Once Upon a Thigh: February 2006

Table of Contents


Notes from the Editor

I am hoping all are able to access the newsletter. Please check it monthly prior to our meeting in case any emergencies may necessitate a change in schedule.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Feb. 1st at 7 PM at the office. We will start promptly at 7 and end at 8 PM.

Congratulations to Laura Singleton who lost 50 pounds last year. She, along with Denese Hirsche, have won either a face design or wardrobe consultation. Please call me to schedule a time that we can get together.

Now, some things I want you to think about:

  • If you are having success with losing weight on Glucophage, I want you to stay on it. You need to be exercising 4-5 times a week for least 30 minutes each day. You should also be eating appropriate portions of healthy food. I don't expect you to be perfect -- you can have bad days too; just have more good days than bad.
  • If you are having a hard time losing weight and are doing the above, please call me and let's visit about some other options.
  • I have had quite a few patients ask me about diet pills. Please be aware that they only work as a stimulant. That means they give you energy without eating, so you don't need to eat, therefore you lose weight. When you go off the pills, you gain the weight back.
  • Be very careful about taking herbal medications. Herbals are just as much a drug as prescription and over the counter medications. You take them to elicit a change. In the past we have had patients with blood pressure that we cannot control. When we have checked all the medications they are on, one of the culprits has been herbal medications. There may not be anything listed in the formulations, but it may be in the fillers that they use. So please be careful. Bitter Orange should NOT be taken. It increases the heart rate 11 beats per minute.
  • Xenadrine EFX increases blood pressure 9-10 points.
  • I typically like to see you every 3 months. I will check liver enzymes to see that they are staying in the normal range. Glucophage or Metformin is processed through the liver. It is a very safe medication that has been used for a long time. If you have been on Metformin for 3 months and we check liver enzymes and they are okay, I will consider putting you on a 6 month renewal of medication. However, I feel you will be more successful if you come in and make an appointment with me -- we can discuss your success and/or difficulties. Often times I see a patient who says that she has lost some weight only to find that she has gained it back. If I had seen her when she had lost the weight, perhaps I could have helped her keep it off. Just something to think about.
  • After one year of exercise and good eating and medication I would like you to think about retesting for insulin resistance. That way we can gage your success.
  • 3 oz. of meat = size of a standard deck of cards.
  • 3 oz. of fish = size of a checkbook. Remember to eat fish twice a week and only fresh fish (NO farm fish).
Whole Grains

Here is a list of whole grains, in case you forgot:
  • brown rice
  • buckwheat
  • bulgur (cracked wheat)
  • oatmeal
  • popcorn
  • whole wheat
  • muesli
  • whole grain barley
  • whole grain cornmeal
  • whole rye
  • whole wheat bread, crackers, pasta, sandwich buns and rolls, tortillas
  • wild rice
If you are feeling adventurous, try cooking with, or buying, products that contain these less well-known whole grains: I have no clue what they taste like.
  • amaranth
  • millet
  • quinoa
  • sorghum
  • triticale
Heart Disease

A woman's fitness level and how long it takes her heart to return to normal after exercise are better indicators of her risk of heart disease than the electrical recordings of the heart that are used to diagnose hidden heart disease in men.

Are You Prepared?

Take a moment to imagine that there is an emergency, like a fire in your home, and you need to leave quickly. What are the best escape routes from your home? Find at least two ways out of each room. Now, write it down - you've got the beginning of a plan.

Pick a place to meet after a disaster. Designate two meeting places. Choose one right outside your home, in case of a sudden household emergency, such as a fire. The second place you choose needs to be outside your neighborhood, in the event that it is not safe to stay near or return to your home.

If you had to stay home for 2 weeks and couldn't leave the house and no one could come to you, could you do it? Prepare now to be able to be self sustaining for 2 weeks minimum, 3 would be better.

Good Carbs - Bad Carbs

Good carbs (complex carbs- whole wheat): speed weight loss by keeping your blood sugar level steady. That helps tame your appetite and suppress overeating.

Bad carbs: think refined, white bread.

Travelsmith.com

Go to this site (www.travelsmith.com -- all lower case). They have wonderful clothing that has liners built in to hide the few bulges we may have, so you look slimmer while you are trying to lose weight.

Ways to Get Better Sleep
  • Get regular exercise, but not within three hours of bedtime.
  • Don't use alcohol as a sleep aid.
  • Avoid caffeine from noon or mid-afternoon onward.
  • Be careful about taking medications that contain ingredients that could keep you awake at night or make you sleepy during the day.
  • Establish regular times for going to bed and getting up, and avoid napping.
  • Keep your bedroom temperature comfortable (cool is better than warm.)
  • If you have a chronic sleep problem, call me.


Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory by way of a process called memory consolidation.

The goal is to wake up feeling refreshed and to stay awake and alert throughout the day without relying on stimulants or other pick me ups.

You can do it.