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November 2007 - Posts
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I hope you had a good Thanksgiving holiday. I know I did. I ventured
down to Miami
to celebrate Thanksgiving with a friend. Ryan, my friend, lives right in South Beach,
about a block away from the ocean. Most of my holiday, including Thanksgiving Day,
was spent sunbathing and swimming in the ocean. I even made a trip down to Key West, which was
beautiful. Overall, the trip was fantastic. It was a great opportunity to get
away and come back hope refocused.
Waiting in the airport for my delayed flight, I had some
time to think. I realized that winter is definitely upon us – and time is limited
for outdoor activities. So I started thinking of some ways to keep busy while
indoors during the winter months. Below are the ones I thought of. Many of them
are for the kids – but adults are more welcome to do them too.
Play a board game. Whether
it’s Life, Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit – board games provide a great way to keep
busy and keep your mind engaged.
Build a fort. All
you need are a few chairs, some blankets and you’ve got yourself a fort. The
best is when you build a fort around the TV and then watch a movie.
Complete a floor
puzzle. They come in all sizes and difficulties but they will keep your
mind sharp and engaged for hours.
Make your own music
video. Making a video is easier than ever with all the video recorders on
the market. Retailers even sell disposable video recorders now.
Try a fitness tape. Taebo, Tai Chi or Jane Fonda– all great ways to get some aerobic exercise.
Justin – A Lumen
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Starting a meal with soup can be a helpful tip for cutting down on mealtime calories. Having a bowl of low-calorie soup prior to a meal may help cut your total mealtime intake in terms of amount of food and calories, a new study suggests. Penn State researchers gave low-calorie soup made of chicken broth, broccoli, potato, cauliflower, carrots and butter to volunteers before they ate a lunch entree. Participants consumed 20 percent fewer calories when they had both the soup and entree compared to when they did not have soup, the researchers found.
However, make sure to choose wisely, by picking low-calorie, broth-based soups that are about 100 to 150 calories per serving. Be careful of higher calorie, cream-based soups that could actually increase the total calories consumed. For example, a bowl of broccoli and cheese can have over 300 calories whereas a broth-based soup like egg drop only has 73 calories per cup.
Here are a few tips for keeping soups and stews easy to prepare and healthy:
- Buy soup stock that is low in sodium, or make your own broth.
- Clear soups have fewer calories than creamed soups.
- Add lots of vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, celery, peas and onions add flavor and healthy nutrition. Tomatoes and mushrooms are good too.
- If you make a noodle soup, use whole grain noodles. Because consumers are becoming aware of the importance of whole grains, it is getting easier to find whole grain pasta with better taste and texture.
- Serve your soup with a salad or some warm whole grain bread. A bread-maker comes in just as handy as a crock pot.
- You can make a large batch of soup and freeze some for later. Keep in mind that cream soups and noodles don't freeze as well as soup with clear broth, meat, vegetables and beans. Of course, you can make the soup without the noodles and prepare a few each time you warm up your frozen soup.
Keep this tip in mind for this holiday season. Plan to eat before going to a party; soup can provide you with a low-calorie option for damage control when you hit the party. Remember, fewer calories for more volume is the way to go to stay full and eat fewer calories.
Rebecca
 
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In Chapter 3, we learn about mind sculpting, a technique used by psychologists to prepare patients to take actions by first allowing them to imagine completing the task and rehearsing it in their minds. Using mind sculpture allows someone to "imagine doing it" rather than "just doing it", which is much less threatening for a person facing a large change in their lives. Dr. Maurer says that using mind sculpture stimulates the parts of the brain that are used when you actually perform a task, therefore training or tricking the brain into learning the task before you attempt it. He lists out specific steps in achieving mind sculpture technique successfully, including imagining all aspects of the task or scenario- the sounds, tastes, smells, and feelings associated with it.
One example he cites is a patient who had a fear of swallowing pills. Using mind sculpture, the patient mentally rehearsed swallowing a pill, repeatedly, until she felt comfortable attempting it. When she did attempt to really swallow, her brain had already learned the task and her body simply followed. I thought the most interesting aspect of this technique is that you can start with just imagining a task or scenario for just a few seconds each day, working up to a few minutes, working up to more time. Anyone can imagine a task they are fearful or resistant to try for a few seconds ! This reinforces the title of the chapter, "Think Small Thoughts" very well.
