Have you heard of “The Bead Diet?” According to their website, www.accuweight.com, people lose 15 pounds a month, with most people losing more.
This three part program includes applying pressure to tiny beads behind the ear (acupressure), performing “Chi Gong Breathing,” and a crazy food plan.
Acupressure is designed to trick the body into feeling full, by creating balance through the hypothalamus. This part of the brain governs fullness and the amount of food eaten.
“Chi Gong Breathing” is supposed to harness the life force, “chi,” to improve health and longevity, and increase feelings of peace and harmony. They also claim that it enhances energy levels, attention, concentration, and mental alertness.
Next comes the food. There is no specific information on the site, but I’ve been told that for two days you eat milk products, and for two days fruits and veggies. The site promotes lots of artificial sweetener.
The nutritional balance of the food, along with acupressure, supposedly tricks the body to ignore the reduction of calories. This prevents starvation mode. The body uses stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss and amazing medical results. If you exercise and feel faint, they suggest a bit of honey in water, and a sugar-free electrolyte drink if necessary.
They encourage eating between noon and 6PM because the body needs nutrition during those hours. Eating outside those hours might cause the body “to cannibalize itself using not only fat, but muscle, organ mass and negatively affect your metabolism.” YOWZA!
Finally, after losing all the weight you want, they promise maintenance within 3-5 pounds of goal, apparently your new set point.
Does this sound too good to be true? Even if everything goes according to plan, the claim of maintaining that level of success sounds preposterous. It would be more believable if they provided some decent research confirming this. After all, they have been operating for 11+ years, yet there is not a single follow-up study on their website.
The only study cited followed 16 subjects on the plan for 13 weeks. They lost an average of 46 pounds. Since when is sixteen subjects considered strong science, especially without any follow-up???
We all know that most people can lose weight on any fad diet, but few people can keep it off without developing an eating disorder; ie. preoccupation with food and weight. I believe the two part system of dieting to lose weight, and then trying to maintain the loss, is what has failed. There needs to be one way of living, which strives towards health and fitness.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Dessert for Breakfast!
I hungrily continued reading about this extraordinary study. Researchers divided 144 obese subjects, into a low carb breakfast group (LC), and a high carb plus protein-and-dessert breakfast group (D). Dessert eaters could choose from cookies, chocolate, cake or ice cream. Daily calories remained the same for both groups, but the LC breakfast contained 300 calories, while the D group enjoyed 600 calories for breakfast. Everyone ate the same lunch, but dinner consisted of 600 calories for the LC’s and 300 calories for the D’s.
At the end of 16 weeks, both groups lost about 32 pounds. However, after another 16 weeks, the dessert group lost an additional 13 pounds, while the others regained all but 3.5 pounds! Isn’t this the best news ever?
Here’s the science: Those on the dessert regimen maintained lower levels of ghrelin, which is the hormone responsible for hunger. As a result, they reported being more satisfied, with significantly reduced hunger and cravings than the LC breakfast group. The LC breakfast group experienced increased cravings for sweets, fats, carbohydrates/starches and fast foods!
But here’s the piece de resistance...
Both groups had similar insulin and glucose levels before the study, and both groups improved at week 16. However, by the end of follow-up, the dessert group enjoyed even better levels, while levels became much worse for the LC breakfast group!
The same thing happened with cholesterol and triglycerides. Both groups were similar, but by the end, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) were significantly lower for the dessert-eaters, than the low carb breakfast group! In fact, the good cholesterol (HDL) was significantly higher! Yahooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
It looks like dessert-eaters were so satisfied at breakfast that they were able to continue their diet into the end zone. The joy of eating dessert at breakfast, combined with reduced ghrelin, is a winning combination that can probably be sustained forever. Would you complain if I prescribed that for you? The low carbers could not continue adhering to their regimen, and regained most of their weight.
I have often suggested that my patients eat treats for breakfast, such as a whole grain waffle, with natural ice cream, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Those who comply, never binge on ice cream later. It seems better to have preferred foods when there is more control, such as in the morning, which seems to get it out of their system.
Having treats for breakfast also eliminates the “forbidden food” syndrome, by lowering its reward value. If you know you can have cake for breakfast, there is less desire for it at other times. We call it “prescribing the symptom.”
Bottom Line: Eating a high carbohydrate, high protein breakfast including dessert, can help people to maintain a healthy weight management plan.
Here’s a headline to celebrate: “Dessert at Breakfast May Help Dieters!” I wanted to toast to it, with cookies instead of toast!
JAMA Reseach Breakthrough: Fat Helps Diabetes!
As previously posted on Diet.com!
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that normal weight diabetics were twice as likely to die than overweight or obese diabetics! These findings involved over 2,500 diabetic patients in long term studies.
View THE NEW YORK TIMES article here!
As surprising as this sounds, the same effect has been previously documented in people with heart failure, hypertension and kidney disease.
Why is this surprising? Because we are constantly bombarded with messages proclaiming that thin is healthy and fat is disgusting. These messages come from industries making billions by training us to believe this. Scientists simply can't compete with their huge advertising and marketing budgets. Research makes headlines for a day and gets buried, while scientists quietly go about their work.
The "obesity paradox" is a term suggesting that people with certain chronic diseases tend to have lower mortality rates if they carry excess pounds. How much more evidence do we need, before we call it a blessing?
Researchers at Dallas' Cooper Institute studied 22,000 men for 8 years. They found that men who were overweight but fit were two times less likely to have died than those who were lean but unfit.
The Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that physically active people had lower death rates, regardless of weight, than thin people who exercised less than an hour per week.
Even our own government studies (NHANES) confirm that overweight people tend to outlive thin people.
How about we toss out the scale, and strive to live a healthy lifestyle? Eat more natural foods, listen to hunger and satiation, move your body and cope effectively. That's about the best we can do.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Dairy Kills Anti-oxidants!
Previously posted on Diet.com!
Here’s a news flash: Dairy Kills Anti-oxidants!!!
I’ve been hot on the trail of this research in pursuit of healthy living, as opposed to “dieting.” We’ve all heard that dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate, and now I know why. It appears that milk interferes with absorption of anti-oxidants, and animal protein is the culprit.
Do you put milk in your coffee? If so, you just annihilated coffee’s antioxidants. Same goes for green tea. And believe it or not, those highly nutritious blueberries tossed into morning cereal with milk, were just rendered impotent.
This is important information for anyone trying to live healthfully, since antioxidants are powerful molecules that can ward off cancer and disease. Rendering them ineffective is most unfortunate.
Switching the focus from dieting to healthful living has been an enlightening journey for me, and one that has helped many of my patients to improve risk factors and body image issues, regardless if weight is lost. For instance, when people diligently exercise, but don’t lose weight, they can become discouraged and stop. But benefits of exercise are often found by developing strength and endurance, while potentially improving blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin resistance, even if the scale doesn’t move. Sometimes a few pounds may even be gained, since muscle weighs more than fat, but the benefits remain.
Increased awareness of high anti-oxidant foods, which boost our immunity and health, has finally entered our awareness. Yet, the fact that yogurt disables the fruit mixed into it was news to me. I even did a video advocating natural ice cream with a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup, without knowing that the ice cream disabled the dark chocolate syrup! Who knew that strawberries with real whipped cream are no longer such a healthy choice?
The good news is that dark chocolate syrup seems to retain its powerful nutrition when mixed with almond, coconut, or soy milk, since there is no animal protein interfering with absorption. Strawberries dipped into dark chocolate are also high on the good list. A little knowledge can go a long way, to maximize health.
