Carole Carson

When in Need, Pour Yourself a Drink

Of water, that is. Drinking water is an appropriate response to many of life’s impulses and cues.

 

Hungry? Drink water.

Thirsty? Drink water.

Tired? Drink water.

Dining out? Drink water.

Dining in? Drink water.

Rising? Drink water.

Retiring? Drink water.

Bored? Drink water.

Hot? Drink water.

Dehydrated? Drink water.

Irritable? Drink water.

Celebrating? Drink water.

Foggy? Drink water.

 

Get the idea? Water is good for us. That statement isn’t surprising since about 70 percent of our bodies are made up of water. Some experts consider water the most important factor in losing weight and keeping it off. Limiting liquid calories from sugar-sweetened drinks is an effective tool for losing weight or to avoid gaining weight, according to Dr. Benjamin Caballero of Johns Hopkins University writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 

And here’s more good news: water is affordable and well within our reach.

 

If you agree that water is good for us, I suggest we tip our glasses and have a drink or two to celebrate.

 

 

 

 

"Water is the only drink for a wise man."                            Henry David Thoreau

 

Survival of the Fittest?

Medical care costs continue to rise. This fact has implications for all of us, but especially for persons of retirement age.

Financial experts at Fidelity Investments advise retirees to set aside nearly $250,000 to cover medical expenses during their senior years. According to Fidelity’s analysis, projected medical costs have risen 50 percent over the past seven years. Equally troubling is the observation that the trend upward shows no sign of abating, and the Medicare trust fund is expected to be insolvent by 2019.

Will these worrisome costs trigger changes in lifestyle? Will we decide to become fit to reduce medical expenses? Or will only the fittest survive?

A significant percent (some experts place the estimate at 80 percent) of the medical expenses we incur are a function of lifestyle choices such as eating too much, smoking, not exercising consistently and abusing drugs and alcohol. The implication is clear: we can prevent the majority of medical illnesses and associated costs by adopting healthful lifestyles.

If we can no longer afford expensive care or prescription drugs to deal with our medical conditions, we certainly will have a strong incentive to stay as fit as possible.

Before I decided to lose weight and get fit, my medical insurer had a file on me that was at least five inches thick. Much of what I was treated for, whether it was gallbladder surgery or chest pain, was a function of lifestyle. I ate too much, so I weighed too much. I seldom exercised, and I enjoyed nightly cocktails. One overnight stay in the hospital for chest pain cost several thousand dollars.

Today, I keep my weight in the normal range, I exercise each day and I limit alcohol to an occasional glass of wine. As a consequence, except for an occasional sinus infection, my medical expenses are minimal. I want to keep them this way, partly to preserve my good health but also to preserve my nest egg. As medical care costs continue to rise, survival of the fittest may take on a new meaning.

"A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life."                    Charles Darwin

Three Ways to Avoid a Broken Heart

Our heart—that quiet, understated partner—will beat 36,500,000 times in 2009. To avoid a broken heart, we need to listen to its message before it’s too late.

Why do we need to listen? Because one out of every three Americans (nearly 81 million), suffers from some form of cardiovascular disease, a condition that encompasses not only heart attacks, but also strokes, aneurysms and atherosclerosis.

Over the past seven years, we’ve witnessed significant progress in the treatment of heart disease. This progress has resulted in a lowered death rate, so much so that cancer is projected to overtake heart disease in 2010 as the number one cause of death in the United States.

But cancer’s promotion to the spot of #1 killer is hardly cause for celebration since the toll from heart disease remains high. Approximately half a million individuals die each year from cardiovascular diseases. Seniors, parents, spouses and even children are its victims.

If our hearts could speak, they’d tell us to take good care of our health not only during American Heart Month, but throughout the year. If you’re ready to listen, consider these three tips (FIT):

F: Focus on maintaining a positive outlook, a grateful attitude, enriching relationships and satisfying work. Attaining and sustaining good mental health protects your physical health.

