The Weigh We Were

Benefits of drinking water oversold

Science has reversed what many thought logic - that maintaining an average of 8 glasses a day of water was good for you. "There is no clear evidence of benefit from drinking increased amounts of water," writes Stanley Goldfarb, MD. Check it out. And check out watershed1.com to purify what water you do drink. Cheers

read more | digg story

Cleansing Diets: Do they work?

What's the best way to 'flush' the system?

Cleansing your body for better skin, more energy and weight loss sounds like a great idea. But does it really work?

"It's a very misused term and it's a very badly understood term," says Dr. Jonny Bowden.

Nutrition expert Dr. Bowden is talking about cleansing diets. Those wanting to clean their system for healthy weight and skin, and to help stop aging. The main focus of such a program targets the liver, our body's filtration system.

"Helping your liver get rid of junk," says Dr. Bowden. "And we're exposed to that junk in the air, in our food, in our water supply."

Some try this through dieter's teas or liquid fasts, often with negative results.

"You don't know what's in the teas, what ingredients, what kind of effects they're going to have on you, and some of them have some pretty radical effects," says nutritionist Carissa Rivas.

It seems natural that flushing toxins out with water would be the answer. Not true. As it turns out, the stuff in our system that needs to be purged is stored in our fat cells, a place where water just can't flush it away.

"The fat cells are what hold all the toxins and getting rid of them through the liver requires nutrients," says Dr. Bowden.

Those nutrients are best from colorful fruits and vegetables loaded with antioxidants and anything containing omega-3 fats that provide an anti-inflammatory shield for the body.

"Lots of berries, spinach, broccoli, then we include the whole grains and nuts and seeds," says Rivas.

Rivas helped Susan's Healthy Gourmet delivery company establish their 'anti-aging, cleansing diet' that is 10 to 14 days, mainly low-calorie, vegetarian and raw healthy food for $39.95 a day.

Both experts feel that these types of foods are the best for detoxing, with Bowden adding supplements like milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid, and selenium to assist the purifying process. You can find these supplements at most natural health stores.

Bowden's recommendation for dosage:
Milk Thistle: 300-500 mg ( also known as silymarin)
Alpha Lipoic Acid: 100-300 mcg
Selenium: 200 mcg

Most doctors feel it's important to try just one new supplement at a time and see how your body reacts to it over several days to a week. If there are any questions or concerns about supplements, the American Holistic Medical Association offers well versed pros that can help. In regards to these supplements, all are recognized as safe.

In Bowden's book, "The Most Effective Natural Cures On Earth," he says research shows the supplements work in tandem with food, offering doses higher than what we can get from food only.

Dr. Bowden gives his recipe to revitalize, purify, whack weight and help fight age.

"Raw foods, high antioxidants, some of these liver friendly nutrients, it's a very smart thing to do," says Dr. Bowden.

----

For more information regarding cleansing diets, click on the following links.
www.susanshealthygourmet.com
www.jonnybowden.com
www.holisticmedicine.org

Monday, March 31, 2008

  By Lori Corbin 

No More: Starve a cold, Feed a fever

Eating Less May Hinder Immune System

You may no longer need to remember whether it's "starve a cold, feed a fever" or vice versa. New research suggests you should just eat.

A study of deer mice has found that reducing the amount of food the mice ate impaired their immune system. The findings are published in the May/June issue of Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.

The researchers found that decreasing the amount of food the mice ate by 30 percent significantly decreased the number of B cells in their systems. B cells produce antibodies and maintain immune memory, so an immune system lacking B cells must relearn how to fight infection and disease.

"A 30 percent restriction in food intake doesn't affect body mass and only minimally reduces activity in deer mice, but it eliminates the long-term immune protection provided by antibodies," study co-author Lynn Martin said in a prepared statement. "One wonders whether similar moderate food restriction has comparable immune effects in humans."

Martin and fellow researchers cited previous studies that had found that infections were "more frequent and tend to be chronic in malnourished children." Previous studies have also found that vaccines that provoke B cells to protect the body long-term, such as the vaccine for measles, are less effective among the malnourished.

The authors proposed that future research should be done to learn what specific features of diet (calories, protein, micronutrients) affect immune system function.

SOURCE: University of Chicago Press Journals, news release, April 1, 2008 - April 3 (HealthDay News) --

7 Simple Ways To Burst Out of Bed Each Morning

Way before the sun peeks over the horizon, a few chosen people awaken from their slumber and dive head first into their day. These chosen few accomplish a ton before rest of us would ever consider rising from our nice warm beds. The world is in awe of these people, let's take a look at what pops them out of bed and what gets them up before alarm.

read more | digg story

Treat Yourself with Junk Food. Really!?

You ran an extra half-mile today and want to reward yourself with one of your favorite junk foods. You’re craving something sweet or salty. You know that pizza, Twinkies, and milkshakes are bad for you, but which junk foods would do the least damage to your diet?

If you want to treat yourself, reach for one of the following five snacks.

• Dark chocolate with almonds: Dark chocolate contains more antioxidants than even red wine. Almonds also boost the antioxidant levels of this snack because they contain the best kind of vitamin E for your body.

• Tortilla chips and salsa: Have some baked Tostitos and salsa for a snack that’s packed with flavor, but not with calories. Even if you eat two full servings, you’ll take in less than 300 total calories.

• Gummy bears: You probably remember these candies best from your childhood, but it’s the perfect mindless munching treat. Fat-free and low in sodium, a serving of gummy bears also has less than 100 calories.

• Beef jerky: This food is high in protein and low in saturated fat, making it a good snack between meals—just watch out for additives like nitrates and MSG. Better yet, avoid these artificial preservatives altogether by eating organic jerky.

• String cheese: Easy and fun, grabbing one of these cheese sticks will help you get the recommended daily amount of calcium in your diet. In addition, the prepackaged size will help control your portion. Concerned about the sodium? Try soaking it in water for a minute before eating.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.

Self-help through Music: An interpersonal process

Music as Medicine

Almost everyone has used music at one time or another to relax or perhaps to get energized. But the discipline of music therapy takes the use of music much further, from battling depression to combating cancer. "Music therapy is an evidence-based practice that can affect changes in physical, psychological, social and cognitive domains through music experiences and the relationship that develops between the client and the therapist," said Cheryl Dileo, a professor of music therapy and director of the Arts and Quality of Life Research Center at Temple University in Philadelphia. Just turning up the radio to your favorite tune to erase a blue mood doesn't qualify as music therapy, Dileo explained. "Self-help through music is not music therapy, although many people do use music for themselves, for example for relaxation to improve their moods, or to accompany exercise." Music therapy, on the other hand, "involves an interpersonal process through which a trained therapist uses his or her knowledge and skills to address the client's assessed needs and issues," she said. "Although many people understand intuitively how to use music for themselves, when it is used within a music-therapy process by a trained therapist, it can be a powerful means to achieving positive physical, psychological, cognitive and social outcomes." The uses of music therapy are myriad, according to Dileo. Music therapy can be used to reduce the anxiety of hospital patients undergoing difficult medical procedures. It can help lessen pain and improve mood, she said. Music therapy can also help depressed patients express their feelings. Music therapy has been used to keep Alzheimer's patients calm and help them improve their memories at the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at the Beth Abraham Family of Health Services in New York City. At Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, board-certified music therapist Elizabeth Pociask uses music therapy to help new parents calm their infants. "Music is a natural source of distraction. When a child is visibly upset, the introduction of a novel stimulus (turning on some music) will at least temporarily divert their attention away from what is upsetting them," she explained. "The parent's singing voice accomplishes the same thing and adds the element of familiarity -- the most comforting sound for an infant will nearly always be a parent's voice. When used regularly, music and/or singing can become a calming ritual, and the infant then learns to associate the music with relaxation or sleep." Dileo said that music therapists should be board-certified, which means they've attended at least a four-year college program, as well as completed a supervised internship and have passed a national exam. However, less formal music programs can be helpful as well. Katherine Puckett, national director of mind-body medicine at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said that while they don't have board-certified music therapists on staff, the centers do use music as a means to help their patients. "Music can activate the relaxation response, which helps promote deep breathing, lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, ease muscle tension and create less stress. That can help cancer patients sleep better, and difficulty sleeping is a common problem for cancer patients," Puckett said. "Relaxing the body can also help relieve physical pain, and people may need less pain medication," she added. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America keep a library of music available for patients to use, and they have special events, such as drumming circles, that help provide an emotional release for their patients, Puckett said. "Some people can release their emotions through talking, but sometimes people need a non-verbal release. We've had people moved to tears in our special events," she said. "People respond to music -- you don't have to be sick to respond to music. It's relaxing, comforting and soothing," Puckett added. By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter More information: To learn more about music therapy, visit the American Music Therapy Association.

SOURCES: Katherine Puckett, L.C.S.W., national director, mind-body medicine, Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Cheryl Dileo, Ph.D., MT-BC, professor of music therapy, and director, Arts and Quality of Life Research Center, Temple University, Philadelphia; Elizabeth Pociask, MT-BC, music therapist, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago Copyright © 2007 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved. This is a story from HealthDay, a service of ScoutNews, LLC.

Carnie Wilson - Thank you for still being such a great spokesperson

Tabloids have reported that Carnie Wilson has regained her weight and they have even included photos of Carnie such as these:

   

I wanted to commend Carnie, once again, for stepping up and addressing the real issues and challenges of Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Take a look at her interview addressing these allegations with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America.

Once again, Carnie is an inspiration!  She is so truthful and lays it on the line.  This surgery is not a "Magic Pill" and the struggles do not end just because someone has had Weight Loss Surgery.

Dining out for an immunity-enhanced meal

Beyond "heart smart" or "light," some restaurants are serving up foods to enhance the immune system.

Buying organic meats, shopping farmers markets, many California restaurants emphasize healthy dining. But beyond vegan, raw and macrobiotic menus, one Beverly Hills eatery is dishing out food to enhance immunity.

"What we've got here on the table and what the menu really represents is how we want to eat in totality," says dietitian Ashley Koff.

Dietitian Ashley Koff was hired by Crustacean of Beverly Hills to scrutinize the menu. Choosing foods offering the best in vitamins, minerals, plant chemicals, healthy oils and spices, which Koff says is different than serving foods with an added immune boost.

"I'm not saying 'immune boosting,'" says Koff. "This isn't Jamba Juice, where we are dropping something in and boosting something up. We're talking about foods that exist in nature."
We sampled New Zealand green lip mussels in pesto offering iron-packed protein with omega-3 fats, along with a nice dose of zinc, selenium and vitamin C. Along with wild salmon tartar, rich in omega-3s, protein, and a plethora of vitamins A, C, B6, and a host of minerals.
Also on the menu: snapper in dill and stir-fried vegetables, just a few of 19 offerings on the immunity-enhancing menu.

As Koff points out, eating well doesn't mean a typical boring chicken, steamed veggies and brown rice dinner. Spices help to rev up taste and nutrition. Turmeric, ginger, garlic and other spices bring antioxidant power to the plate. One of Chef Helene An's favorites is parsley.
"They have a lot of vitamin C, a lot of vitamin A, more than carrot, and they have a calcium too," says Chef Helene An.

These foods provide pleasure in nutrients as well as the palate, which could mean eating less.
"When we feel good and happy about what we're eating, stress levels are lower, we're more likely to eat an appropriate quantity," says Koff.

Most experts suggest taking some supplements as it is unrealistic to eat all needed nutrients from meals in one day, but Koff maintains eating trumps pill-popping every time.

"Science continues to show that foods surpass supplements in terms of immune-enhancing nutrients," says Koff.  And while the motto "eat to live" is much better than "live to eat," the jury is still out whether an immunity-boosting menu will catch on. But let's look at it this way: It's a much better direction than "all you can eat," or "super-size me."

By Lori Corbin ABC7

Food & Mood

You Feel What You Eat

Certain Foods May Have Direct Impact on Emotional State

Food, glorious food!

Even in the dingy back-alley orphanage of Dickensian London, this refrain from the opening song of the musical "Oliver!" has the power to lift the hungry and penniless orphans from their depression into ecstatic song.

But even for the rest of us, food can often change our frame of mind.

Hundreds of expert answers to common questions on mind and mood can be found at the ABC News OnCall+ Mind and Mood section, here.

"Food really does have a lot of power," said Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Use it properly and have a well-balanced diet and you really can improve your mood."

Studies have shown that some foods, like turkey, whole grain breads, and sugary snacks, have definite effects on the brain, raising and lowering mood-altering chemicals.

"Not only does your food affect your mood, your mood affects the food you'll choose," Taub-Dix said. "Unfortunately, the average consumer isn't eating a healthy enough diet, let alone a diet that will put them in a good mood."

According to the National Institutes of Health, 20.9 million Americans suffer from mood disorders and 14.8 million experience depression.

These rising rates of depression and other mood disorders parallels the rise of obesity in the U.S.

Since the mid-1970s, the prevalence of overweight and obese people, aged 20-74, increased from 15 percent to 32.9 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than one-third of U.S. adults  over 72 million people  were obese in 2005.

Though no studies show that mood disorders and increased obesity are directly related, many agree that there is some correlation.

"It is hard to establish cause and effect," said Robert Thayer, a professor of psychology at California State University at Long Beach. "But it's not by chance that stress has been going up and depression has been going up and obesity is going up."

But Lona Sandon, a registered dietician and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, points out that distinguishing between a bad mood and a clinical disorder is important.

"Attempting to treat clinical depression on your own through food is not a good idea," she said. "Also, treating a bad mood with foods can leave you with unwanted excess weight and negative feelings about food."

The most effective way to stabilize mood is to eat a balanced diet of protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and limit sugar, fat, and alcohol. Coupled with exercise, this regime will keep levels of endorphins, the brain's feel-good chemicals, steady.

But some still swear by the curative effects of an intensely healthy diet.

"I've seen people make dramatic improvements in depression and anxiety within a week of making some simple dietary changes," said Trudy Scott, a nutritionist and spokesperson for the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.

Although their efficacy varies from person to person, the following are some foods that are known to affect your mood.

Salmon

Whether it's baked, broiled or raw sashimi, eating salmon and other oily fish like mackerel and sardines can bring a smile to your face.

These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the latest wunderkind of the mood world. Though they may be best known for their heart-healthy qualities, omega-3s are also good for boosting your mood.

"They are probably the hottest thing presently in terms of helping the brain heal and helping mood through eating properly," said George Pratt, a clinical psychologist in private practice at Scripps Memorial Hospital in LaJolla, Calif.

The body uses omega-3 fatty acids for building neurotransmitters like serotonin in the brain, and some studies have shown that eating plenty of these fats has depression-preventing qualities.

If fish is not part of your diet, you can find these nourishing oils in flaxseeds and walnuts.

In fact, countries where oily fish are a part of the diet, such as Japan, have lower rates of depression than other countries. These countries often have a healthier diet and lifestyle overall, but their omega-3 intake is higher as well.

So, depending on your mood, swallow that spoonful of cod liver oil, just as your grandmother said.

Milk

Milk. It does a body good.

This was the slogan for a 1980s ad campaign, urging kids and teens to drink milk to stay healthy. But the commercials, featuring sassy young kids growing up into handsome men and women, did not touch on how milk is good for the mind as well as the body.

Milk is rich in calcium and the amino acid tryptophan. Beyond its bone-building properties, calcium is known to calm nerves when feeling stressed or anxious. Tryptophan is important for producing serotonin, which elevates mood.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends drinking three glasses of milk each day. If you can't stomach cow juice, however, some almonds, also rich in calcium and tryptophan, will do the trick when you feel stressed or down.

Coffee

Coffee can boost mood on many levels. In the morning, the aroma of a rich Columbian roast can be enough to make you feel more alert. After two cups, the mind is alert, the eyes are bright, and the tail is bushy.

Of course, the sensory effects of coffee, and other warm beverages, like tea or cocoa, can lift your spirits. But the caffeine is the key ingredient when it comes to how a cup of java can affect your mood. The chemical can induce feelings of happiness and euphoria.

"A small amount of coffee or caffeine may help you feel more energized and alert," said the ADA's Sandon. "Too much may backfire, leaving you feeling more stressed and jittery."

Excess amounts of caffeine  say, more than four or five cups each day  can have effects on their own. The body becomes accustomed to the caffeine boost, and when it doesn't receive it, can go through withdrawal-like symptoms, which can lead to irritability and depression. Drinking caffeine after noon can interfere with sleep patterns, leading to further risk of fatigue and depression.

The effect of caffeine is magnified in people with an existing mental condition.

"A patient with bipolar disorder may react positively to coffee when depressed, where as mania could be exacerbated," said Carla Wolper, a nutritionist at the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's Hospital in New York.

The expert verdict: A small amount of caffeine in the morning is permissible, beneficial, even. More than that, however, and your mood is at risk.

Chocolate

Of the five lucky children with golden tickets who made it into Willy Wonka's magnificent chocolate factory, only the hero was sweet tempered and happy. Perhaps he got started early on the promised lifetime supply of chocolate.

Research has shown cocoa beans to be rich in a variety of mood-lifting ingredients. These chemicals are most concentrated in dark chocolate, which is why it is recommended over the milk or white varieties.

Dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, which are shown to improve cognitive function, said Pratt. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamines, a neurotransmitter that, in low levels, is associated with depression and in high levels can be associated with schizophrenia.

Phenylethylamines work by releasing endorphins in the brain and promote feelings of attraction and giddiness.

"Both sex and dark chocolate activate the same parts of the brain," Pratt said. "Why not combine them?"

Besides the chemically stimulating properties of chocolate, the sweet flavor and fat content can activate their own pleasure centers in the brain. No wonder Wonka's Oompa Loompa's wanted to be paid in cocoa beans.

Alcohol

Most high school children learn, through drug and alcohol education, that alcohol is a depressant  literally. Alcohol can dull your central nervous system and impair important brain functions. But that's not the only thing alcohol can dull.

"Sugar and alcohol elate momentarily while they shoot excessive sugar into the system & but the resultant insulin response drives the blood sugar to dive low, creating brain and ultimate mood changes such as anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and/or sadness," said Adele Puhn, a clinical nutritionist who has written extensively about diet.

When taken responsibly, a small quantity of alcohol can have calming, sedative effects. But while a glass of red wine with dinner may have a soothing effect after a hard day at work, downing martinis or scotch will do the opposite.

