HealthFIT News

Body Composition Testing

2010-06-11T00:20:00.000-07:00

An attendee of one of the recent talks I gave asked me about the accuracy of different ways to measure body fat. In case you'd like an objective measure of your progress, or a baseline so you know where you want to go, body fat measurement is far superior to weighing yourself on a scale or calculating your BMI. Here's the answer I gave her!

The most accurate ways of testing your body composition:

1. Hydrostatic Body Composition testing involves you exhaling all of the air in your lungs, and then being completely submerged underwater. It's a fairly involved process, but remains the gold standard of the industry.

Mobile Hydrostatic Body Composition testing that comes to our area occasionally: http://www.getdunked.com
Sports Basement has been known to host hydrostatic body fat testing. Contact them for possible schedule: Sports Basement, 1177 Kern Ave., Sunnyvale (408) 732-0300 www.sportsbasement.com

2. DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) scans use x-ray technology to scan the body and identify fat, lean tissue and bone tissue, but because the scans expose you to radiation, I wouldn't recommend them unless you're getting a full body scan for other reasons.

3. Bod Pods work like hydrostatic weighing, but by displacing air instead of water.
They're generally hard to find, since they are usually found at universities or clinical settings, but you can try to find one near you here: http://www.bodpod.com/clients/locator

4. Calipers are one of the most common reliable ways to measure body fat. Your skinfold thickness is measured in several standardized spots, and plugged into a formula to calculate your bodyfat percentage. Lange Calipers are the best on the market, and the ones I use. The American Council on Exercise lists the margin of error at 3.5%, but reliability is great if you have the same person re-measure. Besides, you don't just want to know your body fat percentage, right? You want to know that it's going down as you're exercising and eating well!

5. Bioelectrical impedance measures how long it takes an electrical current to travel through your body. They used to use 4 electrodes placed on your fingers and toes, but are now built into many consumer scales and just read the current up one leg and down the other. Since bioelectrical impedance is so variable depending on the amount of water you have in your body at the time of measurement, it's not very accurate at all.

In order to increase the odds of you learning exactly what your exercise program is doing to change your body, I offer circumference measurements as well as using calipers. It's fun to see exactly WHERE your body fat is coming off, AND where your muscle is being added!

Contact me if you'd like to have your body fat measured!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Nutrition for Runners QUIZ

2009-11-10T22:06:00.001-08:00

1. Which statement is true regarding how much water you should drink each day?

A. Drink 8 -8 oz. glasses of water a day.
B. Drink 50% of your weight in ounces of water. (Say you weigh around 150, you want to drink about 75 ounces of water a day.)
C. Drink when you’re thirsty.
D. Drink to keep your urine clear.
E. Drink enough that you have to urinate every 1-3 hours.

2. Which statement is true about how much water you should drink during exercise?

A. Drink two cups of fluid for every pound of body weight you lose during exercise.
B. Drink one-half to one cup every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.
C. Drink when you’re thirsty.
D. Drink water equal to the amount you’re sweating.

3. What should you eat before exercising?

A. Healthy fats
B. Protein
C. Complex Carbohydrates
D. Simple Carbohydrates

4. How long should you wait after eating to exercise?

A. 0 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 60 minutes
D. 90 minutes

5. How long should you wait to eat after your run?

A. Eat right away
B. Eat within 30 minutes
C. Eat 30-60 minutes later
D. Wait at least 60 minutes to eat.

6. What length of a run should you start drinking water during the run?

A. 20 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 45 minutes
D. 60 minutes

7. What length of a run should you start consuming calories?

A. 30 minutes
B. 45 minutes
C. 60 minutes
D. 90 minutes

Committed to your health,
Maren

P.S. Want to know the answers? You'll have to email me to get them!

Running Shoe Clinic

2009-11-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Our Title Nine/HealthFIT Running Group had the pleasure of listening to Jim Gothers, owner of The Runner’s High, give a talk on running shoes. Here’s what you missed!

The proper equipment for running is absolutely essential to maximize your comfort, prevent injuries and improve performance.

Feet
The first thing to pay attention to is your feet. Pronation is the natural inward rotation of your foot as you walk. “Pronation is not a bad thing; it helps the body absorb impact, but not supporting overpronanation can cause foot pain or knee pain.” Jim says. “Besides providing protection from the impact forces of running, the key thing a running shoe addresses is support for pronation.”

To measure how much your foot elongates or pronates,
you can use a Brannock Device at a shoe store,

or a piece of paper at home.(Instructions here.)

First, measure each foot while sitting down. Then, measure each foot while bearing all your weight on it.

