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For most of last year, I was caffeine free. I had kicked the caffiene habit back in 2006 and I stuck to my guns most of the way through 2007. However, towards the end of 2007, I decided to see if I could use caffeine as a substitute for my sugar cravings. I would drink an occasional diet coke if I felt the urge to snack on chocolate or candy bars. This seemed to be working and I thought I had things under control. Unfortunately, my recent surge of travel has tossed all that out the window.With the time zone changes, the constant meetings, endless restaurant meals and an expense account that makes little things like sodas seem meaningless, my caffeine habit has grown from a controlled experiment into an out of control issue. Now if you read the title of this post, you’re probably wondering what all this has to do with drug addiction. The fact is that caffeine is a drug. It is a stimulant and you can in fact get addicted to it. Unfortunately, most people refuse to believe that. Tell them that they’re addicted to caffeine and they’ll say “no way! I just need that morning coffee to get out of bed.” Well, I am addicted to caffeine.

So What?

The first question is, so what? So what if I need/want/crave caffeine? Is that bad? And the answer is, absolutely. There are a variety of ways in which caffeine harms your life. They range from physical to financial to a few less tangible. Let’s start with health.

Health Impact of Caffeine

Here’s a list of potential side effects of caffeine taken from the University of Columbia’s health information site.

• Osteoporosis
• Birth defects
• Miscarriages
• Infertility
• Cancers
• High blood pressure
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Ulcers and heartburn
• Fibrocystic breast disease
• Heart disease

That’s right, caffiene can increase your chance of all of these conditions. Sure, it’s not as bad as smoking, but it’s pretty bad.

Financial Impact of Caffeine

Want an extra million dollars when you retire? Take a look at the Latte Factor. It’s a term that’s been bounced around quite a bit in the personal finance side of the internet. It essentially says that cutting out small expenses can have a huge impact on your overall financial health. Here’s a link with more information.

Because most of the past few week’s travel was for business, I kept all my receipts and added them up when I did my expense reports. A quick check showed that the latte factor was absolutely accurate. In fact, it seemed to be underestimating things. On average, I spent about $6.50 EVERY DAY on caffeinated drinks. By the way, I don’t drink coffee, so all of this money is being spent on relatively cheap sodas. I can only imagine the daily caffeine bill of someone who likes high priced Starbuck’s lattes.

The Intangible Effects

Didn’t have enough caffeine this morning? You’re going to experience:

• sleepiness
• feeling overtired (from not having had any caffeine to energize you)
• a terrible headache (when you abruptly stop having caffeine regularly)

From the University of Columbia’s health information site

Had too much? You’re in for:

• anxious
• excitable
• restless
• dizzy
• irritable
• unable to concentrate
• gastrointestinal (GI) aches
• headaches that don’t seem to go away
• trouble with sleeping

From the University of Columbia’s health information site

Worried about the environment? That drink container has an impact.

• The amount of glass bottles Americans throw away every two weeks would have filled both World Trade Center towers.
• Americans throw away enough aluminum cans to rebuild our commercial air fleet every three months, and enough iron and steel to supply all our nation’s automakers every day.
• Throwing away one aluminum can wastes as much energy as if that can were 1/2 full of gasoline.

From the Clean Air Council

Bottom Line

Every time you pick up a can of soda or a cup of coffee, you are making a decision to pay money in return for destroying your health and the environment around you. What kind of a decision is that? To me, it’s a choice I’m no longer willing to make. My little experiment became something much worse and I have no desire to keep going. So as of today, it’s no more caffeine for me. I’ll take the pain of withdrawal for the next few days. In the end, it’ll be worth it.

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As long time readers of 60 in 3 know, I’m vegetarian.  To be a bit more specific, I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means I still eat eggs and dairy products.  Over the past year, I’ve had a few questions from readers about why I chose this diet and do I recommend it for health reasons.  So I wanted to review a few things that readers might find useful.

