There are a number of health terms, words and phrases of health and nutritional significance, that everyone should be familiar with. Many of these terms are heard constantly on TV news programs.

Obese- having a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30 or greater; the BMI considers height and weight in its computations. Obesity raises the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, various cancers, Alzheimer's disease, sleep apnea, and other medical problems.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no state in America had obesity rates above 19 percent 15 years ago; today, only 4 states report obesity rates below 20 percent!

Find your body mass index here:

Note: if you are an athlete and carry lean muscle, the significance of this reading does not apply to you; I am a bodybuilder and carry a lot of muscle mass. My reading although over 25 does not qualify me as being overweight or pre-obese. Body mass index only applies to people who are non-athletic and sedentary.

Metabolic Syndrome- otherwise known as 'syndrome X' or 'insulin resistance' or MSX (metabolic syndrome X); according to U.S guidelines, if a person has 3 of the following 5 symptoms, he falls into this category: a. elevated triglycerides b. low HDL cholesterol c. elevated blood pressure d. elevated fasting blood sugar or e. excess abdomial fat. Excitotoxins such as MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) can trigger this syndrome. The metabolic syndrome can cause type II diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension.

The risk for being included in the metabolic syndrome category increases by 40% when a man's waist reaches 40 inches; 37 inches for a woman.

Excitotoxin- protein substances such as MSG and the artificial sweetener aspartame; these chemicals cause brain cells to fire their impulses rapidly when they make contact with them. These cells continue firing and remain in a highly agitated until they burn themselves out. Excitotoxins will make you fat.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio- a method to determine bodyfat levels; one study found that this method is the most accurate in determining the risk of heart attacks. To get this ratio you simply measure your waist and divide that number by your hip measurement. A healthy waist-to-hip measurement for women should be 0.8 or less; for men the number should be 1.00 or less.

Numbers greater than these indicates too much adominal (visceral) fat. This places the individual at greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. This person has an 'apple' type body. A person with a 'pear' shape body carries fat primarily around the hips.

New research is showing that a waist measurement is a better indication of general health than bodyweight alone. A person with an 'apple' body type carries fat primarily around the abdomen. Abdominal fat is located near vital organs. This can lead to increases in cholesterol and triglyceride levels which negatively impacts the health. Excess fat in the abdominal region has been linked to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

The target waist size for men should be 35 inches or less and 32-1/2 inches or less for women. Waist size greater than these numbers leads to a corresponding increase in health risks.
How to determine your waist location to correctly measure it.

Natural Flavor- Natural flavors and artificial flavors sometimes contain exactly the same chemicals although produced through different methods. Amyl acetate, for example, provides a banana flavor. When amyl acetate is distilled from bananas with a solvent, it is called a natural flavor.

When it is produced by mixing vinegar with amyl alcohol and adding sulfuric acid as a catalyst, amyl acetate is recognized as an artificial flavor. Either way it smells and tastes the same.

"Natural flavor" is now listed among the ingredients of everything from Health Valley Blueberry Granola Bars to Taco Bell Hot Taco Sauce. When it comes to the food industry and the FDA, you can't expect terms such as 'natural' to mean what you would normally expect them to mean.

PLU (Price Lookup Codes)- A code developed for produce (fruit and vegetables) that specifies whether it was grown conventionally, organically, or genetically modified. Conventinally grown produce has four (4) numbers (for example: 1022.) Organically grown produce contains five (5) numbers and is always preceded by the number '9'; genetically modified food also contains five (5) numbers but is always preceded by the number '8'.

Stevia- An herb which grows in parts of Paraguay and Brazil. It has been used in South America for hundreds of years. Stevia is a sugar substitute which is concentrated and has virtually no calories.

In its natural form, stevia is approximately 10 to 15 times sweeter than table sugar. It can be used by diabetics since it doesn't raise blood sugar. It is commonly processed into liquid, powder, packets, crystals and tablets. This plant extract is a natural healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.

The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry published a study which found that extracts from the South American plant from which stevia is made contain antioxidants. According to researchers, these antioxidants could potentially protect DNA from the damage caused by hydroxide radicals (See also...)

Sprouted Grain- Sprouted grain provides the maximun amount of nutrient content possible. As a matter of fact, sprouting is the only way to release all of the nutrients naturally stored in whole grain. Sprouted grain is loaded with protein, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins A, B, and C. One of the richest sources of vitamin C is sprouted grain.

When wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt are combined an amazing thing happens. A complete protein is formed which resembles the quality protein found in milk and eggs. They mixture has all nine essential amino acids. In addition, there are 18 amino acids found in all vegetable sources.
Read also...

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)- AMD is the leading cause of blindness for people over 50. There are two lifestyle factors which can dramatically raise the risk for AMD. These factors are cigarette smoking and ACE inhibitor use (prescription hypertension drug use.)