If your foot size changes less than .5 of a Brannock size or .25 of an inch, you have a very stable foot and don’t need much added stability in a running shoe – your goal should be cushioning.

If your foot changes between .5 and 1.5 sizes (.25 inch and .75 inches), you want to look for a shoe that give you stability, or even motion control.

The experts of The Runner’s High also use a final visual analysis to make sure your shoes help prevent excessive inward rotation, if needed.

Shoes
You can tell how much motion control a shoe has by twisting it in the direction your foot will normally pronate. You can also tell by whether the color on the sole of the shoe changes: a solid color will mean the emphasis is on cushioning, while color changes indicate material changes and added reinforcement to stabilize your foot.

If you look at the outsole of a shoe, you can tell how much stability it will give you. A boxy shoe with very little cutout where the arch is will give you more stability, whereas a shoe sole that’s narrower with more curves will give you less stability.

You can also peak underneath the insole of a shoe to see if it’s slip-lasted, combination-lasted or straight-lasted. Slip-lasting will show all the stitches, combination-lasting will show the stitches in the front of the foot and have a board inserted in the heel area, and straight-lasted will have a board the full length. More board equals more stability.

Running shoes should always feel comfortable as soon as you put them on. Yes, they’ll break-in and get softer, but any place that rubs immediately is a blister asking to happen.

Insoles
Also available at The Runner's High are aftermarket insoles by Superfeet, Powerstep, Spenco, etc. “These inserts can help provide more support to any shoe and can control movement within the shoe.” Jim points out. “They give the foot a more stable platform and foundation.”

Socks
The next thing to pay attention to is your socks. You definitely don’t want to wear cotton socks for running. They’ll retain moisture around your foot and lose their shape. A synthetic sock that wicks the sweat away form your foot is the way to go. I’ve used the WrightSock with their double layer anti-blister system for decades and love them. Jim introduced us to Balega socks. They fit like a glove and have soft threads that provide blister protection and amazing comfort. I may be switching over!

Running Bras
Your bras are the next part of your running apparel you should pay attention to. Keep in mind your running bras have a shelf life of about 52 washings before they stretch and lose their shape and support, so you should be thinking about new bras about every other new shoe purchase. Title Nine has an amazing selection, and their staff can answer all your bra questions!

For more expert help with your running shoe needs, see Jim Gothers or one of his knowledgeable staff members at The Runner’s High. I can’t say enough about their expertise and exceptional customer service!

Committed to your health,
Maren

The Runner’s High/Fleet Feet
859 Santa Cruz Ave.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 325 – 9432
runnershigh.com

Snacks, Snacks, Snacks

2009-07-07T00:53:00.000-07:00

One of the most effective ways to lose weight is to eat smaller portions, more frequently.

You should be eating 5-7 times a day, so snack, snack, snack.

Not sure what to snack on?

Here are some of the things you can keep in you cupboard, your office, your car, your backpack, your briefcase, you diaper bag, your purse, etc. Keep healthy snacks available to you everywhere, all the time, so you won't need to get to the point of starving and needing to overeat, nor having to make an unhealthy choice when that's the only option around.

FOOD
• ANY fresh fruit. Make a fruit bowl the centerpiece of the snack room!
• ANY fresh vegetable (can have them with lowfat salad dressing, hummus, salsa or peanut butter or other nut butters as a dip) Easy ones are baby carrots or canned 3-bean salads.
• Edamame
• Olives
• Dried fruits (not fried and with no salt or sugar added), fruit leathers, fruit twists and fruit snacks that are truly JUST fruit
• Unsweetened applesauce or fruit cups (in their own juice)
• Frozen fruit (snack on it frozen on a hot day!) or add to protein shakes
• Low sugar yogurts, lowfat cottage cheese, lowfat cheese sticks
• Whole grains: pita pockets, whole wheat English muffins or breads, whole wheat tortillas, whole grain crackers (like Stoned Ground Wheat, Rye Crisps or Triscuits)
• Whole grain cereals that have more fiber than sugar in them (Cheerios, Multi-bran Chex, Wheat Chex, Puffed Kashi, Kashi Go Lean, Fiber One, Whole Grain Total, All Bran, 100% Bran, Post Bran Flakes, Quaker Crunchy Oat Bran, Corn flakes, Shredded Wheat, etc.)
• Oatmeal
• Lowfat granolas
• Rice cakes made with brown rice
• Baked (not fried) tortilla chips, or whole grain pretzels
• Lowfat microwave popcorn
• Granola bars that are whole grain and low in sugar (like some Barbaras, Health Valley and Nature Valley brands).
• Energy bars with have at least 5 g of protein, 3 g of fiber and less than 3 g saturated fat. (Cliff bars, Luna Bars, Kashi Bars, Powerbars, etc)
• Nuts (limit macadamias) and seeds (watch quantities)
• Trail mixes without high sugar or fried fruit ingredients
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Vegetable soups, chicken noodle soup, gazpacho, minestrone soup.

