Is Red Meat Really Bad for You or Not?

Intro

Hey what’s happening?!!…

This is Isai Rodriguez… host of the DadSplanation Podcast where I cater to the Professional Working Man, 40 and above, who’s looking to make positive changes to his health, lose weight, and become stronger overall through simple lifestyle changes.

I’m here to share inspiration, tips and proven lessons that I’ve personally learned and lived through in my 40+ years on this beautiful blue planet.

So today we’ll be talking about the 6 Scientifically Proven Ways To Reset Your Mind After An Unprecedented COVID-19 Year and then we’ll move on to our 2nd segment with Is Red Meat Really Bad for You or Not?…

And before we get into that, if you’d like to continue the conversation, then get on over to podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip to get on the VIP Insider’s Community where I share more entertaining “behind-the-scenes” stories, tips, and hacks that’ll keep you feeling younger each and every day!

That’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip…

Again, that’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip… be in the know… starting right now

Also, don’t forget to rate me on Apple Podcasts… aka iTunes… OR wherever you’re listening to this Podcast episode… AND leave me a NICE… FAT… JUICY… 5-star-review and some absolutely beautiful words of why you love the show so much! It really helps me get the word out and it’s honestly the one place where your vote truly matters!

And now let’s move into our first segment… Healthy Conversations…

Healthy Conversations:  6 Scientifically Proven Ways To Reset Your Mind After An Unprecedented COVID-19 Year

OH MAN!!!

So in last week’s episode… I think I struck a nerve with my VIP community! (In a good way, of course…)

If you remember, we were talking about how to use the 8 points of wellness… or rather, the 8 dimensions…

And if you remember back to that episode, they were (1) Physical, (2) Social, (3) Emotional, (4) Spiritual, (5) Intellectual, (6) Financial, (7) Occupational, and (8) Environmental…

And we talked about how we could use these dimensions… these realms (if you will)… to set healthy boundaries for ourselves in order to start setting your New Year up right… (mentally speaking, of course!)

… we want to mentally enter the New Year with a positive outlook and starting with proper boundaries will essentially do exactly that!

And so I said earlier that I struck a nerve because… Dang!… the feedback that I got from you all was Awesome! It was friggin amazing, for sure!

So I know you’re listening and I wanted to personally THANK YOU!!

I really appreciate it and like I said… I AM listening! In fact, I’d shout you out by name on the show but I haven’t gotten your permission to do so just yet so we’ll leave it at a very heart-felt THANK YOU and a warm brotherly hug!…

So anyway… since it appears that everyone agrees with me as far as people’s mental state not being “all-there”…

I basically decided to dig a little deeper into this… and now, this is something that I normally do with my VIP community… I usually go a little deeper into topics but since it seems to be a hot one, I figured…

“Why not start the New Year off with a little FREEBIE (if you know what I mean?)”

Because there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that 2020 was hard for everyone and tragic for so many others.

And now that COVID vaccines are finally here and slowly being pushed out to all the frontline workers… or Heroes, if you ask me… it’s giving much needed hope of a return to normalcy and a truly happy 2021.

But the thing is that we’ve all dealt with months of anxiety, grief and loneliness and this can easily create a spiral of negativity that’s hard to break out of.

Your brain has been trained to hear and accept negativity… you hear it in the news… You see it all over Social Media and on the Internet in general.

After a while, that becomes part of you… you start becoming ONE with your environment.

And that’s mostly because chronic stress changes the brain… So all the repetitive negativity, changes or rewires your brain and your way of thinking into a negative one…

And sometimes when we’re low, you end up having no interest in doing the things that could actually make you feel better.

And the reality IS that to enjoy your life in 2021, you’ll need to snap out of your destructive habits and get your energy levels back. Mentally center yourself and your energy… or Re-Calibrate your energy.

In some cases, that’ll initially mean forcing yourself to do the things that will gradually make you feel better BUT if you’re experiencing more severe symptoms, there’s no denying that you may want to speak to a professional about therapy or even medication.

Hopefully it doesn’t get to that point but none-the-less… I wanted to throw it out there as a disclaimer.

So having been disclaimed… Here are six evidenced-based ways to change your brain for the better…

Be kind and helpful

Kindness and empathy can affect the brain dramatically… In fact, there was a study that showed that making a charitable donation activated the brain’s reward system in a similar way to actually receiving money and it also applies to helping others who have been wronged.

Volunteering can also give a sense of meaning in life, promotes happiness, health and wellbeing.

Also… Older adults who volunteer regularly will exhibit greater life satisfaction and reduced depression and anxiety…

So in a nutshell… making others happy is a great way to make yourself happy.

Exercise

I love exercise… I can be lazy at times… OR many times (if you’re speaking to my wife) BUT the reality is that exercise has been linked to both better physical and mental health, including improved cardiovascular health and reduced depression…

They say that children who get the right amount of daily exercise, perform better in school overall AND it also promotes better cognitive functions and job performance in young adults.

