Carlsbad Women's Health Expert Breaks Down 5 Medical Myths

Carlsbad resident Don Bodenbach has written books, hosted radio talk shows and interviewed over 1,20o of the leading experts in the areas of health, nutrition, exercise, obesity, metabolism, hormones, medical breakthroughs, human potential and an exhaustive list of other topics. After realizing the No. 1 topic was women’s health, Bodenbach began to further investigate, report and write on the subject. Here are five common women's health myths and his reasoning behind the truth.

Myth No. 1—I must avoid saturated fat and cholesterol because it causes heart disease.

The saturated fat and cholesterol found in quality cuts of meat and seafood are not the cause of heart disease. The two culprits are trans fats made from chemically altering polyunsaturated oils to make them hard (margarine for example) and excess sugar in your diet that your liver converts to the “bad cholesterol.” Avoid trans fat at all costs and cut way down on refined sugar and starch, and I bet you’ll see some positive changes in your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Myth No. 2—Grains are the ultimate health food.

Grains are far from the ultimate health food. Some people don’t suffer any noticeable negative effects from eating grains like wheat, rye, barley and oats but millions of people do. Grains contain compounds called gliadins and glutenin which combine to form gluten. Gluten can reek havoc on your intestinal track and are associated with brain disorders, infertility, auto immune conditions, insulin resistance and weight gain.

Myth No. 3—Eating too much and not exercising enough is the cause of weight gain.

This is an outdated relic of the past. Modern day weight gain is caused primarily by your body's hormonal response to food. The calories from bad carbohydrates, refined sugars and starches spike your hormone insulin, triggering a cascade of problems that forces your brain to shut down fat burning. You can certainly gain weight by eating too much and not exercising but bad carbohydrates are responsible for the epidemic of overweight men, women and children. 

Myth No. 4—Osteoporosis is caused by a calcium deficiency.

Bone is constantly being built up and broken down. This process is mainly under the control of hormones. Cells called osteoblasts rebuild new bone and a different cell called an osteoclast help remove old bone. Your hormone's progesterone and testosterone drive the formation of new bone by stimulating osteoblasts. Estrogen prevents osteoclasts from removing too much of the old bone cells. Calcium is a minor concern in comparison. Studies show that the people who have the highest levels of calcium in their diet have some of the highest rates of osteoporosis.

Myth No. 5—Type II diabetes is incurable.

Not true. Type two diabetes is a progressive problem in which insulin becomes less and less able to remove sugar from the blood. The problem is that your cells become overstuffed with stored sugar (glycogen) and they refuse to respond to the actions of insulin. This is a reversible condition that requires limiting the amount of carbohydrates consumed, using natural remedies like cinnamon extract, gymnema sylvestre extract, and getting regular resistance training (weight training). The combination can restore your sensitivity to insulin and rid your cells of excess stored sugar.