Carole Carson

Beyond Dieting—Affirmative Eating

Dean Ornish, MD, the founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, has long argued that comprehensive lifestyle changes can make a difference in preventing or reversing coronary heart disease. These changes include “stress management, moderate exercise, group support and a low-fat, whole-foods nutrition plan. Most people experience substantial improvements in weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, vitality, and quality of life.”

 

When I read Dr. Ornish’s comments, I stood up and cheered. I am, after all, living proof of this medical theory. When I began my makeover, I was in the 90th percentile for risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke. After changing what I ate and incorporating regular exercise into my routine (and losing 62 pounds in the process), my risk for those same diseases had dropped to the normal range.

 

Another idea Dr. Ornish proposes, however, adds an additional dimension to getting fit. Perhaps like you, when I focus on losing weight, I typically review the food that I should avoid eating to keep from gaining weight—for example, chocolate cake and ice cream.

 

But Dr. Ornish encourages us to move beyond that mentality. Instead, he wants us to eat affirmatively—that is, eat food that nourishes our bodies:

 

It's not just about what you exclude from your diet that's harmful, but also what you include that's beneficial. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and soy products are rich in substances that, in my opinion, can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease as well as breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.

 

Just 3 grams per day of fish oil or flaxseed oil are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that, in my opinion, may reduce your risk of a heart attack by 50 percent or more. Also, this may help reduce your risk of prostate cancer, breast cancer and arthritis.

 

Research over time will validate the truth of Dr. Ornish’s theories about fish oil and flaxseed oil. (My own theory is that laughter is the best medicine.) But the idea that we need to eat affirmatively for health purposes (and not just limit caloric intake) is a solid one that those of us who seek to lose weight need to incorporate into our approach to eating.  For more information on Dr. Ornish’s views (and free recipes), go to www.Ornish.com and www.pmri.org.

To Drink or Not to Drink?

That is the question. At least for those of us trying to lose weight. Should we indulge ourselves and then suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous guilt for consuming empty calories? Or should we abstain?

Last week, my girlfriend Deborah Wagner, a registered nurse, and I had an animated debate on this subject over a wineless lunch. Both of us work to maintain our weight between 128 and 132 pounds. Given our commitment, lunches inevitably begin with a self-assessment on how we’re doing, followed by the latest insights.

When the topic of wine came up, Deborah argued on behalf of the daily sip. As head of our community’s wellness program, Deborah is well informed, whereas my contrary point of view was strictly personal. Although my mind was made up, I was willing to listen.

Deborah asserted that her nightly glass of red wine is medically beneficial. She cited research claiming that a daily glass of red wine improves heart health, may prevent tumors from growing and may also improve nerve function. Preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s should be reason enough, Deborah said, to enjoy a glass of wine. She quickly added, however, that if a person didn’t drink wine, they shouldn’t begin. However, for Deborah, the immediate benefit was the relaxing effect of wine. The nightly ritual made the transition from work to home seamless.

Best of all, Deborah said, a glass of wine helps individuals maintain their weight. She based her assertion on research stating that people who consume a single drink a few times each week have a lower risk of obesity than teetotalers or heavy drinkers have. I could understand the connection between heavy drinking and surplus pounds, but I was surprised that a moderate amount of alcohol helped individuals stay trim.

My argument against indulging was not scientifically based but was nonetheless compelling to me. I seem incapable of drinking only one glass of red wine. If one glass tastes good, then the second glass tastes even better. I’ve also noticed that if I drink a glass of red wine with dinner, I crave sugar later in the evening. While the wine doesn’t cost too many calories, the sugared dessert I can no longer resist certainly does. In addition to consuming surplus calories, I feel less rested upon rising the following day. Throughout the day, my energy level is lower than usual even as my appetite is ratcheted up.

I’m 15 years older than Deborah, so our age difference might explain the different physiological reaction I reported. Or maybe I just have different body chemistry.

Had I been more prepared, I could have buttressed my antiwine argument by citing the dangers associated with drunkorexia, the latest eating disorder. This unofficial term describes individuals (mainly women) who starve themselves all day so they can indulge in alcohol later without feeling guilty about consuming too many calories. This abuse of alcohol leads to malnutrition, organ damage and weak bones. Treatment is complicated because the disorder is frequently part of a larger complex of dysfunctional behaviors, such as bulimia and anorexia.

