For many women and even men, soy has become yet another miracle food that is being consumed faster than genetically modified soybeans can be processed. With the help of modern technology and a little hexane, soybeans and their estrogen like chemicals (isoflavones) are finding their way into your daily diet disguised as milk, yogurt, cereal, chips, nuts, meat, flour, oil, textured vegetable protein (TVP) and protein isolate - to mention a few.

Some people consume it on purpose, thinking that it will prevent weight gain, aging, Alzheimer's disease, cancer, heart disease, hot flashes and bone loss better known as osteoporosis. FYI - soy is not a miracle food, never was and never will be. There is research evidence that women who consume daily amounts of soy isoflavones of 150 mg had increased thickening of the uterus known as endometrial hyperplasia - a precursor to uterine cancer(1). Getting 150 mg of isoflavones per day is not that difficult - one cup of roasted soybeans yields 221 mg, one cup raw/boiled soybeans yields 94 mg and 1 cup Silk® soymilk yields 24 mg of isoflavones.

Consuming soy on purpose as noted above is one way of intentionally overdosing, but some individuals are eating soy without even knowing it. Soy is hidden in processed foods by way of flour, protein isolate and TVP (textured vegetable protein). The next time you bite into a fast food burger, which I do not recommend, approximately 50% is most likely made with soy (TVP) meat.

I write about the perils of soy in Chapter 6 of my book citing hundreds of studies that undo many of the super claims made about this bean. And today, yet two more studies have emerged shooting down the theory that soy prevents bone loss(2,3).

As reported in Medpage Today (www.medpagetoday.com), the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research reported that soy protein extracts (isoflavones) had no effect on preventing bone loss in postmenopausal women in two placebo-controlled studies. In one study, the bone loss seen in the lumbar spine and hip bones after three years of taking soy isoflavones extracts were similar to those taking a placebo.

The second study showed that bone resorption biomarkers were "virtually identical" in both the soy group and those taking a placebo after two years of testing. In other words, soy did not prevent the loss of bone any more than taking a sugar pill.

When Dr. Lee Alekel, lead researcher, was asked about these findings he stated, "I think we can close the door on this issue." Unfortunately, I do not think the door will be closed on soy as Dr. Alekel suggested. The soy industry and manufacturing mega giants have too much at stake.

For more information about soy, check out my new book; The Naked Truth: Overweight, Overwhelmed and Confused

Dr. Sardone

References Cited

1. Murray MJ et al, Menopause (2003); 10(5): 456-464

2. American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Source reference: Alekel D, et al "Soy Isoflavones for Reducing Bone Loss (SIRBL) study: randomized three year intervention in postmenopausal women" ASBMR (2009); Abstract SA0412.

3. American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Source reference: Levis S, et al "Soy isoflavones and bone resorption: results of the Soy Phytoestrogens as Replacement Estrogen (SPARE) study" ASBMR (2009); Abstract MO0374.

In the introduction of my book, I wrote about the detrimental effects of "politically-correct-itis." A word I coined to describe social diseases arising out of fear of saying something that might offend individual sensibilities. The fat acceptance movement is yet another symptom of this disease.

Proponents claim that overweight and obese individuals are unduly ridiculed and discriminated against by the media specifically and by society in general, and that medicine has unjustifiably blamed obesity as a gateway to disease.

Advocates note that overweight women are at greater risk for discriminatory actions harboring hate crime characteristics. They argue that overweight individuals are subjected to greater employment scrutiny, and that transportation companies are increasing ticket prices by the pound.

Of course, all of this is true, the overweight are ridiculed and discriminated against, but by whom exactly? Considering that 70% of Americans are overweight (including obese), who is doing the finger pointing? I would love to be in the boardroom of some of these companies that are making anti-fat people policies. How many of those policy makers are overweight themselves? The hypocrisy is quite heavy, pun intended.

In essence, the fat acceptance advocates want all of us to accept overweight and/or obese people as they are, and without prejudice. After all, they have the right to be as heavy or as sick as they choose to be, and no one has the right to tell them otherwise. How can you argue with that logic? We live in America, the land of the free.

Okay, I would gladly accept their reasoning, if it were not for two very important counter arguments. The first concern is how acceptance will affect the well-being of our children. You remember them, the innocent and naive bundles of joy that we bring into this world. The vulnerable little angels that we are supposed to guide, teach and protect. As parents, are we not suppose to teach our children the values of education, spirituality, generosity, humility, humanity and positive lifestyle behaviors? What? Positive lifestyle behaviors, what in the world???? Do you mean the benefits of eating right and exercise, and how doing so just might prevent disease and inevitable harrassment?