I: Invest 30-60 minutes a day in exercise. Researchers report that exercise, even for those who are only slightly overweight, can reduce the risk of heart disease. For those who are overweight or obese, exercise becomes even more essential to reduce the risk of heart disease.

T: Take off the extra weight. Even a few extra pounds increase the risk of heart disease. In one study of 21,000 men, researchers found that every pound of extra weight increased risk. The chubbier participants faced a 180 percent increase in the odds of developing the heart disease.

According to Dr. David Sabgir, Ohio-based board certified cardiologist and founder of the Walk With a Doc program, “Notwithstanding the wonderful advances in treatment, prevention remains the safest, most reliable and least expensive way to avoid cardiovascular disease. Plus, patients who adopt healthful habits to protect their heart (such as exercising regularly and losing weight) are simultaneously protecting themselves from other health problems.

As part of your prevention program, consider heart-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Instead of devouring a box of chocolates sitting in front of the television, take the hand of your loved one and go for a walk. If you give gifts, consider a pedometer or heart monitor. These are gifts that truly show how much you care.

And while you’re at it, get a one for yourself. When we take care of our health, we reduce our chances for a broken heart. Not only do we set a positive example for others, we also improve the odds that we’ll have many more future Februarys to enjoy with family and friends.

"You can create more opportunities by asking for them"                Patty Hansen

Do You Need a Wellness Coach?

When beginning my fitness makeover several years ago, I was suffering from a torn hamstring. Knowing that I could easily reinjure myself with an overly aggressive exercise program or by undertaking the wrong kind of exercise, I hired a personal trainer.

Until that point, I had considered personal trainers the exclusive province of the rich and famous. I was delighted to discover that personal trainers were affordable and available to work with ordinary persons like me. The use of personal trainers is now widespread and has resulted in an exponential growth in the industry over the past decade. And despite the struggling economy, future projections are optimistic.

Were I to begin my fitness makeover today, however, I might consider hiring a wellness coach. While personal trainers tend to focus on the exercise component of fitness, wellness coaches cover all aspects of fitness, including physical, mental and emotional health.

Like the personal training industry, wellness coaching, even though a relatively new industry, is experiencing dramatic growth. In some cases, growth is the result of employers’ use of wellness coaching services to encourage employees to adopt healthier habits, thereby reducing medical costs. In other cases, individuals decide they are ready to make significant lifestyle changes, realize they are unlikely to succeed on their own and reach out for professional assistance. Yet another example is the person who wants to achieve peak health and well-being and decides to take charge of his or her health.

To learn more about coaching, I talked with Margaret “Meg” Moore who leads Wellcoaches, a community of 3,000 health and wellness coaches. Margaret is the lead author of the Coaching Psychology Manual and is a founding advisor of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Here are 8 questions and Meg’s answers to help you decide if you could benefit from wellness coaching.

Q: Do I need a wellness coach?

A: Whether you are ready to make significant changes in your lifestyle or want to optimize your present lifestyle, a wellness coach will improve the likelihood that you will be successful. Coaches are trained as experts in facilitating lasting change and growth. They are partners in assisting you to expedite the change process—outgrowing your challenges and struggles——and helping you go faster and farther than you would do alone.

Q: What does the coach do for me?

A: Coaches facilitate a process for change and growth through invigorating coaching sessions that are workouts for your brain. The goal is to build the optimal mind-set— clarity, focus, energy and resilience—during and following the change process to create and then maintain your new lifestyle. While coaches bring lots of expertise and experience, they will brainstorm with you to help you tap your own learning and insights.

Q: Is coaching limited to fitness? Or does it extend to all areas of my life?

A: The scope of wellness coaches is to help clients reach optimal well-being, whatever that looks like for you. This includes physical health (exercise, nutrition, weight, sleep and physical energy) and mental health (stress coping, life meaning and purpose, positive mind-set, nourishing relationships, resilience and concepts based upon the science of positive psychology).

Q: How can I assess my well-being?