"Alcohol will help you go to sleep, but you will wake up rapidly," Pratt said, when the alcohol is converted to sugar in the body. Sleep disruption can contribute to feeling tired, anxious, and depressed. "You just want to be very kind and loving to yourself."

Brazil Nuts

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, some brazil nuts each day might keep the psychiatrist at bay.

Brazil nuts, native to South America, are rich in the mineral selenium. Though scientists are not certain of the mechanism, selenium is essential for maintaining a good mood and getting enough selenium may prevent depression.

These rich nuts are also a good source of B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, which can help calm stressed nerves and keep you alert.

Whey

Perhaps the spider that frightened Little Miss Muffet away was hip to the nutritional value of her curds and whey.

Whey is the natural byproduct of cheese. It is the thin, slightly cloudy liquid that is left behind once milk has been curdled and strained.

The mood benefits of whey come from the high concentration of tryptophan, that essential amino acid that gets converted to serotonin in the brain and lifts your mood.

If the thought of liquid whey does not set your mouth watering, it is often sold as whey protein, a powdered supplement found in health stores.

Spinach

Maybe spinach helped Popeye the sailor strengthen up to fight for his love, Olive Oyl, but spinach has more effect on mood than Popeye let on.

Spinach is a potent green. Part of the family that includes kale and chard, spinach is a rich source of several minerals that are good for anxiety and depression.

People with anxiety might benefit from a cup of cooked spinach, according to Trudy Scott, a nutritionist and spokesperson for the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. Spinach contains magnesium, a mineral with relaxing and calming effects.

Green leafy vegetables are also high in folic acid, low levels of which have been linked to depression in several studies.

Comfort Foods

Comfort foods are different for everyone. It may be a pasta dish eaten as a child or a sweet given as a reward for doing well in school. But the effect of these foods is always the same: they make you feel good.

"There's no question that when we eat something that really pleases us & presumably it sets off certain reward centers in the brain," said Alan Gelenberg, emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona. "It is not dissimilar to the centers associated with drug abuse and sex."

Because of the strong emotional component, comfort foods increase the production and release of the pleasure neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine, in the brain to give a sense of well-being and even euphoria.

Comfort foods may be simple in themselves: mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake, ice cream. In general, though, these foods taste good and immediately distract from a bad mood.

But most often, we crave carbohydrate-rich foods when our mood is low because they are easy to digest and quickly release serotonin for a calming effect.

"They don't require much work for the body to break down," said the ADA's Taub-Dix. "Your body is saying, 'do me a favor, let's just take it easy, I don't want to work hard.'"

But this urge can backfire when unchecked. Overeating calorie- and fat-laden food can result in weight gain which can also cause poor self-image and depression.

But Gelenberg said the best way to head this off this scenario is to maintain a balanced diet and be physically active.

"Then you can feel good and have selected number of treats as a favor to yourself," Gelenberg said.

Fast Food

Unequivocally, fast foods are mood downers. While it may be cheap, fast, or just easy to reach for a donut, a bag of chips, or a hamburger, eventually, your mood will pay the price.

The immediate effects of a high-fat or sugary snack can be misleading. Often, they give a quick burst of energy and may reduce tension. But these effects run in reverse rapidly, said Robert Thayer, a professor of psychology at California State University at Long Beach.

"They shift to increase tension and reduce energy," he said.

Fast food and junk food are usually the most processed foods, where the nutrients are refined to the point where they are absorbed immediately or not at all, leaving no long-term sustenance for the body to feed off of.

"It is addictive to eat that sort of lipid-laden diet," Gelenberg said.

Besides the poor nutrient content, fast food often contains many additives and preservatives that can affect mood negatively.

Food colorings and preservatives, like benzoate, and added flavorings like monosodium glutamate (MSG), can cause anxiety, according to Scott.

Studies have shown that the omega-6 fatty acids often found in these foods, can compete with omega-3 fatty acids and an imbalance between the two can lead to obesity and depression. Since Americans often don't get enough omega-3s in their diets, consuming too many fast food items puts them at risk for mood problems.

"Most of us are busy & and many people put themselves last," Pratt said. "Fast food is horrible  for the salt content alone, never mind the fat and calories  but when we're stressed we're looking for rapid solutions... Emotionally centering yourself will be immensely helpful."

By RADHA CHITALE
ABC News Medical Unit

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

Seven detrimental kitchen blunders

There are things almost everyone does in the kitchen that rob food of some of its nutrition.
No matter how many publications we read on health, it's easy to get mixed up about food. How we shop and cook can make or break its goodness, but don't worry, all the challenges you see are easily solved.

1. Loading up just once a week at the market

Grocery shopping once a week saves time and money, but the longer produce sits, the less nutrients retained. Spinach loses half its folate and 60 percent of its antioxidant lutein in seven days. Broccoli loses over 60 percent of its flavonoids in 10 days. If shopping twice weekly is unrealistic, buy frozen that retains nutrients up to a year.

2. Buying certain foods in clear containers

Buying or storing food in clear containers is another mistake. Known as photo-oxidation, milk in jugs loses many nutrients, so consider cardboard cartons instead. Grains also break down in clear containers, so put them in opaque containers and store them in the dark.

3. Skimping on spices

Skimping on seasoning is another culinary sin. Herbs and spices enhance flavor and protect against food-borne bacteria. The higher the antioxidant value, the greater its ability to fight. Experts say cloves, cinnamon, and oregano are some of the best. Think about adding rosemary, thyme, nutmeg and bay leaves into your diet as well. One suggestion to boost antioxidants is to add ½ a teaspoon of herbs or spices to salads, vegetables or meats to help fight disease.

4. Peeling produce

Peeling produce with edible skin is another mistake. Peels offer 27 times the antioxidants than the pulp. Scrub 'em up and keep the skin on for better health. Think about eggplant, bell pepper, peaches, apples, nectarines, even kiwi sliced thin with skins on.

5. Boiling away the best nutrients

Think about microwaving rather than boiling vegetables, as this technique results in a loss of 90 percent of the nutrients. Microwaving in a scant amount of water spares them along with stir-frying.

6. Failing to pair proteins properly

While pairing protein with certain foods is often overlooked, combining a vitamin C food with a protein containing iron ups the absorption considerably. Alternatively, drinking tea or coffee can block iron by 60 percent when eaten with a meal, so watch out.

7. Eating dirty produce

Finally, the rule on washing produce: You have to wash all of it, not just lettuce. Avocados, oranges, and bananas all need washing because you don't know where it's been or who's touched it. The bacteria on the outside of the food ends up on your hands, which leads to contamination.

Courtesy: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/food_coach&id=5984736

Does your diet soda make you gain weight?

If you're trying to lose weight, you may want to phase out artificial sweeteners in your diet.

A new study out of Purdue University found that rats placed on diets specifically containing the artificial sweetener saccharin gained more weight than rats given food containing natural sugar.
Scientists say for some reason, ingesting saccharin tricks the body and alters the metabolism.

"It seems that normally with sweet foods, that we rev up our metabolism to prepare for that calorie load. What happens when you put a diet food in your mouth, your taste buds taste sweet, but then there's no calorie load that comes with it. There's some sort of a mismatch here, and it seems that it changes your brain chemistry in some way," said ABC News Medical Contributor Dr. Marie Savard.

The food industry criticized the study, saying it oversimplifies the causes of obesity and that findings in animal studies may not necessarily apply to people.

Success in Life

14 Stress-Free Ways to Kick Weight Loss in the Butt

[...] "Let me be honest again: even with the concepts below, weight loss isn
’t going to be easy. But at least these tools will make it a little easier, a little simpler, and they really do work."

read more | digg story

Life lessons from Carnie Wilson

Life lessons from Carnie Wilson

The singer talks with TODAY’s Natalie Morales about her addictions to food, alcohol and the pressure put on women to be perfect.

Disappointment with Prescription Weight Loss Pills

Modest Results From Weight Loss Drugs

Average Loss Is 6 to 10 Pounds in People Taking Prescription Weight Loss Drugs

Most dieters who take prescription weight loss medications lose only a fraction of the weight they want to lose, and many don't stick with the drugs, a review of the research shows.

When results from 30 trials were analyzed, long-term users of three widely prescribed weight loss drugs lost an average of 6 to 11 pounds over the course of one to four years.

Between 30% and 40% of the participants stopped taking the drugs before the trials ended.

Users of the drugs Xenical, Meridia, and the unapproved drug Acomplia did lose more weight than dieters who took placebos.

They were also more likely to lose 5% to 10% of their body weight -- an amount that is recognized for reducing the severity of obesity-related risks such as  diabetes, heart disease, and other weight-related health problems.

But Raj Padwal, MD, of the University of Alberta, says most people who take weight loss drugs are hoping to lose much more weight than the studies suggest they do.

"People tend to be disappointed with the degree of weight loss they achieve with these drugs, even when they know that modest weight loss will improve their health," he says. "People who are desperate to lose weight are usually willing to try drugs, but if they don't see the results they want in two or three months they don't tend to stay on them."

Pros and Cons of Weight Loss Drugs
The trials included in the analysis all lasted one year or more, with most lasting one to two years. One study comparing Xenical to placebo followed patients for four years.

All the study participants were obese, with average weights in the studies ranging between 192 pounds to 231 pounds.

Sixteen of the trials compared Xenical to placebo, 10 did the same with Meridia, and four followed patients taking Acomplia.

Xenical use was associated with a 6-pound average weight loss over the course of the studies, while Meridia users lost an average of 9 pounds, and Acomplia users lost 10 pounds.

Use of Xenical was associated with improvements in total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar control in patients with diabetes, but 15% to 30% of participants in most of the Xenical studies complained of gastrointestinal problems including fecal urgency and gas with oily discharge.

Use of Meridia was associated with slight increases in blood pressure in seven studies.

And Acomplia use was associated with a 3% increase in the likelihood of developing a psychiatric problem such as depression, anxiety, and irritability.

While no serious safety issues emerged during the trials, Padwal says there is little information about the safety of using the drugs for many years.

The analysis is published in the latest online issue of the journal BMJ.

"Anti-obesity drugs can help people achieve modest weight loss, but they have to be taken indefinitely or the weight will come back," Padwal says. "Patients and their practitioners have to make a bit of a leap of faith if they plan to continue on these medications for several years."

Obesity Researcher Targets ‘Alli’
Padwal says the drugs have a place in the management of obesity as long as patients have realistic expectations about what they can achieve with them.

But in an editorial accompanying the analysis, obesity researcher Gareth Williams, PhD, argues against the use of weight loss drugs without medical supervision.

Williams says the recent introduction of a lower-dose version of Xenical -- sold over-the-counter as Alli in the United States -- is more about marketing than sound medicine.

"Selling anti-obesity drugs over the counter will perpetuate the myth that obesity can be fixed simply by popping a pill and could further undermine the efforts to promote healthy living, which is the only long-term escape from obesity," he writes.

In an interview with WebMD, Williams charges that the main beneficiary of the new over-the-counter pill will be Alli manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline.

"I'm afraid I regard this as a rather cynical money-making enterprise on their part," he says. Taking a weight loss pill without medical supervision is likely to distract from the message that people have to make significant lifestyle changes to achieve meaningful weight loss."

A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmithKline tells WebMD that Alli is intended for use only by people who are willing to make these lifestyle changes.

"Alli is neither a magic pill nor a quick-fix solution, and we have certainly never marketed it that way," says Malesia Dunn. "The way this product has been marketed from day one has been to educate the consumer about the importance of making lifestyle changes."

Obesity Researcher Targets ‘Alli’ continued...
Acomplia manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis also defended its weight loss drug in a statement issued Thursday.

"Although the article describes the weight loss achieved ... as 'modest,' it does recognize that 'even modest amounts of weight loss (5-10%) are beneficial,' particularly in patients at risk for developing type 2 diabetes," company spokeswoman Julissa Viana notes.

A spokeswoman for Meridia manufacturer Abbott voices a similar sentiment.

"Clinical studies demonstrate that losing and maintaining weight loss of 5%-10% significantly reduces serious health risks of obesity like diabetes and cardiovascular disease," she tells WebMD. "When combined with diet and exercise, Meridia can achieve 5%-10% weight loss."

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MDNov. 15, 2007

"Maximum Beauty": Leonard Nimoy's new project of women; fleshy and proud.

Leonard Nimoy has been working on a series of photographs featuring plus sized women called "Maximum Beauty", some of which will be coming out in book form, along with a touring exhibit. Celebrating their girth, and reveling in it!

read more | digg story

Caution: Temptation & Calories in Halloween Candy

10 Tricks to Avoid Halloween Candy Temptations

Beware of those empty calories in the Halloween candy jar.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Halloween unofficially marks the beginning of the holiday feasting season. And for anyone trying to watch his or her weight, the scariest part of Halloween is not ghosts and goblins but the ever-abundant Halloween candy. Sugar and mostly empty calories is what you get in candy, and the truth is that most of us don’t exercise enough to warrant those extra calories.

Those cute little fun-size candy bars seem harmless -- and they are, if you can limit your consumption. But that's easier said than done.

"All it takes is an additional 100 calories a day or the equivalent of one snack-sized chocolate bar and most adults will experience weight creep before they even know it," says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

When your cupboards are loaded with candy and the kids come home with bags full of even more treats, it's hard to resist. Many people try to lessen the temptation at home by bringing their extra candy into work, thus setting a high-calorie trap for their co-workers.

"Don’t get sucked into the 'see food diet' mentality that makes you want to eat the candy simply because you see it and not because you are hungry," says Brian Wansink, PhD, a Cornell researcher and author of Mindless Eating:  Why We Eat More Than We Think. "We eat more of visible foods because it causes us to think about it more, and every time you see the candy bowl you have to decide whether ... you want a piece of candy or not.

"Simply thinking of food can make you hungry, so when you see or smell something associated with food, like the shiny foil-wrapped Kisses, it can actually make you salivate."

But there are ways to keep your hands out of the candy jar so you can avoid packing on some extra pounds even before the holiday season starts. Here are 10 expert tips to help you avoid the temptation of Halloween goodies, at home and at the office.

1. Buy candy you don’t love. If the candy in your pantry is stuff kids like but that you don’t enjoy, it will be easier to resist opening those bags and diving in. For most of us, that means anything but chocolate. "Sour candy, gummy-textured [candies], hard candies and the others that are not chocolate are lower in fat and calories and typically not the candy we overeat," says Sandon.
2. Out of sight, out of mind. Ask your co-workers to keep their candy jars and bowls inside their desks or stashed in a cabinet in the break room so you won’t be tempted every time you see it. If they want to keep candy on their desks, ask them to use a colored container with a lid so you can’t see inside.
3. Savor one piece of your favorite candy a day. Decide what time of day you most relish the sweet stuff, and save your special treat for that time. Then sit back and slowly savor the taste sensation. "It is so easy to pop a piece of candy into your mouth mindlessly and not get the full enjoyment you would get if you saved it and ate it when you know you will enjoy it the most," says Sandon. Indulge your sweet tooth on occasion, because denying yourself completely could lead to an all-out binge.
4. Chew gum. Sugarless gum gives your mouth a burst of sweet sensation for very few calories. "Studies have shown that gum chewing can also help [you] relieve stress, mentally focus on tasks, satisfy a sweet tooth, overcome the urge to eat candy, and help manage hunger pangs to hold you over until your next meal," says Sandon.
5. Replace the candy with better choices. Make the see-food diet work in your favor by putting out a bowl of colorful fruit or veggies in place of the candy.
6. Move the candy jar. Wansink and colleagues have done studies on how frequently people eat candy when it is within reach, out of sight, or requires them to get up to reach the jar. "If you have to get up to get a piece of candy, it is not always worth the effort, whereas when the candy is convenient, consumption is higher," says Wansink.
7. Count the empty wrappers. It's so easy to pop fun-size candy bars into your mouth that you can lose track of how quickly the calories are adding up. "If you keep the wrappers on your desk, it will remind you of how many you ate and hopefully inspire you to exercise moderation and stop after one or two," says Sandon.
8. Take a walking break. Getting away from your desk for a breath of fresh air can invigorate you and help you get over the mid-morning or mid-afternoon slumps that are often mistaken for hunger. 
9. Manage your hunger. Eat breakfast before coming to work and plan for a few healthy snacks along with a satisfying lunch. Your preplanned meals with keep you feeling satisfied and make you less likely to raid the candy bowl.
10. Sip on a low-calorie beverage. Keep your hands and mouth busy by drinking a zero-calorie cup of hot tea (rich with disease-fighting antioxidants) or big glass of water. And light hot chocolate can satisfy your sweet tooth for few calories than most fun-size chocolate bars.

SOURCES: Lona Sandon, Med, RD, assistant professor, University of Texas, Dallas; spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Brian Wansink, PhD, marketing and nutritional science professor, Cornell University; author, Mindless Eating.

Reviewed on October 24, 2007

The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You

After looking through the nutrition facts of literally every food from the menus of nearly 20 different fast food restaurants, here's a list of the 88 most unhealthy items.

read more | digg story

Walk from Obesity

In September and October in cities all across America, obesity sufferers and survivors alike join forces and walk to raise money for research, education, prevention and treatment of the life-threatening disease of obesity.

Since its inception, the Walk from Obesity has raised more than $1.6 million to support research and educational programs on behalf of all of those affected by this disease.

Many participants walk on behalf of those unable to do so, because obesity has stolen their mobility, dignity, hope or life.

The ASBS Foundation and Obesity Action Coalition's Walk from Obesity was established to give hope to those needing it most.

"The New You" Radio Show for 9/4/07

Don't forget to tune in Tuesday Sept.04,07 at 5:00pm CST for "The New You" Internet Radio Show. This is going to be a fun show; our "Hot Topic" this week will be about "The Absurdity regarding The dispute between RNY (Gastric Bypass) and Lap-band Communities". Also we will be discussing the "Walk from Obesity", this is a cause that is very near and dear to all of our hearts.

So click on the link to listen. Please send us your questions via email or on the show live. You can email your questions to info@thewlscoaches.com

Here is the link to the radio show
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thewlscoaches

The call in number is 646.716.9413

New Radio Show

Yeah! I finally made it! I will be co-hosting an Internet Radio Show called "The New You" with Cher Ewing. Cher is another Life Coach but works primarily with Lap-band Patients.