An Australian study has revealed that the risk factor for AMD was reduced by 70 percent for people who ate 3 or more servings of fish a week.

Plant pigments lutein and zeaxanthin were also found to be effective taken together for AMD. Lutein and zeaxanthin are powerful antioxidants. Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and collard greens. Zeaxanthin is found in yellow corn, orange peppers, kiwifruit, squash, mango, honeydew, broccoli, and egg yolk.

The study which confirmed the risk reduction benefit of these two antioxidants found this to be true in women under the age of 75. There was no risk reduction for women over the age of 75.

The May, 2007 issue of Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported on a study conducted on more than 1,000 women. The women with the highest bone mineral density (BMD) had a 34 percent lower risk of AMD than women with lower BMD. Calcium and vitamin D are important for dense bones.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration was rare as late as 1980. And in recent decades there has been a 1000% increase! Dr. Paul Beaumont, one of the world's foremost food researchers, has found that people who eat higher amounts of vegetable oils (corn, soybean, safflower, etc.) lose theri vision 3.8 times faster, and have twice the risk of developing macular degeneration.

A compound known as HNE forms when vegetable oils are heated. HNE attacks the arteries, nerves, and eye tissue. It has been implicated in hardening of the arteries, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, liver disease, as well as ARM.

Processed vegetable oils are dangerous to your health and should not be used at all. Cook with butter, lard, or coconut oil.

Cruciferous vegetables- A study conducted by the Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (University of Ulster) has revealed that the vegetable watercress contains one of the highest amounts of the nutrient PEITC (phenylethy isothiocyanate.)

PEITC is believed to prevent the activation of an enzyme which is necessary for cancer to live. Watercress is a cruciferous vegetable. All cruciferous vegetables are high in cancer fighting nutrients including PEITC. In addition to watercress, cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, kale, collard greens, kohlrabi, turnips, rutabaga, arugula, radish, horseradish, bok choy, and wasabi.

Enriched food- a food in which vitamins and minerals which were lost during the refining process have been added back in.

Fortified food- vitamins and minerals have been added to food in addition to what was lost in the refining process. For example, milk is fortified with calcium and salt is fortified with iodine.

DASH diet- Dietary Aapproaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet stresses nutrition to stop hypertension (high blood pressure.)

The following dietary plan has been shown to reduce systolic pressure (the first or upper number) by 5.5 points and the diastolic pressure by 3. The reduction in numbers are said to be greater for African-Americans who are at the greatest risk for hypertension:

Plaque- buildup in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks; it can be composed of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances which are found in the blood. New studies reveal that cholesterol is NOT the problem it was once thought to be.

On March 8, 2004 the FOX News network had the following headline: "Excess Calcium in the Blood Causes Heart and Bone Disease." Findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, show that the buildup of calcium plaque in the arteries causes an increased risk of heart attacks and death from heart disease across many ethnic groups.

Flatulence: Foods to Watch- Flatulence is defined as: a mixture of gases in the digestive tract. It's a natural phenomena which happens when normal, good bacteria in the intestine break down undigested food particles. Most of the gas is odorless and quiet. The normal human body passes gas 10 to 20 times a day.

The underlying cause of most flatulence is the diet. Drinking water with meals, especially as you age and stomach acid decreases, makes complete digestion of food impossible. Food that is not thoroughly chewed is also a likely candidate for causing embarrassing gas.

Food combinations can cause flatulence. Protein takes a while for the body to digest. When mixed with carbohydrates such as French fries and white potatoes and high sugar foods such as fruit will cause problems. The sugars from carbohydrates will sit in the digestive tract and ferment.

A Mayo Clinic Health Letter compiled a list of foods which can cause gas:

Dairy products which contain lactose (milk sugar.)

Vegetables: onions, radishes, cabbage, celery, carrots, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, legumes

Fruit: those that are high in sugar (fructose) including prunes, raisins, bananas, apples, apricots, and fruit juices from prunes, grapes, and apples

Fiber

Fatty foods and carbonated beverages

Artificial sweeteners: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol
Sources: NutraIngredients.com January 4, 2008

Homeopathy- uses the principle of like cures like. A small amount of a disease or an allegen provokes a reaction in a patient which then serves to protect against it. Pain or symptoms of an illness are understood to be how the body attempts to heal itself.

Homeopathic medicines are made from plants, minerals, and animal products.

Irradiation- the process by which foods are exposed to radiation such as gamma rays, X-rays, or electron beams. This is also known as ionizing radiation. The purpose is to destroy insects and pathogens.

(This symbol (left) must be displayed on all irradiated foods.)

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved irradiation for wheat, potatoes, flour, spices, tea, fruits, and vegetables. This process destroys valuable nutrients. "The process may cause a small loss of nutrients but no more so than with other processing methods such as cooking, canning, or heat pasteurization" (from the FDA's website.)

