Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

The most wonderful benefit of nutritarian eating is that it helps all ages and body sizes, from normal weight to morbidly obese get optimal health restored. Susan, a mother of seven, grandmother of 47, and great-grandmother of eight (and two more on the way!) is no exception. To meet her in person is a real treat, because she’s the epitome of youthful vitality even though she’s in her elderly years. Welcome to Disease Proof, Susan.

What was your life like before discovering Eat to Live?

I'm 77-years-old, and my cholesterol was over 250 in October 2008 so I decided I must do something to bring it down. I was never overweight, but I was starting to have shortness of breath after climbing steps.  One of my son-in-laws was also having difficulty with his cholesterol so in December of that year, he and I started following Eat to LIve. [We had both learned about Eat to Live from my daughter-in-law who forwarded an email from you about the fantastic results you were experiencing from following it.]

How do you feel now?

After just a couple of months following Dr. Fuhrman's recommendations I no longer had the shortness of breath, and I started losing weight.  I am 5' 6" and weighed about 135 lbs when I started so I didn't anticipate that I would lose much weight. However, within five months I was down to 118 lbs. and have stayed about that weight ever since.  I’d never had a pair of jeans before, because I didn't think I would like the way I'd look in them; but after losing the weight from my hips I bought my first pair at the age of 75!

Do you have any success tip(s) to share with others?

I have a smoothie that includes spinach nearly every morning, and at least five days a week I have vegetable soup for one of my meals.  I make large batches of soup and always have at least a half dozen containers of soup in the freezer at all times.

In a nutshell what has nutritarian eating done for you? 

When I had my cholesterol checked this past October it was down to 175.  My HDL was fairly high at 71, and my TC/HDL ratio was 2.5; which is very good.   Previously I had some problems with aches and pains, but they are totally gone now.

 I feel better now than I did ten or even fifteen years ago!

The picture above is Susan's family (minus ten members plus several new babies that have been born since it was taken.)  What an awesome clan!  We are so happy that she's feeling her best to fully enjoy many more quality years ahead with all of them! 

[Susan's son-in-law, Rod, was interviewed last year on Disease Proof.  Click here to read his story.]

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After examining prescription records of nearly 6 million children and adolescents experts found prescriptions for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol medication increased by more than 15% among children from 2004 to 2007. The study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, showed separately diabetes medications rose 23% and blood pressure medications 15%, but cholesterol-lowering drugs dropped 23%. Scientists attribute the drop to bad press associated with medications like Crestor and Lipitor. However, the rise in childhood obesity and doctors’ willingness to prescribe medications to young children is being blamed for the increase; HealthDay News investigates.

Actually, a recent study showed overweight children as young as age 3 may start showing signs of cardiovascular disease, so it’s easy to see why doctors would dole out pills, but a family-based approach to good nutrition is best for keeping kids healthy and off drugs.

And here’s some of bad press on cholesterol-lowering drugs. In January, Lipitor, Zocor and Crestor were found to cause eyelid droop and double vision as potential side effects. Eek!

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Eating low calorie foods may offset genes strongly associated with obesity. Printed in PLoS ONE, experts studied 2,275 children, finding kids who consumed an energy (or calorie) dense diet, such as fatty foods, had more fat mass after 3 years. Researchers then looked to see if children carrying the obesity gene had an increased risk of getting fat with a high energy diet. They did not. Meaning the effects of eating a low-energy diet, more fruits and vegetables, may not be impaired by genetics; EurekAlert reports.

Another report indicated kids with a certain gene variant are more likely to consume junk food, such as sweets, which can lead to weight gain. But I guess ditching the sweets and eating more fruit and veggies would squash this gene too. So can family lifestyle! If a family eats healthfully, it reduces the risk of obesity linked to family history.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent low-calorie foods, specifically green veggies. Foods like Romaine lettuce, broccoli, kale and Swiss chard are low-energy and highly nutritious!

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Editor’s Note: Someone from Dr. Fuhrman’s member center couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw a young child being served alcohol at Thanksgiving dinner. Dr. Fuhrman responds.

• Member

"My nephew is 22 months old. And at dinner his uncle poured red wine into his cup for him to drink. It was a decent-sized serving. The child's mother is very lazy about nutrition and didn't care at all if her son drank wine. He drank it all and became very flushed in the cheeks and was obviously feeling the effects, based on his behavior. They thought this was funny and harmless.

I know this is a no-brainer, but they think that such small amounts are no big deal. I want to be able to say convincingly that yes, a little bit can hurt! I didn't see anything about this in your book, which I assume is because it's so painfully obvious and shouldn’t needed to be covered."

• Dr. Fuhrman

"It is a crime to serve alcohol to a young child and is considered child abuse. This is not funny because many children each year are admitted to the hospital in a coma from one drink. Their small bodies and underdeveloped livers do not metabolize alcohol well and respiratory depression, hypoglycemia, unconsciousness and death can ensue. One in five admissions for childhood alcohol consumption report significant brain damage that could have permanent negative effects.

Parents need to be vigilant at parties. They need to keep an eye on their young children so they don't inadvertently pick up an alcoholic drink, thinking it is soda, which is bad enough. Adults who give alcohol, marijuana and other drugs to children should be reported. When this occurs the child is usually removed from the home and placed in protective custody.

Print this out and give it to the people who witnessed this. You are not helping anyone by letting this happen in front of you and the whole lot of you could have spent the night in jail if anyone anonymously called the police. I would have knocked the cup out of the toddler's hand. Maybe you should invite me over at your family's next get together."

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Bad news for me! My family knocks off early. New research in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society claims children of centenarians have greater longevity and 78% lower risk of heart attack, 83% lower risk of stroke and 86% lower risk of diabetes; Reuters reports.

Well, for those of us with short-lived elders, this is NOT a death sentence. Eating a healthy diet will boost your longevity, so will staying busy and independent and health guru and near-centenarian, Jack Lalanne, insists enjoying all the wonderful things we have helps too.

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