Is a vegetarian diet healthy?

Not necessarily.  After all, a vegetarian diet could mean nothing but soda and potato chips with a few twinkies thrown in.  That qualifies as vegetarian and yet it’s definitely not healthy.  Being vegetarian does not automatically mean being health,  you still need to try and balance your diet and you still need to make an effort and look for healthy foods.

Is a vegetarian diet unhealthy?

Again, not necessarily.  As long as you put in a bit of effort to balance your diet, a vegetarian diets can be very healthy.

I heard vegetarians are missing some nutrients like protein or b12

Incorrect.  A balanced vegetarian diet has all the nutrients you need.  I get plenty of protein even without any protein supplements.  As for B12, there are many vegetarian items like soy milk which are fortified with it.  Vegetarians also get plenty of iron.

Vegetarians eat a lot of soy, which I hear is bad for you

Some vegetarians eat a lot of soy products, and there are a few rumors about soy which make it sound unhealthy.  Thus far, I haven’t seen any real studies to indicate it’s a bad food item.  Even if it was, I’m not that concerned.  Since I eat a balanced diet, soy isn’t really my main food staple.

So is a vegetarian diet healthier than a diet that includes meat?

Not necessarily.  In fact, a diet that includes some meat is probably healthier than a purely vegetarian diet.  Lean meats like venison, fish and so on are healthy and, in combinations with plenty of fruit and vegetables, make for a very healthy diet.   This type of diet is just as healthy if not more so, than a balanced vegetarian diet.

So are you saying most meat eaters are healthier than vegetarian?

Unfortunately no.  Most people who include meat in their diets, especially in the US, eat way too much meat.  In addition, the meat they consume is unhealthy.  If you want a healthy diet that includes meat then you need to stay away from fast food meats, most beef and most pork.  Stick to things like lean fish, some turkey and wilder game like venison or rabbit.  Commercially raised meat is too full of fat and other crap to be healthy.

Do I have to give up steaks to be healthy?

No.  I eat a healthy and balanced vegetarian diet but even I occasionally indulge in unhealthy items.  For example, that chocolate mousse I ate last night certainly wasn’t #1 on the vegetarians top 10 healthy items list.  So yes, you can occasionally indulge.  However, unhealthy meat should not be a part of every single meal as it is today.  Try to eat meat once per day, limit your quantity and pick out healthier meats.  If on occasion you choose to indulge in a unhealthy steak, that’s fine, just don’t make a habit of it.

So why did you choose to be vegetarian?

Three reasons.  First, vegetarian diets are generally healthier for the environment.  Second, it was easier for me to explain to my family and friends that I won’t eat any meat rather than start explaining to them which meats I will or won’t eat.  Oddly enough, being vegetarian is far more acceptable than being a healthy meat eater.  Tell people you eat no meat and they’re fine, tell people that you only eat turkey and venison and they think you’re some survivalist nut.  Finally, it’s just easier for me to look for healthy vegetarian options than it is to find healthy meat options.  Again, odd but true.  It’s a lot faster to find a healthy option among the nonmeat options than it is in most restaurants’ selection of meat dishes.

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To be honest, if it was easier to find healthy meat sources that were easy on the environment, I probably would still be eating meat.  I have no moral issue with it and I did find it quite tasty.  Unfortunately, our society is set up around cheap, factory farmed beef, chicken and pork and those I simply won’t touch.  So yes, you can be just as healthy eating meat as you can being a vegetarian.  However, you still need to balance your diet and you definitely need to make smart choices in what you choose to eat.

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A few weeks ago we talked about how to construct a balanced meal and I’ve gotten some email since then about the specifics of a balanced meal.  Here’s the most common one I’ve seen.

How much protein should I eat?

The right amount of protein is about .8grams for each 2.2lbs of body weight.  For you metric oriented folks in the audience, that’s about .8grams per 1kg of body weight.  If you’re an athlete or exercise a lot, you should increase that to about 1gram or protein for every 2.2lb (1kg) of body weight.  You may also want to increase that very slightly if you get most of your protein from plant sources.

