Carole Carson

Got Soup? It’s a Souper Way to Weigh Less

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.

"Worries go down better with soup than without."                     Jewish Proverb

What Does It Take to Become Our Best Self?

It's one thing to want to be physically fit, be able to wear your clothes comfortably, and read a number on the bathroom scale you love—in effect, to sculpt your body into the shape and size you want.

Certainly the “end” is unambiguous and delightful to envision—we can picture how we look in our mind’s eye. It is the “means” that trips us up. How do we become our personal best at any age?

It’s tempting to begin by adopting the latest fad diet or weight loss product to only to be disappointed when willpower fades or the product is a bust. I took that path for 40 years.

Although I am admittedly a slow learner, I eventually succeeded beyond my wildest dreams. What did I do differently?

I changed my thinking. As a result of thinking differently, my behavior was permanently altered.

I mustered every ounce of emotional will available to me. In a quiet moment of reflection, I connected with the “me” that functions as my inner witness. She was excited to begin. Her eager response: "Yes! Let's do it. I’ve been waiting. Now’s the time.”

I had two nonnegotiable rules: Unless I was sick or injured, each day I would exercise one hour and limit my caloric intake to 1,500-1,800 calories. I adopted a “no matter what” attitude that applied from this moment forward.

To keep that emotional will in place, I wrote down what I wanted to achieve and made daily food journaling part of the accountability process. I carefully wrote down and acknowledged my progress and setbacks.

Most importantly, I went public with my commitment and sought support from family, friends and experts, as needed.

I worked with a physical therapist to rehabilitate a torn hamstring, I took some instruction from a personal trainer and I attended tennis clinics. I also checked in with my doctor frequently.

Even so, my path wasn’t smooth. Breakdowns occurred. For every 10 steps forward, I took 1 backward. Still, I learned to be compassionate when I lost ground. Instead of berating myself, I reassured myself. I reminded myself that I was human and that to be human is to be imperfect. Then I focused on the lessons I could learn from the setbacks I endured and recommitted myself to my goals.

I also learned how important it was to support others in reaching their fitness goals hence my interest in writing this note to you—a friend I have yet to meet. When I lend a hand to a traveler on the fitness path, I am repaid with a deposit in my own emotional willpower bank. “To give is to receive” takes on new meaning.

When we are ready to reach for our dream, first we must summon the emotional will and change how we think. Our goals must have a “no matter what” quality. We must articulate our dream by writing down our goals. Finally, we must give and receive help so that together we can experience the joy of becoming our personal best.

What about you? Does this resonate with you?

"Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives"                     William James

Exercise Is Good Medicine

In a recent blog, I wrote about my husband’s visit with his physician, Dr. Christine Newsom, for a conference following his annual physical examination. My husband, Dick, is very conscientious about monitoring his health, so he was eager to get the results of his tests. One red flag showed up—a modest rise in blood sugar, typically a precursor to diabetes. Instead of prescribing a drug, however, Dr. Newsom prescribed a combination of exercise and weight loss.

Specifically, Dr. Newsom prescribed 45 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. This would be in addition to the Silver Sneakers’ stretching and balance class Dick attends three times a week and the two sessions each week when he plays tennis. Even though Dick is 72, Dr. Newsom didn’t give him a “bye.” She further instructed him to lose 6 pounds in 3 months. To make sure he didn’t backslide, she arranged for her staff to schedule a follow-up appointment to track his progress.

Is Dr. Newsom’s treatment typical? If not, then it will be if the Exercise Is Medicine movement takes hold. On November 5, 2007, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced its campaign in partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to encourage physicians to prescribe exercise to their patients. According to the AMA’s press release, “Physical activity is a fast-growing public health problem in this country and contributes to a variety of chronic diseases and health complications, including obesity, coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, depression and anxiety, arthritis and osteoporosis. In addition to improving a patient’s overall health, increasing physical activity has proven effective in the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases.”

In the past, various groups (insurers, government officials and some medical groups) have outspokenly promoted exercise as a way to improve health, particularly given that two-thirds of the adults in the United States are overweight and, worse, half of those are obese. This alliance encourages physicians to include exercise habits as part of the information collected and reviewed during examinations, along with other vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature and cholesterol readings.

