COMING UP ON THE SEASON FINALE OF "CYCLE OF HEALTH," Dr. RICH BRINGS IN AN EXPERT PANEL TO DISCUSS DIETS.

FROM MEDITERRANEAN, VEGAN AND KETO TO THE DRAWBACKS OF THE AMERICAN DIET AND HOW TO MAKE HEALTHIER NUTRITIONAL CHOICES.

AND LATER, IN THIS WEEK'S MEDICAL STUDENT MINUTE, LINDSAY SWAN SHARES HOW PICKLE AND VINEGAR CAN KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGAR IN CHECK.

THAT'S COMING UP ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH."

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

HELLO AND WELCOME TO "CYCLE OF HEALTH."

I'M YOUR HOST, DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TODAY'S TOPIC: DIETS!

OUR TYPICAL AMERICAN DIET IS A HEALTH DISASTER.

THE FOOD INDUSTRY DESIGNS ADDICTIVE, DISEASE-PROMOTING FOODS HIGH IN SUGAR, FAT, SALT, CALORIES, AND CHEMICALS.

WE THEN GET FATTER AND SICK WITH HEART DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, CANCER, DIABETES ETC, AND SO DO OUR KIDS.

WHAT WAYS TO EAT CAN TURN THE TIDE?

HOW CAN WE MAKE THE SWITCH?

JOINING US TO HELP FIGURE IT ALL OUT ARE DR. CHRISTOPHER JUSTINICH, PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGIST AT UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND KETO-ENTHUSIAST; DR. STEVEN DUFFY, HEMATOLOGIST AND ONCOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT HOA OF C FL Y SYRACUSE VEGAN LIVING PROGRAM SPEAKER; AND DR. MARYAM YUHAS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF NUTRITION & FOOD STUDIES AT FALK COLLEGE, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, AND OUR MEDITERRANEAN EXPERT.

WELL, FOLKS, WHAT IS THE EFFECT THAT OUR TYPICAL AMERICAN DIET IS HAVING ON US?

>> SO THE TYPICAL AMERICAN DIET IS FULL OF ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS, ADDED SUGARS, SATURATED FATS AND IT'S VERY LOW IN ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS LIKE FIBER AND ALSO FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

SO THIS COMBINATION, TOGETHER, LEADS TO MAJOR HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.

PARTICULARLY WEIGHT IS AN ISSUE.

CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES AROUND 74% OF ADULTS ARE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE.

>> 74%?

>> YES, 74%.

IT'S A HIGH NUMBER.

AND IT STARTS IN CHILDHOOD.

AND SO RIGHT NOW AROUND 20% OF CHILDREN ARE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE.

AND SO SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.

AND IT'S NOT JUST WEIGHT THAT'S AN ISSUE, RIGHT?

>> WHAT DO YOU DOCS SEE IN THE HEALTH FIELD?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU SUMMARIZED IT VERY WELL AT THE BEGINNING.

THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE SEEING ARE NOT NORMAL CONSEQUENCES OF AGING.

PEOPLE THINK I'M GOING TO GET HEART DISEASE OR HIGH CLEFT OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

>> I DON'T WANT THESE.

>> THESE ARE HEAVILY MODIFIABLE BY DIET.

AS A CANCER DOCTOR, I'M SEEING INCREASING INCIDENTS OF THE RISK OF COLON CANCER IN YOUNGER FOLKS, SO WHERE AS PEOPLE OVER 50 HAVE A LOWER INCIDENCE BECAUSE OF SCREENING, UNDER 50 YOU ARE SEEING AN INCREASED RISK OF 2% PER YEAR IN THE YOUNGER POPULATIONS.

ONE ALARMING-- >> 2% A YEAR INCREASE?

>> OVER THE PAST PLUS 20 YEARS.

>> OH MY.

>> ANOTHER WAY TO FRAME THAT.

PEOPLE BORN IN THE 1990S HAVE DIBBLED THE RISK OF COLORECTAL CANCER THAN PEOPLE BORN IN THE 50s.

MILLENNIALS HAVE TWICE THE RISK OF GETTING COLON OR RECTAL CANCER.

THERE HAS TO BE AN EXTERNAL FACTOR, RIGHT?

WE HAVEN'T HAD A LARGE SHIFT IN THE HUMAN GENOME TO MAKE UP FOR THIS.

THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON WHICH IS ALMOST CERTAINLY DIETS IT, WHAT WE EAT.