Here’s a news flash: Dairy Kills Anti-oxidants!!!
I’ve been hot on the trail of this research in pursuit of healthy living, as opposed to “dieting.” We’ve all heard that dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate, and now I know why. It appears that milk interferes with absorption of anti-oxidants, and animal protein is the culprit.
Do you put milk in your coffee? If so, you just annihilated coffee’s antioxidants. Same goes for green tea. And believe it or not, those highly nutritious blueberries tossed into morning cereal with milk, were just rendered impotent.
This is important information for anyone trying to live healthfully, since antioxidants are powerful molecules that can ward off cancer and disease. Rendering them ineffective is most unfortunate.
Switching the focus from dieting to healthful living has been an enlightening journey for me, and one that has helped many of my patients to improve risk factors and body image issues, regardless if weight is lost. For instance, when people diligently exercise, but don’t lose weight, they can become discouraged and stop. But benefits of exercise are often found by developing strength and endurance, while potentially improving blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin resistance, even if the scale doesn’t move. Sometimes a few pounds may even be gained, since muscle weighs more than fat, but the benefits remain.
Increased awareness of high anti-oxidant foods, which boost our immunity and health, has finally entered our awareness. Yet, the fact that yogurt disables the fruit mixed into it was news to me. I even did a video advocating natural ice cream with a drizzle of dark chocolate syrup, without knowing that the ice cream disabled the dark chocolate syrup! Who knew that strawberries with real whipped cream are no longer such a healthy choice?
The good news is that dark chocolate syrup seems to retain its powerful nutrition when mixed with almond, coconut, or soy milk, since there is no animal protein interfering with absorption. Strawberries dipped into dark chocolate are also high on the good list. A little knowledge can go a long way, to maximize health.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Obesity Should NOT Be Classified as a Disease!
As seen on Diet.com!
The American Medical Association recently designated obesity as a disease, and in doing so, has created a terrible disservice, and potentially damaging situation. Why bother striving to live a healthy lifestyle, when you can just take a pill for temporary weight loss, which typically results in weight gain?
Onto the next solution, as medical, surgical, and hokey diet businesses thrive, at our expense. There is not a single remedy available that seems to keep weight from returning, in the vast majority of people.
Go ahead, eat like a pig, and never move your butt! They’ll just gut your guts, and you’ll be fine. (Except for awful side effects, and often dismal long term results). “On sale now, and paid for by your insurance company,” (since there is finally a formal diagnosis.) Oops, time for a raise in rates!
The AMA went against the recommendations of its own Council! The Council stated that obesity should not be classified as a disease, since the primary diagnostic measurement, BMI, is flawed! And seriously flawed, at that. It does not consider whether body mass is fat or muscle, or whether you eat healthfully, or ever put on a pair of sneakers!
Could there be any advantages, for anyone who doesn’t stand to make money off this? Can it possibly make us healthier?
Only if they come up with a magic bullet, because treatments now have incredibly high relapse rates.
Only if they solve poverty quickly, because the greatest concentration of obesity is in those areas.
Should we pay for them to be on meds or have surgery? What if most of the population is classified as overweight or obese? Should everyone be on meds forever???
It’s crazy talk.
Here’s the truth. People come in small, medium and large, and we should all simply strive to become our personal best. The other day, I was on the beach, and about 5 adolescent girls in bikinis passed by. One said to another, “You don’t have to exercise, you’re naturally thin!”
Is this the message we should be teaching our children? It’s absurd. Exercise is healthy for everyone, just as partially hydrogenated oils are toxic for all. And by the way, I have no idea who said it to who. They all looked thin to me!
If there’s a silver lining to all of this, fat people might finally receive a bit more sympathy from others. If they are “ill,” and it’s not “their fault,” there is a more sympathetic tone. What a refreshing change, from suggestions that “they are weak-willed, lazy, and disgusting.” Perhaps this will diminish discrimination against people of size, and engender pity, instead of disgust and shame. How exciting….
Society would be much better served if we simply protected larger peoples’ feelings by accepting that diversity is good in a species. We must recognize that everyone should strive to be healthy, equally, regardless of size. There are different advantages and disadvantages to being small, medium or large.
What if North Korea decided to nuke us and our food supply was contaminated? Who would survive until the next harvest?
Let’s face it; it’s survival of the fattest!
Diagnosis be damned.
The American Medical Association recently designated obesity as a disease, and in doing so, has created a terrible disservice, and potentially damaging situation. Why bother striving to live a healthy lifestyle, when you can just take a pill for temporary weight loss, which typically results in weight gain?
Onto the next solution, as medical, surgical, and hokey diet businesses thrive, at our expense. There is not a single remedy available that seems to keep weight from returning, in the vast majority of people.
Go ahead, eat like a pig, and never move your butt! They’ll just gut your guts, and you’ll be fine. (Except for awful side effects, and often dismal long term results). “On sale now, and paid for by your insurance company,” (since there is finally a formal diagnosis.) Oops, time for a raise in rates!
The AMA went against the recommendations of its own Council! The Council stated that obesity should not be classified as a disease, since the primary diagnostic measurement, BMI, is flawed! And seriously flawed, at that. It does not consider whether body mass is fat or muscle, or whether you eat healthfully, or ever put on a pair of sneakers!
Could there be any advantages, for anyone who doesn’t stand to make money off this? Can it possibly make us healthier?
Only if they come up with a magic bullet, because treatments now have incredibly high relapse rates.
Only if they solve poverty quickly, because the greatest concentration of obesity is in those areas.
Should we pay for them to be on meds or have surgery? What if most of the population is classified as overweight or obese? Should everyone be on meds forever???
It’s crazy talk.
Here’s the truth. People come in small, medium and large, and we should all simply strive to become our personal best. The other day, I was on the beach, and about 5 adolescent girls in bikinis passed by. One said to another, “You don’t have to exercise, you’re naturally thin!”
Is this the message we should be teaching our children? It’s absurd. Exercise is healthy for everyone, just as partially hydrogenated oils are toxic for all. And by the way, I have no idea who said it to who. They all looked thin to me!
If there’s a silver lining to all of this, fat people might finally receive a bit more sympathy from others. If they are “ill,” and it’s not “their fault,” there is a more sympathetic tone. What a refreshing change, from suggestions that “they are weak-willed, lazy, and disgusting.” Perhaps this will diminish discrimination against people of size, and engender pity, instead of disgust and shame. How exciting….
Society would be much better served if we simply protected larger peoples’ feelings by accepting that diversity is good in a species. We must recognize that everyone should strive to be healthy, equally, regardless of size. There are different advantages and disadvantages to being small, medium or large.
What if North Korea decided to nuke us and our food supply was contaminated? Who would survive until the next harvest?
Let’s face it; it’s survival of the fattest!
Diagnosis be damned.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Shame on You, Dr. Oz!
Previously posted on Diet.com!
Once again
I must take issue with you.
But I digress.Has anyone ever heard of Garcinia cambogia? It’s Oz’s newest darling. He was gushing over this stuff, calling it the “holy grail of weight loss!”
Well,
of course I was excited to drink the Koolaid too, but first I hungrily googled the
heck out of it… which I wondered if Dr. Oz had done.
If
so, he might have mentioned the study in
the Journal of the American Medical Association, a twelve-week
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. “Garcinia cambogia failed to produce significant weight loss and
fat mass loss beyond that observed with placebo.”
Oops! Faux pas!!!
In fact, this study
was actually criticized for using a
high-fiber diet, which is thought to impair its absorption. Criticized?