Debbie and I ended our lunch without resolving our differing opinions on the value of a daily glass of red wine—we agreed to disagree. Like the good friends that we are, though, we had no problem agreeing on our next lunch date.

What’s your perspective?

Are You Fishing Around for Safe, Sustainable Seafood?

If you’re balancing fitness goals with environmental concerns, you may want to check out these Internet sites to find sustainable seafood. Here are three:

• www.blueocean.org provides a list of over 100 fish with icons that signal whether the species is overfished or available in a sustainable way.

• www.edf.org features a Seafood Selector that analyzes 62 types of seafood for sustainability, safety and dietary value.

• www.montereybayaquarium.org reviews 80 fish and covers safety and sustainability. Pamphlets with information about fish in different regions of the country can also be downloaded.

A healthy body on a healthy planet—priceless!

Photo courtesy of Michaela Kobyakov

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nutrition but Didn’t Know Whom to Ask

In an effort to promote healthier food choices, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, has created a new Web site loaded with nutritional information: MyFood-a-pedia.

You can type in individual foods or compare foods. For example, I typed in diet high-fiber bread and compared it with white bread after adding butter to each slice. The analysis gave me total calories, the food group and nutritional information.

Besides keeping this resource for your own use, share it with youngsters, families and friends. Educating ourselves about nutrition can help us make healthier food choices.

Photo courtesy of Ivan Prole

Ten Ways to Outsmart Food Cravings

Losing weight and keeping it off require effective management of food cravings that can easily undermine plans to eat healthfully. Use these 10 tips to manage yourself through the crazy maze of cravings:

1. Eat at regular intervals. To avoid becoming overly hungry, don’t go more than five hours without eating.

2. Include protein in each meal to control appetite. Skinless poultry, fish, eggs and low-calorie dairy products are good sources.

3. Stay hydrated with water, since thirst can mask as hunger. Avoid sugared, artificially sweetened and stimulant drinks that trigger cravings.

4. Distract yourself if the impulse to eat is triggered by emotions, especially if you are SAD: sad, angry or depressed. Instead of giving in to the craving, go for a walk. Besides getting you out of the kitchen, the exercise will burn calories.

5. Chew sugarless gum. Chewing satisfies mouth hunger without adding calories.

6. Brush and floss your teeth. Changing the taste in your mouth shifts your perspective, and the craving may simply disappear.

7. Replace refined foods (for example, white flour and sugar) that trigger cravings with whole grains. Whole grains produce a sense of satiety for a longer than refined foods do, and unlike refined foods, whole grains do not trigger cravings.

8. Just say no and then wait. Most cravings begin, crest and recede in minutes. While you’re waiting, review what you have eaten during the day and reassure yourself that your body is well nourished. Willpower is a muscle that strengthens with exercise.

9. Call for support. If you are in danger of polishing off a container of peanut butter ice cream, call your best friend and talk your way through the crisis.

10. Get outside and into sunlight daily, exercise regularly and get a good night’s rest. Sunlight and exercise lift your mood, and rest restores perspective.

Armed with these tips, you will have the tools to respond when cravings surprise you. Even so, to paraphrase President Lincoln, you may be able to fend off all of your cravings some of the time and fend off some cravings all of the time, but you probably won’t be able to fend off all of your cravings all of the time. If you do slip up now and then, forgive yourself and move on. Forget the past and move toward the future. You’ll no doubt have many more opportunities to practice these tips.

Photo courtesy of Julia Dumnova

 

The Skinny on Fats

Have you noticed the proliferation of low-fat and nonfat products on the market? Yet despite the focus on eliminating or reducing fats from our diet, Americans are heavier than ever.

It turns out that not all fats are created equal. Some, like the “bad” trans fats found in processed foods, should be avoided. Others, like the saturated fat found in meat, dairy and eggs, may be safely consumed--but in moderation.

A third category, considered essential for heart and brain health, are “good” fats. These beneficial fats can be found in many foods, including nuts, avocados, salmon, olive oil and canola oil. Again, even though these fats are good for us, we need to be mindful of calories.

Instead of avoiding all fats, we can become more selective. Our goal should be to replace bad fats with the good fats that nourish our heart and brain.

Photo courtesy of Brybs

An Easy Guide to Portion Size

"Portion distortion" is the term used to describe the supersizing of servings. Whether you're eating at home or dining out, here's a quick guide to portions that doesn't require measuring instruments.

