December 21, 2007 on 7:50 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments
The holidays can be stressful… and unfortunately, many people reach for food as comfort. If you find yourself regularly eating in response to stress, anxiety, sadness, boredom, anger, loneliness, relationship problems, or poor self-esteem, try to break the habit with some of my strategies below.
- Learn to recognize your hunger. Before you automatically pop something into your mouth, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 5 — 1 being ravenous and 5 being full. Make every effort to avoid eating when your hunger is a 4 or a 5.
- Find alternatives to eating. Make a personal list of activities you can do instead of eating. Perhaps go for a walk, call a friend, listen to music, take a hot shower/bath, exercise, clean your house, polish your nails, surf the Internet, schedule outstanding appointments, watch television, look through a photo album, etc.
- Keep a food journal. Logging your food will help to identify your toughest timeframes. It also will make you accountable… so perhaps you’ll be less apt to reach for unnecessary food.
- Three-food interference. Make the commitment to first eat three specific healthy foods before starting on caloric comfort foods (i.e., an apple, handful of baby carrots and a yogurt). If after that, you still want to continue with your comfort foods, give yourself permission. However, most of the time, the three foods are enough to stop you from moving on.
- Exercise regularly. Daily exercise relieves stress and puts you in a positive mindset, which provides greater strength to pass on the unhealthy fare.
- Get enough sleep. Research shows that sleep deprivation can increase hunger by decreasing Leptin levels, the appetite regulating hormone that signals fullness. With adequate sleep, you’ll also be less tired and have more resolve to fight off the urge to grab foods for comfort.
Training videos take a look.
December 17, 2007 on 8:39 am | In Uncategorized | 1 Commenthttp://www.expertvillage.com/videos/kickboxing-technique-intro.htm
Is Your Toothpaste Really “Natural”?
December 17, 2007 on 8:33 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments
As a natural lifestyle continues to appeal to greater numbers of people, many are extending their desire for natural products to toothpaste. There are now a wide variety available, with or without fluoride, and in many flavors and forms.
However the definition of “natural” is not regulated, particularly if the toothpaste is non-fluoride. Fluoride toothpastes are considered a drug by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are therefore regulated. Non-fluoride toothpastes, however, are considered cosmetics and it’s “up to the manufacturers to be careful with their labeling,” according to the FDA.
Meanwhile, natural means that a product is free from artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. It may still contain highly processed ingredients, such as fluorides, abrasives and humectants.
One brand of natural toothpaste, Tom’s of Maine, was purchased by Colgate-Palmolive last year and became the first natural toothpaste to receive the Seal of Acceptance from the American Dental Association (ADA).
The seal does not necessarily mean that the ADA endorses a product, only that it is effective and does what it says it will do, the ADA pointed out.
In short, it remains a “buyer beware” environment for natural products, including toothpastes. But there are now more toothpaste options available than ever, which allows each person to make their own choice.
Why “Organic” Farmed Salmon is Causing a Nasty Smell
December 15, 2007 on 9:06 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments| Why “Organic” Farmed Salmon is Causing a Nasty Smell |
 Something is fishy about the farmed salmon being labeled as “organic” in your supermarket. When most people see the organic label, they think of a superior product to conventionally raised varieties, from a health, environmental and animal welfare perspective.
In reality, there is not much difference between conventional farm-raised salmon and its organic counterpart. For instance:
People who are looking for healthy salmon are therefore only getting at best a slightly better product by choosing organic farmed salmon over regular farmed salmon. The best sources remain wild salmon from Alaska that is certified by the Maine Stewardship Council, along with the more expensive Scottish and Irish wild salmon when available. |
Top 10 Holiday Diet Tips of All Time
December 12, 2007 on 7:33 am | In Uncategorized | No CommentsTo navigate the party landmines with your healthy diet intact, you need a strategy. Experts agree: Having a plan in place will help you handle night after night of eating and drinking.
“Think of your appetite as an expense account, and figure out how much you want to spend on drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert,” advises Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work. She suggests giving yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods — in sensible portions.
To help you survive the seasonal parties without packing on the pounds, WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country for their best holiday diet tips. Here are their top 10 recommendations:
1. Trim back the trimmings. Go all out and deck the halls with boughs of holly, glitter, and lights, but when it comes to holiday food, accessorize with care. To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream — additions that don’t add much to the meal, but can add plenty to your waistline. Trim calories wherever you can so you leave the party feeling satisfied, but not stuffed, recommends Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD, author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous.
2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy. When you wear snug-fitting attire, chances are you’ll be too busy holding in your stomach to overeat. While you stand around looking posh in your holiday finery, hold a drink in your dominant hand so it won’t be so easy to grab food, recommends obesity expert Cathy Nonas, MS, RD.
3. Chew gum. When you don’t want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you’re cooking or when you’re trying not to dive into the buffet, says Nonas.
4. Be a food snob. If you don’t love it, don’t eat it, says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Melinda Johnson, MS, RD. Scan the buffet for foods you truly treasure and skip the everyday dishes that are available all year long. And don’t think it’s your responsibility to sample everything on the buffet. Go ahead and indulge in your personal holiday favorites, then find a seat and, slowly and mindfully, savor every mouthful.