A high fiber diet is basically fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Too bad eating healthfully is
contra-indicated for this panacea.
The NYU Medical Center newsletter succinctly reviewed an eight week study
of 60 overweight individuals finding some weight loss. Another trial found no effect on
appetite. One more study tested to see
if it could cause weight loss by altering metabolism, but no effects on metabolism
were found.
Taken together, I’d say this is all very underwhelming. Furthermore, I would toss the lot of them
down the drain, because none have any long term follow-up. Everyone knows that most people gain back
lost weight, regardless of how it’s lost!
How dare he sing such glaring praises, before any credible evidence is
in!
I could see why Dr. Oz might be giddy about it, before results are
conclusive. This natural extract
supposedly boosts serotonin, which helps with mood, and might conceivably
reduce emotional eating. Furthermore, it
supposedly inhibits an enzyme from turning sugar into fat, and instead
encourages the liver to turn it into energy and lean muscle mass, instead of
fat.
So what happens after people go off this? Don’t know; there isn’t any research. But there is a body of work to suggest that the
body may overcompensate, such as losing weight on amphetamines, and then
rebounding when going off.
I believe the two part system, of trying to lose weight and then
trying to maintain that loss, has failed most people, regardless of how weight
was lost. We need one way of living
healthfully forever.
A healthy lifestyle
includes a variety of natural foods, listening to hunger and satiety, coping
effectively, and moving your body. Genetics
account for the rest, including actual weight.
The scale will reflect that ideal combination of heredity and lifestyle;
nature and nurture. Some people will be
heavier, and some will be thinner, which is OK.
Diversity is natural, and desirable.
If someone was restricting
food before moving towards a healthy lifestyle, they will gain weight. If
they were overeating and not moving their body, their weight will naturally
move towards a healthier point in their set point range. Weight fluctuation
is a byproduct of living a healthy lifestyle, and not a valid goal or
indicator in itself.
Let’s finally get off the
scale, and focus more on health.
Monday, January 14, 2013
“Obesity Crisis; Real or Imagined?”
As seen on DIET.com!
Being overweight (BMI 25–29)) was associated with LOWER mortality
than “normal” weight, in an analysis of nearly 100 studies! This impressive review, published in a
prestigious medical journal, included nearly 3 million people from around the
world. Lower mortality rates were also found
for “grade one obesity” (BMI 30-35), compared to normal weight people (BMI
18.5-24).
Happy New
Year to me! I’ve been talking about this
phenomenon for ages, based on many individual population studies. But this is the mother of all studies!
So what do
we do now? Encourage people to gain
weight instead of lose weight? Should government
subsidies provide cheaper, low quality, potentially toxic foods to fatten us
up? Should pharmaceutical industries
create drugs that coax weight gain instead of weight loss? Should surgeons be sued for weight loss
surgeries that mutilate digestive systems, before having adequate evidence of
creating long-term health? These ideas
sound may sound absurd, but no more absurd as the opposite.
My message
has not changed. People naturally come
in all sizes, and everyone must strive to live a healthy lifestyle. Every overweight person will not live longer;
these studies simply reflect trends. There
are probably evolutionary advantages to all sizes, which ought not be messed
with. Super -obese people may live longest if our food supply dried up, but may
die off a bit sooner if not needed for survival. Don’t they deserve respect for this important
role?
So how can we reduce stigma, bias and discrimination against people of size, while helping everyone to become healthy? First of all, stop beating yourself up for feeling fat! It is abusive, demeaning, degrading, and counter-productive. It is exactly the same as if you called other people those ugly names. Offer yourself the same respect you would offer friends or strangers.
Next, our government should eliminate
” ideal weights” and “BMI’s.” Assess
health according to lifestyles, biological markers, (blood pressure,
cholesterol and insulin resistance), and perhaps some physical measures of
strength and endurance.
Nuts, avocados, dark chocolate, fruits,
whole grains and salmon are healthier than partially hydrogenated oils,
processed foods, and chemicals for everyone.
Responding
appropriately to hunger and satiation
might work better than portion control, and coping effectively is always a
plus… regardless of pounds on a scale.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Fed. Govt. Abandons Huge Failed Diet Study
As previously posted on Diet.com!
Unbelievably, a large federal study recently found that diet and weight loss DID NOT reduce, strokes, heart attacks or cardiovascular deaths with overweight diabetics. In fact, the
study was stopped 2 years ahead of schedule, because it just wasn’t working, after 11 years!
It sounds shocking, but not in light of other recent research. Normal weight diabetics were twice as likely to die than overweight or obese diabetics, and there are better survival rates for overweight people with heart failure, hypertension and kidney disease. (See previous posts)
Interestingly, those assigned to the diet and exercise group did manage to lose 5% of their weight, and keep it off, resulting in less medication usage. My hunch is that the improvement in lifestyle helped, not the measly weight loss. This is what “health at every size, naturally” means.
Although short-term studies find that weight loss lowers blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in the short term, they do not prevent actual occurrences of deadly events.
The diet involved 5,145 overweight or obese people with Type 2 diabetes. Those weighing less than 250 lbs ate 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, while those weighing more ate 1,500 to 1,800. They exercised moderately for at least 175 minutes per week; sounds like around 25 minutes a day. The control group received general health information.
It is thrilling that every recent notable study has supported the idea of living a healthy lifestyle, and not worrying about weight loss.
What a relief! It still takes energy to move towards living healthfully, but the pressure is off. We are meant to be diverse, and must strive towards becoming our personal best; not an artificially determined weight that is impossible to maintain, and ravages our self-esteem.
The trick now is to accept our body size as a result of living healthfully, even though it probably looks fatter than you like. We have been brainwashed that thin is attractive, and see our own fat as gross. Well, we all gotta get over it!
Accepting our bodies doesn’t mean we like them, or find them attractive. It just means that it’s OK; not what we would prefer, but good enough. Then stop thinking about it, and think of something else.
Let’s just take pretty good care, and focus instead on what our bodies allow us to do. They help us to move around, give and receive love, smell beautiful scents, and taste delectable food. The hell with cellulite, it’s time to live!
Do not wait to get on with your life till you lose weight.
Do not put your body down, publically or privately.
Just call a truce, and live in peace.
You take care of it, and it will take care of you.
Unbelievably, a large federal study recently found that diet and weight loss DID NOT reduce, strokes, heart attacks or cardiovascular deaths with overweight diabetics. In fact, the
study was stopped 2 years ahead of schedule, because it just wasn’t working, after 11 years!
It sounds shocking, but not in light of other recent research. Normal weight diabetics were twice as likely to die than overweight or obese diabetics, and there are better survival rates for overweight people with heart failure, hypertension and kidney disease. (See previous posts)
Interestingly, those assigned to the diet and exercise group did manage to lose 5% of their weight, and keep it off, resulting in less medication usage. My hunch is that the improvement in lifestyle helped, not the measly weight loss. This is what “health at every size, naturally” means.
Although short-term studies find that weight loss lowers blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol in the short term, they do not prevent actual occurrences of deadly events.
The diet involved 5,145 overweight or obese people with Type 2 diabetes. Those weighing less than 250 lbs ate 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, while those weighing more ate 1,500 to 1,800. They exercised moderately for at least 175 minutes per week; sounds like around 25 minutes a day. The control group received general health information.
It is thrilling that every recent notable study has supported the idea of living a healthy lifestyle, and not worrying about weight loss.
