2011 Yale Global Health Leadership Institute Conference Begins

Michael Skonieczny

Michel Sidibé

 The Yale Global Health Leadership Institute began its 2011 Conference on Sunday with an opening welcome by GHLI Executive Director, Michael Skonieczny.  “We have two goals for your experience at this Conference,” said Mr. Skonieczny to the 25 delegate representatives from the participating countries of Ethiopia, South Africa, Rwanda, Liberia and Ghana. “Our first goal is to work with each delegation to apply strategic problem solving skills and tools to address each country’s health system challenge that they have brought to the conference.  The second, an equally important goal, is to create a venue for you the delegates to share with each other on your own experiences in dealing with these challenges and other health issues your countries face.”

          Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, was the keynote speaker who shared his thoughts on the collective achievements and vision for the future of HIV/AIDS.  Reviewing 30 years of the AIDS epidemic, Mr. Sidibé called AIDS a “unique story of outrage and a passionate call for action” and the only disease for which a social movement has been created.  Mr. Sidibé said that progress in the fight against AIDS will require taking AIDS out of isolation, fostering links between scientific evidence and leaders, and making AIDS a more integrated part of other global health efforts.

          Now in its third year, the GHLI Conference was created to provide a forum for free exchange among all attendants about their health care and health systems issues.  The Conference will continue through June 10^th when participants will be accompanied back to each of their countries with a GHLI Student Fellow.  The students will reside in their respective country delegation for eight to 10 weeks assisting delegates implement the plans created during the Conference.  

Nina Gumkowski, GHLI Intern 

One accident, two claims: Seattle man charged with insurance fraud

A Seattle man has been charged with insurance fraud and second-degree theft for allegedly filing multiple auto insurance claims for a single accident.

Thanh Thai "Derrick" Dang, 31, was charged Wednesday in King County Superior Court. Both charges are class C felonies, carrying a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

An investigation by the state insurance commmissioner's Special Investigations Unit found that in May 2010, Dang contacted insurer Ameriprise to say that his Toyota RAV4 had been hit by a hit-and-run driver while parked outside a home in Seattle. Ameriprise issued a check for $3,887.

Eight days after the accident, Dang obtained coverage over the internet from Allstate. Almost immediately, he filed a claim with Allstate for damage to the RAV4, saying that the car had been rear-ended while he was driving on Interstate 5. He also claimed that he'd been injured. Allstate issued a check for $3,502 for repairs to the vehicle.

A subsequent investigation by Allstate's anti-fraud unit showed that the RAV4 damage was identical in both claims.

A hearing in Dang's case is scheduled for June 13th.

Update (9/20/2011): King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead ordered Dang to pay restitution to both Allstate and Ameriprise, plus $600 to the court. He was also sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

What is a good low carbohydrate diet? It is a low calorie one

My interview with Jimmy Moore should be up on the day that this post becomes available. (I usually write my posts on weekends and schedule them for release at the beginning of the following weeks.) So the time is opportune for me to try to aswer this question: What is a good low carbohydrate diet?

For me, and many people I know, the answer is: a low calorie one. What this means, in simple terms, is that a good low carbohydrate diet is one with plenty of seafood and organ meats in it, and also plenty of veggies. These are low carbohydrate foods that are also naturally low in calories. Conversely, a low carbohydrate diet of mostly beef and eggs would be a high calorie one.

Seafood and organ meats provide essential fatty acids and are typically packed with nutrients. Because of that, they tend to be satiating. In fact, certain organ meats, such as beef liver, are so packed with nutrients that it is a good idea to limit their consumption. I suggest eating beef liver once or twice a week only. As for seafood, it seems like a good idea to me to get half of one’s protein from them.

Does this mean that the calories-in-calories-out idea is correct? No, and there is no need to resort to complicated and somewhat questionable feedback-loop arguments to prove that calories-in-calories-out is wrong. Just consider this hypothetical scenario; a thought experiment. Take two men, one 25 years of age and the other 65, both with the same weight. Put them on the same exact diet, on the same exact weight training regime, and keep everything else the same.

What will happen? Typically the 65-year-old will put on more body fat than the 25-year-old, and the latter will put on more lean body mass. This will happen in spite of the same exact calories-in-calories-out profile. Why? Because their hormonal mixes are different. The 65-year-old will typically have lower levels of circulating growth hormone and testosterone, both of which significantly affect body composition.

As you can see, it is not all about insulin, as has been argued many times before. In fact, average and/or fasting insulin may be the same for the 65- and 25-year-old men. And, still, the 65-year-old will have trouble keeping his body fat low and gaining muscle. There are other hormones involved, such as leptin and adiponectin, and probably several that we don’t know about yet.

A low carbohydrate diet appears to be ideal for many people, whether that is due to a particular health condition (e.g., diabetes) or simply due to a genetic makeup that favors this type of diet. By adopting a low carbohydrate diet with plenty of seafood, organ meats, and veggies, you will make it a low calorie diet. If that leads to a calorie deficit that is too large, you can always add a bit more of fat to it. For example, by cooking fish with butter and adding bacon to beef liver.

