Odds and Ends

Mushroom Powder - Dole Foods has received an innovation award for a new product in a nutritional category.  I do not have all the details about the prize or who awarded it, but I was intrigued by what the product was.  It is a mushroom powder.  I dismissed the first news article I saw because of my stance against most supplements and my belief that nutrients are best delivered on a plate. I revisited the notion of a mushroom powder because it is intended to address vitamin D needs and vitamin D is the one supplement I do take. Mushrooms are a good source of it and a very low calorie food.  I add them to my lunch salad almost daily.  However, to meet the recommended daily vitamin D needs, you'd have to eat a bushel.  So I have decided to keep a watch on this one.

Colon Screening and Sedation - My hopes for a safe, effective, non invasive alternative to the colonoscopy are alive and well. No news on that front however, I still have a few years to go before I "need" one.  I am concerned by a report out this week that suggests many people are receiving excess sedation during the current procedure.  Another reason to come up with a better way.  I have grave concerns about anesthesia and will avoid it as much or as long as I can.  My reason is related to evidence of cognitive impairment or memory problems in some people who have been over sedated or frequently sedated.  This appears to be a semi permanent aftereffect.

Misplaced Blame - Drug makers Targacept and AstraZeneca are parting ways after a drug compound that they planned for treatment of depression (because we don't have a gazillion pills for that already) failed in clinical trials.  Targacept doesn't put the fault in their drug but in the placebo effect.  First,this drug is meant to simulate nicotine receptors in the brain.  That is actually a good idea because the neurotransmitter activity that follows a puff of a cigarette is pretty much a mood elevator and stress reliever.  The drug part didn't work out though.  IN order for a medication to get FDA approval it has to do something that nothing wouldn't do(get that?!)  People in the study were given a set of questions and the answers produce a depression score.  After a sample was given the drug and a control sample was given a "no" drug, the tests were retaken.  Forty percent of the people not taking the new drug, got better.  To me, and not to Targacept, this means we do not need drugs for some cases of depression.

Whitney Houston - Heart disease from smoking.

Environment and Over consumption - When I say over consumption, I mean eating more calories than you need to maintain a healthy weight.  At one grocery store this weekend I saw four big signs, banners, hanging in the front windows.  They were advertising big BOGOs - Buy One Get One free.  The items were - potatoes, hamburger, ice cream and cookies.  That is what people mean by making the unhealthy choice the easy choice.

What is the diet myth?

If you check back to these past posts, you will see that we began this discussion some time ago - before the popular press started picking out pieces of the research for its headlines.
The original intent for this blog had been and still is to keep a  watch on those headlines and provide better interpretations of research - for your personal consideration.
To paraphrase the work of both Kevin Hall and Boyd Swinburn - the diet advice is misleading and incorrect because it does not consider the implication of weight LOSS.  People are hearing that diets don't work because metabolism changes when people diet - but do you know WHY it changes?  It changes because you burn less calories when you weigh less.  It is a good thing. 
People who have weight loss goals  should keep this in mind (note: I do believe in weight loss - but, I don't endorse "diets" the way people usually refer to them). 
The recent studies suggest that our expectations be tempered by these three things:
1) time frame
2) amount of the change(lifestyle)
3) new steady state weight


Dr. Hall explains that half ones goal weight may be lost in the first year but it takes two more years to lose the other half.  It is not a fast process, it is a myth to think so.  Accepting this is important if you don't want to sabotage yourself.  In regards to the second factor, it might be helpful to cut 200 calories instead of 100 or to cut 100 for one year and than an additional 100 the next (individual advice cannot be provided here).  It is wise to add some exercise into the equation for a gazillion reasons.
When you reach your goal - understand that this new body has a new metabolism - you didn't damage your metabolism - you do not have some predetermined set weight that you are destined to return to - you have a NEW body - treat it right and don't give it more food than it needs!

