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June 2007 - Posts
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For this Fun Friday of Summer Break month, I want to share an activity that I enjoy in my spare time. Disc golf, sometimes called ‘Frisbee Golf’, is a fun, inexpensive sport that you and your whole family can enjoy.
Disc golf is very similar to the game of golf but doesn’t require a lot of equipment.
Instead of using a ball and clubs, disc golf uses a Frisbee-like disc. The object of the game is to throw the disc from the tee and get it in the ‘hole’ on the green. The ‘hole’ is actually a basket, marked by the pin. Like golf, you count up your consecutive shots for each hole and the lowest total score for the course wins.
In doing more research on the sport, I was amazed to learn that the sport is very popular. There are disc golf courses all over the country, seven 18-hole disc golf courses in my area. Disc golf even has its own professional association called the Professional Disc Golf Association and a professional tour called the PDGA tour.
So next time you’re looking for a new activity, try disc golf. It is a social sport that will give you some exercise and test your motor skills. But most importantly, it’s fun.
Justin - A Lumen
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We are all aware that exercise helps us to stay fit and have more energy throughout the day. But if you're like me, you probably need a little extra push to get up early in the morning to exercise before work or to be able to motivate yourself to get to the gym after work. Sometimes planning ahead and knowing exactly what you're going to do as well as tracking your progress over time can help resolve some of these issues.
One great tool for Lumenos plan consumers to assess current fitness levels and develop a plan to get more exercise is the LEAP (Lifetime Exercise Adherence Program) tool. LEAP can help you design a customized plan, set goals such as losing weight or improving flexibility as well as help to establish a schedule to log and track progress. And all of this can be done in one place - online.
Next time you log in to the online health site, go to My Health and click on My Health Profile on the left-hand side. Then, under Health tools, click on Fitness LEAP. You may find that just using this tool to record your progress can help you stay motivated and give you ideas for taking your fitness to the next level. If you try out this tool, let me know if you found it to be as useful as I did.
Reena (A Lumen)
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It is summertime and a cold treat sounds good – how about a milkshake or smoothie? It seems like smoothie shops are opening all over the place these days. They taste great and offer some good nutrition and it’s easy to eat on the go. It’s practically a dieter’s dream, right? Not quite.
The concept seems harmless enough – fruit, ice and milk, juice or yogurt whirred together in a blender to create a thick, creamy drink. But order up a smoothie at your favorite juice bar and you might be getting an amount of calories (and sometimes fat) that can be rough on your waistline.
The nutrition facts at some popular places make it clear that sipping smoothies isn’t always smooth sailing for your weight-loss efforts: one brand’s 24-oz banana berry or mango smoothies, for example, have more than 450 calories and almost 2 grams of fat. The peanut butter flavor has 850 calories and 21 grams of fat. Other brands of chocolate smoothies have nearly 850 calories and 29 grams of fat.
 
You can make your next smoothie healthy and low in calories. You can still get all the benefits of smoothies, like calcium and protein from low-fat dairy and fiber and vitamin C from fruits, while you take in less fat and calories by following a few basic guidelines:
1. Ask for nutrition information. Most of these places like to cater to the healthy-minded customers.
2. Watch out for the high calorie smoothie add-ins. Chocolate, peanut butter and coconut milk aren’t low in fat and calories on their own, so whipping them up in the blender won’t make them any better for you.
3. Ask for substitutions. Request nonfat or low-fat yogurt and fat-free dairy products, or opt for juice, sherbets and sorbets to keep the fat content down.
4. Keep it low on sugar. Choose a fruit base that isn’t likely to be prepared in sweetened syrups (like strawberries and pineapple). Bananas, citrus fruits, flash-frozen berries and peaches are generally better picks.
5. Steer clear of the add-in boosters. Some smoothie menus sound more like pharmacies. Forget the herbal supplements, protein powders and extracts. None of these things have super powers.
Sticking to those simple rules can make your trip to the smoothie shop a slimmer experience. You can also blend one of your own at home and get an even bigger discount on fat and calories.