5. No skipping meals. Always eat normally on the day of a party. “People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there,” says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, author of Diet Simple. “Eating sensibly throughout the day will take the edge off the appetite and empower a bit of restraint.” Start with a nourishing breakfast, have a light lunch, then a small snack or salad shortly before the event.
6. Check it out. First things first. When you arrive at the party, grab a sparkling water with a twist, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating. This will give you time to relax, get comfortable in your surroundings, and survey your food choices on the buffet before diving in, says Tallmadge. A buffet is an invitation to eat all you can, and unless you carefully scrutinize it and make wise choices, you’re likely to overeat.
7. Add fun and games. Cynthia Sass, MPH, MA, RD, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy, proposes taking the focus off food and getting family and friends more active during holiday parties. Think horseshoes, badminton, sledding, ice skating, or building snowmen. Indoors, try a spirited game of charades, or rent an instructional dance video followed by a dance-off. “The best parties include dancing, so why not make dancing after eating a new holiday tradition for a great form of fun and recreation?” asks David Katz, MD, MPH, author of The Flavor Point Diet.
8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Alcoholic drinks are loaded with calories — especially holiday favorites like eggnog. “Cut your alcohol calories in half by alternating water or seltzer between alcoholic beverages,” Katz advises.
9. Skip the appetizers. “Eschew the appetizers rather than chewing on them,” says Katz. If you need a little nibble before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa, or a small handful of nuts.
10. Limit the variety. Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating, suggests putting only two items on your plate when you go to the food table. Return as many times as you like, but only take two items each time. “Variety stimulates appetite, and if you limit your choices to just a few items and stick with these, it will be easier to control than eating a little bit of 20 different dishes,” agrees Katz.
Mediterranean Diet Adds Years to Life
December 11, 2007 on 5:23 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsDec. 10, 2007 — It’s a new twist on an old theme, but new research shows once again that diet and exercise are the keys to a longer, healthier life.
Two new studies based on a large U.S. diet and health survey demonstrate the benefits of exercise and diet in reducing health risks and prolonging life.
The first shows people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy oils, such as those found in fish, olives, and nuts, were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease, or any other cause over a five-year period.
The second shows people who engaged in moderate exercise like walking for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week, as recommended by national guidelines, were 27% less likely to die during the study than non-exercisers. Even a smaller amount of exercise produced benefits in reducing the risk of death over the short-term, but those healthy benefits increased with more frequent and vigorous exercise.
Diet and Exercise Provide Big Benefits
The studies, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were both based on data collected from the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study involving 566,407 AARP members aged 50 to 71 in six states who filled out diet and exercise questionnaires between 1995 and 1996.
In the first study, researcher Panagiota N. Mitrou, PhD, currently of the University of Cambridge, England, and colleagues looked at the effect of the Mediterranean diet on the risk of death over five years.
This diet has gained in popularity in recent years thanks to research that shows countries that follow the diet, rich in fruit and vegetables and low in saturated fat, have lower rates of heart disease and other health problems.
This study confirmed those healthy effects and showed men and women who followed a Mediterranean diet were 20% less likely to die from any cause during the study.
In the second study, researcher Michael F. Leitzmann, MD, DrPH, of the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues compared the risk of dying during the study to rates of exercise.
The results showed that people who were moderately active for at least 30 minutes a day, most days of the week were 27% less likely to die than those that were inactive. But the health benefits of exercise increased with more vigorous activity. Those who engaged in vigorous activity had a 32% lower risk of death during the study; a level of physical activity that was less than recommended was linked to a 19% lower death risk.
It’s Official: Organic Really is Better
December 11, 2007 on 6:34 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments
The debate over whether organic food is healthier than conventionally grown food may be over, according to results from a $25-million study into organic food — the largest of its kind to date.
The four-year, European-Union-funded study found that:
- Organic fruit and vegetables contain up to 40 percent more antioxidants
- Organic produce had higher levels of beneficial minerals like iron and zinc
- Milk from organic herds contained up to 90 percent more antioxidants
The researchers obtained their results after growing fruit and vegetables, and raising cattle, on adjacent organic and non-organic sites. They say that eating organic foods can even help to increase the nutrient intake of people who don’t eat the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency, which has formerly said that there is no difference between organic and conventional foods, is reviewing the research findings.
Will We Soon Know the Cause of ‘Red Wine Headache’?
December 10, 2007 on 6:41 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments
A new device may be able to detect chemicals in red wine that lead to the dreaded “red wine headache,” according to University of California, Berkeley researchers.The chemicals are called biogenic amines, and they’re found in a variety of fermented foods including wine, cheese, olives, nuts, cured meats and chocolate.Red wine headache is thought to be caused by two amines called tyramine and histamine, but other potential causes also exist.
The new detector, which is the size of a small suitcase, can analyze a drop of wine and determine its amine levels in five minutes. The researchers are in the process of developing a pocket-sized version that you can take with you to a restaurant to test wine at your table.