Obesity Epidemic Permeates

The expansive girth of Americans is not only the topic of research articles and news shows, but fodder for popular novels.  I know this because I am enjoying the rare opportunity of reading one.
During this brief break between semesters, I checked out a library book.  The novel is by one of my favorite mystery writers, Patrica Cornwell.  It is titled Port Mortuary.
As I read today, I came to a passage where the medical examiner's administrative assistant remarks about all the SUVs and men in suits in the complex's parking lot.
He was speculating on who they could be, FBI perhaps.  
He noted that the men were quite strapping and noticeably fit.  Then said this,
"I think the FBI fires people if they get fat."  Followed by, 
"Well, good luck hiring in America."

Ah, sad but true.  Perhaps the year 2012 will offer promise for reducing the number of Americans who are now overweight or obese. IF anything, maybe we can keep the children who are born in the year 2012 from ever becoming overweight.  Now that is something that is entirely possible!

Looking the Part

I am not going to get this exactly right, but it was something close to this:

Last night, after I excitedly told my sister about the calorie information on the restaurant menu, someone at the table said, "She doesn't have to worry about counting any calories herself."  To which I replied, (as one of my favorite teaching moments), "That's because I do."  In other words, I look like I don't have to watch what I eat only because I do (watch what I eat).

Weight control and weight loss are NOT easy.  Well over 90% of all people have to be mindful of energy intake and expenditure in order to prevent overweight and obesity.  In other words, there are very few people who can eat "anything they want" without paying some price for that.

sXe

As part of my Qualitative Research Methods coursework, I had to read an article on a research study that used a particular methodology.  The ethnography.  The study was conducted and article written, by a sociology professor at the University of Mississippi.  If you visit Dr. Ross Haenfler's faculty page and scroll down a little, you will see titles of  his study publications.  
The ethnography (a study of a culture or subculture) I read was meant to capture the Straight Edge subculture that grew out of the Punk and Skinhead scene of the 70-90s.  The sXe way of life involved a commitment of abstinence.  Members chose to refrain from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs - completely, and to avoid casual sex.  In reading Haenfler's study and the quotes therein, I thought about harnessing some of that positive energy from these youth.  They did not want to put anything into their bodies that would have an adverse physical or mental affect. They did not want to cloud their ability to think for themselves nor detract from their ability to self actualize.
I really understand this - and though alcohol has health promoting properties, many of the youth who were drawn to a subculture, were escaping the problem drinking of their parents or peers.
The sXers in the study also cared about the foods that they ate.  That is the mentality I would like to harness.  The body IS that important.  Eating junk type food (in excess or at all some would argue) for the "pleasure" or hedonism of it has consequences. 
It could also be detrimental, preventing people from reaching their full potentials.

Thus I propose a sXe stance against gluttony :)
 

The Protective Factor of Meal Planning

When Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) are creating interventions or programs regarding disease or wellness, they often consider both protective factors and risk factors.  

For example, saturated fat consumption is a RISK factor for heart disease and diabetes, while smoking is a risk factor for many cancers and lung disease.  These diseases can be protected against with exercise,  fruit and vegetable consumption and/or omega 3 fatty acids ( in food).

Exercise is thus a PROTECTIVE factor against disease. 

I believe that planning, preparing, and packing one's meals  is a protective factor against weight gain/obesity or over consumption.   It would be an interesting research study - compare two groups of people who are similar in other ways, but one packs their lunch - within some parameters, and the other does not.


This idea came to me Thursday night or Friday - well - I packed my breakfast and lunch Thursday night and ate it Friday - so both days!


It was really about the breakfast part.  My normal portable breakfast is yogurt with fruit and cereal bar (of course it is a brand and flavor I really like -recall recent post).  I use this portable meal when I have to be on campus early, but you see, I already do that Monday and Thursday - so when I had to go to an early meeting Friday, too - I had just had ENOUGH yogurt.


Instead, I made myself an egg and cheese sandwich on this new Joseph's lavash bread and I decided I would heat it up at school  It looked and smelled wonderful - so much so that I went to bed and woke up thinking about eating it! 
Because it was something I put energy and creativity into, knew was healthy and planned to eat, there was not a Dunkin Donut on this earth that would have turned me from my healthy breakfast.


