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WEIGHT CONTROL -
EATING FOR HEALTH
by Lynn Hinderliter CN, LDN |
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Let's start
with the BAD news.
It is hard to exaggerate the problem of obesity in this country.
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In 1978, one quarter of Americans were
overweight, and in 1990, one third were overweight a 33% increase.
The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
show that 60% are now overweight. Similarly, the prevalence of
obesity increased from 12% in 1991 to 19% in 1999.[1]
It has been estimated that 300,000 deaths per year are attributable to
obesity, and that it accounts for nearly 10% of national health costs.[1]
(Mokdad AH, Serdula MK, Dietz WH, et al. The
continuing epidemic of obesity in the United States. JAMA. 2000;
284:1650-1651.)
In 2002, rates continued
to increase, rising to nearly 65% of adults from 56%, while rates of
extreme obesity increased to nearly 5% from 3%. Black women and people
with lower educational levels were more likely to be morbidly obese,
according to the report. While
weight gain was noted in all age, gender, and ethnic groups, obesity and
overweight rates were highest among non-Hispanic black women. Half of
black women, 40 years and older, were obese and more than 80% were
overweight, according to the report by Dr. Katherine M. Flegal and
colleagues, from the CDC. (JAMA
2002;288:1723-1732,1772-1773.
More alarming because it speaks to the habits we are passing on, are
the figures for childhood obesity. A 2002 study of nearly 5000 children at
the Center for Disease Control by Dr. Cynthia Ogden and her
team found that more than 15% of 6- to 19-year-olds were overweight in
1999-2000, compared with about 11% in 1998-1994. The prevalence of
overweight rose to 10% from about 7% among children 2 to 5 years of age.
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These studies
do not even look at the role of nutritional deficiencies
in the development of health conditions
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such as
cancer
and other consequences of general depression of the immune system: such
things may be hard to document but to my mind the connection is
incontrovertible. To make but one point, remember that
estrogen is stored in fatty tissues. An alarming study (Obstet
Gynecol 2002;100:288-295.) looked at the relationship between
teenage girls(18 years of old ), obesity (BMI of 25 or greater) and
subsequent pre-menopausal ovarian cancer - in a study of 109,445
nurses they found that those who met these criteria were nearly TWICE as
likely to develop cancer.
More about the dismal connection between obesity and health at the end
of this article.
In 2006, new studies link obesity with an increased risk of
ovarian cancer.
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In many ways
this problem is quintessentially American:
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on one end of the spectrum, super-sizing, instant
gratification, blind trust in our food manufacturers and suppliers to
protect our best interests, and many years of mistrust of most sensible
but unpopular dietary advice . On the other end, the expectation of
free lunch (results without effort); instant replay (results
immediately); magic bullets (results from a miracle pill).
Many people who are looking to lose weight want weight
loss without having to diet. They want to be more fit, but not to
exercise. They want better health, but without having to change
their eating habits, or giving up any of their vices. Remember, a
situation that has taken many years to develop, will take time to remedy!
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The
healthy way to weight control requires patience and planning.
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When weight comes off a pound at a time, you are losing
fat. Any faster, and you will be risking the loss of muscle, which
is not healthy. It sounds so simple to say "make wiser food choices
and serve smaller portions; then, take a walk". For lifetime
results, it helps to lose the heroic remedies instant answer
mentality, and start planning wisely for the thinner, healthier future.
Here is a simple place to start: an
interesting 2003 study in the Journal of the American Medical Institution
(2003, vol. 289,
no. 14) found a distinct correlation between watching TV, and weight gain.
The study was done with women, but I it is applicable to everyone,
particularly children. What it found was that each
two-hour-per-day increment of television watching led to a 23 percent
increase in obesity. Each two-hour-per-day increment of sitting at
work was associated with a 5 percent increase in obesity.
By contrast, women
who stood or walked around their homes for two hours a day reduced their
obesity risk by 9 percent. Imagine where that percentage rate would be if
they also went out and walked after lunch or dinner! In fact, the
researchers estimated that if women adopted a relatively active
lifestyle—that is, less than ten hours per week of TV viewing and more
than 30 minutes a day of brisk walking—they could reduce their risk of
obesity by almost one-third.
Here is another simple thing you can do: cut out
anything with fructose in it. Fructose has some very interesting effects
on insulin levels, and is also more likely to be stored as fat than simple
sugars.
Read the report here.