A: Here’s a quick assessment to help you think about your well-being.

Q: How long do individuals usually need a coach for? What does the service typically cost?

A: The ideal initial commitment is for three months. Following a 60- to 90-minute planning session, you may commit to two sessions per month (30 to 45 minutes each, depending upon the complexity of your circumstances) at a cost of approximately $100 to $150 per month. You can continue after three months with two sessions per month or go to monthly or quarterly sessions with e-mail or phone check-ins between sessions. Plan on meeting your coach every year for a planning session, just as you might meet a financial planner or your physician. In light of the extended relationship, it’s important to choose a coach who you think would make a great long-term partner and advocate.

Q: How can I justify this expense in a worrisome economy?

A: In these tumultuous times, it’s never been more important to invest in the only asset you can’t live without: your health. It’s important to stand back and ask yourself, how much is my optimal health worth to me? While Americans are living longer, many of us lost a lot of retirement savings recently in the stock market, which means we will need to work longer. But you need to be healthy to work longer and enjoy your life.

Before investing in a coaching program, define clearly what a good return on investment would look like for you and work with your coach to reach the returns that you need.

Q: How do I find a wellness coach?

A: Wellcoaches can help you find a coach. E-mail us at clients@wellcoaches.com, call 877-744-3356 or go to www.wellcoaches.com/clients and the Find a Coach page to search for a coach.

Q: How do I know if the coach is effective? How do I evaluate a coach?

A: Be sure to clearly articulate your goals and what you define as success and then measure results accordingly.

According to Coach Meg, “For the first time in human history, we are asking people to take charge and be the bosses of their health and wellness. This is a new life skill, which is challenging to master. While most of us are skilled at managing our work projects, few of us have ever learned how to develop and implement a personal wellness plan.” Coach Meg’s mission is to educate and energize people to reach optimal health and well-being.

After trying and failing to lose weight for 40 years, I knew from my own experience that mastering health and wellness skills on my own was impossible. To make significant changes, I needed support.

If you are struggling to lose weight, get moving, quit smoking, reduce stress, sleep better or adopt a healthy habit, consider a wellness coach. With professional assistance, you’ll find yourself making daily decisions that are in alignment with your health and wellness goals, and you’ll feel great about your positive choices.

"A person who has health has a thousand wishes, a person who doesn’t has but one."                Anonymous

Weight-Loss Magic: One Question, Three Words

One out of four American men and nearly half of American women are on a diet to lose weight. For most of my adult life, I contributed to this statistic.

If you’ve tried to diet to lose weight, you know how uncomfortable you are with a growling stomach and a clock telling you it isn’t time to eat for another hour. Even then, the allotted portion of food will barely take the edge off your hunger, and you’ll be in the same condition two hours later.

Even more discouraging is the fact that if you do manage to lose a few pounds through your heroic dieting efforts, you may inadvertently trigger a boomerang effect. After dieting, you may end up overcompensating by eating anything and everything in sight until you’ve not only regained the weight you lost but added a few more pounds as well.

Forty years of experience in failed dieting attempts makes me an expert, and I can state with authority that dieting doesn’t work because it requires a willingness to live in a constant state of frustration and deprivation. Like most of us, I am unwilling to spend my days battling my instincts and then feeling bad when I lose the battle.

What’s the solution? Ask yourself a single three-word question every time you want to eat: Am I hungry?

Dr. Edward Abramson, author of Body Intelligence, concludes that “only a small part of our eating is actually triggered by physical hunger. Most of the time we're eating in response to external food cues like the sight of others eating or in response to an emotional upset.”

I decided to test Dr. Abramson’s conclusion that we usually eat in response to a need other than hunger.

Each time I begin to eat, I ask myself the question, Am I hungry? If the answer is yes, I quickly assess how hungry I am—from starving (rarely) to moderately hungry to not even a tiny bit hungry. If I’m not hungry, I don’t eat. And when I am hungry, I frequently find that a small amount of food satisfies my hunger, and I am able to reduce my portions without feeling deprived.