Dr. Ronald M. Davis, President of the American Medical Association, adds, “More than half of Americans don’t get nearly enough exercise and would be astounded to see how much difference a brisk 30-minute walk a few times a week makes in their overall health.”

Reinforcing the AMA’s position, Dr. Robert E. Sallis, President of the American College of Sports Medicine says, “We already advise against smoking; recommending exercise should be no different . . . Exercise can have tremendous health benefits for patients.”

The Exercise Is Medicine program has six facets. The primary task is to get physicians to prescribe exercises that are enjoyable and sustainable and will contribute to their patients’ health. The program also will encourage health and fitness professionals to promote exercise as a powerful medicine. In addition, the campaign will encourage patients to initiate conversations with their physicians about how to improve health and wellness through exercise. The program will also reach out to the media to broadcast the message, to policymakers and advocates to ensure that the program receives appropriate governmental backing and to supporting organizations throughout the world.

For years, I suffered through and was treated for a number of medical problems (for example, gallbladder disease and a torn hamstring) that were directly or indirectly related to my lack of fitness. My medical insurer accumulated a file about 2 inches thick, and it was probably filed under C for “chronic” rather than “Carson.” With hindsight, I can see that my medical problems could have been predicted. After all, I was obese and significantly underexercised.

Although I find it hard to believe, as a patient I never connected the dots (nor did any physician insist that I connect the dots) between my lifestyle and my medical problems. Thanks to Exercise Is Medicine, patients like me will get a “heads up” before they run up extensive medical bills (as I did) or, worse, before they develop chronic or fatal illnesses.

Exercise provides incredible medical benefits for a host of illnesses and conditions, and it is inexpensive and available to all. What better prescription drug could we find? Here’s hoping that exercise is routinely prescribed and that patients faithfully and consistently take their medicine.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease"                    Thomas Edison

Fit in America: Coming to a Town Near You?

On any given day,

• nearly one out of two American women and one out of four American men are on a diet;
• over $50 billion is spent each year on dieting and diet-related products;
• four out of five 10-year-olds are worried about getting fat; and
• 33 percent of children are overweight.

Despite the attention and expense, we’re getting fatter. So what’s a country to do? Some countries have created their own solutions:

• Japan is measuring the waistlines of all citizens. Those who exceed the limit are required to attend classes and make healthy lifestyle changes.
• Mexico has introduced a national campaign to lose weight titled Vamos Por Un Million de Kilos, or Let’s Lose a Million Kilos.
• France has introduced a community-based initiative titled EPODE (Ensemble, Prēvenons l’Obésité Des Enfants, or Together, Let’s Prevent Obesity in Children). Successful in thinning children in the two pilot villages, the program has expanded to 113 villages.

Our national educational efforts, while laudable, are insufficient to trigger positive changes on a day-to-day basis. To trigger changes on a grand scale, we need a project far more imaginative than anything we’ve tried so far.

If we can harness our collective talent to put a man on the moon, surely we can direct our talents to create a fun-filled, dynamic U.S. fitness promotion campaign. If we can spend $700 billion to solve problems in the financial community, can’t we find a few million dollars to address a health concern that touches the lives of a majority of our citizens?

Let’s call the program Fit in America. Under this umbrella heading, leaders can organize group weight-loss programs that respond to the needs of each community. Fit in Atlanta can compete with Fit in Dallas. Fit in San Francisco can challenge Fit in Chicago.

Besides losing weight, we can also reinforce the sense of belonging. Being part of a larger effort will help rebuild the cohesiveness of the American people and shrink the gap resulting from the increasing polarization that has diminished our trust in one another.

Working together to lose weight and become fit, we will reaffirm that it is more fun to create than to tear down. We will discover that our differences are less important than our similarities are.

What do you think? Are you ready to bring Fit in America to a town near you?

 

"To pull together is to avoid being pulled apart"                        Bob Allisat

 

 

Note: “Funding Needed For Obesity Program in the U.S.A.” appeared October 21, 2008 on www.basilandspice.com. A similar article titled “Fit in America: Coming to a Town Near You?” appeared on www.gotogabby.com on October 17, 2008.

