Get your servings of fruit today!!!

I just love this picture, but also wanted to remind you to get your 3 servings of fruits in today! HAPPY FITNESS & NUTRITION!!!!

Workouts of the day!

What is your workout today? Need ideas? Are you working out at home, outside, or in a gym? I have ideas for working out anywhere!!!

Your home workout:

20 seconds work / 10 seconds rest for 4 min (each exercise)

squats

push-ups

ab twists

lunges

jumping jacks

Your outdoor workout:

Walk/jog for 1 minute

Jog/sprint 20 seconds

For 30 minutes

Cool down and do 10 reps of each of the exercises listed above

Your gym workout

Any cardio machine for 20-30 min doing intervals listed in the outdoor workout

Cool down and do 3 sets of 10 of each of the exercises in the home workout

Make it a priority today! You'll feel great and will be eager to do it again tomorrow! Eat CLEAN! This include lean meats/fish, fruit/veggies, nuts/seeds. Just try it! You'll be surprised how good you feel! Email me with questions or more workout ideas!

kramsay9er@gmail.com

HAPPY FITNESS!!!

Today's Park Workout!

So I get bored of the gym or just running so I decided to do an interval circuit down the street at Sevier Park! If you know of that park you know it's hilly! FUN! ;) Here's how it went (kinda made it up as I went, but it worked out -no pun intended- pretty well!)

Circuit:

• Jog down the hill to the bottom

• Jog/sprint/walk back up to the top

• Sprint 100 yards

• Walk/jog 50 yards

• Wall sit doing 20 reps of bicep curls and/or shoulder press

(I used bricks, but you can use your own weights)

• Begin again

I did this circuit for 25 minutes straight with no breaks unless I was briskly walking.

Afterwards to incorporate more strength and resistance find a bench and do any or all of the following...

Bench workout:

• 10 incline pushups

• 10 step-ups (each leg)

• 10 tricep dips

• 10 side step-ups with leg raise at top (each leg)

• 100 (total) knee-to-elbow (start in push-up position, lift left knee to right elbow & switch)

Do this circuit as many times and as fast or slow as you want! Take breaks, don't take breaks-- you decide! This is a great total body workout!

HAPPY FITNESS!!!!

HIGH protein, LOW carb pancakes!!!

Get your day started right with some protein!!! It keeps you fuller longer and gives you the energy you need to burn calories all day! These pancakes are YUMMY and easy to make and all you need is about 5 minutes!

• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (organic rice protein or whey)- visit your local nutrition store, wholefoods, or Trader Joe's
• 1/2 banana (mashed)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbs flaxseed
• Add a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries after the above ingredients are mixed together.

Pour into a pan that has been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray- heat on medium. Cook one side until you see the little bubbles… just like cooking any pancake! Flip over (careful!) and cook on the other size until the middle is done (peek inside with a fork).

Top with two sliced strawberries and optional powdered stevia. ENJOY your protein pancakes! :) If you need more carbohydrates, you may add 1-tbs agave or organic maple syrup on top.

HAPPY FITNESS & NUTRITION

recipe thanks to toneitup.com

Breakfast made quick & easy!

Breakfast is SO important. Too many people skip it thinking they'll be fine on coffee until lunch... WRONG! Studies have linked healthy breakfasts with less chronic disease, increased longevity and better health. Starting your day with a healthy, high-protein breakfast boosts your metabolism, heightens your awareness, and fuels you for your day. If you think about it, when you wake up you're body has not been fed for 8-10 hours (depending on when you ate dinner). That is a long time for us to not have food. Waiting any longer a.k.a, lunch, is depriving your body of essential nutrients it needs to get things done.

I am not a cook by any means, but I do love a veggie omelette made with egg whites or egg beaters first thing in the morning. Many people do not have time to slice veggies in the morning so what I did was really easy and very quick! I found this prepackaged veggie tray at Kroger's which was perfect! After I got what I needed for my omelette I just stored the rest in tupperware for tomorrow! I added a little fat free cheese, made some veggie bacon and had a high protein packed breakfast quick & easy!

