lifestyle - Healthy Options Oct 2012 Newsdigest2... · The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest tracks all the medical and nutrition journals, research, conferences, and newsletters

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We digest it for you... The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest tracks all the medical and nutrition journals, research, conferences, and newsletters. Then we summarize what is essential for you to know to get better and stay healthy. The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest is in no way intended to replace the knowledge and/or diagnoses of health care professionals. Always consult with your physician whenever a health problem rises requiring expert care.

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We all know about the giant portions served in the restaurants and fast food chains in the United States. And with all the media attention on the obesity epidemic amongst the American population, you would think something drastic would be done. Well, they got as far as Skinny Latte! Venti please.

Portions in fast-food joints and restaurants are now bigger than ever according to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health. Food portions in restaurants have doubled or tripled over the last 20 years, a key factor that is contributing to a potentially devastating increase in obesity among children and adults.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults.

To save yourself from doing calculation (and getting it wrong), log on to www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ and input your height and weight (be honest!) to find out your BMI. If it’s between 25 and 30, you’re overweight. And if it’s greater than 30, you’re obese.

But obesity is not just a big problem in America. Here at home, a 2008 survey by the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that 26.6% of Filipino adults are overweight, higher than 16.6% in 1993. Of the number, 5.2% are obese.

Among children aged 5 to 10 years old, 6.6% are overweight against only 5.8% during the last survey in 2003. Candido Astrologo Jr. of the NSCB said “Majority of households now eat outside. And what do they eat? Fast food.”

In this special anniversary issue, we give you some very interesting facts and insights on what’s making our children fat in Obesity Crisis.

I’m very happy to welcome Amanda Griffin-Jacob of Lifestyle Network as our first “guest contributor” in this month’s issue. Now she’s certainly not in the least overweight!

Amanda Griffin-Jacob (a former VJ-host-model turned super mom) has a locally produced show on Lifestyle Network that’s purely dedicated to young urban mothers. Titled “Amanda, Loving Life” that airs Sundays at 7:30 p.m., it speaks to the growing need for today’s mother to be aware that she can do it all and have it all too. Turn to page 10 and catch up with her.

Best of health,

[email protected]

2 lifestyle newsdigest

Obesity in ChildhoodCauses and Complications

Lack of exercise --- Children who don’t exercise much are more likely to gain weight because they don’t burn calories through physical activity. Inactive leisure activities such as watching television or playing video games, contribute to the problem.

Family history --- If your child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on excess weight, especially in an environment where high-calorie food is always available and physical activity isn’t encouraged.

Psychological factors --- Some children overeat to cope with problems or to deal with emotions such as stress, or to fight boredom. Their parents may have similar tendencies.

Family factors --- If many of the groceries you buy are convenience foods such as cookies, chips and other high-calorie items, this can contribute to your child’s weight gain. If you can control your child’s access to high-calorie foods, you may be able to help your child lose weight.

Socioeconomic factors --- Foods that won’t spoil quickly such as frozen meals, crackers and cookies often contain a lot of salt and fats. These foods are often less expensive or an easier option than fresher, healthier foods.

Complications

Childhood obesity can have complications for the physical, social and emotional well-being of your child. Physical complications

Type 2 diabetes in children is a chronic condition that affects the way your child’s body metabolizes sugar glucose. Type 2 diabetes is caused in part by a poor diet, and can often be reversed by eating healthier foods and exercising.

Your child can develop high blood pressure or high cholesterol if he or she eats a poor diet. These factors can contribute to the buildup of plaques in the arteries. These plaques can cause arteries to narrow and harden, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke later in life.

The extra weight on your child’s body can cause problems with the development and health of your child’s lungs, leading to asthma or other breathing problems.

Sleep apnea, a condition in which your child may snore or have abnormal breathing when he or she sleeps, can be a complication of childhood obesity. Pay attention to breathing problems your child may have while sleeping.

Being obese can create hormone imbalances for your child. These imbalances can cause puberty or menstruation to start earlier than expected.

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height.

Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression. One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the diet and exercise habits of your entire family. Treating and preventing childhood obesity helps protect the health of your child now and in the future.

Risk Factors

Many factors --- usually working in combination --- increase your child’s risk of becoming overweight:

Diet --- Regularly eating high-calorie foods such as fast foods, baked goods and vending machine snacks, can easily cause your child to gain weight. Loading up on soft drinks containing sugar, candy and desserts also can cause weight gain. Foods and beverages like these are high in sugar, fat and calories.

