grocery Store appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Cruises That Cater to Vegan and Plant-Based Diets

Windstar Cruises

Big news over at Windstar: In partnership with the National Health Association, this line of boutique cruise ships is launching luxury whole-food, plant-based menus aboard all their vessels starting in June 2023. Windstar sails small groups of passengers (less than 350 people per trip) through the most beautiful water passages in the world, including the Caribbean, European rivers, and the coasts of Alaska. The menus feature dishes with no added salt, oil, or sugar, and they’re also gluten-free to accommodate as many guests as possible. Think veggie enchiladas with black bean and cilantro sauce, roasted butternut squash velouté with baked pumpkin seeds, and tahini brownies with fresh strawberries. If you want to travel with other WFPB eaters, the NHA also organizes plant-based group cruises so you can bond with like-minded travelers, embark on incredible on-shore excursions, and experience life at sea like never before.

Holistic Holiday at Sea 

The 100% plant-based Holistic Holiday at Sea, offered by MSC Cruises, is a seven-day retreat for those looking for delicious food, fun, fitness, and vegan inspiration and insight. HHS offers ample opportunity to rub shoulders and attend presentations from some of the biggest names in the plant-based lifestyle community, including physicians, nutritionists, chefs, and athletes. But there’s also plenty of downtime to relax and enjoy island life, whether that means shopping in Nassau, bicycling and kayaking in St. Maarten, or snorkeling Antigua’s Deep Bay. Meals are prepared from scratch using whole foods, maple and rice syrups replace white sugar and artificial sweeteners, and oil-free and gluten-free options are offered. Menu highlights include sweet rice and millet porridge topped with hazelnuts and watercress; lentil-walnut pâté with Belgian endive; vegetable paella; and chocolate-orange cake with chocolate-orange sauce.

VeganTravel

The Germany-based VeganTravel offers fully vegan cruises throughout Europe and has slowly expanded their list of destinations around the world. Upcoming voyages include the Danube river, France and Normandy, and India via the Ganges River. Complete with daily yoga classes and an on-deck spa, these cruises are a luxurious way to indulge in the plant-based lifestyle. Vegan meal offerings include a daily breakfast buffet and fine-dining sit-down dinners in the evenings.

Oceania Cruises

While it isn’t a strictly vegan cruise, Oceania offers a total of 250 thoughtfully-created vegan dishes aboard all six of its cruise liners. Developed in collaboration with vegan chef Christophe Berg and inspired by Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Mexican cuisines, the offerings have been integrated into menus on the ships’ Grand Dining Rooms and Terrace Cafes. Dishes include green apple müesli with pistachios, pecans, and yellow raisins; penne au pistou with broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes; and green papaya kelp noodle salad. For travelers aspiring to a serious spa experience on the high seas, the plant-based menu is a key feature of the luxe Aquamar culinary and wellness spa programs on Oceania ships. 

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a luxury, all-inclusive cruiseline, offers 200-plus vegan dishes across its four-ship fleet serving more than 450 ports of call. The selections—also developed by vegan chef Christophe Berg—are fully integrated into daily menus. Highlights include chickpea pancakes, chia-cashew yogurt breakfast bowls, falafel fritters, plant-based power and poke bowls, and basil-scented fruit minestrone. Regent Seven Seas tours include excursions to Tasmania, the Arctic, the Mediterranean, Bali, and Cape Horn, among other stunning destinations. 

Royal Caribbean Cruises

Windjammer Cafe, a buffet-dining option aboard Royal Caribbean ships, offers plenty of options for plant-based guests. In addition, the Main Dining Room features a nightly vegan menu that provides WFPB guests with several scrumptious options for starters, entrees, and desserts. Highlights include edamame-stuffed portobello mushrooms, vegan spaghetti Bolognese, and toffee “cheesecake” with dark chocolate and a peanut-butter crust. Royal Caribbean Cruise destinations include Bermuda, the Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Cozumel.

Princess Cruises

Fusing gourmet cuisine with eco-conscious ethics, Princess Cruises is now offering an expansive vegan menu across their fleet of 15 ships. And while it can often be slim pickings for plant-based travelers, Princess Cruises has cooked up extensice offerings to satisfy every palate. From soups and starters to pastas and main dishes, you can expect to have just as much choice as the omnivorous guests. A few options include Baja-style cauliflower tacos, green goddess salad with tofu and endive, fettuccine with walnut sauce, and plant-based shepherd’s pie. Set sail and take your taste buds on the trip of a lifetime!

