Can the right diet really heal?
ChroniquesDuVasteMonde: Numerous non-fiction books, articles and TV formats are currently exploring how a healthy diet can cure diseases such as diabetes or even cancer. Is food the new wonder drug ??
PROF. DR. HANS HAUNER: No, food can not cure, of course, but a healthy diet already has a big impact on the success of recovery - especially in modern well-being like diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver, gout, Joint and kidney diseases or osteoporosis, "Cancer cells do not like raspberries" is the title of a book. How can so-called cancer diets help, which are often very carbohydrate-reduced? Cancer diets are utter nonsense. For cancer, it makes sense to eat a healthy diet and above all to be of normal weight. Overweight and underweight, on the other hand, have a negative effect on the course of the disease.
So it is not true that sugar promotes the growth of cancer cells?
That cancer cells do not get sugar is practically impossible. The body cells and especially the brain need glucose, That's why a sufficient amount of sugar always floats in your blood, no matter what you eat. However, the so-called "keto diet", which is almost carbohydrate-free, is at best tested in animal studies, which can not be transferred to humans.
Often you also read that certain foods contain inflammation.
There are indeed nutrients that have pro- or anti-inflammatory effects. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids, which are found in baking and frying fats, cause inflammation. Even with sugar, there are indications that it promotes inflammation - all these products should also be used sparingly for this reason. whole grain products and generally one herbal food counteract inflammation. In addition has fish oil a weak anti-inflammatory effect. Studies with fish oil capsules or one to two fish consumption per week show that arthritis improve something and you can possibly save medication. The same applies to multiple sclerosis.
What role does the intestinal flora play in autoimmune diseases and mental illnesses such as depression, Alzheimer's or autism?
Scientists are studying the intestinal flora and their colonization with bacteria very intensively - and how it changes depending on lifestyle or disease. But we are still miles away from formulating nutritional recommendations.?
In type 2 diabetes there are patients ,? who do not have to take their medication after a change in diet anymore. How does such a diabetes diet look like?
In principle, a healthy diet is enough, that is, it is emphasized vegetable, should not be too many processed foods as well low saturated fats from meat and sausages. The proportion of carbohydrates can not be precisely defined. Recently, rather than macronutrients, rather Food groups recommended: fruit and vegetables, whole grain products such as fish and lean meat are good, just like fermented Dairy products as yogurt and cheese.
Sugary drinks on the other hand are malefactors that no one needs. Sugar in large quantities not only leads to obesity and diabetes, but also directly to cardiovascular diseases. In overweight diabetic patients, however, the most important goal is to lose weight. If you manage to reduce the weight by only five to ten percent, then it may mean that the person has completely normal sugar levels.
Also, you can read a lot about the positive effects of fasting.
Yes, because fasting has a positive effect on many, at least in the short term Metabolic Diseases as Type 2 diabetes, Gout, high blood pressure, Dyslipidemia or inflammatory diseases like rheumatism out. Inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-6 are down-regulated and complaints, such as pain, can improve. But these are only short-term effects, the diseases are not cured, because you can not fast in the long run. In addition, there is a risk that you then gain more weight, which then in turn has a detrimental effect on the metabolism.
Coconut oil is currently being heavily hypersized, it should help against obesity, but also against Alzheimer's, because it? increase the number of antioxidant enzymes in the body ...
Scientifically, nothing is proven. Coconut oil basically consists of saturated fatof which we should eat less anyway. To be sure, these are partly medium-chain fatty acids, so-called MCTs, such as lauric acid.MCTs are more digestible and at least have no harmful effect on blood cholesterol. But that's not enough to recommend them in large quantities, the hype is incomprehensible to me. Much better Olive or rapeseed oil, They provide monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease.
Cancer diets are utter nonsense. It is important to eat healthily!
Every third German citizen already takes supplements such as vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids. Is that really necessary ? or wasting money ??
Healthy people who eat reasonably well-balanced diets do not need nutritional supplements. They also help with any disease. Only that Vitamin D is given a certain protection against osteoporosis in people over the age of 60 years. It is also sometimes recommended in cancer therapy, but there is no scientific evidence. And vegans should definitely take vitamin B 12. Even iodine can be scarce and should then be supplemented.
Which foods should one avoid in any case in order to stay healthy and fit as long as possible ??
Nothing is forbidden. Drinking a Fanta, eating a sausage or a croissant is not a problem, as the metabolism is very flexible. It's all about that Nutritional pattern in the long run, If it provides large amounts of unfavorable foods in the long term, then it becomes a problem. A healthy diet is the Mediterranean diet with plenty of olive oil and vegetables. Also the ovo-lactose-vegetarian diet - so without meat, but with milk and eggs? acts protective. However, meat substitutes are just as unhealthy as other highly processed products.
Can healthy people do something to prevent them from getting sick?
A healthy diet can not only prevent obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but also Alzheimer and certain cancers like Dilcoma, breast, uterine or liver cancer, Recent meta-analyzes show that fiber protects against breast cancer, while much red meat increases the risk of colon cancer and much alcohol increases liver cancer. However, a healthy diet does not fight against depression.
Many people feel better when they change their diet. Is that mainly because they are aware of their eating habits and become active or indeed on the healthy ingredients of carrots, broccoli and kale?
That depends on where you start from. A roast pork eater will feel better with a plant-based diet just because he is not so weighted and so quickly tired. A light diet simply leads to a better well-being. In addition, there are psychological effects: that is, you want to do something good, feel better and this then occurs according to the Self-fulfilling prophecy also a. However, individual ingredients such as vegetables have no detectable effect on our emotional well-being.
Prof. Dr. Hans Hauner, Nutritionist, since 2003 director of the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Center for Nutritional Medicine at the Technical University of Munich. Incidentally, interviewer Kathrin Burger herself has just published a book on the subject of healthy nutrition: "Eat Better By The Way" (224 pp., 16.90 euros, Stiftung Warentest).