What a relief! It still takes energy to move towards living healthfully, but the pressure is off. We are meant to be diverse, and must strive towards becoming our personal best; not an artificially determined weight that is impossible to maintain, and ravages our self-esteem.
The trick now is to accept our body size as a result of living healthfully, even though it probably looks fatter than you like. We have been brainwashed that thin is attractive, and see our own fat as gross. Well, we all gotta get over it!
Accepting our bodies doesn’t mean we like them, or find them attractive. It just means that it’s OK; not what we would prefer, but good enough. Then stop thinking about it, and think of something else.
Let’s just take pretty good care, and focus instead on what our bodies allow us to do. They help us to move around, give and receive love, smell beautiful scents, and taste delectable food. The hell with cellulite, it’s time to live!
Do not wait to get on with your life till you lose weight.
Do not put your body down, publically or privately.
Just call a truce, and live in peace.
You take care of it, and it will take care of you.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Great News for Health At Every Size, Naturally!
Previously posted on Diet.com
Here’s more exciting evidence supporting my work, about striving to be fit and healthy regardless of size. Ideal weight is naturally achieved by combining your genes with a healthy lifestyle.
These studies lend support to a previous body of research, finding that people can be fit and fat.
One study examined data from over 43,000 Americans from the Aerobics Centre Longitudinal Study between 1979 and 2003. Health was correlated to fitness more than weight. Obese individuals were metabolically healthy and fit from getting more exercise. Being overweight did not have to pose an added health risk.
The study showed that healthy obese people have the same overall prognosis as those in a normal weight range, with a lower BMI!
Another study, with 64,000 patients in Sweden, examined obesity and death rates from acute coronary syndromes.
The study found that for obese coronary patients with a BMI of less than 40, losing weight is always bad! Underweight heart patients had double the risk of dying than those of normal weight. Overweight and obese patients carried the lowest risk. Who’dathunkit???
Well, this might sound familiar. Why? Because my last post described a huge diabetes study, finding that normal weight diabetics were twice as likely to die than overweight or obese diabetics!
How can this be? We have been programed to believe that thin is healthy and fat is disgusting. But current research is in line with population studies around the world finding that overweight people tend to live the longest.
Funny, how research can’t compete with deep seated prejudice against fat, and profitable fad diets.
Let’s not do to ourselves, what our culture has done to us. Never put your body down. Do not participate in fat conversations! Just try to live a moderately healthy lifestyle, and move on!
Monday, August 20, 2012
JAMA Research Breakthrough: Fat Helps Diabetes!
Previously posted on Diet.com!
The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that normal weight diabetics were twice as likely to die than overweight or obese diabetics! These findings involved over 2,500 diabetic patients in long term studies.
View THE NEW YORK TIMES article here!
As surprising as this sounds, the same effect has been previously documented in people with heart failure, hypertension and kidney disease.
Why is this surprising? Because we are constantly bombarded with messages proclaiming that thin is healthy and fat is disgusting. These messages come from industries making billions by training us to believe this. Scientists simply can't compete with their huge advertising and marketing budgets. Research makes headlines for a day and gets buried, while scientists quietly go about their work.
The "obesity paradox" is a term suggesting that people with certain chronic diseases tend to have lower mortality rates if they carry excess pounds. How much more evidence do we need, before we call it a blessing?
Researchers at Dallas' Cooper Institute studied 22,000 men for 8 years. They found that men who were overweight but fit were two times less likely to have died than those who were lean but unfit.
The Harvard Nurses' Health Study found that physically active people had lower death rates, regardless of weight, than thin people who exercised less than an hour per week.
Even our own government studies (NHANES) confirm that overweight people tend to outlive thin people.
How about we toss out the scale, and strive to live a healthy lifestyle? Eat more natural foods, listen to hunger and satiation, move your body and cope effectively. That's about the best we can do.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Dr. Abby Gets Personal
Dr. Abby Gets Personal
As a passionate observer of weight fluctuation, I became
fascinated by my parents’ recent journey.
Mom was skinny for most of her life. I
remember Dad making malted milkshakes to fatten her up, when I was young. (None for me, though!) As she hit her 70’s, she spread into a size
16, but retained her bean pole legs. She
never really dieted, but went through brief periods of “watching her weight.”
Her weight gain seemed normal to me as she aged, and I was
happy that it would protect her bones.
This was gratifying, since the most exercise she ever does is pushing a
fork or remote control.
Early in her 70’s, she became ill, and lost about 20
pounds. She was finally diagnosed with”
Cdiff.” After a few months it was under
control, and she regained all 20 pounds.
Dad always looked normal to me, though he developed some
weight around the belly, as he aged. He
often did “calisthenics” at home, and before my time, was a very fit
soldier. His love for tennis kept him in
good shape, and still helps manage diabetes, at 83.
Last year, Mom underwent surgery for colon cancer, which
resulted in a shortened colon. There
were some complications and scary moments, but in the end, she was cancer free,
and able to live her life.
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She lost 30 pounds over 6 months during the ordeal, yet
gained every single one back in the next 3 months.
Dad was loyal and caring throughout, and moved into her
hospital room for the duration. They
snuck him hospital food every day, and after six weeks, he lost 15 pounds.
Afterwards, he also regained all of those pounds, in half the time taken to
lose them.
Did Mom and Dad pig out, during the recovery? Hardly.
They ate normally, and had absolutely no control over their weight. Their bodies simply reverted to homeostasis –
their normal weights. In fact, they
actually eat less than ever! Mom says
they used to have a steak each, and now simply split one. Their bodies manufactured more weight from
less food.
There was one other notable weight-related event. About 8 months ago, Dad fell on the tennis
court, and sustained some injuries. He
had to stop playing for a few months.
During those months, he lost about 7 pounds! What could explain that? Exercise is supposed to help you lose weight,
not gain!
Perhaps he lost muscle tone, which is heavy, and perhaps he
inadvertently ate less, since his body required fewer calories. Who knows, but when he started playing again,
he regained the weight.
What’s the moral of the story? Our biological set points are tough, sturdy
markers, which operate to maintain our optimal body weight. People naturally come in small, medium, and
large sizes, and try as we may to permanently alter our weight, it may be a
losing battle.
These observations certainly reinforced my belief to strive
for “health at every size, naturally.” Live a healthy lifestyle, to become your
personal best.
I also believe this experience offered my parents a new
perspective on people of size. Perhaps
they no longer believe that all fat people are gluttons. Gaining 30 pounds in 3 months was
eye-opening, and helped them to become more compassionate and respectful of
diversity.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Dessert for Breakfast!
Originally posted @ Diet.com
Here’s a headline to celebrate: “Dessert at Breakfast May Help Dieters!” I wanted to toast to it, with cookies instead of toast!
I hungrily continued reading about this extraordinary study. Researchers divided 144 obese subjects, into a low carb breakfast group (LC), and a high carb plus protein-and-dessert breakfast group (D). Dessert eaters could choose from cookies, chocolate, cake or ice cream. Daily calories remained the same for both groups, but the LC breakfast contained 300 calories, while the D group enjoyed 600 calories for breakfast. Everyone ate the same lunch, but dinner consisted of 600 calories for the LC’s and 300 calories for the D’s.
At the end of 16 weeks, both groups lost about 32 pounds. However, after another 16 weeks, the dessert group lost an additional 13 pounds, while the others regained all but 3.5 pounds! Isn’t this the best news ever?
Here’s the science: Those on the dessert regimen maintained lower levels of ghrelin, which is the hormone responsible for hunger. As a result, they reported being more satisfied, with significantly reduced hunger and cravings than the LC breakfast group. The LC breakfast group experienced increased cravings for sweets, fats, carbohydrates/starches and fast foods!