Are milkshakes a healthy choice? They can be as tricky as the smoothie when it comes to calories, fat and sugar content. A fast-food 32-oz shake has a whopping 1160 calories and 27 grams of fat. There are ways to save calories next time you have a milkshake – if you get the reduced fat milk and ice cream then you still get the benefits from the protein, calcium, vitamins A and D and some B vitamins. Whole milk and products made from whole milk, such as ice cream, provide a lot of saturated fat, which is not healthy. A diet high in saturated fat has been linked with heart disease, obesity and certain types of cancers.
You don't need to give up your shakes completely, but they can be made a bit healthier. You can use skim or 1% milk in place of whole or 2%, and replace full fat ice cream with light ice cream, frozen yogurt or other soy alternative. Remember to add some fruits like bananas, strawberries, blueberries or raspberries to your shake to boost the nutritional content. Lastly, remember to practice good portion control and make a small shake or share it with a friend.
Rebecca
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Throughout Chapters 1-4 of Mindless Eating, Dr. Wansink talks about a variety of topics, such as container size, food variety, and the Mindless Margin, the gray area between hungry and full. He shows that these concepts greatly influence the amount of food we eat and make a big difference on weight over the long-term. Dr. Wansink also shows that many of our eating habits are based on environmental cues that push us to overeat.
So what can we do about it? In order to break the overeating and weight-gaining cycle, we must change our perception of why we eat. Take dieting for example. Too often we diet by eliminating unhealthy food groups - sugar, saturated fats, complex carbs - and try to maintain this unbalanced cycle. It works for a while but in a time of weakness, we rebound by splurging on the food we were avoiding. Instead, Dr. Wansink says dieting should focus on making small changes. To make dieting more manageable and sustainable over the long-term, change your perception of eating by focusing on the 'mini-decisions' made throughout the day in terms of food choice. For example, Dr. Wansink includes these interesting tidbits of information in Chapter 1:
One less 270 calorie candy bar each day = 27 fewer pounds a year
One less 140 calorie soft drink each day = 14 fewer pounds a year
One less 420 calorie bagel each day = 42 fewer pounds a year
This information would suggest that eliminating one unhealthy food choice from your diet can make a big impact over the course of a year. What are your thoughts on this?
To be thin, eat like the French.
Dr. Wansink also talks about about cultural differences and overeating. He briefly describes a study that compares Parisians to Chicagoans and how they decide to stop eating during a meal. Both filled out written questionnaires and results indicated Parisians stopped eating for different reasons than Chicagoans. Parisians stopped eating when they no longer felt hungry while the Chicagoans stopped eating when their plate was empty or when they ran out of their beverage. I think this study really shows how learned behavior can influence your food decisions.
Don't worry if you haven't started reading the book yet. You still have time to catch up. Next week we're reviewing Chapters 5-6. Happy Reading!
PS...Do you think you're a Mindless Eater? CLICK HERE to check yourself on Dr. Wansink's Mindless Eating Meter.
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Join us for
the next free DocTalk seminar on June
28th.
Did you know
consumers with coronary artery disease receive the recommended care only about
two-thirds of the time? And asthma and diabetes patients only about half the
time? While most of us assume we’re getting quality health care most of the
time, studies show that overuse, misuse and underuse of drugs, tests and medical
procedures is common.
Join our new DocTalk host, Dr, Ray
Morales, national medical director for Lumenos health plans, for a discussion
on hospital and physician quality, as well as the attributes to look for in a
quality physician, medical practice or hospital. And most important, find out
how this information can have a big impact on the care you and your family
receive.
DocTalk online
health seminars explore the ways you can live longer and feel better – by making simple changes in
your daily life. They’re not only live, they’re interactive – so you can
listen, ask questions and interact with other plan consumers.
The lunch time
session on June 28th is scheduled for 12:00 Noon Eastern Time and again at
12:00 Noon Pacific Time.
You’ll need to
reserve a spot prior to each session. To register now, visit doctalk.webex.com
(no www), select the session that interests you and follow the registration
instructions. We’ll send you an e-mail reminder before the day of the seminar
with info on how to log in to the Webcast and dial in to the teleconference.
Sign
up early, participation in each session is limited to the first 300 consumers
to register.
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If you want to break from the mold and try a different activity, I’d like to suggest one of my favorite hobbies – horseback riding.