SeaDream Yacht Club

SeaDream Yacht Club makes a point to pamper discerning and health-conscious travelers with gourmet vegan food that rivals Michelin star restaurants. Whether you’re set to tour the polar regions, island-hop the Caribbean, or sample wines on a Mediterranean voyage, you can expect to find pumpkin and zucchini lasagna, tofu cakes on sautéed zucchini with mint and basil sauce, and pumpkin-carrot mousse with roasted pumpkin seeds as standard fare. A DIY salad area for lunch and a cold-pressed raw and vegan juice smoothie bar offers refreshing beverages. 

Costa Cruises

Costa offers special vegetarian and vegan menus upon request and also allows passengers to bring their own food products and have ship chefs prepare meals out of them. The company offers tours of the Caribbean, South America, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean, among other fantastic destinations. 

Tips for Eating Whole-Food, Plant-Based on a Cruise

Booked your cruise with another company? No sweat; there are many ways to “work the system,” says Steve Lawenda, a family physician at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clarita, California. Lawenda recently put his whole-food, plant-based diet to the test on a cruise. Here are his best tips for navigating uncharted waters. 

Do Your Homework 

Check your cruise line’s website for menu options or give them a call, recommends Lawenda. “Consider a Google search for your cruise line and/or specific ship and include the term ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based.’ There are many useful third-party sites with tips, some sites of which consist of consumer/traveler reviews that also may be helpful.” Lawenda recommends perusing the message boards on CruiseCritic.com. 

Speak Up

Don’t be shy, says Lawenda. “Once you board your ship, it’s most helpful to acquaint yourself with the dining room’s head waiter or maître d’ and explain your specific dietary needs. I have found they will either recommend items on the menu that are already compatible with your needs, or they will ask their chefs to create custom dishes for you.”

Hit the Buffet

Most cruises boast a large all-you-can-eat buffet. Use this to your advantage; it’s a great place to assemble a tasty meal from the vast array of side dishes and salad fixings. “The challenge was sometimes knowing which dishes were vegan, which had oil and/or refined sugar, or other added sweeteners,” says Lawenda. “In my experience, the head chefs will be more than happy to walk the buffet with you, pointing out existing options that fit your criteria, and in many cases, they will also be happy to make something custom for you.”

Remember: You’re the Customer 

Cruises want you to enjoy yourself, write rave reviews, and recommend your experience to your friends, says Lawenda. “This typically means they will do whatever they can to not only accommodate your dietary requests [but also] make your food as delicious as possible. There seems to be a decent amount of competition in the cruise industry these days, and customer satisfaction, especially when it comes to the dining and culinary experience, is a top priority.”

Editor’s Note: Megan Edwards contributed to this article.

This article was originally published on August 23, 2019, and has been updated.

The post The Plant-Based Guide to Cruise Vacations appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Affecting 24 million people nationwide, autoimmune diseases can severely impact a person’s quality of life. More than 80 conditions—including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 1 diabetes—fall under the umbrella of autoimmune diseases, and while most of them have no cure, simple lifestyle changes can make symptoms more manageable.

What Are Autoimmune Diseases?

Your immune system plays a critical role in protecting your body against infection and disease. In autoimmune diseases, an unknown trigger causes the immune system to produce antibodies that—rather than fight infections and ward off diseases—attack the body’s own tissue. The following list comprises just a few of the vast number of known autoimmune diseases.

GET OUR FREE 20-PAGE ULTIMATE PLANT-BASED BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Autoimmune Disease Risk Factors

While the exact causes of autoimmune diseases remain unknown, researchers point to the following noted risk factors, which may occur alone or in combination with others.

• Your genes. Autoimmune diseases tend to run in families; however, the gene inheritance pattern is typically unknown.
• Your sex. Women make up 78% of those affected by autoimmune diseases.
• Having another autoimmune disease. Roughly one-quarter of autoimmune disease patients have multiple autoimmune syndrome, an accumulation of three or more autoimmune conditions.
• Some viruses. Influenza A viruses, measles, and hepatitis C are among the viruses that may trigger the development of autoimmune diseases.
• Some medications. Certain blood pressure medications, statins, and antibiotics can induce conditions such as autoimmune hepatitis and drug-induced lupus erythematosus.
• Smoking. Tobacco smoking has been linked to multiple autoimmune diseases.
• Obesity. More than 10 autoimmune diseases are known to be associated with being overweight or obese. Research suggests that obesity may promote inflammation while reducing the body’s ability to recognize its own antigens as a non-threat when responding to foreign substances.