In older adults, exercise maintains cognitive performance and builds your resistance to mental disorders like dementia.

So there were studies that show how individuals with higher levels of fitness have increased brain volume, which is associated with better cognitive performance in older adults.

So basically people who exercise have been known to have larger brains or at least more Grey Matter in the brain which is the part of the brain that contains most of the brain’s neuronal cell bodies.

These cell bodies are located in the part of the brain involved with muscle control, and sensory perception such as seeing and hearing, memory, emotions, speech, decision making, and self-control.

Also… I think we all know this one but it’s worth mentioning that people who exercise live longer.

One of the very best things that you can do to reboot your brain is to go out and get some fresh air during a nice brisk walk, a run, or maybe riding a bike outdoors.

And now the key with this fresh air thing is to make sure you pick something you actually like doing so you keep doing it.

I personally like variety so that’s why I’m always trying new exercises and I’ll bring those exercises that I like to you all because if you’re like me, then I know you’ll appreciate it as well.

Eat well

It’s pretty well known that nutrition can substantially influence the development and health of brain structure and function which in turn will support a more positivity focused outlook on life overall.

It provides the proper building blocks for the brain to create and maintain connections, which is critical for improved cognition and academic performance.

There’s evidence that shows that a long-term lack of nutrients can lead to structural and functional damage to the brain AND not only that but a good quality diet is related to larger brain volume.

In fact, one study of 20,000 participants from the UK-Biobank showed that a higher intake of cereal had the long-term beneficial effects of increasing the volume of grey matter (again, a key component of the central nervous system), which is linked to improved cognition.

The study also went on to say how diets that are rich in sugar, saturated fats, or calories basically do the opposite… they can damage your neural function which at the end of the day, diminishes your cognition or your cognitive processes.

So you won’t feel or be AS SHARP as someone who eats a cleaner diet and goes out for a long walk or a run…

A not-so-great diet essentially reduces the brain’s ability to make new neural connections, which (again) negatively affects your cognition.

So no matter what your age, remember to eat a well-balanced diet, including fruits, vegetables and cereal… And if you’re like me and want to squeeze that extra performance out of your brain and your body, then you may want to get your hands on some premium supplements to help you do that.

Keep socially connected

Believe it or not… this is a big one whether you’re Extroverted or Introverted… Doesn’t matter.

Loneliness and social isolation is super common across all ages, genders and cultures… and this is just Generally speaking… So you can imagine how much more elevated this has been due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s a TON of scientific evidence that shows that social isolation is harmful to your physical, cognitive and mental health.

In fact, one recent study (in particular) showed how COVID isolation has a negative effect on how well your brain handles your emotions… this same study also said that the effect was smaller in those people that stayed connected with others during the lockdown.

So this leads you to believe that developing social connections essentially decreases or lessens your feelings of loneliness…

And because of this… loneliness and social isolation are increasingly being recognised as critical public health issues… because in all honesty, IT IS…

It’s kind of like the stories you hear of people who are thrown in solitary confinement…

What happens to them?… They end up going bat-shit crazy, right?… Let me tell ya… It’s thing! And social interaction is linked with feeling positive and also tickles your brain’s reward system.

And as smart phones and Social Media have proven… we all love subtle brain rewards!

So in 2021, be sure to keep up with family and friends, but don’t forget to expand your horizons and make some new connections.

Learn something new

So the brain changes during critical periods of development… we know this… but did you know that this is also a lifelong process?

It’s true…

There are academic reviews that suggest that mentally stimulating leisure activities increase brain-reserve, which basically means they can act as protective shield against cognitive decline in older adults.

Things like the learning of a new skill, can ultimately modify both your brain function and the underlying brain structure.

So for example… an activity like juggling has been shown to increase white matter (or the tissue composed of nerve fibers) in the brain that is closely tied to visuo-motor skills.

And in that same way… musicians have been shown to have increased grey matter in the parts of the brain that process auditory information.

Even something like learning a new language can change the structure of your brain.

So there’s no time like the present to learn something new… God knows we have plenty of time on our hands these days!

Sleep properly

Sleep is an essential component of human life, yet so many people just don’t understand the relationship between good brain health and the process of sleeping.

So during sleep, the brain reorganises and recharges itself and removes toxic waste byproducts, which helps to maintain normal brain functioning.

Sleep is also very important for transforming experiences from our day-to-day life into our long-term memory, maintaining cognitive and emotional function and reducing mental fatigue.

So building on the last point of Learning Something New, make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep so you’re able to commit what you’re learning into long-term memory.

Actually, some studies of sleep deprivation have shown deficits in memory and attention as well as changes in the reward system, which often disrupts your emotional functioning.