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Physical activity

A critical part of weight loss, especially for children, is physical activity. It not only burns calories but also builds strong bones and muscles. It also helps children sleep well at night and stay alert during the day. Such habits established in childhood help adolescents maintain healthy weight despite the hormonal changes, rapid growth and social influences that often lead to overeating. Active children are more likely to become fit adults.

To increase your child’s activity level:

Limit recreational computer and TV time to no more than 2 hours a day – A sure-fire way to increase your child’s activity levels is to limit the number of hours he or she is allowed to watch television each day. Other sedentary activities — playing video and computer games or talking on the phone should also be limited.

Emphasize activity, not exercise --- Your child’s activity doesn’t have to be a structured exercise program --- the object is just to get him or her moving. Free-play activities such as playing hide-and-seek, tag or jump-rope, can be great for burning calories and improving fitness.

Find activities your child likes to do --- For instance, if your child is artistically inclined, go on a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks that your child can use to make a collage. If your child likes to climb, head for the nearest neighborhood jungle gym or climbing wall. If your child likes to read, then walk or bike to the neighborhood library for a book.

If you want an active child, be active yourself --- Find fun activities that the whole family can do together. Never make exercise seem a punishment or a chore.

Source: mayoclinic.com/health

Social and emotional complications

Low self-esteem and bullying --- Children often tease or bully their overweight peers, who suffer a loss of self-esteem and an increased risk of depression as a result.

Behavior and learning problems --- Overweight children tend to have more anxiety and poorer social skills than normal-weight children have. At one extreme, these problems may lead overweight children to act out and disrupt their classrooms. At the other, they may cause overweight children to socially withdraw. Stress and anxiety also interfere with learning. School-related anxiety can create a vicious cycle in which ever-growing worry fuels ever-declining academic performance.

Depression --- Low self-esteem can create overwhelming feelings of hopelessness in some overweight children. When children lose hope that their lives will improve, they may become depressed. A depressed child may lose interest in normal activities, sleep more than usual or cry a lot. Some depressed children hide their sadness and appear emotionally flat instead. Either way, depression is as serious in children as in adults. If you think your child is depressed, talk with him or her and share your concerns with his or her doctor.

Lifestyle and home remedies

Because medications and surgeries aren’t recommended for children, lifestyle changes are usually the best childhood obesity treatment. Your child’s best chance to get to a healthy weight is to start eating a healthy diet and exercising more. Healthy eating

Parents are the ones who buy the food, cook the food and decide where the food is eaten. Even small changes can make a big difference in your child’s health.

When buying groceries, choose fruits and vegetables --- Convenience foods such as cookies, crackers and prepared meals, are high in sugar and fat. Always have healthy snacks available. Never use food as a reward or punishment.

Limit sweetened beverages, including those containing fruit juice --- These drinks provide little nutritional value in exchange for their high calories. They also can make your child feel too full to eat healthier foods.

Sit down together for family meals --- Make it an event, a time to share news and tell stories. Discourage eating in front of a screen such as a television, computer or video game. This leads to fast eating and lowered awareness of how much you’re eating.

Limit the number of times you eat out, especially at fast-food restaurants --- Many of the menu options are high in fat and calories.

obesity crisis...continued from page 2


To have healthy bowel movements, it’s essential that you support colon and rectal health with all of your daily choices. Keeping these areas clean and healthy provides the following benefits:

1. A lowered risk of developing colorectal cancer, one of the most common types of cancer in industrialized countries.

2. A lowered risk of experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and chronic diarrhea.

3. A lowered risk of developing hemorrhoids.

4. Less gas production.

5. More efficient absorption of water and minerals.

6. A feeling of lightness, comfort, and well-being in your abdominal region.

A Journey Through Your Large Intestine After food passes through your stomach and small intestine, the remaining material–mostly waste products in liquid form, move on to your colon, which is the first part of your large intestine.

Your colon is approximately six feet long and serves primarily to dehydrate liquid waste material. Your colon begins at the lower right hand corner of your abdomen, where it’s called your cecum. Attached to your cecum is a twisted, worm-shaped tube called your appendix.

From your cecum, your colon travels up the right side of your abdomen, where it’s called your ascending colon. When it reaches

your lower right ribs (just below your liver), it turns to travel across your abdomen to just below your lower left ribs. Here, it’s called your transverse colon.

Just below your lower left ribs, it makes another turn and travels down the left side of your abdomen–this portion is called your descending colon.

Your colon then makes one last turn toward the middle of your lower abdomen, forming an “S” shaped segment that’s called your sigmoid colon.