However, this means that we, as parents and mentors, have to practice what we preach. We have to stop buying and eating processed and fast foods, and get up off the couch. But doing these things requires effort, which is more difficult than accepting overweight and obesity as another misunderstood and overly criticized human faux pas.

The second argument is purely financial based on the rising costs of healthcare. Regardless of how the fat acceptance supporters try and spin the facts related to obesity related diseases, their arguments fall on deaf ears. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that aligns obesity to heart disease, diabetes, various cancers, liver disease, kidney disease, gallbladder disease, etc, etc., etc. The medical costs in treating these conditions is enormous, with estimates reaching 142 billion dollars per year. The argument - why should all Americans, but especially those not overweight, obese or suffering from an associated disease, share in these healthcare costs?

Finally, I for one have been in the trenches with my overweight and obese patients. I have seen their tears and felt their emotional pain. I understand their sense of embarrassment and their psychological struggles. I have seen the physical consequences from heart disease to osteoarthritis. However, acceptance is not going to help them overcome these issues, nor will it prevent disease or discrimination for that matter, but it might in fact, aid and abet them. Moreover, it will provide our children with the very excuse they need to follow the same unhealthy and overly ridiculed path.

The Naked Truth!

Dr. Sardone

Have you ever wondered why it is so much harder for women to lose weight than it is for men? Has your husband ever gloated about his ability to lose weight versus you?

When it comes to losing weight, women are behind the eight ball for three main reasons: childbirth , hormones and muscle mass. It goes without saying that women are designed differently than men, externally as well as internally. Physiologically speaking, women are designed to carry more body fat than men because women bare children and men don't. During pregnancy and lactation, women require more energy and their extra body fat is there to supply it.

Females produce more estrogen and less testosterone than men. Estrogen promotes fat storage and testosterone promotes muscle development, and when women suffer from estrogen dominance (more estrogen than progesterone) and testosterone deficiency their fat storage capacity increases and muscle mass decreases.

Muscle tissue burns more calories than any other tissue and the more you have the greater the metabolic rate. Men typically will have more muscle mass than women and their ability to develop this tissue if far greater. Therefore, their fat burning engine is much larger making it easier to burn fat and lose weight especially during and after exercise.

The optimum or generally healthy body fat range for women is 18 to 25 percent and for men it's 12 to 18 percent. In other words, women and men who's body fat is within the ranges noted are less likely to suffer from conditions related to excess body fat such as heart disease, diabetes and various cancers.

So, what can women do to offset these physiological handicaps?

1. Check your estrogen (estradiol), progesterone and testosterone levels. I recommend having them checked by a qualified healthcare provider who utilizes saliva testing because doing so will reveal the active or bioavailable level of these hormones. This is important especially after the age of 35 (for most women).

2. Most women, as they age, will have more estrogen than progesterone, and this can be remedied by supplementing with natural or bioidentical progesterone. Testosterone can also be supplemented if too low.

3. Add weight training to your exercise routines. Lifting weights is necessary to develop muscle tissue, which in turn will increase your fat burning engine. Weight lifting routines should be designed based on your age, ability and health status (are there any underlying conditions like arthritis, etc.). Lifting weights will allow your muscle to become lean and tone. Don't worry, you will not get big muscles - remember, you don't have the testosterone that men have.

4. Eat a well-balanced diet including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, quality protein and fats based on your body composition and metabolic needs. Make sure that you get optimum amounts of protein based on these factors as well as your activity level. The more active you are, the greater your needs.

5. Follow the recommendations in The Naked Truth: Overweight, Ovewhelmed and Confused

Dr. Sardone

The waist circumference measurement taken at the widest part of the waist, which is typically at the belly button, has become a marker for cardiometabolic risk. Why, because it measures an estimation of intra-abdominal or visceral fat. This fat accumulates under the abdominal muscles inside the abdominal cavity and surrounds the abdominal organs. Conversely, subcutaneous fat is found just beneath the skin surface and above the abdominal muscles. It's the combination of these two fat regions that make up the total waist measurement.

Before the discovery of leptin in 1994, an appetite regulating hormone secreted by fat cells, most researchers believed that fat cells (adipose tissues) were just a storage depot for extra fat and other than storage, shock absorption and body heat retention, little else was known. However, since 1994 researchers have discovered that fat cells and in particular visceral fat cells, produce a number of chemicals known as cytokines.