Challenge yourself to make breakfast a priority. You can buy pre-packed veggies or prep them the night before, so you have no excuse not to make this yummy meal. You can also add some turkey sausage, turkey or veggie bacon, chicken, or anything you like that you have time for!

ENJOY & HAPPY FITNESS!!!!

Get Going!!!!!

No matter what your fitness goals are, there will be a program that fits your needs! As spring has approached we've moved outdoors, so contact kramsay9er@gmail.com for your workouts in the park!!!! New pricing plan is as follows. Contact if you have questions! Happy Fitness!!!

Pricing

By-the-Session:

Individual Training

1 hour - $50

1.5 hours- $65

2 hours - $75

Couple/Small Group Training

1 hour couple - $60

1 hour group (3 -6 people) - $35 per person

Large Group/Team Training

1 hour group (7-10) - $30 per person

1 hour group (11-22) - $25 per person

1 hour group (22+) - $15 per person

Specials & Deals:

Individual

20 Sessions - $850 ($150 savings!)

10 Sessions - $400 ($100 savings!)

5 Sessions - $175 ($75 savings!)

Group (2 or more)

20 Sessions - $650/person

10 Sessions - $325/person

5 Sessions - $250/person

Note : All "Specials & Deals" sessions will last one hour.

* Bootcamps pricing will differ. See "Bootcamps" tab at top!

Take a moment

Take a moment to reflect on yourself (I'm doing the same)... What are your short and long-term goals? Are you where you want to be physically, spiritually, occupationally, etc? Have you been riding the wave of mediocrity? Are you over-achieving and spreading yourself too thin? Do you make time for your friends and family? Do make an effort to reach out in your community? Are you actively searching for your purpose on this earth?

These are questions I have been asking myself lately... tough questions! But definitely some things I know I need to think about!

Start by actually writing out your goals. They can be anything you want to achieve in a given amount of time. Feel free to make two lists...

Short-term goals:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Long-term goals:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

I started with five each. I have a lot more goals than that, but it's a great starting point. Make sure you give yourself a time frame of when you'd like to accomplish each goal. For your short-term goals I would give yourself a 3-6 month limit. That way there is an end in sight... light at the end of the tunnel. If they get any longer than that they turn out to be long-term goals. Really consider which goals should make each list. If you'd like to lose 10 pounds, stick it on the short-term list. If you'd like to make $10,000 more a year then put that one on the long-term list, and so on. Be specific and don't be afraid to really set some special goals!

This is the first step to self-reflection and a great way to jump-start change in your life. We are always evolving and growing, but sometimes we hit a point in our life where we feel stagnant and stuck. YOU are the only person who can get you out of a rut! So take a moment, it doesn't take long to make two lists. I encourage you to put some fitness goals on each list. Being fit and healthy filters into almost all aspects of your life, PLUS endorphins are released in your body when you exercise, and they give you a feeling of "well-being". Sounds good to me!!!

HAPPY FITNESS!!!!

Future Oakley Ambassador?

Could I be the next Oakley Ambassador??? I hope so! This is a great opportunity for me to broaden my fitness knowledge and represent a wonderful company! I could use your help!

You can vote online at

http://apps.facebook.com/performbeautifully/contests/99452

it's an app so 'allow' it and vote for me!!! Thank you for your support and following my blog!

HAPPY FITNESS!!!!!!

Boost Your Workout!!!

Here is a fun & creative way to boost your dull, repetitive workout you are SICK of!

On notecards write an exercise on the front and a different exercise on the back. You will do as many reps as possible of the first exercise for 60 seconds, then flip the card and do as many reps as possible of the second exercise with no rest in between for 60 seconds. You can make as many or as few note cards you want, just take a 30 second rest between "super sets" (two moved done back-to-back without rest in between).