How Does Diet Affect Autoimmune Diseases?

“Diet plays a huge role in autoimmune diseases because the immune system is affected by food, and two-thirds of your immune system is located in the gut,” says triple board-certified rheumatologist Micah Yu, MD, who also practices integrative medicine. “Whatever food passes through your gut will talk to your immune system.”

Gut dysbiosis—an imbalance in the gut microbiome, the naturally occurring population of bacteria and other microorganisms within the GI tract—has been closely associated with multiple autoimmune diseases, suggesting that maintaining a healthy gut microbiome benefits autoimmune health.

According to 2021 research published in Lupus Science & Medicine, a dietary fiber called resistant starch (commonly found in bananas, plantains, legumes, and whole grains) may positively affect the gut microbiome of people with lupus. Researchers collected stool samples and dietary information from 12 SLE patients and 15 SLE-related antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients to see if resistant starch in their regular diets impacted their gut bacteria makeup. While no one consumed high quantities (more than 15 grams) of resistant starch, medium levels (between 2.5 and 15 grams daily) of dietary starch were associated in SLE with increased Bifidobacterium, which is beneficial to the immune system. And people with APS who ate medium levels of resistant starch exhibited lower quantities of harmful bacteria linked to the disease.

Conversely, ultra-processed foods—such as soft drinks, refined sweetened foods, salty snacks, and processed meats—have been demonstrated to promote gut dysbiosis. A 2017 review published in Foods concluded that the resulting imbalance might be associated with an increased risk of at least two autoimmune diseases—Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease—in predisposed children. Additionally, a 2021 study published in The BMJ suggested that eating ultra-processed foods can significantly heighten the risk of developing IBD.

One reason these foods are so detrimental is that they produce inflammation, which can trigger an abnormal immune response, says Yu. “With your immune system, you have something called immune tolerance, where your immune system’s supposed to see its own cells and just ignore it. But [in autoimmune diseases] over time, because of chronic inflammation, your body will start reacting to its own cells. That’s where [the body] can attack its own joints, its own brain cells, its own nervous system cells, and so forth.”

Yu says that one way to combat that inflammation is by consuming more anti-inflammatory foods. Research has shown that fruits and vegetables are associated with anti-inflammatory properties. And there is evidence that a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains reduces inflammation.

A plant-based diet may also reduce autoimmune disease symptoms, such as fatigue. A 2004 study had 24 middle-aged people with rheumatoid arthritis follow a low-fat vegan diet for four weeks. At the end of the study, participants saw a significant reduction in all RA symptoms, except for the duration of morning stiffness. A more recent study, published in Lupus in January 2022, looked at extensive data from 420 SLE patients who completed a 26-question survey on their diets and SLE symptoms. Researchers found that patients “who changed their eating patterns to incorporate more plant-based foods while limiting processed foods and animal products reported improvements in their disease symptoms.”

Real-Life Success Stories

Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease? You may be able to improve your outcomes by eating more whole plant foods and avoiding animal products and highly processed foods. For inspiration, check out the following first-person testimonials from people with autoimmune diseases who benefitted from a whole-food, plant-based diet.

“I Resolved a Decade of Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Within Months on a Plant-Based Diet”

After 10 years of painful rheumatoid arthritis, Andrea Kane changed her diet and dramatically reduced her rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Read her story.

“How I Reversed Crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis With a Plant-Based Diet”

In August 2015, at 35 years old, Emily Brandehart was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, with symptoms so painful that she couldn’t sleep. Then she did some research and discovered the benefits of a plant-based diet. Read her story.

• I Overcame Lupus and Freed Myself from Medications with a Plant-Based Diet
• For 26 Years, I’ve Managed Type 1 Diabetes With a Plant-Based Diet
• I Used to Have MS Relapses Every 6 Months. After Going Plant-Based, I Haven’t Relapsed in 10 Years
• Overcoming Myasthenia Gravis Symptoms on a Plant-Based Diet
• Plant-Based Diet Has Me Winning My Long, Hard Battle with Ulcerative Colitis

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Autoimmune Diseases and Diet: Here’s What You Need To Know appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Affecting 1 in 3 adults, metabolic syndrome is fairly common in the United States. A constellation of conditions, it puts people at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems, like atherosclerosis. The good news? Simple lifestyle changes and healthy habits can reduce that risk and may even be able to reverse the damage that has already been done.