Red wine and sake were found to have the highest amine levels, while beer had the lowest, researchers said.
Some experts recommend that those who do experience headaches after drinking red wine avoid amine-rich food and drinks. Aside from headaches, amines can also trigger high blood pressure, heart palpitations and elevated adrenaline levels.
How Many of These Ridiculous “Disorders” Do YOU Suffer From?
December 9, 2007 on 9:11 am | In Uncategorized | No Comments
By Christopher Kent, D.C., J.D.
An article titled “Retail Therapy1” caught my attention. It described the results of a study where “compulsive shoppers” were treated with either the drug Citalopram or a placebo. The lead researcher was thrilled with the results, “Patients said to me: ‘I go to the shopping mall with my friends and I don’t buy anything.’” Well, this patient at least bought something — the notion that excessive shopping is a disease to be treated with medication.
What constitutes excessive shopping? The article states that one of the subjects “owned 55 cameras.” I once collected cameras. Perhaps that makes me a “victim” of this disease. By the way, the treatment came with a price — “some side effects, which include loss of sexual desire and sleepiness.” The study further admits, “It is not known why Citalopram is effective for treating compulsive shoppers.” With big pharma seeking new markets for existing drugs, and developing drugs in search of diseases, it is not surprising that many of life’s challenges are no longer considered legitimate components of the human experience, but are now medical conditions amenable to treatment.
The Definition of a Medicalized Society
Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary 2 defines “medicalize” as follows: “To handle or accept as deserving of or appropriate for medical treatment.”
Sato3 offers a more specific definition for medicalization: “A process or a tendency whereby the phenomena which had belonged to other fields like education, law, religion, and so on have been redefined as medical phenomena.”
Examples abound in psychiatry’s code book for psychiatric disorders and “conditions or problems … which may be a focus of clinical attention and require appropriate coding …” This remarkable tome is DSM-IV4. DSM-1 was first published in 1952, titled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
My journey into DSM-IV made me think I had fallen into Alice’s rabbit hole.
Normal Human Experience Now Masqueraded as “Disorders”
Do you have difficulty sleeping after drinking coffee? The problem isn’t a product of your poor judgment in guzzling java immediately before retiring. You are a victim of 292.89 — Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder F15.8. If you reflect on your shyness while tossing and turning, the problem could be the epidemic of 300.23 — Social Phobia F40.1. Don’t worry. Drug treatment is available.
Unfortunately, if you’re thinking about your place in the cosmos or spiritual issues, you’ve got V62.89 — Religious or Spiritual Problem Z71.8, and I couldn’t locate a drug for that.
Bad parenting is about to become a thing of the past. It’s not your fault, or your child’s fault. Besides the ubiquitous pandemic of ADHD, there are other disorders you may not be aware of.
Your ill-behaving child may be suffering from 313.81 — Oppositional Defiant Disorder F91.3. If your child often argues with adults, loses their temper, deliberately annoys people, etc., you’re dealing with ODD. Of course, this must be differentiated from 312.8 — Conduct Disorder F91.8, and 312.9 — Disruptive Behavior Disorder Not Otherwise Specified F91.9.
Should the problem be getting along with a brother or sister, the condition is V61.8 — Sibling Relational Problem F93.3. And should you argue with your spouse about whether the child should be grounded or drugged, you might be looking down the barrel of V61.1 — Partner Relational Problem Z63.0.
If math homework is a challenge, be sure to check for 315.1 — Mathematics Disorder F81.2. You must be careful not to confuse this with a V62.3 — Academic Problem Z55.8. If things are OK in the math department, but you have a teen experiencing uncertainty about life goals, career preferences, values, loyalties, etc., you’re dealing with 313.82 Identity Problem F93.8. This has been downgraded from a “disorder” in DSM-III-R, to a mere “problem” in DSM-IV. I’ll bet that makes you feel better.
A Pill for Every Issue You Don’t Want to Face
A plethora of sexual issues are described as “disorders.” We are all familiar with Bob Dole making erectile dysfunction a household word, with the blue pill offering a solution. But that’s just the tip of the, um, iceberg. If the target of your libidinal interest is ignoring you, the problem may be 302.71 Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder F52.2.
Lest anyone be offended, I will not address the other disorders codified in Chapter 20. Simply be happy that there are solutions that do not require you to address issues in your relationship.
Men can obtain testosterone cream if a doctor determines that it’s “right for you.” The stuff is said to work well. According to an ad in JAMA5, “Sexual enjoyment and satisfaction with erection duration were improved vs. baseline, but these improvements were not significant compared to placebo.” The ad shows a couple dancing, a couple riding a motorcycle, and two pictures of men swinging golf clubs (alone) and smiling.
Perhaps the next version of DSM will have a category for “golf disorders.”
REFERENCES
- Wood H: Retail therapy. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2003;4:700.
- Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary. Barnes and Noble. New York. 1996.
- Reed WH, Wise MG: DSM-IV Training Guide. Brunner/Mazel, Inc. Philadelphia, PA. 1995.
- JAMA 2003;290(11):1427.
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