In Chapter 4, "Take Small Actions", Dr. Maurer describes how to use kaizen to breakdown large, vague goals into very small actions. This chapter was my favorite so far, because you really start to see some concrete examples of how kaizen works. I loved the example goal of increasing one's exercise, because I can relate to this one personally. Like many people, I know I should exercise but am not as diligent or enthusiastic as I could be about getting in my 30 minutes per day. If I were using kaizen to condition my brain into not resisting exercise, I would break down the goal to much smaller pieces, rather than the typical, "I need to exercise 30 minutes a day every day". Maybe I could commit to marching in front of the TV for one minute per day, or squeezing a tennis ball while sitting on the couch, or walking for 5 minutes around the block with my dog. Whatever the smallest step is, that's the one I should be doing first and mastering, according to kaizen. So, I am going to try this technique. My small task for one month is to use my elliptical trainer for 2 minutes every day on the lowest level. I know I can do this, even though it seems ridiculous and won't affect my health. But, in order to overcome my resistance to the 30 minutes per day, I will give it a try.
Soon, many of us will be making our New Years resolutions. In pages 103 through 108, Dr. Maurer gives very specific steps to achieving several common New Years resolutions, broken down into smaller actions. This year, instead of heading in full force and failing like the majority of the population, how about trying some of his suggested steps ? Which broken resolutions would you be willing to try again, this time using kaizen ? Next week, we will review Chapters 1-4 , so if you haven't yet picked up the book or read it, here's your chance to catch up!
Dell- a Lumen
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This shouldn't come as a surprise: Thanksgiving should not
be the green light to a six-week indulgence that precedes the yearly resolution
of exercising more and eat healthier.
Experts advise Americans not to throw good habits out the window on Turkey
Day and into the holiday season. Instead, choose carefully, eat slowly, and
savor.
"It's normal and expected that most of us are going to overeat over the
holidays," said St. Louis dietitian
Diane Zych.
For most healthy people "it's a blip on the screen," she said.
"But for people who struggle with their weight, it's a very dangerous
time, it can really throw them off target."
The holiday season that starts with Thanksgiving (or even Halloween) and
ends with New Year's is a slippery slope, said Barry Popkin, who directs the
University of North Carolina Interdisciplinary Obesity Center. He said studies
have shown that seasonal weight gain can be significant — up to 10 pounds.
"A pound you can't remove is a pound for life," he said.
For all but the very health-conscious person who exercises a lot, the extra
pounds that come from excess calories are not likely to melt away, Popkin said.
He recommends enjoying pie and turkey with lots of water while cutting back on
alcohol and other high-caloric drinks.
"Beyond that, if you eat a huge amount of food, work it off and walk it
off, walk around the block," he said.
It would take 27 minutes of walking to burn the 97 calories in an 8-ounce
serving of cola. A really fast mile would burn 125 calories, Popkin notes.
But that barely dents the 2,000 to 3,000 calories in an average Thanksgiving
meal.
Three ounces of white turkey meat is only 130 calories, but a serving of
sweet potato casserole is 330 calories; stuffing is 107; a slice of pumpkin pie
is more than 300, while a piece of pecan pie is 500 calories.
Personal trainer Gina Pona-Norton said it's important to stay active — not
just busy — over the holidays. And don't deprive yourself, just use moderation.
"If you get off track, get back on as soon as possible," she said.
"If you have a bad Thursday, Friday is the day of eating perfect. Let it
go. Let Thanksgiving go."
Jason - a Lumen
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Do you know that the average Thanksgiving dinner has over 2,000 calories? And this number does not include the meals and/or snacks leading up to the meal. It can be a real challenge if you are watching your waistline. The following are some eating tips so that you can still have a healthy Thanksgiving dinner without having to deprive yourself.
If you are preparing the meal there are some ways to reduce the calories in the meal:
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Make gravy from de-fatted drippings (allow fat to rise to the top and then skim it off).
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Replace butter in stuffing recipes with fat-free broth.
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Reduce the fat in mashed potatoes by replacing the butter with either fat-free broth, fat-free half and half, low fat milk or skim milk.
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Use reduced-fat mushroom soup in your green bean casserole.
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Make pumpkin pie with evaporated skim milk instead of the whole milk.
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Reduce the sugar in the pie recipe to ½ cup instead of 1 cup.
Here are some tips for eating the meal that can save you some calories:
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Don't skip meals before the big meal that day. You'll be too hungry and may overeat.
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Begin the meal with a salad. You'll eat less during dinner.
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Watch portion size when choosing side dishes.
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Go for a long walk after the meal.
Lastly, let’s address the question of dessert. Which dessert is the better choice for calories – pumpkin or pecan pie? Neither pecan nor pumpkin pies are low-calorie, low-fat desserts, but your best bet would be the pumpkin pie. While most of the fat in pecan pie is unsaturated, one slice of homemade pecan pie has around 503 calories, with 108 of the calories coming from fat. A slice of pumpkin pie has only 316 calories with 130 of the calories coming from fat.
