This podcast, "The Sweet Lies of Sugar Substitutes," focuses on a Brazilian longitudinal study that explores the adverse effects of artificial sweetener consumption on cognitive function. The study, spanning eight years and involving over 12,000 adults, reveals a faster rate of cognitive decline and verbal fluency deficits in individuals who consume higher quantities of sugar substitutes, particularly those under 60 and diabetics. These findings contribute to a growing list of health concerns linked to artificial sweeteners, including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. While acknowledging study limitations, this study contributes additional information highlighting the potential dangers of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) marketed as healthy alternatives.

This podcast examines one of summer's blessings: fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. It reviews a three-year Spanish study on the relationship between tomato consumption and hypertension. The study followed approximately 7,000 participants at high risk for cardiovascular disease and investigated how different levels of daily tomato intake affected blood pressure.

While the research indicated a reduction in blood pressure and hypertension risk for those in the highest consumption quartile, there is evidence suggesting the benefits observed might be more broadly linked to a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables rather than solely tomato consumption or isolated lycopene supplements. Ultimately, it is about enjoying real, whole foods as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Source: https://foodmedcenter.org/tomato-consumption-and-hypertension-study-spotlight-takeaway-with-chef-dr-mike/

This podcast explores the concept of Nutritionism, which is characterized as a reductionist approach to understanding diet, focusing solely on individual nutrients rather than whole foods.

It highlights how this approach has contributed to the widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), despite their detrimental health effects. It further critiques the influence of food corporations on global dietary guidelines and advocates for a more holistic approach to the food-health relationship. The podcast encourages a reevaluation of current dietary advice, proposing a shift away from Nutritionism towards a greater emphasis on understanding the complex interactions within whole foods.

This podcast discusses the bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiome and insomnia, highlighting how sleep deprivation can negatively impact gut health. Conversely, certain gut bacteria can influence the risk of insomnia.

It references a recent study utilizing Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate these connections, identifying specific bacterial taxa associated with either increased or decreased insomnia risk.

The podcast emphasizes the gut-brain axis as a crucial communication pathway involved in regulating neurological functions. It suggests that proper sleep is a powerful yet often overlooked component of overall health, intrinsically linked to a healthy gut microbiome. Ultimately, it underscores the profound interdependencies between mental health, physical well-being, and the state of our gut microbes.

This podcast presents a discussion regarding the effectiveness of anti-obesity medications (AOMs) versus lifestyle changes, specifically dietary choices, in managing obesity. A study suggests that AOMs offer only short-term benefits, with weight regain and reversal of cardiometabolic improvements often occurring after discontinuation. The podcast highlights that long-term adherence to AOMs is low due to factors like cost and side effects, advocating instead for a "food-as-medicine" approach for sustainable health.

This method, while requiring effort, promises economic benefits, a lack of side effects, and lasting rewards by building a framework for healthful food choices. The piece is part of a series focusing on "Food as Medicine and Policy" and "Study Spotlight Take-Aways" by the Center for Food as Medicine & Longevity.Source: https://foodmedcenter.org/pills-vs-food-aoms-compliance-study-spotlight-take-away-with-chef-dr-mike/

This podcast examines the tactics used by the ultra-processed food (UPF) industry to influence public opinion and policy, drawing parallels to the tobacco industry's past strategies. It highlights how multinational food corporations exert control through funding research, lobbying, and holding significant board seats in global food governance organizations. There is a critique of specific arguments presented in industry-backed lectures that attempt to downplay the health risks of UPFs and discredit established classification systems like NOVA. Ultimately, the article advocates for critical evaluation of information and independent research to counter corporate influence and promote healthier food systems.Source: https://foodmedcenter.org/study-spotlight-take-away-with-chef-dr-mike-upfs-the-art-of-deception/

This opodcast explores chrono-nutrition, emphasizing that when we eat is as crucial as what we eat for overall health. It highlights how modern lifestyle factors, such as artificial light and social jetlag, can disrupt our circadian rhythms, leading to increased risks of metabolic diseases. The discussion explains the complex interplay between circadian rhythms, gut microbiomes, and epigenomes, suggesting that personalized nutrition, considering an individual's unique biological clock, could be key to preventing non-communicable diseases. The article is part of a series from Chef Dr. Mike on food as medicine, underscoring the need for a comprehensive, team-based approach to dietary guidance.

This podcast explores the promising discovery that certain human gut bacteria can help eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), commonly called "forever chemicals," from the body. These PFAs, widely found in food systems, accumulate in both the environment and humans, posing significant health risks. The podcast highlights how specific bacterial strains can bioaccumulate these pollutants, thereby preventing their circulation in the body and facilitating their excretion. While this process offers a potential risk reduction, it comes with costs to the bacteria, emphasizing the importance of a healthy gut microbiome to sustain this beneficial function.Source article

From Study Spotlight Take-Away With Chef Dr. Mike: Blurring the Lines: Industry Influence

This podcast explores industry influence in medical information delivery, specifically highlighting the subtle insertion of advertising into professional medical newsletters. The author, a cardiologist and chef, scrutinizes a particular "consensus paper" on almonds and cardiometabolic health, revealing that while the underlying study's claims are modest, its dissemination is heavily funded by the Almond Board of California.

The article exposes various forms of bias, including funding, publication, population, measurement, detection, and confounding biases, that can compromise the neutrality and scientific validity of such information. Ultimately, the text advocates for greater transparency in advertising and research funding within professional organizations and publications, cautioning against the uncritical acceptance of industry-sponsored health claims.Podcast:Source: https://foodmedcenter.org/study-spotlight-take-away-with-chef-dr-mike-blurring-the-lines-industry-influence/

This podcast examines the complexities of the relationship between diet and health, focusing on two studies with "negative" outcomes that challenge prevailing assumptions.

It discusses the MIND diet's efficacy in preventing cognitive decline and the Mediterranean diet's impact on breast cancer recurrence, highlighting that rigorous testing sometimes disproves widely accepted epidemiological correlations.

The author, Dr. Michael S. Fenster, a board-certified interventional cardiologist and professional chef, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging all research findings, including those that contradict popular beliefs, to avoid "white hat bias" and ensure scientific integrity. Ultimately, the text advocates for an open-minded approach to scientific discovery in the field of food and medicine.

Source document: https://foodmedcenter.org/when-studies-have-negative-outcome-study-spotlight-take-away-with-chef-dr-mike/