Cytokines have been implicated in systemic inflammation leading to insulin resistance syndrome (metabolic syndrome). Those suffering from this condition are predisposed to heart disease, adult onset diabetes, various cancers, polycystic ovarian syndrome, fatty liver disease, and kidney disease. These fat cells also produce estrogen, which could be the reason why women with increased waist measurements are predisposed to estrogen dominance and its related conditions.

Waist circumference is one of five diagnostic criteria used to assess metabolic syndrome risk. The other four are increased blood sugar, reduced HDL-cholesterol, increased blood pressure, and increased triglycerides. In order to be diagnosed with this condition, one has to have at least three of these five criteria.

The critical waist circumference measurement for females is 35 inches and 40 inches for males.

Foods that produce excessive amounts of blood sugar resulting in elevated insulin levels overtime promote the storage of visceral and subcutaneous fat, and nothing packs on abdominal fat more so than high-glycemic carbohydrates and alcohol, especially beer. Ever wonder why it's called a "beer belly?"

Learn more in The Naked Truth: Overweight, Overwhelmed and Confused.

Dr. Sardone

Many individuals use red yeast rice as an alternative to statin drugs for lowering LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. However, a brief description and word of caution are warranted.

Red yeast rice has been around for centuries, first described in ancient Chinese writing as early as 800 AD. Red yeast rice has been used in Asian cuisine and medicine.

The rice is cultivated with Monacus purpureus (mold) giving it a red color. The mold produces various substances called monacolins one of which is lovastatin. Lovastatin produces cholesterol-lowering effects by inhibiting HMG CoA reductase, an enzyme necessary for cholesterol synthesis. Lovastatin is the active ingredient in Mevacor, a statin drug manufactured by Merck and Co only available through Rx.

Since it is considered a dietary supplement, it is not regulated. Therefore, the amount of lovastatin in each product will vary. Taking too little will have negligible cholesterol-lowering effects, and taking too much can cause mild side effects such as stomach upset or nausea, bloating , gas , heartburn and indigestion .

Some individuals develop muscle pain and weakness especially in the calf muscles. An unlikely, yet very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle) has been reported. The rapid breakdown of skeletal muscle releases myoglobin (protein) into the blood, which causes kidney damage and if untreated, can lead to kidney failure. Individuals with this condition will have muscle pain and weakness, and dark colored urine.

Taking red yeast rice with niacin, or various drugs like gemifibrozol, clofibrate, erythromycin, cyclosporine, and statin drugs can exacerbate the above noted side effects as well cause liver toxicity.

Some red yeast rice products contain citrinin, a mycotoxin that can also cause kidney damage. Most pharmaceutical grade red yeast rice supplements remove this impurity.

So, how do you know if your red yeast rice is safe? Since dietary supplements are not regulated, some manufactures make false or unsubstantiated claims. Therefore, trusting label claims is risky business.

Ask your healthcare provider for his or her recommendation or the name of a pharmaceutical grade product as well as usage instructions. Have your liver enzymes and blood fats monitored while taking this supplement, and pay attention to any adverse side effects.

Bottom Line: unless you are one of those unfortunate few that genetically produces too much cholesterol, keeping your levels within optimum levels is best achieved through proper diet and exercise. Reducing high-glycemic carbohydrates and alcohol intake is also very beneficial.

• On a side note: cholesterol is more important than you can imagine. It has vital functions in the body such as maintaining cell membrane structure and integrity especially in brain and nervous tissue, maintains cell membrane fluidity, precursor to steroid hormones like progesterone estrogen and testosterone, precursor to vitamin D3 synthesis, and necessary for bile acid production. Therefore, lowering cholesterol in general may prove more detrimental than beneficial. Small dense LDL-cholesterol particles are prone to oxidation and these can cause coronary artery inflammation and disease.
• There's so much more about cholesterol in The Naked Truth: Overweight, Overwhelmed and Confused.
• Yours for better health
• Dr. S

Many individuals are confused when it comes to losing weight (body fat) and keeping it off. One of the most common mistakes is focusing on weight-loss rather than becoming healthy and fit.

The overwhelming majority of people trying to lose weight focus on "quick fix" solutions, rather than changing their lifestyles. When someone obsesses about weight-loss, they are more apt to grasp for easy or simple remedies like appetite suppressants, fasting, calorie deprivation, gimmicks (fad diets, creams, patches, etc.) and hyped up supplements (too many to mention here).

