Body In Mind Nutrition

"What happened in eating is that no matter how much people give you to eat, you'll eat the whole thing," Ariely says. "So it's really a question of how much you start with. Because we've also tested this — we looked at what people end up with and how much they throw away. People eat everything you give them. But if you give people a mechanism to limit what they're going to have for food later on, people actually eat less as a consequence."

Research is showing that the effort to educate us about the calories in our food does NOT alter our food choices.  In particular, that we tend to eat all of the food we are served, regardless of the nutrition information. Could it be that the great majority are not aware of the body's sensations of satiety and continue eating all of the food served (and paid for!) even when it is too much?  This research discusses the fact that people may choose to eat fewer calories when they are given choices about altering the calorie content of what they eat by choosing a different side item.  Maybe taking a few seconds to consider another choice helps to increase our awareness just enough.
http://www.npr.org/2010/12/28/132413126/oh-that-hamburger-is-900-calories-yes-please?sc=fb&cc=fp

 An interesting book about the role of genetics and diet/weight- finally.


"... studies report group outcomes. Every plan has its own rare, shining success stories as well. Sometime, a diet just clicks.  Perhaps the remarkable diversity of the human organism — whose various sizes and shapes (double chins, giant thighs and all) are so clearly driven by such a vast array of different appetites and genetic cues — simply means that it is foolish to expect a single diet to serve all comers.
There. A proposal to end the war, just in time for the new year. "     


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/health/28zuger.html?ref=science

"The cost of not treating is astronomical, both in human suffering and medical problems," said Dr. Murray Zucker, a medical director with OptumHealth, the care management arm of UnitedHealth Group. "From a cost-effectiveness standpoint, it makes sense to treat eating disorders as quickly as possible and in as efficacious a way as possible."

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/112457489.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUoD3aPc:_2yc:a_ncyD_MDCiU

"Support for Contrave is less about how good this particular drug combination is (it's modestly effective and has some toxicity), and more about how bad the overall state of pharmacotherapy for weight management is," said David L. Katz, MD, MPH, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. "The FDA committee's decision can be justified by invoking the 'any port in a storm!' clause."

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/Obesity/24049

"And I bet it’s time for you to update that ol’ workout playlist. “Best” Workout Songs of course, is a matter of taste, but the following songs are guaranteed to get your body moving (even though they don’t include The Suckers’ wonderful, non-exercise-related song by that name.) And if you don’t exercise, just think of all this great music as reason to get up offa that thing."

http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2010/04/the-80-best-workout-songs.html

I recently had a conversation with a friend about the many merits of eating sardines, which, is an acquired taste in my opinion.  But the list is quite long, and sardines are a nutritional powerhouse!  So I did a little research about exactly how I might begin the adventure of cooking sardines.  I came across this video and thought you might be encouraged to join me.  (I have received no financial support from any fishing industry and neither has any member of my family-rest assured).



http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/12/24/dining/1248069379379/broiled-sardines-with-lemon-and-thyme.html?scp=1&sq=sardines&st=cse

"A food-drug interaction is the alteration of a drug’s pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics when certain foods or beverages are consumed at the same time. Older patients are particularly at risk for negative food and drug interactions simply because this population takes more than 30% of all prescription drugs.1 Patients with cancer and/or malnutrition, gastrointestinal tract dysfunction, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; patients receiving enteral nutrition; and transplant recipients are also at risk."

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/121610p26.shtml

I have struggled with my reaction to "The Biggest Loser" (along with other TV shows about body size), but my strongest reaction is to the seductive quality of the magical transformation that we see in the contestants.  My experience is that changing habits that result in permanent weight loss requires SUSTAINABLE changes in our eating and activity patterns.  Fast weight loss is fun to watch on TV, but weight loss that is for keeps requires a very different approach.