So - planning, preparing and packing meals can be protective against eating high calorie, nutrient poor foods - and thus, "prevent" weight gain :)

 

A Colorful Plate

March is National Nutrition Month - the only thing surprising about this is that I didn't mention it sooner!
Good nutrition has everything to do with what you put on your plate - if you get that right - all the vitamins and minerals you need will be taken care of - with your fork!

I received this flyer in my inbox today - from the ADA via the University Nutrition Club - feel free to print, share and "do as it says!"

Size Matters

Size matters so much so that they can be changed - not a new blog topic per se, (vanity sizing) but another chance to talk about it.  I am, in case you didn't catch on, referring to clothing sizes.  It may be the same for men, but a man will have to tell me because I have not been wearing men's clothes for the last several decades and as such wouldn't have noticed.

Women's clothing, I have seen and others have confirmed, has gotten bigger while the number on the tag stays the same or even gets smaller.  Well, this is true in children's clothing as well - or girls.  You see we are all getting bigger and trying really hard to deny it.

I was thumbing through a popular magazine recently and saw one of those weight loss stories that have the before and after facts for the weight loser.  This particular one said "before - 164 lbs size 10"  and "after- 137 lbs size 4."  To which I reacted out loud, "WHAT?"

You see,  I once wore sizes ten and twelve - at the time my weight was maxed out at 149 - I have also worn a size 4 in the past and I weighed about 110.  So yeah, that is just crazy math people - crazy math.

Directions in Childhood Obesity Prevention

In regard to childhood obesity prevention programs that I have spent the better of two weeks reviewing, I have chosen the CATCH one to promote to my community partners and community. To better help me wrap my mind around what I want to say, I will use you, my loyal blog readers, for a practice articulation. (I have found graduate school to be similar to emasculation – my ability to form cohesive thoughts and sentences is considerably weakened. As Sarah Palin might say WTF? Which, incidentally,  is the only time you will see THAT name in my blog)



Back to childhood obesity…


Though my review is far from complete or exhaustive, a concept or theme is developing. I see that the Coordinated Approach To Child Health, a revision of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health, is the program that is the most comprehensive, most studied and seemingly the most socio-ecological (it involves all areas of exposure – individual, school, home and community). CATCH has been involved in randomized controlled trials and evaluated for sustainability. After the initial transnational project, smaller studies on more diverse populations were completed. Though low-income schools with minority populations have been studied, the sole program that involved an adequate number of black children measured the changes in the school environment only. In other words, they did not look at knowledge, skill or behavior change on the individual level. In the larger trial, one district did have a 15% representation of black children, but during analyses it was noted that more black children were lost to follow up (left the schools) than the whites. According to our public health databases, black children have much higher rates of OW/OB than white children do, though all races have higher rates than expected/acceptable. It is this researcher’s assumption that individual subcultures are not the causal factor in our obesity epidemic. Instead, the overall culture or sociopolitical climate is obesogenic. Poverty, not race, promotes obesity as much as overconsumption. If we can deliver this comprehensive program in a majority black school and or majority low income school and allow these children the knowledge, skills and resources to eat well and exercise more– the positive outcomes will add to the research questions we ask and the policy decisions we make. This is not to say we do not to continue work with ALL children, but to make sure we do not leave out the group with the greatest risk. The studies already completed may have been nationally representative – meaning that they may have had the right proportion of race and gender to start the study, but they did not finish in parity. Even so, if most of our evidence for childhood obesity was on girls and not boys, wouldn’t that be a problem?


And that is where I am headed with my research these days – though I also have a proposal in for a worksite wellness program that would be Internet based. I will let you know if that one gets funded :)

Which Tips are Tops

Today I took a look at the list that USA Today put together as the best weight loss tips they have recommended over the years.  You can see that list by clicking here.

I do hope that you will read their advice.  My post is in response to it.

 I found these tips to be ones that I might also suggest or have taken advantage of myself.  They are significantly abbreviated from the article.