Your sigmoid colon empties waste materials into your rectum, which is like a storage pouch that retains your feces until contractions in your large intestine stimulate a bowel movement.

Diarrhea and Constipation Explained When waste material travels through your digestive tract too quickly for sufficient water absorption to occur, your stools will be runny and more frequent than normal.

Three main causes of diarrhea are: 1. Undesirable microorganisms

2. Food intolerances (like lactose intolerance)

3. Stress In the first two cases listed above, it makes sense that your body would want things to move quickly through your system. Your body doesn’t want to spend time digesting food that it can’t properly extract nutrients from or that are laced with disease-causing microbes.

obesity epidemic

How to Have Healthy Bowel Movements By Dr. Ben Kim


obesity crisis

Stress can cause transit time to shorten by messing with your enteric nervous system. Your enteric nervous system controls the reflex contractions that mark “haustral churning.” Your enteric nervous system is part of your autonomic nervous system which regulates your physiological responses to emotional and physical stress. When waste material travels through your colon more slowly than it should, enough water is extracted from your waste material to cause your stools to become uncomfortably hard. Five main causes of constipation are:

1. Eating sporadically, or eating meals that are too small to elicit mass peristalsis.

2. Not going when you feel an urge to go.

3. Lack of a healthy intestinal lining that is capable of producing enough mucous to properly lubricate your stools (Vitamin A deficiency is a potential cause of this situation).

4. Insufficient intake of water, water-rich foods, and/or fiber-rich foods.

5. Stress.

Steps You Can Take To Have Healthy Bowel Movements Eat substantial meals; don’t nibble on small amounts throughout the day. Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines. These natural contractile waves promote regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum.

Also, eating substantial meals allows significant boluses (roundish masses) of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner.

Don’t suppress the desire to go.

If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of these materials and formation of hard stools.

Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich foods. Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink.

Eat fiber-rich foods regularly. Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon’s ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools. A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake. Ensure optimal Vitamin D status. Optimal Vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer.

Ensure adequate Vitamin A status. As mentioned earlier, glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; Vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous.

It’s best to ensure adequate Vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain Vitamin A. Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats. All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don’t ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway --- both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract --- may deteriorate in function. Build and maintain a population of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. Large populations of friendly bacteria can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by:

Promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials.

Taking up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Remember that healthy bowel movements are generated by good overall health. Chronic constipation is the single greatest cause of having an unclean and unhealthy colorectal region because over time, constipation causes your bowel walls to face excessive pressure. This pressure is created by you straining to go and by your colon walls creating stronger contractions to help eliminate hard stools.

If you focus on making food and lifestyle choices that produce comfortable bowel movements, you can have peace of mind in knowing that your colon and rectum are in likely in good health.

Source: drbenkim.com


The consumption of sweetened drinks such as soda, juice, and sports drinks has been on the rise in past decades. At the same time, the prevalence of obesity in children has also risen. These drinks — even 100% fruit juice — contain a lot of calories with little or no nutritional benefit.

A 12 oz glass of orange juice contains 180 calories, which is the same as eating three chocolate chip cookies.

Drinking just one 12 oz can of soda every day for a year is equal to 55,000 calories, or 15 pounds a year.

The Truth About Juice

Many people think of juice as an essential part of a child’s diet. However, juice isn’t as healthy as people think.

Drinking a lot of juice makes younger children feel full quickly. Feeling full from juice will decrease the amount of food a child eats. For older children, drinking a lot of juice doesn’t usually cause fullness, but the excess calories from juice can cause weight gain.

It’s much healthier to eat the fruit rather than drink the juice. For example, a 12 oz glass of orange juice, which is the juice of two to three oranges has about 180 calories, while one orange contains only 80 or 90 calories (and for older children, it does more to make them feel full).

For children who are overweight, the basic recommendation is no juice.

The Truth About Soda

Sodas and other sweetened drinks are full of sugar such as high-fructose corn syrup. Many also contain caffeine, which is a diuretic that can cause dehydration.

Another problem with sweetened beverages is that the body doesn’t register it’s full after drinking hundreds of calories. This may have to do with ghrelin, the hormone in your stomach that lets you know when you’re hungry. When the hormone increases, you feel hungry. When you eat, the hormone goes down. However, it only works with food, not liquid. Drinking soda, juice, sports drinks and other sugar-sweetened liquids does nothing for your hunger, even if you consume hundreds of calories. As a result, sugar-sweetened beverages are often wasted calories.