This is going to be great show, so you don’t want to miss it.

Our first show will air this Tuesday 8/28/07 at 3:00 pm PST. This show will be a get-to-know-the "Coaches" show. Come learn all about Cher and myself. And, if you have any questions you would like to ask, please feel free to email me and I will try to answer them all.

Also, if you have a topic you would like for us to cover in future shows; please let us know so we can get working on it. The link to the radio show is http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheWLSCoaches The number to call in is 646.716.9413

If your not able to listen to the show live, don't worry we will be recording it and posting it to the above blog.

Mental Techniques and weight loss

Can Your Mind Help Control Your Body Weight?

Date updated: April 23, 2007
By Vicky Uhland
Content provided by Revolution Health Group

Most weight-loss programs focus almost exclusively on the body: Eat less, exercise more, and you'll drop pounds.

But a mounting body of scientific evidence suggests that what and how you think can also help you lose weight. And that possibility is drawing mainstream attention: Even the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., are funding studies that examine how mental techniques can help yield thinner, healthier people.

The following is a roundup of recent research on which mind-body practices best support a weight-loss program.

Yoga
We know that yoga is designed to bring inner calm, increase flexibility and even build strength. But for years, little scientific evidence existed to support yoga as a weight- maintenance activity.

In 2005, yogi Alan Kristal, D.P.H., M.P.H., and colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle reviewed data on 15,550 men and women who had reported their physical activity and weight measurements for 10 years. The researchers found that participants who were overweight when the study began and had practiced yoga at least a half hour per week for 4 or more years lost 5 pounds during the 10-year period, while those who didn’t do yoga gained 13.5 pounds.

Although weight gain was measured at the beginning and end of the study, participants self-reported how often they practiced yoga. The study did not take into account participants' social or economic status and didn't show a clear cause and effect between yoga and weight loss — it showed only an association between people who did yoga and lost weight.

"Regular yoga practice can benefit individuals who wish to maintain or lose weight," the researchers concluded. They weren't sure exactly how yoga helped people drop the pounds, but many yoga devotees have theories.

"You need to separate it from the fact that it's a calorie-burning activity and view it more as a contribution to behavioral change and lifestyle change," says Elizabeth Larkam, a certified yoga instructor and mind-body spokeswoman for the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise (ACE).

"Think of it as meditation in motion. You feel more calm, more centered and therefore less likely to reach for a high-sugar snack to try to artificially balance your body's energy or your mood," she says. 

Tai chi
The ancient martial art of tai chi combines mental concentration with slow, choreographed movements designed to focus the mind and breathing. Dozens of studies show that tai chi improves balance, stability and pain management in the elderly, but few researchers link tai chi with weight loss.

In the January-February 2004  issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, an analysis of  7 studies on the aerobic benefits of tai chi found that it "may be an additional form of aerobic exercise," especially the popular, gentle Yang style of tai chi when it's practiced regularly for a year by previously sedentary adults.

However, Wojtek Chodzko Zajko, Ph.D., a tai chi expert and head of the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, says that in general, tai chi is not an aerobic exercise for most people. Instead, its weight- loss benefit is part of "a broader wellness practice," he says.

"People who practice tai chi are less anxious, depressed and nervous and have better self-esteem," he says. "You could argue tai chi is a good component to a total holistic attitude toward health, and that people who practice tai chi are more likely to engage in healthy eating behavior that encourages weight loss."

Fitness instructor Scott Cole, creator of the Discover Tai Chi for Weight Loss DVD (Goldhil, 2002), believes tai chi's "sitting posture" — in which every movement is done with bent knees — burns energy and consequently helps people lose weight. "You're moving slowly and not relying on your momentum, so you're using your muscles at the deepest level," Cole says. "Your muscles are in quite a quivering state with a lot of muscle fibers firing, which increases muscle mass and gives you a metabolic boost."

Meditation
While many people believe meditation can result in weight loss, few valid studies back that theory up, says Ruth Quillian-Wolever, Ph.D., clinical director for the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine in Durham, N.C.

Quillian-Wolever and her colleague, Jean Kristeller, Ph.D., of Indiana State University, are seeking a more definite answer to the question. They are working on 2 National Institutes of Health–funded studies designed to determine if there is a clear link between meditation and weight loss. Together, the 2-year studies track about 230 people practicing vipassana, an ancient Indian form of meditation.

Vipassana teaches students to define and differentiate between their thoughts, feelings and sensations. Quillian-Wolever suspects vipassana might help people "register their body signals and learn what is physical hunger or what is emotional." Her theory is that if people could gain more insight into what drives their eating choices, they might have an easier time controlling nonphysical hunger impulses.

Quillian-Wolever says she has successfully used vipassana meditation for weight loss with individual clients. "Other forms of meditation don't change your thoughts or your relationship with the world," she says.

How often a person needs to meditate to achieve weight loss, Quillian-Wolever says, is "the magic question" she and Kristeller hope to answer. "My personal guess is 5 to 6 days a week, 20 to 30 minutes a day for 3 months, and then a couple times a week indefinitely after that" Quillian-Wolever says.

Cognitive therapy
Hundreds of studies have been conducted on how cognitive therapy can improve everything from depression to shyness. But Judith Beck, Ph.D., daughter of the pioneer of cognitive therapy, Aaron Beck, M.D., knows of only one study linking cognitive therapy to weight loss.

That study, conducted in Sweden in 2005, tracked 105 obese people. Sixty-two of them participated in 3 hours of cognitive therapy a week for 10 weeks, while the rest served as controls. Eighteen months after the therapy ended, those in the cognitive therapy group had lost an average of 23 pounds, while the control group gained an average of 5 pounds.

Cognitive therapy for weight loss focuses on identifying negative thoughts — such as "I can't lose weight" — and responding to them realistically based on evidence. "If you change your thinking, you can change your behavior," says Beck, director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research in suburban Philadelphia and clinical associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. 

The author of The Beck Diet Solution (Oxmoor House, 2007), she has seen similar results with more than 75 individuals she's coached over 20 years as well as with a group of 10 obese women who have met with her since July 2006. Prior to joining the group, the women had tried an average of 8 times each to lose weight and had failed. In the first 9 months of cognitive therapy with Beck, the women lost between 10 and 45 pounds each.

Whether individually or in a group, Beck's cognitive therapy for weight-loss plan involves meeting once a week for months or even years. Patients learn 34 to 40 different skills that help identify and change thinking that sabotages weight loss. Although Beck has anecdotal evidence that her program helps people lose weight, she hasn't conducted a controlled, clinical study.

"The idea is to identify your sabotaging thinking and give yourself helpful, realistic responses that allow you to follow a nutritious diet you can basically stay on your whole life," Beck says. "If you change your thinking, you can change your behavior and learn skills like how to recognize the difference between hunger and craving."

Want assistance with implementing a new healthier lifestyle?  Click here

Vitamin D deficiency after WLS

A wonderfully informational article from Jacqueline Jacques, ND, Chief Science Officer at Bariatric Advantage®, A Division of Catalina Lifesciences, Inc:

Vitamin D has garnered a lot of recent attention in the Bariatric Surgery community.  Perhaps most notable is the increasing recognition that Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in patients preparing for weight loss surgery -  as many as 60 to 70 percent of patients may have verifiable low 25-OH D levels if measured prior to surgery. 

With more programs assessing pre-operative vitamin D status, more questions are being raised.  One common question is "why is there so much deficiency in obesity?"  There is no single answer to this question, but some of the causes likely include:

Storage in adipose tissue.  Vitamin D is highly lipophilic, and some studied in obesity shows that vitamin D manufactured in the skin becomes "trapped" in fat stores.
Decreased exposure to sunlight.  Morbidly obese patients may tend to spend more time indoors and often wear clothing that limits exposure of skin.
These factors are in addition to the general risks of low dietary intake, use of sunscreen, dark skin, and geography.
Another question that arises is "what is the impact of vitamin D deficiency?"  The best recognized effect of low vitamin D is on bone health.  However, in recent years, research has revealed that this nutrient has other important roles in human health including immune function, fetal and placental development, DNA transcription, pituitary function, and possibly heart health. This research supports other studies that have indicated that D plays a role in the regulation of insulin and blood sugar.

The final question, of course, is "should this deficiency be treated pre-operatively and (if yes) how?"  Clearly, with the many critical roles that vitamin D plays in health, this is worthy of consideration.  If we can improve not only nutritional status, but perhaps also insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular health in patients preparing for surgery, this could potentially be a positive thing for post-operative health.

Overall, vitamin D is an important nutrient, and you will continute to hear more about it.  This week's New England Journal of Medicine (July 19, 2007) has a wonderful article calling for an increase in the RDA for vitamin D.  Author Michael Holick, MD, PhD notes in his conclusion both that undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency is common in the US and that, due to the risk of sunburn and skin cancer from UV exposure, "the use of supplements are needed to fulfill the body's vitamin D requirement."  (Holick, MF. N Engl J Med. 2007; 357:266-81.)  If you have access to NEJM, this article also offers an outstanding review of human vitamin D nutrition, metaboliosm and deficiency.


Looking for support during your weight loss journey?  Click Here.

It's Vacation Time Again ~~~ Be Prepared

Exotic tropical island vacations, luxury and adventure cruises, romantic   getaways, honeymoon packages, and tours? You need a vacation! Possibly the perfect trip?

Well this can be a dangerous time for detouring from your new weight loss lifestyle.

We all know that exercise and a balanced nutritious diet is necessary for good health, but it's easy to overlook this when the stresses and complications of traveling force us to make food compromises and neglect our exercise routines. From grabbing a few candy bars in an airport gift shop to hitting a fast food joint en route to a tourist location, many of us let our new lifestyles slip when we are away from home. With a little planning and determination, however, it is possible to eat smart even when we're not totally sure where or what our next meal will be.

Here are some great hints and tips for staying focused while you travel

Read More...

Looking for extra support?

Good for you, Valerie Bertinelli!

I had to make sure and give kudos to Valerie Bertinelli after she admitted to the world that she is a Food Addict!

After many interviews and her new commercial for Jenny Craig, she is on her way towards a more positive and healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, many people do not come to terms with the fact that, like an alcoholic or drug addict, food addiction is a compulsive use of substances or engagement in behaviors despite clear evidence to the user of consequent morbidity and/or other harmful effects.

When a person begins his/her journey admitting their addiction, they give themselves a chance to begin with a realistic view of the challenges ahead.  And as a result, can prepare more effectively and authentically.

Life Coaching enables a client to explore and dig deeper - pursuing ways to work toward overcoming such challenges.

Seven Diet Sins

The most common nutrition mistakes -- and how to avoid them.

You read all the books; buy all the right vitamins; you know the buzzwords to look for on food labels. By all standards, you're certain your nutrition report card should be filled with straight A's.

But before you start pasting gold stars onto your refrigerator door, take heed: Nutrition experts say most of us think we are eating a lot better than we actually are.

To set the record straight, Heller and two colleagues from the American Dietetic Association gave us the dish on seven nutrition mistakes you probably don't know you're making -- along with sure-fire ways to avoid them.

Mistake No. 1: Assuming your choices are better than they actually are.

From fruit juices to canned vegetable soup, breakfast muffins to seven-grain bread, it's easier to think your food choices are healthier than they really are, experts tell WebMD.

"If a label says 'Seven-Grain Bread,' it sounds pretty healthy, right? But unless that label also says 'whole grains' it's not necessarily going to be the healthiest bread choice you could make," Heller says.

Likewise, she says many folks think that eating a can of vegetable soup is as nutritious as downing a plateful of veggies -- not realizing how few vegetables are inside, and how much of the nutrients are lost in processing.

Another common mistake: Substituting fruit juices for whole fruits.

"Are fruit juices healthier than soda? Yes. But they are also concentrated sources of sugar that don't give you anywhere near the same level of nutrients you get from whole fruits," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD. What's more, says Taub-Dix, if you're trying to lose weight, you won't get the same sense of fullness from a glass of juice that you will from a piece of fruit.

"Instead, you'll just take in a whole lot of calories -- and still feel hungry," Taub-Dix says.

The solution: Whenever possible, eat whole, fresh, and unprocessed foods. Even when you eat them in smaller amounts, you're likely to get a well-rounded group of nutrients. When buying packaged foods, put in at least as much time into reading labels and selecting products as you do when choosing a shower gel or shampoo.

"Don't just assume a product is healthy -- even if it's in the health food section of the supermarket," says Heller. "You've got to read the labels."

Mistake No. 2: Being confused about carbs.

A national fascination with low-carb diets has many Americans eliminating carbohydrates from their eating plans in record "grams." But before you reconstruct your personal nutrition pyramid, there's something you should know.

"There are carbs that are very, very good, and some that are less good, but your brain and body must have some carbohydrates every day," says Heller.

Moreover, because complex carbohydrates (those rich in whole grains and fiber) keep you feeling full longer, they also help you to eat less -- and lose more!

But eliminating this important food group isn't our only carb-related mistake. According to dietitian Rachel Brandeis, MS, RD, just as troublesome is the belief that all no-carb or low-carb foods are healthy, or that you can eat them in any amount.

"Much like the low-fat diet craze, where everyone thought that if a meal had no fat, it had no calories, similarly people have come to believe that if it has low carbs you can eat as much as you want and not gain weight," says Brandeis. "And that is simply not true." Eat enough of anything, she says, and you'll gain weight.

The solution: Experts say you should never cut any food group out of your diet -- including carbohydrates. Equally important, says Heller, is to learn which carbohydrates give you the biggest bang for your nutritional buck.

"It's a lot harder to run amuck when you are including carbohydrates like fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains in your diet," says Heller.

Mistake No. 3: Eating too much.

Whether you're filling your plate with low-fat, low-carb, or even healthy, nutritionally balanced foods, overestimating how much food your body needs is among the most common mistakes, experts say.

"Many people believe they should feel not just satisfied after a meal, but stuffed," says Heller. "I think many of us have lost touch with the sensation of having had enough food."

Adds Taub-Dix: "People also tend to believe that they can eat larger portions if all the food on their plate meets the guidelines of their current diet -- such as low-carb or low-fat -- and that, of course, is also not true."

The solution: Remain conscious of portion sizes. Weigh and measure standard portions, at least at first, so you'll know what the amounts should look like. And, says Brandeis, "never use restaurant portions as your guide -- they super-size everything."

Mistake No. 4: Not eating enough -- or often enough.

While overeating and undereating may seem like contradictory nutrition mistakes, they are related.

"If you don't eat at regular intervals throughout the day, you risk disrupting your blood sugar and insulin levels, which in the end can promote fat storage and lower your metabolism -- both of which lead to weight gain," Brandeis says.

The solution: Eat something every four hours and never let yourself "starve" from one meal to the next, Brandeis says.

Mistake No. 5: Taking too many supplements.

"People tend to forget that a vitamin pill is a supplement -- it's meant to complement your diet, not act as a stand-in for the foods you don't eat," says Heller. What's more, she says, taking too many vitamins can end up sabotaging your good health.

"Every vitamin and mineral and phytochemical in our body works in concert with one another, and it's easy to knock that balance off if you are taking concentrated doses of single nutrients, or even groups of nutrients," says Heller.

Bradeis cautions that any diet plan that claims you must take a high-potency supplement to meet your nutritional needs should send up a red flag.

"It means that eating plan is not healthy," says Brandeis, "and it also means you are going to miss out on the synergistic health effects that can only come from whole foods -- including not only helping you to feel fuller longer, but also preventing cellular breakdowns important to preventing disease."

The solution: Both experts recommend taking no more than one all-purpose multivitamin daily. Don't supplement your diet with individual nutrients without the guidance of your doctor, nutritionist, or other health expert. Keep in mind that the sales clerk in the health food store is usually not a health expert.

Mistake No. 6: Excluding exercise.

While most folks believe nutrition is all about food, Brandeis says it's also about how your body uses food -- and that's where regular exercise comes in.

"Without adequate exercise, you cannot maintain a high enough metabolic rate to burn your food efficiently," says Brandeis. "A pill can't do that for you; foods alone can't do that for you. Exercise is the only way to achieve it."

The solution: Make exercise a regular part of your life. And don't get hung up if you can't do it at the same time every day. If you miss your routine in the morning, don't wait until the next day and try to do twice as much. Instead, try to fit in some exercise -- even if it's just a little bit -- every day, says Taub-Dix.

Mistake No. 7: Believing everything you read about nutrition and weight loss.

"Just because someone writes a diet book or a nutrition guide does not mean they are an expert," cautions Brandeis.

If you're turning to a book for guidance, she says, "look to the author's credentials and ask yourself: Is this person a dietician; do they have an advanced degree in nutrition? Or are you buying this book because it's written by a celebrity who you think looks good?"

Even if an "expert" is behind your nutrition or diet plan, Brandeis says, it's important to make sure the plan is based on solid research.

"Has the plan been tried on 20 people or 200 people? Have the results been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal -- or is it based solely on anecdotal reports? These are things that I fear many people don't pay attention to before paying attention to what is being said -- and that is a huge mistake," says Brandeis.

Perhaps even more important: Experts say there is no one diet or nutrition plan that is right for every person.

Brandeis tells WebMD that dieters need to stop blaming themselves when a plan doesn't work for them. It's not them, she says. It may not even be the plan. "It's just not the correct match," she says.

The solution: Before following a particular diet or nutrition plan, check the credentials of the author or creator. Look for plans that are backed up by published medical data, and supported by the opinions of many experts in the field.

By Colette  Bouchez
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

SOURCES: Samantha Heller, MS, RD, dietician and nutritionist, New York University Medical Center, New York City. Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, director, medical nutrition therapist, BTD Nutrition, New York City; spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Rachel Brandeis, MS, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association, Atlanta.

Article - Firefighter Workout

Reduce Your Risk
Enjoy a long, healthy career and beyond!
by Michael Stefano

From the most seasoned veteran, to the wet-behind-the-ears probie, ALL firefighters need to be fit. But just like the rest of America, we succumb to the daily temptation of overeating and under exercising.

The process doesn't happen overnight, but if you put on five pounds a year for five or ten years, you're left with 25 to 50 pounds of excess body fat to lug around.

