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– We have good and bad cards in our hands. And it is only up to us how we play them – says Dr. Frédéric Saldmann, author of the book “Your health in your hands”. The French cardiologist and nutritionist has a few tricks up his sleeve: sleeping naked, karaoke and horror movies.
Zuzanna Opolska, Medonet: François Hollande, Isabelle Adjani, Christopher Lambert and our compatriot – Roman Polański is a list of your patients. Do you heal ordinary mortals?
Dr Frederic Saldmann: Continuously. Roman Polański is not only my patient, but above all a close friend. Even though she is 82 years old, she is in top form, exercising every day and eating well.
“Your health, in your hands” is a recipe for a long life without doctors?
I wanted to write a book in a light and direct way, showing that each of us is a blacksmith of our own health. We have overestimated the importance of genetics for a very long time. I have had overweight patients who believed that because of their obese parents, they would never lose the extra pounds. I have also had patients with carcinophobia due to a family history of cancer. Today we know that only 15 percent of our genes determine our health. Everything else depends on us: on the lifestyle, diet, our addictions and habits. We have good and bad cards in our hands. And it’s up to us how we play them …
In your book we will find many tips on how to play the game of life well …
Based on the results of global research. I purposely divided “Your health, in your hands” into several chapters on: nutrition, physical activity, hygiene of life, mental fitness and mental health. I think that each of the readers will find something for themselves. Many of the advice is very simple, but on the other hand, most of us do not follow them in our daily life and do the opposite.
Then let’s start with the weight – is it not important?
It is, but we should not be indiscriminately in it. Popular bathroom scales may mislead us. They say nothing about muscle density and fat thickness. Similarly, the BMI (Body Mass Index), which in professional athletes will usually be higher. Because let’s not forget that muscle weighs more than fat. Another issue is where we accumulate extra kilos. Research shows that the smaller the hip circumference, the greater the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Conversely, more belly fat promotes vascular disorders. Daily development of muscle tissue is an excellent protective shield. Exercise helps fight Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and diseases of the heart and circulatory system. They are also a way to strengthen the immune system, fight anxiety and depression, and inhibit osteoporosis. Each of us should exercise at least half an hour a day, during the first twenty minutes we burn sugars, and only then fats.
But can we burn calories by watching horror movies?
Not only. In fact, British research shows that the more stressful a movie is, the more calories you burn. The all-time record belongs to “The Shining” by Sanley Kubrick, thanks to which we can burn up to 184 calories. Also in the lead are: “Jaws”, “The Exorcist” and “Strangers”. Of course, watching these movies several times in a row will not produce the same results. It’s about the surprise effect. Another unusual piece of advice I give my patients is exposure to cold. Americans have proved that temperatures below 12 degrees Celsius cause the release of irisin, a protein produced by muscles and the FGF21 (Fibroblast Growth Factor), which is usually produced in the liver on an empty stomach and may be involved in some biochemical processes responsible for prolonging life.
These substances are also released during exercise. Research shows that by pedaling for an hour, we get a similar slimming effect as by exposing ourselves to the cold for 10 minutes!
Can we be clothed?
Yes – but the best combination is cold and walking.
There is a lot of advice on nutrition in your book. Which products are on dr. Saldmann?
I am an absolute fan of canned sardines. Not only are they healthy for omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B12 and D, calcium, selenium and phosphorus, but they help you lose weight. Just three sardines in oil are digested for nine hours, which means we don’t feel hungry during that time. It is a real record holder among all foods digested with delay. Completely unnecessarily, people on a diet avoid fat-rich products such as nuts or avocados. It is sugar that is “white death”. For example, one almond has only 10 calories, so eating eight is the caloric equivalent of an average apple. If we learn to dose portions, we don’t have to worry about extra kilos. And the benefits of this healthy snack are huge. Almonds lower blood cholesterol and are an appetite regulator. Similarly, walnuts, the daily consumption of which can reduce the level of bad cholesterol by nearly 7,5 percent, and in some cases by as much as 16 percent. Avocados are very caloric (100 g – 169 kcal), but like nuts, they have hunger-suppressing properties. Research shows that one “buttery fruit” eaten with a meal increases satiety by 40 percent in the next three hours after lunch. Fiber and oleic acid contribute to this. I only eat two meals a day, skip breakfast, but don’t give up on anything. I think this is the French paradox – we are one of the thinnest nations in Europe, but we are not denying ourselves anything. Variety is important in the diet.