Answering the question enables me to distinguish between eating when I am hungry versus eating in response to an external cue. So far, I’ve identified nine types of dysfunctional eating unrelated to hunger:

• Recreational: going out to lunch with a girlfriend and eating more than usual just for the fun of it

• Preventive: eating a quick snack before heading out to run errands to avoid hunger later

• Convenience: grabbing and eating whatever is handy—even though the food doesn’t appeal to me—because I am rushing

• Celebratory: eating a piece of wedding cake, for example, to honor the occasion

• Comfort: eating to reassure myself that all will be well

• Fatigue: eating to compensate for lack of energy at the end of a tiring day

• Time-Based: eating because the clock says it is lunchtime

• Reward: eating after enduring a demanding day or finishing a challenging task

• Thirst-Based: eating food when my body craves water

Once I identified the kinds of eating that had nothing to do with hunger, I could reduce or eliminate them without a sense of hardship. I was delightfully surprised to discover that simply asking and answering the question saved me from eating surplus calories.

Don’t get me wrong. Losing weight still involves focus and effort. Keeping a food journal, monitoring weight, setting goals, learning new ways to cook more healthfully and teaming up with others to provide mutual support continue to be essential, ongoing tasks.

But losing weight does not have to involve frustration and deprivation. Instead of dieting, each time you want to eat, ask and answer a simple question, Am I hungry?

This simple question will help you identify the surplus calories you would otherwise consume that have nothing to do with hunger. These pound-accumulating calories can be eliminated without a sense of sacrifice or deprivation. Instead of battling your body, you’ll be relying on your body’s intelligence. In harmony with yourself, you can sustain your eating program until you reach your weight-loss goal. Equally important, you’ll possess a valuable tool to help you maintain your new shape.

The question works magic. All you need to do is remember to ask it.

"People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it"                         Howard Newton

Three Tips to Attack the Munchies

All of us are vulnerable to irresistible urges to eat a particularly fattening or unhealthy food. My downfall is a craving for sugar late in the afternoon when both my energy and spirits sag.

According to a recent study, women are more susceptible to these urges than are men. But whatever your sex, at some point, you’ll be tested. Designing a strategy for coping is essential. Here are three tips to help you respond to otherwise overwhelming impulses (FIT):

F: Focus on what triggered the craving and forgo responding immediately. Let me explain. Recently, I disembarked from an airplane plane and immediately found myself in the middle of an inviting food court. As soon as I smelled warm chocolate-chip cookies, I desperately wanted one of the decadent delights—maybe even 2 or 3. I reminded myself that when I came off the plane, I wasn’t hungry. Nonetheless, the enticing aroma of warm cookies and the sight of everyone around me eating triggered an instant craving. As soon as I left the food court, the craving disappeared.

I: Inventory your prior food intake. When you are deciding whether to indulge a craving, review what you have already eaten that day, particularly the last meal. Researchers report that such a review triggers the “I’m satisfied” experience. In the example above, I reviewed what I had eaten for breakfast and lunch plus the snack I’d eaten on the airplane. With that review fresh in my mind, I realized I wasn’t the slightest bit hungry. This research is consistent with that of Dr. Edward Abramson, author of Body Intelligence, who concludes that “only a small part of our eating is actually triggered by physical hunger. Most of the time we're eating in response to external food cues like the sight of others eating or in response to an emotional upset.”

T: Take time to plan and prepare your meals. When you have a meal to look forward to, you’re less inclined to snack. Plus, you’ll eat healthier (fewer prepackaged foods) and save money because you’ll waste fewer groceries. Researchers confirm that home-prepared meals are more nutritious and generally lower in fat than restaurant meals are. Plus, you’ll make fewer trips to the grocery store, and you can plan meals around your schedule. When you sit down to eat, pay attention to the subtle body signal that you are satisfied—when you are about 75 percent full. Mindful eating will help you eat less and enjoy the food more.