BEVERAGES
• Water
• Seltzer, sparkling water, club soda
(You can mix either of the above with a squeeze from a citrus fruit or splash of 100% fruit juice to improve the taste)
• Low sodium vegetable drinks
• 100% fruit juice drinks (watch quantities)
• Lowfat milk, soy milk or rice milk
• Unsweetened ice tea
• Hot green tea

Do remember portion size counts. ;-)

Committed to your health,
Maren

How To Double Your Weight Loss

2009-06-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

One of the largest and longest running weight loss studies shows that keeping a food diary can more than double your weight loss.

"The more food records people kept, the more weight they lost," said lead author and researcher Jack Hollis Ph.D. "Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories." American Journal of Preventive Medicine, August 2008.

My new favorite way to record food is MyNetDiary.com

You can enter your foods via internet or iPhone. With a food database that lists over 88,000 foods, it ensures you rarely need to enter food labels, and takes less time than any other calorie counting method. It also has a community, so you can connect to the people you want to (like me), to help support your success!

If you want to try it out, I will give a free month to the first 2 people who email me their request!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Why You Shouldn’t Drink Diet Sodas

2009-06-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

If these articles don’t change your mind, I don’t know what will…

It may change your brain chemistry and metabolic limit and make you more prone to overeat and gain weight! Link to article.
A 14-year study of 66,118 women found that:

People who drank artificially sweetened soda were more likely to experience weight gain than those who drank regular soda.
Those who drank diet soda had twice the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (related to diabetes) Link to article
Over the course of nine years, diet soda drinkers gained almost triple the amount of abdominal fat over non-imbibers. Link to article.

Aspartame is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”; safe for up to 9–14 cans of diet soda per day. That's not comforting to me! Link to more info.
Extreme sweeteners trigger food addiction. Link to article.
The sweet taste elicits an insulin spike, which blocks your body’s ability to burn fat. Link to article.
Accumulating evidence suggests that frequent consumers of these sugar substitutes may also be at increased risk of excessive weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Link to article
Excessive Diet Soda consumption can affect multiple organ systems, and associations have been made to mental health burden, delays in child neurodevelopment, cardiac remodeling, worsening retinopathy in diabetics, incidental end-stage renal disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma in men, rheumatoid arthritis in women, hip fractures, dental erosion, increases in breath alcohol concentration when used in alcoholic beverages, and accelerated cell aging. Link to article.
Women who consumed 24 ounces or more of diet drinks a day had a 35 percent higher risk of heart disease, a 26 percent increased risk of stroke, and a 19 percent risk of dying early from any cause. Link to article.
In two NutriNet-Santé studies, those who consumed around 80 mg of total artificial sweeteners a day—the amount in about two packets of sweetener or half a can of diet soda—had an increased risk of cancer (especially breast and obesity-related cancers) and cardiovascular disease than people who didn’t consume any. Aspartame and Ace-K were linked to the highest cancer risk, aspartame to a higher stroke risk, and sucralose and Ace-K to a higher heart disease risk.
The waist circumference gain of people who consumed diet soda daily was nearly four times greater than non-consumers over a 10-year period. Link to article.
Several theories that could very well explain why drinking diet soda causes weight gain. Read more here.
The world Health Organization says replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. Link to recommendation.
Because the soda doesn't actually contain any calories, the craving remains unsatisfied. When the brain tastes something sweet, it makes a prediction that calories are coming. It waits for that dopamine signal from the stomach. But when no calories arrive - the sweetness is indigestible - that useful and predictive relationship is disrupted. It's as if the brain can no longer trust the tongue. Link to article.
When we taste an artificial sweetener, the reward system becomes activated but not satiated. "Our hypothesis is that the artificial sweetener has less of a feedback mechanism to stop the craving, to get satisfied." Link to article
Diet sodas erode your tooth enamel, and enamel erosion can leave you at greater risk for cavities and decay. Nonsugared drinks (diet and zero-calorie) as a whole were more erosive than sugared beverages.

Need I say more! Yes, more research needs to be done, but why would you risk all of the above side effects?

Stop drinking those diet sodas NOW!