>> GOING THROUGH AND CAUSING PROBLEMS LOWER DOWN.

>> CORRECT.

>> CHRIS, AS A PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGIST, YOU KNOW THIS STORY FROM THE INSIDE OUT, IF I MAY SAY.

>> YES.

>> SO WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> WE SEE A MAJORITY OF CHILDREN WE SEE IN THE CLINIC ARE COMING FOR RECURRING ABDOMINAL PAIN AND THE MAJORITY OFTEN RELATE TO POOR DIETARY HABITS, ACTUALLY.

WE ARE ALSO SEEING INCREASES IN INCIDENTS IN FATTY LIVER DISEASE LINKED WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES THAT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS LIVER DISEASE OVER TIME.

WE SEE TEENAGERS SOMETIMES WITH CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER.

>> TEENAGERS?

>> FROM FATTY LIVER.

>> WOW.

>> AND DIET IS A MAJOR CAUSE OF ALL OF THAT?

>> DIET AND OBESITY, YES.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS RAISED IN A MEAT AND POTATOES FAMILY.

EVERY NIGHT SOME VEGETABLE, OCCASIONALLY SOME ICEBERG LETTUCE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH SODA.

MY MOTHER WAS AGAINST SODA.

SHE WAS A NURSE AND KNEW SODA WAS A BAD THING BACK THEN.

BUT I HAVE SORT OF MORPHED INTO A MEDITERRANEAN DIET PERSON.

AND I KNOW YOU ARE AN EXPERT ON THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET.

DO YOU EAT MEDITERRANEAN, TOO?

>> YEAH, SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO PRACTICE THE MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE IN OUR HOME.

I HAVE THREE YOUNG KIDS WE TRY TO TEACH THEM ABOUT MAKE HALF YOUR PLATES FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, CHOOSE LEAN MEATS ON YOUR PLATE.

SO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IS NOT REALLY A DIET IN THE SENSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT DIETING.

IT'S NOT A STRICT DIET.

IT'S A FLEXIBLE LIFESTYLE.

IT'S AN EATING PATTERN.

>> EATING PATTERN.

WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT NECESSARILY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT EATING WELL.

>> IT IS ABOUT EATING HEALTHY FOR OVERALL HEALTH.

AND SO IN THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET, YOU ARE FOCUSING ON ABUNDANCE OF THINGS LIKE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, WHOLE GRAINS, LEGUMES.

FOR FAT YOU ARE CHOOSING OLIVE OIL.

WHEN YOU ARE CHOOSING YOUR PROTEIN, YOU WANT TO LEAN MORE TOWARD SEAFOOD OR OTHER LEAN MEATS, BUT MINIMIZING THE OTHER ONES, PARTICULARLY RED MEATS.

>> GET RID OF RED MEAT.

>> AND LIMITING DAIRY AS WELL AND OF COURSE LIMITING THE SWEETS IN THAT DIET AS WELL.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST WELL STUDY STUDIED EATING PATTERNS OUT THERE.

IT HAS STRONG EVIDENCE LINKING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET TO REDUCED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, IMPROVED COGNITIVE FUNCTION, IMPROVED BRAIN HEALTH.

IMPROVED GUT HEALTH, REDUCED RISK OF CANCER.

I KNOW MY FELLOW PANELISTS WOULD APPRECIATE THAT AND JUST OVER ALL IMPROVED MORTALITY.

>> THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

I'M PRETTY MUCH A MEDITERRANEAN GUY.

SO I'M LIKING THIS.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS EAT?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> SURE.

I FOLLOW A PLANT BASED DIET.

WHOLE FOOD PLANT-BASED DIET.

A LOT OF OVER LAP BETWEEN THE TWO.

THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET IS BAD NEWS, PROMOTING A LOT OF POOR HEALTH.

YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF LED ME AWAY FROM MEAT ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO WAS THE DATA ON COLORECTAL CANCER IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED INCIDENTS, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN 2015 CLASSIFIED PROCESSED MEATS AS A GROUP ONE CARCINOGEN.

THAT MEANS THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THAT SUBSTANCE AND CANCER.

>> THIS IS LIKE BACON.

>> YEAH, LIKE PEPPERONI, BACON, CURED MEATS, PROCESSED MEATS, HOT DOGS.

>> I STAY AWAY FROM THOSE.