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I am
not an advocate of this diet versus that diet, but of commonsense and
self-control. |
Over 30 years ago a researcher named Ancel Keys did his famous
Seven Countries Study. ( See RESOURCES
at right) He found that villagers on the Greek island of Crete had 90
% less heart disease than Americans. In addition, obesity was rare. Their
diet consisted of whole grain breads, olive oil, beans, nuts, vegetables,
fruits, and small servings of cheese. They ate fish once a week, and small
amounts of meat about twice a month. But their diet was not particularly
low in fat: 40% of their calories came from olive oil.
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Eating
Healthily and for Optimal Weight:
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The main villains in weight gain are
excess fats, carbohydrates, and too little fiber.
* Generous amounts of olive oil (or macadamia nut oil) are allowed
following my diet, while fats that remain solid at room temperature and
trans fats should be eliminated .
* Protein should be supplied as
far as possible from plant sources, such as beans, nuts and soy, with
poultry, eggs, fish and meat a few times a week, and red meat a few
times a month.
* Cheese and yogurt ( see
RESOURCES for recipe) may be consumed on a daily basis, but in
small amounts.
* Fruits and vegetables should be consumed in
variety on a daily basis.
* A glass of wine per day is an
acceptable addition, but the main liquid should be pure water, and at
least 8 glasses a day of that.
* This change needs to be accompanied
by consistent healthful exercise, such as brisk walking. |
People with blood type O require a higher percentage of animal
proteins, but should avoid wheat and corn like the plague. The break-down
of wheat in the gut can lead to inflammation, fatigue, and weight gain.
Dr. Susan Lark also links weight gain in women over 40, no matter their
blood type, to wheat. Cutting it out altogether, she states, can be the
one step that makes losing weight possible for women in and over that age
group.
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A
2006 study found that inflammation leads to both weight
gain AND weight loss in older individuals, both of which
can be signs of deterioration in a persons health*
(International
Journal of Obesity (2006)
30,
1362–1367. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803306; published online
14 March 2006) |
For many who are suffering from many years of faulty diet,
digestive enzymes and a detoxification/cleansing program should
be considered. See RESOURCES at right.
A major reason why a detoxification program can be extremely helpful in
weight loss is found in research which brings to light the devastating
effect chemicals (and particularly the "ene"s (xylene, toluene, benzene)
have on the metabolism. These chemicals are present in paints, solvents,
insect repellants, plastic bottles - the list goes on and on - and their
effect on our health is only just beginning to be understood. For
our purpose, however, the important fact is that they block the conversion
of carbohydrates to energy at the very beginning of the Krebs cycle.
Carbohydrates which are not available to be used for energy are deposited
as fat and cause weight gain. Remember, chemicals are stored in fatty
tissue - this is a cycle of ill health and obesity which can be hard to
interrupt. Alcohol can compound this problem,
and yeast & fungi also interfere with the Krebs cycle.
These chemicals
also have an affinity for the amino acid Glycine:
in some cases, I have had clients tell me
that they have GAINED weight as a result of detoxing:
the solution is to increase the availability of Glycine through
supplementation.
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Some of my clients have found that, while limiting
carbohydrates to the point where they lose weight proved very difficult,
separating protein from carbohydrates ( in other words, not eating
them at the same meal) proved not only easier to do, but extremely
effective at promoting weight loss. These include, of course, complex
carbs, not just sugar and white flour!!
Obviously, a few caveats need to be attached to this for people with
specific health problems - but for the many of you who ask me what I eat
and whether I am a vegetarian - this is your answer, in detail. It is a
healthy diet, a high fiber, energy-producing, weight maintaining diet, and
it tastes good. Add a good selection of supplements, both the basic
nutrient necessities ( who has time to eat perfectly every day!)
and, where indicated, specific nutrients selected with your particular
situation in mind, and living like this should positively support all the
systems of your body for many years of healthy living.
I consider the addition of a good
multivitamin to one's daily regimen
to be life insurance.
After all, obesity is above all caused by faulty diet: one does not
get fat on oxygen!
Either
too much
sugar and carbohydrates generally
too much (or the wrong kind
of) fat,
too little fiber,
the wrong foods for one's
body
lack of
exercise,
digestive insufficiency
poor elimination
unrelenting
stress
or
a combination of all these factors is to blame.
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and with today's lifestyles we do not have
the time or resources to spare to cope with the disastrous effects of poor
food choices. Losing those extra pounds is something that must be done,
and the payoff is well worth it.