Which products are better not to combine with each other and why?
Some food connections are like good marriages and some are relationships from hell. For example: milk and whole grain bread are healthy but eaten separately. Otherwise, the phytic acid in the bread inhibits calcium absorption from the milk. Another combination to avoid is red meat and tea. The second most drank product in the world contains chelates that block iron absorption.
What then is worth eating together?
Carrots with avocado – the addition of a fatty product increases the absorption of carotenoids. Red meat enthusiasts, in turn, will be pleased to learn that by combining pork or beef with the right additives, we can reduce the risk of colon cancer. They are products rich in resistant starch, protecting the intestinal mucosa. Personally, I recommend green beans, boiled potatoes or lentils. Fish or meat and pineapple dishes are also a good combination, as they contain bromelain (an enzyme that helps digest proteins).
Is excess protein in the diet as harmful as smoking?
We need protein just like other macronutrients: carbohydrates and fats, but fashionable protein diets are not healthy. The risk of dying from cancer in people who eat large amounts of red meat is four times higher and corresponds to the risk of people smoking 20 cigarettes a day! Remember that wholesome protein can also be found in other products: eggs, fish, poultry, and vegetables. As I said before, the most important thing in a diet is variety.
Similarly in sports… it could even be karaoke?
Yes – few people realize that during this activity we mobilize almost 300 muscles to work! In addition, while singing, small amounts of endorphins are released, and by humming in a cold shower, we will double the benefit and spend the day in Olympic form. We don’t always have to beat ourselves in the gym – I recommend dancing to my patients, for example. For two reasons: First, it improves balance, flexibility and coordination of movements, allowing you to burn about 300 calories in an hour. Second, it acts as a powerful antidepressant, reducing stress and anxiety. Plus, it improves memory – a study published in the New England magazine found that people who practice dancing regularly have a much lower risk of senile dementia.
Then let’s move on to relaxation – you are an advocate of sleeping naked and at low temperatures – why?
We can live up to forty days without food, but only eleven days without sleep. This shows that sleep is extremely important – we sleep for 1/3 of our life! And those who lack it are at risk of suffering from diseases ranging from diabetes to cardiovascular disease to obesity. Plus, there is a direct link between premature skin aging and sleep deprivation. The only question is: how to sleep and how much? For most adults, the average is around six hours and 50 minutes. It is definitely not worth taking the night off and falling asleep during the day. Eight hours of sleep intermittently corresponds to a maximum of four effective hours. This means that, as a result, we are more tired, and our concentration and intellectual capacity decreases. Coming back to sleeping naked – the lower the temperature in the bedroom, the more calories we burn. British research shows that we can lose up to 200 kcal overnight, and thus use more energy reserves. I recommend that patients sleep at 18 degrees Celsius, without clothes, which allows air to circulate freely. Additionally, in absolute darkness – Americans have proven that women who sleep in a minimally lit bedroom have a 21 percent risk of obesity. Light at night disrupts our biological clock and our metabolism does not work as it should.
It is worth giving up reading on a tablet and smartphone.
If it is impossible to achieve complete darkness, we can always put a blindfold on the eyes. I always take her with me when I travel.
Dr. Frédéric Saldmann – cardiologist and dietitian, world-renowned specialist in the field of health prophylaxis, as well as the author of the best-selling books on health and nutrition, translated into several dozen languages.
“Your health, in your hands”, Dr. Frédéric Saldmann, Muza Publishing House, 2017.