Does the Calendar Control Your Weight?

Who hasn't stepped on the scale on Monday morning after a weekend of splurging and resolved to shape up? To diet from this day forward until the surplus pounds are gone? And to exercise at least an hour a day?

By Tuesday, the resolve is weaker but the memory of the number on the scale is still fresh enough to ensure compliance, albeit unwilling. On Wednesday, the commitment to shape up and lose weight is hanging by a thread. Thursday is a “just get through it” kind of day.

Friday night signals the beginning of a three-day orgy that starts with relaxing drinks and food and is followed by more treats and delights on Saturday and Sunday. Then once again comes Monday's moment of truth, complete with regrets when the unhappy consequences of last week’s choices are reflected in the number on the scale.

What helped me escape the weekly cycle was taking a “no matter what” approach to my fitness commitment to myself. I resolved that whatever the day of the week or whatever events were swirling around me, I would keep my caloric intake in the range of 1,500—1,800 calories and exercise an hour each day. Unless I was sick or injured, there would be no exceptions. No days off. No matter what.

Just like I had my cup of coffee each morning and flossed my teeth each night, I would exercise and monitor what I ate each day.

Over time, this “no matter what” approach to eating and exercising has become part of my daily routine. Consequently, my habits, not the calendar, now dictate my behavior.

If you’re struggling to free yourself from repeated failure, consider experimenting with the “no matter what” approach. Building healthy habits into our daily lives is a task worth undertaking. Join me!

Ten Essential Lessons to Build Body Esteem

Kathy Kater is a nationally recognized expert in eating disorders and created the Healthy Body Image curriculum for the island of Kauai. She also is the author of Real Kids Come in All Sizes.

Kater’s ideas for young people are highlighted in the January-February 2007 issue of Inspiration, Hawaii’s Wellness Journal, and apply to people all ages:

1. Accept your body’s genetic predisposition. All bodies are wired to be heavier, thinner or in-between.

2. Understand that all bodies change developmentally. Puberty, pregnancy, menopause and aging cannot be controlled.

3. Never diet. Hunger is an internally regulated drive and demands to be satisfied. If you diet, you trigger overeating and a preoccupation with food.

4. Satisfy your body with plenty of wholesome, nutrient-rich foods.

5. Limit sedentary entertainment.

6. To find your optimal natural weight, eat healthfully and maintain an active lifestyle.

7. Choose realistic role models.

8. Maintain your integrity as a person. Your sense of identity is based on many aspects including values you believe in and the person that you are deep inside—not just your body image.

9. Become media savvy. Educate yourself about manipulative advertising and other factors that lead you to buy products or foods that aren’t good for you or that make you feel deficient.

10. Encourage others to join you in developing a healthy, realistic body image.

Kater’s insights underscore a simple truth: how you see yourself determines your daily choices, and the cumulative effect of moment-by-moment decisions shapes your future. Instead of looking for a path that will carry you forward into the future of your dreams, make your own path. As you self-confidently forge ahead, you will achieve a healthier body image—and by your example, you will help others achieve their goals.

Kater has encapsulated a lifetime of work in these ten items. I think you’ll agree that the list is worth saving, rereading from time to time and sharing with others.

Because I found Kater’s ideas so valuable, I sent this article to Gabby Reece, world-class athlete and beautiful young mother. Her staff posted it on Gabby’s site (www.gotogabby.com) on October 6. Go here for the full article.

"Self-esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves."                Nathaniel Branden

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: Searching for the Keys to Weight Loss

For 40 years, I wandered alone in the harsh and unforgiving wilderness of diets and tried desperately to lose weight. I tried every popular fad diet in an effort to return my body to its youthful shape so that one morning I could look down and see a number on the bathroom scale that wouldn’t send me into despair.

The most memorable diet was the “three-meals-of-cabbage-soup-a-day” diet—if only because my kids hated the smell of cooked cabbage.

I thought if I found the right diet, however bizarre or unhealthy, the surplus pounds would disappear and I could be happy again. I would rise each morning determined to follow my strict regimen. By the time I went to bed, I had engaged in unplanned eating (the name I gave to eating everything I planned and lots more). The “Just Say No” campaign didn’t work.