What should you drink? Yes, water. But there’s no need to keep it boring. Add a lemon, lime or orange, or a splash of 100% real fruit juice to keep it palatable. Also, just give it a try for a couple of weeks. Your taste buds do change to the point you’ll actually crave plain water.

Committed to your health,
Maren

P. S. This article has a list of alternatives and better diet sodas.

P.P.S. Here is a spreadsheet with the ingredients of some diet sodas and artificial sweeteners.

Love Cheese? Here's How To Eat it More Healthfully...

2009-04-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

Cheese is a popular and dangerous food to love. Yes, it has protein and calcium in it, but it also has loads of calories and saturated fat.

Here are my 4 favorite ways to keep cheese in your diet, while keeping your food in healthy balance.

Pick lower fat cheeses. Some of the higher fat cheeses are creamed cheese (10g), cheddar (9.5g), gruyere (9g), fontina (9g) and American (9g). Some of the lower fat cheese are cottage cheese (0-4.5), neufchatel (4g), mozzerella (4.5-6g), goat (6g) and feta (6g). You can compare more cheeses here.
Seek out brands of lowfat and nonfat cheese. A personal favorite brand of mine is Alpine Lace. 3 oz. of normal swiss cheese has 108 calories and 7.88 grams of fat (5 g saturated), while Alpine Lace Reduced Fat Swiss Cheese has 90 calories and 6 grams of fat (3.5 g saturated).
Shred or grate your cheese. A much smaller amount of cheese can go a long way when you shred it or grate it, and spinkle it over your food. Like cheese and crackers? Try spinkling a little over a cracker and lighly melting it in the microwave. Like cheese in your sandwhich? Sprinkle some on top of your veggies and lowfat poultry in a whole grain pita pocket to hold it in. Like cheese sauces? Add grated cheese to nonfat milk, a little whole wheat flour to thicken it, and whtever spices you'd like to add. Here's a simple recipe.
Pick your favorite cheese you can't live without, and limit your cheese comsumption to that. For me it's brie. Any other cheese I could take or leave, so I almost always leave it. Then, the rare occasion I have brie offerred to me, I go for it!

Keep in mind 1 ounce of hard cheese is only the size of 2 dominoes or 2 pairs of dice! Serving size is what counts the most!

Email me your cheese challenge, and I'll give you more suggestions if my tips above don't apply to you!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Preserve Antioxidants - Microwave Your Veggies!

2009-04-24T00:27:00.000-07:00

If you're going to cook your veggies, it's healthier to microwave or griddle them.

Vegetables preserve the highest levels of antioxidants if you microwave or griddle them, as opposed to boiling, pressure-cooking, baking or frying.

The Institute of Food Technology released results of a study comparing six cooking methods with 20 vegetables.

They also found:

The highest antioxidant loss was observed in cauliflower after boiling and microwaving, peas after boiling, and zucchini after boiling and frying.
Artichokes preserved high antioxidant levels - even with boiling.
Carrots, celery and green beans have increased antioxidant levels with cooking (except boiling)!

For the most part, don't lose your antioxidants in boiling water!

Committed to your health,
Maren

WARNING: Your Fitness Ball May Burst On You!

2009-04-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

3 Million Fitness Balls Recalled by EB Brands Due to Fall Hazard

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with EB Brands announced a voluntary recall of 3 million fitness balls with the following brands: Bally Total Fitness, Everlast, Valeo and Body Fit Fitness Balls.

An overinflated fitness ball can unexpectedly burst while in use, causing the user to fall to the floor. EB Brands has received 47 reports of fitness balls unexpectedly bursting, including reports of a fracture, and multiple bruises.

EB Brands has issued a warning and new inflation rules, but if you want a fitness or stability ball that will NOT burst, purchase a Pezzi GymnastikBall!

Committed to your health,
Maren

What's Worse than Dying 10 Years Earlier?!

2009-03-18T21:57:00.000-07:00

A USA Today article "Obesity can trim 10 years off life" announces some shocking news:
Being 40 pounds overweight cuts 3 years off your life, and being 100 pounds overweight can knock 10 years off!

While that news is certainly bad enough, I think they miss an even more important point.

No matter how long you live, the quality of your life is more important. Being overweight can make you miss out on the things you want to do.

Are you uncomfortable from your weight?

Are you not traveling because you don't fit in the seats?
Do you groan every time you get out of a chair?
Do you have no clothes that fit well?

Are you in pain from your weight?

Do you avoid going on long walks because your knees hurt too much?
Does your back ache when you stand in line?
Do you have a hard time exercising because every joint hurts?

Are you embarrassed about your weight?