"My concern is that such shows not only establish unrealistic expectations but could promote unhealthy, potentially risky, behaviors from viewers attempting to emulate these spectacular results (see Chart at link below). In the article, "Is "The Biggest Loser" Really a Big Winner or Just a Big Loser?" Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado at Denver states that such entertainment is "...trivializing the complex genetic and environmental influences on our behavior and weight."

http://scienceblogs.com/deanscorner/2010/12/_nbcs_biggest_loser_has.php

The debate continues about when a gluten-free diet is recommended for the treatment of Celiac Disease.

"Our results demonstrate that metabolic alterations may precede the development of small intestinal villous atrophy and provide a further rationale for early institution of gluten-free diet in patients with potential celiac disease, as recently suggested by prospective clinical studies," the scientists conclude.



http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101215121916.htm

You do know that Ronald McDonald is THE most recognizable figure to our children.  The debate starts to get interesting when you throw in the concepts of personal responsibility and parenting.

"Parents are responsible for their children’s diet. And they certainly could do a better job: almost 17 percent of American children are obese, three times as many as in the 1970s. But it would be easier for parents to do their job if they didn’t have to push back against the relentless tide of marketing aimed at their children."      

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/20/opinion/20mon4.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a211

No matter what the distraction, listening to a story, watching TV, computer tasks, reading the newspaper, you name it, you will find yourself less satisfied when you eat while doing other things.  Usually, this leads to eating more.  When you are not present to really savor your food as you are eating it, you may find yourself craving more.  The research has been done on meals eaten in front of the television.  Now we have research re: snacking in front of the computer.

I know the issue for many is the feeling of not having the time to stop and allow yourself the time for lunch or a snack unless you continue to work while you eat.  You and your health are worth the investment!  Start small and commit to one meal or snack a day where you sit and enjoy your food without distraction.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106761.html

"Overall this study illustrates an important principle: that what is genetically advantageous in one cultural or historic context may not be in another. In fact, Montminy does not view obesity as an aberration or a "disease." "Storing fat in adipose tissue is a normal response. A lot people are obese but do not develop type 2 diabetes," he says, suggesting that genes like CRTC3 could serve as diagnostic tools as well as drug targets. "A goal is to go to your doc and learn whether you have the risk factors to progress to diabetes."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101215133310.htm

I am not one to recommend avoidance, but protecting yourself and your kids is something I do recommend.
"My thoughts? This isn't a movie I'll be going to, nor will I be taking my daughters. Why add one more trigger?"

Don't even say the word Exercise!  Find ways to play and move that you look forward to so you will make it a part of your day.  Try to create an activity that you "want to" do instead of feel like you "have to".  

"The most important thing is to find activities that you like, that you can do, and that you can stick to over time," Hankinson told MyHealthNewsDaily. "Maintaining activity is really the key."




http://www.livescience.com/health/exercise-maintain-weight-101214.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+livescience%2Fhealthscitech+%28LiveScience.com+Health+SciTech%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/can-foods-trigger-migraines/?nl=health&emc=healthupdateemb6

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/health/research/14hazards.html?ref=nutrition

I continue to be fascinated with the compelling research about how our brain changes when we overeat and then become accustomed to overeating.   This particular research is especially interesting because it also addresses how overeating affects children at risk of obesity.

"What that suggests, the researchers said, is that the caudate response decreases as a result of overeating through the lifespan.
"The decrease in caudate response doesn't precede weight gain, it follows it," Small said. "That suggests the decreased caudate response is a consequence, rather than a cause, of overeating."


"One of the primary culprits behind obesity, she said, is the constant availability of "excessively rewarding food" that, when eaten often, may alter the brain's reward system.
"It's increasingly being recognized that the brain itself plays a fundamental role in obesity and overeating," Volkow said."


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106525.html

This is amazing work done by a talented group of passionate animators here in Winston-Salem, NC- Out of Our Minds Animation Studios.  Please check it out and pass it on!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SZjtmjnnpU

"Food cravings are a complex mix of physiological, psychological, environmental and hormonal aspects," Heller added.