Where do I get that?

Protein can come from a variety of sources.  Meat is the most common one in the western world, but we can also find a lot of protein in dairy products as well as some plants like soy.

What are healthy sources of protein?

Lean unprocessed meats are great.  That means staying away from factory farmed beef and pork and sticking to things like wild caught fish, organic turkey and some more exotic meats like venison or buffalo.  Other great sources are eggs, low fat dairy products and soy products.  You can also find protein in many beans and legumes.  For example, 8oz (225g) of baked beans will have 11.5 grams of protein.

Am I getting enough protein?

Unless you’re a vegetarian, you probably have nothing to worry about.  A 4oz piece of chicken has 31grams of protein in it.  A 4oz steak has 35grams.  So a single meal with a good sized meat portion probably gives you all the protein you need.

Is protein good or bad for me?

Protein is a vital part of any healthy diet.  Building muscles is just one of the many benefits of protein.  It also keeps us satiated and prevents overeating.  Just remember, it’s a part of a BALANCED diet.  That means you shouldn’t eat too much of it.

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I’ve had a few comments over the past few weeks that make me wonder if people understand what fat really is, not to mention what my opinion of it is. For example, a few days ago, someone commented on my cancer prevention post. The commenter said that reducing fat is a bad idea, to which I say, maybe…

What is fat?

First of all, let’s understand a bit more about fat. A quick trip to wikipedia gives us this definition:

Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are generally triesters of glycerol and fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at normal room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Although the words “oils“, “fats” and “lipids” are all used to refer to fats, “oils” is usually used to refer to fats that are liquids at normal room temperature, while “fats” is usually used to refer to fats that are solids at normal room temperature. “Lipids” is used to refer to both liquid and solid fats. The word “oil” is used for any substance that does not mix with water and has a greasy feel, such as petroleum (or crude oil) and heating oil, regardless of its chemical structure.

Not a bad definition overall. There’s more over at Wiki if you want to read about fat’s chemical makeup. You can find the entire entry here, but this is enough for our purposes.

Can fat be good?

Are there benefits to fat?  You bet!  Here’s quick list, again from Wikipedia.

• Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be digested, absorbed, and transported in conjunction with fats. Fats are sources of essential fatty acids, an important dietary requirement.
• Fats play a vital role in maintaining healthy skin and hair, insulating body organs against shock, maintaining body temperature, and promoting healthy cell function. They also serve as energy stores for the body. Fats are broken down in the body to release glycerol and free fatty acids. The glycerol can be converted to glucose by the liver and thus used as a source of energy.
• Fat also serves as a useful buffer towards a host of diseases. When a particular substance, whether chemical or biotic — reaches unsafe levels in the bloodstream, the body can effectively dilute — or at least maintain equilibrium of — the offending substances by storing it in new fat tissue. This helps to protect vital organs, until such time as the offending substances can be metabolized and/or removed from the body by such means as excretion, urination, accidental or intentional bloodletting, sebum excretion, and hair growth.

Yes, fat is absolutely a vital part of your diet.  Furthermore, fat is a good thing to have in your body, within reason.  Many people obsess about weight loss and their body fat level.  They think that removing as much fat as possible from their bodies is good.  However, fat not only serves  a number of important nutrition roles, it’s also your body’s store of emergency energy.

Remember, we evolved in an environment in which food was scarce.  Sometimes our ancestors had plenty of food and sometimes they had none.  So fat is our body’s way of taking the excess from times of plenty and storing it for times of famine.  If you reduce your body’s fat level by too much, your systems will start shutting down.  This is your body’s way of protecting itself from spending too much energy and running out.  The first few systems it will shut down are relatively nonessential.  For example, reproductive systems are the first to go.  Your body will also reduce your overall energy levels in an attempt to conserve energy for when you really need it.  This in turn leads to a lower number of calories burned per day which is counter to what you’re probably trying to achieve.  So yes, fat is absolutely necessary as a part of your diet and as a part of your body.