In other words, the human digestive system is not designed for drinking calories. Soda is a relatively recent addition to the human diet. It was introduced in the second half of the 19th century and there was not an obesity problem until the 20th century. When looking at obesity in the United States alongside fructose and soft drink consumption, they are on a parallel line.

Sweet Drinks and ObesityBy health care specialists at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital

How Sweet Drinks Add Up To fully understand the impact of sugary beverages, consider how the extra calories from these drinks add up and translate into pounds.

If a child drinks one soda and two glasses of sweetened juice each day, the child is consuming roughly: 2 glasses of sweetened juice : 240 calories + 1 glass of soda : 150 calories

TOTAL : 390 calories a day

Over the course of one year, the child will consume an extra 142,000 calories from these drinks.

142,000 calories ÷ 3,500 calories per pound = 40 pounds a year What seems like a harmless glass of soda and two glasses of sweetened juice a day is equal to roughly 40 pounds of weight gain over a year. Children rarely burn all of these extra calories through exercise and activity. Even if a child only has one soda a day, it leads to 15.6 pounds of weight a year.

What Kids Should Drink Instead

It’s best for children and their parents to limit or eliminate juice, soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. Instead, your child should drink:

Water --- Water has zero calories and no added sodium to make your child thirstier.

Non–fat milk --- Kids should consume two to four servings of calcium-rich food, such as nonfat milk each day.

Other beverages with little or no sodium or calories --- Look for 5 calories or less per serving. Some possibilities sparkling water without sugar added, or occasionally as a treat, diet soda or a low-calorie beverage.

Source: ucsfbenioffchildrens.org

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10 lifestyle newsdigest2 lifestyle newsdigest September / October 2012

Coping With Work-Induced Stress While PregnantAmanda Griffin–Jacob

With my first pregnancy I had a gloriously empty plate, which I was free to add to slowly and at my own tempo. Now I feel like I’m juggling starter, main and dessert plates with one hand. I went from one end of the spectrum to the other in two short years. It’s been quite fulfilling being back at work, in the thick of things but it is a double-edged sword. I’ve been thrust directly into the challenges and stress of a career while trying to balance family life. Ahhhh, there’s that magic word that is on every mother’s lips ( the “unicorn”), too elusive to pin down…balance. It’s a question I get asked almost everyday, “How do you balance your family life with your busy workload?” Now it is more pertinent than ever since I am very pregnant and trying my best not to let the pressure get to me too much. Unfortunately stress is an inevitable part of life especially when you’re working and have an inordinate amount of commitments and responsibilities to your husband, children, colleagues, friends and yourself! It really comes down to how you cope with stress and seeking balance more than anything else. Trust me, I’m no authority on this subject. I’m still searching for the answer! But there are some things that I do that seem to help me when the going gets tough.

Having been pregnant once before, I assumed that my second pregnancy would be a stroll in the park. What I didn’t take into consideration was how different my life is now compared to my first pregnancy.

When I fell pregnant with Kieran (my now two year old son) I was completely enthralled with pregnancy and embracing all the magical, mysterious and sometimes downright scary changes that it brought about. I was pretty much a “lady of leisure” at the time and was able to devote 100% of my time to just reveling in the miracle of being with child. My pregnancy became my greatest passion project and I threw myself into countless hours of reading books on everything from pregnancy health to diet to dos and don’ts. I would pore over websites and grill my mommy friends for insight and advice. I started intensively researching on the baby’s first year at home and breastfeeding. I lived and breathed everything baby and enjoyed every minute of it. Of course there were moments that weren’t as enchanting (the weight gain, body issues, morning sickness and sore aches and pains) but I was so swept up in the joys that I instantly forgot about all the tough stuff the minute I held Kieran in my arms.

Currently in the third trimester of my second pregnancy with another boy and this time around has been a thoroughly different experience. I am now a full time working mummy with not just one but 3-4 consuming jobs. I am the host and producer of Amanda, Loving Life (my new parenting TV show which airs on the Lifestyle Network at 7:30pm on Sundays). I’m also the publisher/content creator/CEO of Glam-O-Mamas (my resource website for mothers: www.glamomamas.com), not to mention being a wife and handling a loving but rowdy toddler.

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What I do to reduce stress and seek balance while pregnant:

I also love just zoning out with a good book or watching some mindless TV. Whatever it takes for me to disconnect and shut down my mind for 60 minutes so that I can recharge the internal batteries and feel prepared to rejoin the world and my responsibilities.

Perfect for “me time” is having a relaxing cup of Organic Easy Now tea. It is caffeine-free and helps eases stress and tension.