I advocate as much of your food raw as possible. This ensures you get all the nutrients which would otherwise be destroyed by cooking and irradiation. As far as the safety issue is concerned, if factory-farming and toxic chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides were eliminated, and safe farming techniques implemented, safety would not be an issue (See..., Read also...)

Number Needed to Treat- a statistic developed in 1988 to determine the value of a pharmaceutical drug. Its use was to assist the consumer to decide whether to take a certain medication. This is one number Big Pharma doesn't want the consumer to know.

The number needed to treat was devised to answer the following question, 'How many people have to take a particular drug in order to avoid one incidence of a medical issue?'

The NNT can best be illustrated by looking at BusinessWeek's story on this subject earlier this year. They examined Pfizer's newspaper advertisement for its cholesterol-lowering drug, Lipitor. The ad states that Lipitor reduces heart attacks by 36 percent.

This claim however had an asterisk. Following the asterisk led to the statement: "That means in a large clinical study, 3% of patients taking a sugar pill or placebo had a heart attack compared to 2% of patients taking Lipitor."

That means for every 100 people who took Lipitor over the course of 3.3 years, three on placebos and two on Lipitor had heart attacks! The NNT in this instance was 100. One hundred people would need to take Lipitor for over three years to prevent one heart attack! Looked at another way, ninety-nine people wasted hundreds of hard earned money and possibly suffered side effects for nothing at all.

"Anything over an NNT of 50 is worse than a lottery ticket; there may be no winners" (Dr. Nortin M. Hadler, professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.)

Dr. Jerome R. Hoffman, professor of clinical medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles weighed in with this question, "What if you put 250 people in a room and told them they would each pay $1,000 a year for a drug they would have to take every day, that many would get diarrhea and muscle pain, and that 249 would have no benefit? And that they could do just as well by exercising? How many would take that?"

The above scenario paints the reality of cholesterol-lowering drugs. (See also Healthy heart)

Carrageenan- a universal food additive used in ice cream and other dairy products, toothpaste, beer, processed meat, diet sodas, and soy milk. Carrageenan is extracted from red seaweed. The name comes from the type of seaweed found abundantly along the Irish coastline.

Carrageenan is used to as a thickening agent, an emulsifier, and a stabilizer. It is also used in vegetarian products in place of animal-derived gelatin.

Tests show that carrageenan can induce intense inflammation when injected into animal tissues. Diluted solutions of this agent next to existing tumors causes cancer to grow very fast.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics feed healthy bacteria and assists in their flourishing as they move through the intestinal tract. Research from the Institute of Food Research found that almonds significantly increase levels of helpful gut bacteria.

NanoFoods

Nanofoods are a subgroup of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology centers around the design and manipulation of substances on a molecular level. When applied to foods, manufacturers can enhance the flavor or nutritional profile of food.

But, like genetically modified organisms and irradiation, sufficient testing hasn't been done to find out if there are any potential dangers. And similarly like GMOs, nanofoods are not required to be identified on food packaging.

Anything which is engineered for consumption runs the risk of causing complications if the body cannot effectively process foreign materials. This is the problem with microwaved food. Its molecular structure is changed so much that it harms your body.

As far as is known to date, there are three food products utilizing nanotechnology: canola oil (by Shemen Industries of Israel), Nanotea, and Nanoceuticals Slim Shake Chocolate (RBC Life Science.) Nanofoods are listed on product labels under the generalized heading artificial flavors.

The only way to avoid this untested technology, as well as genetically modified organisms, is to stay away from ALL processed food.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

C-reactive protein is the measure of the level of inflammation present in the body. Chronic inflammation saps the immune system of its strength and causes tissue destruction and tissue failure where ever it's found.

Crystalline Fructose- is produced by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup. Crystalline fructose is even more dangerous than high fructose corn syrup because it contains 99.5 percent fructose assay. This is a higher percentage of fructose than what high fructose corn syrup has. The crystalline form of fructose also contains heavy metals, arsenic, lead, and chloride.

Dr. Joseph Mercola calls crystalline fructose a high octane form of high fructose corn syrup. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, "Your body doesn’t handle large amounts of fructose well. You can maintain life with intravenous glucose, but not with intravenous fructose; severe derangement of liver function results. There’s also evidence that a high intake of fructose elevates levels of circulating fats (serum triglycerides), increasing the risk of heart disease. I never use fructose in my home.”

There is currently on the market a product named Vitaminwater which contains crystalline fructose. Despite its name, this and all other products containing crystalline fructose and HFCS should be avoided.

Calorie- unbeknownst to the average person, a calorie is actually a unit of energy. It is defined as 'the amount of energy it takes to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius (or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit.') The human body needs energy (measured in calories) in order to function.

Food contains energy in the form of calories. Food can be broken down into protein, carbohydrates, and fat. When protein and carbohydrates are metabolized, they yield 4 calories each. Fats yield 9 calories when metabolized.