This kind of method is called the zigzag method. It effectively increases lean muscle mass and decreases body fat by engaging more muscle fibers and burning TONS of calories in a short amount of time (www.womenshealthmag.com).

The great thing about this workout is you can do it anywhere! At home, at a hotel, even the workplace. Challenge yourself by increasing your work time to 90 seconds or decrease it if you feel you are not working your hardest for the full minute. Make sure you flip the card after your first exercise and begin the next exercise immediately. Start with making 4 cards. That is 8 exercises total (8 minutes of work/4 minutes rest)

Here are some examples for your notecards:

Notecard 1 -

side A: LUNGES

side B: PUSHUPS

Notecard 2 -

side A: SQUATS

side B: JUMPING JACKS

Notecard 3 -

side A: PLANK

side B: BURPEES

Notecard 4 -

side A: LEFT SIDE PLANK

side B: RIGHT SIDE PLANK

HAPPY FITNESS!!!

Train despite Rain!

When it's raining out and you just can't be bothered to get to the gym, check this out! You can get a REALLY great workout in AT HOME!

Tabata Cardio Workout (20-30 minutes)

This is a great workout for cardio, fat burn, and muscle tone. It requires little or no equipment and you can do it anywhere. It's perfect to do right when you wake up to get your metabolism jump-started and you can add or take away from it to make it easier or more difficult. Here's how it works!

Each movement is 20 seconds of WORK & 10 seconds of REST consecutively

8 rounds (or 4 each leg) each for a total of 4 minutes for each exercise:

Exercise #1: Single Leg Mountain Climbers

In the runner's pose, bring leg that is back up to meet other leg quickly, and kick back out. Keep tummy tight and opposite knee should not go over toe. Do no switch legs until the 2 minute halfway mark

Exercise #2: Push-Ups

You can do regular push-ups or start with "girl" push-ups or both! Keep back straight and bum level

Exercise #3: Reverse Lunges with Lateral Arm Raise

Standing with feet together step backwards with one leg into a reverse lunge, as you come back to standing posion (using light weights or none at all) bring both arms to sides up to shoulder-height

Exercise #4: Knee-to-Elbow Crunches

Lie all the way back and bring elbow up to meet your knee and alternate quickly

Exercise #5: Side Slide Lunge (on towel) with Bicep Curl

Standing feet together with one foot on a towel slide foot out into a side lunge, as you do this using light weights or none at all do a bicep curl with both arms. Release arms and slide back up to standing position

This ends the 20 minute workout. If you would like to add on more to make it a bit longer here are two extra exercises. The importance of this whole workout is to do the 20 seconds of work as hard and intense as possible. This being said, you may want to work up to a longer workout so that you can maximise each set of 20 second intervals

Exercise #5: Plié Sqats

In a stance a bit wider than a normal squat, point toes out and sit back and down as if you're sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go over your toe,s and rise back up

Exercise #6: Russian Twists

Sitting leaning back with feet off the floor clasp hands together and touch the ground to each side of your hips in a quick twisting motion

These 2 exercises add 8 minutes to your 20 minute workout. Feel free to add on or take away, just make sure you're doing the 20 WORK 10 REST method. This is what burns fat and produces long lean muscle mass!!! Cool down and stretch for 2 minutes and you have a challenging yet quick 30 minute workout. Going from one movement to the next without any extra rest (other than the 10 seconds rest after each interval) keeps your heart rate up and triggers anaerobic metabolism. The more you do this the quicker you will reach your fitness and/or weightloss goals!!!!

HAPPY FITNESS!!!

Staying healthy when injured

It is hard to lose weight or stay fit IN GENERAL, but much less when you have an injury! Injuries happen to the best of us; including me, this past week playing indoor soccer! BUMMER!

It is easy to get discouraged and feel like all your weight loss/fitness efforts are wasted, but never fear! There are certain things you can do to maintain your weight or even lose some weight while recovering!

1. RESTRUCTURE your plan until you get back on your feet:

-Refocus your mindset by acknowledging that you are injured, and that sometimes you have to take a detour, but it doesn't mean it's the end of the road.