I remember my first time on a horse. It was when I lived in San Diego and my friend, Rose, worked at a stable. She trained both riders and horses how to showjump and I used to visit her all the time. One time while visiting, Rose suggested I give riding a try. I was a bit hesitant but agreed and she helped me up on a horse named “Grandpa” (he was 19 years old). She took me out to the riding ring and gave me a few pointers on how to control the horse and proper riding style. I was definitely nervous at first, but once I got the hang of what I was doing I fell in love with the sport. Rose gave a few more riding lessons and I have to say, I became a pretty good equestrian.
Horseback riding is a fun and healthy hobby. It teaches you patience, self-discipline and gives you a thrill of working with a large animal. Plus, riding builds balance, muscle tone, and fine motor coordination. For me, riding is a stress reliever. It calms me down and allows me to re-evaluate my priorities.
So for this weekend, do something different – go horseback riding. Look below for a picture of me on my first riding lesson.
I enjoy sharing my experiences on Ignite. Through my Friday blogs, I'm able to tell you what I like to do in my spare time. And I hope you’ll tell me what you enjoy - by posting a comment in the blog or starting your own threads.
Justin - A Lumen
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Eating a healthy lunch at work can be hard - especially if you aren’t disciplined enough to bring your lunch to work. Too often, many of us get in our cars and rush down to the closest fast food restaurant or go to the cafeteria and grab something quick only to hurry back to eat at our desk. This daily ritual is unhealthy for a number of reasons; i) we get very little, if any, exercise and ii) we don’t give our minds a chance to relax.
To break this vicious cycle a couple of co-workers and I have lunch together a few times a week. But rather than getting in a car and going out to the local fast food restaurant we walk to a small strip mall close to the office (a little over 1/3 of a mile). Generally we choose healthy lunch options from the local sub shop or grocery store rather than the fast food restaurant (I think there’s something about the walk that keeps us from choosing an unhealthy lunch). But equally as important as the exercise we get from the walk, the time out of the office gives us a chance to relax (and even get to know each other a little better).
I’ve found that if I can get out of the office for even 10 or 15 minutes and think about something other than work, I come back more refreshed. Many times with a different perspective on a project that was giving me problems earlier in the day.
Do you do anything to try and make your lunches a little healthier? If so, I'd love to hear about it - just post your comment to this blog. I'm always looking for new ways to be a little healthier.
Jason - a Lumen 
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Snacking is a necessary activity that prevents overeating and poor food choices. Dips are usually around when it comes to snacking. Let’s take a look at lower calorie dip choices and what foods are best for dipping.
When we think of dipping foods, usually the first things that come to mind are snacks like potato chips or corn chips. Today’s selection is getting healthier with baked chips and multigrain chips, which are better than fried chips. Other lower calorie choices for dipping include fresh vegetables like raw carrots or green beans. Raw vegetables can be made more flavorful with the addition of certain dips. It may be easier to convince your kids to eat their vegetables if they are allowed to use a dip with them.
However, if you’re watching your weight, you should keep in mind that commercially prepared dips can be extremely high in fat including saturated fat and not very high in nutrients. If you like dips with your raw vegetables, then you will want to consider healthier, less fattening alternatives such as dips made from yogurt, instead of cream or mayonnaise.
For example, consider a guacamole dip which is made from avocadoes, tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt. This dip is an excellent source of Vitamins E and C. Additionally, it contains no cholesterol. Hummus is another healthy dip which is made from chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. This dip is high in protein and offers no cholesterol. Both of these dips do have fat and average 50 calories a tablespoon, so limit serving size to a quarter cup or about four tablespoons. Lastly, salsa is a very low calorie, fat-free dip which has around 5-10 calories per tablespoon. Salsa is made from tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, olive oil, chili peppers, garlic, salt and pepper. Besides being a good dip, salsa makes a great low calorie topping for salads and baked potatoes.
  
Whichever snack you choose, as long as it is healthy and nutritious, there should be no harm in a snack in between meals. Just be careful to choose something that supplies your body with its daily nutritional needs.