I urge you to identify your problem and
correct it. While I would never say it is EASY to
lose fat, rhe process is really very SIMPLE: repeat after me:
make wiser food choices
and serve smaller portions; then, take a walk
While I always advocate the control of diet
as the most important step, sometimes we need help: consider
Jarrow's Carbotame, a combination of Phaseolamine (from
beans) and Green Tea to block carbohydrate absorption.
Enzymedica's LYPO helps block fat uptake.
The
connection between
stress, comfort eating and obesity
cannot be overlooked or denied, either. |
Here is an excerpt from an interesting article: you can find the
full text in
RESOURCES at right: "Stress
causes increased pituitary secretion of ACTH that also results in an
elevation of Cortisol and a shift in fat distribution to the abdomen.
Chronically stressed primates with high Cortisol levels develop a
corresponding increase in abdominal fat deposits. A study of Swedish men
similarly found that with those with the highest levels of chronic stress
also had the highest Cortisol measurements and the greatest amount of deep
belly fat." Another interesting study
done in Italy ( International Journal of Obesity
(2003) 27, 1353-1358. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0802419)
linked shift work, which unquestionably qualifies as unrelenting stress,
to obesity. The conclusion of the researchers was that "shift work
may be directly responsible for increased body fatness and is indirectly
associated with higher blood pressure levels and some features of
metabolic syndrome. "Strategies to control stress,
and supplements to lower Cortisol levels, may be an
important part of your weight loss strategy. Exercise is an
excellent way to lower stress levels - Yoga and T'ai Chi Chuan, for
example, blend physical exercise with mental discipline.
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Is there definitely a connection
between obesity and health? |
The average American diet is sadly deficient in fruits and vegetables.
Nearly half of the 5,500 people polled for the USDA study reported
eating NO fruit on a given day! Lori Borrund, leader of the survey
management team at USDA said
" the marks for leafy green and deep yellow vegetables are certainly below
recommendations".
Among adults in this survey there were numerous nutritional
deficiencies: neither men nor women met the RDA for magnesium (
super-important for heart health), or zinc. Women also tended to be
deficient in iron, B6, Calcium and Vitamin E.
The Journal of the American College of Nutrition published a study by Dr.
James W. Anderson, of the VA Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, and
colleagues in which they compared several popular weight-loss diets
and examined their potential long-term effects. Eight diets, including
Atkins, Protein Power, Sugar Busters, Zone, ADA Exchange, High-Fiber
Fitness, Pritikin, and Ornish, were "non-clinically analyzed by means of a
computer to predict their relative benefits/potential harm."
The
researchers developed a summary description, menu plan, and recommended
snacks for each diet, according to their report in the October issue of
the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The diets were then
compared using computer software to determine the nutrient composition and
calculate Food Pyramid Scores. Coronary heart disease risk factors were
estimated by applying several formulas.
"The Atkins and Protein
Power diets are very high in total and saturated fat
compared to
current dietary guidelines," the authors write. They add that significant
increases in serum cholesterol and risk of coronary heart disease may
result from the long-term use of these diets.
The team found that
diets that restrict sugar intake, such as with the Sugar Busters and Zone
diets, would lower serum cholesterol levels and would probably reduce the
risk for coronary heart disease.
"The healthiest diets for weight
loss, weight maintenance, and general health maintenance are ones that are
rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grain cereals and breads,"
Dr. Anderson commented to Reuters Health. "Healthy eating at the bottom of
the food guide pyramid plus exercise are the healthiest ways to lose
weight."
( J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:578-590. )
This suggests that healthy eating will maintain both good health, and a
healthy weight. Let us go further:
The Surgeon
General
lists these consequences of obesity:
- Premature death
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Breathing problems
- Arthritis
- Reproductive complications
- Gallbladder disease,
Incontinence & Depression
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The Center for Disease Control is even more lurid stating that a
BMI of 25% and above can predispose to:
A recent article in Medscape said this:
Obesity among adults and children has increased dramatically in the past
20 years to reach epidemic proportions, and health care costs of excessive
weight are estimated at more than $98 billion a year.[1] In
a previous study investigating risk factors for cardiovascular disease in
a poor, rural county in Tennessee, the authors found that morbid obesity
was 6 times more common in women than men, particularly middle-aged women,
and self-reported health status among obese women was significantly lower
than that of women who were not obese.[2] It is unknown,
however, whether these findings are limited to this specific geographic
area, or whether it is as common a risk factor in other areas of the
southeastern United States.
