Back To Business

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  I'm back to the office after a much needed sejour in sunny Florida.  It's going to be a cold weekend here in New York and the flu is running amuck; bundle up, don't forget to wash your hands and although it's freezing outside, make sure you plan to do something fun this weekend!

Why The French Tend Not To Be Obese

Not until recently have the French had a problem with obesity...fast food and changing lifestyles have contributed to this new phenomenon in France - obesity.  Traditionally, the French have enjoyed good health as a whole; eating everything, but just a bit of everything.  Unlike the huge portions we Americans like to see on our plates, the French serve up sensible portions consisting mostly of vegetables, a small portion of protein and few carbs.  Dinner is followed by a simple salad to cleanse the palate and the cheese following the meal is accompany the remaining wine in a person's glass...small bits of cheese with a proportionately slice of baguette.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Do as the French....small portions of everything.  You can enjoy pate', cheese, bread...whatever it is you like...just enjoy all your favorites in small portions.  My clinical assistant, Henry the Bear, is looking forward to our trip to France and excited to check out all the bistros.  As you can see here, he's bought himself some cool shades and a beret...I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but he looks more like a Banana Split than a Frenchie!

Mayor's Plan To Limit Sugar Drink Size In NYC

Mayor Bloomberg has all good intentions to try and reign in the obesity problem here in NYC.  This is not an easy task, indeed!  Limiting the size of sugary drinks to 16oz in certain establishments might elicit second thoughts in folks who would just order 2-16oz drinks to make up for the 32oz size they would normally purchase.  I have a better idea:  since research studies have concluded that obesity contributes to increased incidences of heart diseases, diabetes and other serious illnesses (and this, in turn, contributes to the high cost of medical care), why not let the people eat and drink what they want, charge them astonomical fees for their healthcare, and put a major tax on unhealthy items.  It seems to work with cigarettes...this could be a huge money maker across the United States, where local municipalities are struggling to meet budgets.  Hells bells...cities might start making major money...enough to hire back laid off persons...the economy could flourish, people could get as fat as they want as long as they pay for it....and the craziness of government could continue.....

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  There isn't much anyone else (gov't, weight watchers, pills, et al) can do for you if you are obese, unhealthy, and are living living with obesity-related diseases.  Only you can make the difference.  Begin today with a wellness program:  diet, exercise, minor lifestyle changes and acupuncture.  One of my wellness patients just lost over 35 pounds within 20 weeks just by sticking with his personalized plan.  Call or email the office today.

A Little Bit At A Time Adds Up

Last Friday, I took the day off for a little R&R and to make a visit to the tailor.  It seems that my own Wellness Program works on everyone - including me!  All my summer shorts were ridiculously big and having spent a small fortune last year on really well-made 'super fat' clothes, I wasn't so keen on donating them.  So, the tailor took measurements and for much less than it would cost to repurchase a summer wardrobe, all my shorts and slacks were cut down 2 sizes.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Every day, I watch what I eat, I try to exercise as much as I can and little by little, look what has happened.  Now, I'm fitting into my 'fat' clothes and have 10 more lbs to lose until I am back into my 'normal' fabulous fashions.  Stay with the program every day and this could be you too!

Self Destructive Behavior....Keep It Personal

I heard a story this morning...someone told me about a relative of theirs who had just been released from the hospital after having 'quite the experience'.  The post-operative patient was advised by his physicians and surgeons to maintain a strict regime of low fat and healthy food choices.  The person who relayed this story to me was dumbfounded because over the course of 2 days after being released from the hospital, the patient was indulging in high fat foods and very unhealthy nutritional choices in general...sounds like a very selfish person who wants attention.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you are ill and advised by your physicians to maintain a healthy diet and you do not choose to follow this advice - it's on you and no one else.  If you choose to create more drama in your life and slide down the road of illness to slow death, don't engage your friends, relatives and anyone else in the process.  Everyone's health is their own responsibility.  If you are stupid enough to believe you are 'funny' or 'being a  rebel' with your health, then do it on your own....spare others unnecessary worry and concern.  Selfishness will get you no prizes when you're dead.

Fructose is Everywhere, So Beware!

I was reading an article on fructose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  I was astonished to find this fact:  the average American should only ingest 40 lbs of sugar per year.  In truth, the average American is ingesting 140 lbs of sugar yearly!  It seems fructose is added to just about everything these days:  fruit juices, most processed foods, jams, soda pop, crackers, and bread.   Fructose  in the form of HFCS is metabolised in the liver and, unlike a natural form of fructose (eg:  an apple contains fiber and fructose and thereby is metabolised slowly by the body), it has no nutritional value.  It doesn't trigger insulin, create glucose (energy) and inhibits leptin (this is what makes your body think you are full).  Baby formula contains HFCS....think about all the obese babies we have in the USA today; how did they get so fat at 6 months of age?