But here’s the piece de resistance...
Both groups had similar insulin and glucose levels before the study, and both groups improved at week 16. However, by the end of follow-up, the dessert group enjoyed even better levels, while levels became much worse for the LC breakfast group!
The same thing happened with cholesterol and triglycerides. Both groups were similar, but by the end, total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL (bad cholesterol) were significantly lower for the dessert-eaters, than the low carb breakfast group! In fact, the good cholesterol (HDL) was significantly higher! Yahooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
It looks like dessert-eaters were so satisfied at breakfast that they were able to continue their diet into the end zone. The joy of eating dessert at breakfast, combined with reduced ghrelin, is a winning combination that can probably be sustained forever. Would you complain if I prescribed that for you? The low carbers could not continue adhering to their regimen, and regained most of their weight.
I have often suggested that my patients eat treats for breakfast, such as a whole grain waffle, with natural ice cream, and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Those who comply, never binge on ice cream later. It seems better to have preferred foods when there is more control, such as in the morning, which seems to get it out of their system.
Having treats for breakfast also eliminates the “forbidden food” syndrome, by lowering its reward value. If you know you can have cake for breakfast, there is less desire for it at other times. We call it “prescribing the symptom.”
Here’s a headline to celebrate: “Dessert at Breakfast May Help Dieters!” I wanted to toast to it, with cookies instead of toast!
Bottom Line: Eating a high carbohydrate, high protein breakfast including dessert, can help people to maintain a healthy weight management plan.
Monday, January 2, 2012
"The Fat Trap"
The Health editor of the NY Times admitted that she is approximately 60 pounds overweight; the result of yo-yo dieting. She then proceeded to review research to shed light on why this happens. To date there are approximately 900 postings; it generated tremendous interest. Many posts were about not giving up on weight loss despite the futility, and others were about how they lost weight. Here is the link to “The Fat Trap” http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/28/why-lost-pounds-come-back/ What follows are my responses, followed by attacks from my detractors.
“Why might our biology fight so hard to regain lost weight? Because losing weight is not in your best interest? Why, in the face of scientific and anecdotal evidence do people think that losing weight is still a healthy and admirable goal? Yo-yo dieting has been proven to be harmful, and people who have kept weight off generally meet the criteria for eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive neurosis!
People are obviously meant to come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The process of living healthfully, not the outcome of weight loss counts most, and the “evils” of obesity can be easily managed with modern medicine and healthy lifestyles. Furthermore, insulin resistance, hypertension, and lousy cholesterol have also been found to result from yo-you dieting. They also occur in thin people.
There is no research suggesting that people who lose weight live longer. The NY Times recently reported that New Yorkers are living longer than ever before, despite increased obesity! (This was also found by the CDC for all of America.)
The “obesity crisis” seems like a scam to sell diet products and make discrimination against people of size acceptable.
Let’s strive to live a relatively healthy lifestyle, and accept our resultant size with grace and dignity. No more putting ourselves or others down; discrimination begins with us.”
Thank you.
Abby Aronowitz, Ph.D.
Expert psychologist for Diet.com
“A Ph.D. working as an expert psychologist for Diet.com believes the "obesity crisis" is a "scam." Really? Diabetes, heart disease, loss of mobility, loss of sexual attractiveness, social disapprobation--all are figments of our imagination, implanted in our minds by the folks who sell diet products? If people are "meant to come in all shapes and sizes" what explains the phenomenon of the dominant shape and size changing very significantly over the last 50 years. "Meant" by whom? I am suspicious of any post which ends with a link to a for-profit website designed to sell the poster's book. ($12.99 shipping and handling). Does not this make the poster a person who "sells diet products" herself?”
Comment:
“Why, in the face of scientific and anecdotal evidence do people think that losing weight is still a healthy and admirable goal?"
Apparently, you haven't read the conclusive epidemiological evidence that obesity, (BMI >30), doubles one's risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Moreover, type 2 diabetes, a disease exclusive to obesity, is not only the primary cause of blindness, renal failure and amputations, but typically shortens one's lifespan by a decade or more. Obesity can further affect one's quality of life, increasing the risk of asthma, arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. The scam of the obesity crisis is that the obese are not made to pay the significantly higher medical costs they impose on the rest of us.”
Here’s my next post:
“Keeping weight off is damn near impossible for the average mortal, But living a healthy lifestyle regardless of the scale, is a more achievable goal for many. Thin people should live healthfully too, but many believe that because they are thin, they can eat crap and sit on the couch…
The focus on “fat” per se, does everyone a disservice. Healthful living should be everyone’s goal, but many fat people have learned to hate their bodies, because they’re considered ugly, unattractive and worthless. This absolutely demolishes self-esteem, and represents the malignancy of discrimination.
We take better care of that which we love, than that which we hate, so a cultural and personal attitude adjustment is in order.
Here is a link for a free download of my book,” Your Final Diet.”
It offers a path to healthful living by making peace with food and body image, while accepting the resulting size with grace and dignity.
It was endorsed by Hillary Clinton, because it’s particularly empowering to girls and women. Hey, it’s worth it, just for the chapter on self-acceptance!
BTW, I am an expert psychologist for Diet .com, writing a “Health At Every Size, Naturally” column, entitled “Where Science Meets Sin!”. I am very grateful to my editor be being so open-minded.”
Here is another detractor:
"Keeping weight off is damn near impossible for the average mortal ..."
Not a great attitude, Dr. Abby. I also am tired or reading about supposedly fit fat people and broken down thin people all of whom are eating badly when most unfit people are fat.
The reason the focus is on extreme overweight and obesity is because they are associated or cause many obvious, serious problems. Yes, everyone should eat well and exercise, in our economy, good luck with that. But the costs of the obesity epidemic prompt the most attention.”
Not a great attitude, Dr. Abby. I also am tired or reading about supposedly fit fat people and broken down thin people all of whom are eating badly when most unfit people are fat.
The reason the focus is on extreme overweight and obesity is because they are associated or cause many obvious, serious problems. Yes, everyone should eat well and exercise, in our economy, good luck with that. But the costs of the obesity epidemic prompt the most attention.”
My final post:
“Our bodies are programmed for survival – at least living long enough to have and raise children. So why won’t our bodies help us to maintain weight loss, if it’s so healthy??? Why does it fight like the dickens to put weight back on? And why does every population study around the world find highest survival rates for overweight people? (Our own government found 86,000 FEWER deaths in the overweight range,and 33,000 more deaths in the thin range.) Are we living longer than ever before despite our increase in weight or because of it? Fat stores energy, which aids survival during illness, but researchers are also investigating the role fat plays within the immune system. Can anyone cite research finding that weight loss extends life? All I’ve seen is that most biological improvements are quickly reversed with weight gain and yo-yo dieting - which happens in nearly 100% of cases. The “obesity crisis” correlates with an increase in DIETING!
Many thanks for the overwhelming requests for the free download of my book, in a previous post. If anyone else would like to learn how to finally make peace with food and body image, and learn what a healthy lifestyle means – regardless of weight loss, I will reprint the offer here. Once we stop hating our fat, and loving ourselves, we can find a relaxed, enjoyable truce with food and movement, as opposed to the obsessions reported by those in the Weight Registry.” http://www.yourfinaldiet.com/book-promo.html
Thank you.
Dr. Abby!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Longevity Linked To Fat?