1. set realistic goals, 6. portion size, 7. clean out fridge and pantry, 8. create a "dinner deck", 10. load up on produce and keep it handy, 12. make changes for everyone (i.e. non-fat milks and cheeses), 13. cut out liquid calories, 21. dine at the table, 22. dine out without over indulging, 23. get plenty of sleep, 24. weigh regularly.

Now some of these I REALLY liked, and some I liked with reservations.  For example, portion size is related to informed eating and one of my great passions.  If you are creative, you can still have a full plate.  Number seven is a must.  People who are quitting tobacco should not keep a pack of cigs around and recovering alcoholics do not need a pint hidden in the freezer.  You are either IN or OUT - lose the Twinkies.  Number eight is referring to index cards that have some favorite low cal recipes that you can prepare quickly and easily - to that I add "use some of the meals that Deirdre has on You Tube."   With regard to cutting out liquid calories - oh my gosh, fruit juice, sports drinks and soda - must go - if you would like to have alcohol on occasion, remember that light beer has about 100 cals for 12 ounces, wine has 100+ for only 4 ounces and liquor has 100 cals for 1.5 ounces.  That 1.5  can be mixed with 12 ounces of Fresca for a nice cocktail :) 

I have mixed feelings about the weigh regularly advice especially because in the article it notes that some persons weigh daily.  Now, it is true that the National Weight Control Registry lists the behaviors of successful weight reducers and moderating calories, exercising daily and weighing are all there - but weighing can become an obsession.  I weigh about twice a year but notice how my clothes feel all the time.  With that - give yourself permission to be bloated every now and again :)

There are two things in the article with which I categorically disagree .  The writers keep referring to dieting and dieters - BOO - diets are disasters and dieters feel defeated.  Instead, choose to eat in a way that maintains a weight that is good for YOUR health. 

In the article, number 18 suggests never eating after 8 pm and that is more myth than truth.  It always depends on what you eat and how much you eat in a given day.  If one goes to bed on an empty stomach the restorative sleep that is a top priority will be compromised.

Don't forget to check the article.  Review some You Tube video recipes.  And read this book. 

EIEEO

I have been aware of the following for some years -
the amount of calories one "burns" or expends during exercise has to do with intensity and weight. The EE - is energy expenditure. I have said to friends and probably here that you cannot take a suggestion of "calories burned" per time per activity as literal because it is ALL relevant. So when the commercial says that 30 minutes on the treadmill burns 100 calories, you have to ask - who was the "model" and what was the "pace"?

This I have known. What I hadn't quite wrapped my mind around, prior to reading a few research articles last night, was overall EE.

I am investigating the different impacts of nutrients (i.e. fat, sugar, phytochemicals, PUFAs), physical activity, over consumption, physical activity and sedentary behavior on weight and health. My hypothesis is that EI - energy intake - is the most powerful factor for weight - not health - weight.

So I am doing a lot of literature review - or reading other people's research.

I have found some support of my theory. In several studies, lean and overweight persons are burning the same amount of calories but the overweight people are consuming more. So same EE , different EI. Here is why that is happening.

Though bigger people burn more calories during any activity - they either do the activity for less time or at less intensity as their bodies are less able to handle moderate or vigorous activity. It makes sense. It also means that I am on the right track when I say the message for weight control has to be about calories. The amount of physical activity - and intensity - that is needed for weight LOSS - is most often inappropriate for obese persons. They are not able to do it and they should not do it (joints, blood pressure, etc) until they lose some weight. Let me be clear. All persons should engage in daily physical activity as recommended by the DHHS an the Activity Guidelines for Americans. OW and Obese people may begin with slow pace walking and swimming, perhaps. They cannot start with running or high intensity activities (which BURN calories faster)- and all these messages about moving more may be misplaced for some people.

I have found more research on why we shouldn't sit for long periods of time - regardless of weight or exercise level - but that is for another time.

Today's blog title code: Energy Intake Energy Expenditure Obesity EIEEO