Do you not go out to restaurants because you believe the other patrons are judging you for eating?
Do you avoid the beach like the plague?
Do you hate the summer because you sweat profusely?

What do you want to do that your weight is stopping you from?!

Choose to live a LONG and HEALTHY life. :-)

Here's how to start eating right.

And here's how to exercise right.

Committed to your health,
Maren
www.healthfitonline.com

Should I Exercise When I'm Sick?

2009-03-08T23:44:00.000-07:00

"Should I exercise when I'm sick?" is a common question I get. After 20 years of reading the research on it and testing my theory out on myself, I've come up with some general rules of thumb:

DON'T exercise if you have:
1. A fever.
2. Body aches (that aren't caused by your last workout. ;-))
3. Are throwing up.
4. Are coughing up copious amounts of green stuff.

Heard the rule, "It's okay to exercise if your symptoms are only from the neck up"? I'd agree with that. It's amazing how a workout can give you a boost of energy and clear your sinuses out, if you just have a mild cold. And moving your body can make you start feeling human again.

Pay attention to how you feel. If you feel like you can function, try a workout. Just take it easier, reduce the intensity if you start feeling more tired than normal, and by all means quit if you start feeling really bad.

While intense exercise temporarily depresses your immune system, moderate exercise boosts it!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Metabolic Resistance Training defined

2009-03-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

In my article titled "Why Cardio Is Not Your Answer to Weight Loss!" I talked about metabolic resistance training being the most important type of exercise to do for weight loss.

Q: What exactly is “metabolic” resistance training?

A: Metabolic resistance training, simply defined is: training with resistance that elevates your metabolism. The calories that you burn AFTER you train are what count in this type of training. The goal is to create more work for your body, restoring itself to pre-workout levels, so that you’re burning more calories for the next day and a half. A low intensity workout will burn calories during your session, but a higher-intensity workout can also increase your EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). During this time your body is going through hormone balancing, replenishment of fuel stores, cellular repair, innervation, and anabolism. The more disruption of homeostasis you put your body though, the more oxygen its using, and the more calories it expends getting you back there.

There is no single way to do a metabolic resistance training workout. The possibilities are limitless.

Resistance can include your body weight, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, machines, tubing, medicine balls, sandbags, or anything else you can resist against or that resists against you.

The higher intensity is created by increasing the volume and density of work you do. Working all your biggest muscle groups in the session, shortening your rest periods to actually ensure incomplete rest, and using supersets or circuits, are all used to get your entire body working harder. Workouts can be organized by reps or by time: keep going until you hit the goal number of reps – even if you have to rest briefly in between to get them done, or do as many reps as you can in a certain amount of time.

A simple example of a metabolic susperset would be pairing 12 pushups with 12 squats. Do the exercises back-to-back, rest 60 seconds, and repeat. Try that 4 times in a row and tell me your heart rate isn't up!

Yes, you should work up if you’re a beginner. Don’t kill yourself on a first session. It's okay to rest in the middle of a set if you need to. Just jump right back in as soon as you're able. And be continually aware of how many reps you got in, in how much time, so you can try to beat that in your next session. Pushing yourself is key.

During these workouts, your heart rate will be elevated and your entire system will feel taxed. You’ll be able to tell you’re burning more calories later, since you’ll feel the recovery process going on. Tired afterward? You did a good job!

Sign up here to get your PERSONALIZED metabolic resistance training workout sent to you online!

Committed to your health,
Maren

We're All Made of Corn!

2008-11-24T00:13:00.000-08:00

I rented a fantastic documentary from Netflix this weekend. It's as eye-opening and impactful as "Super Size Me"!

Did you know that we're basically made of corn? No really, your hair sample will tell you so.

When you order a fast food meal, you're consuming corn-fed beef, french fries fried in corn oil and sodas made with high fructose corn syrup.

The over-production of corn in our country is an economic solution to agriculture, but if we continue down the same path, we're going to reverse the progress we're made for the average lifespan.

Learn more here!
http://kingcorn.net/

Committed to your health,
Maren

Why Pilates Won't Help You Lose Weight

2008-11-21T02:18:00.000-08:00

Before you go and defend Pilates, please know that I love many things about it. It definitely helps tighten your core and improve flexibility. But, usually those are secondary goals. You can't show off a tight core with a thick layer of adipose tissue over it!

So, what will help you lose weight?

1. Eat right.

2. Strength train to increase your muscle mass so you burn more calories all day long.

3. Do your cardiovascular exercise with intervals once or twice a week, so you burn more calories for a time after your workout. (I'll post more details about that later.)

