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Insider Supplement Secrets

Posted on: Sunday, 2 January 2005, 03:00 CST

WHAT DO THE EXPERTS REALLY TAKE?

Our advice? Avoid copying the personal dietary and supplement regimen of any health expert. Your diet and your supplements should be tailored to your own medical conditions, genetic predispositions, age and level of physical activity. In other words, do as the experts say, not necessarily what they do. Still, they do make some very interesting choices, don't they?

Have you ever wondered what supplements the top health gurus actually take-you know, for their own personal use when they're at home and out of the public eye?

Sure, most health experts outline their ideal nutritional programs in books. But with their hectic lives, what foods do they really eat? And what supplements do they privately rely on?

Could they be experimenting on themselves with asyet-unproven anti-aging concoctions from their labs?

We set out to track down the answers, acquiring in the process a greater appreciation of how busy these nutritional celebrities are.

But what we eventually discovered led us on our own amazing, behind-the-scenes tour of personal supplement secrets-brushing teeth with probiotics; red rice yeast and dark chocolate used as supplements; and a multi-source oil blended to a precise omega balance. And more.

Dean Ornish, MD

Daily Supplements

* a small portion of dark chocolate inosl. days-it's packed with antioxidants

* 3 grains of fish oil -dioxin, PCB, mercury and other toxins removed

* 1,000 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C

* 200 micrograms (meg) of selenium

* 400 international unils (IU) of vitamin E

* one iron-free mulivitamin

The Expert:

Dean Ornish, MD, is the clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute. The clinical research he directed over several decades has altered the way we look at fat.

Ornish's work proved-for the first time-that dietary and lifestyle changes can reverse even severe heart disease without drugs or surgery.

Appointed to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, Dr. Ornish is currently directing studies demonstrating that lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer.

His dietaiy advice is outlined in five books, including his New York Times' bestsellers Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease and Eat More, Weigh Less. LIFE magazine chose him as one of the "50 most influential members" of his generation.

For more, just scoot over to his informative Web site at www.ornish.com. But for the information we were seeking, we did something no other magazine has-we peeked inside his fridge.

Personal Diet:

Don't look for gravy or bacon in the Ornish household. In his private life, Ornish adheres firmly to the diet he has advocated publicly for the past 25 years: one low in saturated fats.

"My diet is a low-fat, whole-foods diet rich in unrefined, good carbs," says Ornish.

By good carbs, he means complex carbohydrates. He eats fruits, vegetables, legumes-which includes soy-and whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat flour.

When he does consume fatty food, it's high in essential fatty acids-healthful fat-or, as the low-fat guru puts it: "On occasion, a small piece offish."

And he says a little dark chocolate is good for you. Music to our ears.

Stuart Trager, MD

Daily Supplements

* essential oils: a combination of omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatly acids

* a multivilainin and mullimineral complex-no added starch, sugar or yeast

The Expert:

Stuart Trager, MD, may be the chief of hand surgery at the nationally prominent Pennsylvania Hospital, but he is much more widely known as the principal speaker and media spokesman for the Atkins !Nutritional Approach.

In case you've been living in a cave for the past decade, that's the dietary plan of the late Robert Atkins, MD, that stresses proteins and fats while severely restricting carbohydrates.

Trager serves as medical director of Atkins Nutritionals Inc. and as chaimian of the Atkins Physicians Council, which provides information on the low-carb regimen.

But what does he eat?

Personal Diet:

Carbohydrates are strictly controlled in the Trager household-as you might expect of perhaps the world's strongest proponent of the Atkins Diet-but not as restricted as you might mink.

This Atkins adherent is into his "lifetime maintenance phase" of the famous low-carb weight-management diet. Translation: Trager has been restricting carbs in favor of protein long enough to arrive at the final stage of the Atkins Diet, a stage in which he is allowed to reintroduce some carbs into his diet.

And that diet-which he describes as "rich in nutrient-dense whole foods"includes a substantial intake of animal products.

Although carbs are linked with energy, limiting his intake hasn't slowed him down at all. He has a passion for fitness, participating in triathlons and marathons.

"Having been unsuccessful with the standard low-calorie/low-fat approach," says Trager, "controlling carbohydrates has provided me with greater energy and has been easier to adhere to."

Andrew Weil, MD

Daily Supplements

* two baby-strength aspirin tablets

* a special inultivitamin antioxidanl that he designed and formulated himself

* a soft yellow cocnzyinc Q10

* cholestin - red rice yeast

The Expert:

Through www.DrWeil.com-his Web site that logs over 8 million page views a month-Andrew Weil, MD, may be North America's best known advocate of integrative medicine. This field involves the incorporation of conventional and complementary medicine practices.

As clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Weil-pronounced "while"-founded and directs the Program in Integrative Medicine. His books Spontaneous Healing, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, Eating Well for Optimum Health and The Healthy Kitchen have all been national bestsellers. Readers may have caught the gray-bearded doctor on one of his many appearances on Oprah or the Larry King Show.

He believes in combining traditional medicine with herbs, supplements and organic foods for optimum health-but exactly what foods and supplements does he prescribe for Dr. Weil, the patient?

Personal Diet:

For the most part, Weil is a vegetarian.

"I eat some fish and a lot of organic produce," says Weil, "focusing more on vegetables than fruit."

He also consumes soy as much as possible. His food choices include some natural cheeses but minimal amounts of bread and pasta- and always whole grain.

He is careful to vary his diet.

Udo Erasmus, PhD

Daily Supplements

* 9 iron-free multivitamin/mineral capsules-3 in the morning, 3 at noon, 3 at night

* an "age-specific" probiotic-brushed onto teeth at bedtime

* vitamin E-1,600 IU

* vitamin C - 3,000 mg

* coenzyme QlO

* lipoic acid

* 2-4Tbs. of a blend of flax, sesame, sunflower, evening primrose and other oils

* one probiotic lozenge and 2-4 digestive enzymes with every meal

* 2 Tbs. of a powdered fiber and 2 Tbs. of powdered greens

The Expert:

His book Fais That Heal, Fats That Kill long ago became the industry's bible on omega fats. Since the mid-1980s, his ongoing series of public lectures, TV appearances and a second book have introduced the world to the vital importance of essential fatty acids (EFA).

Udo Erasmus, PhD-who studied biochemistry and genetics at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada-popularized the use of unrefined organic flaxseed oil as a source of omega-rich fats. Later, Erasmus developed a precise multi-oil blend with "a better ratio of omega-3 to omega-6."

The topics of his lectures-which stress the distinction between various good fats and bad fats-are outlined on his Web site at www.rightfatcliet.com.

Erasmus' latest book, Choosing the Right Fats, is described as a guide to healthful eating. But he wrote it for the public at large, which raises a question: What are his personal health secrets?

Personal Diet:

As you would expect, Erasmus stresses the correct intake of fats in his own food choices. He sticks with natural, unprocessed foods: primarily greens, nuts, organic chicken, "lots and lots of salads"- and oil.

"I ensure I get enough organic, unrefined seed oil blends that give me the right fats I need while decreasing my carb cravings," says Erasmus. "I use omega-3 from seeds to avoid the contamination found in fish." He very rarely eats red meat.

Erasmus follows the "right fat carb-conscious diet"-a diet that he developed. He tracks his own physical activity and then adjusts his daily carbohydrate intake accordingly.

"I know that if I don't do enough physical activity to burn the carbs, I will end up wearing them - as fat."

Copyright Sabot Publishing, Inc. Jan 2005

Source: Better Nutrition

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