-Plan ahead! Prep meals ahead of time for work, school, etc, so you are not tempted by the "quick & easy" foods (a.k.a. Fast Food).

2. TWEAK your diet:

-If you are on a LOW anything (carb, calorie, fat, etc) diet, let your Dr. know - you might not be getting the proper nutrients to heal.

-Consider a multi-vitamin if you are allowed to cut back on your calories. Again, check with your Dr. to determine which vitamin is best for you.

-Stick with the Primal foods for natural antioxidants & ample amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat: meat/fish, fruit/vegetables, nuts/seeds.

3. DO what you can without furthering your injury or preventing recovery:

-Get some kind of cardiovascular training (unless you are completely out of commission). For example, if your lower body is injured, amp up your upper body routine with weights, resistance bands, or machines; and vise versa for upper body injuries.

-Consult with your doctor about a swimming routine. A lot of injuries are conducive to swimming, and in many cases swimming actually promotes healing and recovery.

No one wants to be injured, no one wants to get off track, BUT taking a break and letting your body heal is essential. It doesn't mean you have to fall off the bandwagon completely, but maybe just hang on with your leg instead of your arm ;)

HEAL FAST FIT ONES!

Today's Workout

Today's workout 6/14/11

HIIT workout: (30 sec. MAX EFFORT 30 sec. REST)

-Jump Rope (200 rotations)

-Sprint

-Switch lunges

-Jumping Jack squats

-Sprint

-Crunches

-Burpees

-5lb med ball tricep press (15 each arm)

-Sit-ups

-Sprint

-Jump rope (200 rotations)

So today I repeated yesterday's workout, but if you'd like to try something new check this out:

6/5/11

Perform each exercise at max capacity with a 30 second break in between each

-1 min of squat jumps

-1 min of jumping jacks

-1 min of push-ups

-1 min of mountain climbers

After one set rest 2 min and repeat as many times as you want! HAPPY FITNESS!

5/31/11 Workout

For an intense fat-burning workout check this out:

Jump rope 5 min. Run (moderate to fast pace) 5 min.
Jump rope 4 min. Run 4 min.
Jump rope 3 min. Run 3 min.
Jump rope 2 min. Run 2 min.
Jump rope 1 min. Run 1 min.

The first part of the pyramid is 30 min (which is plenty) But if you wish to add more by coming down the pyramid or take away to adjust to your current fitness level go for it! As Rx, this is a great way to burn fat & the quicker the better in this heat! Try it!

GET FIT FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!!!

Use these next few weeks to look your best and feel guilt-free during the holiday season!

Call for a free workout and the great part is

I COME TO YOU!

Hassle-free, QUICK workout at your doorstep! Call Kati at 615.202.7112 to start your own personalized training today!

England, land of the unexpected

WHAT A CRAZY 5 MONTHS!!!! I have had such a great experience playing soccer in another country. Especially England. I can't think of a better place to play competitively (for the last time in my life) than the originating nation, who made the whole world fall in love with "The Beautiful Game". I have learned a lot about myself -no, not in that "Oh she moved to a different country and 'found' herself " way- but more in that I learned that I already know who I am. I stepped on UK soil and instantly made friends, found a team (after a little change in plans) who accepted me and made me feel welcome, had the best roommate I could ask for, and a loving support system back home. Although some days all I could think about was warm sunny Tennessee, (and my dog, Liza Jane) the newness of it all pulled me back up and I was reminded of what a great opportunity I'd been given. I thought, "Hardly anyone gets to do this, Kati, shut up and be thankful!" And I am. Truly thankful & blessed.

