1 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Illness un Masks. I'm doctor Nicole Safire and 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: this is your weekly rundown. Today, we're going to break 3 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: down the new US dietary guidelines. While this doesn't really 4 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: sound like a very exciting topic, there's just been a 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,079 Speaker 1: little bit of controversy surrounding it, so let's dive in 6 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: and pay attention because they don't really stack up against 7 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: the Make America Healthy Again movement. In fact, they had 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: just put out their own dietary guidelines, and guess what, 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 1: they don't match each other. Because while they may sound 10 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: aligned at first glance, the details tell a more complicated story. 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: So let's start with what's new. The latest federal guidelines 12 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: double down on a simple message, eat real food. We've 13 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: been hearing this from Secretary Kennedy and the MAHA movement 14 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: since President Trump came into the White House. That's what 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: they want you to do. They want you to eat 16 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: real fruit and vegetables and meats. Stay away from the 17 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: ultra processed foods. That means prioritizing whole minimally processed foods. 18 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: So again, focus on the periphery of the grocery store 19 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: and not all the processed stuff that are in the 20 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: center of the grocery stores. All of this while also 21 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: cutting back on added sugars, refined carbs, and yes, all 22 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 1: those ultra processed products that you find in the center 23 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: of the grocery store. There's also a major shift in 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: protein guidance. Americans are now being encouraged to eat more 25 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: protein overall. This target's significantly higher than in past guidelines. 26 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: All of a sudden, protein super important. Let's focus on protein, 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: and for the first time, the government is explicitly calling 28 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: out ultra processed foods and chemical additives as something to limit, 29 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 1: if not avoid altogether. Now this is a big move 30 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: because this is something Secretary Ken He's been talking about 31 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: for a while. So people are getting in lockstep because 32 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: the reality is you cannot argue with the fact that 33 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: ultra processed foods, refine sugars, and all of that are 34 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: not good for our health. We live in a world 35 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: where chronic illness is an epidemic and a lot of 36 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: it is what we eat. You've heard what we say, 37 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: You are what you eat, and we eat a lot 38 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: of refined sugars and ultra processed foods. It's true. All 39 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 1: this sounds familiar, and that's because it overlaps heavily with MAHA. 40 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: The MAHA movement, again champion by Secretary Kennedy, has been 41 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: pushing a similar real food philosophy fewer additives, less processed food, 42 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: and more nutrient dense whole ingredients. But here's where things 43 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: start to diverge. In the announcements this week under MAHA influence, 44 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: the new guidelines and especially the new Food Pyramid that 45 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 1: they put out a much stronger emphasis on animal based foods, 46 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 1: including red meat and full fat dairy. Now that's a 47 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: big departure from more traditional evidence based recommendations from groups 48 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: like the American Heart Association, which still favor plant based proteins, 49 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: lean meats like chicken and fish, and low fat dairy 50 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: all in all to reduce cardiovascular risk. Another difference they 51 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: talk about saturated fats. Historically, guidelines have told Americans to 52 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: limit saturated fat intake due to its link with heart disease. 53 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: Now that guidance technically still exists, but it's now paired 54 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: with messaging that's more permissive of foods like butter cheese, 55 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 1: red meat, which has kind of raised some eyebrows in 56 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: the medical community. And there's also a philosophical shift happening here. 57 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: Traditional guidelines are built on decades of large scale nutrition 58 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: science and tend to emphasize population level risk reduction, especially 59 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,839 Speaker 1: for heart disease. Maha, on the other hand, leans into 60 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: a more holistic, anti processed food and sometimes anti establishment approach. 61 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: And by the way, I don't object to being anti 62 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: establishment because sometimes being anti establishment is exactly what people 63 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: need because science is never settled and what may have 64 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: been true twenty years ago may have evolved. So it's 65 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: okay to evolve. Just because something was established doesn't mean 66 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: that it was right. It's okay to look into things, 67 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: and it's okay to change our opinions focusing on food quality, 68 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: agricultural practices and just reducing chemical exposure in the food supply. 69 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: It's always a good thing, right, So what does everything 70 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: mean this week? The overlap is actually where the strongest 71 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 1: consensus lies. Everyone is saying eat more whole food, cut 72 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 1: back on sugar, and avoid the ult process junk. I 73 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: think we can all get on board that. I certainly 74 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: can now. Where things get murky is just in the details, 75 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: especially around meat, dairy, and fats. And that's where just 76 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: personalization matters, because at the end of the day. No 77 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: single guideline fits everyone. Your metabolic health, cardiovascular risks, and 78 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: lifestyle all play a role in determining what's best for you. 79 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: Bottom line, we're seeing a convergence on real food, but 80 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: a divergence on what that should look like on your 81 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: actual dinner plate. For my family, I've always been a 82 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: fan of whole milk. I think they the health benefits 83 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 1: of whole milk outweigh the amount of fat and calories 84 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: that are in whole milk. That is also because that 85 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: I make sure that my entire family maintains the recommended 86 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: physical activity throughout the week because I want to make 87 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: sure we're having healthy fats. Healthy fats are good for you. 88 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: I also make sure that we eat adequate red meat 89 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: because there are incredible nutritional benefits to red meat. We 90 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: don't eat red meat every single day because there are 91 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 1: some documented risks with high consumption of red meat and 92 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: smoke meat, like colon cancer and some other things. So 93 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: while I do support red meat and my family consumes 94 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: red meat, I also do like lean proteins, specifically chicken 95 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: and fish, and so we do that many days a 96 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: week as well. So whatever is right for your family 97 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: is going to be right. But you have to make 98 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: sure you're coupling these whole foods, these natural foods, with 99 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: a decrease in the ultra processed and refined sugar crap. 100 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: And you need to make sure you're getting physical activity. 101 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: If you are the person who is stopping by Starbucks 102 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: every single day, I guarantee whatever sugar content is in 103 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: that coffee drink that you're ordering, that's probably more than 104 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: the recommended dose. The first thing you should consider doing 105 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: if you're trying to live a healthier life cutting back 106 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: on that sugary crap. And the first thing is whatever 107 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: you're putting into your morning coffee, because unless you're drinking 108 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: it black, it's probably not good for you. While coffee 109 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: itself is very good for you, the stuff we add 110 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: to it makes it unhealthy for us. So, as always, 111 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: the science and the debate will continue. The MAHA movement 112 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: is saying, focus on meat, animal meat, animal products, that's 113 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: the place to be. American Dietariat and every other medical 114 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: association is saying a little bit within moderation, we like 115 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 1: animal meats and animal products, but we also prefer plant 116 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 1: based protein like legoomes beans. All of that I like 117 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: beans and legumes because they're super high in fiber, and 118 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: the American diet, as you've heard me say, is very 119 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 1: low in fiber. So we do need to increase our fiber. 120 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 1: Everything in moderation. It's all about mix and you need 121 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: to do what works for your family. Make sure you're 122 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: talking to your doctor, your dietitian, whoever you're talking to 123 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: if you're going to change your diet. But we are 124 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: what we eat. If we want to live healthier, we 125 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 1: need to take a strong, hard look at what we 126 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: are putting in our bodies. This is doctor Nicole Sapphire. 127 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Wellness on MASS. 128 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: Be sure to listen to Wellness on Mass on iHeartRadio, 129 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and I'll 130 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: see you next time.