4. Cardiovascular exercise done in a steady state fashion, should only be done to burn extra calories if you've covered 1, 2 & 3 (or for some reason can't do #3).

5. Pilates, yoga, more daily activity like walking , etc all have great benefits - but they're more mental than weight-loss oriented. Yes, Pilates, Yoga and walking build some muscle when you start the program, but only progressive resistance will continue it. Unless you're gaining weight as you're doing the exercises, you aren't increasing your resistance each workout. That would be counterproductive! ;-)

So go ahead and do your Pilates. Just make sure you know why you're doing it, and that you aren't missing out on higher priorities! (And be sure to balance out all those flexed positions with extra extension and retractions work!)

Committed to your health,
Maren

Web 2.0

2008-11-21T02:13:00.000-08:00

Whew! It's been longer than I thought since I posted! It's amazing how fast time goes by when you have little kids. My daughter is now 5 and my son is almost 22 months. I'm taking a little break from my kids and trying to catch up with the times! You can now find me via Web 2.0:

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/marensederquist

LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/736/244

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/r.php?invid=1158305949&key=XYGTZ253PYVM5GCIP1YUUQ

See you on the internet!
Maren

Only Some Vitamins Have Clear Benefit

2006-07-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

A federal panel reviewed the research on vitamin supplements, and concluded that there's not enough evidence to either support or dispute their benefit. Only three vitamins have proven to have a clear protective benefit:

Folic acid (taken by pregnant women to prevent birth defects)
A combination of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, and the minerals copper and zinc (for the reduction of macular degeneration)
Calcium and vitamin D (for reducing the risk of bone fractures)

So much more research needs to be done to make more conclusions. My general recommendation for now: A multivitamin that gives you 100% DV is probably good insurance, but since some studies show no benefit from vitamins, and even negative side effects from too much of some vitamins, don't over-do it! Try to get the majority of your nutrients from the foods you eat. There are clear benefits from eating more fruits and vegetables, but we haven't been able to isolate all the benefits and put them in a pill!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Secondhand Smoke Suffocates

2006-07-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

The surgeon general released a report that should convince anyone who thinks it's just a theory that secondhand smoke kills, that it's a real threat. In surgeon general Richard H Carmona's words: "The scientific evidence is now indisputable: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance. It is a serious health hazard that can lead to disease and premature death in children and non-smoking adults."

Some of the findings:

Your chance of getting lung cancer increases 20 to 30 percent if you live with a smoker.
Exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of heart disease by 25 to 30 percent.
Children exposed to second hand smoke are at increased risk for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), respiratory infections, asthma, slower lung growth and ear problems.

California has been a leader in banning smoking in public places, so now most secondhand smoke exposure is occurring in people's homes, or cars. Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, jumped at the opportunity of the recent press to introduce a bill that would allow police officers to stop and cite drivers smoking with children under the age of 6 in the car.

I think it's important to keep our children healthy, even at the expense of the personal freedom of smoking. What do you think? Is it going too far?

Committed to your health,
Maren

Quick Tylenol Warning

2006-07-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that shows the maximum dose of Tylenol recommended (4 g daily, or two 500 mg pills every six hours) elevates liver enzymes to levels that could cause liver damage. Enzyme levels even kept increasing 4 days after they stopped taking acetaminophen, and didn't return to normal for as long as 11 days. Please use caution and moderation!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Causes for Obesity, or Just Correlations?

2006-07-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

A study appearing in the International Journal of Obesity looks at 10 factors that might be adding to the obesity epidemic.

Sleep deprivation.
Pollution and chemicals.
Heating and air conditioning use.
Decreased smoking rates.
Use of steriods, antidepressants & contraceptives.
An aging population.
Children being born to older women.
Genetics.
Higher fertility rates among overweight women.
Attraction to similar body types.

Yeah, I agree these factors might be contributing to our society's weight gain, although inactivity and huge junk food portions have to be bigger contributors. So what's the solution? EXERCISE and EATING HEALTHY!!!

Sleep deprivation? Exercise helps you sleep better.
Pollution and chemicals? Exercise helps purge toxins out of your body, and foods full of antioxidants (fruits and vegetables) help combat the cellular damage and hormone disruption of pollution and chemicals.
Heating and air conditioning use? Exercise (especially strength training) helps you regulate your temperature better so you need to depend on external means of finding comfort less.
Decreased smoking rates? Exercise and eating healthy helps offset possible weight gain.
Use of steriods, antidepressants & contraceptives? Exercise and eating healthy may not be able to fully offset medication effects. Talk with your physician about alternatives that may not have weight-gain side effects.
An aging population? No! It's being sedentary and losing muscle that contributes to weight gain, not age by itself. Strength train to keep up your muscle mass and metabolism.
Children being born to older women? A correlation. An active and healthy lifestyle with less TV, video games and junk food should prevent obesity in children.
Genetics? Maybe, but genetics can only give you a predisposition to a certain weight, not determine it. Exercise and eating healthy still work.
Higher fertility rates among slightly overweight women? I believe this is skewed because underweight women may not be able to conceive.
Attraction to similar body types? Start exercising and eating well, and attract those who do also!