Mokdad AH, Bowman BA, Ford ES, et al: The continuing epidemics of obesity
and diabetes in the United States. JAMA 2001; 286:1195-1199
Ramsey PW, Glenn LL: Risk factors for heart disease in rural Appalachia.
Fam Community Health 1998; 20:19-30
And another thought-provoking squib:
J. Willis Hurst, MD [Medscape
Cardiology, 2001. © 2001 Medscape, Inc.]
"I
am hearing bits and pieces of talk questioning the value of a low-fat
diet in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Once again there are those who
point out that many individuals on a low-fat diet gain weight (and become
obese) by eating more carbohydrates.
Some scientists point out that
atherosclerosis is less common in countries where people do not decrease
their dietary fat but eat more vegetables than it is in countries where
people have decreased the amount of fat in their diet but eat more
carbohydrates and fewer vegetables.
Thus far, the question that has
been raised is, How valuable is a low-fat diet for the reduction of
atherosclerosis? But perhaps the question should be posed another way: How
harmful is it not to eat a large quantity of vegetables and fruit
daily?"
Bon Appetit!
The Vitamin Lady®
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Don't Be a Fitness Drop-Out!
By Ginny Porter and Jack Holleman
Somewhere in your 2003 New Year's resolution list was losing weight and
getting fit. Well, after a short spurt of dedicated effort and sore
muscles you're not as motivated. If this describes you, you are no
different than millions of Americans who annually take a short ride on
the fitness bus after the holidays only to get off in the first 3 - 4
months!
How do you keep that enthusiasm? Here are 10 proven
ideas to help overcome being just another fitness drop-out.
1.
Hire a good personal trainer - even for just one tune-up session! A
personal trainer - whether face-to-face our online - will examine your
goals and progress and make suggestions about your fitness routine.
He/she will direct you to activities that are appropriate for your
current level and goals, and make sure you are executing each exercise
correctly. You may find new and better ways to exercise - and a more
efficient and productive routine.
2. Consider joining a
health club. Join a YMCA or a local gym where the atmosphere is
conducive to good hard exercise, and where you will find
inspiration
in any number of ways; music, classes, friends, environment. It is
much easier to complete your exercise program if the doorbell and phone
are not calling to you! When you can't get to the gym, go home and use
your videos, equipment, or just walk the neighborhood. But strive for
the gym regularly!
3. Make a reasonable plan.
Consider your goals - do they make sense? Set a series of small
goals that you can reasonably accomplish in the next 2 - 3 months. These
goals must be attainable, measurable and very personal. For example;
"Lose a pound a week for 8 weeks" or " Go to class at they gym three
times a week" or "Walk two miles everyday."
4. Add variety
and excitement to your workout. Your body adapts to any program
that remains constant. Cross-training or altering your program will
accelerate your progress. Make subtle changes to your workout ever 3 - 4
weeks. You might consider changing cardio machines from bike to
treadmill or from running to elliptical trainer. Learn a new sport like
racquetball or swimming. Buy a new fitness video for days at home, or
take a new class.
5. Keep a food diary. Create a
diary of the foods that you eat an know what you eat, when and how much.
Then improve one thing each week to move towards a healthier diet.
6. Water, water, water and more water. Carry water
along - take it to work and drink before, during and after a workout.
Muscle movement is a
chemical reaction. Water is essential for
your body to function well. A 5% loss in water to your body can
translate into a 20 - 25% drop in performance. And - water is
great for your diet and gives skin that healthy
glow!
7.
Recruit a friend. Find someone to share your experiences. Work with a
friend or family member with similar goals to offset that predictable
mental
slump.
8. Do something - everyday! Your gym
workout takes time and we know that isn't always possible. On busier
days take a brisk 15 - 20 minute walk at lunch or at the end of the day.
This may be all your schedule permits - but it is better than nothing!
9. Reward yourself.. But not with chocolate cake! When you
are doing well, buy new shoes, go to a movie, get a manicure or
pedicure, or even a massage. Find things besides food that make you feel
appropriately self-indulgent!
10. Most important... keep going.
If you miss one day, stop punishing yourself, and go the next day. Never
give up. Remember, this is a lifestyle - your new level of fitness will
provide more energy for you to
pursue your dreams (hiking, traveling,
skating with the kids, running, going places) while feeling strong and
fit.
Jack Holleman and Ginny Porter are the authors of The
Pocket
Trainer/Strength Training Guide. To purchase a copy of
their great book, go to
www.pockettrainer.com
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