Rebecca
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Chapter 3- Surveying the Tablescape
In this chapter, we are introduced to the concept of a "tablescape"- that is, the placement of dishes, glasses, silverware, and serving bowls on the table- and how it affects our eating. Dr. Wansink talks about the powerful visual illusions that exist on the table, mainly the size of the container (i.e., the plate, serving bowl, or glass) and the number of containers. The book cites several studies that show the larger the container, the more people will eat. So whether it's a box of pasta, a jar of sauce, a bowl of Chex Mix, or a bag of M&M's people eat more based on the size of the container. So, to keep your meal sizes down, the suggestion is to use smaller plates and serving bowls, and fewer of them. Have you ever paid attention to your own tablescape? How does it affect the amount you and your family eat?
The other studies show how the variety of food will increase people's consumption. People presented with 10 colors of M&M's ate more than those given 7 colors, even though they all taste the same. The suggestion here is to limit the number of choices at a meal- and beware of grazing around buffets and leftovers, where the sheer variety of choices can push you to eat more.
I didn't quite understand the results of the last study they mentioned- the party with multiple snack bowls. One group was presented 3 large snack bowls while the other group was given 12 smaller ones. Both groups received the same amount of food and the same types of snacks. The party-goers with 12 bowls ate more, because of the perception of variety. But wouldn't you think the larger bowls would also be a factor? Is variety a MORE powerful influence than container size in that case?
Chapter 4- The Hidden Persuaders Around Us
This chapter discusses two of my personal weaknesses, the "see food" diet, as well as the "convenience factor". The premise here is that the mere act of seeing food, in real life, on TV, in a magazine, or even visualizing it in your mind increases your likelihood of eating it, especially if it's convenient to us. The mere act of placing a candy dish 6 feet away from test subject's desks deterred them from eating it. This chapter also talks about Warehouse Club shopping and how buying in bulk can really increase your consumption, especially if you "see" all the stuff you have in your cupboards, not to mention the huge containers.
I can’t believe the findings that families tended to eat TWICE as much the week after they shopped at a Wholesale Club vs. the second or third week. I have to admit that, yes I tend to eat more right after I have done some major grocery shopping. But it seems the reason for this is the amount and the number of choices of the food in my freshly stocked kitchen- I had never thought of it that way. To combat the temptation to overeat after Wholesale club shopping, Dr. Wansink suggests repackaging your bulk food items into smaller containers, and hiding some of your "stash" to make it less convenient to access. So I ask the Wholesale Club fans out there, do you think those techniques would work for you? Do you think you and your family tend to eat more when there's more food and more choices in your kitchen?
Next week, we'll review Chapters 1-4 again to give some of you a chance to catch up. Happy reading!
Dell- a Lumen
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Just recently a new weight loss drug has become available over-the-counter. Alli is a reduced strength version of orlistat (Xenical), a prescription weight loss drug. The drug is approved for overweight adults 18 years or older. Of course you must follow a low calorie, low-fat diet and regular exercise program to achieve maximum results. However, before you run and buy this drug, it is important to know how it works…all of the following information may change your mind.
Alli works by decreasing the absorption of fat by the intestines, which reduces the number of calories that can be absorbed. Lipase is an enzyme found in the digestive tract to help break down dietary fat into smaller components so it can be used or stored for energy. Alli disables the lipase, which prevents fat from being broken down in the digestive tract. The undigested fat continues through the intestines and out in the bowels.
It is recommended that Alli be taken with fat-containing meals up to three times per day. A person should limit their fat intake to less than 15 grams per meal to avoid unwanted effects from the removal of excess fat in the body. Some of these unwanted effects include “urgent” bowel movements and diarrhea.
So how effective is this drug in promoting weight loss?
You can expect to lose a few more pounds than what you would get with just diet and exercise. Weight loss studies with Xenical reported a loss of 6 pounds in a year, but remember the over-the-counter Alli is half the prescription dose, so the loss estimates will be half with Alli. In order to keep the weight that is lost off, the person must continue to stay on the drug, watch their diet and exercise.
Alli is not recommended for people who are a healthy weight, have had an organ transplant, are taking cyclosporine, or have problems absorbing food. It is also not recommended for people who are taking blood-thinning medication, diabetics, or people with thyroid disease. The other risk for anyone on the drug is that the drug decreases the absorption of fat soluble vitamins – A, D, E, and K. If you are taking the drug it is a good idea to take a daily multivitamin supplement
How much does this new drug cost?