So we already knew the problem... and the solution. Let's take this new information, and just let it add to our motivation to be solution oriented!

EXERCISE and EAT HEALTHY!!!

Committed to your health,
Maren

Hoodwinked by Hoodia?

2006-06-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

Have you been getting the same spam as I have? Every day I get at least one email advertising Hoodia - the latest promised quick fix for bodyfat loss. I didn't think anything of the email, knowing that Hoodia is a hoax, but then a client of mine told me they learned about Hoodia on 60 minutes! What?! Is that part of the spam true?! I also receive spam saying "Hoodia: As seen on Oprah". So, I had to dig deeper...

Well, I didn't find anything about Hoodia on Oprah's site, so let me know if you saw anything on her show.

What I read on 60 Minutes' site shocked me! In 2004, they traveled to Africa, where the bitter-tasting cactus-like plant grows, and talked about ANECDOTAL evidence of one of their reporters not being hungry all day after eating some of it. That's science?

An English pharmaceutical company called Phytopharm has spent more than $20 million on researching it. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer had even teamed up with Phytopharm at one point, but and then decided the patent wasn't worth further money, since Hoodia doesn't work!

The truth? Hoodia has not been through a long-term scientific trail to see if it works. The study cited on the Phytopharm website said bodyfat was reduced after 2 weeks. Would you like to see results beyond 2 weeks? It also says "by day 15 the calorie intake had decreased by approximately 1000 kcal per day". I hope you know by now that a calorie deficit that significant is not only NOT healthy, but sure to destroy your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight permanently. And notice you can't find anything published on it after 2004? Don't you think you'd hear more recent news if it was working? Phytopharm even admits "further scientific studies are required to establish the safety profile of Hoodia".

All the Hoodia products you can find now are created by companies who decided to get in on the hype, and include contain between 0.1 and 0.01 percent of the active ingredient claimed. So, even if the patented Hoodia did work, none of the products on the market today would. Save your money!

Yes, losing weight has to be done the old fashioned way by eating slightly less, eating balanced meals, doing moderate amounts of cardiovascular exercise and strength training to preserve muscle. Don't be hoodwinked by Hoodia!

"Over the Hedge" Reflects Society's Bad Eating Habits

2006-05-20T20:36:00.000-07:00

So, I guess first I should explain why I saw "Over the Hedge". My days of seeing every "3-and-more-stars" movie that comes out, and throwing Oscar parties are over - temporarily. You see, I have a 2 and a half year old daughter. I can count on two hands the movies I've seen in a theater in the last 2 and a half years, whereas I used to be able to count as many in 2 and a half months. And the majority of the movies I've seen have been animated films.

While not usually my favorite kind of movie, I found a redeeming quality in this one. It was a great reflection of how our society looks at food, and what we consume. I just hope it serves as a mirror for parents who take their kids to see "Over the Hedge", and that it will move them to make some changes. Once kids are introduced to junk food, it's hard to steer them toward nutrition. It's truly addictive.

"If it tastes so good, it must be good for you?" I don't think so. But healthy food doesn't have to taste bad, and it's our responsibility as parents to guide our kids toward healthy choices. I hope I won't be the only parent who pops healthy popcorn and brings it into the theater for long!

The narrator of the movie calls humans "couch potatoes" with "pie holes". Sugar rushes keep us going, and enough is never enough. We exercise only to rid our guilt for eating. These are sad truths.

The animals in "Over the Hedge" know better than we do, that it's smart to "Eat to Live" rather then "Live to Eat".

Committed to your health,
Maren

This is NOT Permission to Eat at McDonald's

2006-05-11T00:39:00.000-07:00

A colleague of mine told me that McDonald's is putting on a new promotion trying to cater to people who want to eat healthier. I went to their web site to check it out, and what a promotion it is!

McDonald's is now selling "Go Active! Happy Meals" for adults. The meals include a salad, water or other drink, and one of four 15-minute workout DVDs: yoga, cardio, strength or core, led by a computer animated "virtual" trainer.