Originally posted @diet.com
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. life expectancy just hit another all-time high. Is this despite increasing weights of Americans, or because of it?
Data recently reviewed from 2009 found 36,547 fewer deaths than the year before. The newly estimated age of 78 years, 2 months for a baby born in 2009 compares to 75.4 years in 1990. In approximately 20 years, nearly 3 years were added to our lives!
The average American male gained 17.1 pounds and the average American female added 15.4 pounds in the last 20 years. That's 70 days of life added for every woman's extra pound of fat! Why didn't this make headlines??? If life expectancy was down, everyone would be blaming the "obesity crisis."
Fat bias is pervasive and acceptable. It skews interpretation of research, and interferes with dissemination of true methods for obtaining optimal health. When fat is always blamed for ill health, it obscures more important determinants, such as genetics and lifestyle.
News stories linked increased life expectancy to a range of causes, including less heart disease, fewer homicides, better medical treatment, increased vaccinations, and decreases in smoking. Nowhere was the correlation between Americans' expanding lives linked to their expanding weights.
Research continues to explore why increased weights are linked to increased life expectancy, since this is actually old news. Every population study around the world found longest survival rates in the overweight range, despite pervasive beliefs that thin is the healthiest range. In fact the NIH found 86,000 fewer deaths in the overweight range when compared to the normal weight range, and 33,000 more deaths in the thin range. Why didn't they revise weight recommendations after their own research confirmed this???
There is some evidence suggesting that fat is part of the immune system, and keeps us healthier. Of course fat provides stored energy reserves to aid survival in times of illness. Additionally, fat secretes estrogen, which can compensate for ovaries shutting down in menopause. Estrogen is typically considered the fountain of youth, so perhaps this contributes to increased life expectancy in women. Females will tend to die at 80.6 yrs, whereas males will kick the bucket at an average of 75.7 years.
I also believe there may be an evolutionary reason for this. One guy can impregnate many women, whereas most women give birth to only a few children. There is more of a need for women to hang around to nurture them, whereas if a bunch of men died off early, the species can survive with only a few studmuffins.
My advice is to live a relatively healthy lifestyle, enjoy life, and don’t worry about your weight. Becoming your personal best is a great goal, since not everyone was meant to be thin.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. life expectancy just hit another all-time high. Is this despite increasing weights of Americans, or because of it?
Data recently reviewed from 2009 found 36,547 fewer deaths than the year before. The newly estimated age of 78 years, 2 months for a baby born in 2009 compares to 75.4 years in 1990. In approximately 20 years, nearly 3 years were added to our lives!
The average American male gained 17.1 pounds and the average American female added 15.4 pounds in the last 20 years. That's 70 days of life added for every woman's extra pound of fat! Why didn't this make headlines??? If life expectancy was down, everyone would be blaming the "obesity crisis."
Fat bias is pervasive and acceptable. It skews interpretation of research, and interferes with dissemination of true methods for obtaining optimal health. When fat is always blamed for ill health, it obscures more important determinants, such as genetics and lifestyle.
News stories linked increased life expectancy to a range of causes, including less heart disease, fewer homicides, better medical treatment, increased vaccinations, and decreases in smoking. Nowhere was the correlation between Americans' expanding lives linked to their expanding weights.
Research continues to explore why increased weights are linked to increased life expectancy, since this is actually old news. Every population study around the world found longest survival rates in the overweight range, despite pervasive beliefs that thin is the healthiest range. In fact the NIH found 86,000 fewer deaths in the overweight range when compared to the normal weight range, and 33,000 more deaths in the thin range. Why didn't they revise weight recommendations after their own research confirmed this???
There is some evidence suggesting that fat is part of the immune system, and keeps us healthier. Of course fat provides stored energy reserves to aid survival in times of illness. Additionally, fat secretes estrogen, which can compensate for ovaries shutting down in menopause. Estrogen is typically considered the fountain of youth, so perhaps this contributes to increased life expectancy in women. Females will tend to die at 80.6 yrs, whereas males will kick the bucket at an average of 75.7 years.
I also believe there may be an evolutionary reason for this. One guy can impregnate many women, whereas most women give birth to only a few children. There is more of a need for women to hang around to nurture them, whereas if a bunch of men died off early, the species can survive with only a few studmuffins.
My advice is to live a relatively healthy lifestyle, enjoy life, and don’t worry about your weight. Becoming your personal best is a great goal, since not everyone was meant to be thin.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Dr. Abby Bashes "The Bead Diet"
Originally posted @diet.com
Have you heard of “The Bead Diet?” According to their website, www.accuweight.com, people lose 15 pounds a month, with most people losing more.
This three part program includes applying pressure to tiny beads behind the ear (acupressure), performing “Chi Gong Breathing,” and a crazy food plan.
Acupressure is designed to trick the body into feeling full, by creating balance through the hypothalamus. This part of the brain governs fullness and the amount of food eaten.
“Chi Gong Breathing” is supposed to harness the life force, “chi,” to improve health and longevity, and increase feelings of peace and harmony. They also claim that it enhances energy levels, attention, concentration, and mental alertness.
Next comes the food. There is no specific information on the site, but I’ve been told that for two days you eat milk products, and for two days fruits and veggies. The site promotes lots of artificial sweetener.
The nutritional balance of the food, along with acupressure, supposedly tricks the body to ignore the reduction of calories. This prevents starvation mode. The body uses stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss and amazing medical results. If you exercise and feel faint, they suggest a bit of honey in water, and a sugar-free electrolyte drink if necessary.
They encourage eating between noon and 6PM because the body needs nutrition during those hours. Eating outside those hours might cause the body “to cannibalize itself using not only fat, but muscle, organ mass and negatively affect your metabolism.” YOWZA!
Finally, after losing all the weight you want, they promise maintenance within 3-5 pounds of goal, apparently your new set point.
Does this sound too good to be true? Even if everything goes according to plan, the claim of maintaining that level of success sounds preposterous. It would be more believable if they provided some decent research confirming this. After all, they have been operating for 11+ years, yet there is not a single follow-up study on their website.
The only study cited followed 16 subjects on the plan for 13 weeks. They lost an average of 46 pounds. Since when is sixteen subjects considered strong science, especially without any follow-up???
We all know that most people can lose weight on any fad diet, but few people can keep it off without developing an eating disorder; ie. preoccupation with food and weight. I believe the two part system of dieting to lose weight, and then trying to maintain the loss, is what has failed. There needs to be one way of living, which strives towards health and fitness.
Have you heard of “The Bead Diet?” According to their website, www.accuweight.com, people lose 15 pounds a month, with most people losing more.
This three part program includes applying pressure to tiny beads behind the ear (acupressure), performing “Chi Gong Breathing,” and a crazy food plan.
Acupressure is designed to trick the body into feeling full, by creating balance through the hypothalamus. This part of the brain governs fullness and the amount of food eaten.
“Chi Gong Breathing” is supposed to harness the life force, “chi,” to improve health and longevity, and increase feelings of peace and harmony. They also claim that it enhances energy levels, attention, concentration, and mental alertness.
Next comes the food. There is no specific information on the site, but I’ve been told that for two days you eat milk products, and for two days fruits and veggies. The site promotes lots of artificial sweetener.
The nutritional balance of the food, along with acupressure, supposedly tricks the body to ignore the reduction of calories. This prevents starvation mode. The body uses stored fat for energy, resulting in weight loss and amazing medical results. If you exercise and feel faint, they suggest a bit of honey in water, and a sugar-free electrolyte drink if necessary.
