Once Upon a Thigh: June 2007

Table of Contents

Letter from the Editor

I know you are thinking, "Wasn't Carol going to do a newsletter every 2 weeks?" Yes, that was the plan. I will try and do better. I promise. Life is good. The weather is great.

I want you to ask yourself this question: Is there something you have been putting off doing (fun) that you would feel bad if you didn't get to do it? If you can think of anything, I want you to make plans to accomplish your dream and then DO IT. Much of our stress is self induced and we have control over some of it. We do not control all of our stress. Enjoy life and don't get discouraged. If you do get down, call me and we will talk.

Have a great summer. Let's talk on the email, ladlecarol@yahoo.com, or come in and visit and I will see all of you Sept. 5th, at our next Insulin Resistant meeting.

Stress: Dr. Gracie Hargraves I promised you the notes from her talk, so here goes:

Events Scale of Impact
Death of a spouse 100
Divorce 73
Marital separation 65
Jail term 63
Death of a close family member 63
Personal injury or illness 53
Marriage 50
Fired at work 47
Marital Reconciliation 45
Retirement 45
Change in health of a familiy member 44
Pregnancy 40
Sex difficulties 39
Gain of new family member 39
Business readjustment 39
Change in financial state 38
Death of close friend 37
Change to different line of work 36
Change in number of arguments with spouse 35
Mortgage over $200,000 31
Foreclosure of mortgage or loan 30
Change in responsibilities at work 29
Son or daughter leaving home 29
Trouble with in-laws 29
Outstanding personal achievement 28
Wife begins or stops work 26
Begin or end school 26
Change in living conditions 25
Revision of personal habits 24
Trouble with boss 23
Change in work hours or conditions 20
Change in residence or school 20
Change in recreation 19
Change in church activities 19
Change in social activities 18
Large loan 17
Change in sleeping habits 16
Change in number of family gatherings 15
Change in eating habits 15
Vacation 13
Christmas 12
Minor violations of law 11


Determine which life events have occurred in your life over the past two years and add up your total stress score.

< 150 Less likely to be suffering effects of cumulative stress.
150-300 You may be suffering from chronic stress depending on how you perceived and coped with the particular life events that occurred.
> 300 It is likely you are experiencing some detrimental effects of cumulative stress.


PLEASE NOTE: The degree to which any particular event is stressful to you will depend on how you perceive it.

Reduce Stress

Some careful studies suggest that stress reduction techniques may help lower blood pressure.
  • Physical exercise
  • Behavioral changes
  • Auto-regulation: Deep breathing, meditation
  • Counseling or psychotherapy
  • Anger management
Appetite can be stimulated by both physical and emotional hunger. Physical hunger feels very different from emotional hunger, but you might not be able to recognize the difference. When you want to eat, ask yourself, "For what am I really hungry?" Ask yourself how long it has been since you have eaten. Identify what physical sensations of hunger you are experiencing.

Break the Chain

Hunger---identify physical or emotional hunger---if emotional hunger, name the need---make a plan for meeting the need---act on the plan---fill the need.

Thanks, Gracie, for some great ideas on stress management.

Remember

success is not always counted by less pounds on the scale. You can see success by feeling better physically, inches lost (are you measuring?), clothes fitting better, more energy. If you are eating healthier, exercising, you are on the right path. I would suggest coming in and measuring your fat content. We do this on a special scale. Often times we lose fat and gain muscle, nothing changes on the scales, but we are healthier inside.

AVANDIA ALERT:

There are a few of you out there on AVANDIA. Call the office and let's visit about the new data.

Where to Get Help Grill Healther: Lose the Carcinogens

Carcinogens are removed when the fat drips onto the flame.
  • Choose the right meat -- chicken, fish, filet, tips -- (for hamburgers, do lean ground turkey and ground sirloin)
  • Use a marinade -- lowers carcinogens by up to 99% even if you marinade for only a few minutes
  • Let it defrost
  • Add some color -- fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants -- cut them big enough so they won't fall through the grate and thick enough (at least an inch) so they won't burn
  • Grill in foil -- carcinogens won't form, plus you'll keep the moisture in -- this is great for vegetables or delicate fish
  • Go lean
  • Put a lid on it -- helps prevent flare-ups
  • Cook thoroughly
Great Grill Gadget: Non-stick grilling basket with 4 compartments from Steven Raichlen -- $24.99 (www.grilling4all.com. Lets you grill fish and shrimp without it falling apart or falling through the grate and creating carcinogens. It has four separate sections and lets you cook a whole meal at one time. Dishwasher safe and has a removable handle.

Which Light Ice Cream is Best? (That Means Taste Too...)

I went to try the taste test. Here are the results:

A+: Edy's Slow Churned Light Strawberry ice cream ($5.50 per 1.75 quarts) -- 110 calories, 3 grams of fat (1/2 cup serving size) A: Breyers Double Churn Light Cookies and Cream($5.29 per 1.75 quarts) -- 120 calories and 4 grams of fat per 1/2 c B+: Haagen-Dazs Extra Rich Light Ice Cream in Dutch Chocolate ($3.69 per pint) 190 calories and 5 grams of fat per 1/2 cup B: Haagen-Daz Low Fat Frozen Yogurt in Dulce de Leche ($3.69 per pint) 190 calories and 2.5 grams of fat

Don't Feel Trapped

When you see only one option-and it gets blocked-you feel trapped. You need to envision some alternatives. Think of seven ways to handle this situation. It is ok if they aren't all realistic. The clearer you are about your desired destination, the better your chance of finding alternative routes to reach it. There are alternatives in any circumstance. Just look around.
  • What matters most to you about this situation?
  • What would you tell a friend to do in a similar situation?
  • What else should you consider to help you address the problem?
  • Envision yourself in each of your options-which one feels best for you?

Don't forget to tell a friend about Once Upon a Thigh!