Sounds really great, huh? McDonald's promoting health... Giving people healthy fast food options...

There are 4 reasons I don't think it's a good idea for consumers to buy into this.

1. You still have to know what you're doing to get a healthy salad. One of the salads is a bacon ranch salad. With "crispy" (fried) chicken, bacon and ranch dressing, it has a whopping 540 calories and 32 grams of fat. That's 53% fat!!! A hamburger and small fries has 510 calories and only 22 grams of fat (39%). More nutritional info here.

The idea behind a salad being healthy is that it's low in calories and full of high-nutrient veggies. Many salads contain bacon, fried chicken or noodles, butter soaked croutons, cheese or other foods that are high in calories or fat. Also, unless the salad dressing says it's low-fat, it's not. Iceberg lettuce has virtually no vitamins in it, so if your salad is mostly light colored lettuce, you're out of luck for your vitamin dosage for the day.

2. Keeping salads fresh is real a challenge. when is the last time you tried a salad at a fast food place? Last time I did, the lettuce was wilted and brown, the tomatoes flavor-less, the shredded carrots dry and the chicken was rubbery. (That was all that was left of the salad after I picked the cheese off it, since I wasn't willing to open the bacon and crouton packets.) By definition, salads need to be prepared ahead of time to be "fast" food, so freshness is nearly impossible.

3. The smell of french fries. Would you really be able to hold your resolve once you walked in? Need I say more?

4. It's still McDonald's. Even if you do eat a salad, with the light dressing and only a water, you're still supporting a restaurant that serves about the worst food for you on the planet. Have you watched "Super Size Me" or read "Don't Eat This Book" yet? Until they start serving truly healthy salads, offering even more healthy choices, and offering less super-sized artery-clogging foods, I'm not going to become a regular.

Yeah, I might have to go and check out the DVDs, but since they only work on PCs, PlayStations or Xboxes and not Macs, there's another reason they won't make a convert out of me!

Committed to you health,
Maren

P.S. As I dug deeper into the program online, I learned they have a link to a menu plan for certain calorie ranges. I thought for sure it would be a menu of McDonald's foods, but there weren't any. Although beer, goldfish crackers and doughnuts were options, I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a variety of foods you could prepare at home. They also have some great family fitness articles and other resources.

Calcium Helps, Doesn't Help, Helps...

2006-04-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here we go again!

In February, the widely held belief that Calcium
supplementation helps prevent osteoporosis was shot
down by a report from the Women's Health Initiative Study.
Monday, April 24, 2006, the Archives
of Internal Medicine published a study that swings
us back to the belief that it works after all. What
should we believe?

Sometimes studies leave us with confusing and
conflicting results. Studies may need to be redesigned
or repeated before we'll know the truth.

This is a case where the interpretation of the study
and study design led us to believe calcium has no
effect erroneously.

The WHI study reported results of women who were in
the group that was SUPPOSED to take calcium. However,
not all of them actually did! When statistically
insignificant results were reported, it was because of
compliance, not efficacy. When the results are
analyzed for women who actually took their calcium,
there was a 29% lower risk of hip fractures than those
who didn't. It also found a 21% reduced risk for women
over 60, even if they weren't consistent in taking
their supplement every day!

Further disrupting the results of the WHI study, women
in the control group could've been taking hormone
replacement therapy or other medications that can
prevent bone loss, or taking calcium without being
told to.

In the study reported in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, women who took at least 80 percent of their
600 mg calcium supplement twice a day, had a 44%
reduction in fractures!

Conclusion from all the recent studies: take the
doctor recommended 1200 mg of calcium with vitamin D
a day if you're a woman over 50.

Committed to your health,
Maren

Fast Food Poison

2006-04-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Processed food companies and restaurants have made tremendous changes since the FDA regulated the listing of trans fats on nutritional labels. I wrote an article detailing the negative effects of trans fats and the changes that have been made.

Unfortunately not enough changes have been made yet.

The New England Journal of Medicine published a new study April 13, with a shocking statement about just how bad trans fats are for you. "The daily intake of about 5 g of trans fat is associated with a 25 percent increase in the risk of ischemic heart disease."

I knew that trans fat raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol, but that new statistic really drives home just what a huge impact it has. A few handfuls of cookies or chips and you could increase your risk 100%!

The study found trans fats were used more frequently in McDonald's and KFC french fries and chicken nuggets in this country than some others, so the regulations of disclaiming what's in your food hasn't been enough. It's time to choose other restaurants and foods that won't kill you!

P.S. Here is a USDA list itemizing high trans fat items.

Committed to your health,
Maren