Schedule Appointments With Family & Friends:

It may seem strange that you have to arrange a certain day or time to bond with your family or friends but that’s the reality of life as a working person (how much more when everyone works). It is important to remember to have fun in life as that’s what makes it all worth it. And it has been proven that laughing helps you manage and lessen feelings of anxiety and stress.

One of my favorite parts of my day is when my husband comes home from work and we sit on the couch or in bed and he will give me a lovely foot and hand rub using Jason’s calming lavender pure and natural and body lotion. We just sit and chat about our days and it is a great bonding time for us.

Designate Work Spaces & Hours In Your Home (draw up a schedule):

In this day and age of constant and immediate access, Blackberry, social media, instant messaging, Skype conferencing, etc. It is almost impossible to stop working. Many times my husband has brought his “mistress” aka his Blackberry to bed. I complain of course, but am also guilty of working all hours on my laptop in bed. I have a hard time with this one but if you can do it, designate the bedroom as a no-work zone. Also, it is helpful to draw up a timetable of when work needs to stop and family time can begin.

Breathing:

When it all gets too much I find there is nothing better than taking a few deep belly breaths or practicing pranayama breathing (which I learned in yoga class). It brings instant relief and you can do it anywhere at anytime. Breathing for stress management is one of the best things you can do for yourself (there’s even an app for so you can practice wonderful breathing anywhere: Health through Breath – Pranayama By Saagara).

It is rare that stress and work are not married together but it’s important to strive for a relatively calm 40 weeks of pregnancy for both your baby and yourself. Try to practice some of these techniques and suggestions I have given and I guarantee your anxiety level will decrease.

................................................................................Catch Amanda on Amanda, Loving Life on the Lifestyle Network every Sunday at 7.30pm

Photos by: Stanley Ong Photography

Prenatal Yoga:

Yoga is a wonderful stress buster whether you are pregnant or not. “The benefits of yoga include decreased stress and tension, increased strength and balance, increased flexibility, lowered blood pressure and reduced cortisol levels,” says Beth Shaw, Founder/President of Yogafit Training Systems, Worldwide, Inc., in Torrance, California.

I also make sure to take my Solgar Prenatal Nutrients everyday to ensure I get my required amount of vitamins. It gives me a sense of reassurance since I’m always on the go and perhaps don’t always have the opportunity to eat well all the time.

After yoga I eat the Alpine trail mix by Health Best. I find that if I don’t snack often my energy levels tend to take a dip so I be sure to always have a nutritious snack on hand.

Me Time (aim for at least 1 hour per day):

This is a fairly new and trendy term but the notion is simple. You need to reconnect to and ground yourself everyday. Nothing is better for your psyche than taking a moment out of your busy day to unwind, decompress and not have everyone demanding something from you. I love getting a relaxing prenatal massage and using Aura Cacia lavender harvest calming aromatherapy bath and body massage oil. Lavender is known to alleviate tension.



obesity crisis

The average American child sees around 20,000 ads a year for junk food.

Teenagers drink an average of 760 can of soda per year (with boys drinking about 25% more than girls).

The average person of any age drinks over 500 cans of soft drinks per year.

Nearly 20% of children under 2 years of age are given soft drinks every day in America.

The average person today consumes more sugar in two weeks than a person a century ago would have eaten in a whole year. That’s a junk food fact!

Harmful Effects of Junk Food

The regular consumption of junk food is the leading factor in obesity and excess weight.

Obesity is second only to smoking as a cause of death in America.

46% of Canadian adults are either overweight or obese, with obesity in children increasing three-fold over the past two decades.

Consumption of soft drinks containing sugar has been linked to weight gain and an increased risk for development of Type 2 diabetes.

Studies have revealed that obese people have twice the rate of chronic health problems as people of normal weight. This includes 100% greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, 50% increased likelihood of developing heart disease. Obese men are nearly 90% more likely to get colon cancer.

Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases.

High cholesterol resulting from junk food puts undue strain on the liver, causing long-term damage to this essential organ.

Research has suggested that diets high in fat may also impair essential brain functions, like concentration and memory.

The junk food facts about soft drinks alone are alarming. There is compelling evidence that regular consumption of soft drinks leads to:

1. Increased rates of bone fracture.

2. Increased risk for osteoporosis.

3. Increased risk of weight gain and obesity.

4. Increased risk for Type 2 Diabetes.

5. Increased risk for kidney stones.

6. Increased rate of tooth decay and other dental problems. Junk food facts are numerous, and the negative effect of junk food on health and wellbeing is undeniable.

Source: discover-yoga-online.com

Digesting junk food facts can take a strong stomach. Here are a few facts to chew on before your crack open another can of soda:

What’s in some of that junk food?