Now, even though we speak the same language (arguably) it is still so completely different than America, and especially the South. Every day I learned something new about the country/kingdom and what certain words mean. Apparently if you say "I forgot to bring pants to Spain" they will think you mean "I forgot to bring underwear to Spain". I learned what to say and what not to say very fast! But the traveling has been amazing. Just driving through the English countryside was amazing! And speaking of driving.... Now that IS something I learned about myself. I never thought in a million years that I would be able to drive a stick shift, on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, with a bunch of different signs I didn't understand! WELL folks, I did it! I learned how to drive that cheeky little Nissan Micra (who is about the size of my pinkie finger) so fast and with very little stall-age! I was/am proud of that and I came to love driving all over town and even down to Oxford & Sussex, which is south London. I am so grateful to Matthew for letting me drive it pretty much the whole time I was in England.

So as my time here dwindles down to my last 9 days, I have a few fun things to look forward to! Sunday is my last game and it just so happens to be an FA Cup game. Which is a pretty big deal over here. It would really be nice to go out on a high note and win. Then Friday night I have my going away party with my team, and Saturday I will be leaving Notts for good (tear) and heading down to Sussex for my dear friend's birthday. Then Monday it's off to Heathrow for my long journey home. As much as I love everyone I have met and enjoyed myself to the max I am very happy to see my friends, family and my beloved daughter Liza Jane, who I have missed more than words can say! I also, probably more than anything, cannot WAIT to see my best friend Lane's engagement ring! We have been best friends and more like sisters for almost 25 years! I am her Maid of Honor and am so incredibly happy for her! It will be nice to be home for the holidays. My family is big on "together" time and if anyone is missing it just isn't the same. So here's a list of the other little things I've learned. If you've read this and I'm leaving you- I LOVE YOU and will miss you dearly. If you've read this and I'm coming back to you- I LOVE YOU and can't wait to see you! CHEERS!

1. Ta duck = Thanks mate

2. A-up me duck = hey my friend!

3. Want to go out for a fag? = Want to go have a smoke?

4. People actually cry over football matches

5. You canNOT turn right on red (no, no, no, no!)

6. Football ladies (I use the word ladies loosely) do NOT wear short soccer shorts!

7. boot= trunk

8. A bonnet is not a hat, it's the hood of a car

9. Apparently is un-cool to carry all your soccer gear in a backpack (aka Kit bag)

10. Apparently there is something called a foul throw in soccer other than your standard lift of a foot or step over the line. still weird for me

11. The skipper = The team captain

12. Jeff = Referee

13. There is a different accent for every little village. It's nuts

New developments on processed meats, unprocessed red meats and heart disease

In a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or processed deli meats, was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, the researchers did not find any higher risk of heart disease or diabetes among individuals eating unprocessed red meat, such as from beef, pork, or lamb. This work is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide evidence for how eating unprocessed red meat and processed meat relates to risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

“Although most dietary guidelines recommend reducing meat consumption, prior individual studies have shown mixed results for relationships between meat consumption and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes,” said Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology at HSPH and lead author of the study. “Most prior studies also did not separately consider the health effects of eating unprocessed red versus processed meats.”

Watch a video of Micha describing the findings:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/multimedia/Video/2010/processedmeat/index.html

The study appears on the website of the journal Circulation.

The researchers, led by Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology, and HSPH colleagues Dariush Mozaffarian, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and Sarah Wallace, junior research fellow in the department of epidemiology, systematically reviewed nearly 1,600 studies. Twenty relevant studies were identified, which included a total of 1,218,380 individuals from 10 countries on four continents (United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia).

The researchers defined unprocessed red meat as any unprocessed meat from beef, lamb or pork, excluding poultry. Processed meat was defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with the addition of chemical preservatives; examples include bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli or luncheon meats. Vegetable or seafood protein sources were not evaluated in these studies.

The results showed that, on average, each 50 gram (1.8 oz) daily serving of processed meat (about 1-2 slices of deli meats or 1 hot dog) was associated with a 42% higher risk of developing heart disease and a 19% higher risk of developing diabetes. In contrast, eating unprocessed red meat was not associated with risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. Too few studies evaluated the relationship between eating meat and risk of stroke to enable the researchers to draw any conclusions.

