Malaysia Dietary Guidelines - A 'genuine' quick review

A friend of mine sent me a link to review "Malaysian Dietary Guidelines". I thought of doing a favor and also share my personal review with you. Honestly, I have not seen and review Malaysian Dietary Guidelines for the last few years. Please bear in mind that I have nothing against conventional dieticians, nutritionists nor Malaysia Health Department. In this post, I will provide an honest genuine review based on my qualification, experience, knowledge and proven medical journals. 

First of all, let's all be honest here. Has anyone seen or review the 'Malaysian Dietary Guidelines'? How about American Dietary Guidelines? Notice any similarities? I will let you do the comparison and judge yourself. After years of dietary guidelines endorsed and promoted by the health department, what improvement is observed? I will not discuss about the statistics here, but I will let you do your own observation of the amount of overweight and obese people around you, in your own country. Easily walk in shopping malls or public areas, you will know what I'm trying to say.

Apart from USA, they have the most advanced technology in the world, yet, they suffer one of the worst health status amongst developed nations, and currently facing epidemic of obesity. My own country Malaysia, is not far behind, registered dieticians and nutritionists know about nutrition and diet more then ever, but why are we all still suffering from weight management, dieting dillemma, and poor disease statistics? Malaysia is one of the most overweight and diabetic country in ASIA.

Let's go back the clock and do a little tinkering for a minute here. Anyone great grandparent still alive today? How about your grandparents who is now almost 90 years old? During the old-fashioned days, before all the high tech gadgets and advance technology was invented and commercially use by all of us today, the disease rates and obesity is far far lower then year 2013. I'm talking about 60-70 years ago. If your grandma is now 85 years and still able to walk without the need of physical support, ask her what is her diet when she was young. Did she need any help or consultation from any dietician or nutritionist? The answer is NO. Does she has any personal trainer or coach? The answer is NO too. Does she requires any pharmaceutical drugs from doctors? The answer is most likely NO. I remembered my grandma told me about how her mother (my great grandmother) used to live her life, her diet, her lifestyle and the quality of health she obtained. It is the exact opposite lifestyle, diet and stress levels we are experiencing right now in the modern society. Those old age healthy folks who lived into their 80's and 90's, do not have know about calories in calories out. They do not know about the recommendation to participate in marathon, triathlon or doing chronic cardio exercises daily. But yet, they lived a quality, healthy life with good vitality and longevity. Heart disease and cancer is virtually non existent to our ancestors.

I think we all need to slow down the fast-paced lifestyle and think for a minute here. We need to use a chunk of common sense, and learn how our healthy ancestors evolved and lived their lives. It could be all the way back to hundreds and thousands of years ago. The question is, do we need to get dietary advises from dietician or nutritionist? Do we let them dictate our food intake and tell us what to eat? Look at what happened to most of us. We are fat, sick and weak.

Now, I have compiled some of the 'highlights' found in Malaysia Dietary Guidelines pdf file. Below are the screenshots which consist of food pyramid guide, recommended foods and servings guide, etc. Meanwhile, I've also provided a long list of references, medical and nutrition journals for any of you who are interested in how grains (especially wheat) contribute to obesity, health complications and diseases. 

Source: http://www.moh.gov.my/v/Makanan_Nutrisi 

This is the reason why we are all fat, sick and weak.

The recommendation of our foundation diet is grains and its processed products. Up to 8 servings per day? Wonder why almost everyone is having  GRAIN POT BELLY? 

Up to 75% of carbohydrates? People MUST realize that consuming high amount of carbohydrates will trigger insulin, and insulin is a fat storing hormone. We have been misfed and misled with wrong information to think that eating fat will make us all overweight and fat.  

Dr. Robert Lustig has proven that the law of thermodynamics is flawed, calories in calories out theory does not work as expected. It has been tested, and it does not work. Imagine if you need to burn off 500 calories a day (a burger), you are required to jog for more then 2-3 hours daily? That is ridiculous. 

Recommendation of eating biscuits, cream crackers, bread, white rice and putu mayang?? I'm utterly speechless. 

Having doughnuts, apom, soybean curd as part of meal plan? I'll leave the comments to you. 