What Is Metabolic Syndrome?

Doctors have long been interested in uncovering a connection between obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome, also known as Syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, emerged as a way to describe shared underlying characteristics.

GET OUR FREE 20-PAGE ULTIMATE PLANT-BASED BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Metabolic Syndrome Symptoms

You may be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have at least three of the five following conditions.

• A large waist circumference: You have an “apple-shaped” body, or your waist circumference measures greater than 35 inches for women or greater than 40 inches for men.
• High blood glucose (sugar): Your blood sugar measures 100 mg/dL or more, or you take medicine for high blood glucose.
• Low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol: Your HDL levels are less than 40 mg/dL for men or less than 50 mg/dL for women.
• High levels of triglycerides: Your triglyceride levels measure 150 mg/dL or more, or you take medicine for high triglycerides.
• High blood pressure: Your blood pressure measures 130/85 mmHg or more, or you take medicine for hypertension.

Risk Factors

A variety of traits, conditions, and lifestyle behaviors put you at greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome. The following may occur on their own or in combination with other risk factors.

• Excessive fat in and around the abdomen
• Inactivity (less than the recommended 150 minutes per week of exercise)
• Too much or too little sleep (more than 10 hours or less than six hours)
• Smoking and/or heavy alcohol consumption
• Age: Your risk increases as you get older.
• Gender: Men are at a greater risk than women, although women are more likely to have low HDL.
• Ethnicity: Metabolic syndrome is most prevalent among Hispanic adults.
• A family history of diabetes or metabolic syndrome
• Insulin resistance, which occurs when cells don’t respond normally to insulin
• Polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that causes cysts to grow on the ovaries
• Chemotherapy: Women treated with chemotherapy before or after breast cancer surgery are at a higher risk.

How Does Diet Affect Metabolic Syndrome?

“Metabolic syndrome is certainly very much impacted by diet,” says Nicole Harkin, MD, FACC, founder of Whole Heart Cardiology. “The central component to it is weight gain which is often created by a combination of genetic factors, a sedentary lifestyle, and then dietary factors that really go into developing insulin resistance and a body weight that’s above ideal.”

A primary culprit, she says, is the standard American diet, which tends to be rich in highly processed foods.

A 2021 study published in Liver International investigated the connection between ultra-processed foods and metabolic syndrome. A total of 789 male and female participants (59 years old on average) received a food frequency questionnaire, an abdominal ultrasound, body measurements, blood pressure measurements, and fasting blood tests. Researchers found that eating more ultra-processed foods was associated with higher odds for metabolic syndrome and its components—hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL.

Another culprit, according to at least two studies, is the high consumption of red meat and processed meats.

On the flip side, evidence shows that a whole-food, plant-based diet can play a protective role against metabolic syndrome. Not only is it low in saturated fat; it’s also high in fiber, which could be effective in the management of metabolic syndrome for its ability to control body weight through its effect on satiety (among other health benefits). And research indicates that eating greater quantities of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome.

How to Reverse Metabolic Syndrome

“While [metabolic syndrome] might sound like a scary diagnosis, it’s definitely something that you can turn around with lifestyle changes,” says Harkin.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are keys to doing just that, according to a 2007 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Researchers divided 335 metabolic syndrome patients aged 45 to 64 in northwest Italy into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group reduced saturated fat intake and increased polyunsaturated fat and fiber intake, along with exercise levels. After 12 months, researchers saw weight, waist circumference, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation), and most metabolic syndrome components decrease in the intervention group and increase in the control group.

“Getting an adequate amount of exercise is a great part of preventing and reversing metabolic syndrome,” says Harkin.

And it doesn’t need to be vigorous exercise, which may be especially challenging for overweight or more sedentary individuals. Instead, according to a 2007 study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, even moderate exercise, such as walking about 12 miles per week, can sufficiently improve metabolic syndrome. Alternately, the American Heart Association recommends 30 to 60 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity supplemented by two days per week of resistance training.

“If you lose somewhere between just 5–10% of your body weight, that can really improve your insulin sensitivity and reverse some of the cardiometabolic abnormalities that we see in association with metabolic syndrome,” says Harkin.

