Eating healthy food, exercising regularly and staying active is far more effective to maintaining good health.
No miracle cures or supplements can replace healthy food, active lifestyle
Dr. Paul Martiquet
Every so often we hear about the newest medical discovery or supposedly healthy food that promises to solve, cure or prevent something we should be worrying about.
On a regular basis some product or ingredient jumps into the news announcing it is the new panacea for all things healthy.
Learn the real benefits of healthy food
Many times, these claims are for legitimate foods or products about which we simply “did not know the real benefits.” And that is not even including the less scientific and false claims made by charlatans everywhere. We are only talking about those that might actually be legitimate.
Chocolate, red wine, glucosamine… an endless string of promised benefits if only you consume or do what the ‘new studies’ suggest. But can there really be a one-size-fits-all solution for good health? We’ll let you decide.
Is extreme exercise healthy?
Walking is a good alternative to extreme exercise, especially when combined with healthy food.
Among the many claims that might be worthy, extreme exercise ranks high. The idea is that doing ultra-workouts such as training or participating in triathlons, ultra-marathons, multi-day cross-country runs and the like will prevent all sorts of health problems.
Not so fast! It turns out that these extremes can cause scarring in the body including thickening of the arteries — there just might be serious consequences. Results are still inconclusive though there is some evidence that lifelong activity may lead to potential for cardiac arrhythmias.
Of course, we should contrast these slight concerns with the single least healthy thing for heart health: the inactive lifestyle. In other words, the extreme athlete is well ahead of the sedentary one, whatever the supposed dangers of her activity level
Is glucosamine good for arthritis?
Glucosamine was once touted as the new cure for arthritis. It did its magic by relieving joint pain and stimulating the formation of cartilage. Unfortunately, the early studies were found to have been funded mostly by supplement manufacturers.
Later, better designed and larger studies put paid to these claims: a double-blind study across Canada found no difference between those receiving glucosamine and subjects taking placebos. Worse, when researchers bought glucosamine supplements, only two of 15 contained the claimed amounts of the ingredient. To really make a difference in joint pain, even a small weight loss like 4-5 kilos will make a difference on the strain on joints.
Does red wine improve heart health?
Red wine is not as healthy as media reports suggest.
Red wine, we all wished, was as good as the claims that were attached to it.
Supposedly, red wine (grapes, actually) helped with blood pressure and heart health. Unfortunately, evidence in many of the touted studies was fabricated.
A later study by Spanish researchers found that non-alcoholic red wine might even be better for you.
What part of dark chocolate is the good part?
Next comes dark chocolate. How could that not be good for you?
The benefits were supposed to include improving brain function and reducing the risk of stroke and diabetes. Actual results show promise for reducing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol.
But notice that the benefits come from cocoa, not from the sugar, caramel or other ingredients; choose 65% or higher cocoa content.
Fish is a healthy food
Fish is another wonder-product, but this one comes closer to reality.
It is a great source of low-calorie, high quality protein with the bonus of omega-3 fatty acids.
Concerns about environmental contaminants like mercury and PCB mean avoiding the high level predators (tuna, swordfish, pickerel and others), but fish remains an excellent food.
What is healthy food?
What have we learned, then? Exercise is good. Some foods are good. Red wine and chocolate might be good (especially to consume) but there is no quick fix out there.
Now get off the couch and go for a walk!
Dr. Paul Martiquet is the Medical Health Officer for Rural Vancouver Coastal Health including Powell River, the Sunshine Coast, Sea-to-Sky, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
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