Is There a Perfect Diet?

Is any one diet more effective than others? People with excessive weight extend well beyond borders of the United States. It is a worldwide dilemma. The purpose of World Obesity Day on October 11, 2019 is to draw attention to the need for all nations to address this escalating problem.

Many continue to look for the perfect plan to lose weight, and reading diet books has become an American pastime to find the secret. Numerous books promote special foods, meal plans, and food restrictions. Guidelines show authors’ viewpoints whether they are qualified to address the subject or not. Do they work? If all those directions are so good, why are multitudes in our society overweight or obese? Interestingly, most diet plans may work―for a short time.

The Christmas story about eight-year-old Virginia, the little girl who wrote the editor of the New York Sun, asked, “Is there a Santa Claus?” The answer reminds all of us “He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and . . .  they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.”  Yes, the perfect diet also exists, but we won’t find it on the best seller’s book list. The perfect diet for each of us is the one that keeps us well-nourished to maintain appropriate weight and remain active and healthy to give us “highest beauty and joy.”

My writings and blog posts address weight issues and our addiction to trying the latest fad or weight-loss potion. Recently, I published God’s Diet Plan: Seek Him First, my version of how to find our perfect diet. The foods we consume are personal and individual preferences―something each of us chooses. Nowhere does my book say to “eat this” or “don’t eat that.” We get to pick and choose the diet we want based on taste and the knowledge we gain about wise food choices. My book equips each of us to find the perfect diet for us with appropriate guidance in how to choose the healthiest foods and avoid overindulging.

 

You can find God’s Diet Plan: Seek Him First on Amazon/Kindle, Apple, and Nook by clicking the link or typing in the name of the book on each site. Read the preview and reviews on Amazon to consider if it may help you find the perfect diet. Let’s curb the worldwide obesity epidemic―one person at a time starting with each of us.

 

 

 

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Does Body Shape Affect Health?

We have known for a long time that overweight or obese individuals, especially those who are apple shaped, are more prone to certain disease conditions and higher mortality rates. A recent study, however, says that scales may not present the entire picture when it comes to susceptibility to certain illnesses and lifespan. Waistlines and body shape may be as important or more so than actual weight.

Using the BMI chart as a standard and waist circumference as the indicator, researchers studied medical records of 156,000 postmenopausal women. Those with waistlines above 35 inches were categorized as having central obesity even when their weight was within normal range. Researchers found that women who were overweight or obese but did not have central obesity had a slightly reduced incidence of all-cause mortality. They referred to the phenomenon of too much weight with smaller waist circumference and normal weight women with a large waist circumference as the “obesity paradox.”  Does that affect health?

The study noted that central obesity presents risk factors for cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, namely breast and colon. Overall results may or may not apply to men and younger women. Nor is it known what role other factors may play since age influences hormonal changes and lowered metabolisms that affect weight.

The journal of Neurology¹ reported other negative health findings for those with large waistlines and higher BMIs. With an average age of sixty-four,1,289 participants underwent MRI brain scans to measure thinning of the brain cortex which has been associated with dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s Disease. Obese subjects younger than sixty-five had greater reduction in gray matter in the brain. Over a period of approximately six years, researchers found that as BMI scores increased, scans showed more thinning in the cortex―the area of the brain which causes loss of old memories. Dr. Tatjana Rundek, a co-author of the study, stated that “results would indicate that being overweight or obese may accelerate aging in the brain by at least a decade.”

While too much weight isn’t a positive aspect on health as we age, it not only affects physical well-being but brain functions as well. Remember these effects, if you can, the next time you eye that glazed doughnut or tempting dessert.

1. ¹Michelle R. Caunca, Hannah Gardener, Marialaura Simonetto, Ying Kuen Cheung, Noam Alperin, Mitsuhiro Yoshita, Charles DeCarli, Mitchell S.V. Elkind, Ralph L. Sacco, Clinton B. Wright, Tatjana Rundek. Measures of obesity are associated with MRI markers of brain aging The Northern Manhattan Study. Neurology, 2019 DOI: 1212/WNL.0000000000007966

 

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Does Where You Live Affect Your Weight and Health?

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Where we live tends to affect what we eat. I was born and educated in the southern part of the United States, and although I lived in several states, I never moved north of the Mason-Dixon line―an imaginary line dividing the north and south.

A poll by WalletHub comparing 18 weight-related issues in the U. S. most populous 100 cities, determined the “fattest” cities and other factors (physical activity, cholesterol level, diabetes) related to weight and potential health issues.  In rank order, the top 10 cities with the most obese people were: Little Rock, AR; Shreveport-Bossier City, LA; McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX; Memphis, TN; Mobile, AL; Knoxville, TN; Jackson, MS; Birmingham, AL; Baton Rouge, LA; and Lexington-Fayette, KY. And where are these located? The sunny south.

I have spent most years of my life in Mississippi and western Tennessee. Memphis, the barbecue capital, ships its famous meat all over the world. Locals know the best places for this unmatched decadent food.

The Mississippi delta is home to the best catfish, straight from its many catfish farms. When dining out for the delectable fried catfish, southerners make sure the product is homegrown. The imported variety has less flavor, and shipped in products may lack the required safety and sanitation standards Americans often take for granted.

My southern heritage included fried chicken and soul food. We southerners grew up on various cooked greens―mostly mustard, turnip, and collard. While these vegetables are packed with nutrients and a major source of the often-touted antioxidants, the problem comes in the cooking method. To this day, too many southern cooks season these healthy fares with saturated fat in the form of ham bones or fat trimmings.