They encourage eating between noon and 6PM because the body needs nutrition during those hours. Eating outside those hours might cause the body “to cannibalize itself using not only fat, but muscle, organ mass and negatively affect your metabolism.” YOWZA!
Finally, after losing all the weight you want, they promise maintenance within 3-5 pounds of goal, apparently your new set point.
Does this sound too good to be true? Even if everything goes according to plan, the claim of maintaining that level of success sounds preposterous. It would be more believable if they provided some decent research confirming this. After all, they have been operating for 11+ years, yet there is not a single follow-up study on their website.
The only study cited followed 16 subjects on the plan for 13 weeks. They lost an average of 46 pounds. Since when is sixteen subjects considered strong science, especially without any follow-up???
We all know that most people can lose weight on any fad diet, but few people can keep it off without developing an eating disorder; ie. preoccupation with food and weight. I believe the two part system of dieting to lose weight, and then trying to maintain the loss, is what has failed. There needs to be one way of living, which strives towards health and fitness.
"Dr. Abby's Diet Resolutions"
Originally posted @diet.com
New Years, New Years Resolutions,
Time for cleansing absolutions.
Diets, diets, everywhere,
Wash the fat from way down there!
Fat from cakes and nog and such,
Such a glutton, ate so much!
Why oh why am I so fat?
“Cuz on my ass I simply sat.
Gimme this and gimme that,
More o’ this, and more o’ that.
But is it time for deprivation?
Oh no, please, such aggravation.
Time to try out something new,
Something easy, here’s a clue.
Compensation, compensation!
Beats that ugly deprivation.
Health at every size is great!
Be your best, with no self hate.
Tweak your choices,
Mouth rejoices.
Dark chocolate bits
For antioxidant hits!
Eat when hungry, stop when enuf,
And exercise to make you buff!
Take my advice,
To deal with the vice.
Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution
Is certainly the best solution!
New Years, New Years Resolutions,
Time for cleansing absolutions.
Diets, diets, everywhere,
Wash the fat from way down there!
Fat from cakes and nog and such,
Such a glutton, ate so much!
Why oh why am I so fat?
“Cuz on my ass I simply sat.
Gimme this and gimme that,
More o’ this, and more o’ that.
But is it time for deprivation?
Oh no, please, such aggravation.
Time to try out something new,
Something easy, here’s a clue.
Compensation, compensation!
Beats that ugly deprivation.
Health at every size is great!
Be your best, with no self hate.
Tweak your choices,
Mouth rejoices.
Dark chocolate bits
For antioxidant hits!
Eat when hungry, stop when enuf,
And exercise to make you buff!
Take my advice,
To deal with the vice.
Dr. Abby’s Diet Revolution
Is certainly the best solution!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Dr. Abby's Lessons From Summer
Lessons of Summer - Originally posted on diet.com
As summer draws to a close, I am reflecting on some weight-related episodes that captured my attention.
One little girl was absolutely tortured trying to get her skinny body into the water. She sucked her belly in tight, and ribs poked through the thin layer of skin covering her frame. Her anguish gave me a shiver.
I suggested she splash water on her arms and legs, to help adapt to the temperature change. Her mom flashed a smile, and said, “That’s what happens when you have negative body fat!” I quickly suggested that thin was not always better.
A few weeks later, a thin woman on the beach complained to me that so many people discuss dieting, exercise and weight loss with her, when she has no interest whatsoever. It seems they admired and disdained her, for being naturally thin and active. She was never weight-conscious, yet always enjoyed eating healthfully, and running. It’s the way she is wired; a very active person who needs to move.
I pondered her situation, and wondered if we might view the human species as diverse by design. Might we imagine that fat people are not flawed, but potentially useful because they store fat more effectively than thin people? Perhaps in the cave-men era, if food was over there, we might send a quick runner to get it, while fat people waited in the cave to cook it!
If food was scarce, perhaps fatter people would survive longer, since fat is stored energy. This would ensure survival of the species; survival of the fattest? Perhaps in this nuke-threatened culture, this could once again be useful.
By this time, my new friend and I were dripping with sweat, so I suggested we take a dip. She refused, saying she just likes to be hot. As I walked through the water, the coolness reminded me of the thin little girl’s anguish, and the curious remark of my new friend. I instantly realized that she must be cold all the time, due to low body fat, and it was wonderful to feel warm – whereas cold water must have been as torturous to her as the little girl.
The moral? Let us not judge ourselves or others, but simply appreciate our differences, while striving to become our personal best.
Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com
As summer draws to a close, I am reflecting on some weight-related episodes that captured my attention.
One little girl was absolutely tortured trying to get her skinny body into the water. She sucked her belly in tight, and ribs poked through the thin layer of skin covering her frame. Her anguish gave me a shiver.I suggested she splash water on her arms and legs, to help adapt to the temperature change. Her mom flashed a smile, and said, “That’s what happens when you have negative body fat!” I quickly suggested that thin was not always better.
A few weeks later, a thin woman on the beach complained to me that so many people discuss dieting, exercise and weight loss with her, when she has no interest whatsoever. It seems they admired and disdained her, for being naturally thin and active. She was never weight-conscious, yet always enjoyed eating healthfully, and running. It’s the way she is wired; a very active person who needs to move.
I pondered her situation, and wondered if we might view the human species as diverse by design. Might we imagine that fat people are not flawed, but potentially useful because they store fat more effectively than thin people? Perhaps in the cave-men era, if food was over there, we might send a quick runner to get it, while fat people waited in the cave to cook it!
If food was scarce, perhaps fatter people would survive longer, since fat is stored energy. This would ensure survival of the species; survival of the fattest? Perhaps in this nuke-threatened culture, this could once again be useful.
By this time, my new friend and I were dripping with sweat, so I suggested we take a dip. She refused, saying she just likes to be hot. As I walked through the water, the coolness reminded me of the thin little girl’s anguish, and the curious remark of my new friend. I instantly realized that she must be cold all the time, due to low body fat, and it was wonderful to feel warm – whereas cold water must have been as torturous to her as the little girl.
The moral? Let us not judge ourselves or others, but simply appreciate our differences, while striving to become our personal best.
Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com
Monday, May 17, 2010
Dr. Oz's 16 Tips for Summer Weight Loss
Dr. Oz's 16 Tips for Summer Weight Loss
by Norine Dworkin-McDaniel
His main points were:
- See yourself looking fabulous.
- Take a "before" picture in your swimsuit.
- Hang your favorite summer outfit where you'll see it every day.
- Let your family in on what you're up to.
- Kick off your efforts with a token gift to yourself. (i.e. walking shoes or pedometer)
- Take advantage of longer days. (physical activity)
- Skip the elevator.
- Have sex.
- Eat breakfast.
- Cut 100 calories a day.
- Have a drink.
- Snack before you eat your meals.
- Fill your plate with summer fruits and vegetables.
- Eat dessert in the afternoon.
- Have wine with dinner.
- Dine outside.
Abby's comment:
Dr. Oz’s inexperience in the field of weight management is glaring to any professionals who have been in the trenches for years. Perhaps when the devastating stories of people regaining weight lost from his plan start pouring in, it will reshape his understanding about the biology and psychology of this issue.
Nearly 100% of people who lose weight gain it back, and many of those who keep it off develop eating disorders to maintain an unnaturally thin weight. Research suggests that yo-yo dieting can adversely affect blood pressure, lipids and insulin sensitivity.