Of course, you will lose weight doing any of these things, but the majority of weight-loss is typically water and muscle weight. Losing muscle will sabotage your metabolism and future efforts by reducing the very tissue that burns fat for fuel, supports your immune system, maintains bone density and stimulates your metabolic rate.

Once you stop taking the "magic pill," or stop following the "too good to be true" diet (and you will), your weight will return and typically faster than it came off. The sad part is, the weight gained will be in fat and not precious muscle mass.

Learning more about your body composition and biochemistry is necessary to develop a plan specific for your needs including a nutrition and exercise program that you can do realistically. Changing your goal from losing weight to becoming healthy and fit is the golden key, body fat comes off as a consequence.

Yours for better health

Dr. S

As women age their production of various hormones changes. During perimenopause, the years preceding menopause that typically occurs at age 50, women begin to experience various symptoms including irregular cycles, water retention, bloating, mood swings, insomnia, lack of sexual desire, thinning bones, decreased muscle mass and tone, and weight gain. Women will typically experience increased body fat generally, and around the belly, buttocks, hips, and thighs specifically.

Things to consider and discuss with your healthcare provider:

1. Hormones: As women age their production of various hormones begin to change. Many women suffer from estrogen (estradiol) dominance or progesterone deficiency as well as testosterone deficiency. Too much estrogen and too little progesterone can influence thyroid gland function and thyroid hormone utilization. Since thyroid hormone helps regulate metabolic rate among other things, any disruption of its function or hindrance of thyroid hormone action, can produce hypothyroid symptoms.

Low testosterone levels can also mimic sluggish thyroid function or slow metabolism. Symptoms such as low energy, fatigue, lack of sexual desire, and decreased muscle mass, tone and strength are experienced by many women.

2. Decreased muscle mass, tone and strength: Decreased muscle mass due to hormone imbalance, lack of resistance training, lack of protein intake or other factors, will cause a slowing of metabolic rate secondary to inefficient utilization of fuels during exercise and at rest. This is a very important factor and should not be taken lightly. Muscle stimulates metabolism and weight training will increase muscle tone (density) and energy requirements.

In other words, you do not have to have big muscles, just ones that are tone and hungry. Proper weight training and protein intake will influence muscle integrity and subsequently metabolic rate.

On a side note: increased stress from emotional factors (job, relationships, financial, etc), illness or too much aerobic activity, can cause muscle tissue breakdown secondary to increased cortisol production. Muscle breakdown releases certain amino acids that can be converted to glucose, which is used for energy needs.

3. Poor diet: Bad eating habits including too many high-glycemic carbohydrates, processed foods, insufficient protein intake and too much alcohol, will cause an increase in weight gain and other metabolic dysfunction including insulin resistance (a topic for another post).

Suggestions:

1. Have your hormones checked by a qualified healthcare provider who utilizes saliva testing as well as blood testing. Seek out someone who uses bioidentical hormones rather than synthetic hormones, and who prescribes via compounding pharmacies.

* Appendix D of my book reviews hormone deficiency symptoms and conditions, and offers various labs that provide home saliva test kits.

2. Incorporate weight training (lifting) as part of a cross training exercise routine.

3. Eat a well-balanced diet including low-glycemic carbohydrates, quality protein and fats, based on your body composition and metabolic needs. Balance is the key.

4. Follow the guidelines and recommendations described in my new book titled; The Naked Truth: Overweight, Overwhelmed and Confused

Yours for better health.

Dr. S

Have you seen those ads that claim that you can lose one pound a day if you obey their rule? Well, unless you take a knife and start cutting off body parts, it's physiologically impossible to lose one pound of fat per day. In fact, most people can only drop one pound of fat per week when all cylinders are firing.

Of course, you might be able to drop one pound of water weight in a day doing things that I would not recommend, but soon after re-hydrating (drinking fluids)that pound magically reappears.

So, why can't the average human being lose one pound of fat per day? Because it takes the oxidation (burning) of approximately 3500 extra calories to burn that much fat. However, even if you could expend 3500 extra calories in one day, not all of the fuel being burned is fat. Glucose (sugar) and amino acids (proteins) are also oxidized.The body can breakdown muscle to liberate specific amino acids for this purpose via cortisol (adrenal hormone).

The bottom line: don't focus on how much weight you can lose in a day. Rather, focus on making smart choices and eating a well-balanced diet, and exercising on a regular basis. Focus on becoming healthy and fit, and body fat will drop as a consequence.

Follow the principles in The Naked Truth, and you will have a greater chance of reaching your goals.

Dr. S