Once Upon a Thigh: October / November 2009

Table of Contents

Letter from the Editor

It is amazing how quickly the world spins by and one day seems shorter than the previous one, and I am not talking about the lack of sunlight. Before I knew what was happening it was already November.

There is a falsehood that is prevalent among women today that I would like to correct. Our sense of worth seems to be tied to the number on the scales. If it is where we want to be or should be, then we are "good" otherwise we are "bad" and our self esteem is at rock bottom.

As we enter the HOLIDAY season, I would like you to evaluate your own thinking on this subject. If you are at goal weight, wonderful. If you aren't, it is only a matter of time when you get there. There is no magic pill or liquid that will get you to lose weight and keep it off. YOU are the one in charge. So, when you are in a situation with foods that are great tasting and high in calories, have some, but savor the bites, so you don't increase your calories too much. Remember that you can have anything you want to eat, but the amount and frequency needs to be limited.

So my wish for you is that you will maintain your weight over the next two months. If you want to lose, go right ahead, but make realistic goals. Remember that I think you are great, no matter what your weight is.

The Culprit and the Cure - Steven G. Aldana

I picked up this book at a Health Conference and have been skimming its pages. What a wealth of good information it has---nothing revelatory---but just good information couched in a different way to get us motivated to change or motivated to keep on the right path. On the opening page he lists his premise: Why lifestyle is the culprit behind America's poor health and how transforming that lifestyle can be the cure. It sounds so easy, doesn't it?

The author was involved in research procedures which often led him to hospitals around the nation. He had this recurring question about the patients he saw in the hospital: "Where do they all come from? What caused them to have chronic diseases that were so bad that they needed extensive medical procedures?"

After working twelve years in research and teaching he took a sabbatical leave which changed the course of his life. He stayed at home and read everything he could find on nutrition, chronic disease and physical activity. Steven said that after he completed his sabbatical he felt he truly understood what constituted good health.

"Most of the chronic diseases and deaths in Westernized societies are not caused by genetics or some act of God. They are the direct result of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, and tobacco use." Nutritionalists, exercise experts and behavioral psychologists rarely interact with one another, each thinking their own discipline has the answers to health.

Doctors are traditionally trained to treat disease and they do an outstanding job at that. Our current health care system is a disease care system, not one focused on health care. That was an interesting, but true, concept to me.

You are all saying, of course. What do we do? It is very simple: we are in charge of our health. 40% of all cancers are caused by the typical American diet, obesity, and lack of physical activity. Cancer is mostly a preventable disease. Eating five servings of fruits and vegetables per day statistically has shown that your chance of getting several cancers is decreased significantly. Knowing this does not always transfer to a change in behavior. Only 20% of Americans are eating the five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

"Chronic diseases don't just happen: they are almost entirely the result of decades of unhealthy living. If a person has a healthy diet, does not smoke, and exercises regularly, the odds of that person getting one of these diseases are much lower. While a healthy lifestyle isn't a guarantee that you won't become chronically ill, it does tilt the odds heavily in your favor."

People WhoLive an extra
Are vegetarian1.5 years
Exercise regularly2.4 years
Eat nuts 5 times a week2.5 years
Have normal blood pressure3.7 years
Are not diabetic6.6 years
Maintain normal weight11 years


These increases in life span are independent of one another. So if you eat nuts 5 times a week and have a normal blood pressure, you have increased your life span 4.9 years. Pretty impressive.

This is an interesting statistic for our population: "Mormons in the state of California who exercised regularly, did not smoke, and got adequate sleep had death rates due to cancer and cardiovascular disease that were 70-80% lower than the rest of the nation." Should we move to California? The males in this population lived 11 years longer and females lived 7 years longer than their comparable populations.

Now, having said this, some chronic diseases are not lifestyle related and you have inherited them from your ancestors or from a toxic environment. Less than 5% of all cancer and cardiovascular disease falls into this category. Just carrying the gene does not insure that you will develop the disease. "Most genes can express themselves only if they have the right environment."

Our life span currently is 76 years. Obviously those with a healthy lifestyle can live much longer. I think all of us want to live a long life as long as we are healthy. So if we are trying to eat right the majority of the time and exercise significant medical events towards the end of our life can be delayed between 7 and 13 years. I think that is enough to get me off the couch and be more committed. What I have found is that in the morning when I am awakened I cannot ask myself if I want to exercise. I need only make the decision once and then the exercise is easy. For me, and perhaps for some of you, when I exercise I eat healthier.

"In order to attain the most benefits from physical activity, all individuals should accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week."

Some of you may be thinking, it is too late for me, I already have some of the chronic diseases mentioned. You can still stop the progression. It is never too late to change your lifestyle.

Please go to www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource.