Temptations to indulge will never go away. They will challenge your goal to maintain the weight and fitness you desire. But by teasing out environmental cues and paying attention to your body’s signals, you can gain power over food and successfully attack the munchies.

"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper."                 Adelle Davis (1904-1974)

Finding the Innergy to Lose Weight—Before It’s Too Late

Why do some people succeed in losing weight while others fail? Why do some people pick themselves up when they fall down while others remain immobilized? Why do some people, like Oprah, achieve fitness and then find themselves backsliding?

The answer resides in a quality that I call innergy. Innergy is the place inside us that provides the motivation and will to change our habits. As Oprah’s situation reveals, others can inspire us, others can educate us, others can train us and others can cook for us. But to succeed, we have to self-manage our way through a maze of daily decisions. And only inside our hearts do we find the innergy to guide our decision making and make our visions a reality.

Dr. Ian Smith, founder of the 50 Million Pound Challenge and author of the The 4 Day Diet, affirms that neither he nor anyone else can motivate you to adopt a healthier lifestyle and lose weight. “This,” he says, “is a decision that only one person can make—the person seeking health and fitness. Each of us must find our core motivation. Whether the desire to change is triggered by health or vanity doesn’t matter. What matters is that the person connects with this core motivation and consistently reconnects with these values over time.”

I discovered my own innergy before it was too late—before my body was irreversibly damaged by surplus pounds and a sedentary lifestyle and before I suffered chronic or fatal medical problems. Armed with this newfound strength, I moved steadily toward fitness and weight loss. Since then, I’ve used my time and talent to help others make similar decisions—before it’s too late.

In the course of this work, I’ve had conversations with dozens, if not hundreds, of individuals who are struggling to lose weight and become fit. I commonly hear despair in the stories from individuals who have tried and failed to make changes, just as I had tried and failed for over 40 years.

Like me, they mistakenly feel that the problem of excess weight arises from overeating. If they could just stick with a diet, they reason, they could lose weight. Moreover, these individuals believe I succeeded because I have willpower.

They are mistaken. I am not blessed with surplus willpower; however, once I tapped into my innergy, I became a good student. As I discovered, overeating was not the problem. Rather, overeating was my overused solution to the stress and discomfort of everyday life. I learned more healthful ways of coping that reinforced my commitment to living more healthfully.

Dr. Martin Binks, Director of Behavioral Health at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center and co-author of The Duke Diet, says that “any unhealthy coping solution we overuse (shopping, eating, smoking or drinking alcohol, for example) to the exclusion of other more helpful ones (talking it out with friends, exercising to reduce stress, for example) creates new problems.” Dr. Binks assures us that “successful lifestyle changes are determined less by the strength of our willpower than by our willingness to learn new skills and different ways of coping.”

Here are three ways to tap your own innergy to help you lose weight and get fit (FIT):

F: Figure out and list the different ways you can comfort yourself—from a hot shower to a walk outdoors to an escape into a good book. Create a personalized buffet of coping options from which to choose when you feel discouraged, fatigued or out of sorts.

I: Invent yourself anew. Learn new ways to cook that are healthy and less fattening. Learn fun new ways to exercise that you thoroughly enjoy. Experiment with tennis, dancing, Pilates, swimming, walking, bodybuilding, yoga or other forms of exercise until you find one or two that make you feel like a kid again.

T: Tell everyone about your heartfelt dream to nourish and care for your body and the gift of life it represents. Enroll your friends and family to support you and to tackle their own fitness goals. You can inspire others just as they can inspire you. Fortunately, for all of us, our bodies are wonderfully forgiving. If it isn’t too late, our bodies respond magnificently and quickly when we adopt healthful habits.

In contrast to the approximately $39 billion a year Americans spend on diet products—from diet books to unregulated supplements promising magical weight loss based on a medical breakthrough—these three tips are practical and inexpensive to implement.