Combine this with your already heavy load of fifty pounds of firefighting gear, not to mention the extremes of temperature and oxygen deficient environment you're forced to operate in. You can easily see how you're creating a situation which might go beyond that which you can safely handle, increasing your risk of injury, or even worse, a possible cardiovascular incident.

So how do we as firefighters, who must be fit and strong, rise to this challenge? Below you'll find a list of 10 steps you can take to forestall this process and keep you in great shape for your entire career and beyond.

1. Exercise 3 to 5 times weekly for about 30 minutes.
There's no skipping step one. Put together a program that combines some cardio, strength, and flexibility training for optimum results.

2. Take up a sport or hobby.
Play golf, join a softball league, go bowling. Pick something you enjoy, and like Nike says, just do it.

3. Leave the car at home.
Whenever you can, walk to the stores, to work, taking the kids to school. The increased calories you burn every day will go a long way to keeping you lean.

4. Take the stairs.
Forget about elevators and escalators wherever and whenever you can. In addition to being a great calorie burner, stair climbing is a good way to tone the entire lower body.

5. Mow the lawn, shovel the snow, vacuum the house.
In other words, all those house-hold chores your mom was always trying to get you to do turn out to be quite the calorie burners. Mowing the lawn alone uses up a whopping 400 calories an hour.

6. Push away the plate when you're full.
Don't ever eat to just clean your plate. If you listen to your body, it will often tell you just how much food it needs. Slow down and pay attention.

7. Reduce intake of high-cal beverages, replace with water.
Drinking lots of soda, milk, and juices really pack on the calories. As firefighters we need to stay hydrated, and the best way to do that is to drink at least eight, 8 oz. glasses of water every day.

8. Cut back on butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and the like.
There's a lot of hidden calories in here. Replace with jellies, mustard, ketchup, and low-fat dressings.

9. Stay away from fried foods.
Americans are obsessed with everything fried. Grill the chicken, bake the potato, and poach the eggs, you�ll eliminate a lot of unnecessary calories.

10. As the saying goes, �Everything in moderation.�
You can still enjoy most of what you love to eat, just be conscious of serving sizes, and limit yourself when it comes to high-calorie treats.

If you follow the above ten steps you'll be well on your way to a long healthy career, and still fit into the dress uniform you wore at your probie-school graduation.

Increase In Bariatric Surgeries

Weight Loss Surgery Soars in U.S.

More than 9 Times as Many Went Under Knife to Lose Weight in 2004 vs. 1998

Weight loss surgery is soaring in the U.S., especially among baby boomers and women, a government report shows.

Weight loss, or bariatric, surgery is for morbidly obese people and those who are obese with serious medical conditions related to their weight. Perhaps the best known type of this surgery is gastric bypass surgery.

The new report shows bariatric surgery was nine times more common in 2004 than in 1998 in the U.S.

In 1998, 13,386 bariatric surgeries were performed on people of all ages. That figure rose to 121,055 in 2004.

Most of those operations were gastric bypass surgeries, according to the report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Boomers Lead Trend

The fastest growth in bariatric surgery was among people aged 55-64, but younger adults and teens also became more likely to opt for it.

"This report shows that more Americans are turning to obesity surgery and that an increasing number of younger people are undergoing these procedures," says AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy in an AHRQ news release.

"As the rate of obesity continues to climb, the health care system needs to be prepared for continued escalation in the rate of this surgery and its potential complications," Clancy says.

Bariatric surgery was 20 times more common among people aged 55-64 in 2004 than six years earlier (772 surgeries in 1998; about 15,800 in 2004).

People 45-54 had more than a tenfold increase in bariatric surgeries, rising from 3,320 in 1998 to about 35,900 in 2004.

Younger Adults Getting Weight Loss Surgery

Meanwhile, weight loss surgery grew sixfold in adults 18-44 during the years studied.

In 2004, more than 36,700 of those 35-44 got bariatric surgery, as did more than 30,400 adults 18 to 34.

Teens and older adults are also being caught up in the trend.

In 1998, there were too few bariatric surgery patients in these two age groups to count, says the AHRQ.

In 2004, 349 teens aged 12-17 and more than 1,400 adults 65 and older got bariatric surgery.

Men, Women Getting Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric surgery increased for both sexes but was more common among women. Women accounted for about eight in 10 bariatric surgery patients in 2004, the study shows.

The number of bariatric surgeries performed on men rose more than eight times higher during the years studied, from 2,527 in 1998 to nearly 21,000 in 2004.

Bariatric surgeries performed on women increased more than nine times, from nearly 10,860 in 1998 to about 99,300 in 2004.

Bariatric surgery can have complications, but the report shows a drop in the hospital inpatient death rate.

In 2004, 230 patients died in hospital stays in which bariatric surgery was performed, down nearly 80% from 1998, according to the report.

If you're considering weight loss surgery, ask your doctor about the risks, benefits, and a long-term healthy lifestyle plan to keep the pounds off.

SOURCES: Zhao, Y. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Statistical Brief #23, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, January 2007.

By Miranda Hitti

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD
WebMD Medical News

National Body Challenge - F R E E Membership

National Body Challenge - F R E E Membership

Haven’t registered for the Challenge yet? There is no better time to join the Discovery Health’s National Body Challenge. It’s a FREE, eight-week, comprehensive fitness and weight-loss challenge that provides the tools and inspiration, online and on television, to get in shape, shed extra pounds and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Since you participated in a previous year, we encourage you to register for this year’s National Body Challenge. It couldn’t be easier to get started on discovering a thinner, fitter, healthier you!

Once you register, you can take advantage of these FREE benefits:

• 8-week membership to Bally Total Fitness®*
• Customized online meal plans with over 1,000 healthy recipes
• Multiple chances to win $1,000,000**
• Expert weight loss, fitness and healthy lifestyle information

REGISTER NOW

Cookbooks for HEALTH!

Here is an article that gives you some terrific suggestions for HEALTHY COOKBOOKS:

Top 10 Healthy Cookbooks: A Dietitian's Picks

A healthy cookbook is a gift that keeps giving all year long.

By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic

Looking for a gift that will help bring good health to friends and family all year long? A cookbook that inspires cooks to whip up healthy and delicious cuisine is the perfect gift for those you love this holiday season.

Choosing the right healthy cookbook can be a daunting task, with thousands of titles to choose from. To help you narrow the field, whether you're looking for a cookbook for yourself or loved ones on your gift list, I offer up 10 of my own favorites (below).

When I choose a cookbook, I look for those that feature lots of photos, easy-to-follow recipes that look and sound delectable, nutrition information on all recipes, wholesome ingredients, and a focus on cutting fat, sugar, and calories. My goal is to find recipes that taste fantastic and leave my family and friends amazed at how delicious healthy cuisine can be.

This list is by no means inclusive of all the wonderful cookbooks that give the gift of good health. So peruse the aisles and look for cookbooks that match your interests (or those of someone on your holiday gift list) and that make you want to go straight home and whip up a recipe.

1. Healthy Beef Cookbook by Chef Richard Chamberlain and Betsy Hornick

This cookbook features casual to elegant appetizing recipes using lean cuts of beef in proper portions (no steak-house-sized cuts here). Some of its strong points: simple, straightforward instructions; dishes that use wholesome, readily available ingredients; and cook's tips that provide user-friendly guidance to both novice and experienced cooks.

2. Sonoma Diet Cookbook by Connie Guttersen, PhD, RD

Guttersen is a registered dietitian and chef who teaches at the Culinary Institute of America. Her recipes are perfect for anyone who wants to learn to be more creative and to experiment with different foods. Often employing zesty Mediterranean, Asian, or Latin flavors, Gutterson uses spices, herbs, and cooking techniques to enhance flavor without extra calories. Extras include recipes from Sonoma chefs, as well as holiday and gourmet recipes for entertaining.

3. The New Holly Clegg Trim and Terrific Cookbook by Holly Clegg

Clegg is committed to developing healthy, user-friendly recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes. Her Trim and Terrific series features favorite and classic recipes prepared with a healthier twist. She includes answers to frequently asked questions, a dictionary of terms, menus, quick tips, food facts, diabetic exchanges, and symbols to designate vegetarian and freezer-friendly recipes. This book is for the everyday cook who is looking to serve the family or entertain friends with healthy, yet easy, cuisine.

4. Fit Food – Eating Well for Life by Ellen Haas

Haas, founder of the web site foodfit.com, is devoted to promoting healthy eating, healthy cooking, and an active lifestyle. This cookbook features simple-to-make recipes from the web site, with an emphasis on 21 "fit foods." Chefs across the country have contributed mouth-watering recipes. This cookbook makes it easy to discover the joy of healthy eating -- and you won't even need your glasses with the large print.

5. Healthy Homestyle Cooking by Evelyn Tribole, MS, RD

This cookbook has been on my shelf for years, along with the companion Healthy Homestyle Desserts. Tribole learned the secrets of making over recipes as the Recipe Makeover columnist for Shape magazine. Here, she shares her expertise with over 200 tasty recipes for family favorites.

6. South Beach Diet Cookbook by Arthur Agatson, MD

Agatson has helped so many people lose weight with his South Beach Diet. And it's hard to believe you're on a diet when you sample the cuisine from this book, including yummy desserts as well as recipes from leading chefs in Miami. Beautiful photographs, shopping lists, and a guide to a well-stocked pantry are just a few of the extras found in the cookbook. The recipes are easy to prepare, with a limited number of ingredients.

7. American Dietetic Association Cooking Healthy Across America, edited by Kristine Napier

This is the perfect gift for anyone who wants to master creative cuisine from all corners of America. Professional dietitians and culinary experts share their love of food with this collection of regional recipes along with helpful tips. The recipes are also easy to prepare.

8. 5 a Day: The Better Health Cookbook by Elizabeth Pivonka and Barbara Berry

For anyone looking for creative ways to work more fruits and vegetables into their menus, this cookbook offers hundreds of appetizing options. Some of the extras include tips on how to store produce, microwaving, simple ways to add fruits and vegetables into meals, getting kids to like vegetables, and a week's worth of menus.

9. The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

My copy dates back a few years but continues to be a dog-eared favorite. This cookbook (one of many fine ones from Cooking Light) features step-by-step guides, menus, splurge-worthy ingredients, top 10 things you didn't know, and essential kitchen tips and tools.

10. The Phytopia Cookbook by Barbara Gollman and Kim Pierce

What I love about this cookbook is how the authors have made healthy eating so colorful and adventurous. It's not necessarily a vegetarian cookbook, but close. It contains seafood and chicken dishes but the majority of recipes feature the "phytochemicals" found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD and the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

Published December 7, 2006.

Holiday Message - Celebrate Inner Christmas

I was told about this wonderful gift for the season.  It is a powerful message from Lynn Jericho - she has worked hard and relentlessly to know herself, to heal the wounds of a very dramatic childhood, and to claim her own freedom and destiny.

Click HERE to see her Inner Christmas Movie.

Help Bring Physical Education Back Into Public Schools

From California to Iowa, from Colorado to Massachusetts, cash-strapped schools are gutting their phys-ed programs, letting go of teachers, reducing the minutes of instruction or, in some cases, eliminating physical education altogether.

According to FOX News, there "Schools point the finger at the Bush administration's No Child Left Behind Act, which mandates that schools meet strict testing requirement in core subjects like English and math. The resources required to meet those standards, administrators say, leave little left over for non-core programs. But with the cuts in physical education coming at a time when childhood obesity rates are alarmingly high, health advocates fear that ultimately, children's health will be left behind.

I happened to be watching David Letterman tonight and it featured a long time absent guest, Richard Simmons. Thinking that the whole guest appearance would be one joke after another, Richard was asked about what he was involved in these days.  I was surprised to learn that he is very concerned with the absence of Physical Education in public schools while the Surgeon General warns of the epic proportions of the Obesity Crisis in America.

What can you do to help Richard enable America's children to grow healthier?

He has a survey he is compiling to compile national obesity statistics and information.  Once he receives this information, he will take it to Washington to share with the only people who can make the necessary changes to save America's children from the dangers of obesity: the men and women in our government.

Please take a few minutes and fill out this needed survey by CLICKING HERE

Thank you.

Nightmare Nutrition ~ Are you part of the epidemic?

---

10 Foods that Are Health Horrors

Dietitians name their top nutritional nightmares.

By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic
Original article:
http://aolsvc.health.webmd.aol.com/content/Article/129/117303.htm

Some foods are so bad for you, they qualify as a nutritionist's nightmare.

WebMD asked several registered dietitians and other food experts to nominate their favorite "food horrors". Their submissions ranged from empty-calorie foods masquerading as nutritious, to outlandish concoctions that tip the scales with obscene amounts of fat and calories. Have any of them ever lurked around your plate?

1. Frightful Fried Foods

From a nutritional standpoint, some of the scariest foods are the deep-fat fried concoctions you can find at carnivals and state fairs.

Americans have tossed everything from turkeys to Twinkies in the fryer, but have you ever heard of deep-fried cola? Debuting at the Texas state fair -- and winning the creativity honor at the Big Tex Choice Awards contest -- was this deep-fried, Coca-Cola flavored batter, drizzled with cola fountain syrup, and topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry.

2. Scary Steakhouse Specialty

Nutritional nightmares are readily available at many of your favorite neighborhood restaurants. Christine Palumbo, RD, nominated the deep-fried onion appetizer popular at some chain steakhouses.

One such appetizer, Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion, has more than 800 calories, 58 grams of fat and 22 grams of saturated fat, plus 1,520 milligrams of sodium. These numbers don't include the dipping sauce, which is also loaded with fat, calories, and sodium.

3. Monstrously Misleading

Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, a New York University nutrition professor and author of What to Eat, takes issue with not-very-nutritious foods that are labeled or advertised with healthy-sounding terms. She nominates "kids' fruit snacks that have no fruit whatsoever and are basically candy in disguise" as one potentially misleading food.

4. Big, Bigger, Biggest Burgers

There appears to be no end to the amount of calories and fat you can fit onto a bun.

Hardee's has the Monster Thickburger, boasting 1,420 calories, 107 grams (g) of fat, 45 g of saturated fat, and 2,740 milligrams (mg) of sodium. Carl's Jr. takes it a step further with the Double Six Burger, featuring two burger patties and three slices of cheese -- weighing in at 1,520 calories, 111 g fat, 47 g saturated fat, and 2,760 mg sodium.

Burger King is not far behind with its BK Stacker, loaded with four burgers, four slices of cheese, and 8 strips of bacon, coming in at 1,000 calories, 30 g saturated fat, and 1,800 mg sodium.

And the list doesn't end at fast-food chains. Ever hear of the "Hamdog"? This culinary creation from the former Mulligan's Tavern near Atlanta starts with a hot dog padded with cheese and half pound of ground beef. That's dropped in the fryer, then loaded onto a hoagie roll and topped with chili, bacon, onions and a fried egg. Mulligan's was also famous as the home of the "Luther Burger," a giant bacon cheeseburger with a Krispy Kreme doughnut for a bun.

Someone call the food police!

Of course, "most people know when they order one of these that it is not good for them," says Jayne Hurley, RD, senior nutritionist for the watchdog group, Center for Science in the Public Interest.

If you are thinking of your health, try ordering a plain burger with sauce on the side, along with a side salad.

The bottom line is that we should eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day (equal to about 1 teaspoon). If you're salt-sensitive (that is, if your blood pressure is highly affected by salt), the number drops to 1,500 mg.

5. Appalling Appetizers

Dietitian Cynthia Sass, RD, nominated TGI Friday's "sizzling triple meat fundido -- a combination of cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and sausage served with breadsticks." While nutritional information for this appetizer was not available on the restaurant's web site, the fat-laden ingredients ensure that the fundido is a nutritional no-no.

6. Calorie-Laden Cakes

As if cheesecake were not high enough in fat and calories, the Cheesecake Factory adds chocolate candy, cookies, mousse, ganache, flourless chocolate cake crust, and other equally caloric extras to the rich dessert, says Jayne Hurley, RD. Even if you're just ordering a plain slice, cheesecake will set you back 630 calories.

Looking for a little nosh with your coffee? Starbucks Old Fashioned Crumb cake looks innocent enough, but that little square packs 670 calories.

7. Diet-Demolishing Drinks

The real problem with high-calorie drinks is that they go down easily, and don't tend to fill you up.

"Coffee drinks and smoothies don't set off bells and whistles to alert you to the calorie load," says Hurley. "Starbucks' white chocolate mocha is a Quarter-Pounder in a cup; any Frappuccino Blended Crème has 490-580 calories; and a venti Java Chip Frappuccino has the equivalent of 11 creamers and 20 packets of sugar.

To reduce the calories in your favorite coffee drink, order a small size, make it "skinny" (with low fat milk), and skip the whipped cream.

8. Mammoth Mall Munchies

Most people know when they order a gigantic burger that it is not good for them. But what really scares Hurley are the not-so-obviously fattening foods that people snack on at the mall.

"The highly aromatic cinnamon used in a Cinnabon (810 calories) or the smell of Mrs. Field's milk chocolate macadamia cookie (320 calories) tempts mall goers into thinking nothing of eating a snack that has half a day's calories or fat," she says.

Bring along a 100-calorie pack of crackers, some trail mix, or raw veggies to help you resist the tantalizing aromas of such high-calorie mall treats.

9. Dining-Out Diet Disasters

"Fifteen years ago, when I first started evaluating restaurant food, I was blown away by the 1,500 calories in a serving of Fettuccine Alfredo, but the trend has gotten worse, not better," says Hurley.

Fried macaroni and cheese and cheese fries were other nominees in the category of frightening foods found on restaurant menus.

10. Stupendous Servings

It's not just fast-food meals that have been super-sized in the last couple of decades.

"Muffins, bagels, salads, sandwiches, pasta servings -- almost everything is much larger today than it used to be or needs to be," says Hurley. "You can expect most restaurant appetizers, entrees, and desserts to each weigh in around 1,000 calories."

Here's a sure-fire way to start your day off on the wrong dietary foot: the enormous omelet sandwich at Burger King. This fork-free meal is loaded with two slices of cheese, three slices of bacon, two eggs, and a sausage patty on a giant bun, totaling 730 calories and 47 g fat.

Do Food Horrors Really Matter?