1 cup: Clenched fist

1/2 cup: Half of a clenched fist.

3 ounces: Palm of an opened hand

1 ounce: Bottom of a cupped hand

1 tablespoon: Thumb tip.

1 teaspoon: Finger tip.

Other ways to avoid consuming too much food are to use smaller plates, eat mindfully without distractions and stop eating when you are 80 percent full. Writing down what you eat can also be used to maintain awareness. By following these tips, even though you are consuming fewer calories, you may find yourself enjoying your food more. Bon appetit!

Photo courtesy of Davide Guglielmo

Trivia Question: Is Patterned Eating Wrecking Your Weight-Loss Goal?

More than half of the adults in the United States consume more calories on weekend days than they do on weekdays. How many extra calories are consumed by these weekend food warriors?

1. 84 to 411

2. 45 to 85

3. 210 to 502

The correct answer is number1: 84 to 411 calories. The extra calories consumed on holidays is even higher―340. To keep weekend and holiday eating from wrecking your weight-loss effort, try these tips:

• Wake up at your regular time on weekends and eat breakfast (instead of sleeping late and consuming a heavy brunch).

• Weigh in on Friday morning and Sunday night.

• Keep a journal and record your food intake.

• Minimize alcoholic drinks; their empty calories pack on pounds.

• Increase your exercise time on weekends.

Bathing suit season is around the corner. If you manage your eating on weekends and holidays, you’ll be ready to bare arms.

What’s the Link between Surplus Weight and Medical Problems?

In my role as coach for the AARP Fat 2 Fit Community Weight-Loss Challenge, I ask experts to share their insight on issues involving fitness. One such expert is Dr. Michael F. Roizen, who is regularly featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC’s Today, 20/20, Good Morning America and CBS News Sunday Morning.

I asked Dr. Roizen, “What’s the link between surplus weight and medical problems?” His answer follows:

 

A large waist leads to high blood pressure, arthritis, altered body image and low self-respect. Extra belly fat also causes more inflammation than sand in your swimsuit, and that inflammation causes insulin resistance diabetes (with an average 17-year lag), heart disease and impotence (average 25-year lag) and cancer (average 35-year lag). If those health concerns weren't enough, a sizeable girth also causes problems zipping up your pants.

Dr. Roizen confirms the statistic that 80 percent of our medical problems are a function of lifestyle. The deadly quartet (heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer) is increasingly linked to unhealthy eating and exercise habits that result in obesity and a lack of fitness overall. The statistic is worrisome, but it simultaneously reassures us that we can reduce our risk by adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Michael Roizen, MD

Michael F. Roizen, MD, has written four New York Times bestsellers, including You: The Owner’s Manual, which he coauthored with Dr. Mehmet Oz. Other popular books coauthored with Dr. Oz include You: Staying Young and You: On a Diet. Michael’s writing has also appeared in numerous scientific papers, textbooks and medical books. Besides holding patents on several of his inventions and being a prolific lecturer, Michael has produced four PBS fundraising television specials. He chairs the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. With his extensive experience in educating individuals on the care of their bodies to achieve optimum health, Michael guides and inspires individuals of all ages.

Food Rules by Michael Pollan

In our journey toward healthy living, we sometimes encounter confusing or even contradictory advice. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the volume of information bombarding us daily in magazines, on television and online. At times, we may find ourselves wishing for a clear, straightforward set of tips to steer us in the right direction.

Enter Michael Pollan’s new book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual. In this helpful and humorous little book, Pollan lays out simple and playful guidelines.

Food Rules, which includes sixty-four rules for healthy eating, is essentially organized into three sections:

1. What should I eat? Eat food.

2. What kinds of food should I eat? Plants, mostly.

3. How should I eat? Don’t eat too much.

Pollan asserts that eating real food (such as fruits and vegetables) and avoiding processed foods dramatically improves our health and well-being. As Pollan memorably points out in rule #19: “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.”

Other rules, such as rule #7, “Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce,” humorously remind us to use common sense in our approach to a healthier lifestyle.

Our health is perhaps our most valuable possession. Pollan’s witty rules help us remember that achieving our health and fitness goals can be delightfully fun.

What kind of humorous food rules can you come up with?

Photo courtesy of G & A Scholiers