Real-Life Success Stories

By adopting a healthier lifestyle, it’s possible to avoid and even reverse metabolic syndrome and its risk factors. For inspiration, check out the following first-person testimonials from individuals who have—with the help of a whole-food, plant-based diet—done just that:

• I’m Reversing Metabolic Syndrome on a Plant-Based Diet
• I’ve Normalized Sky-High Triglycerides and Begun Reversing Kidney Disease in Just 12 Weeks
• What a Plant-Based Diet Did to My Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, and Triglycerides
• From Cheese-Loving Vegetarian with Sky-High Blood Pressure to Whole-Food, Plant-Based and Healthy
• What Giving Up Meat, Dairy, and Processed Foods Did for My BMI, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Metabolic Syndrome and Diet: Here’s What You Need To Know appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

What Are Nightshades?

There are 2,500 species of flowering plants known as nightshades within the Solanaceae plant family.

Some of the most commonly consumed nightshades include:

• Bell peppers
• All chile peppers (e.g., jalapeño, habanero, poblano) and spices sourced from chile peppers (such as paprika, chile powder, or cayenne)
• Eggplant
• Goji berries
• Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes)
• Tomatoes and tomatillos

The Benefits of Eating Nightshades

Edible nightshades are some of the most nutritious foods around and have been consumed as part of healthy diets for centuries, says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN.

“Hundreds of studies have found benefits from eating these foods. In particular, tomatoes have garnished a great deal of research documenting benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory benefits and reduced risks of diseases such as prostate cancer and heart disease,” says Palmer. “They have also been linked to skin and bone protection.”

Meanwhile capsaicin in chile peppers may promote hair growth and reduce your cardiovascular and cancer risk. And potatoes are loaded with mood-regulating carbohydrates and muscle-building protein.

Are Nightshades Poisonous to Humans?

Members of the Solanaceae plant family contain alkaloids, including solanine, a natural insecticide. Solanines in belladonna, the so-called “deadly nightshade,” can cause delirium, hallucinations, and even death. However, the nightshades we commonly consume contain nowhere near high enough levels to cause similar harm.

“There is not enough scientific support documenting that people need to avoid nightshades due to alkaloid content,” says Palmer.

That being said, potato sprouts and areas of the potato that have turned green from sun exposure contain higher concentration of solanine and, therefore, should be avoided. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or hypothermia, headaches, and a slow pulse or breathing.

Do Nightshade Vegetables Cause Inflammation?

Search the internet for the word nightshades, and you’re bound to stumble on plenty of articles warning about inflammation and arthritis pain. But no research has turned up evidence that nightshades affect the joints.

“There is a lot of urban legend and misinformation about nightshades being perpetuated over the internet and social media,” says Palmer. “Some people believe that they should avoid nightshades to reduce inflammation for arthritis benefits. However, studies have found that many nightshade vegetables reduce inflammation levels in the body.”

It’s worth noting that the Arthritis Foundation put nightshade vegetables, namely bell peppers, on its list of “Best Vegetables for Arthritis.” Red and yellow bell peppers contain the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, which could reduce your risk of developing inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, tomatoes and peppers are excellent sources of bone- and cartilage-preserving vitamin C, with a single bell pepper containing more than 150% of the Food and Nutrition Board’s daily recommended amount. Eggplants, meanwhile, are rich in anti-inflammatory anthocyanins as well as the essential trace element manganese, which is important to bone formation.

“The scientific evidence [regarding nightshades and inflammation] isn’t very strong at this time,” says triple board-certified rheumatologist Micah Yu, MD, who also practices integrative medicine. “Maybe in 10, 20 years, we’ll have more evidence.”

Yu notes that there’s no test to determine whether someone might have a sensitivity to nightshades. If you suspect nightshades are an issue for you, he suggests keeping a food diary and seeing whether certain foods correspond with your inflammatory symptoms or other adverse reactions. You can try avoiding a food to see if symptoms improve, then reintroducing the food to see if symptoms return. If they return, it’s reasonable to continue avoiding the food, and consult with a registered dietitian.

Nightshades and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

At least two studies have suggested potatoes could aggravate inflammatory bowel disease. Both were performed using mice, not humans.

In one study from 2002, researchers isolated solanine and the glycoalkaloid chaconine, present in potatoes, to test intestinal permeability and function. They concluded that levels of solanine and chaconine typically found in potatoes can adversely affect a mammal’s intestine and exacerbate IBD.

In a 2010 study, mice were fed deep-fried potato skins. Researchers found that deep-frying the potato skins increased glycoalkaloid content and that glycoalkaloid consumption significantly aggravated intestinal inflammation in mice representing two models mimicking human IBD (interleukin 10 gene deficiency and dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis).