Yes, dietitians say, there are some truly frightening foods out there. But do they really matter to the average American's diet?

Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work, thinks that once a person indulges in a decadent dessert or monster burger, it triggers the "'I've already blown my diet, so why bother?" mentality.

Beyond that, May believes, the real horror may be the American mind-set about food.

"We were raised to clean our plates so we could be rewarded with dessert, which further enhances our desire to eat sweets and eat meals without recognition of fullness," she says.

Further, consider that many of the most frighteningly fattening foods are sold in restaurants. Americans now spend 48% of their food dollars in restaurants, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. And the most popular restaurant food eaten by both men and women is the hamburger, according to the NPD Group, a market research firm.

Hurley thinks most people would think twice about ordering food and drinks that they realize are "hideously high in fat and calories." She'd like to see nutrition information about restaurant foods become more readily available, and believes this would encourage restaurateurs to offer more healthful options.

"Let's give consumers the choice and educate them with the nutritional information of restaurant foods at the point of purchase, not the web site," she recommends.

Published Oct. 27, 2006.

---

SOURCES: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005". Burger King web site. Carl's Jr. web site. TGI Friday's web site. Mrs. Fields web site. USDA: "Let's Eat Out: Americans Weigh Taste, Convenience", and "Nutrition (EIB-19), October 2006". Press release, NPD group, Sept. 5, 2006. Jayne Hurley, RD, senior nutritionist, Center for Science in the Public Interest. Cynthia Sass, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, nutrition professor, New York University; author, What to Eat. Christine Palumbo, MBA, RD, food columnist, Allure magazine; nutrition consultant. Michelle May, MD, author, Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work.

Healthy Alternatives for Thanksgiving Leftovers

The Day After: Terrific Thanksgiving Leftovers
by Christine Leishman

After the Grand Feast, you may find your refrigerator full of all those foods turkey stock you love to eat - one day a year. What can you do with all that turkey, cranberry sauce, and sweet potato? Well, here are some ideas that will keep you eating healthy while using up all those delicious leftovers.

Soups

The first thing to do the day after Thanksgiving is make and freeze it in small containers to add to pasta, polenta, couscous, or use it to make a quick soup over the holidays.
Add the leftover gravy to a small pot of stock for a delicious soup base. Add chopped turkey, the last of the green bean casserole, and some of those other cooked vegetables, and you've got soup for the whole family.

Sweet potatoes and winter squash make the ideal base for a velvety Gingered Sweet Potato Soup. Season with ginger or curry spices, add a little lowfat milk or yogurt, and garnish with chopped herbs. This soup really takes the autumn chill out of your bones in a wondrous way.

Salads

Toss chopped turkey with some rice (better yet wild rice!) and diced seasonal fruit: fuyu persimmon, Asian pear, crunchy apple, or add some dried fruit. Think color, texture, and flavor -- get creative. My Turkey and Wild Rice Salad incorporates a pomegranate vinaigrette but you could also replace some of the oil in your regular vinaigrette recipe with a little of that cranberry sauce you have on hand. (If you're leftover rice is really dried out, warm it in a saucepan with a splash of stock or water, drain and toss with the vinaigrette—the grains need to be "opened" so the dressing soaks in rather than just coating the rice.)

Starters and Snacks

Crostini make a special lunch or late afternoon pick-me-up. Finely chop those cooked green vegetables (small artichokes, spinach, chard, green beans), season with fresh herbs, salt, pepper, a drop of extra virgin olive oil, even a little lemon zest, and spoon onto a garlic crouton. If you need something a little more substantial spread a thin layer of goat cheese or hummus on a slice of toasted sourdough bread, top with the vegetable mixture, and supper is taken care of.

Entrees

• Spice up some turkey; wrap it in a whole-wheat tortilla along with some winter squash, cranberry sauce, and a handful of shredded lettuce or sprouts. Or try the recipe below for a burrito to make when you're not so "on the go." Or, try some Turkey Burritos.
• Scoop cooked sweet potatoes (or acorn squash) out of its skin; toss it with rice or stuffing, and season to taste. Spoon the filling firmly into the skin, heat through, and drizzle with gravy for a quick and easy entrée.
• Make Vegetable Griddlecakes. These are great with cranberry sauce, gravy, or both.
  Make an egg substitute omelette and fill it with what you've got -- and just a hint of Parmesan.
  For a surprisingly elegant meal turn your leftover stuffing into a Savory Bread Pudding. Add a simple tossed green salad and a glass of red wine and dinner is served
• Make a hungry-"person" stew. Wilt some onions, and garlic in a heavy-bottomed pot, add some cooked potatoes, turkey, the leftover gravy, and enough stock to make a sauce. Cook over a medium-low heat until all the flavors come together and the aroma fills your kitchen. Chop some cooked vegetables and throw them in for color—carrots, sweet potato, green beans, greens, or even frozen peas. Heat through and serve as is, or spoon into ovenproof crocks and top with some mashed potatoes for a turkey shepherd's pie.

Miscellaneous

One of my favorite things to do with leftover cranberry sauce is flavor vinegar. (I let it "cure" until Christmas and give it as gifts.) Add about 1/2-cup pureed cranberry sauce to the bottom of a sterilized glass bottle. Warm a liter of good quality red wine vinegar, pour it in over the cranberries, and set aside to cool. Be sure the bottle can be tightly sealed. For a slightly sweeter taste and a more festive looking bottle add some dried cranberries as well.

Chutney is easy to make from, and great to serve with, Thanksgiving leftovers. My Cranberry Chutney is a quick and easy chutney that is perfect at this time of year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Leishman began her cooking career at Greens Restaurant, the renowned vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. Her interest in health and nutrition eventually led her to UCSF Medical Center where she was the Recipe Development Coordinator for both the patient and retail foodservice. She led cooking classes for the Outpatient Weight Management group, the Heart Disease Reversal Program, and Millberry Student Program. Her work for Dr. Dean Ornish's Heart Disease Reversal Programled to the publication of her cookbook Recipes From the Heart.

How do you start your day when your goal and focus is on Weight Loss?

Plan Your Day to Lose Weight

Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature

You're running late, flying out the door. You might skip breakfast: the cereal box is empty, and the milk's gone sour. Forget taking lunch: there's peanut butter in the jar, but you are out of bread. Exercise before work? You've got to be kidding. It's a typical hectic morning, at the beginning of a typical jam-packed day. What happened to those resolutions to exercise more, eat healthier, lose weight? It's easy for them to get lost in the daily shuffle.

In a perfect world, we could accomplish all this by the time our busy day starts:

- Jump out of bed by 6:30 (or earlier).

- Get a good chunk of exercise, 20 minutes or more.

- Eat a satisfying but healthy breakfast: fresh fruit, high-fiber cereal, low-fat milk.

- Brown-bag a wholesome lunch: more fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, whole-wheat bread, homemade vegetable soup (maybe that you prepared last night).

It's true -- with a little planning, this could be your reality. Your morning rush would go more smoothly, and your weight loss efforts would stay on track. You bounce out of bed, knowing what your next move is - all day, all week, all year.

"If you leave exercise and healthy eating to chance, it's not going to happen," says Milton Stokes, RD, MPH, chief dietitian for St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City. "You're responsible for you. Use your personal digital assistant to set your day - gym time, dinner. Make these things pre-meditated - so it's not like a surprise, you've got an extra hour, should you go to the gym or watch TV. If you don't plan it, you won't do it."

Planning for Weight Loss

Planning helps you build new habits, says Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, the Guthrie Chair in Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University in Pittsburgh and author of The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan. "Without planning, you're always going to be struggling - trying to figure out how to eat what you should. You'll end up making yourself eat things you don't want to eat. Eating will always feel like work."

Indeed, planning involves discipline - and that is a key trait that is evident among the "successful losers" who belong to The National Weight Control Registry. They have maintained a 30-pound weight loss for at least a year - and many have lost much more, and kept it off for much longer.

"It is very difficult to lose weight and keep it off - and people who succeed must have discipline," says James O. Hill, PhD, the Registry's co-founder and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. "People who are most successful plan their day to ensure that they stick to their eating plan and get regular physical activity. It takes effort to be successful in long-term weight management."

Goal No. 1: Plan Your Daily Food

First, take note of every bite of food you have during the day. Don't forget that run through the supermarket - all those tasty samples you couldn't pass up. "A food journal is the single best thing you can do," says Gary Foster, PhD, clinical director of the weight and eating disorders program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "You become more conscious of what you're doing. It helps you monitor yourself, and make corrections in mid-course."

Dietitians call it a food journal. But really, it's research for your plan of action, he explains. You'll see where you need improvement. "Plans work better than platitudes," Foster tells WebMD. "Instead of 'I'll exercise more,' make it 'I'll walk tomorrow morning at 7 a.m.'"

Keep it simple. Journals don't have to be labor-intensive, he says. Focus on your high-risk time slots when you're most likely to get off course. Example: You know you eat junk at night, or that you snack after 3 p.m., or between lunch and dinner. Just keep notes during that time period. You'll quickly see problem habits: banana split vs. banana, the whole container of nuts vs. a handful.

Set specific goals. You can't just tell yourself to eat less junk food after 8 p.m. Be specific - 'I'm going to substitute popcorn for potato chips.' That way you know exactly what to do. There's no question.

Use weekends wisely. "When things are a little quieter on weekends, you can think about the upcoming week," says Stokes. "Decide what you're going to eat. Go to the market, so you're a little ahead of the game. You can even prepare food on the weekend and freeze it, then pull it out during the week."

Consider your options. Keep lists of healthy foods and meals you love, and plan accordingly, adds Elisabetta Politi, RD, MPH, nutrition manager at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center at Duke University Medical School. "I advise people to think of five different breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Then you'll have some freedom - you can choose from your favorites. But your eating will be more structured. That's what's important."

Shop wisely. A well-stocked fridge and pantry can make it easier to grab a healthy snack or prepare delicious meals that are also good for you. Keep basics like these on hand: low-fat milk and yogurt, eggs, peanut butter, a variety of fresh fruits (include berries and grapes) and vegetables (include carrots and celery), soybeans, garlic, whole grain pasta/bread, fish, and high-fiber cereal.

Plan healthy treats. Low-fat cheese or yogurt, hummus with veggies, and fresh fruit are great choices. Keep them at home; take them to the office. That will help you eat the right foods when you're starving - especially in the late afternoon, during drive time -- and when you finally get home at night.

Do it yourself. These are great prepare-ahead healthy meals that will keep you feeling full and help you control your weight:

• Make a dried-fruit-and-nut mix for emergency snacking. (Be wary of granola, since it typically has lots of sugar, says Stokes.) Pack small amounts in a little plastic bag - great for the car or office.
• Cook a big pot of homemade vegetable soup, which can be frozen for several lunches or dinners.
• Try smoothies - blend low-fat yogurt and fruit - for a grab-and-go meal.
• Mix up big salads or a pasta primavera with lots of veggies and whole-wheat pasta. Prepare large quantities so you can have a moderate-sized helping for dinner and then have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Buy healthy frozen entres. "These have really improved," says Rolls. "They have more whole grains in them now, and they seem to be getting tastier. If I'm traveling and can't get to the grocery store, I make sure I have frozen entrees on hand."

Don't limit yourself. It's OK to eat breakfast food for snacks, lunch, or dinner. "You can eat a hard-boiled egg or cereal any time, not just breakfast," Stokes advises.

Goal No. 2: Plan Your Exercise

First, talk to your doctor - especially if you are overweight or are at high risk for heart disease, advises Thompson. Your doctor may suggest that you ask a fitness trainer to develop a workout plan that best suits your needs.

Analyze your morning schedule. "You'll find there's a lot of free time there," says Gerald Endress, ACSM, fitness director at Duke Diet & Fitness Center at Duke University Medical Center. "People tell me it takes them two hours to get ready for work. It's not that they're prettying themselves up - they're basically just wasting time. But when they start exercising in the morning, they find they use their time better. One guy told me he got to work 20 minutes earlier on days he exercised. If you've got a structured period of activity, you know to keep things moving."

Set your program. Decide what works best for you, such as 8 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. "You don't let anything interfere with that," advises Thompson. "That's not to say once a month something comes up you can't exercise. That's OK. It's when you're making excuses three, four, five days in a row -- that's a problem. It's got to be the highest priority because it's your health."

Know your options. What kind of exercise - or physical activity - will get you out of bed in the morning? A yoga video, walking, a workout session at the YMCA? Figure out what will motivate you.

Tackle roadblocks. Is inertia a problem for you in the morning? "When the alarm clock sounds, it's easy to hit the snooze button," says Bryant. A workout buddy can provide motivation. "If you know someone is waiting for you, counting on you, you'll go. Once you go, you're happy you went. Once you get past that inertia, you're glad you did the workout."

Don't think of it as "early". It's a mindset issue, says Foster. Setting the alarm 30 minutes early should not be a negative in your day. Give it a positive spin. "Quit thinking of it as getting up early. Your day starts when the alarm goes off. That's how you should think of it."

Remind yourself. Put yellow sticky notes on the fridge or the computer - like "get off the bus four stops early - Mon., Wed., Fri."

Reward yourself. "Establish a goal for your workouts - daily, weekly, monthly goals," Bryant advises. "When you've done those workouts, accomplished those goals, pat yourself on the back." He suggests going out and buying a favorite DVD or CD, or even getting yourself that iPod you wanted! "Rewards help keep you motivated," says Foster.

"Planning helps you overcome the unpredictability of daily life," says Foster. "Having any plan, even if it's a bad or ineffective plan, increases your confidence in accomplishing the task at hand. Just the fact that you've thought it through means it will have some effect."

Published Nov. 29, 2005.

---

SOURCES: Milton Stokes, RD, MPH, spokesman, American Dietetic Association; chief dietitian, St. Barnabas Hospital, New York City. Barbara J. Rolls, PhD, Guthrie Chair in Nutrition, Pennsylvania State University, Pittsburgh. James O. Hill, PhD, co-founder, National Weight Control Registry; director, Center for Human Nutrition, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Gary Foster, PhD, clinical director, weight and eating disorders program, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Elisabetta Politi, RD, MPH, nutrition manager, Duke Diet & Fitness Center, Duke University Medical School. Gerald Endress, ACSM, fitness director, Duke Diet & Fitness Center, Duke University Medical Center. WebMD Feature: "Healthy Refrigerator." WebMD Feature: "5 Foods That Fight Hunger Pains."

Sugar - what is it doing to you?

Trick or Treat? The Truth About Sugar
by Sharon Minai, RD

Halloween has come and gone. Your kids (if you have them) probably came home with bags full of candy and treats from the neighborhood, or you have leftovers from handing out the goods. And so the inner conflict begins. "Should I eat some of it?" If you're worried Halloween sweets will cause you to "fall off the wagon," read on to get tips on how to stay on your plan and survive the aftermath of this sweet holiday.

Sweet Facts about Sugar

Humans are born with an innate preference for the sweet taste in foods. As babies, most of us preferred our fruits over our vegetables at the start. Sugar is found naturally in milk, fruits, vegetables and grains, and is also added to many foods during processing. Sugar has been widely used for decades in cooking, preserving jams, and adding flavor and texture to various foods. Sugars are carbohydrates, the main source of energy for the body.

There are many types of sugars. The most familiar one is sucrose, which is made of two simple sugars, fructose and glucose. This is the type of sugar we use to sweeten hot beverages and foods. Other food sweeteners include corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey and inverted sugar (a result of a chemical breakdown of sucrose to make an equal mixture of glucose and fructose, which is available commercially only in liquid form). During digestion all these sugars break down into glucose units in the body, which is used to produce essential energy.

Many myths are related to sugar—some think that sugar causes diabetes, while others think it leads to obesity, or to hyperactivity in children. Have a look at the following questions and answers to learn the true facts about sugar.

Does sugar cause diabetes?
Research is not conclusive about the factors that lead to the development of diabetes, but researchers now know that sugar intake isn't one of them. Moderate amounts of sugar can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet. Even diabetics can enjoy sugar if they incorporate it wisely into their meal plan.

Does sugar make you gain weight?
Weight gain is a result of eating more than your body needs in order to maintain basic functions and sustain physical activity. If you eat candy and chocolate and see that you still remain within your calorie limits, it may be possible to avoid weight gain. But chances are you won't be getting all the nutrients you need. However, as with other foods, if your candy and sweet intake amount to more calories than your body burns, you will most likely gain weight. Again, balance and moderation are key!

Does sugar lead to hyperactivity in children?
Over the years, much research was conducted to try and figure the link between sugar and hyperactivity in children. All the studies had the same outcome -- sugar does not affect children's behavior negatively. It may be the excitement of a special party, the trick-or-treat feeling in the air or the child's overall environment which causes disruptive behavior.

Why Watch Your Sugar Intake?

Okay, so now you're probably wondering—if sugar doesn't lead to any of the issues discussed above, can I have my cake (and as much of it as I want) and eat it too? Well, probably not, and here again moderation is key.

High Energy, Low Nutrients
Foods high in sugar such as cookies, candies, and soft drinks are often low in nutritional value. So, if most of the calories you eat during the day come from these sweets, you will probably be lacking in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber needed to maintain a healthy, more immune body. If you find yourself wanting something sweet, grab a piece of fruit or make yourself a smoothie. The natural sugars found in fruit and milk or yogurt can help satisfy a sweet craving. The fiber from fruit will also fill you up. Many times, we still want more after a sugar binge from low nutrient sources such as candy and desserts.

Though They're Sweet, Calories Still Count!
Sugars just like starches and other carbohydrates provide us with four calories per gram. Although other carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread contain the same amount of calories per gram, they provide us with more nutrients such as dietary fiber. Fiber contributes to a sense of satiety, and may even help us eat less and prevent weight gain.

Tooth Bacteria's Favorite Delight
Bacteria are natural inhabitants of our bodies and just love it when we eat candies, sweets and soft drinks. Why? Because a mouthful of sugar will help bacteria grow, causing cavities in our teeth and possible damage to our gums. The bacteria use the sugar from the foods we eat to produce acids. These acids can destroy the enamel or hard external surface of the tooth, which ultimately leads to tooth decay.

Other than the direct effect of sugar on the tooth's enamel, a diet that is high in sugar and low in other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals may lead to an accelerated rate of gum deterioration and decay formation. Other than consuming healthful foods for your teeth, it is also recommended to brush them twice a day and to regularly visit your dentist.