>> AND THE SAME CATEGORY IS CIGARETTES AND ASBESTOS AND AGENT ORANGE IS PROCESSED MEAT ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.

GROUP 2 IS RED MEAT.

IT'S GOOD TO AVOID THOSE.

THEY HAVE A STRONG IMPLICATION BUT NOT DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE.

SO I FELT IF I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TO PATIENTS, I SHOULD ALSO WALK THE WALK.

>> I THINK YOU SHOULD SAY EAT THE EATS.

NOT WALK THE WALK.

>> EAT THE EATS.

I LIKE THAT.

>> SO, CHRIS, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

WHAT IS THE KETO-- INTERMITTENT FASTING?

>> I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I GREW UP BEING A CARNIVORE ALSO IN OUR FAMILY.

WE PRETTY WELL DON'T EAT-- WE ALMOST NEVER EAT RED MEAT ANYMORE.

WE EAT MORE FISH BASED.

WE FOLLOW MEDITERRANEAN DIET.

AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY ONE SIZE FITS ALL DIET FOR EVERYBODY.

WE WANT OUR PATIENTS TO BE HEALTHY AND WE WANT TO HAVE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, EXERCISE, HEALTHY FOOD.

>> THAT'S PART OF MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE, RIGHT?

BECAUSE I NOTICED YOU USED THE WORD LIFESTYLE.

EXERCISE.

YOU ARE A WORKER OUTER.

I KNOW, I'VE SEEN YOU AT THE GYM.

>> YES, I DO.

BUT I STUMBLED ACROSS SOMETHING ELSE A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT THAT BREAKFAST WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY AND IT WOULD HELP SUSTAIN YOU THROUGH THE DAY.

I OFTEN DIDN'T HAVE LUNCH, WORKING THROUGH LUNCH.

AND BUT THEN I DISCOVERED THAT I WAS VERY HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING.

AND WE TRIED AN EXPERIMENT WHERE WE DECIDED TO TAKE OUT CARBOHYDRATE IN THE MORNING SO WE COULD HAVE EGGS OR EVEN BACON AT THE TIME, CHEESE, BUT NO CARBOHYDRATE.

AND THEN I FOUND THAT I WASN'T HUNGRY.

AT LUNCH TIME I WASN'T EVEN HUNGRY IF I JUST AVOIDED THE CARBOHYDRATES IN THE MORNING.

THAT SPEAKS TO THE KETO GENIC TYPE DIET.

WHEN WE ARE NOT HAVING CARBS IN OUR DIET, OUR BODY TENDS TO BURN FAT AND PRODUCES KETONES WHICH ARE HELPFUL FOR THE BRAIN.

THE BRAIN LIKES TO FEED ON COMPANY TONES MORE THAN SUGAR AND IT HELPS PEOPLE FEEL MORE ALERT AND FOCUSED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO FIND THAT DO THAT DIET.

>> I TRIED IT AFTER YOU AND I FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS SHOW.

I TRIED IT FOR ONE DAY AND AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, I FOUND EXACTLY THAT, THAT I WAS ALERT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

AND ALL OF THE OTHER THING THAT WAS REALLY SURPRISING TO ME WAS I WAS HUNGRY BUT IT WASN'T INTOLERABLE.

IT JUST WAS OH, I'M A LITTLE HUNGRY AND I COULD NOTICE IT AND I COULD GO BACK TO MY WORK INSTEAD OF FEELING RAFISHING WHICH WAS MY FANTASY.

I THOUGHT I WOULD BE STARVED BY LUNCH.

>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT, TOO.

I TOOK IT ONE STEP FURTHER.

THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT INTERMITTENT FASTING, HAVING A CLEAR FLUID, WATER OR COFFEE WITH NOTHING IN IT, THAT ALSO PRODUCES CAN HE KETOSIS AND HELPS YOU FEEL ALERT.

I SKIP BREAKFAST AND I HAVE LUNCH NOW.

>> THAT'S WHAT I DID.

I'M SORRY.

I MISLED US HERE.

I DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING AFTER LIKE 8:00 AT NIGHT UNTIL 12.

>> THIS IS KNOWN TO HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND FOR FOLK YOUS BECAUSE IT CHANGES YOUR METABOLISM IN A WAY, IF YOU DON'T EAT BREAKFAST AND YOU START TO BURN FAT FOR ENERGY.

IT'S DIFFERENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN.

SO PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS CAN READ ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

WE'LL HAVE SOME LINKS IN THE WEBSITE.