So why does fat have such a bad reputation?

Even though fat does have a whole host of important functions, we’ve come to see it as our enemy in matters of fitness and nutrition.  Why is that?  Well, there are two reasons that I can see.

First, we eat and store too much of it.  Our ancestors may have evolved in an environment of scarce resources, but most people in developed countries live in an environment where food is plentiful.  That means we no longer live in times where famine is just a day away.   So we eat too much food in general and too much fat specifically.  Remember, our bodies evolved to see fat as good.  It was a source of easy and useful calories.  They’re still thinking like it’s a few hundred years ago and they’re telling our brains “mm… fat is tasty!  Eat more of it so I can store some more in case of an emergency.”  So we overindulge and we overeat and we gain weight.  This leads us to store too much fat.

The second problem is our source of fat.  We get most of our fat these days from processed meats, candy bars and other such junk food.  All fat is not in fact created equal and fat from these sources is not as good as fat from healthier sources like lean meats, nuts, fish and such.

So how much fat is right?

There’s a wide variety of opinions out there, but for adult men who are fit and healthy, the right amount is probably around 13% to 18%.  For adult women who are fit and healthy, that number is somewhere between 20% and 25%.  That number will vary according to your athletic level, body type and a few other variables.  If you want to know where you should aim for, go and see a doctor or a professional dietitian.  They can work with you to determine what’s the right amount of fat for your body.

What are good sources of fat?

I already mentioned a few, but here’s a quick list:

• Lean, unprocessed meats like fish, venison and others.
• Nuts
• Unprocessed vegetable oils like olive oil

By the way, about 20% to 30% of your daily calories should come from fat.
Summary

I do not and will not advocate removing all fat from your diet.  I am not a fan of the low fat diet and don’t think people should follow it.  Fat is a vital part of a healthy diet.  I just think people are eating too much of it from too many bad sources.  Fix those issues and fat can once again be your body’s ally instead of an enemy.

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I watched Supersize Me last night. It’s an older movie (2004) but still very valid. For those unfamiliar with it, it’s the story of a man who decides to eat nothing but McDonald’s for 30 days. Each day, Morgan, the movie’s maker, eats McDonald’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. His diet can include nothing that’s not on the McDonald’s menu and he has to go through every single item on the menu within the 30 days. He supersizes only if asked by the counter person. Morgan also changed his activity habits to reflect those of the average American. He didn’t exercise and only walked a half mile to a mile every day.

Professional Help

Morgan enlisted the help of a cardiologist, a hepatologist, a dietitian and a general practitioner to help track his health. They tested Morgan for a variety of things, including cholesterol, weight, heart pressure and general fitness. Throughout the 30 days, they update their findings and monitor Morgan’s health while reporting on the changes to his body.

Disclaimer

Before we go on, let’s have a moment of sanity. Most people do not eat McDonald’s three times a day. However, quite a few of us do eat junk food for most of our meals. Morgan’s 30 days may be a stunt, but they’re not that far off from many American and Western diets. Morgan rarely bought multiple items for a single meal, which many people do. Morgan did not binge on candy and soda between meals, which many people do. Morgan even had a few of the lower calorie options McDonald’s has, like fish or salads. Never mind the fact that many of these options are almost as bad as a Big Mac. So while Morgan’s 30 days are not exactly an accurate representation of the American Diet, I personally think he’s not that far off.

Results

As expected, Morgan’s health and body crash at an alarming pace. In 30 days he puts on more than 20lbs. His cholesterol levels shoot up to a dangerous level within two weeks and his doctor is warning him of permanent liver damage 20 days into the movie. I think we all could see this coming, but it is a bit frightening to see it happen at such a rapid pace.