Neither type of food is really low fat, but pumpkin pie is lower in calories, and an excellent source of vitamin A, as well as a good source of calcium and iron. Also you can reduce the calories of a pumpkin pie by reducing the sugar to ½ cup, substituting the evaporated milk with evaporated skim milk, and using egg whites instead of eggs.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Rebecca
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We've all heard the Lao Tzu saying, "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with the first step" but is it really that easy? Dr. Maurer believes it is. He introduces us to the concept of "kaizen", the Japanese technique which was derived from post World War 2 American leaders faced with manufactures who would need to quickly step up their production and quality. Instead of demanding that companies dramatically change their ways, the concept of "continuous improvement" was used to promote slow, gradual change adopted by every worker in the organization. The Japanese adopted this idea readily, naming it "kaizen".
In Chapter 1, Dr. Maurer talks about change and fear. He proposes that many emotions, such as stress, anxiety, depression, tension, and nervousness... are all actually rooted in the basic reaction of fear. He talks about our brain's natural fight or flight reaction to real danger, and how this translates to our every day emotions. We are all familiar with stress and most of us admittedly have some stress in our lives, but is this really fear of change? I found this concept intriguing. Can you bypass all of these negative emotions by tricking your brain and avoiding the flight reaction?
In Chapter 2, we are challenged to begin the process of big change by taking the first tiny step, asking little questions. The idea is that questions, such as, "What would my ideal mate be like?" are much less threatening than being overwhelmed with the thought of dating someone new, as an example. Dr. Maurer gives more examples of ways we can break down a daunting task into very small pieces, and pose fun and creative questions to ourselves, therefore bypassing the part of the brain that elicits a fearful reaction. For example, rather than asking yourself "Why am I so fat?" he suggests asking, "What is one thing I like about myself today?" Asking this questions elicits positive thinking that starts to be come routine, and reprograms the brain.
What small questions could you ask yourself every day, in a whimsical way, that would start to move you toward a larger goal ? More importantly, what color is the car you parked next to at work today?
Next week we will discuss chapters 3 and 4. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving- and happy reading ! Dell- a Lumen
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The Great American Smoke Out took place last Thursday, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to update everyone on the smoking rate in the U.S.
According to a report recently published by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of adult smokers in the United States has remained constant since 2004. Given all of the education and advocacy efforts that have taken place over the past few years, this is a disturbing trend.
Based on the CDC's numbers, 20.8% of US adults smoked in 2006, compared to the 20.9% who were smoking in 2004 and 2005, data that suggests a marked slowdown from the steady declines seen in previous years.
So who’s still smoking?
The CDC analyzed data from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a questionnaire that evaluated the smoking habits of 24,275 adults 18 and older. Of the group, 20.8% currently smoked. Slightly more men (23.9%) than women (18.0%) are smokers. Only 10.4% of Asians surveyed still smoked, followed by Hispanics (15.2%), non-Hispanic whites (21.9%), non-Hispanic blacks (23%), and American Indians/Alaskan Natives (32.4%). And among those individuals who identified themselves as smokders, 44.2% had made an effort to stop smoking in the last 12 months.
Why isn’t the rate of smoking declining?
There are likely several reasons for the standstill in smoking rates. The authors of the study point to the 20.3% decrease in funding for comprehensive state-sponsored smoking cessation and prevention programs from 2002 to 2006. On top of that, many states have re-allocated funds previously devoted to tobacco control, says Thomas J. Glynn, Ph.D., director of the American Cancer Society's Cancer Science and Trends and International Tobacco programs.
Also to blame: tobacco companies have offset the burden of cigarette price increases by offering coupons, two-for-one deals, and other incentives to smokers, retailers, and wholesalers. Approximately 81% of tobacco-industry marketing efforts were related to discounting strategies, according to the report.
Call to Action
The American Cancer Society is calling for tighter regulations on cigarettes, from increasing workplace laws and cigarette tax increases to granting the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. But we as a population must also take a harder stand against smoking. If you have a close friend or relative who’s a smoker do what you can to encourage them to quit. And be supportive - whether it's their first time or tenth time trying to quit. The important thing is that they stop smoking.
Jason – a Lumen
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Thanksgiving,
or Turkey Day as I like to call it, is right around the corner. It’s the time
to gather with friends and family, give thanks - and eat all that delicious food.
And for many
us, it’s also a time to stress. Whether it is grandpa lecturing on how to cut
the turkey or Aunt Karen talking about politics at the dinner table, holidays
with the family can be stressful. But there are some things you can do to
de-stress your holiday. So for this Fun Friday, I’ll share some of the pointers
I’ve learned on how to reduce stress during the holidays.
First,
whenever you’re cooking or helping cook, make a plan of attack. Make a list of
the ingredients you need before shopping and write down how you are going to
cook everything, how much time each one takes, etc. And don’t try to do all the
cooking yourself - delegate certain duties to other family members.