But the data are limited, says Vanita Rahman, MD, clinic director of Barnard Medical Center. “We know animal studies don’t always translate into meaningful results in humans, so it’s really hard to draw any conclusions about human health, as far as inflammatory bowel disease.”

Before eliminating nightshades altogether, Rahman recommends talking to a health care provider and exploring whether anything else could be contributing to IBD symptoms. Keep in mind that certain nightshades–potatoes and eggplants–are rich in fiber, which has been linked to a reduced risk of developing IBD and greater quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis.

“The bottom line is [nightshades] really are nutritious vegetables that contain a lot of important nutrients for us,” says Rahman. “They have a lot of health benefits. So, most people should consume them in ways that they find enjoyable.”

Nightshade Recipes

There are plenty of opportunities to reap the health benefits of these delightful fruits and vegetables. Check out these roundups of favorite recipes from Forks Over Knives to get you started.

Awesome Vegan Eggplant Recipes

From baba ghanoush flatbreads to vegan eggplant parm to ratatouille, these recipes showcase eggplant’s melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Potato Power: 47 Spectacular Spud Recipes to Supercharge Your Day!

It’s easy to see why potatoes are so universally beloved. Transform humble taters into impressive entrees, savory side dishes, delectable vegan “cheese” sauce, wholesome homemade bread, and more.

28 of Our Favorite Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper Recipes

Brighten your kitchen and delight your taste buds with these colorful and creative bell pepper recipes.

Plant-Based Recipes to Make the Most of Tomato Season

Harness the ripe, juicy goodness of fresh tomatoes for full-flavored soups, bruschetta, grain bowls, marinara, and more.

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Should You Avoid Nightshades? A Look at the Research appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Alcohol and Heart Health

Heavy drinking can increase your risk of heart failure, hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. And one 2022 report, published in JAMA Network Open, says that drinking any quantity of alcohol can negatively affect your heart. 

The study, conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, included nearly 400,000 people—with an average age of 57 years and average alcohol consumption of 9.2 drinks per week—who were part of the UK Biobank, a large-scale biomedical database containing in-depth genetic and health information. 

Researchers used genetic and phenotypic data to highlight the association between habitual drinking and cardiovascular disease. They found that subjects with genetic variants that predicted heavy alcohol consumption were more likely to drink more and have hypertension and coronary artery disease. There were also substantial differences in cardiovascular risk across the alcohol-consumption spectrum. Risk increased minimally when someone went from zero to seven drinks a week, but it jumped much higher when someone progressed from seven to 14 drinks per week. The risk was especially high by the time someone consumed 21 or more drinks a week. 

These findings suggest a rise in cardiovascular risk even at levels the U.S. Department of Agriculture has deemed low risk (i.e., below two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women). However, not everyone is sold on the idea that all alcohol is bad for the heart. 

“It’s like everything else in science: You have to look at the entirety of the data,” says cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD, author of The Plant-Based Solution.

The JAMA Network Open study used Mendelian randomization, an analytic method that uses measured gene variation to determine whether an observed association between a risk factor and a clinical outcome is consistent with a causal effect.

Rather than assigning people to abstain or drink at various levels, researchers looked at certain genetic variants that predisposed individuals to heavier or lighter drinking. They queried the database to see if those with variants linked to greater alcohol consumption had a higher incidence of heart disease and hypertension than those with variants linked to lower consumption or abstention.  

“It’s a predictive model that has flaws,” says Kahn. 

Kahn points out that within the same month, an unpublished National Institutes of Health–funded study from Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (which used the same biobank) reported a 14 percent lower risk of Type 2 diabetes among people who drank wine with meals. He also notes that certain wines, including Sardinian cannonau, pinot noir, and French Tannat, are rich in the polyphenol resveratrol, which may help protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart, reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and prevent blood clotting. 

Still, although some studies suggest wine is better for the heart than beer or hard liquor, others do not, according to a review published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation in 2017.

“[Alcohol consumption] is a complex topic that will never be studied by a randomized trial,” says Kahn. “And it’s probably what we’d call a J-shaped curve or a sweet spot or Goldilocks. There’s clearly too much. And there’s probably not too little, but is there a just-right spot? A glass of low-alcohol, low-sugar red wine three, four days a week, is that favorable? For a lot of situations, it appears to be.”

Is Alcohol Bad for the Brain? 

While heavy drinking has been linked to the atrophy of gray and white matter and the risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, there has been conflicting evidence regarding the effects of moderate drinking on the brain. 