The Sweet-Fat Combination

Many of the sweets we enjoy are also high fat, for example, cakes, cookies, and chocolates. These sweets are also high in saturated fat and cholesterol. This combination provides a large amount of calories.

In addition to leading to weight gain, excess fat intake is also known to cause health problems. Research shows a strong correlation between a diet that is high in fat and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Calories from fat should not exceed 35% of the total caloric intake per day. The upper limit for saturated and trans fat should be 7-10% of the total calories.

Even though chocolate contains stearic acid, a saturated fat found in cocoa butter that has been shown to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol levels, it only makes up 35% of the fat in cocoa butter. You'll still be consuming lots of artery-clogging fat, especially from the partially hydrogenated oils in the candy bars. There is some research regarding the benefits of dark chocolate although most of us don't like the taste of dark, unsweetened chocolate!

Tricks to Treat Yourself to a Happy and Healthy Halloween

Want to know how your favorite Halloween candies stack up? Use the Halloween Candy Counter to find out how much exercise it takes to burn the same number of calories in those treats!

This Halloween and afterwards, don't deprive yourself of your favorite treats. This can only lead to a binge later on. Eat them in moderation. Below are some tips to help you get on your way!

Only buy your favorite treats. Enjoy this holiday by indulging in small amounts of the best tasting sweets. In other words, enjoy the quality, not the quantity.

• Make a plan. Plan ahead and decide in advance what and how many sweets you're going to eat this holiday. Use the DietWatch Nutrition Calculator to see how they add up in your meal plan. You may need to skip a snack here and there to enjoy Halloween treats without putting on extra pounds.
• Cut back on added sugar. Try to reduce consumption of sugar by decreasing the amount of sugar you add to your coffee or tea, and to abstain from soft drinks. Try substituting these drinks with seltzer or plain water.
• Check food labels. Look for sugar and its equivalents, including sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn sugar, dextrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, honey and molasses. Avoid products where sugars are high on the ingredient list.
• Look for alternatives. Satisfying a sweet tooth doesn't have to mean indulging in candy. Healthier alternatives include low-fat fruit yogurt, a parfait of fresh fruits and nonfat yogurt, a fruit smoothie or homemade low-fat, high fiber cookies and muffins.
• Take an extra walk!

To enjoy sweets and stay on track with your dietary goals, put this list on your refrigerator to help you make smart choices for snacks that are lower in calories and fat.

---

Sharon Minai is a registered dietitian who has provided nutrition and weight management counseling in a private practice, written diet and nutrition articles for health-related Web sites and lectured widely on the subject.

