PAST PICKS OCTOBER 2008

Saw a Childhood Obesity Epidemic cartoon slideshow called, “A Growing Problem” at the msnbc.com web site.  I don’t know if it will make you laugh, but it sure will make you think.  Click here.

If you've ever had a family member or friend who suffered from Alzheimer's, you know how devastating the disease can be.  Now there may be a link between childhood obesity and Alzheimer's.  Scientists have found that obesity can be a major risk factor in contracting Alzheimer’s disease in later life; apparently there is about a twenty year lag between being obese and the onset of Alzheimer’s. The reasons for this are quite complex, however they center around the increased tolerance to insulin that obese people can have. As their bodies become more resistant to insulin, they require more insulin for their cells to absorb sugars from the blood.  High levels of insulin are damaging to many cells in the body, including those in the brain, apparently, leading to Alzheimer’s disease.  If these findings are correct, we have yet another important reason to ensure that we keep our weight under control.  We should also then feel more than a little concerned:  If there is only a twenty year gap between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease, then what is the prognosis for the increasing numbers of children who are obese?

You don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy meatless burgers.  On the other hand, just because a burger is meatless doesn’t mean it’s better for you.  Click here for the September 2008 issue of Environmental Nutrition’s great nutrition comparison of all the beefless burgers.

Digestion time varies depending on the individual. For healthy adults, it's usually between 24 and 72 hours. (This is why that pig-out you had one day doesn’t show up on the scale until 2 days later!)  After you eat, it takes about six to eight hours for food to pass through your stomach and small intestine. Food then enters your large intestine (colon) for further digestion and absorption of water. Elimination of undigested food residue through the large intestine usually begins after 24 hours. Complete elimination from the body may take several days.

We get asked this question all the time.  Tip # 1:  Make sure you ask the server how many calories and fat grams each ounce of the yogurt has.  Tip # 2:  The number of ounces you are served has nothing to do with the number of ounces the cup holds. Typically a so-called 4-oz. serving of frozen yogurt really has more like 8 ounces. Ask the server to weigh it for you, if possible. If that's not possible, assume that the yogurt swirled above the top of the cup is another 4 oz. and that, therefore, the ‘small’ 4-oz serving is really 2 servings (or 1 Milk).

Yes.  A couple of bread-makers (Wonder, Pepperidge Farms) now sell a type of bread that looks and tastes like traditional white bread but is made from whole grains of an albino wheat.  The albino wheat has a lighter color and a milder, sweeter flavor than does red wheat, which is used to make the stand brown whole-wheat bread.  If you’re a fan of white bread but would like to consume more whole grains, white whole-wheat bread may be the option you’re looking for.  Some varieties are 100% whole grain while others are a blend of whole and refined grain.  Refined grains lose some of their outer and center portions during processing, and aren’t considered as nutritious as whole grains.  To make sure a product is whole grain, check that the first item in the ingredient list is “whole” wheat or whatever grain is being used.

are getting lots of kudos.  New, and in three flavors, I’m recommending two of them, both lightly marinated, seasoned premium quality tuna—the Sundried Tomato & Basil contains sweet sundried tomatoes and a hint of fresh basil; the Lemon & Pepper contains a touch of fresh cracked pepper and a twist of lemon.  Each can is 5 oz. (1 P).

The August 2008 issue of the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource speaks about a study in the March 12, 2008 Journal of the American Medical Association which found that personal contact with a weight-loss professional lessens weight regain.  In that study, 1,050 adults successfully completed their weight loss goals and were then randomly assigned to one of three weight-maintenance groups.  The first received monthly assistance, in person or by phone; the second had unlimited access to a weight-management Web site; and the third received encouragement, but no other assistance.  After 30 months, the personal-contact group regained the least amount of weight.  It appears that long-term personal support does make a difference in weight-loss maintenance.

Breast cancer is an issue that’s very near and dear to my heart.  As everyone knows, my mother is a three-time cancer survivor, twice of the breast, both removed.  So let me take this opportunity to remind all the women (and men, remind the women in your lives) to not only do regular self-examinations, not only to go for yearly mammograms, but to keep your weight down.  It’s a fact that the heavier you are after a bout of breast cancer, the greater the risk of recurrence.  Want to see how fabulous one can look and feel when you’re slim and eat right despite having had cancer?  My mother and I are active in The Wellness Community, an organization devoted to cancer support and education, where all workshops, support groups and social activities are free of charge to those battling or surviving cancer.  Just a few weeks ago my mother participated in their annual “Celebration of Life” fashion fund raiser.  I invite you to take a look at the ad I placed in the event journal, along with a few photos of my mother modeling.  She was stunning.  Hard to believe she’ll be 75 years old in just a few months … long may she continue to live.  Special gratitude goes out to Timothy Harris Photography of Holmdel, NJ, who took fabulous photos and video and donated all his services.    A real mensch.  Click here.