A starter pack, which includes reference guides, a daily journal and one month's supply of medication, is about $60. A refill pack with a 40-day supply of capsules is about $75. The cost for this drug is not cheap and can get pricey over the course of a year.
If you consider Alli as a weight-loss aid, make sure that you make every effort to exercise, change your eating habits and adjust any other lifestyle factors that have contributed to your excess weight. Alli isn't the easy answer or guarantee to weight loss, and it is meant only to supplement — not replace — a healthy diet and regular exercise. Lastly, make sure to check with your doctor before taking this drug for weight loss.
Rebecca
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This past weekend, I really wanted to enjoy the nice weather and also get a bit of exercise - so I went rollerblading. I hadn’t been rollerblading in years and didn’t have my own blades. Luckily, my roommate and I wear the same size shoe so I borrowed his set of blades and pads. I did a little research on where to blade in DC and set off for some fun.
I ventured down to East Potomac Park, located in southwest DC. The park runs along the banks of the Potomac River and is very scenic with lots of trees, picnic areas and even has a public golf course and tennis courts. Plus, the best part about the park is cars are not allowed to enter the park so I didn’t have to worry about cars. While doing my research, I found the park’s path was 3 miles long so I could keep good track of my distance.
I was pretty proud of myself. I ended blading for about an hour and half and covered about 4 miles. Plus, I fell only twice. Not bad for being rusty. Blading gave me a great workout. I burned about 600 calories, worked out my legs, abdomen and butt, and got to be outdoors.
Now that I’ve got back into rollerblading, I’ve decided to buy my own. Does anyone have a good suggestion for a brand or type to get?
Justin - A Lumen
PS…Check this guy out. He makes music with his rollerblades. CLICK HERE
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The idea of Internet search technology has gained a great deal of popularity and is being used for everyday tasks like finding a nearby store or looking up the directions for a new restaurant. In health care too this technology is being used for a variety of things such as looking for a doctor within a certain geographic area, finding a local pharmacy, looking up the cost of prescription drugs and more. Here's one more way this search feature is used by the Lumenos plan to add value to your health care --
If your Lumenos plan offers Medco for your pharmacy benefits, there is a tool you can use that will help you compare the cost of prescription drugs. You can access prescription drug information anytime and from anywhere using your cell phone or PDA. It's a great way to compare the cost of potential alternatives to your medication, both brand name and generics in the order of least to most expensive. You'll also be able to get estimated costs for each option.
So here's how the tool works - just type rx.lumenos.com into your Web-enabled cell phone or PDA and enter the name of the prescription medication in your search box and select Go. Then, select the appropriate dosage from the list. Once you do so, you'll get list of alternatives to your medication. This tool is especially handy to review and discuss with your doctor what options may work best for you.
This tool is unique, convenient and as mobile as your cell phone or PDA. Next time you are looking for precription drugs, give this a try and let me know if this tool was helpful to you.
Reena (A Lumen)
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When the weather is nice people get outside to grill their meals. Instead of burgers, next time try grilling fish or seafood – you still get the same amount of protein, but for ¼ of the calories. Although no single food alone can make a person healthy, eating more seafood is one way that most of us can help improve our diets—and our health. Many of the studies about beneficial omega-3 fatty acids focus on fish as the primary source. Salmon, sardines, tuna and even shellfish are rich in omega-3 fatty acid content, but increasing your consumption of all types of fish and seafood is recommended.
The American Heart Association recommends that you eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week in order to reap specific health benefits. The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Women's Health and Nutrition position paper suggests consuming two to three fish meals per week, along with a low-fat diet, for heart health. Although all fish aren't high in omega-3s, they still can contribute important amounts of these fatty acids if they're eaten regularly.
Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein that are low in fat. A 3-ounce cooked serving of most fish and shellfish provides about 20 grams of protein, or about a third of the average daily recommended protein intake. The protein in fish is of high quality, containing an abundance of essential amino acids, and is very digestible for people of all ages. Seafood is also generally lower in fat and calories than beef, poultry or pork.