In retrospect, I can see that I was like the man who, when trying to unlock his car parked on a dark street, drops his car keys. Crawling around on his hands and knees in the blackness of the night, he searches unsuccessfully for his keys. After several minutes, the man realizes that finding his keys would be easier if it weren’t so dark. Spotting a lamppost 50 feet away, he walks to the lighted area. Once again, the man begins crawling around on the ground and searching for his keys.

A passerby finds the behavior odd and stops to ask the man what he is looking for.

When the searcher explains that he is looking for keys that he dropped near his car up the street, the passerby looks perplexed. “If you dropped the keys over there, why are you looking for them here?” he asks. “Because,” the man replies, “I need light. I can’t find my keys in the dark.”

This story explains much of my frustrating effort to lose weight. For years, I tried and failed. Then I tried again and failed again. I failed because I searched for the key to weight loss inside the pantry and refrigerator—where there were lights—rather than inside me. I was looking for comfort, reassurance and love in all the wrong places.

When I stepped on the scale shortly before my 60th birthday and the scale broke, my history with failed searches became irrelevant. In a single moment, I experienced a breakthrough: I adopted a different point of view. For years, I saw my problem of obesity as one of simply eating too much. The solution would be to eat less. I was wrong.

Overeating was not the problem—it was the solution. Overeating was an effective (albeit fattening) solution to problems that were hidden from view. The overeating—which I brutally criticized myself for—was my creative way of coping with difficulties.

To succeed long term, I would have to pinpoint the problems that ultimately led to consuming more food than my body needed. Identifying these problems and finding healthier solutions were new and exciting tasks that required observational skills.

By paying attention, I discovered that two conditions—physical and emotional—triggered overeating. If I became ravenously hungry or overly fatigued, I misused food as a solution to my physical discomfort. If I became sad, depressed, angry or anxious, I turned to food for love and comfort.

When I looked back at the occasions when I overate, I could see the wisdom embedded in the acronym HALT, which advises those of us who want to make behavior changes to be vigilant when we are in one of four dangerous states: Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. This acronym is used to counsel individuals seeking relief from excessive stress and individuals overcoming drug and alcohol addition or other dysfunctional habits including overeating. Food was simply my drug of choice and the solution to my problems.

Armed with this insight, my first strategy was to manage myself. I paid attention to my eating schedule so I didn’t get ravenously hungry. I noticed if I was angry or anxious. I began reaching out to family and friends to counter my sense of loneliness. And finally, I decided to stay more rested.

But life happens. It isn’t always possible to avoid these conditions. Despite my best intentions, I can end the day starving, anxious, isolated or fatigued. But now I am more willing to recognize these feelings, and I know that they need to be honored with a solution that nourishes my spirit rather than adds unneeded fuel to my body. When I am in any one of the four states (God forbid I am in all four at once), after acknowledging my feelings, I have to figure out how I can comfort myself in a healthful way.

Sometimes, I simply need a reassuring conversation with myself, a hug from my husband or a “walk and talk” with a friend. Other times, I need to telephone one of my sisters. And when I become overly tired, I give in to my body and go to bed early because I know that my optimistic outlook will return in the morning. With this awareness, I can manage myself through the crisis. And when I do succumb to temptation and revert to my old ways, I simply pick myself up the following day and begin anew.

One of my favorite expressions is “You can never get enough of what you don’t really need.” I could never eat enough food because food wasn’t what I needed. Instead of stuffing my feelings, I needed to face them and find healthier ways to comfort myself. I stopped looking for love in the refrigerator and cupboard—in all the wrong places. Instead, I found my personal keys to fitness and weight loss in the only place they could ever be found—within me.

I achieved this insight late in life. Hopefully, you can take advantage of my delayed learning curve to achieve your weight-loss goals.

Examining a Family’s Coping System Can Help Weight Loss

When we decide to lose weight, we don’t have to look far for reliable information about diet and exercise. Finding and maintaining the emotional will to change lifetime habits is a more difficult, but critical, requirement for success.