A 2020 University of Georgia study found that light to moderate drinkers (people who had a drink or two a day) tended to perform better on cognitive tests than nondrinkers. 

Meanwhile, a 2022 study published in Nature Communications reviewed brain MRIs from more than 36,000 middle-aged adults and found that even light to moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reductions in overall brain volume, similar to the shrinkage that occurs with aging. Among 50-year-olds, researchers found that increasing from one alcohol unit a day to two (half a beer or half a glass of wine to a full pint or wine glass) resulted in the brain-shrinkage equivalent to aging two years. Increasing from two units to three was like aging three and a half years. Even going from zero drinks to just half a beer or glass of wine a day was associated with shrinkage indicative of an extra half a year of aging. 

“Alcohol can definitely have a damaging effect on the brain, but the question is how much alcohol intake is needed to bring about those damaging effects,” says Marc Dingman, PhD, associate teaching professor of biobehavioral health at The Pennsylvania State University and author of Your Brain, Explained. “The major shortcoming of [the study published in Nature Communications] is that they collected all of their data at one point in time. The reason this is a problem is that it makes it more difficult to determine if the alcohol consumption is actually causing the structural changes to the brain.”

On the other hand, Dingman points out, the University of Georgia study used a long-term approach, tracking participants over a decade and testing them every two years. 

Still, he says, such observational studies tend to have a lot of variables, which explains why health advice about dietary practices changes over time. And it remains unclear what would cause beneficial effects of alcohol consumption. “Is it the pleasure of having a drink, the benefits of potential social interaction that might go along with it, the reduction in stress?” he asks. 

When it comes to drinking, Dingman recommends erring on the side of caution. “In my opinion, there’s not enough evidence to be confident the potential cognitive benefits of low alcohol consumption outweigh the potential risks—both to the brain and to overall health.” 

Does Moderate Alcohol Consumption Increase Cancer Risk?

Drinking alcohol led to nearly 750,000 cancer cases in 2020, according to a modeling study published in Lancet Oncology. While most instances were attributed to heavy drinking, light to moderate drinking (one or two alcoholic beverages a day) accounted for more than 100,000 cases of cancer. 

“When people do partake in drinking alcoholic beverages, they should know that there’s a health risk to it,” says William Li, MD, physician, scientist, president and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself.

Alcohol’s underlying chemical, ethanol, is known to be toxic to every organ in the body, says Li. And, he says, it’s also highly correlative with cancer in several ways.

For one, alcohol can damage DNA and cause healthy cells to develop mutations. Secondly, alcohol has been shown to suppress the immune system, which we rely on to conduct surveillance in our bodies against microscopic cancers. Third, alcohol can help spark new blood vessels to grow and feed cancers. 

“Consuming alcohol is a revered social tradition that should be practiced modestly,” says Li. “On the other hand, from the medical perspective, if you asked me to put on my physician’s hat, I would say that alcohol in every case should be considered a toxin to the body.”

Is 1 Drink a Day OK?

“Whether [one glass a day] is where the line is drawn is, I think, rather arbitrary and not exactly an established, optimal intake,” says Deirdre Tobias, ScD, assistant nutrition professor at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “If someone was otherwise going to be a nondrinker for whatever reason, and then heard recommendations to start drinking, that could have its own public health implications on the other end if the person’s perhaps predisposed to be more of a heavy drinker. That’s important to keep in mind with public health recommendations.”

Additionally, not all glasses of alcohol are equal, says Tobias, noting that many people consume alcohol in the form of sugary cocktails. “If [your daily drink] is a margarita or a rum and coke … sometimes those can contain hundreds of calories. And so even a modest intake of those types of beverages would add up and [could] have its own health effects independent of the alcohol.”

The Bottom Line  

Consuming alcohol, even in moderation, can negatively impact the brain and increase the risk for several types of cancer. And while previous observational studies have linked light alcohol consumption with heart-health benefits, recent research calls into question the nature of that connection.

“If you choose to embark on the social practice of drinking an alcoholic beverage, just recognize that there are well-defined health risks,” says Li.  

To learn more about scientifically documented connections between diet and diseases including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, explore our Health Topics.

The post Is Any Amount of Alcohol Safe? Experts Weigh In appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

It’s estimated that IBD, which takes the form of Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, affects 5 million people worldwide. The United States accounts for more than half of that number. In recent years the incidence of IBD has increased in several countries where both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis had previously been uncommon. And that increase, the study’s authors note, seems to coincide with these nations adopting a Western diet.