“Although cause-and-effect cannot be proven by these types of long-term observational studies, all of these studies adjusted for other risk factors, which may have been different between people who were eating more versus less meats,” said Mozaffarian. “Also, the lifestyle factors associated with eating unprocessed red meats and processed meats were similar, but only processed meats were linked to higher risk.”

“When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats eaten in the United States, we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives,” said Micha. “This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats.”

Dietary sodium (salt) is known to increase blood pressure, a strong risk factor for heart disease. In animal experiments, nitrate preservatives can promote atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance, effects which could increase risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Given the differences in health risks seen with eating processed meats versus unprocessed red meats, these findings suggest that these types of meats should be studied separately in future research for health effects, including cancer, the authors said. For example, higher intake of total meat and processed meat has been associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer, but unprocessed red meat has not been separately evaluated. They also suggest that more research is needed into which factors (especially salt and other preservatives) in meats are most important for health effects.

Current efforts to update the United States government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are often a reference for other countries around the world, make these findings particularly timely, the researchers say. They recommend that dietary and policy efforts should especially focus on reducing intake of processed meat.

“To lower risk of heart attacks and diabetes, people should consider which types of meats they are eating. Processed meats such as bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid,” said Micha. “Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less would be associated with relatively small risk.”

Reference

“Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Renata Micha, Sarah K. Wallace, Dariush Mozaffarian, Circulation, online May 17, 2010.In a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or processed deli meats, was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, the researchers did not find any higher risk of heart disease or diabetes among individuals eating unprocessed red meat, such as from beef, pork, or lamb. This work is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide evidence for how eating unprocessed red meat and processed meat relates to risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

“Although most dietary guidelines recommend reducing meat consumption, prior individual studies have shown mixed results for relationships between meat consumption and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes,” said Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology at HSPH and lead author of the study. “Most prior studies also did not separately consider the health effects of eating unprocessed red versus processed meats.”

Watch a video of Micha describing the findings:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/multimedia/Video/2010/processedmeat/index.html

The study appears on the website of the journal Circulation.

The researchers, led by Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology, and HSPH colleagues Dariush Mozaffarian, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and Sarah Wallace, junior research fellow in the department of epidemiology, systematically reviewed nearly 1,600 studies. Twenty relevant studies were identified, which included a total of 1,218,380 individuals from 10 countries on four continents (United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia).

The researchers defined unprocessed red meat as any unprocessed meat from beef, lamb or pork, excluding poultry. Processed meat was defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with the addition of chemical preservatives; examples include bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli or luncheon meats. Vegetable or seafood protein sources were not evaluated in these studies.

The results showed that, on average, each 50 gram (1.8 oz) daily serving of processed meat (about 1-2 slices of deli meats or 1 hot dog) was associated with a 42% higher risk of developing heart disease and a 19% higher risk of developing diabetes. In contrast, eating unprocessed red meat was not associated with risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. Too few studies evaluated the relationship between eating meat and risk of stroke to enable the researchers to draw any conclusions.

“Although cause-and-effect cannot be proven by these types of long-term observational studies, all of these studies adjusted for other risk factors, which may have been different between people who were eating more versus less meats,” said Mozaffarian. “Also, the lifestyle factors associated with eating unprocessed red meats and processed meats were similar, but only processed meats were linked to higher risk.”

“When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats eaten in the United States, we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives,” said Micha. “This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats.”

Dietary sodium (salt) is known to increase blood pressure, a strong risk factor for heart disease. In animal experiments, nitrate preservatives can promote atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance, effects which could increase risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Given the differences in health risks seen with eating processed meats versus unprocessed red meats, these findings suggest that these types of meats should be studied separately in future research for health effects, including cancer, the authors said. For example, higher intake of total meat and processed meat has been associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer, but unprocessed red meat has not been separately evaluated. They also suggest that more research is needed into which factors (especially salt and other preservatives) in meats are most important for health effects.