SO FOR WOMEN, IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN MEN.

IT WOULD BE GOOD TO READ ABOUT THAT.

SO I'M EMBRACED THE INTERMITTENT FASTING.

I DON'T EAT BREAKFAST.

>> AND YOU ARE NOT STARVED BY LUNCH.

>> NEVER.

>> YOUR MIND OR AS MY FATHER WOULD SAY, MY ALLEGED MIND IS NOT BEING IMPAIRED BY THE LACK...

VERY INTERESTING.

UH-HUH.

IS IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN HOW THESE DIFFERENT APPROACHES I'M GUESSING THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU ALL AGREE ON.

ONE OF THEM I CLEARLY HEARD WAS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

FIVE ALIVE.

IS THAT THE EXPRESSION?

WHAT ELSE DO YOU AGREE ON?

>> I THINK WHOLE FOODS, EATING UNPROCESSED FOODS.

SOMETIMES EVEN LOOKING AT THE-- I USED TO LOOK AT INGREDIENTS AND SAY GOSH, I HAVE 10 YEARS OF MEDICAL EDUCATION AND I CAN'T PRONOUNCE ANY OF THESE WORDS.

THAT'S AN ALARM SIDE.

>> ON THE FOOD LABEL, RIGHT?

>> MINIMIZING PACKAGED FOODS IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, I THINK ANOTHER EQUIPE THING TO SAY WOULD BE EAT A PLANT NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM A PLANT.

I DON'T THINK-- >> EAT A PLANT, NOT SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM A PLANT.

OPPOSED TO COMING FROM A FACTORY THAT IS HEAVILY PROCESSED.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT A PACKAGED FOOD, NOT A LOT OF INGREDIENTS OR STICKING TO THE PERIPHERY OF THE GROCERY STORES AND STAYING OUT OF THE MIDDLE AISLE WHERE THE PROCESSED FOODS ARE.

>> YOU GO AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE GROCERY STORES.

GET A FEW MORE STEPS IN THAT WAY, TOO.

YOU ARE STAYING AWAY FROM THE POTATO CHIPS AND COOKIES... >> THE TASTY STUFF.

>> I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT WE CAN AGREE ON IS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WANT, AS AN INDIVIDUAL, YOU WANT TO CHOOSE A DIET THAT IS HEALTHY OBVIOUSLY FOR YOU BUT ALSO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE, RIGHT?

SO WHETHER IT'S IF YOU ARE THINKING YOU WANT TO START A VEGAN DIET, YOU MIGHT WANT TO START AT THE MEDITERRANEAN LEVEL FIRST WHERE YOU CAN STILL HAVE SOME MEATS BUT START INCORPORATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN YOUR DIET.

>> SO IF ULTIMATELY YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO GO VEGAN, YOU CAN START SHIFTING FROM THE TYPICAL AMERICAN DIET, THE FAST FOOD KIND OF ROUTINE AND I THINK PEOPLE EAT AMAZING NUMBER OF TIMES AT FAST FOOD PLACES.

I SAW THAT.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

SO IF YOU ARE SHIFTING TOWARDS VEGAN, GO MEDITERRANEAN FIRST.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> I LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT'S ALSO BABY STEPS.

WHAT ABOUT BOB.

GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BECAUSE THERE IS GOOD DATA SHOWING FOR EVERY INCREASED SERVING OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES YOU HAVE IN A DAY, THERE IS A DECREASED INCIDENTS OF STROKE AND HEART ATTACK.

PUBLISHED IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE.

>> YOUR RISK GOES DOWN.

>> PEOPLE SAY GOSH, I COULDN'T POSSIBLY SWITCH MY DIET TO MEDITERRANEAN OR PLANT-BASED DIET OR KETO DIET.

DON'T LET PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD.

ANY INCREMENTAL STEP HELPS.

SO I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE GIVING UP OR GETTING DISCOURAGED.

>> I COULD FAST FOR LIKE THREE MINUTES?

>> RIGHT?

>> I LIKE THIS IDEA.

[LAUGHTER] >> WE ALSO KNOW THAT-- WE HAVE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME THAT DIETS TO LOSE WEIGHT DON'T WORK FOR PEOPLE.

THEY'RE NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.

PEOPLE CAN LOSE WEIGHT WITH A DIET.

BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO BUILD IN HEALTHY EATING LABTS, HEALTHY EXERCISE HABITS INTO YOUR REGULAR ROUTINE IN ORDER TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE.