One scenario where I don’t see the above working well is if you are a competitive athlete who depletes a significant amount of muscle glycogen on a daily basis – e.g., 250 g or more. In this case, it will be very difficult to replenish glycogen only with protein, so the person will need more carbohydrates. He or she would need a protein intake in excess of 500 g per day for replenishing 250 g of glycogen only with protein.

Lower Cholesterol, Naturally

How's your cholesterol? The good news is that lowering your cholesterol down to a safer level could be easier than you think. In fact, with simple lifestyle modifications people often see significant reductions in cholesterol within six weeks.

Get going right now, with these 10 easy, all natural tips:

Get Moving

Whether your goal is to lower your cholesterol, shed some extra pounds, or both, regular exercise can help you get there. I’m not talking about high-intensity workouts, either, though boosting your intensity can elevate HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Walking and other, more moderate physical activities are good for your heart, too. Walking is one of the simplest, safest and least expensive LDL-lowering strategies. Walking just 30 minutes a day protects the heart by increasing the size of LDL particles (bigger is better), decreasing inflammation and targeting dangerous belly fat. Just remember to pick up the pace, because faster is better for health and longevity. Whichever activity (or activities) you choose, just make sure you're doing it for 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

Shed a Few Pounds

If you weigh more than you should, slimming down may produce a significant drop in your cholesterol level. In fact, shedding just 5 to 10 pounds may be enough to improve your cholesterol level. If you’re making sure to fit in some workouts into your daily routine, you’ll already be on your way to shedding a few pounds!

Limit Animal Products

In general, cutting your dietary saturated fats will lower cholesterol. Peanut butter, avocados, olive and canola oils, and most nuts are mostly monounsaturated fat (fat that can help lower LDL and triglycerides while raising HDL). It's a much healthier choice than saturated fat, found primarily in animal products--meats, butter, full-fat milk and cheese. Saturated fat can elevate your cholesterol level more than anything else you might eat.

Eat More Fiber, Particularly Beans

Fruits & vegetables, including whole grains, are good sources not only of heart-healthy antioxidants but also cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, can help lower cholesterol. It acts like a sponge to absorb cholesterol in the digestive tract.

Except for your morning wheat bran, no food is more fiber-rich than beans. And beans are especially high in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Eating a cup of any type of beans a day-particularly kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans-can lower cholesterol by as much as 10 percent in 6 weeks.

Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their re-absorption into the body. This may be why soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels (and decreases the risk of heart disease). Soluble fiber is also found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, beans, apples, carrots, and most other fruits and vegetables.

Keep your cupboards stocked with canned beans of all kinds: black, white, kidney, fat-free refried, etc. You'll always have the makings of a delicious, healthful dinner on hand. Beans add protein and fiber to any dish and can be used in salads, stuffed baked potatoes, veggie chili, or pureed for sandwich spreads. And since they come in cans, beans are handy to use. But remember to rinse canned beans first--they're packed in a high-sodium liquid.

Savor Dark Organic Chocolate

Want to help your heart the next time you indulge in chocolate candy? Choose the dark (at least 70% or more), organic kind. Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than three times as many antioxidants. These flavonoid antioxidants work to keep blood platelets from sticking together and may even help keep your arteries unclogged. Unfortunately, white chocolate has no flavonoids at all. Savor one small square each day, for your health!

Eat Apples

An apple a day keeps the cardiologist away. They serve up a cholesterol-lowering fiber called pectin. Another ingredient in apples, called polyphenols, functions as a strong antioxidant and prompts the liver to clear LDL cholesterol. Eating the apple skin ensures the highest level of antioxidant intake.

Drink Green

Research in both animals and humans has shown that green tea contains compounds that can help lower LDL cholesterol. Green tea is available in a variety of different flavors for you to find one that suits your taste buds!

Eat Garlic

Garlic is a regular chemical factory, with lots of active ingredients that not only lower LDL, but also function as powerful antioxidants and blood thinners. Garlic lowers LDL by dampening the activity of the main cholesterol-producing enzyme in the liver. Eating as little as a clove a day has been shown to rev up the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots, which can precipitate a heart attack by sealing off plaque-filled arteries.

Eat Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a wonderful plant source of omega-3 anti-inflammatory fats, a plus in countering the inflammatory disorder atherosclerosis. Two other components of flaxseeds actually target LDL cholesterol: lignan and fiber. Lignans are hormone-like plant chemicals that function as powerful antioxidants and dampen the actions of two key cholesterol-producing enzymes. Be sure to eat only ground flaxseeds, or else their thick coating inhibits digestion. Keep flaxseeds (ground or whole) in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent spoiling.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking lowers levels of HDL "good" cholesterol and is a major risk factor for heart disease.

WAIT: Check This Out!!!!

Andrea Beaman just posted a really interesting article on her website called The Cholesterol Myth. It's interesting and definitely worth giving a quick read. She talks about the importance of cholesterol as well as certain factors that may be contributing to high cholesterol levels. I LOVE her!!!!!!

Keep it fresh!
- Lauren