A hundred years ago, as a psychologist specializing in weight loss, I often suggested that people imagine themselves looking thinner. Regardless of its motivating factor, it did not help people to keep weight off, and for many people it is a biologically unattainable image. Yes, the same strategies that work for sports psychologists work for weight management, but focus must be on the “process” not the goal.
Imagining crossing the finish line is not as empowering as imagining yourself performing excellently. So, it is better to imagine living a healthy lifestyle, than imagining your body at a certain weight. Your body will land at it’s healthiest place, which may not be thin, if your 7000 fat genes do not direct it to be thin.
Those fat pictures and summer outfits begin taunting people at some point, since weight gain is much faster than weight loss. Been there, done that, with thousands of patients, regardless of what diet they did to lose weight. Going public insures greater humiliation and shame when weight is inevitably regained.
If you follow many of Dr. Oz’s other suggestions, without an eye on weight loss, you may actually become healthier – regardless if weight is lost. But if weight loss is the goal, it taints everything, and sets you up for failure. I also advocate exercise, chocolate, wine, skipping the elevator, having sex, fruits and veggies, and snacking before meals. Most were discussed in my book, Your Final Diet, back in 2004. These add pleasure, health and control, regardless if weight is lost.
Dr. Oz is a great showman, and probably a great surgeon. Perhaps he should stick with what he knows!
Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com
Saturday, May 8, 2010
New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer
The New York Times ran an op-ed called:
New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF on May 6, 2010
"The President’s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies. The cancer panel is releasing a landmark 200-page report on Thursday, warning that our lackadaisical approach to regulation may have far-reaching consequences for our health. " Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/opinion/06kristof.html
Abby posted the following comment:
I am a psychologist specializing in weight management, and my work encourages “health at every size, naturally.” We are bombarded with messages about getting healthy by losing weight, but if the focus was truly on health, then we would be encouraging nutrient-dense foods, free of chemicals, instead of “diet food.” For instance, artificial sweeteners and artificial fats seem to disrupt the body’s natural mechanisms of hunger and satiation – which are key to maintaining a healthy weight.
Thinking more broadly about health - and what enters our bodies - would lead to creative thinking, such as tax rebates to homeowners who refrain from using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other toxins. What about giving rebates to homeowners and townships that stop mowing lawns, stop cutting down trees, and allow natural local diversity to reclaim the land? We have interfered with the earth’s natural filters, and cancer is probably the result. Losing weight does not help with any of this, but getting back to nature seems to help.
In fact, cancer and weight have an interesting connection, but not what we have been led to believe. Weight gain in our country is correlated with relative food abundance, which has allowed us to reach maximum heights, weights and IQs. Higher weights were correlated with more cancer, but so were higher heights!
Higher weights and heights suggest that more “robust” people live long enough for deadly cancers to develop, whereas lowest incidents of cancer were found in countries with lower heights and weights – and much earlier death rates. Cancer simply did not have time to develop, ostensibly because of worse nutrition, health, and early death! The idea that being overweight leads to most types of cancers is simply not true.
Furthermore, having some weight on your body seems to protect the body from many illnesses, and assure better recoveries. Not only does fat offer some reserves during times of stress, but it may also contribute towards certain immunities and protect against bone fractures. Population studies around the world consistently find highest death rates for extremely thin and extremely fat people, with lowest death rates for the overweight.
Environmental impact on health is an essential consideration. I was thrilled to read about the President’s Cancer Panel supporting organics. Organic food tends to be much more nutritious than inorganic foods, and focusing on health instead of weight loss is the way to go!
Thank you.
Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com
New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF on May 6, 2010
"The President’s Cancer Panel is the Mount Everest of the medical mainstream, so it is astonishing to learn that it is poised to join ranks with the organic food movement and declare: chemicals threaten our bodies. The cancer panel is releasing a landmark 200-page report on Thursday, warning that our lackadaisical approach to regulation may have far-reaching consequences for our health. " Read more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/opinion/06kristof.html
Abby posted the following comment:
I am a psychologist specializing in weight management, and my work encourages “health at every size, naturally.” We are bombarded with messages about getting healthy by losing weight, but if the focus was truly on health, then we would be encouraging nutrient-dense foods, free of chemicals, instead of “diet food.” For instance, artificial sweeteners and artificial fats seem to disrupt the body’s natural mechanisms of hunger and satiation – which are key to maintaining a healthy weight.
Thinking more broadly about health - and what enters our bodies - would lead to creative thinking, such as tax rebates to homeowners who refrain from using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other toxins. What about giving rebates to homeowners and townships that stop mowing lawns, stop cutting down trees, and allow natural local diversity to reclaim the land? We have interfered with the earth’s natural filters, and cancer is probably the result. Losing weight does not help with any of this, but getting back to nature seems to help.
In fact, cancer and weight have an interesting connection, but not what we have been led to believe. Weight gain in our country is correlated with relative food abundance, which has allowed us to reach maximum heights, weights and IQs. Higher weights were correlated with more cancer, but so were higher heights!
Higher weights and heights suggest that more “robust” people live long enough for deadly cancers to develop, whereas lowest incidents of cancer were found in countries with lower heights and weights – and much earlier death rates. Cancer simply did not have time to develop, ostensibly because of worse nutrition, health, and early death! The idea that being overweight leads to most types of cancers is simply not true.
Furthermore, having some weight on your body seems to protect the body from many illnesses, and assure better recoveries. Not only does fat offer some reserves during times of stress, but it may also contribute towards certain immunities and protect against bone fractures. Population studies around the world consistently find highest death rates for extremely thin and extremely fat people, with lowest death rates for the overweight.
Environmental impact on health is an essential consideration. I was thrilled to read about the President’s Cancer Panel supporting organics. Organic food tends to be much more nutritious than inorganic foods, and focusing on health instead of weight loss is the way to go!
Thank you.
Dr. Abby Aronowitz
www.DearDrAbby.com
Saturday, March 20, 2010
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT FATTENING!
Originally posted @diet.com
My good friend, Chef Devin Alexander has done it again! This Best Selling Author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook has created over 150 deliciously easy recipes for the super-busy, decadent-craving, yet health-conscious person in her new cookbook: I Can't Believe It's not fattening!!
These mouthwatering, home-cooked, and absolutely guilt-free favorites can be ready in mere minutes! After telling her that I have never actually followed a recipe, she challenged me to break the spell, and try out one of her treats. After drooling over more than 50 beautiful color photographs, I was stunned by something so simple, so creative, sooo... funny! Ya gotta see her chocolate chip banana boat. This looks like a treat we might dig up when raiding the house for something yummy, and putting together two odd ingredients. Create a long slit down the middle of a banana, and stuff in dark chocolate mini chips. After 5 minutes in the oven, you are left with a divine mix of melted dark chocolate, slathered over a warm banana, in it’s own boat – that has charred, but not caught fire! It is delicious, adorable, and EEEEZZZZ!
There are recipes for caramelized apple butter-topped pork chops, asian grilled london broil, and parmesan garlic soft pretzels, Squeal with delight at her 351 calorie bacon cheeseburger, and enjoy digging down into her comforting mexican mac and cheese. The diversity of tastes blows my mind, as it seems every country and food group is represented through creative, imaginative, low calorie dishes.
At times she offers options between using “regular” and “light” ingredients, which embraces my penchant for using natural products, for those willing to finally ditch artificial ingredients.
Chef Devin is a gift for our culture by helping us towards healthy food that actually tastes delicious. This is what I mean by living a healthy lifestyle; it’s a plan that can last for life. Incorporating these charming recipes and sweet delicacies will surely help us to become fitter and happier. Thanks, Devin!
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