MANY PEOPLE WHO LOSE WEIGHT ON DIETS GAIN IT BACK AS SOON AS THEY COME OFF THE DIET.

SAME WITH MEDICATIONS FOR OBESITY.

SAME THING HAPPENS.

>> HAVE YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO APPEALS TO YOU.

DON'T JUMP INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T DO.

IS THAT-- AND I CUT YOU OFF.

>> AND EXERCISE IS STILL VERY IMPORTANT, TOO.

THERE IS A LOT OF THE CHILDREN WE SEE NOW, THEY'RE VIDEO GAMERS AND THEY'RE ON THE COMPUTER DOING HOME WORK, ET CETERA.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SCREEN TIME AND KIDS JUST AREN'T OUT PLAYING LIKE THEY USED TO BE.

AND FAMILY DON'T EXERCISE TOGETHER MAYBE LIKE THEY USED TO GO FOR WALKS OR MEDITERRANEAN LIFESTYLE, PEOPLE WOULD WALK AFTER DINNER, YOU KNOW.

AND THAT'S-- WE'VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THAT IN NORTH AMERICA.

A LOT OF DRIVING.

>> A LOT OF DRIVING.

I SAW NOT TOO LONG AGO THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITIES WHERE PEOPLE DON'T DRIVE AS MUCH, LIVE LONGER.

SO HOW DO WE CHANGE?

SO WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE CAN DO?

IF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING AND SAYING I'M ON THE STANDARD AMERICAN DIET.

THIS IS NOT GOOD.

WHAT ARE THE FIRST THINGS YOU WOULD SUGGEST TO DO?

MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES OTHER THINGS?

EXERCISE?

>> YOU WANT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET, START SWAPPING OUT YOUR FATS FOR OLIVE OIL, QUICK AND EASY SWAP.

THAT'S AN EASY ONE.

>> GET RID OF BUTTER.

USE OLIVE OIL.

I DO THAT ON MY TOAST ACTUALLY, INSTEAD OF BUTTER WHICH TASTES SO GOOD.

BUT OLIVE OIL IS GOOD.

IT TASTES GOOD.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MOVING MORE.

>> MOVING MORE.

WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

EAT THE EATS?

>> I MEAN THE PROCESSED FOOD IS JUST A BIG PROBLEM.

SO I THINK STAYING AWAY FROM THAT.

IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING AT FIRST TO CHANGE YOUR EATING PATTERN AND I THINK PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO GO PLANT BASED OR USED TO SAY MEAT AND POTATOES AND TAKE THE MEAT OFF THE PLATE AND THEY'RE EATING POTATOES AND VEGGIES AND ALWAYS HUNGRY.

EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR NEW RECIPES AND GETTING INTO THE OPTIONS OUT THERE.

I HAVE DONE SOME SPEAKING FOR THE VEGAN LIVING PROGRAM IN SYRACUSE AND THEY DO A LOT OF INFORMATION SESSIONS, TALKING ABOUT BOTH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF DIET AND THEY DO EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS ABOUT HEALTH.

BUT COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND GIVE PEOPLE COOKBOOKS WHO ARE INTERESTED.

SO I THINK IT'S GREAT TO JUST GET INTO DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, NOT STICKING WITH THE OLD MEAT AND POTATOES BUT BREAKING OUT OF THAT MOLD.

>> I HAVE BEEN-- I DECIDED LITERALLY JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY TO GO ONE DAY A WEEK WITHOUT MEAT BECAUSE-- OR FISH, CHICKEN AND FISH IS BASICALLY IT.

AND I SAW THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CUTTING OUT MEAT OR FISH ON ONE DAY A WEEK WAS ENORMOUS.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT?

>> YEAH, I THINK THE ANIMAL AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

THE AMOUNT OF WATER AND GRAIN IT TAKES TO FEED A COW SO WE CAN EAT A BURGER, THOSE RESOURCES PUT TOWARDS HUMANS, FIRST OF ALL, COULD YOU SPEED SO MANY MORE PEOPLE.

IT BECOMES AN ISSUE OF COMPASSION, NOT JUST IN NOT EATING ANIMALS, BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE OR CLIMATE CHANGE IS GOING TO BE A BIG PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN POORER COUNTRIES.