It also helps assist your immune system so you’ll notice that if you have the optimal balance of quantity and quality of sleep, you’ll find that you have more energy, better well being and you’ll be able to develop your creativity and thinking.

So let’s make the most of ourselves in 2021 and help others to do the same with these 6 Mind-Rebooting tips…

And with that said… Let’s move on to our SECOND segment… “Mighty Man”

Mighty Man:  Is Red Meat Really Bad for You or Not?

This is a funny topic because just a few days ago, I was talking with the wife and we were trying to figure out what we were going to eat for dinner…

… and I mentioned a few options and then I said something to the effect of… “I just won’t order steak because I’ve been eating nothing but steak and red meat the past few days”

So this topic is probably more for me than any of you but oddly enough, I started putting my notes a week prior to this weekend…

Maybe all the preparation of notes sat in the back of my head and my brain kept looking for red meat everytime we ate.

But here’s the thing… People have been eating meat throughout evolution and they have digestive systems that are well equipped to handle it.

So traditional populations like the Masai have eaten much more red meat than the average Westerner but they remained in excellent health.

Have you ever wondered why is that?…

I always did… BUT we have to remember that the meat we eat and consume today is so much more different than the meat people ate in the past.

Back in the day, animals roamed free and ate grass, insects or other foods that were natural to them.

So if you can picture a wild cow on a field 10,000 years ago, roaming free and chewing on grass and other edible plants…

… you’ll notice that the meat from this cow from 10,000 years ago is way different than the meat from a cow that was born and raised in a factory, fed a grain-based diet and then given growth hormones and antibiotics.

Smash that like button and leave me a comment if you agree!

I mean… These days… some meat products are so highly processed after the animal is slaughtered.

Think about it… They’re smoked, they’re cured, then treated with nitrates, preservatives and several other chemicals.

And now, taking all of this into consideration, red meat is still one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.

It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and various other nutrients that can have profound effects on health.

I have some numbers here for you…

So a 3.5-ounce portion of raw (10% fat) ground beef contains…

… 25% of the RDA (or Recommended Dietary Allowances) of Vitamin B3 (aka Niacin)

… it has 37% of the RDA of Vitamin B12 (aka Cobalamin) which by the way is unattainable from plant foods

… 18% of the RDA of Vitamin B6 (aka Pyridoxine)

… let’s not forget the IRON, now… it has 12% of the RDA of Iron. This is different from plant derived iron. The iron in red meat is a high quality heme iron which is absorbed much better than iron from plants

… it also has 32% of the RDA for your Zinc intake

… and 24% of the RDA of Selenium and plenty of other vitamins and minerals in smaller amounts.

AND all of this comes with 176 calories with 20 grams of quality animal protein and 10 grams of fat.

It’s also rich in important nutrients like creatine and carnosine. These are nutrients that non-meat eaters are often deficient in… it can potentially affect muscle and brain function.

Red meat is very nutritious, especially if it comes from animals that are naturally fed and raised because as you know…

Grass-fed beef is even more nutritious than grain-fed beef. It contains plenty of heart-healthy omega-3s, the fatty acid CLA and higher amounts of vitamins A and E.

It’s a great source of protein, iron, B12, zinc, creatine and various other nutrients.

And now… The effects of red meat on health have been well studied in the past.

BUT… most of these studies are so-called observational studies, which are designed to detect associations but can’t prove causation or the causes of certain health problems.

So for instance… Several observational studies show that red meat is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and even death.

But that doesn’t mean that all red meats have the same health effects.

So for example, a massive review of 20 studies that included over 1.2 million individuals found that processed meat was associated with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes but there were no associations found for unprocessed red meat.

In a separate yet very large observational study including over 400 thousand people, processed meat increased the risk of death, while (again) no effect was seen for unprocessed red meat.

And when it comes to heart disease, diabetes and death, you have to distinguish between processed and unprocessed meat… it’s super important because the two generally (if not always) have totally different effects.

And so the observational studies seem to agree that processed meat (not unprocessed red meat) is associated with an increased risk of early death and many other diseases.

But even so, it’s important to keep in mind that these studies have limitations. It’s impossible to draw strong conclusions from observational studies.

The only way to establish cause and effect is to perform randomized controlled trials.

And the same goes for things like Cancer…

Several observational studies show that red meat eaters are at a greater risk of cancer, but larger reviews looking at the evidence as a whole show that the effect is weak and inconsistent.

When you look closely, practically all studies that allegedly prove that red meat causes harm are observational studies.

These types of studies can only demonstrate correlation, or that two variables are associated.

They can tell us that individuals who eat a lot of red meat are more likely to get sick, but they can’t prove that red meat is the cause.

One of the main problems with studies like this is that there are too many variables involved.

So for example, people who eat red meat are less health-conscious and more likely to smoke, drink excessively, eat more sugar, exercise less, etc.