Obvious Lessons Learned

• Fast food is bad - The obvious one is that fast food, and McDonald’s specifically, is bad for you. I think we all knew that one already.
• Calorie Counts - Listen carefully to what the dietitian is saying. Morgan’s diet of three McDonald’s meal deals per day provides him with 5000 calories. FIVE THOUSAND! I don’t think most people are aware of just how many calories are in those meals. If you’re going to have one, at least don’t drink those giant sodas and forego the fries.
• Sodas - Again, most people don’t think about these but they come up again and again during the movie. At the end of the movie, the dietitian shows Morgan just how much sugar he had during those 30 days and it’s a scary sight. Most of it came from sodas. In fact, she even asks him repeatedly during the movie to stop drinking them.
• Exercise Is Good - This movie is mostly about what we eat, but note that one of Morgan’s life changes for these 30 days is limited his activity level. Remember, it’s not just about your diet, it’s also about getting and keeping your body moving.

The Less Obvious Lessons

• Parenting Tips - If you’re a parent, get involved in your child’s diet. They’re getting bombarded by advertisement at home, at the movies and even at school. Get their school to start offering healthier meals. Eliminate junk food from your family outings. There’s quite a bit of evidence that shows healthier eating means better test scores, less behavior problems and better long term health.
• Political Issues - Yes, politics does enter into the picture. I dislike people who think the government should regulate everything. I believe in personal responsibility and allowing people to make their own decisions. However, at the moment, our government is doing all it can to make things easier for food companies, not us. Get involved. Educate yourself about the issue and drive towards change.
• Fast Food Is Addictive - This is true of most bad food. Our bodies get addicted to it and make it very difficult for us to quit consuming it. Your body is quite literally addicted to the sugar, fat and caffiene in those fast food meals. Admit it and then do something about it. And don’t tell me you can stop anytime you want. If you could, why haven’t you? Get help, get a plan together, get whatever it is you need to but do something. You know you have a problem so start working on solving it.

I’d highly recommend this movie to anyone interested in health, diet and modern American culture. It should not be used as a scientific study, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

For more information on it, look here. If you wish to purchase it, here’s the Amazon link: Super Size Me

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One of my readers brought the following site to my attention: Secret Food Cures. The site is a commercial one, so be ready for lots of advertising and product pitches if you go there. The main subject of the site is a book written by three sisters which details a variety of food based cures for conditions ranging from migraines to asthma. Some examples are:

• Curing migraines with lemon rinds
• Cherry Bark tea makes asthma go away
• Gin soaked raisins to relive the symptoms of arthritis
• Chicken soup that cures colds

Personal Disclosure

Before I move on to my opinion of all this, allow me to disclose something about myself. I am not a fan of the modern medical system. We’ve become too reliant on pills to the point where we expect a prescription as the cure for every ill. High blood pressure? Get a prescription! Too fat? Get a prescription! Child too distracted to do their homework? Get a prescription! I think this is a horrible way to live life and I personally try to avoid taking pills. At the same time, I do believe in modern science and if I have some medical condition that’s bothering me, I go and talk to my doctor.

I tell her that I’m not just looking for a prescription that will make the problem go away. I want to know how I can live a healthier life to make the problem not recur. I discuss what I can do to remedy the situation and I will take her advice and her prescriptions. I’ve found that my doctor actually appreciates this attitude since she too is tired of most of her patients’ attitude of “This bothers me, give me a pill that will make it go away.” So while I am a believer in the efficiency of modern science and medicine, I do believe many issues can be resolved with healthier living rather than pills.

Home Cures

That said, I have a difficult time with books like this that recommend methods that are completely untried and untested as cures to serious health issues. Yes, a healthy diet can make many things go away, but it’s not a magic cure to everything that ails you. There are a few simple food based treatments that do make sense to me. For example, chicken soup with its legendary curing properties is not that hard to understand. It’s a broth based meal that’s rich in nutrients but still easy to digest. For a body weakened by illness, this kind of soup is welcome relief.