AND ALSO AGAIN, WHEN RESOURCES GO TOWARDS PEOPLE INSTEAD OF CLEARING OUT THE AMAZON RAIN FOREST TO MAKE ROOM FOR COWS, AGAIN, THEY BENEFITS WILL BE TREMENDOUS.

>> WHAT ABOUT-- I KNOW DO YOU SOME RESEARCH IN GETTING KIDS TO EAT HEALTHY.

>> YES.

>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO PARENTS?

>> TO PARENTS?

I TELL THEM IT STARTS AT HOME.

PARENTS ARE THE FIRST AND MOST POWERFUL INFLUENCE ON THEIR CHILD'S DIETARY INTAKE.

THERE ARE SEVERAL RESEARCH STUDIES OUT THERE, SOME I'VE PUBLISHED THAT SHOWS THAT THE HOME ENVIRONMENT IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST PREDICTORS OF WHAT THE CHILD IS GOING TO EAT AND PARENTS ARE MODERATORS OF THAT ENVIRONMENT.

>> THEY CONTROL IT.

I'M SORRY, NO POTATO CHIPS AND YOU GET YOUR WAY.

>> IF IT'S NOT IN THE HOUSE, IF THE PARENTS ARE NOT BRINGING IT IN, IF THE PARENTS ARE ROLE MODELING POSITIVE BEHAVIORS, THIS IS WHAT THE KIDS ARE GOING TO LEARN FROM.

THEY CREATE THAT KID'S ENVIRONMENT AND IT IS ALSO IN OTHER THINGS SUCH AS CREATING STRUCTURE AND ROUTINE AROUND MEALS AND TEACHING THEM TO LISTEN TO THEIR OWN BODY AND THEIR OWN HUNGER CUES.

>> SO WHEN YOU SAY STRUCTURE AND ROUTINE, YOU MEAN HAVE DINNER TOGETHER EVERY NIGHT OR BREAKFAST TOGETHER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND THAT'S A HELPFUL THING.

AND THEN YOU MANAGE THE MENU YOURSELF.

>> YES.

GIVING THEM OPTIONS FROM A VARIETY OF HEALTHY CHOICES IS GOING TO TEACH THEM HOW TO MAKE THOSE RIGHT CHOICES FOR THEMSELVES.

>> YOU SAY, WOULD YOU LIKE AN APPLE OR AN ORANGE OR A BANANA.

YEAH, GIVE THEM CHOICES ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF THINGS THEY EAT?

>> YES.

AND THEY GET TO CHOOSE HOW MUCH THEY EAT.

IT'S KEEPING MEAL TIMES VERY LOW PRESSURE OR RELAXED AND CALM AND FUN, YOU KNOW.

KIDS LOVE PLAY.

>> IT'S NO LONGER YOU HAVE TO CLEAN UP YOUR PLATE.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> THAT WAS THE THING GROWING UP.

>> THE KIDS IN INDIA ARE GOING TO STARVE, RIGHT?

NO KIDDING.

>> YEAH, NO CLEAN PLATE CLUB.

>> THAT WAS-- WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE CLEAN PLATE CLUB FOR SURE.

YOU ARE NODDING.

>> I HAD THE SAME THING.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, TOO, ONE OF THE REAL KEYS FOR THE CHILDREN WE SEE, EVEN AS I THINK A FAIRLY SIMPLE THING TO DO, GET RID OF SUGARY DRINKS.

JUICE AND SODA.

>> GET RID OF THAT.

GET RID OF THE SODA.

>> FIBER RICH FOODS ARE MORE FILLING.

SO WE EAT A LOT OF WHITE STARCH PRODUCTS.

AND YOUR BODY TURNS WHITE STARCH INTO SUGAR QUITE EASILY AND PEOPLE LIVE WITH THESE SPIKES OF BLOOD SUGAR OFTEN WITH LOWS THAT COME AFTER YOU PRODUCE INSULIN TO MAKE THE SUGAR GO INTO YOUR CELLS.

YOU SAVE THAT ENERGY AS FAT USUALLY AND PEOPLE HAVE THE UPS AND DOWNS IN SUGAR.

DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL WELL AND WHOLE GRAIN FIBER IS MUCH MORE SATIATING.

IT PREVENTS AND DOM NATIONAL PAIN-- ABDOMINAL PAIN AND CONSTIPATION.

THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT PROBIOTICS.

IT IS GOOD IF YOU FEED WHOLE GRAINS AND FEED THE BACTERIA THAT LIVES IN YOUR COLON AND THAT IS BETTER THAN TAKING A PILL.