Previous research connecting diet with IBD had been limited and even conflicting. However, most of those studies involved a small number of participants. The current study drew findings from questionnaires given to 116,087 adults aged 35 to 70 who were enrolled in the global Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study between 2003 and 2016. After a median follow-up of 9.7 years, 467 participants were found to have developed IBD (90 with Crohn’s disease and 377 with ulcerative colitis).

After adjusting for other potentially influencing factors, researchers found that those individuals who reported a higher intake of ultra-processed foods—such as soft drinks, refined sweetened foods, salty snacks, and processed meats—were much more likely to develop IBD.

Participants were grouped according to their level of ultra-processed food consumption: less than one serving a day, one to four servings per day, and more than five servings per day. Compared with people who had less than one serving of ultra-processed food a day, those who consumed one to four servings daily had a 67 percent greater risk of developing IBD. And those who ate at least five daily servings of ultra processed food were 82 percent more likely to develop IBD than those who ate one serving or less. 

Among study participants, ultra-processed food consumption was highest in North America, Europe, and South America. These regions also logged the highest consumption of processed meat and soft drinks. Participants in North America and Southeast Asia ate the most salty snack foods such as chips, while South American participants consumed the most refined sweetened foods such as chocolate.

Researchers found that unprocessed red and white meat; dairy; and whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, and legumes were not associated with IBD risk, leading researchers to posit that it isn’t the type of food but the way a food is processed that relates to the elevated risk.

“Ultra-processed foods often contain high amounts of many non-natural ingredients and additives such as artificial flavors, sugars, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and preservatives,” said the study’s lead author, Neeraj Narula, MD, MPH, FRCPC, director of the IBD Clinic and associate professor of medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. “Detergents and emulsifiers that are added to foods may have a detrimental impact on the gut barrier, as some translational science research papers have demonstrated increased intestinal permeability—or ‘gut leakiness’—with consumption of these ingredients.” Narula notes that increased intestinal permeability is thought to play a key role in the development of IBD.

Growing Research

This is not the first time ultra-processed foods have been linked to disease. A 2018 population-based cohort study of 104,980 participants found that a 10 percent increase in the proportion of ultra-processed food in one’s diet raised their cancer risk by more than 10 percent. Another large observational study linked higher consumption of ultra-processed foods with increased risks of cardiovascular, coronary heart, and cerebrovascular diseases. Meanwhile, there is also evidence that eating an ultra-processed diet increases calorie consumption and leads to weight gain, compared with a diet rich in whole plant foods. 

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post More Processed Foods, More IBD: New Study appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Bausch penned an open letter that ran as a full-page ad in three newspapers serving regions where Olympic facilities are located, including The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the USOPC is headquartered. The letter admonished the committee for failing to take seriously an October 2020 letter in which she and eight other Olympic athletes requested an investigation into the USOPC’s partnership with Milk Life, a campaign sponsored by a dairy industry association known as America’s Milk Companies. 

In that letter, the athletes argued that the promotion of milk consumption to athletes “inhibits Team USA athletes’ ability to achieve competitive excellence.” The detailed letter—which was signed by nine Olympic athletes, including Bausch, gold medalist and World Cup champion Alex Morgan, and gold medalist Heather Mitts—cited research linking dairy consumption to a range of health issues. These issues included elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol; higher risk for certain types of cancer; and increased mucus production and rates of asthma, which is the most common chronic medical condition among Olympic athletes. They also pointed to the fact that roughly 36 percent of Americans are unable to properly absorb lactose, a rate that is higher among communities of color.   

Bausch says USOPC leadership dismissed their concerns, which prompted her to write the follow-up letter. 

In an interview with Forks Over Knives, Bausch noted that this is not the first time the USOPC has embraced products contrary to their mission. “At the 2012 Olympic Games, there was a McDonald’s inside the athletes’ village,” she said. “Tobacco was a sponsor in the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid, and that’s not that long ago. But that sounds kind of insane now, and I think this dairy sponsorship will sound insane as well in some years. We have to crack open that can of knowledge and truth and understand what [milk] is doing in the human body. It’s certainly not promoting athletic superiority for Team USA.” 

Bausch has been a vocal proponent of the athletic benefits of a plant-based diet since making the switch back in 2009. She appeared in the 2019 documentary The Game Changers. 

The post Team USA Athletes Call on Olympic Committee to Stop Promoting Milk appeared first on Forks Over Knives.