One final fascinating note…as the patent holder the University of Tennessee can license dairy weight-loss claims to private companies and can sue when these claims are made without said license. It would be interesting to know if Dr. Klauer either paid a licensing fee, or wrote this book in order to avoid having to pay a licensing fee to the U of T.
Calcium and High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease. To back up her claim that calcium lowers blood pressure, Dr. Klauer sites a 1997 clinical trial called DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The conclusions from this trial were that blood pressure could be lowered by a diet high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. You should click here to read all about the DASH study. This is some of that free information that I mentioned earlier, information that is superior to anything that you might pay for.
According to the introduction to the DASH eating plan – and throughout the 24-page document - the key element to lowering blood pressure is to reduce the intake of sodium. In reading DASH you will not find any specific mention that calcium can lower blood pressure, aside from the mention that some single nutrients – one of them calcium – were tested with regards to weight loss and that the tests were inconclusive.
If you check the calcium entry on the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) website you will notice that calcium doesn’t have any affect on the blood pressure of “normotensives,” or those of us with normal blood pressure.
A reduced sodium diet high in fruits, vegetables and quality dairy products apparently helps to keep blood pressure down. However, to say that calcium is responsible for this action is not supported by science. And there certainly isn’t any unequivocal data that shows calcium can prevent heart disease.
Calcium and Colon Cancer. There is research that indicates that calcium may help to prevent polyps that can sometimes lead to colon cancer, but there is hardly clear evidence that calcium has anything more than a moderate preventative effect with regards to the formation of polyps. As a matter of fact, according to a July 19, 2005 article that appeared on WebMD, researchers will need more studies to be completed before the use of calcium can be recommended as a way to prevent colon cancer.
Article comments
1 - Dick Hanneman
Your description of the role of salt reduction on the effectiveness of the DASH Diet is just plain wrong. Correcting mineral deficiencies in DASH -- while holding sodium (salt) constant -- made the difference; reducing salt added nothing in six of the eight subgroups: if you are an older, overweight African-American, salt restriction added some BP benefit (but not necessarily a reduced rate of heart attacks). Consider two facts: With sodium constant at near-normal levels, those with high blood pressure who followed the DASH Diet cut their systolic blood pressure (the important "top number") by 11.4 mmHg. By also cutting salt by 60% (never achieved in a free-living population), the hypertensive subgroup reduced SBP by 11.5 mmHg. So, 11.4 mmHg was the "DASH effect" and 0.1 mmHg was the "salt effect." 'Nuff said.
For more see the Salt Institute's Salt and Health website: http://www.saltinstitute.org/28.html.
Dick Hanneman
President
Salt Institute
2 - sal m
Mr Hanneman:
Perhaps you need to reread what I wrote and the DASH introduction.
Here is what the DASH intro says,
"Recently, two studies showed that blood pressure can be lowered by following a particular eating plan...and reducing the amount of sodium consumed...the combination of the eating plan and a reduced sodium intake gives the biggest benefit and may help prevent the development of high blood pressure."
If you object to the findings of DASH don't waste your time here. Whether or not your industry agrees with the findings matters not one bit to me, but if you disagree go bother the people who did the DASH study.
I used DASH because the author of this book intimates that somehow this study found that calcium had a direct role in lowering blood pressure, not because I am promoting DASH in particular or a low sodium diet.
3 - Angela Groninger
Maybe some of the information contained in Dr. Klauer book can be found online for free, but as a person who has gained and lost probably hundreds of pounds, I find her program and tips quite encouraging. Yes, some of it is condesending, but no doubt, as a women who likes to eat, I've found a loss in my normal cravings and do feel satisfied with her diet. The elimination of "white" foods and lowering empty carbs is awesome. Sure this diet caters to people who can eat less and eat well, so may not be for everyone. It works for me. I feel great and am losing weight. I've tried Weight Watchers and actually GAINED weight...go figure.
4 - Melaine Hruska
I myself am a scientist and have found some issues with the books claims. But there is a message in the book that I do not feel is unhealthy or dangerous! The book is a great motivational tool. I have used it in my weight loss goals and found myself to have more energy than ever, many of my health issues, such as skin and general allergies, subsided. Now, way is this? Because I took the message of eating smaller portions, eating food that American’s have cut completely out of our diet, deceasing things in our diets that are harmful such has high amounts of fats and breads, and drinking the daily amount of water, not soda, sports drinks or even infused fruit waters. Also, getting up and exercising! None of it I find harmful, unless you take it to the extreme! That is true for any diet and why you should consult a doctor before starting a diet/exercise plan.
As for “Starving” on this plan, from my experience I was more filled than I had ever been and for longer! My cravings for fast food and quick fix caffeine drinks diminished over time and I felt great. When ever I did try to start a “FAD” diet that’s when I starved, still not seeing result and consuming twice as many calories! But this is a personal experience! I did ease back into eating small amount of wheat enriched foods but never to the excess that I did! This book offers motivation, encouragement, and a starting point. A starting point to reevaluate what we put in our body’s as American’s and individuals.