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Consume all natural and fresh foods whenever you can.  When you do your grocery shopping, start looking at the labels.  If you see high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as an ingredient, put the item back on the shelf.  You'll be putting less garbage in your body and doing yourself a huge favor.

Holiday Overindulgence is Out of Fashion

Gorging yourself on pounds of cookies, treats and enormous plates of food is not only gluttony, but unattractive.  Those treats and foods are available all year; why go crazy during the month of December?

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Obesity and gluttony are unattractive.  It's truly bad manners to overstuff yourself - save some for others.  If you just HAVE to taste all the cookies and treats, cut them in half or a quarter and share with others.  You'll have your taste and everyone can share the goodies without going overboard.  Have a few cocktails, but don't be the person at the end of the party who needs someone to call a cab (for the __th time).  Have a seltzer water or glass of water for every cocktail; pacing yourself will ensure you have a nice time without wearing someone's lampshade on your way out of the party!

Sleep More and Lose More Weight With Acupuncture Therapy

These tough economic times are taking their toll on our stress levels and quality of sleep.  Stress leads to insomnia or poor sleep patterns.  Poor quality of sleep has been proven to pack on the pounds, because lack of sleep disrupts proper metabolism and the endocrine system (hormones) which all help regulate weight.  Persons who work late night and overnight shift hours also suffer from obesity due to the body's unnatural wake/sleep patterns.  Insonmia promotes late night eating, which sends a signal to the brain to store fat overnight, instead of burning it during sleep.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you are stressed, not sleeping well, working more hours that you should and are sleep deprived, book an acupuncture session.  A de-stress session will leave you relaxed - you'll most likely take a nap during your session, and your sleep will improve.  When you're less stressed and you have better sleep, your body will burn more fat, you'll have more energy overall and in the end, you'll lose weight.

The High Price To Pay For Obesity

For the first time in two centuries, American children could have a shorter lifespan than their parents - and we call ourselves a first world nation.....
Today's child may not live to see 55 years of age due to the deadly complications that can come with having been a chubby baby.  Fat babies are not cute; they are a medical disaster in the works.  Childhood obesity has tripled in the United States within the past 30 years.  More than 190 million Americans are obese or overweight.  Interestingly enough, everywhere you look, there are more diet books, programs, machines and gyms sprouting everyday with the promise to get you thinner and slimmer within 20 days.  Over $147 billion dollars are spent every year on obesity-related diseases.  There is also a high price to pay for being obese - obese workers that are paid $1.25 less and hour over a 40 year career span have $100,000 less before taxes.   Oh yes, obese women earn approximately 6.2% less than their slimmer female counterparts.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  The journal, The Lancet has described the world to be in an obesity crisis.  In 2008, more than 500 million people worldwide were found to be obese.  That's approximately 1 in 10 adults.  Don't be that one out of ten...you'll pay the price of obesity financially, medically and you'll really lose out on quality of life.
Source:  The Real Cost of Living:  Making the Best Choices for You, Your Life, and Your Money, by Carmen Wong Ulrich.

Sexuality & Obesity, A Gender Perspective: Results From French National Random Probability Survey Of Sexual Behaviours

The British Medical Journal has published the results of a French study on obesity and sexual behavior.  Here's the abstract:
"...Obese women were less likely than normal weight women to report having a sexual partner in the past 12 months.  Obese men were less likely than normal weight men to report more than one sexual partner in the same period and more likely to report erectile dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction was not associated with BMI among women. Obese women aged under 30 were less likely to seek healthcare services for contraception  or to use oral contraceptives. They were also more likely to report an unintended pregnancy..."
"...There is a link between BMI and sexual behaviour and adverse sexual health outcomes, with obese women less likely to access contraceptive healthcare services and having more unplanned pregnancies. Prevention of unintended pregnancies among these women is a major reproductive health challenge. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of sensitivities related to weight and gender in the provision of sexual health services..."