References/Journals

W.K.Woo.et al., "Psoriasis Patients with Antibodies to Gliadin Can be Improved by a Gluten-Free Diet, "British Journal of Dermatology 151 (October 2004):(4):891-4, ww.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2004.06137.x

M.Hadjicassiliou, et al., "Gluten Sensitivity as a Neurological Illness, " Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 72 (2002): 560-3

M.Hadjicassiliou, et al., "Headache and CNS White Matter Abnormalities Associated with Gluten Sensitivity" Neurology 56 (2001): 386-8

A.Vojdani, et al., "Immune Response to Dietary Proteins, Gliadin and Cerebellar Peptides in Children with Autism," Nutritional Neuroscience 7 (3) (June 2004): 151-61

Attention Deficit Disorder Association, "Fact Sheet on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD), www.add.org/articles/factsheet.html (accessed November 24, 2005)

"health Topics: Handout on Health: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus," national Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/lupus/slehandout/ (accessed August 28, 2005)

M.Hadjicassiliou, et al., "Multiple Sclerosis and Occult Gluten Sensitivity," author reply, Nuerology 64(5) (march 8, 2005): 933-4

P.Collins, et al., "Endocrinological Disorders and Celiac Disease," Endocrine Reviews 23(4) (2002): 464-83

Peter Arkwright, et al., "Autoimmunity in Human Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases," Blood 99(8) (April 15, 2002): 2694-702

Kloting N, Fasshauer M, Dietrich A et al., Insulin sensitive obesity. Am I Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2010 Jun 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Matsuzawa Y. Establishment of a concept of visceral fat syndrome and discovery of adiponectin. Proc Ipn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci 2010;86(2):131-41

Verdu EF, Amstrong D, Murray JA. Between celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome: the "no man's land" of gluten sensitivity. Am I Gastroenterol 2009 Jun;104(6):1587-94

Zhao X. 434-PP. Presented at the American Diabetes Association 70th Scientific Sessions' June 25, 2010

Westman EC, Vernon MC. Has carbohydrate-restriction been forgotten as a treatment for diabetes mellitus? A perspective on the ACCORD study design. Nutr Metab 2008;5:10

Volek JS, Phinney SD, Forsythe CE et al. Carbohydrate restriction has a more favorable impact on the metabolic syndrome than a low fat diet. Lipids 2009 Apr'44(4):297-309

Boden G, Sargrad K, Homko C et al. Effect of a low-carbohydrate diet on appetite, blood glucose levels and insulin resistance in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Ann Intern Med 2005;142:403-11

Negrean M, Stirban A, Stratmann B et al. Effects of low - and high-advanced glycation endproduct meals on macro- and microvascular endothelial function and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. AM I Clin Nutr 2007;85:1236-43

Sakai M, Oimomi M, Kasuga M, Experimental studies on the role of fructose in the development of diabetic complications. Kobe I med Sci 2002;48(5):125-36

Goldberg T, Cai W, Peppa M et al. Advanced glycoxidatiion end products in commonly consumed foods. Am I Diet Assoc 2004;104:1287-91

Hidgins LC. Effect of high-carbohydrate feeding on triglyceride and saturated fatty acid synthesis. Proc Soc Exp Biol med 2000;225:178-83

Hadjivassiliou M, Sanders DS, Grunewald RA et al. Gluten sensitivity: from gut to brain. Lancet 2010 march;9:318-30

Cordain L. Implications for the role of diet in acne. Semin Cutan Med Surg 2005 Jun;24(2):84-91

Books:

Bread Is the Devil: Win the Weight Loss Battle by Taking Control of Your Diet Demons by Heather Bauer and Kathy Matthews

Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health by William Davis (Aug 30, 2011)

Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health by James Braly, Ron Hoggan and Jonathan Wright (Aug 26, 2002)

The Gluten Connection: How Gluten Sensitivity May Be Sabotaging Your Health - And What You Can Do to Take Control... by Shari Lieberman and Linda Segall (Nov 28, 2006)

Going Against the Grain: How Reducing and Avoiding Grains Can Revitalize Your Health by Melissa Smith (Apr 19, 2002)

Healthier Without Wheat: A New Understanding of Wheat Allergies, Celiac Disease, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance... by Stephen Wangen (Mar 1, 2009)

Cereal Killers: Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free A to Z by Dr. Ron Hoggan and Scott Adams (Jun 15, 2010)