Current efforts to update the United States government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are often a reference for other countries around the world, make these findings particularly timely, the researchers say. They recommend that dietary and policy efforts should especially focus on reducing intake of processed meat.

“To lower risk of heart attacks and diabetes, people should consider which types of meats they are eating. Processed meats such as bacoIn a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found that eating processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or processed deli meats, was associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, the researchers did not find any higher risk of heart disease or diabetes among individuals eating unprocessed red meat, such as from beef, pork, or lamb. This work is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide evidence for how eating unprocessed red meat and processed meat relates to risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

“Although most dietary guidelines recommend reducing meat consumption, prior individual studies have shown mixed results for relationships between meat consumption and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes,” said Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology at HSPH and lead author of the study. “Most prior studies also did not separately consider the health effects of eating unprocessed red versus processed meats.”

Watch a video of Micha describing the findings:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/multimedia/Video/2010/processedmeat/index.html

The study appears on the website of the journal Circulation.

The researchers, led by Renata Micha, a research fellow in the department of epidemiology, and HSPH colleagues Dariush Mozaffarian, assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and Sarah Wallace, junior research fellow in the department of epidemiology, systematically reviewed nearly 1,600 studies. Twenty relevant studies were identified, which included a total of 1,218,380 individuals from 10 countries on four continents (United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia).

The researchers defined unprocessed red meat as any unprocessed meat from beef, lamb or pork, excluding poultry. Processed meat was defined as any meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or with the addition of chemical preservatives; examples include bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs or processed deli or luncheon meats. Vegetable or seafood protein sources were not evaluated in these studies.

The results showed that, on average, each 50 gram (1.8 oz) daily serving of processed meat (about 1-2 slices of deli meats or 1 hot dog) was associated with a 42% higher risk of developing heart disease and a 19% higher risk of developing diabetes. In contrast, eating unprocessed red meat was not associated with risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. Too few studies evaluated the relationship between eating meat and risk of stroke to enable the researchers to draw any conclusions.

“Although cause-and-effect cannot be proven by these types of long-term observational studies, all of these studies adjusted for other risk factors, which may have been different between people who were eating more versus less meats,” said Mozaffarian. “Also, the lifestyle factors associated with eating unprocessed red meats and processed meats were similar, but only processed meats were linked to higher risk.”

“When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed red and processed meats eaten in the United States, we found that they contained similar average amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol. In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, 4 times more sodium and 50% more nitrate preservatives,” said Micha. “This suggests that differences in salt and preservatives, rather than fats, might explain the higher risk of heart disease and diabetes seen with processed meats, but not with unprocessed red meats.”

Dietary sodium (salt) is known to increase blood pressure, a strong risk factor for heart disease. In animal experiments, nitrate preservatives can promote atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance, effects which could increase risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Given the differences in health risks seen with eating processed meats versus unprocessed red meats, these findings suggest that these types of meats should be studied separately in future research for health effects, including cancer, the authors said. For example, higher intake of total meat and processed meat has been associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer, but unprocessed red meat has not been separately evaluated. They also suggest that more research is needed into which factors (especially salt and other preservatives) in meats are most important for health effects.

Current efforts to update the United States government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are often a reference for other countries around the world, make these findings particularly timely, the researchers say. They recommend that dietary and policy efforts should especially focus on reducing intake of processed meat.

“To lower risk of heart attacks and diabetes, people should consider which types of meats they are eating. Processed meats such as bacon, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid,” said Micha. “Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less would be associated with relatively small risk.”

Reference

“Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Renata Micha, Sarah K. Wallace, Dariush Mozaffarian, Circulation, online May 17, 2010.n, salami, sausages, hot dogs and processed deli meats may be the most important to avoid,” said Micha. “Based on our findings, eating one serving per week or less would be associated with relatively small risk.”

Reference

“Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” Renata Micha, Sarah K. Wallace, Dariush Mozaffarian, Circulation, online May 17, 2010.