Importance of laughter

"Laughing is healthy -

it's like jogging on the inside." 

~~~ Unknown

Importance of Support Groups after Gastric Bypass Surgery

This is a great artice about a reporter who realizes just because he had gastric bypass surgery, it is still an addiction.  His insightful reflections remind us that we all need support to keep us on track after surgery.

My story: Support system is key to reporter’s gastric bypass success
By Chris Bergeron/ Daily News Staff (Tuesday, October 3, 2006)

Lucio Tomich’s initial 170-pound weight loss after gastric bypass surgery was one of the reasons I had the same operation two years later.

As a reporter covering Framingham, I saw Lucio on several occasions and knew, like me, he was losing his battle with morbid obesity.

My weight affected virtually every aspect of my life, including my health, my work, my marriage and my self-image.

And, like millions of obese Americans, I struggled ineffectively to change a condition that threatened my professional and personal future.

During a 9-year period starting in 1994, my weight ballooned from a manageable 230 to nearly 400 pounds for reasons I only somewhat understand. According to the standard Body Mass Index, my weight placed me in the upper 1 percent of obese people worldwide.

I knew I continuously overate from personal and work-related stress. I knew I’d never learned to adjust from a physically active youth to a sedentary adulthood nor incorporated healthy nutritional habits into my lifestyle. Yet as my weight soared, I couldn’t understand what was driving me to gorge on foods I knew were bad for me and didn’t need.

I had to admit I was gripped by an uncontrollable compulsion I couldn’t change even with help from doctors, nutritionists and psychiatrists.

Like many obese people, I felt trapped in a deep depression that seemed to preclude hope. I lost 50 pounds at Weight Watchers and gained it all back and more.

I recall Lucio telling me in 2001 he was going to have bypass surgery and it piqued my curiosity at a time that surgery was growing in popularity.

When I next saw him more than a year after surgery I was amazed by the dramatic change from his prior weight to someone who seemed to be winning a battle that still consumed me.

After I was diagnosed with Adult Onset (Type II) diabetes, I totaled my car on the Mass Pike when I fell asleep at the wheel because of weight-related sleep deprivation.

When I decided to have gastric bypass surgery in May 2003 at the Faulkner Hospital, Lucio’s initial success was one of my decisive reasons.

In 18 months following surgery, I dropped from about 395 to my present weight of 250 pounds.

Without the surgery, which I believe saved my life, I feel I could not have escaped the predicament of obesity on my own.

Why did I keep my weight off and why did Lucio regain his?

There are no easy answers. I credit my weight loss to my wife, a former doctor in China, who provided around-the-clock physical and emotional support for months on end and prodded me whenever I regained a few pounds.

I also developed a strange off-and-on aversion to many foods I used to enjoy that now induce nausea if I taste or smell them.

I’ve come to believe surgery prompted inadvertent hormonal changes that killed my appetite beyond surgically reducing my stomach capacity to the size of an egg.

As a reporter, I have dealt with many alcoholics and heroin addicts and in the past considered them "weak" or blamed them for a lack of willpower to solve their problems.

I want to think people should be responsible for their lives. Yet I now believe some forms of morbid obesity are overpowering addictions that require significant medical and psychological intervention and years of support.

All obese people are not "weak" or "lazy" gluttons. I know the shame those judgments bring.

Gastric bypass surgery is a costly procedure. Studies have shown that controlling obesity has economic benefits by reducing insurance and medical expenses and permitting people to work more effectively.

A lifelong problem can’t be reversed overnight.

The key to post-surgical success is consistent follow-up and long-term support. Gastric bypass patients must do their parts, but hospitals and insurance companies must provide a safety net to see them through the likely complications.

Looking back, I attribute my ability to keep my weight off to a supportive family and physical changes still beyond my control.

I think Lucio Tomich deserves the help to learn to help himself.

Neglecting your child's weight issue can be lowering their intelligence -- How is this going to effect their adult life?

Extreme Obesity In Tots Tied To Low IQ

(WebMD) Children who are very obese by age 4 may be more likely to have lower IQ scores, a new study shows.

The findings are preliminary, but, "It just raises a red flag," Daniel J. Driscoll, M.D., Ph.D., tells WebMD. 

Driscoll is a professor of pediatrics and the John T. and Winifred M. Hayward professor of genetics research at the University of Florida.
He notes "a sense of urgency to really address the obesity problem — the younger the better.

"It's right to worry about heart disease in 20-30 years, or hypertension in 20 years, and diabetes in 10 years," Driscoll says. "But there could be consequences now."

The study by Driscoll and colleagues appears in the August edition of the Journal of Pediatrics.

Driscoll's team studied 18 people who had been morbidly obese by age 4. That means they were more than 150 percent of the ideal weight for their height.

"We're not talking about a little baby fat," Driscoll says. "We're talking about a very select group."

At the time of the study, participants were 4-22 years old (average age: nearly 11). First, they were screened to make sure their early obesity wasn't due to known genetic disorders. Next, they got their IQ and cognitive skills tested.

For comparison, 24 of their brothers and sisters who hadn't been obese at an early age were also studied. So were 19 children with Prader-Willi syndrome from other families.

Prader-Willi syndrome is "the most commonly-recognized genetic cause of childhood obesity" and is linked to mental retardation, the researchers write.

The children with Prader-Willi syndrome and those who had been morbidly obese for unknown reasons by age 4 had the lowest test scores.
Average IQ scores were as follows:

Prader-Willi syndrome: 63

Early morbid obesity with unknown cause: 77

No early morbid obesity: 106

The lower scores are "not in the mentally retarded range, but it's cognitively impaired, getting borderline," Driscoll says.

The gap between the morbidly obese children and those of more normal weight was about 25-30 points, Driscoll says, adding that IQ scores varied.

Most participants also got brain scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Those who were at least 11 years old and had been morbidly obese by age 4 tended to have spots seen by MRI in different parts of their brains. But their siblings didn't.

Those spots seen on the MRIs aren't fully understood. But they're "not a good thing," Driscoll says. "We're trying to further investigate that with other techniques," he says.

Similar spots were also seen in the brain scans of Prader-Willi patients who were older than 18.

"We're really not talking about older children, someone who gets obese at 12, or 23, or in their 40s or 50s," Driscoll says. "I mean, there are some really brilliant people" who are obese, he notes. "But that's much different. Their brains are much more fully developed [by the time they become obese]."

The first few years of life are a critical time for brain development.
Very young children "are full of potential, but their brains are very vulnerable," Driscoll says. "We need to be more diligent now."

He and his colleagues aren't sure exactly how extreme obesity at an early age and IQ may be related.

Some children might have an unknown genetic tendency to become obese, Driscoll notes.

Hormonal and metabolic abnormalities linked to obesity might affect the developing brain, but, "We need to do more investigation," says Driscoll.

SOURCES: Miller, J. "The Journal of Pediatrics", August 2006; Vol. 149: pp. 192-198. Daniel J. Driscoll, M.D. Ph.D., professor of pediatrics, and John T. and Winifred M. Hayward professor of genetics research, University of Florida. News release, University of Florida.

y Miranda Hitti
Reviewed by Louise Chang, M.D.
Copyright 2006, WebMD Inc.

Urgencyof facing our Obesity Epidemic

When I read this editorial in the Chicago Tribune, I just had to post it:

Don't fret about spinach-- obesity is the real threat

Diet and exercise.

Forget about the bad spinach. Never mind the mosquitoes that might carry West Nile virus. Don't lose precious sleep over the danger posed by bird flu.

The disease most apt to kill us, the epidemic that most threatens to ravage our bodies and those of our children, is already among us and ballooning out of control.

It's just not getting all that much press, which is a shame, because our only hope of turning around the obesity epidemic is convincing ourselves that it's our own bad habits--eating fatty foods loaded with salt and sugar and not getting enough exercise--that will cut short our lives, not some tainted bag of greens.

But nobody likes a nag, and habits, good or bad, get to be habits because human beings resist change. So we distract ourselves with health concerns that are, relative to our real problems, not that big a deal.

E. coli in the spinach? With due sympathy for the fewer than 200 Americans so far infected, and especially for the family of the Wisconsin woman who died, you can bet your balsamic vinegar dressing that fewer than 1,000 cases will be reported by the time public attention gets focused on the next big scare. This one used to be called food poisoning. Some forms are more severe than others, causing stomach aches, diarrhea and vomiting, but the human body is designed to get over it. So should the media.

West Nile virus? Again, with due sympathy for the afflicted, we're talking about a viral infection that millions of Americans already have had, most never realizing they had it, with about 20 percent of those infected experiencing a mild fever. Less than 1 percent of those infected become seriously ill with life-threatening encephalitis or meningitis, and only a small fraction of those cases prove fatal. This doesn't mean we should stop trying to eradicate the mosquitoes that carry the virus. But getting rid of backyard bird baths? Bringing kids inside at dusk? Temporarily closing a popular public park, as was done earlier this month in suburban Norridge?

If anything, the mounting evidence on obesity and its consequences shows we ought to be shooing our kids outside, to the parks, perhaps jogging after them with some bug repellent and a sugar-free drink.

Consider these recent warnings:

American Medical Association: "Obesity is the fastest growing health problem in the United States. ... Approximately 64 percent of the adult population is either overweight or obese. These statistics herald potentially devastating health, economic and social consequences for our nation. People who are overweight or obese have a greater probability of developing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or other lipid disorders, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. ... Approximately 300,000 U.S. deaths a year are associated with this condition."

Institute of Medicine: "Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for pre-school children ... and it has more than tripled for children aged 6 to 11 years."

National Institutes of Health: "Nearly 21 million people in the United States--7 percent of the population--have diabetes, the most common cause of blindness, kidney failure and amputations in adults and a major cause of heart disease and stroke. ... The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes has risen dramatically in the last 30 years, due mostly to the upsurge in obesity."

Surgeon general of the United States: "Health problems resulting from overweight and obesity could reverse many of the health gains achieved in the U.S. in recent decades. ... The total direct and indirect costs attributed to obesity amounted to $117 billion in the year 2000."

In other words, a genuine public health crisis is upon us, one that is sickening and killing millions, one that threatens to overwhelm both public and private medical insurance programs.

There has been some good reporting on the obesity crisis, to be sure. Last year the Tribune did an engaging series on junk food that traced our love affair with the Oreo cookie. In general, however, the danger of gradually growing fat doesn't match the random menace of getting a bad bag of spinach or the bite of a mosquito with an exotic-sounding virus.

When someone tries to make fat an issue, as when Chicago Ald. Edward Burke (14th) proposed a city ban on the use of trans-fat oils by restaurants, we tend to roll our eyes and cluck that politicians need to find real work.

Fact is, when it comes to public health, we in the media too often keep our eyes on the wrong balls. Sure, we should insist on uncontaminated produce, mercury-free tuna and mosquito abatement. But if we really want to help folks live longer and healthier lives, more headlines ought to scream just two words: "Diet" and "exercise"!

----------
John McCarron who writes, teaches and consults on urban affairs
Published September 25, 2006

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Imagine eating food with NO CALORIES!

Eat Up! Calorie-Free Foods

The fitness pros at eDiets can show you how to combine exercise and nutrition to get the best results. This is what you’ve been looking for. You will need to make the commitment, but isn’t it time to finally take care of you?

A great way to determine the value of a certain food is by its generosity. The best foods are the ones that make you work the least and give you a whole bunch of nutrition in return. The nature of these wondrous foods lies in their extreme simplicity. Think lots of satisfaction with little calculation. When it comes to counting calories, they let you take your thinking caps off. They are calorie free foods and while they may be every math teachers’ worst nightmare, when it comes to helping you stick to a nutritious diet, they are a dream come true.

No matter how hard you try to escape them, the fact is calories do count. The good news is that there’s no reason you should draw the curtain on them. It’s true that if you eat more calories than your body can burn then you will gain weight. It’s also true, however, that depriving yourself of essential calories means depriving yourself of the energy you need to move and grow. The answer is balance and the key is to become calorie savvy.

eDiets.com Chief Nutritionist, Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE says, “Your body has achieved “neutral energy balance” when the calories you take in are equal to the calories expended. To lose weight you need to achieve a ‘negative energy balance,’ where the calories you take equal less than the calories expended.”

The best way to assess how many calories per day you eat is by keeping track. A great way to do this is by writing it down. Keeping a food diary is more than a fact finding mission. It will do wonders to help you become aware of the foods you’re eating, how often and also give you insight as to why you may be eating them. The importance of becoming aware of your caloric intake is insurmountable.

Studies suggest that when people report their own calories intake they significantly underestimate their consumption of high-calorie and over-estimate the low-calorie foods. Keeping track will do wonders to gear you in the right direction. Fortunately, thanks to eDiets.com counting calories just got a whole lot easier. The leading on-line weight loss program offers an innovative nutrition tracker that does all the work for you. All you have to do is enter the foods you eat each day and the nutrition tracker does the rest. It counts calories, carbs, protein and fat.

Once you determine a healthy caloric intake range to fit your specific needs then the next step is making sure you stay satisfied. This is when calorie free foods, other wise know as deprivation destroyers, come into action. “Hunger is distracting and energy-depleting and most people who “diet” fall off the program because they are hungry all the time. Food is the best fat-burning strategy. Eat the right foods to satisfy your hunger and maintain your energy while losing weight.” says Susan.

What’s the key to Calorie-free?
According to Susan, very few foods are ultimately void of calories but there are calorie burning foods. These are foods that burn up more calories in the process of digesting them than are actually contained in the foods themselves. The best way to stay satisfied, keep your energy level in full force and make sure your caloric intake stays in a healthy range is to include these super foods and snacks in your daily diet.

Here’s a list of some calorie free and very close to calorie free foods, beverages and snacks that work entirely in your favor. They are simple, healthy, delicious and nutritious and to top it off they require no math skills to enjoy.

1. Hot tea with Splenda: Drink a cup of calorie free hot tea to ward off hunger pangs. Research shows tea consumption may also help prevent a wide range of ailments.

2. Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries have little calories and they pack a powerful punch on your health.

3. Citrus Fruit: Rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, citrus fruits not only taste great but they are essential for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well being.

4. Sugar free Jell-O with non-fat no calorie dairy with topping: A dieters dream come true. It’s easy to make, delicious and virtually calorie-free.

5. Egg whites prepared with non stick spray: Egg whites are very low in calories, have no fat, no cholesterol, and are loaded with protein.

6. Crunchy Veggies: Feel free to indulge in all the crunchy veggies you wish. Dieticians give crunchy veggies a perfect ten in nutrition. When it comes to weight loss they are simply hard to beat. “Your best bets are- broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale, which contain disease-fighting glucosinolates and other substances,” suggests Susan.

7. Water: Weight loss and water go hand in hand. It suppresses the appetite and helps the body metabolize fat. It also regulates body temperature and flushes toxins from the body. Before you grab a snack try drinking a glass of 100% calorie free H2O.

By Carolina Diaz-Bordon
eDiets.com Staff Writer

Childhood Obesity: Blame It on the Parents

Danger signs of child obesity

Obesity begins at home.
That's the conclusion of nutrition experts who are sorting through a parade of studies released this summer that shows children in all age groups in the USA are gaining too much weight — even babies. And those experts are laying the lion's share of the responsibility on parents, many of whom also are heavy.

PORTION SIZE: See how little it takes to fill up toddlers

Tara Todd, a registered dietitian atSt. Louis Children's Hospital, says most of her young patients have overweight mothers or fathers.

She is working with 10-year-old twin boys; they each weigh 200 pounds. Todd has tried to get them to stop drinking five 16-ounce glasses of Kool-Aid a day, and they refuse. Their mother, who also is too heavy, has begun making changes at home, but the boys won't do anything on their own.

"Kids are learning these unhealthy behaviors from an early age," Todd says. "I try to focus on the parents and get them to change what they are stocking in the pantry."

Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, says he never meets children who have better eating habits than their parents. "Parents are, hands down, the biggest influence on their kids. They need to be good role models. I heard a quote that said, 'What you say will speak to your kids. What you do will scream to them.' "

Moms and dads may want their kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, but they aren't eating enough themselves, he says.

Government data show two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. One-third of children and teens — about 25 million kids — are overweight or on the brink of becoming so. All are at an increased risk of developing diabetes, high cholesterol and other health problems.

The prestigious Institute of Medicine is releasing a report today that evaluates the attempts being made to address what government and private experts consider a national health crisis. The food industry has come under fire for aggressively marketing high-fat, high-sugar products to kids, and schools have been criticized for selling them.

"Everyone needs to be aware that the deck is stacked against children for having a healthy weight," says Elizabeth Ward, a registered dietitian in Boston and mother of three school-age daughters. "Our society is set up to have our kids grow up overweight, which is why we need to be vigilant. The figures keep coming out, pummeling us with the fact that our kids weigh too much.

"All of us need to do something about it. When it comes to this issue, we cannot put a Band-Aid on it anymore."

The parent trap

Children say they depend on their parents for the ABCs of good health: 71% say they get information about how to be healthy from their mothers, according to a survey of 1,487 children, ages 8 to 18, conducted for the America on the Move Foundation. And Dad is the resource for 43% of the children.

But some families don't seem to know how to plan and make healthful meals, Ayoob says. "This is a generation of young parents who may have grown up on a lot of high-calorie take-out food, processed snacks and few fruits and vegetables. If they grew up that way, those are the eating habits they're going to teach their kids."

Busy parents often don't make the time to feed their children healthful foods, Ayoob says, recalling a mother who brought her preschooler in for a consultation and the boy was carrying his breakfast: a bag of Cheez Doodles and a sugary soda. The mother explained that she was running late and they didn't have time for a meal.

"We need to rearrange priorities. You can't have 'no time to feed the kids,' " Ayoob says.

The sentiment is shared by other nutritionists who encourage meal planning and limits on junk food, fast food and TV viewing.

"My philosophy is that encouraging healthy weight in kids is a family affair," Ward says. "The home environment has a tremendous influence on a child's food choices, including what he eats when away from home."

Some parents have retrained themselves and their families. About two years ago, Myrna Lisboa of Orlando noticed 5-year-old Mia was a little too chubby and considered "overweight" on growth charts. Lisboa and her husband struggle with their weight, and her husband and many of his relatives have type 2 diabetes. She didn't want her daughter to end up with the same problems.

So she attended a pilot program called Weight Watchers Family to reshape their eating habits. She stopped buying soda, ice cream and cookies and stocked up on produce. She began making more healthful recipes for dinner and insisted that her three children and her niece and nephew, who live with her, go out to play after school.

Lisboa runs her own cleaning business but cooks a healthful meal most evenings and a hot breakfast every morning with foods such as oatmeal and scrambled eggs. If her family wants a treat such as ice cream, they go out for it.

Mia's weight seems to be leveling off, but Lisboa knows the fight's not over. Her children are exposed to fattening foods wherever they go: at school, birthday parties, the mall. At least at home, she says, "I'm doing my best."

What's to be done?

Todd, who works with overweight kids in St. Louis, says her first "point of attack is beverages — always, always, always. They typically don't drink enough milk, and their diets are low in calcium."

Most are drinking a lot of soda and other sugary drinks. "I calculate the calories they get from drinks, and it's often 500 calories or more a day. Just by cutting those out, they can lose a pound a week."

Other problems: too much "grazing," too many packaged foods and fast foods, not enough fruits and vegetables, few structured meals. And some children weren't switched from whole milk to skim milk at age 2. "These may seem like small things, but they have a large impact."

Some have mothers and fathers who don't want to say "no" to them when it comes to food or TV and computer time, she says. "I worked with an overweight boy whose parents estimated he watched 10 hours of TV a day."

Ward, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Feeding Your Baby and Toddler, says parents have to say no more often to high-fat, low-nutrient foods. At one point, she found that her youngest daughter, then 5, was looking forward to going to the library because there was a vending machine in the basement. Ward told her daughter the vending machine was off limits.

"I have to say no all the time," she says. "As a parent, I'm the gatekeeper. The buck stops here."

Karen Miller-Kovach, chief scientific officer for Weight Watchers, believes parents give their children mixed messages about food. "They say no to everything for a day or two, and then they say no to nothing. It's better to make smaller changes and make them consistently than to change a lot of things at once and be inconsistent."

Many factors are contributing to obesity, and some children are more vulnerable than others. "It's not at all unusual to have lean and overweight kids in the same household," she says.

The good thing about making healthful changes at home is that it can help the children who have a weight problem and it doesn't hurt the others, she says. "If you have healthy food in the house, the thin child won't melt away. They'll eat more, and they'll improve their nutritional intake."

To make better meals, parents will have to plan ahead and go to the grocery store regularly to buy healthful ingredients. "When you don't plan, you'll fail," Ward says.

She knows it isn't easy. "I'm in no way minimizing how difficult it is to take the time to make meals and plan snacks. But it's worth it."

And there are plenty of good shortcuts: packaged salads, cut-up vegetables and fruit, roasted chicken, ready-to-eat fish and meat.

"Making an effort to help your child eat right is an investment in their health, now and decades down the road," Ward says.

Pediatrician Marc Jacobson, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' task force on obesity, believes the trend in overweight children can and will be reversed. "It's on the front of everybody's radar screen. There is a huge outpouring of commitment from schools, government, public health agencies, private industry, medical groups and parents.

"It's something we've caused," Jacobson says. "And I don't see any reason why we can't make the changes needed to reverse it."

Updated 9/13/2006 9:03 AM ET
By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

Are you concerned about your own obesity?  Are you concerned about your family member's obesity?

New Fish Oil Product that tastes like Orange Pudding

They've made the experience of taking a fish oil supplements a pure pleasure!

It's called, "COROMEGA"

By absolutely eliminating any fishy aftertaste, they have adding it into a delicious orange flavor. It's aveilable in 7, 30 or 90 count.

Now you know those of us who've had Weight Loss Surgery need our Omega-3 nutrients.  And Fish Oil always comes in those awful gel caps. 

This is a terrific and delicious way to take your Fish Oil (Omega-3 Fatty Acids) everyday!

If you are interested in purchasing this TERRIFIC PRODUCT:

Press HERE

Your Next Diet Soda: Be Conscious of the Danger

Is Diet Soda Good for Your Diet?
By Kathryn Lively

When you think of nutrition and eating healthy, most likely you are more concerned about the food you eat than the beverages you drink. You may think having a diet drink could not do any harm at lunch or dinner, but if you indulge too much it could add up to trouble in the long run.

But it's a diet drink...

Perhaps you have seen on television or film a sketch where a person orders a fattening, fast food meal with a diet soda to even everything out. A diet soda has zero calories compared to as many as 300 per serving of regular soda, so you are actually doing yourself a good service, right?

Not exactly. Regular sodas are highly caloric because they contain sugar, whereas diet sodas are manufactured with artificial sweeteners - one of the most popular being aspartame. The validity of aspartame as a health risk has been debated for many years - some claim the sweetener may contribute to increasing toxicity levels and risk of various illnesses, while other dismiss such charges.

What we do know for certain is that aspartame contains phenylalanine, an essential amino acid that does occur naturally in certain dairy foods and green vegetables. On the other hand, one byproduct of aspertame is formaldehyde!

When you shop for "diet" foods it is always a good idea to check for this ingredient on the labels so you know exactly what you are eating and how much.

Water, the best "diet" drink

A good percentage of our bodies are water, so it would make sense to constantly replenish your body with the very same substance. Imagine, if you replaced a glass a water for every soda you drink, think of all the calories you save, the less toxins in your body, and the greater improvement to your health. It's the best diet drink there is.

Eight glasses a day...no doubt you've heard it from everybody - your parents, your doctor, talk show professionals. The road to wellness is actually a river of pure, clean water, and while to drink sixty-four ounces daily seems like an impossible task, it is actually one of the simplest steps you can take to starting a sound weight loss program. After all, our bodies are approximately sixty percent water, so it is only natural that we constantly replenish ourselves in order to feel good.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer for Compuslim (http://www.compuslim.com), custom fit weight loss for every body and lifestyle

Weight Loss Medications - Only for the dangerously obese

The Role of Weight Loss Drugs in Fighting Obesity
by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD

Despite countless diets, and sincere efforts at weight loss, Americans are getting heavier each year. Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the US, second only to tobacco. Tired of seeing no results from the traditional diet and exercise regime, many people are looking to alternative methods to help them lose weight. Or, put another way, unable to do the hard work of diet and exercise, many people are looking to a drug to help them lose weight. Short of gastric bypass surgery, prescription weight loss medications may be the next best bet for some. But how effective are these medications? And how can you know if you are a good candidate for them?

Available Weight Loss Medications
There are over a dozen prescription and over-the counter medications used in obesity treatment. Generally, these medications are only prescribed when diet and exercise changes fail to produce the desired results. This is because patients who take these drugs may experience unpleasant side effects or develop a tolerance or addiction to the drugs. However, for some, obesity is increasingly viewed and treated as a chronic illness. For these patients, medication therapy may be required indefinitely.

At present there are two main classes of weight-loss medications: appetite suppressants and malabsorption enhancers. To date, only two have been approved for long-term weight loss by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA): orlistat (Xenical) and sibutramine (Meridia). Another commonly prescribed drug is phentermine, however it’s only suitable for short-term use of a few weeks.

Orlistat
Orlistat (Xenical) is a malabsorption enhancer and works by reducing the net dietary fat absorption by about 30%. This results in a reduced absorption of approximately 200-300 calories per day.
It may cause unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.
A low-fat diet minimizes side effects. Patients should be informed that excessive fat ingestion may lead to uncomfortable symptoms of gas, cramping, and oily stools.
It reduces absorption of certain vitamins; taking a daily multivitamin is recommended.
There are no recognized contraindications for orlistat.
The two main orlistat trials, both of which lasted two years, resulted in a weight loss of about 9% to 10% during the first year compared with 4% to 6% for placebo-treated subjects.

Sibutramine
The first new medication approved in the appetite suppression or satiety enhancement class in many years is sibutramine (Meridia).