People who are health-conscious (like you and I) behave very differently than people who are not, and it’s impossible to account for all of these different factors in these studies.

Another problem with observational studies is that they’re usually based on food frequency questionnaires, in which people are expected to remember what they ate in the past.

It’s always a bad idea to make health decisions based on observational studies alone. There are many cases in history where randomized controlled trials ended up showing the exact opposite effect.

For example, the Nurses’ Health Study once showed that estrogen replacement therapy helped reduce heart disease in women. Later, a randomized controlled trial discovered that it actually increases the risk.

Observational studies simply CANNOT be used to determine cause and effect.

Now randomized controlled trials… That’s a different story… They’re basically the gold standard of science.

In these studies, people are randomly placed into separate groups… so for example… one group eats diet A, while the other group eats diet B.

Then the researchers follow the people and see which diet is more likely to lead to a particular outcome.

Several randomized controlled trials have examined the health effects of red meat directly.

A few studies investigated the effects of red meat on risk factors for heart disease.

One review of controlled studies concluded that eating half a serving or more of red meat daily doesn’t negatively affect the risk of heart disease factors like your blood lipids and blood pressure.

Another review showed more or less the same outcome… and that’s that lean, unprocessed beef doesn’t negatively affect people’s blood lipids either, compared to chicken or fish.

And now… let’s keep in mind here that all of these studies examined lean red meat. To date, no studies have examined the health effects of high-fat red meat but there are plenty of studies that compare high-fat diets with low-fat diets.

These studies have the primary goal of reducing saturated fat, which means that the people in them have to eat less red and processed meats, which happen to be high in saturated fat.

One randomized controlled trial (called the A to Z weight loss study) compared the Atkins diet which is high in red meat to the Ornish diet which is quite the opposite from Atkins… basically a low-fat vegetarian diet with no red meat.

After one year, the Atkins group had lost more weight and had greater improvements in some of the most important risk factors for disease.

There have been many other studies that compared low-carb (high in red meat) diets versus low-fat (low in red meat) diets. In these studies, the low-carb diets lead to much better health outcomes.

Taken together, these studies suggest (again) that unprocessed red meat doesn’t negatively impact your health and may even have benefits.

Now… it’s important to understand that when meat is cooked at a high temperature, it can form harmful substances that have been found to cause cancer in animals but a link in humans has yet to be found.

And this doesn’t only apply to meat, there are other foods that can also form harmful compounds when cooked at a high temperature.

So here are some tips that I’ve found to ensure your meat doesn’t form these substances:

Use a softer cooking method like stewing and steaming instead of grilling and frying.

Minimize that cooking at high heats and try to not expose your meat to a flame itself

Don’t eat charred or smoked food. If your meat is burnt, cut away the burnt pieces.

Marinate your meat in garlic, red wine, lemon juice or olive oil to significantly reduce some of the harmful elements that form when cooking.

And if you must cook at a high heat, flip your meat often to prevent it from burning

Many people love the taste of fried or grilled meat but if you want to enjoy your meat and receive the full benefits without any of the potentially harmful consequences, then use these tips to do exactly that.

And when you look past the scare tactics and headlines, you’ll realize that there is no actual strong evidence linking red meat to disease in humans.

Again there are only observational studies, which often don’t distinguish between red meat and processed meat.

They also depend on questionnaires and simply can’t account for minor details like a person’s health consciousness.

And while observational studies provide hints and are useful for generating theories…

… at the end of the day, they can’t be tested.

Also as long as you choose unprocessed (preferably grass-fed red meat) and use the tips I just gave you, there’s probably nothing to worry about.

Properly cooked red meat is ultimately healthy.

It’s highly nutritious and loaded with healthy proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals, along with nutrients known to positively affect the function of both your body and your brain.

Closing

That’s it you guys… That’s my show for today!

I hope you found some valuable information here and if nothing else, I hope I’ve entertained you for a few minutes and was able to bring a little man-ly sunshine to your day.

Thanks for taking some time out of your day to listen to me… it’s very much appreciated!

On next week’s episode, we’ll be going over Jump Rope Vs. Running: Which One Will Give You a Better Workout? so if you’re like most, you definitely don’t want to miss out on that!

And if you’d like to continue the conversation with me, then get on over to podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip to get on the VIP Insider’s community where I share even more “raw-behind-the-scenes” stories, tips, and hacks that’ll keep you feeling younger and younger… each and every day!

That’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip…

Again, that’s podcast.dadsplanation.com/vip… be in the know… starting right now!

Also, don’t forget to rate me on Apple Podcasts… aka iTunes… OR wherever you’re listening to this Podcast episode… AND leave me a NICE… FAT… JUICY… 5-star-review and some absolutely beautiful words of why you love the show so much!

It really helps me get the word out and it’s honestly the one place where your vote truly matters!

Until our next chat… Take care!