One teaspoon of sugar is extracted from a stalk of sugarcane one meter in length.

A can of soda contains 10 teaspoons of sugar.

The metal in the can of soda costs more than the ingredients (mainly water with additives, refined sugar and caffeine).

A king-sized order of fries packs 590 calories and 30 grams of fat.

A super-sized order of fries contains 610 calories and 29 grams of fat.

A king-sized meal (burger with cheese, large fries and large drink), contains 1,800 calories (mostly derived from fat and refined sugar). To ‘burn’ these calories would take nearly 6 hours of cycling (at 20 miles per hour).

Artificial ingredients can contain an alarming variety of chemicals. For instance, ‘artificial strawberry flavour’ can contain about 50 chemicals… and no strawberries at all!

Junk Food Advertising

The food industry spends over $33 billion per year in the US alone to advertise food products that could be classified as junk food.

The majority of food advertising during children’s television programming is for sweetened cereals, soft drinks, candy, processed snacks and fast foods.

Junk Food Facts: Not Always Easy to Swallow


The evidence:

A lack of enough Vitamin A has been linked to inflammation in the intestines, lungs, and skin.

For some people, taking Vitamin A supplements could reduce the inflammation that contributes to conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, acne, and lung disease.

Vitamin B6

This member of the B vitamin family is plentiful in foods like beef, turkey, vegetables, and fish. Because Vitamin B6 is water-soluble, your body is constantly ridding itself of it, so you need to restock it daily through diet.

The evidence:

Not getting enough Vitamin B6 may increase your risk for heart disease. Studies have found that people who lack enough of this vitamin have high levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation that has been linked to heart disease.

A lack of Vitamin B6 can increase inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, leading to more joint damage. Yet in a vicious cycle, inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis can deplete the body’s Vitamin B6 stores. Taking Vitamin B6 supplements daily can correct the deficiency, yet researchers say there’s no conclusive evidence it will reduce inflammation too.

Inside your body, inflammation can be your friend or wreak havoc with your health. On the friendly side, inflammation helps your immune system defend your body against disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other foreign invaders that would otherwise make you sick.

The not-so-friendly part is when inflammation occurs without cause --- in other words, when your body isn’t under attack from foreign invaders. When an overactive inflammatory response happens, it can become damaging. Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease have all been linked to long-term (chronic) inflammation.

So what can you do about inflammation? Eat a healthy diet, for one thing. Research is finding that diet can play an important part in reducing inflammation. Certain vitamins in particular may help control inflammatory processes in the body.

Which vitamins have the most anti-inflammatory potential? Here’s what the research has to say.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is commonly found in whole milk, liver and some fortified foods. Beta-carotene is a pro-vitamin found in carrots and many colorful vegetables that can be converted to Vitamin A in the body.

Vitamin A is an antioxidant. That means it protects against harmful substances in your body called free radicals, which can damage DNA and lead to cancer and other diseases. Vitamin A also has anti-inflammatory effects.

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Inflammation-Fighting Vitamins


Vitamin C

Your body uses this vitamin, found in oranges and other citrus fruits, for a number of different purposes. Vitamin C helps to produce collagen -- the building block of skin, cartilage, ligaments, and blood vessels, and it protects against harmful substances that contribute to disease. Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant and studies suggest that it has some anti-inflammatory benefits.

The evidence:

Taking Vitamin C supplements may significantly lower CRP levels, research finds. Whether having lower levels of this inflammatory marker might translate into a lower risk for heart disease remains to be seen, however.

Vitamin D

The same vitamin that works with calcium to strengthen bones can also protect against inflammation. Vitamin D can be found in fish, liver, beef, egg yolks, and some fortified foods. Vitamin D is also produced in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

The evidence:

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, and Type 1 diabetes. Taking Vitamin D supplements may help reduce inflammation in people with these conditions, although this hasn’t been proven. Vitamin D deficiency may even increase levels of inflammatory markers in healthy people.

Vitamin D supplements may also reduce the inflammation associated with age-related diseases.

➢ One study found that people with the highest Vitamin D levels have a 40% lower risk of colon cancer than those who have the lowest level of this vitamin. However, it’s not yet clear whether taking

Vitamin D supplements can actually lower cancer risk.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is another antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Common food sources include nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables.

The evidence:

Vitamin E comes in several different forms. The alpha-Tocopherol type may help prevent heart disease by slowing the release of inflammatory substances that damage the heart.