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the day:  Candy is dandy, but sex won't rot your teeth.  Safe sex on a regular basis is not only good for your stress, but helps regulate your hormones, burns calories, can be an affordable evening of entertainment during a recession, and it's FAT FREE!  Regular exercise, good personal hygiene and a good sense of self esteem can help boost your sex life, no matter what weight category you fall into!
BMJ. 2010 Jun 15;340:c2573. doi: 10.1136/bmj.c2573.  (For the full article)

The Beautiful/Handsome You

How annoying is it when you meet someone you haven't seen for awhile and the first sentence out of their mouths isn't 'how are you?'...it's more like...'wow, you gained weight' or 'wow, you lost weight'.  Why is our identity so hinged on our weight??
Recently, I watched a documentary about young girls in a particular African country who are of marriagable age.  They are sent to 'camps' with other girls where they are force fed over 10,000 calories per day whether they can sustain the intake or not.  The objective is to make them as obese as possible, because if they are as fat as a cow, their prospects of marriage are so much higher (obesity translates to wealth and fertility in some cultures).  These young girls suffer from diabetes, kidney failure, heart disease and a plethora of other health conditions as a result of this force feeding.  If they do not eat, they are beaten.  Conversely, here in the United States, although obesity has been steadily on the rise for the past 10 years, the 'ideal' body image is close to that of a starving dog. 

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.  Healthy lifestyle - diet, exercise, rest and happiness from within is what  makes a beautiful/handsome person.  What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror?  Write in annonymously and share with the group.
For the remainder of this week, I'm going to focus on eating disorders and will post various sites where, if you or someone you know has an eating disorder, help is out there for you.

Waist Size, Your Heart and Your Sex Life

Did you know that waist sizes greater than 40" in men and 35" in women are very strong indicators of metabolic dysfunction and are linked to possibly 50% in heart disease cases?  A large waist size is also linked to erectile dysfunction, poor sex drive, high blood pressure, high blood fats, type 2 diabetes and high insulin resistance. (European Journal Cardiovascular Preventtion Rehabilitation, 16:  729-734, 2009).

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  all of the above are very good reasons to take a 1/2 hour walk or get that 30 minutes of exercise in everyday.

Sleep More, Lose More, Think More!

The average American only sleeps 7 hours per evening.  Did you know that the average number of sleeping hours you should get is 9??  Sleep (or lack of) affects so many areas of our daily lives.

Sleep is directly connected to losing weight because of cortisol metabolism.  Loss of sleep is tied to reduced levels of growth hormone.  Loss of sleep also can increase your blood sugar levels...this can increase insulin resistance!  That can lead to Type 2 Diabetes...yikes!  Sleep affects memory and coordination.

There are many different reasons why some people cannot sleep:  vivid dreaming,  lifestyle habits, stress, perimenopause, pregnancy, over training for an event, obesity....did you know that Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and herbal pills) can not only pinpoint the cause of your insomnia or poor sleep, but can treat the dysfunction and eliminate it over time?

Here's your healthy tip of the day:  get more sleep.  You'll lose more weight, you'll have fewer accidents, you'll be smarter, quicker, look and feel better.  And if you are having trouble with your sleep, email me and we'll talk about a consult or visit to get you from 'sheepville' to 'sleepville'!!

Everybody's Grandma

An old woman who I called 'Grandma' once told me this: "Kelley, no matter what, everybody has to have something to eat".  Simple, concise, a true-ism....words I've never forgotten.  'Grandma' had raised several children as a single parent when that type of lifestyle was not the norm.  Not only did she feed her family, but she made sure everyone who came to her door also had something to eat.  I think of her often and with love.

From time to time, after having a wonderful meal at a fab restaurant, I'd have my 'doggie bag' on my lap, sitting on the train - already looking forward to the leftovers.  And from time to time, I'd encounter a 'homeless' person passing through the car, looking for some change, and telling some story of how they arrived at their predicament in life.  I've always offered my leftover meal, told them what it was and how good it was; it was always accepted with gratitude and a 'God bless you'.  Grandma's words would just shout out in my mind....everybody has to have something to eat--simple, nothing more, nothing less.

Nutrition is a strange bird...some of us have been on 'diets' our entire lives; always struggling with that extra 5, 10, 15 pounds of too much of whatever it is that we indulge in.  Other people deliberately starve themselves or purge after gorging themselves, so they can see every bone in their body.  We have choices to eat or not eat...unlike many humans who strive everyday to get a bowl of rice into their bellies.

Nutrition is fuel; we need to eat so that our bodies can produce proteins, fats, hormones, strong bones and brain cells, red and white blood cells; we need to maintain homeostasis.  When we do not feed ourselves properly (whether this be from overeating or starving), we become infertile, our brain cells die, our bones become brittle, our vital organs fail, we look far older than we are, we become ill, we die.

We are an accident of birth - we are lucky to have a roof over our heads, think about what we'd LIKE to eat for dinner, whether we should go to the gym or go get that cake from the bakery.  Take advantage of your good luck today, eat well, honor your body and share your good fortune with someone who has none.  Keep two pieces of fruit in your gym bag.  After your workout, eat a piece of fruit and if you see someone who has nothing, offer them that second piece of fruit.  You'll do something healthy for yourself, and for someone else who really needs it!

'Grandma' wasn't my grandmother, she was everyone's grandma.