Also in contrast, these tips require action and accountability on your part—unlike the typical diet products that promise quick and effortless weight loss, encourage your dependency on the product, require up-front payment and may be harmful to your health. (Given that most of us continue to be overweight, it’s understandable that some authorities consider these diet products a gigantic fraud perpetrated on the American public.)

The irony is that innergy—the essential element needed for fitness and weight loss—is free. No one can sell it to you, nor can anyone take it away from you. The very quality that allows you to set your lifestyle change in motion resides with you and is connected to your deepest values. If Oprah succeeds as she continues her weight-loss journey, her ability to make this connection will be the source of her transformation.

The same holds true for you. You can adopt a new mind set today. Once you do, you cannot go back. You can fall down. You can stumble. And you can veer off track. But you can’t go back. Tapping into your innergy will trigger an authentic commitment to well-being that will inform your daily decision making and allow you to realize fitness and weight loss beyond your wildest dreams. And it’s yours for the taking.

"The undertaking of new action brings new strength."                            Evenius

A Global Perspective on a Personal Matter

Forty years ago, who would have predicted that obesity would become a critical global health issue, along with malnutrition and starvation? The World Health Organization coined the term “globesity” to describe the current phenomenon.

 

Today, the total number of overweight people (1.3 billion) surpasses the number of hungry by several hundred million, according to Gary Stix in his September 2007 Scientific American article “A Question of Sustenance.” Mr. Stix paints a bleak picture and believes that “. . . few good solutions exist to deal with the emerging epidemic.”

 

Unlike Mr. Stix, I am a little more optimistic, especially when I read about efforts under way to shift our thinking so that we will change our eating habits. For some interesting reading on first-hand perspectives of people who are trying to make a difference on the frontline battle against obesity, you might want to look at Perspectives in Health Magazine. Its articles are both informative and encouraging.

 

I’m not in a position to tackle this worldwide problem, but that doesn’t mean I have to sit idly by. First, I can set a good example. Second, I can use my talents and resources to highlight the importance of addressing this issue among my neighbors, family, friends, and readers.

"We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. It is not unreasonable that we grapple with problems. But there are tens of thousands of years in our future. Our responsibility is to do what we can, learn what we can, improve the solutions, and pass them on."                        Richard Feynman

Family Fitness Trends in 2009

As a mother of three and grandmother of seven, I worry about the health of my extended family, particularly when I read that

• four out of five 10-year-olds worry about getting fat

• 33 percent of children and 66 percent of adults are overweight

• an increasing number of children require cholesterol-lowering drugs, type 2 diabetes is considered epidemic and gastric bypass surgeries are performed on adolescents

Despite the national attention and urgent concern of health professionals, parents and grandparents like me, families continue to struggle with the problems associated with surplus weight.

According to Dr. James Hubbard, “American families must focus on developing healthful habits that are sustainable for the long term. Limiting sedentary activities, such as watching television and gaming on the computer, is important. But far more critical will be the family’s commitment to eat healthfully and exercise regularly—with weight loss as a natural by-product.”

Looking ahead, what trends are likely to improve family health? Here are some predictions:

Old Idea: Surplus weight among family members was a private matter or one of no great concern. Parents believed that children who were overweight would trim down during an adolescent growth spurt.

New Approach: Family members and pediatricians acknowledge the importance of recognizing weight problems at an early age. Research has established that being overweight affects the health and well-being of children during their early years and sets the stage for chronic medical conditions in adulthood. Early intervention is critical, and families will take a team approach by adopting healthier lifestyles that benefit all members.

Old Idea: Living healthfully involved constant deprivation and required heroic amounts of will power.

New Approach: Strategies for making healthier choices involving eating habits and exercise can be learned, according to Dr. Martin Binks, director of behavioral health at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center and coauthor of The Duke Diet. Parents and children will become students to learn new, more healthful ways of cooking and eating. Success will be determined not by will power but by a willingness to learn.

Old Idea: Dieting was required to lose weight.