Alpha-Tocopherol also might be effective for easing lung inflammation related to allergies. However, because studies were conducted on animals, it’s not yet clear whether the results will translate to humans.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K -- found in green vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, kale, and spinach -- is best known for its role in helping blood clot, but research is finding that it may have other benefits, too.

The evidence:

Getting more Vitamin K can reduce levels of inflammatory markers throughout the body.

None of the research done so far provides enough justification to take numerous vitamin supplements daily. It’s still not clear whether taking any of these vitamins will reduce your risk for diseases linked to inflammation. However, getting enough of these vitamins each day in your diet could help you stay healthier in general.

Source: webmd.com

obesity crisis


obesity crisis

ADHD affects males at higher rate than females in childhood, but this ratio seems to even out by adulthood.

Common Behaviors and Problems of Adult ADHD

The following behaviors and problems may stem directly from ADHD or may be the result of related adjustment difficulties:

Chronic lateness and

forgetfulness

Anxiety

Low self-esteem and depression

Employment and/or

relationship problems

Difficulty controlling anger

Impulsiveness and mood swings

These behaviors may be mild to severe and can vary with the situation or be present all of the time. Some adults with ADHD may be able to concentrate if they are interested in or excited about what they are doing. Others may have difficulty focusing under any circumstances.

Some adults look for stimulation, but others avoid it. In addition, adults with ADHD can be withdrawn and antisocial, or they can be overly social and unable to be alone.

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most well-recognized childhood developmental problems. This condition is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

It is now known that these symptoms continue into adulthood for about 60% of children with ADHD. That translates into 8 million adults in the US. However, few adults are identified or treated for adult ADHD.

ADHD in Adults

Adults with ADHD may have difficulty following directions, remembering information, concentrating, organizing tasks or completing work within time limits. If these difficulties are not managed appropriately, they can cause associated behavioral, emotional, social, vocational and academic problems.

Adult ADHD Statistics

ADHD afflicts approximately 3% to 10% of school-aged children and an estimated 60% of those will maintain the disorder into adulthood.

Prevalence rates for ADHD in adults are not as well determined as rates for children, but fall in the 4% to 5% range.

ADHD in Adults

Substance abuse or addiction

Poor organization skills

Procrastination

Low frustration tolerance

Chronic boredom

Difficulty concentrating

when reading

continued on page 19...


Substance abuse or addiction

Poor organization skills

Procrastination

Low frustration tolerance

Chronic boredom

Difficulty concentrating

when reading



obesity crisis...continued from page 16

Take medications as directed. If you are taking any medications for ADHD or any other condition, be sure and take them exactly as prescribed. Missing a dose or taking two doses at once to catch up on missed doses can have negative consequences for you and others. If you are noticing side effects or other problems, speak to your health care provider as soon as possible.

Organize yourself. Train yourself to become more organized. Make lists of daily tasks (be reasonable!) and strive to complete them. Use a daily planner, leave notes for yourself and set your alarm clock when you need to remember an appointment or other activity.

Control impulsive behavior. If you have a tendency to do things you later regret, such as interrupting or getting angry at others, manage the impulse by counting to 10 while breathing slowly instead of acting out. Usually the impulse will pass as quickly as it appeared.

Minimize distractions. Find ways to reduce the distractions throughout the day. If you find yourself being distracted by loud music or the television, turn it off or use earplugs. Move yourself to a quieter location or ask others to help reduce distractions.

Find constructive outlets for excess energy. People with ADHD sometimes seem to have more nervous energy than others, and this hyperactivity needs to have an outlet of some sort. A hobby or other pastime can be helpful.

Ask for help. We all need help from time to time and it is important to not be afraid to ask for it when you need it. If you are having disruptive thoughts or behaviors, ask a counselor if they have any techniques that might help control them.

Living with Adult ADHD

Although most people don’t outgrow ADHD, they do learn to adapt. If the difficulties associated with ADHD are managed appropriately throughout their lives, adults with ADHD can learn to develop personal strengths and be productive and successful.

Source: consultingmd.com/disease

Work-Related Impairments Linked to Adult ADHD

Change employers frequently and perform poorly. Have had fewer occupational achievements, independent of

psychiatric status.

Social-Related Impairments Linked to Adult ADHD

Have a lower socioeconomic status. Have recurring driving violations. Use illegal substances more frequently. Smoke cigarettes. Self-report psychological maladjustment more often.

Relationship-Related Impairments Linked to Adult ADHD

Have more marital problems and multiple marriages. Have higher incidence of separation and divorce.

Much of this functional impairment diminishes with remission of the disorder and can be mitigated by appropriate treatment.