Second, leave any family grudges at the door. So forgive Uncle Bob for the time
he forgot to send a birthday card. And remind yourself that Thanksgiving is
about giving thanks for the things we have. Forgive and forget.Third, play with the kids. For me, being around children brings me back
down to earth and reminds me what’s important. Plus, it’s fun.
Last, don’t
forget to exercise. Staying active during this crazy time will lower your
stress levels and counterbalance all the food.
Have a happy
and stress-free Thanksgiving!
Justin – A
Lumen
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I'm excited about our next Ignite Book Club selection, One Small Step Can Change Your Life, by Robert Maurer, Ph.D. The book explains the force of kaizen, the Japanese technique of achieving great and lasting success through small, steady steps. "Whether the goal is as specific as getting more sleep or as broad as meeting the love of your life, kaizen works because it melts away resistance - In particular the "fight or flight" brain chemistry behind people's underlying fear of change." With the holidays quickly approaching, along with another New Year, this sounds like something we could all use a little help with- making positive changes for ourselves. Next week, we will discuss chapters 1 and 2, so grab a copy of the book and join in the discussion! Happy Reading, Dell- a Lumen
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Today is Diwali or
Deepawali. It’s a major Indian and Nepalese holiday celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs
and Jains. Centuries ago, Diwali began as the harvest festival and is referred
to as the ‘Festival of Lights’. Diwali marks the third day of a five day festival,
whereby, people celebrate by lighting ‘diyas’ (candles) all around the house
and setting off fireworks. Plus, it’s a time for family and friends to come
together, eat and celebrate. The lights or lamps are said to signify the
triumph of good over evil within all human beings.
In my office, we are
having a big potluck party to celebrate Diwali. While I doubt we will be
setting off fireworks or lighting diyas, I know there will be tons of food and
fun. I’m really excited.
Learning about another
culture, experimenting with a new recipe can be fun and informative. So choose
an Indian recipe to cook with your family. Or just make reservations at a Indian
restaurant and share a new experience with your family.
To all who celebrate this festival – we wish you a happy Diwali!
Justin – A Lumen
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Eating less and losing weight can be a challenge, due to hunger. Increasing exercise can increase your appetite as well. Not applying appropriate nutrition principles can lead to unnecessary food cravings and poor food choices and/or overeating. Let’s take a look at some ways to control appetite with particular foods and eating strategies.
Frequency of eating is very important for curbing appetite. It takes the stomach 2-4 hours to empty no matter how many calories have been eaten, so it is important to eat a snack or meal every 4-5 hours. Knowing that this is how the body works, try to eat smaller portions and save calories for the next meal or snack. If you cut back on the size of the meal, it won’t matter since you will get hungry in a few hours regardless of the size of the meal or snack.
Another way to combat hunger is by adding the right combination of nutrients to the meal. Protein and fiber take longer to be digested and keep blood sugar levels steady during digestion, which make you feel more satiated. Popular high protein choices include the Greek style yogurts which have up to 20 grams of protein per cup for less than 100 calories. High fiber food choices include fruit and vegetables, which are low in calories and offer up to 3 grams of fiber per ½ cup. Other high fiber foods include whole grain cereals, popcorn, and granola bars. Try adding Kellogg’s Bran Buds to the Greek style yogurt for a high fiber/high protein snack. Or look for the new granola bars, such as Fiber One and Kashi, which have up to 7 grams of fiber per serving and make a satisfying choice as well.
Lastly, foods for curbing hunger include low calorie, high volume foods. The body does not register the number of calories, but rather how much you’ve had in volume. So for example, a high calorie shake will digest quickly since it is liquid and you will feel hungry again. However, low calorie foods like vegetables will make you stay full longer even though they are low in calories. So when eating a meal be sure to include a balance of fiber and protein foods for the most satisfaction.
Rebecca
 
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Thanks so much to everyone who participated in last week's Live Chat with Dr. Bob. The questions were fantastic and Dr. Bob was so helpful, giving us some great information. If you missed the Live Chat, you can catch the recap here. Next week we will begin our next Book Club review, studying the title One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Dr. Robert Mauer. We'll start with an overview, and then begin Chapters 1 and 2 on November 13th. So grab your copy and let's start reading!
Dell - a Lumen
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Thank you to everyone who attended the October 30th Live Chat with Dr. Bob Gleeson. We had a terrific turnout and a lot of great questions! You can see a transcript of the Live Chat by clicking on the Live Chat button.
Three individuals who submitted a question during the Live Chat were the lucky winners of the iPod nanos. Congratulations to:
mcomp
ckhart
TSF
(The winners have been contacted via e-mail as well.)
Stay tuned to our Tuesday Health Blog for the next Ignite Book Club selection. Have a terrific weekend!
Kerry (a Lumen)
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