Note that this means any broth based soup has the same benefits. However, the authors of this book seem to insist that it’s chicken soup specifically that has this magical property. This is my issue with most of these home remedies. Yes, some of them do indeed have some basis in fact, but most people never bother to do the research of why some of these remedies are effective and some are not. That in turn leads them to use these remedies when they shouldn’t or in the wrong way.

Ignore Science At Your Peril

Also, a lot of these home remedies lead people to believe that they can forgo the doctor. I think this is a mistake and potentially a lethal one. There’s no substitute for a regular preventative medical appointment with a qualified doctor. I don’t care how many bowls of chicken soup or cups of cherry bark tea you consume, you should still see your doctor on a regular basis.

My wife for many years battled constant migraines. I suppose she could have tried some lemon rind based cure but instead she tried the medical approach. One operation to cure a deviated septum later, plus an anti allergen medication, she’s migraine free. So while I do advocate a healthy lifestyle, I also think you should go see your doctor if you have an issue and not try to cure it yourself.

My Preferred Approach

If you’re trying to avoid pills and such that’s fine. Tell your doctor that. In many cases you’ll find them relieved to hear a patient who’s willing to take responsibility for themselves rather than try to find pills to make the problem go away. They can chat with you about changes in your life and diet that you should make. In many cases, they may even recommend certain remedies like specific foods. However, let your doctor make that recommendation, not a book written to sell copies.

Summary

Pills are not the solution to all your ills. Neither are cherry bark and chicken soup. The best solution is probably a combination of both. Just make sure your doctor is on board with your plan.

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Today’s reader question comes to us from Minnesota.

I heard there are foods which count for negative calories. Things that actually work off calories if I eat them. The one I keep hearing about is celery. Is this true? Can I have a meal and then eat celery to work off the calories?

Well, yes and no.

What Are Negative Calories Foods?

These foods are ones where the calorie content is so low that our bodies actually spend more calories digesting the food than they get out of it. Our bodies actually have to spend energy digesting food. There is energy spent on digesting and even more energy used for moving the food around internally. All of this energy means calories spent. So if these calories spent are higher than the calories we get out of our food, the food adds up to negative net calories. Another example might be a cold drink with very few calories. The calories our bodies would spend to heat up the liquid as it enters our body might be more than the calories our digestion can extract from that liquid leading to a net calories loss.

The Mythical Celery

Celery is mentioned most often when we talk about negative calorie foods because it’s become an urban myth of sorts. There were even some fad diets based on negative energy foods that used celery as a prime ingredient. Yes, celery does cost more energy to digest than it provides. On average, a stalk of celery has 6 to 8 calories in it. Because it mainly fiber, our bodies use up slightly more than that to digest it. So on average, our bodies might lose 2 or 3 calories per stalk of celery that we eat. So yes, it is a negative calorie food, but before you rush out and begin your celery only diet, let’s think things through.

Simple Math

You’ll lose around 2 to 3 calories per stalk of celery. So let’s see, in order to lose the four hundred calories you just gained from that chocolate bar, you’re going to need to eat 200 stalks of celery. In order to work off the 1000 calories you just ate in that pizza, you’re going to need to eat 500 stalks of celery. Alternatively, you could work off about 100 calories with a 30 minute walk. Which one would you rather do, walk for 30 minutes or eat 50 stalks of celery? I prefer the walking.

Diet Staple

That said, low calorie but high fiber foods like celery should definitely be a part of your diet. They’re full of essential vitamins and minerals and they fill you up without a lot of calories. However, don’t assume that they’re some sort of magic bullet. Eating nothing but celery and cold water is NOT a healthy diet.

Summary

So yes, negative calorie foods do exist, but they’re not the magic bullet solution to weight loss. Eating healthy and getting some physical activity is the key to that.

Some more facts about celery, courtesy of Snopes.com

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