Maybe visualizing yourself eating a specific food allows you to become more mindful and intentional when you actually eat it!
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106480.html

Remaining committed to taking care of yourself through the Holiday Crazies can help you remain mindful in your eating and prevent overeating.

http://www.yogajournal.com/health/516?utm_source=DailyInsight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=DailyInsight

"This is likely because young people's eating patterns are influenced by many complex factors, and the family environment plays only a partial role. More attention should be given to the influence of the other players on children's eating patterns such as that of schools, the local food environment and peer influence, government guidelines and policies that regulate school meals, and the broader food environment that is influenced by food production, distribution and advertising." He added, "Parents need to be better empowered to be good role models and help their children eat a healthy diet."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101208142257.htm

"A recent study found that 95% of non-eating disordered women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box!!!"
http://www.mybodygallery.com/

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/videos/news/changing_mealtimes_120610.html

"Vitamin D boosts immunity by stimulating production of cathelicidin, an antimicrobial protein that serves as a "natural antibiotic" in the body, says Michael Zasloff, a professor of surgery and pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
But so far studies looking directly at whether higher vitamin D levels help prevent upper respiratory infections have had mixed results."


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704156304576003531437073192.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

If you realize that you are eating because you are feeling stressed out, allowing yourself a few minutes to take a deep breath can break the cycle of overeating.



"rapid breathing is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system. It's part of the "fight or flight" response — the part activated by stress.
In contrast, slow, deep breathing actually stimulates the opposing parasympathetic reaction — the one that calms us down"

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever&sc=fb&cc=fp

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/nyregion/04watchers.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a29

"In a new study, children who ate the most vegetables and fruits had significantly healthier arteries as adults than children who ate the fewest.  Here are 10 tips to encourage your children to eat more vegetables and fruits. "

1. Make fruit and vegetable shopping fun!
2. Involve kids in meal prep.
3. Be a role model
4. Create fun snacks
5. Give kids choices — within limits
6. Eat together as a family
7. Expect pushback
8. Grow it
9. Covert operations
10. Be patient

"An advisory committee to the FDA will consider on Friday a request by a pharmaceutical company, to significantly lower how obese someone must be to qualify for surgery using the company’s Lap-Band device, which restricts intake to the stomach.

... still leaves some people uneasy, in part because of side effects and failure rates. In addition, long-term weight reduction is hard to maintain.
“You’re talking about millions and millions of people who would meet these criteria,” said Dr. George Blackburn, associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School. “Let’s make sure by the most rigorous research that this is safe and effective.”

“It would be kind of ironic if people have access to surgery and not medical therapies, where they can go from Weight Watchers to surgery and have nothing in-between,” said Dr. Louis J. Aronne, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medical College."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/business/02obese.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&adxnnl=1&emc=a25&adxnnlx=1291295148-RvWZEvjiccKgSP3FbEl/5A

"These results suggest that dieting not only increases stress, making successful dieting more difficult, but that it may actually 'reprogram' how the brain responds to future stress and emotional drives for food," said study co-author Tracy Bale of the University of Pennsylvania, in a news release."                                                                                                  

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-yo-yo-diet-20101130,0,4227680.story

From the very first client that I saw when I started to practice in 1986, there has been an ongoing conversation in my office about the possibility of being "addicted" to certain foods, primarily foods high in sugar.  This conversation continues, but is becoming louder in the scientific community.  This article is a must read if you sometimes feel as if you are addicted to food.

"DiLeone, the Yale researcher, says it's still not clear how far the food-drug comparison holds up, especially in people.
"There's an ongoing argument in my field whether food is addictive or not," he says. "But whether it's addictive or not, there's probably components that are similar to addiction."
That means it makes sense to focus on eating behavior early in life, when the brain is adapting to a particular environment. It also probably makes sense to take approaches used to treat addiction and adapt them to overeating," DiLeone says."

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/01/131698228/overeating-like-drug-use-rewards-and-alters-brain?sc=fb&cc=fp