This gives you an excellent Healthy Eating Pyramid that starts with daily exercise and weight control. The top of the pyramid lists items least healthy: red meat, butter, white rice, white bread, potatoes, pasta and sweets. (What a thing to say before Thanksgiving and Christmas) Remember I have said many times, you can have anything you want to eat. Please watch the amount and frequency of those questionable items.

Enough on healthy eating for this month. Next month will bring some more ideas from The Culprit and The Cure.

Decorating Your Bed or Giving Designer Pillow Cases

Turn plain pillowcases into designer-look shams with embroidered phrases such as "Sleep Tight" and "Lights Out" or just plain "Z" "Zzzzzz." These can be embroidered or you can use ribbon trim and adhere with iron on stitch witchery.

When decorating with several patterns, you'll want to let each one shine. Fold down blankets and bedspreads, allowing sheets to show. Mix and match pillows of all sizes, and let them fall where they may.

or

Using different fabrics and textures on a monochrome bed keeps the mix from looking flat. Combine cotton, wool, chenille and silk. For a dash or color, add a sage green chenille throw in spring and a faux fur one in winter.

or

Down comforters look lumpy when spread across a bed. Use a quilted coverlet on top of the bed, then fold the comforter in thirds and place it at the bottom. Because the coverlet goes over the entire mattress, you don't have to perfectly tuck in sheets underneath.

Bed-Making 101: Tips from the Pros
  • A higher thread count (the number of threads woven into a square inch) doesn't mean better or softer sheets. It's a marketing tool. The most important thing is the quality of the cotton. Look for Egyptian cotton and always feel sheets out of the package before buying.
  • The best beds are as comfortable as they are pretty, so purchase pillows with or sleep patterns in mind. Stomach and side sleepers should use soft or medium pillows. Side or back sleepers should use medium or firm and back only sleeper should use firm or extra-firm pillows.
  • When you find the perfect sheets for your bed, take home two sets.
  • Ban the saggy bed skirt by buying the latest style: panels that you pin to your box spring to get the length just right or skip the skirt altogether and purchase a bedcover that's one size larger than you need. Let it fall to the floor and puddle like elegant curtains.
Accessorizing Tips
  • For tabletops start with an anchor piece such as a tray or large leather-bound book.
  • Combine objects with different kinds of finishes, from shiny to opaque or add the sheen of a silver piece for a dressier look.
  • Mix different textures, materials, heights and shapes.
  • Group expensive accessories along-side flea market finds.
  • Arrange objects so they are a bit off center, asymmetry can be fun and unexpected.
  • Display larger items, such as a collection of pottery or baskets, in a large piece such as a cabinet or bookcase.
Healthy Holiday Cookies

Boost Fiber
  • Swap all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. Go gradual and replace just 1/4 of the regular flour at first. If you like the taste and texture, up the whole wheat to 1/2 the total.
  • Swap butter or margarine for trans-free vegetable oil spread, heart healthy oil (canola, light olive or sunflower) or fruit puree. Butter adds richness and flavor so leave in half and use a healthier substitute for the rest. Applesauce works wonderfully in a 1/2 to 1/2 mix with oils and butter.
Reduce Saturated/Trans Fat
  • Swap whole eggs with egg whites, ground flaxseed and water or liquid egg substitute. Reduce the number of whole eggs, rather than eliminate them. Two egg whites is equivalent to one whole egg. Another option: Replace one egg with 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed in 3 tablespoons water.
Add Nutrients
  • Swap refined white sugar with honey, agave nectar, brown rice syrup. Switching granulated sugar with a liquid sweetener can change consistency, so you may need to increase the dry ingredients and decrease other liquids. Because each substitute varies in sweetness, adjust accordingly.
The Weight Loss Hormone?

It is called LEPTIN. It tells your brain to suppress hunger. This is produced in the body's fat cells and travels to the brain after a meal to suppress hunger. As the meal is digested, leptin falls off and appetite rebuilds. This can be disrupted by elevated triglycerides in the blood which prevent leptin from reaching the brain, allowing hunger feelings to persist. You can take steps to be in control.
  • eat foods low in triglycerides: be wary of foods high in dairy fat (like whole milk and ice cream) which is 98% triglycerides
  • get hooked on fish oil, as it may lower triglycerides and also facilitate leptin's passage to the brain
  • sleep about 8 hours-anything less is associated with lower levels of leptin in the blood and brain
  • exercise often-regular activity lowers triglycerides and helps the brain absorb more leptin.
AN ADDITIONAL BONUS: when leptin levels are robust, it = a flatter belly. When appetite, and thus food intake is suppressed by leptin, the body first turns to its most readily available source of body fat, which is stored around the belly, for fuel.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

-- Carol

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