According to Kathy Sheffield, a therapist and registered dietician, individuals may be in a better position to live without overeating when they understand how overeating functions in their lives. She asserts that the answer can be found by examining a family’s emotional coping system. For example, when family members relate to each other in a dysfunctional manner, they may unwittingly adapt to the difficult situation at the cost of their own well-being. The resulting conflict and inner tension is managed through food.

One interesting study observed that weight loss occurred at least temporarily when the family system changed. Without exception, the desire to lose weight appeared when a shift in a relationship changed the emotional climate for the dieter.

In one case, a husband's became more emotionally available when his job changed. In another, a difficult relationship with a mother-in-law became manageable after the family moved. Once the emotional climate improved, the dieter was able to make changes. If the climate shifted back, weight was regained.

According to Sheffield, therapy can help individuals discover the link between relationships and eating disorders and offers new possibilities in weight-loss success.

"To err is dysfunctional, to forgive codependent"                        Berton Averre       

Penny-Wise and “Pounds”-Foolish: Weighing Our Options

“Most people,” Dan Kadlec says, “save for retirement by focusing on their wealth. But you may accomplish more by focusing on your health.” In his article in “From Health to Wealth” in the September 22, 2008, issue of Time magazine, Dan makes the argument that out-of-pocket costs for avoidable diseases resulting from lifestyle choices, such as smoking and acquiring surplus weight, can cost retirees tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

His words resonated with me. Six years ago, I was a classic case of a woman who was penny-wise and “pounds”-foolish. Focused on the demands of running my own company while heading a single-parent household, I put personal needs on hold. I had two clear financial goals: provide for my family and save for retirement. To realize those goals, I worked hard, sometimes taking two jobs. The results were predictable: as my portfolio increased, so did my waistline. Adding a pound or two a year, I loaded 60 surplus pounds on my five-foot-two-inch frame. I was hopelessly out of shape.

Soon the effects of those pounds and my sedentary lifestyle began catching up with me. I noticed recurring chest pain, and I suffered from repeated infections. Several of the more serious problems landed me in the hospital. Those expensive hospitalizations should have been wake-up calls, but they weren’t. Instead, I treated my doctor like an auto mechanic, with my body filling in for the car in the service bay. I told her to fix me up and pressured her to get me on my feet as quickly as possible so I could continue as before.

While I worried about whether I had enough wealth to last, I should have been worrying about whether I had enough health to last. This became clear to me later when I learned that my family medical history and lifestyle placed me in the 90th percentile for risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. If I had continued on that path, my fate would have been sealed. What a cosmic joke it would have been if I didn’t last long enough to enjoy my nest egg—except the humor would have been lost on me.

A humiliating but fortuitous accident caused me to make changes while I still could—before the consequences of my habits disabled or killed me. On an otherwise ordinary morning, I stepped on the bathroom scale and, when it reached 178 pounds, it broke—literally. When I weighed myself the following day on a new (and more accurate) scale, the message was even worse: 183 pounds!

I wasn’t fat; I was obese. In that moment, I decided to get fit once and for all. Past failures at dieting loomed large. Swallowing my pride (at least it had no calories), I made two decisions: I would get help, and I would invest in the care of my body, just as I had invested in my business and family.

I hired a personal trainer, went to the local health club, bought sports gear and began playing tennis. To help me make choices that would increase my energy, keep me mentally alert and physically sound and promote a sense of well-being, I met with a lifestyle counselor at a local hospital’s wellness center. I also decided to chronicle my week-by-week experiences in the local newspaper, complete with photographs and measurements.

Six months later, what I saw on the scale was as shocking to me as what I had seen there all those months ago: I had lost 62 pounds—and regained my self-respect.

My example had an unexpected impact on my neighbors and friends. When I invited the community to join me in getting fit, hundreds of people responded with a resounding “Yes!” Together we became known as the “Nevada County Meltdown.” Over a thousand people met each week for two months in the pursuit of fitness. We had tons of fun while we lost tons of weight. Our total loss—7,509 pounds—was the equivalent of one school bus with passengers. Or, in different terms, we disappeared the equivalent of 40 people. Just as importantly, by working together to tackle obesity, we restored civic pride—the Nevada County Meltdown put the unity in community.