It makes sense that acquired tastes are handed down from generation to generation. Today, however, many of us choose healthier cooking methods to assure better health. Fried foods can become delicious baked, and different seasonings make those cooked greens a great addition to any meal.

And the five least fat cities? Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR/WA; Honolulu, HI; Salt Lake City, UT; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA; and Colorado Springs, CO (with Denver—Aurora-Lakewood, CO coming in as 7^th place).

What about where you live? What food customs keep you from the healthiest eating choices? Calorie counting goes way beyond cooking methods. Regardless of where we are, we can choose to prepare foods in ways to make them healthier. In addition, the health-wise will increase activity and limit or omit those calorie-laden choices we have come to love. We can weigh too much in those cities known for healthier lifestyles, and likewise, we can remain slim and trim in places where customs dictate higher calorie fares. We have choices. Healthy eating!

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Dieting: Is Yo-Yo a No-No?

Maybe you have been there. You lose weight and the next thing you know, you have gained it back, plus a little extra. Does this up-and-down process we call yo-yo dieting or weight cycling injure your health?

Sixty-eight percent of Americans over age 20 are obese or overweight. Of those, about 45 million are on a diet. As many as 65 percent of people who lose weight regain it within three years. For those who lose pounds rapidly, only five percent will sustain weight loss.

The controversy continues as to whether this practice harms otherwise healthy adults. Limited studies show the impact for crash dieting may result in frail bones, muscle atrophy, weakened immune system, and heart palpitations. However, weight cycling may be linked to stroke, heart attack, or death in people with preëxisting coronary heart disease (CHD).

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that for those with heart disease, a yo-yo pattern of dieting may prove fatal. The study included nearly 10,000 men and women between ages 35 to 75 and spanned almost five years. All participants had high cholesterol levels at the beginning of the study. For those overweight or obese when the study began, weight fluctuation of up to 8.6 pounds accounted for 136 percent more strokes, 117 percent more heart attacks, and 124 percent more deaths. While results did not prove a cause and effect relationship, an association seemed to exist. The study also found that the onset of diabetes increased for those who demonstrated greater variability in weight.

The August 28, 2017 journal Obesity reported that individuals whose weight fluctuated over a two-year period did not fare as well in keeping weight off as did those who consistently lost weight at a slower pace.

What do these studies tell us? For a better outcome when losing weight, make the process slow and steady. Unlike weight cycling or yo-yo dieting, consistency in losing weight assures a greater possibility of keeping weight off and at the same time, it reduces potential harm to your body, especially if  you have CHD. Before you start another crash diet, consider your long term goal for weight loss and the price such a diet could cost you in compromised health.

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Starting the New Year Right

If like me, you would like to lose a few pounds of body weight. Well, maybe more than a few. With age, losing weight becomes more complex and challenging. How do we stop this run-away fat-train and reverse the damages? With the start of a new year, most of us become more mindful of our need to pay attention to how we treat our bodies.

On the start of 2015, keep these thoughts in mind.

• Don’t stress out. Worrying about weight could be harmful. Some people tend to eat and snack more when stressed. Many grab any food available without thought of the limited nutritive value or excessive calories.
• Get more sleep. A good night’s rest gives you energy to be more active throughout the day. Awakening refreshed helps to focus on the body’s needs instead of pumping in the caffeine to stay awake.
• Plan ahead. While planning helps relieve stress, it may improve diet. When we wait until hungry to consider food, we often end up making poor choices. Decide on meals or snacks in advance. Plan to take an apple and nuts with you to work instead of snatching up a cola and cake at breaktime.
• Enjoy your food. While our bodies need foods loaded with nutrients to remain healthy, food is meant to be enjoyed. Denying favorite foods seldom results in continued weight loss or management. Modify high-calorie favorite dishes to lower calories.
• Appreciate yourself. Regardless of your current weight, God loves you, and I expect so do a lot of family and friends. If you need to lose weight—not because of vanity but for health reasons—remember Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” While you need to do your part, will-power often weakens when it comes to eating. Prayer is always a viable choice for needed help. Remember, you are worth staying healthy.

Have a happy and healthier new year.

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The Cost of Overweight

Do you think weight is a personal issue? Think again. Extra pounds affect everyone in some way.

The Society of Actuaries released a dollar figure on obesity in January, 2011. Based on reviews of 500 articles between 1980 and 2009, researchers looked at the relationship of obesity to mortality and morbidity. Overweight and obesity cost as much as $270 billion a year in the United States. Because of increased need for medical care and loss of economic productivity due to death and disability, cost to the U. S. economy in 2009 ranged from $72 billion for the overweight to $198 billion for the obese.  Economic expenditures from overweight and obesity in both the U. S. and Canada were:

• Total cost of excess medical care resulting from overweight/obesity: $127 billion
• Loss of economic productivity due to excess mortality: $49 billion
• Loss of economic productivity due to disability for active workers: $43 billion
• Loss of economic productivity due to totally disabled workers: $72 billion

Obesity results in several adverse medical conditions. Obesity increases per-capita spending for those expenses and for health-related lost productivity. Costs run as high as $16,000 for obese women who weigh at least 100 pounds more than a healthy weight and $15,000 for obese men.

Although many workers are unwilling to attempt healthier lifestyles, monetary enticements through company programs influence decisions. In a survey of 1,000 Americans 18 years and older, 83 percent stated they would be willing to follow a healthy lifestyle, such as health and wellness programs, if their healthcare plans provided incentives.

While those with excess weight face greater risks of medical problems and decreased longevity, the problem goes beyond themselves. Issues of too much weight are no longer personal. They impact the national work force and our economy. Excessive weight costs everyone.

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