New Approach: Eating for health and vitality is the family goal—weight loss is the natural by-product. Because calories count, the caloric content of fast foods and food products will become increasingly available—sometimes voluntarily provided and other times mandated by law. Conscious eating will replace dieting and recreational eating.

Old Idea: The threat of global warming was debated and considered, at worst, a problem of the distant future that would be solved through technological advances and without our personal involvement.

New Approach: Families leave a fitness footprint. By eating food that is locally grown, seasonal and organic, we can reduce the pollution resulting from transporting food and using pesticides. Switching from disposable plastic water bottles to glass or metal water containers will reduce waste and exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.

Old Idea: Exercise was boring and sustaining a regular routine of exercise was impossible with demanding work and school schedules.

New Approach: Exercise is entertainment. The introduction of exergaming (consider Wii and Dance Dance Revolution) will bring fun and appealing exercise activities back into the home. A return to the popular exercises of childhood (using a Hula-Hoop, jumping on a trampoline, dancing and playing outdoor games) will occur.

Old Idea: Medical intervention in the form of drugs or gastric bypass surgery were viable solutions to health problems associated with poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.

New Approach: Exercise is medicine. Exercise will replace drugs and surgery as the first line of defense against lifestyle-induced health problems. The wellness industry, which grew from $100 million a decade ago to $2 billion in 2008, will continue to grow exponentially as families take greater personal responsibility for their health and fitness. In a worrisome economy, families will be increasingly motivated to save money by adopting healthier habits to avoid preventable medical expenses.

Today’s notion that fitness can be achieved at every age, size and time of life is exciting. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes and go through many stages. Determining the appropriate weight and level of fitness for each family member will be the goal.

Our daily decisions in 2009 regarding nutrition and exercise will determine the next set of statistics for 2010.

Will we continue to get fatter until, as currently projected, 75 percent of us are overweight in 2015?

I think not. Despite occasional missteps and temporary setbacks, human beings tend to move toward richer, more fulfilling and healthier lives. If history is our guide, we will make progress in achieving greater health and fitness for families—yours and mine.

"Seek freedom and become captive of your desires, seek discipline and find your liberty."                    Frank Herber(1920-1986)

Grape Expectations without the Headache?

The health benefits of a moderate consumption of red wine have been well documented. A daily glass of red wine for women and one to two glasses for men reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In addition, a daily glass or two of red wine reduces stress and has been proven to reduce mortality.

 

A chemical reaction to red wine accounts for the health benefits. Antioxidants in wine reduce inflammation and inhibit cholesterol buildup in the walls of arteries. Antioxidants also protect cells by reducing the damage of the body’s free radicals.

 

A new study has found that white wine has health benefits similar to those of red wine. This information is good news for those of us (including me) who cannot drink red wine without triggering headaches (including migraines) or asthma attacks.

 

In the past, sulfites have been blamed for these reactions. But today’s research suggests that the histamine in red wine may be the culprit. Red wine is made from the entire crushed grape, including the skin, which contains histamine. In contrast, white wine is made using only the pulp of the grape. Consequently, red wine contains 20 to 200 times more histamine than white wine does. The concentrated histamine found in red wine can trigger a headache or asthma attack in sensitive individuals.

Dipak Das, a molecular biologist at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, writes in the October 13, 2008, edition of the New Scientist journal (“Break Out the Bubbly: White Wine May Be Good for You”) that in terms of health benefits, "The flesh of the grape can do the same job as the skin."

 

Supporting Dr. Das’s claim is a second report from Dr. Philip Norrie, an Australian family physician and winemaker. Dr. Norrie cites seven researchers who assert that there are no significant differences in health benefits between red and white wine. Dr. Norrie advises us not to be distracted by whether one or the other is better for our health but rather to focus our attention on moderation.

 

Those of us who have suffered a headache or asthma attack after imbibing a glass of red wine will be relieved to know that we can enjoy the same health benefits with a glass of white wine. Join me in toasting the good news!

"Religions change; beer and wine remain."                         Hervey Allen