How Is Adult ADHD Diagnosed?

While researchers may disagree about age of childhood onset in diagnosing adult ADHD, all agree that ADHD is not an adult-onset disorder and must be verified from childhood. An assessment of ADHD symptoms and behavior from childhood may include any or all of the following:

A questionnaire to determine if the adult had ADHD in childhood.

School report cards, if available, to look for comments about behavior problems, poor focus, lack of effort or underachievement relative to the student’s potential.

Discussion with the parents to determine any symptoms during childhood.

A complete history from the adult with the symptoms. He or she may self report symptoms in childhood.

The developmental history would be consistent with ADHD, including evidence of problems with peers, other delays such as bed wetting, school failure, suspensions, or special interventions such as sitting in front of the class, etc.

A strong family history of ADHD may also be informative, given the strong genetic component of the disorder.

Psychosocial Behavior Management Strategies

Adults with ADHD can also benefit from some basic organizational concepts and behavior management strategies to help manage the condition. Here are ways to train yourself to overcome these problems or make them more manageable:


obesity crisis

Anger is an emotion that children learn to feel within a few months of being born. The emotion itself is a healthy and natural expression of certain experiences. Anger becomes a problem when it becomes out of control and when it hurts people emotionally or even physically.

People mistakenly believe that anger can be managed by trying harder to control yourself. However, anger management problems are usually a sign that there is a larger issue at hand.

Identifying the underlying cause of anger management problems and treating it appropriately is the best chance at properly managing the problem. Here are some common causes for developing anger management issues:

1. Lack of Sleep

Not sleeping enough can result in feeling edgy and easily irritable. Chronic insomnia, sleep apnea or other sleep disorders can be linked to recurrent bouts of anger.

2. Medications

Anger or emotional liability can be side effects of certain medications. In addition, being over-medicated or taking the wrong medication for physical ailments can result in episodes of excessive anger.

3. Witnessing poor anger management

The old adage “Do as I say and not as I do,” does not translate easily to real life. Children learn how to behave and regulate their emotions by watching their parents. If a child grows up with one or both parents with anger management problems, he/she will grow up believing that losing their temper is an acceptable and normal reaction to anger.

4. Experiencing abuse

Witnessing or experiencing any kind of abuse as a child or an adult is a risk factor for developing anger management issues. For some, anger feels like the safest emotion to experience, believing that if they are angry they can be safe from further abuse. For others, depending

Common Causes for Anger Management Issueson the extent of the abuse, changes in brain chemistry can result in difficulty regulating anger and other emotions. Anger outbursts are commonly present amongst people who experience post traumatic stress disorder.

5. Mismanaged stress

Stress due to a job, an unhappy relationship or even the death of a loved one lowers our threshold for feeling overwhelmed. When stress surpasses the lowered thresholds, anger is a natural response. If the stress becomes chronic or is not managed properly, anger issues become more frequent and may turn into a habit for dealing with feelings of being overwhelmed.

6. Being taught that expressing emotions is unacceptable

Some families have low tolerance for expressing certain emotions in front of anyone. This teaches children that they should not feel or show these emotions, which is equivalent to teaching a child that blinking in public is not acceptable. Emotions are a necessary and natural part of life, and suppressing these emotions does not allow the child to learn healthy emotion management techniques. This creates a pressure cooker environment and once in a while it blows.

7. Low self-esteem

People with low self-esteem tend to misinterpret events as being threatening to themselves, their goals or their needs. Since anger is a natural emotional response to threat, many people with low self-esteem will react to this misinterpreted threat with anger. For example, a reasonable complaint by a spouse may feel like a character assassination and result in an anger outburst.

8. Low frustration tolerance

Everyone has experienced lowered frustration tolerance at some point in their lives. For some, this tolerance level is not temporary and they generally cannot tolerate moderate levels of frustration. The reaction to feeling extra frustrated is to lash out.

9. Hiding other emotions

Sometimes other emotions are too hurtful or overwhelming to express and thus they become overshadowed by expressions of anger. Most of the time, underneath the anger are emotions such as hurt, sadness, loneliness or grief.

While these are the most common causes of anger problems, each individual’s experience is unique. The best way to manage anger issues is to attend anger management classes or to see a psychiatrist specializing in anger management. Identifying the causes of your anger issues will serve as the best chance to learn how to control your anger better and live a healthier life.

Source: mysahana.org



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lifestyle - Healthy Options Oct 2012 Newsdigest2... · The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest tracks all the medical and nutrition journals, research, conferences, and newsletters