Core Muscles- a group of 29 muscles primarily located in the back, abdomen, and pelvis. These muscles protect and support the back, makes the spine and body less susceptible to injury, and gives the body greater balance and stability. Core muscles provides the foundation for movement throughout the entire body.

Phytosterols- group of organic compounds that play an important role in the development and reproduction of eukaryotic cells. Phytosterols are by and large found in nuts, legumes, and vegetables. They compete with cholesterol receptor sites within the bloodstream.

Free Range- the average American's definition of free range is more likely than not to differ from the government's definition. The United States Department of Agriculture allows the poultry industry to label chickens 'free range' as long as they have access to the outdoors.

Outdoor access could be grass or a paved area. These chickens could be debeaked too. This is an extremely painful procedure in which chickens have their beaks removed to prevent their pecking at other birds. This procedure is common in factory-farming.

Instead of searching for the free range label, look for meat labeled pasture-raised or that have been stamped Certified Humane Raised and Handled. Meat thusly marked means that the animal has enough shelter, and can engage in their natural behavior. For chickens that signifies foraging for food such as grass and grubs.

Recommended Daily Allowances- Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) was developed by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council. The purpose of the RDAs is to specify the amount of nutrients needed for the average person to remain healthy.

Recommended Daily Allowances differ between children and adults and male and female.

The numbers the scientists came up with only stated the basic health requirements of the average person. However, the body needs much more than just basic requirements.

Glucagon- a hormone that works the opposite of insulin; glucagon transports stored sugar (glucose) back to the bloodstream in order for it to be burned for energy.

Nitric Oxide- nitric oxide (NO) is a gas that relaxes the small muscles that line blood vessels and enlarges their diameter through dilation; arginine [#331] is changed into NO in the body. It also increases growth hormone levels and assists with weight loss.

Horny goat weed decreases the breakdown of existing NO in your body. Vitamin C accomplishes this too.

Organic Food- the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) defines organic as: products grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity. Crops must be grown without synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers, or sewage sludge-based fertilizers. These products bear this seal.

A 2003 study which was published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry discovered that organic food is better in the fight against cancer than conventionally produced food. A 2005 study found that rats who were fed organic food had:

The European Union (EU) funded the largest study to date relating to organic food at a cost of $25 million. Researchers grew fruits and vegetables and raised cattle on adjacent organic and non-organic lots.

This study was called the Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) project. They found that organic food is undoubtedly the most nutritious-far out pacing conventionally grown fruits and vegetables and commercially raised cattle. They added that organic food can assist in improving health and longevity.

This study also reported that (a) organic fruits and vegetables have up to 40% more antioxidants than those conventionally grown (b) organic foods have higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc (c) milk from organic cows have up to 90% more antioxidants and (d) eating organic food can help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don't eat the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Phthalates- (thal-ates) a family of industrial chemicals used as plastic softeners or solvents in many consumer products. Phthalates can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes, and ingested when they contaminate food.

Phthalates are used in hundreds of commercial products. Many leading beauty care products such as hair sprays, deodorants, nail polish, and perfume contain them.

According to published studies, phthalates can damage the liver, kidneys, and reproductive system (especially developing testes.)

Protein Bioavailability- the usefulness of protein or a protein source; bioavailability specifically determines how closely matched the amino acids in protein are in relation to your body's requirements. Bioavailability is expressed in biological value (BV).

Nitric Oxide- nitric oxide (NO) is a gas which is produced naturally in the body; involved in almost all of the body's processing, it is critical to good health. Among other things, nitric oxide transmits messages between nerve cells, helps the immune system fight invaders, and controls blood flow.

Nitric oxide performs a valuable function for bodybuilders and men with erectile dysfunction. It signals the smooth muscles lining the blood vessels to relax. This causes them to dilate (expand; become wider.) The wider the blood vessel, the more nutrients and blood flow to the muscles. This results in more nutrients reaching the muscles leading to repair and growth. Dilated blood vessels is good for high blood pressure too.

Research presented at the 2009 meeting of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that participants who took a supplement to boost nitric oxide (NO) production and weight trained for four weeks had a significant increase of muscle mass and strength.

A study which was published in the American Journal of Physiology found that NO enhances lipolysis. Lipolysis is the release of fat cells from storage into the blood to be burned.

Nitric oxide itself cannot be purchased as a supplement. The body processes the amino acid arginine to make NO. However, there are some scientists who say that arginine alone is not well absorbed into the body. You can find the following arginine compounds in your local health food store: arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG), arginine ketoisocaproate (akic), arginine malate, or arginine ethyl ester.

Agave Syrup- comes from the agave (ah-GAV-vay) plant which grows and thrives in the volcanic soil of Southern Mexico; the highly processed sap is almost all fructose.