Our small foothill community in Northern California did its part to reduce the rising cost of medical care. In 2007, the annual spending on health care in the United States reached $2.3 trillion. To put it in individual terms, the average medical expenditure for a person in 1960 was $143. By 2007, the expenditure was $7,600 and it continues to rise.

According to Dan Kadlec, reducing our personal health-care costs needs to be the first priority for those saving for retirement. The majority of us are overweight (two-thirds according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and surplus pounds contribute to the incidence of all of the major diseases and disabilities, from heart disease and diabetes to stroke and cancer. As our waistlines balloon, so do the costs for our medical care. But we can reverse this trend if enough of us commit to healthier lifestyles. If we’re serious about protecting our portfolio, we need to quit smoking, lose weight and get moving.

Don’t be like me, penny-wise and “pounds”-foolish. Don’t wait until your options run out. That pivotal moment is never announced; it quietly passes by and is recognized only after it is too late. Make changes while you still can.

None of us can be certain what the future holds. That’s why we need insurance. But we can improve the odds of maintaining our health and independence if we make fitness an everyday matter. When we weigh the options, our goals are clear. Just as we monitor the state of our financial portfolio, we must also monitor the health and well-being of our “physical” portfolio. You and I need to smarten up and lighten up so we can all enjoy and share the health.

"It is human nature to think wisely and act foolishly."                                Anatole France

Note: This article, titled “Penny-Wise But Pound-Foolish: Weighing The Options, appeared September 22, 2008 on www.basilandspice.com.

              

Would You Walk a Mile for a Doctor?

If you’re a patient of Dr. David Sabgir’s, you might find yourself doing just that. Every Saturday at 8:30 a.m., rain or shine, Dr. Sabgir heads out on a walk at Highbanks Metropolitan Park in Lewis Center, Ohio, with 175 to 200 patients, neighbors, friends and family members.

Three years ago, after unsuccessfully admonishing his patients to lose weight, Dr. Sabgir had a flash of insight. Why not walk with his patients every Saturday morning? During the walk, patients, along with their family and friends, would have the opportunity to talk with medical professionals to learn how to take care of their health. By becoming more active, patients could alter the course of anticipated heart disease and improve the quality of their lives.

The project quickly became a family affair. Dr. Sabgir’s wife, Kristin, began bringing lower-calorie fare to the walks to demonstrate healthy snacks. Alexandria (age 9) and Charlie (age 7) joined the walks. Dr. Sabgir’s father telephones weekly reminders to participants without access to e-mail. Other volunteers who joined the effort include nurses who provide free blood-pressure checks, an exercise physiologist who leads and closes the program with appropriate stretches and sponsors who provide free pedometers. Healthy recipes, samples of the recipes and nutritional weight-loss tips are provided each week. Participants can also receive a free one-hour counseling session with a registered dietician.

Dr. Sabgir, a board-certified cardiologist, practices with clinical cardiology specialists at McConnell Heart Hospital and Grady Memorial Hospital. Through these organized weekly walks, Dr. Sabgir has found a way to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages, sizes, shapes, physical conditions, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Dr. Sabgir considers the diversity of the walking group to be its strength. He says, “The diversity of the group is most apparent when you see a young mother pushing her newborn in a stroller alongside a couple in their 90s. Both obese walkers and endurance athletes share in the benefit of education and exercise.”

With Ohio’s obesity rate approaching 27 percent, Dr. Sabgir has a big job. His state ranks 17th among the 50 states. Moreover, the numbers on the scales of Ohio citizens—and of the rest of the nation—are heading up. Even more worrisome is the fact that interventions—whether undertaken by medical personnel, private companies or government entities—have yet to reverse the trend. Dr. Sabgir’s has designed his volunteer efforts to do just that by creating a greater awareness and commitment to health among residents in his community.

Besides making new friends and having fun, patients learn the medical benefits of walking. Exercise helps patients feel less tired, decreases stress, aids in weight loss and weight control, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improves circulation.

If you’d like to learn more about the Walk with a Doc program, you can sign up for Dr. David Sabgir’s newsletter, e-mail Dr. Sabgir at contact@walkwithadoc.org or call 614.273.8030.

"I have two doctors, my left leg and my right."                               

G. M. Trevelyan