Sibutramine works by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain: serotonin and norepinephrine, which results in a feeling of satiety.
It's most effective when used in combination with a reduced calorie diet.
The safety and efficacy of sibutramine have been demonstrated in clinical trials. Weight loss in these trials averaged 5% to10% with maintenance of weight loss for up to 18 months.
Sibutramine may cause cardiovascular side effects, such as a small increase in blood pressure and heart rate.
Drug interactions and contraindications should be considered when prescribing appetite suppressants.

Phentermine

Phentermine works by suppressing appetite.
It's most effective when used in combination with diet and exercise.
Common side effects (eg, dry mouth, insomnia) tend to be minor and short-lived.
Potential side effects include cardiovascular risks.
Phentermine was part of the “fen-phen” combination (the other part, fenfluramine, was removed from the market in 1997 due to safety concerns).

Drug Effectiveness and Safety
Unfortunately, there is no “magic pill” for weight loss, and like all medications, they come with the risk of side effects. Additionally, despite rigorous testing, these agents are still new and their safety and effectiveness has not been established beyond one year.

Moreover, weight loss medications generally only result in a weight loss of 5-22 pounds per year, with maximum weight loss occurring six months after starting therapy. Of course, even a modest reduction in weight can translate into a significant reduction in obesity-related health risks, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. And for many individuals, the benefits of losing any weight at all might outweigh the risk.

What the Research Says
The most recent research has focused on the effectiveness of orlistat and sibutramine. Here is a look at some of the latest research on these drugs:

A study in the Cochrane Review set out to compare the effectiveness and safety of approved anti-obesity medications in clinical trials of at least one-year duration. The researchers looked at 11 studies on orlistat and five studies on sibutramine and concluded that both appear to be modestly effective in promoting weight loss, but also that longer and more comprehensive studies are needed.
Another study, published in the December 2003 International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, found that orlistat, when combined with lifestyle changes, effectively reduced weight among Mexican-American women, a population at high risk for obesity. In this study 56 women were randomized to receive orlistat, behavior modification, a low-fat diet, and moderate physical activity for one year, while 52 women were randomized to a wait-list control group. This is a small number of test patients, and the benefit of orlistat could not be isolated from the benefits of low-fat diet, physical activity, and behavior modification.
Researchers have also found that sibutramine may help with maintaining the weight after the pounds have come off—often the toughest part of successful weight loss. The study, published in the August 2003 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition followed 261 individuals for 18 months after a six-month weight loss phase. The amount of weight initially lost, physical activity, and taking sibutramine all increased the likelihood of maintaining weight loss.

Candidates for Weight-Loss Medications
In general, weight-loss medications are most appropriate for people whose weight poses a health risk—not those looking to drop a few pounds for aesthetic reasons. Overweight individuals should talk to their doctor or dietitian to determine whether drug therapy is an option for them.

RESOURCES:

American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org

American Obesity Association
http://www.obesity.org/

Sources:

Bays H, Dujovne C. Pharmacotherapy of obesity: currently marketed and upcoming agents. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs. 2002;2(4):245-253.

Klem ML, Wing RR, McGuire MT, et al. A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. AJCN. 1997;66:239-246.

Mokdad AH, Marks JS, Stroup DF, Gerberding JL. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA. 2004;291(10):1238-1245.

Orlistat. Medline Plus Drug Information. National Institutes of Health. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/500006.html. Accessed April 20, 2004.

Padwal R, Li SK, Lau DC. Long-term pharmaotherapy for obesity and overweight (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 2003. Chichester: Wiley. CD004094.

Phentermine. Medline Plus Drug Information. National Institutes of Health. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682187.html. Accessed April 20, 2004.

Prescription Medications for Treatment of Obesity. Weight Control Information Network. NIDDK. Available at: http://www.niddk.gov/health/nutrit/pubs/presmeds.htm. Accessed April 14, 2004.

Treatment: Weight Loss Strategies. American Obesity Association. Available at: http://www.obesity.org/treatment/weight.shtml. Accessed April 14, 2004.

Van Baak MA, Van Mil E, Astrup AV, et al. Leisure-time activity is an important determinant of long-term weight maintenance after weight loss in the Sibutramine Trial on Obesity Reduction and Maintenance (STORM trial). Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78(2):209-214.

Wilding J. Clinical Evaluation of anti-obesity drugs. Current Drug Targets. 2004;5(3):325-332.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last reviewed May 2004 by Jeffrey Andrews, MD

Way to go, Carnie!

I really want to acknowledge former Wilson Philips star, Carnie Wilson, for her bravery.  This weekend I watched the fourth season of VH-1’s hit reality TV Show “Celebrity Fit Club.” Carnie chose to signup herself up to be part of the All-Star cast after giving birth to her daughter, Lola, last year.

For most of her life, she admits that she was morbidly obese. It has been almost seven years since Carnie has had my Gastric Bypass Surgery.   After her daughter was born, she has worked hard to get back to her goal weight of 145 pounds.  Unfortunately, within this time, she has gained 40 pounds and is hoping a televised diet and fitness regime will motivate her towards success.

According to Star Pulse News Blog, she shared, "It took me nine months to lose 15 pounds. That was really frustrating ... You just want to give up. It was one step forward and two steps back."

Personally, I  respect Carnie's choice for talking openly about the struggles people go through after Weight Loss Surgery.  So many people feel that having this surgery is the easy way out.  However, because Carnie is once again losing weight in the public’s eye, fans are able to witness the new struggles that she will have to bear with lose her postpartum weight.

This show will be a catalyst to show the public that we, as gastric bypass patients, have the same weight loss challenges as the average person.  Yes, we might have undergone a life saving procedure but in the end, it was and still is our choice with how we approach diet and exercise.  Yes, we can gain weight and struggle just like anyone else and this show will confirm this.

Scheduling exercise into your day

Research shows that you burn more accumulated fat if you exercise in the morning rather than later in the day because it boosts the metabolic rate for many hours afterward -- so you burn more calories from earlier food that you consumed during the day. However, what may be more significant is finding time to schedule exercise when you are most likely to do it. Try to start this conscious habit today!

I can give you the motivation you need - visit my website today – www.jeffcadwell.com

"God made dirty, so don't hurt!"

I cracked up when I read the article below - People dropping food and then uttering "Oh. it wasn't down there long."  And then they eat the food!  Yuck!

5-Second Rule' Rules, Sometimes

Experts explore whether it's safe to eat food that's made quick contact with the floor.

In households, restaurant kitchens, and almost anywhere people prepare or consume food, you'll occasionally hear someone call out "five-second rule." Whether it's uttered as a way for the speaker to let others know he's civilized, as an excuse to salvage expensive food, or as an incantation to ward off sickness, the meaning is the same: If food hits the floor and you snatch it up in less than five seconds, it's safe to eat."

Is the food really safe? Or should we throw it away or wash it off? WebMD talked to experts to find out what you should consider before swallowing this rule whole.

'5-Second' Research

Yes, someone really has conducted a scientific study of the five-second rule. It was the project of high school senior Jillian Clarke during a six-week internship in the food science and nutritionnutrition department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Meredith Agle, then a doctoral candidate, supervised the study.

"Jillian swabbed the floors around the University in the lab, hall, dormitory, and cafeteria to see how many organisms we could isolate," Agle tells WebMD. "We examined the swabs, and there were very few microorganisms. That surprised me. I told her to do it again."

The results were the same. Agle has since earned her doctoral degree and is a scientist in new product development for Rich Foods in Buffalo, N.Y. "I think the floors were so clean, from a microbiological point of view, because floors are dry, and most pathogens like salmonella, listeria, or E. coli can't survive without moisture."

To control the study, cookies and gummi bears were placed on both rough and smooth sterile tiles covered with measured amounts of E. coli. "We did see a transfer of germs before five seconds," Agle tells WebMD. "We were dealing with a large number of cells."

All bets are off when it comes to carpet, damp floors, gum, or ice cream, as these were not included in the study.

Clarke also conducted a survey in which 70% of women and 56% of men said they were familiar with the rule. Women were more likely to invoke it. Not surprisingly, people are inclined to eat dropped cookies and candy more often than dropped broccoli and cauliflower.

For her work, Clarke was awarded an Ig Nobel prize in 2004 at Harvard University. Ig Nobel prizes recognize "research that first makes you laugh, then makes you think." Also honored at the ceremony was the inventor of karaoke music.

'5-Second' Naysayers

'5-Second' Naysayers

Two experts tell WebMD you should never eat food that's fallen on the floor.

"At least, wash it first," says Ruth Frechman, MA, RD, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Bacteria are all over the place, and 10 types, including E. coli, cause foodborne illnesses, such as fever, diarrheadiarrhea, and fluflu-like symptoms."

She tells WebMD that foodborne illnesses can have varying onset, ranging from 24 hours to a week. So, if the food you picked up and ate last Wednesday was responsible for sidelining you over the weekend, you probably wouldn't even associate the two events.

"Err on the side of safety," says Frechman, who has a consulting business in Burbank, Calif., called On the Weigh.

Restaurants and the 5-Second Rule

Robert Romaine first heard the five-second rule when he became a San Diego County health inspector, a job he held for more than 25 years. "I don't think anyone in the restaurant business really believes the five-second rule, but restaurant operators are concerned about the bottom line. So they might be reluctant to throw away food, even though they know the risk."

Romaine says violators are unlikely to get caught. "When a health inspector is in a restaurant, everyone is on their best behavior."

"If the food is dry, and there's no stickiness to it, it's less likely that bacteria will stick to it but in most cases we're talking about a $20 steak or a piece of fish that's not dry," Romaine tells WebMD. "If it's dry food, then we're just talking about filth, like hair or whatever is on the soles of shoes."

He is now a food safety consultant and culinary instructor at The Art Institute of California in San Diego. "We teach students that any surface, especially floors, should not be considered clean, and any food that comes in contact with it is trash."

That includes counters that have been washed and sanitized. If the precaution sounds extreme, consider the potential for damp floors and what might be on the shoes of a worker who walked her dog or used the restroom before coming to work. Then someone lifts a carton of produce from the floor and sets it on the counter. Maybe you don't want to eat food that has fallen on that counter.

A Smorgasbord of Opinions

Until further studies are done, there's no consensus on how safe it is to eat dropped food. Foodborne illnesses are not serious for most of the 76 million Americans who contract them every year. But, according to the web site of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, it's estimated that of those cases, 300,000 people are hospitalized, and 5,000 die. Most deaths occur among susceptible populations that include small children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.

"I still pick up food off the floor," says Agle, "but I'm not in the susceptible population. I think the take-home message is that floors are generally clean but if there are microorganisms present, they will transfer in less than five seconds."

By Leanna Skarnulis
WebMD Feature  Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

Meditation - Your EASY Resource Toward Health and Overall Well-Being

I have been an advocate of meditation for years.  Taking the time to be calm and focused has amazing benefits for not only healing physically, but also emotionally and mentally.

How to meditate
by Amy Scholten, MPH

Meditation involves focusing your mind continuously on one thought, word (mantra), object, or mental image for a period of time. It can also involve focusing on your breathing or on sensations in your body. The goal of meditation is to quiet your mind.

Benefits of meditation
Meditation leads to changes in the body known as the “relaxation response.” These changes accompany deep relaxation and may include:

Reduced heart rate and blood pressure
Reduced respiratory rate and oxygen consumption
Reduced blood flow to skeletal muscles
Reduced muscle tension
Increased immunity (resistance to or recovery from illness)
Increased energy, awareness, and mental focus

Studies suggest that meditation may also:

Relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Reduce the intensity of hot flashes in menopausal women
Reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension
Treat and prevent heart disease, strokes, migraine headaches, diabetes, and arthritis
Reduce anxiety, obsessive thinking, depression, hostility, and pain

Guidelines
The following guidelines are recommended for meditation:

Try to do it every day, preferably at the same time (morning is best).
It is best to do it before eating, when the stomach is empty.
Find a quiet and semi-dark place to use only for meditation.
Set aside at least 20 minutes (you may have to work up to this).

Basic technique
There are many different types of meditation and no “right” technique for everybody. You need to find out what works best for you. Most types of meditation include the following basic elements:

Position
Before engaging your mind, follow these guidelines to make your body comfortable.

Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or in a chair.
If you choose a chair, keep your knees comfortably apart and rest your hands in your lap.
If you sit on the floor, choose one of these poses:
Tailor fashion (cross-legged) with a cushion under your buttocks
Japanese fashion (on your knees, with your big toes touching and your buttocks resting on the soles of your feet) with a cushion between your feet and buttocks
The yoga full lotus position (not recommended for beginners)
Keep your spine straight and vertical, but not rigid.
Briefly rock from side to side and from front to back until you feel comfortable and balanced on your hips.

Focus
In order to direct your thoughts, do the following:

Close your eyes (unless the focus of your attention is an object).
Focus your attention on one of the following:
A silent thought, word, or prayer
A mental image
The sensation of each breath as you inhale and exhale
An object such as a candle flame, flower, painting, or bare wall

Attitude
It is important to maintain a gentle and nonjudgmental attitude while you meditate. This will help you to relax. Do not be concerned about your goals, or whether or not you are meditating “correctly.” Keep the following points in mind:

As a beginner, it is natural for your attention to wander frequently.
When your attention wanders, gently redirect it back. Do not try to force your attention. Meditation should not be stressful!

Breathing
Proper breathing can enhance your experience.

Breathe through your nose, if possible.
Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.
Focus your attention on your tummy and diaphragm rather than your nostrils and chest.
Place your hand on your tummy and feel the sensations as you inhale and exhale.
Your tummy should rise when you inhale and fall when you exhale.
Be attentive to your breathing, but stay relaxed and breathe naturally.

Progress
Meditation should become easier with regular practice. Experiment to find out what technique works best for you. Consider taking a meditation class. Many different techniques are taught. Some have a spiritual focus and others are more focused on stress reduction.

RESOURCES:

The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, New Harbinger Publications, 1992

For more information and ways to implement Meditation into your Weight Loss Plan, contact Jeff Cadwell for a FREE Introductory Consultation.

Destructive health effects of soft drinks

The health effects of drinking soda - quotes from the experts

This is a compilation of quotes about the destructive health effects of soft drinks from some of the leading authors on health, nutrition and junk food. This full list, and much more information, is included in The Five Soft Drink Monsters downloadable ebook.

Michael Murray ND and Joseph Pizzorno ND
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition

"The allergenicity of penicillin in the general population is thought to be at least ten percent. Nearly 25 percent of these individuals will display hives, angioedema, or anaphylaxis upon ingestion of penicillin…. hives and anaphylactic symptoms have been traced to penicillin in milk, soft drinks, and frozen dinners."

"Many general dietary factors have been suggested as a cause of osteoporosis, including: low calcium-high phosphorus intake, high-protein diet, high-acid-ash diet, high salt intake, and trace mineral deficiencies. It appears that increased soft drink consumption is a major factor that contributes to osteoporosis. A deficiency of vitamin K leads to impaired mineralization of bone. Boron deficiency may contribute greatly to osteoporosis as well as to menopausal symptoms."

"Soft drinks have long been suspected of leading to lower calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels are low, calcium is pulled out of the bones. The phosphate content of soft drinks like Coca -Cola and Pepsi is very high, and they contain virtually no calcium."

"The United States ranks first among countries in soft drink consumption. The per-capita consumption of soft drinks is in excess of 150 quarts per year, or about three quarts per week."

"Soft drink consumption in children poses a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones."

"Of the fifty-seven children who had low blood calcium levels, thirty-eight (66.7 percent) drank more than four bottles (12 to 16 ounces per bottle) of soft drinks per week, but only forty-eight (28 percent) of the 171 children with normal serum calcium levels consumed as much soft drink … These results more than support the contention that soft drink consumption leads to lower calcium levels in children. This situation that ultimately leads to poor bone mineralization, which explains the greater risk of broken bones in children who consume soft drinks."

"Soft drink consumption may be a major factor for osteoporosis as they are high in phosphates but contain virtually no calcium. This leads to lower calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in the blood. The United States ranks first among countries for soft drink consumption with a per capita consumption of approximately 15 ounces a day."

James A Howenstine M.D.
A Physician's Guide to Natural Health Products That Work

"In an interesting experiment the sugar from one soft drink was able to damage the white blood cells' ability to ingest and kill gonococcal bacteria for seven hours."

"Soft drinks also contain large quantities of phosphorus, which when excreted pulls calcium out of the bones. Heavy users of soft drinks will have osteoporosis along with their damaged arteries."

James Duke PhD
The Green Pharmacy : The Ultimate Compendium Of Natural Remedies From The World's Foremost Authority On Healing Herbs

"And watch out for cola soft drinks, which are very high in bone-dissolving phosphorus."

Marion Nestle
Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (California Studies in Food and Culture)

"Soft drinks are the single greatest source of caffeine in children's diets; a 12-ounce can of cola contains about 45 milligrams but the amounts in more potent soft drinks can exceed 100 milligrams— a level approaching that found in coffee."

"Soft drinks have replaced milk in the diets of many American children as well as adults. School purchases reflect such trends. From 1985 to 1997, school districts decreased the amounts of milk they bought by nearly 30% and increased their purchases of carbonated sodas."

"The relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times."

"Adolescents who consume soft drinks display a risk of bone fractures three to four-fold higher than those who do not."

"Sugar and acid in soft drinks so easily dissolve tooth enamel."

"Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year."

William Duffy
The doctor speaking in these dialogs is, Dr. McCay, the nutritionist at the Naval Medical Research Institute.

"I was amazed to learn," he testified, "that the beverage contained substantial amounts of phosphoric acid. . . . At the Naval Medical Research Institute, we put human teeth in a cola beverage and found they softened and started to dissolve within a short period… The acidity of cola beverages ... is about the same as vinegar. The sugar content masks the acidity, and children little realize they are drinking this strange mixture of phosphoric acid, sugar, caffeine, coloring, and flavoring matter."

Carol Simontacchi
The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children

"One liter of an aspartame-sweetened beverage can produce about fifty-six milligrams of methanol. When several of these beverages are consumed in a short period of time (one day, perhaps), as much as two hundred fifty milligrams of methanol are dumped into the bloodstream, or thirty-two times the EPA limit."

"What may happen, in the face of day-to-day, continuously high levels of sodium in the diet and the bloodstream, is that we experience a type of acute hypernatremia—not enough to kill us or cause the myelin sheath to lose its integrity, but enough to keep our sodium potassium pump slightly dysregulated and throw off the electrical system of the brain…. Americans drink soft drinks that are often loaded with more sodium and which further unbalance the mineral stores."

Greg Critser
Fat Land : How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World

"A joint study by Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital researchers in February 2001 concluded that such excess liquid calories inhibited the ability of older children to compensate at mealtime, leading to caloric imbalance and, in time, obesity."

"One extra soft drink a day gave a child a 60 percent greater chance of becoming obese. One could even link specific amounts of soda to specific amounts of weight gain. Each daily drink added .18 points to a child's body mass index (BMI). This, the researchers noted, was regardless of what else they ate or how much they exercised. "Consumption of sugar [high fructose corn syrup]-sweetened drinks," they concluded, "is associated with obesity in children."

Samuel S. Epstein MD
The Safe Shopper's Bible : A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products

"Saccharin is a 100-year-old non-nutritive, non-caloric sweetening agent… its use has exploded over the last twenty years as a staple of the diet food and drink craze. Its major current consumption is in diet pop by teenagers, and not by diabetics and the obese. The public now firmly believes that foods containing saccharin are effective in weight control, and has been persuaded by the soft drink industry (through the Calorie Control Council) that these benefits outweigh any possible health risks."

"More than a dozen animal tests over the last thirty years have demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of saccharin in the bladder and other sites, particularly female reproductive organs, and in some instances at doses as low as the equivalent of one to two bottles of diet pop daily."

"The public board of inquiry concluded that experimental data "’…do not rule out an oncogenic effect of aspartame, and that, to the contrary, they appear to suggest the possibility that aspartame, at least when administered in the 'huge' quantities employed in the studies, may contribute to the development of brain tumors.’" Until these controversial findings on brain cancer in experimental animals have been resolved, use this product sparingly, if at all."

"PET bottling and packaging: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used extensively in soft drink containers. PET bottles can release small amounts of dimethyl terephthalate into foods and beverages. Although the National Cancer Institute claims that dimethyl terephthalate is noncarcinogenic, these results have been questioned. Some experts believe this compound to be carcinogenic."

Neal Barnard MD
Foods That Cause You to Lose Weight: : The Negative Calorie Effect

"Another advantage of avoiding sodas is that you will avoid the caffeine that is in many of them. Caffeine is a weak diuretic that causes calcium loss via the kidneys."

Dr. Earl Mindell
Earl Mindell's New Vitamin Bible

"Recent research has linked soft drinks with childhood obesity— and an estimated 200 school districts nationwide have contracts with soft drink companies that give them exclusive rights to sell their products in schools."

"Saccharin is a noncaloric petroleum derivative estimated to be three hundred to five hundred times sweeter than sugar… It's used in diet soft drinks… Studies done in the 1970s linked saccharin ingestion to bladder cancer in laboratory animals"

"Children who drink large quantities of diet sodas containing aspartame are particularly vulnerable to its dangerous side effects."

"Aspartame contains methyl or wood alcohol, which can affect fetal brain development."

"Twenty-one percent of the sugar in the American diet comes from soft drinks! That's more than just an unhealthy consumption of empty calories. It is a dangerous overload of caffeine and potentially hazardous, nutrient-depleting additives."

"Soft drinks contain large amounts of phosphorus, which can throw off the body's calcium/phosphorus ratio (twice as much calcium as phosphorus), decreasing calcium as well as reducing your body's ability to use it."

"For anyone over age 40, soft drinks can be especially hazardous because the kidneys are less able to excrete excess phosphorus, causing depletion of vital calcium."

"Heavy soft drink consumption can interfere with your body's metabolization of iron and diminish nerve impulse transmission."

"Cola drinks can interact adversely with antacids, possibly causing constipation, calcium loss, hypertension, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and kidney damage."

"Soft drinks can decrease the antibacterial action of penicillin and ampicillin."

"Diet sodas that are low in calories are high in sodium. Too much salt in the diet may cause more calcium to be excreted in the urine and increase the risk of osteoporosis."

"Excessive consumption of soft drinks, which are high in phosphorus, can also deplete you of calcium and increase your chances of osteoporosis."

Jean Carper
Food: Your Miracle Medicine : How Food Can Prevent and Cure over 100 Symptoms and Problems

"Tests at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine by Roland R. Griffiths, MD, show caffeine withdrawal can strike people who drink a single cup of strongly brewed coffee or drink caffeinated soft drinks everyday. Further, Dr. Griffiths discovered that caffeine-withdrawal symptoms include not only headache, but also fatigue, mild depression, muscle pain and stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea and vomiting."

"Those consuming at least one cup of a caffeine-containing beverage per day, such as coffee, tea or soft drinks, were more prone to PMS. And the more caffeine they consumed, the more severe their PMS symptoms."

Elson M Haas MD
The Detox Diet: A How-To & When-To Guide for Cleansing the Body

"Phosphorus is found in most foods but soda pops, diet pops… contain especially high amounts. The ideal dietary phosphorus-calcium ratio is about 1:1. The ratio in the average American diet is often greater than 2:1 and sometimes even 4:1 or 5:1. At those levels, excess calcium is removed from bone and eliminated, blood levels are reduced, and there is bone demineralization. A diet high in phosphorus and low in calcium has been shown to cause bone loss and increase tissue calcification."

"Tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis can be problems, especially with a high phosphorus intake, particularly from soft drinks. All kinds of bone problems can occur with prolonged calcium deficiency, which causes a decrease in bone mass. Rickets in children, osteomalacia (decreased bone calcium) in adults, and osteoporosis (porous and fragile bones) can occur when calcium is withdrawn from bones faster than it is deposited. Fractures are more common with osteoporosis—almost eight million yearly in the United States are related to this prevalent nutritional deficiency disease"

"High dietary phosphorus, as is found in a diet with meats, soft drinks, and other convenience foods, can readily affect calcium metabolism. Potential calcium deficiency symptoms may be more likely when the phosphorus intake is very high. A low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio in the diet increases the incidence of hypertension and the risk of colon-rectal cancer."

Barnet Meltzer MD
Food Swings: Make the Life-Changing Connection Between the Foods You Eat and Your Emotional Health and Well-Being

"But soft drinks are far from soft. High in phosphorous and phosphoric acid, they infiltrate bodily fluids and corrode stomach linings, upset the alkaline-acid balance of the kidneys, and eat away at your liver like Hannibal Lecter. Soft drinks also contain hidden caffeine, refined sugar, and artificial chemicals."

Ralph T Golan ND
Optimal Wellness

"Avoid processed foods and cola soft drinks; their phosphates can also cause calcium loss and excretion."

Dr. Gary Null
"Natural Living" radio show
Gary Null's Power Aging

"A study on the relationship between caffeine and fertility found that… just one caffeinated soft drink per day was associated with a reduced monthly chance of conception of 50 percent."

"It should be noted here that soft drinks are the number one source of phosphorus in the American diet today… According to Dr. Steenblock, excess phosphorus is one of the major contributing factors to the development of osteoarthritis."

James A May
United American Industries Inc.

"Absorption in primates is hastened considerably if the methanol is ingested as free methanol as it occurs in soft drinks after the decomposition of aspartame during storage or in other foods after being heated. Regardless of whether the aspartame-derived methanol exists in food in its free form or still esterified to phenylalanine, 10 percent of the weight of aspartame intake of an individual will be absorbed by the bloodstream as methanol within hours after consumption."

Marcia Zimmerman CN
The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution : A Drug-Free 30 Day Plan

"Sodium benzoate Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative (microbial control) in foods, including soft drinks, fruit juices, margarine, confections, pickles, and jams. Sodium preservatives add sodium to the diet and reduce the availability of potassium. Some reported reactions to sodium benzoate include recurring urticaria (rash), asthma, and eczema."

---

All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. Newstarget.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NewsTarget.com/terms.shtml