>> HAPPY COLON, HAPPY FLORA.

>> YES.

>> BEFORE WE WRAP OUR SHOW TODAY, I WANT TO INTRODUCE Ms. LINDSAY SWAN, FOURTH YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, WITH A BITE-SIZED TIP ABOUT A FOOD THAT MAY HELP LOWER YOUR BLOOD SUGAR.

LET'S DIG IN.

>> HI, I'M LINDSAY SWAN, A FOURTH YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT UPSTATE NORTON COLLEGE OF MEDICINE AND THIS IS MY MEDICAL STUDENT MINUTE.

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS I HAVE LEARNED IN MEDICAL SCHOOL IS THAT PICKLES OR MORE SPECIFICALLY VINEGAR CAN HELP US BETTER CONTROL OUR BLOOD SUGAR.

AFTER WE EAT, OUR BLOOD SUGAR RISES, SPECIFICALLY AFTER MEALS HIGH IN CARBOHYDRATES LIKE PASTA, BREAD OR RICE.

THAT'S BECAUSE OUR BODIES BREAK DOWN THESE CARBS INTO GLUCOSE, A TYPE OF SUGAR WE USE AS ENERGY.

WHEN GLUCOSE FLOODS OUR BLOODSTREAM, IT TRIGGERS THE PANCREAS TO RELEASE INSULIN, A HORMONE THAT HELPS MOVE SUGAR OUT OF THE BLOOD AND INTO OUR CELLS WHERE WE USE IT FOR ENERGY.

THEN BLOOD SUGAR STARTS TO DROP AFTER INSULIN DOES ITS JOB.

DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH AND WHAT WE EAT, THIS THE RISE AND FALL IN BLOOD SUGAR CAN BECOME A ROLLER COASTER OVER TIME.

THESE UPS AND DOWNS CAN LEAD TO ENERGY CRASHES, INCREASED HUNGER, CRAVINGS AND IN THE LONG RUB RUN, A HIGHER RISK OF DIABETES.

THIS IS WHERE PICKLES AND VINEGAR COME INTO PLAY.

ACIDIC ACID, THE KEY INGREDIENT IN VIN CAR CAN SLOW DOWN HOW QUICKLY WE BREAK DOWN OUR FOOD SO OUR BLOODSTREAM IS NOT OVERWHELMED WITH GLUCOSE.

LESS GLUCOSE MEANS LESS INSULIN AND OUR SUGAR SPIKES BEGIN TO FLATTEN OUT.

RECENT STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT CONSUMING ONE TO TWO TABLESPOONS OF VINEGAR, ESPECIALLY BEFORE OUR BIGGEST MEAL OF THE DAY CAN DECREASE OUR BLOOD SUGAR SPIKES BY NEARLY 30%.

THIS HELPS TURN THIS INTO THIS.

NOT EVERYONE, LIKE ME, LOVES PICKLES SO DON'T WORRY.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER EASY WAYS TO ADD VINEGAR INTO YOUR ROUTINE.

MAYBE THIS LOOKS LIKE CHOOSING A BEGIN GAR-- VINEGAR BASED SALAD DRESSING.

FOR OTHERS, IT COULD BE ADDING A TABLESPOON OF APPLE CIDER VIN VINCENT CARBONE GAR IN A GLASS OF WATER OR WARM CUP OF TEA.

GIVE VINEGAR OR PICKLES A TRY, EVEN IF IT IS OPTING TO EAT YOUR PICKLE FIRST INSTEAD OF SAVING IT FOR LAST.

I'M LINDSAY SWAN AND THIS HAS BEEN MY MEDICAL SCHOOL MINUTE.

>> WELL, FOLKS, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS... DR. CHRISTOPHER JUSTINICH, PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGIST AT UPSTATE; DR. STEVEN DUFFY, HEMATOLOGIST AND ONCOLOGIST AT HOA OF CNY; AND DR. MARYAM YUHAS, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF NUTRITION & FOOD STUDIES AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY TO HEAR OUR COMPANION COMMUNITY FM RADIO SHOW, CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP, VISIT WCNYORG/COMMUNITYFM.

AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE THIS EPISODE AGAIN, PAST SEASONS OF THE SHOW, OR ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS FROM AND EXTRA STUFF INCLUDING RECIPES, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEATH.

FOR ‘CYCLE OF HEALTH', I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT SEASON!

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