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Is America Really a Nation of Lazy Gluttons?
Tweet Share on Facebook September 5, 2012 CommentThere's no denying it: The last 40 years have seen a tremendous change for the worse in our weights and our health. In response, governments—municipal, state, and federal—have begun taking their first tentative steps toward addressing this public health concern.
A lot of people are opposed to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's rather drastic approach to the obesity problem, calling his proposal to ban super-sized portions of sugary sodas "paternalistic"—yet another example of the nanny state. Those people tend to think a better avenue is to educate people to make better lifestyle choices—they tend to favor an approach that's softer and less dictatorial, one that's perhaps better exemplified by Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign.
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Avoiding the Freshman 15
Tweet Share on Facebook September 4, 2012 CommentMelissa is 19 years old and spent her first year at college gaining about 15 pounds. She was pretty miserable when I first met her in June. But, thankfully, we spent the summer working together to lose the weight and she's exactly where she wants to be before returning. At 5 foot 1, she now weighs in at a very reasonable 115 pounds. Melissa is thrilled with her new body. She feels more confident, more energetic, and happier than she did before—and she can finally wear skinny jeans!
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Is Organic Food Better?
Tweet Share on Facebook September 4, 2012 CommentA study just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine indicates that, by and large, organic food is neither more nutritious nor any less prone to bacterial contamination than corresponding, conventionally grown foods. Perhaps more importantly, the new study—a systematic review of prior research that pooled the findings from over 200 papers—found no evidence of a health benefit attached to organic foods.
But that doesn't mean organic food isn't better. You only get answers to questions you ask, and even then, only if the information is available. Absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence! We'll return to that notion before we're done.
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Pregnant? Get Your Choline!
Tweet Share on Facebook August 31, 2012 CommentThere are rock-star nutrients in the pregnancy world that tend to receive all the attention. Folic acid, iron, and calcium are covered extensively in pregnancy magazines, and they're easily part of the mom-to-be vernacular. Choline—a water-soluble nutrient in the B vitamin family—on the other hand, remains largely unknown for many pregnant moms. But based on recent research, it deserves to be elevated to rock-star nutrient status.
One reason choline is difficult to study is that it's related to brain development, and linking low choline in pregnancy to a lower IQ or a higher rate of depression later in life is tough to measure. How do you measure IQ potential? How do you know if depression could have been avoided, had the child received more of a particular nutrient during early brain development?
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The OMG Diet: Are You Kidding Me?
Tweet Share on Facebook August 30, 2012 CommentJust last week I wrote about the hCG Diet, one of many fad diets that I wish would disappear. Now, to add to the ever-growing list of controversial diets, is Six Weeks To OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends. When the book, by the same name, came out right before summer, my immediate response was: "Oh my god—are you kidding me?" We can assume, of course, that the British author Venice Fulton (a pseudonym for Paul Kannah) meant to imply: "Oh my god—how well this works!"
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Exercise: The Case for Counting What Really Counts
Tweet Share on Facebook August 30, 2012 CommentExercise is not onerous. Now I know, not every variety of exercise is for every body. And there is, of course, pain with extreme exertion—although generally a compensatory sense of accomplishment as well.
But I'm referring to garden-variety motion. And the basic notion of motion, of moving our bodies as they are designed to be used, is not sacrifice or penance. Exercise is not onerous. And it is very, very important.
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Back to School—and Back to the Table
Tweet Share on Facebook August 30, 2012 CommentI've read and written many back-to-school stories: on the importance of not skipping breakfast, the skill of packing a lunch that won't get thrown away, and the need for incorporating high-energy snacks between meals.
But this story is about eating together as a family, at the table. It doesn't matter if the "table" is at home or at a restaurant; nor does it matter if the meal is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. What matters is having that family meal. When you share a meal, you're more likely to share a conversation, share a feeling, or share a memory. Studies have shown that families who eat together generally have healthier diets—richer in fruits and veggies but lighter on fried foods and fat—than families who don't. Regular family meals have also been associated with higher grades and lower rates of substance abuse and depression in children.
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Beware the Scale: Learn the Right Way to Weigh
Tweet Share on Facebook August 29, 2012 CommentWhen trying to follow a weight-loss plan, the scale can be your worst enemy. It's a tricky device in tracking weight loss. Some dieters go so far as to step on the scale after every meal. This poses a problem, because weight tends to fluctuate, on average, between 2 to 4 pounds throughout the day. The number that you see first thing in the morning may be far from the number you see midday or before your head hits the pillow. However, this doesn't mean that you've actually gained body fat. These numbers don't reflect your accurate weight or your last meal.
Throughout my years of counseling clients, I've seen people who struggle to lose weight all of a sudden lose five pounds in a matter of days. On the other hand, some experience the opposite; starting off strong and then weight loss tapers off. Constantly stepping on the scale and seeing varied outcomes can result in feelings of discouragement, disappointment, and resentment. This trio of negative emotions can lead to binge eating. After all, you've been working hard all day to eat well, and all of a sudden your number skyrockets by 2 pounds in less than three hours with no explanation. It's understandable that the average person would feel frustrated and turn to a bag of chips or box of cookies for solace. Therefore, it's important to understand the many factors that play into weight fluctuation.
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Reading, Writing, and Radishes: Fueling Up for School
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2012 CommentFamiliar yellow school buses are starting to appear on the roads once again. Along with backpacks and pencils, you also want to send your kids to school with a healthy lunch. Good nutrition is the foundation for providing kids with energy to help them perform at their best through all the lessons, tests, and practices ahead.
Packing their lunch is a simple way to help your kids eat well. You don't have to spend forever in the kitchen or break the bank. All you need is some good advice on building a balanced meal and preparation tips so you have everything on hand.
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IBS? Could be the FODMAPs
Tweet Share on Facebook August 28, 2012 CommentYou've always had a sensitive stomach. The morning after a big meal out, you pay the price. Or perhaps your symptoms come out of the blue; painful stomach aches, cramps, or worse—the big "D"— that you can't ever associate with any one particular food. Your doctor has poked you, scoped you, scanned you, taken your blood, and determined that everything looks normal. It must be irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), he declares, and you'll just have to live with it.
If this sounds familiar, there's reason to be optimistic. It's possible that FODMAPs could hold the key to unlocking a hidden food intolerance.
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