 
 
Seafood on the grill can be intimidating if you don't know what you are doing, but is really very easy. The first step is selecting seafood fit for grilling. Some good choices include whole fish such as trout or those that can be cooked whole or cut into fillets, such as tuna, halibut, mahi-mahi, monkfish, and salmon. The firmer fish can be flipped without flaking and falling through the grates. When grilling shrimp, choose the largest sizes and put the smaller shrimp on bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for an hour. Remember cooking fish or seafood only takes 20 minutes so it makes a very quick meal.
If you still choose to order the seafood and/or fish next time you go out, look for entrees that are not fried. Restaurants are good places to try new types of seafood. Ask the staff what the seafood tastes like and how it is prepared; then you can judge whether or not you might like it. Remember to watch out for butter and cream sauces and fried foods.
Rebecca
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The Mindless Margin- Chapter 1
In chapter 1, Dr. Wansink explores the question - Why do we eat things that don't taste good? The answer lies in the cues around us. The first big cue he talks about is the size of the container itself - hence the popcorn study I mentioned in the previous blog. The research shows people will eat more popcorn out of a larger bucket - even if it tastes horrible! The same occurred with identical wine bottles, one with a California wine label vs. a North Dakota wine label. People enjoyed the "California" wine more even though they tasted the same, and they said the food they ate with the meal tasted better as a result.
Wansink also talks about the "Mindless Margin" which is defined as the amount of more or less calories per day we can eat without feeling deprived. Instead of dramatically cutting calories or depriving ourselves, the theory is that if we shave off just a little each day, we won't notice and still lose weight. The same is true in reverse, just 100-200 extra calories per day can add up to a larger size at the end of the year. The mindless margin is said to be about 20% of our daily caloric intake.
What would happen if you made a conscious effort to cut 20% of everything you ate and see if you felt deprived? I have been trying to do this, and with a few exceptions, I really haven't noticed feeling deprived. A neat diet trick that just might pay off over time!
Chapter 2-The Forgotten Food
I loved reading about the chicken wing experiment. Subjects who were presented with a buffet of chicken wings were divided into two groups, one where the leftover bones were cleared from the table, and one group was left with the bones. The group that had the bones left at their table ate 28% less than the boneless tables.
Study after study shows that we eat with our eyes, not our stomachs- that we rely on visual cues to tell us we're full. The researchers even rigged a study with a bottomless soup bowl- one with a tube drilled in the bottom that slowly refilled the soup as the subjects ate. First of all, no one noticed their bowl was being refilled - amazing! Second, the bottomless bowl subjects ate over twice as much soup, and several kept eating over the entire 20 minute experiment.
Wansink recommends we attempt to see all that we eat to avoid overeating. For example, put your food on a plate or bowl, leave empty cans and bottles and plates out until you are finished eating as a reminder of what was consumed, and instead of refilling your glass or plate, get a new one and leave the old one out.
What do you all think of these findings and suggestions? Are any of you with bad "eating out of the box" habits willing to change your ways, and start seeing what you're really eating ?
Next week, we'll discuss Chapters 3 and 4- Happy reading!
Dell - a Lumen
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In the first two installments of this series, I talked about carbs and protein. I discussed the fact that most of us get our carbs and proteins from the wrong sources – refined foods, fatty meats. In the case of fats, we not only consume too much, we consume the wrong kinds of fats.
In general, fats should make up only 10-30 percent of your total calories each day. That’s about 20-70 grams of fat in a typical 2,000 calorie-a-day diet.
The first problem: many people get more than a third of their calories from fat. The second problem: most of the fats are the wrong kinds of fats:
- Saturated fats, primarily from animal products like meat and dairy, which elevate your ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol.
- Trans fats, which are man-made fats added to processed foods. They not only elevate bad cholesterol, they also lower your ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol.
Instead of saturated and trans fats, we should be consuming these good fats:
- Polyunsaturated fats, such as the Omega-3 oil in soybeans, tofu, walnuts, flaxseed oil, and certain coldwater fish like salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel. (Another polyunsaturated oil, Omega-6 – found in poultry as well as corn, sunflower, cottonseed and safflower oils – is not as beneficial and should be limited.)
- Monounsaturated fats, from oils such as olive, canola and flaxseed, as well as from avocados. These fats actually lower your bad cholesterol.
In general, you should try to limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats altogether.
Dr. Mike
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