DIET COLUMN

This is the story of Ruby, a nearly 500 pound woman trying to completely overhaul her lifestyle in order to lose weight and save her life. Ruby has come up with a team to help her through this weight loss adventure. Her team consists of personal trainer Reese Brown, and weight loss physician Dr. Bradley (the founder of the Hourglass Weight loss and Fitness wellness program), Dr. Brewerton, a psychiatrist helping Ruby with the mental component for weight loss, her personal physician Dr. Corse, and finally her dietitian Helen Hussey. Ruby will run on the Style Network, where they have a great break down of every aspect of Ruby’s diet and exercise regimen, friends/social support system, her blog, bonus scenes from the show, and more. I will be providing weekly episode recaps for those interested in staying updated on Ruby’s progress.

Obesity rates for children are out of control. About a third of American children are overweight and one-fifth are obese.

I think most people are aware of this news, since it’s been reported for quite some time. But if you need even more convincing of the gravity of the situation, check this out: doctors are finding that obese children (as young as 10) have the arteries of 45-year-olds! There have also been other heart abnormalities found that greatly raise their risk of heart disease.

Dr. Geetha Raghuveer, of Children’s Hospital in Kansas City, and her colleagues used painless ultrasound tests to measure the thickness of the wall of a major neck artery in 70 children, ages 10 to 16. Almost all had abnormal cholesterol and many were obese.

The kids’ “vascular age” was about 30 years older than their actual age, Raghuveer said.

So, next time you see a young kid who is “chubby,” don’t just think it’s baby fat. Some will turn out OK (actor Jerry O’Connell, above, is one famous example), but as this study shows, they could be compromising their future health.

America is the land of ingenuity. You are free to invent anything you like, and if enough people are as intrigued by the idea as you, you can be an overnight success. For every inventor of the “Electric Knife,” or “Sliced Bread,” there is this: The Traveling Treadmill. Well, that’s not the official name. It is, in essence, what the creators of SpeedFit have wrought.

I present to you, SpeedFit:

Well, we have a little over a week before Thanksgiving and I cannot wait. I am driving to Michigan to visit some family and more than likely going eat and lay around for a few days. Anybody else doing the same? Today, I am going to discuss a few exercises that you may be able to do while at home for the holidays, since most gyms are likely closed.

I want to focus on the entire body, but my main focus is on the core and getting the heart rate up to help burn off a few of those extra calories. First off, if you are able to get outside, take your family on a walk or hike or even shopping. This will help keep the metabolism kicking rather than lying around all day and watching football like me. If you are stuck inside, hit the stair case for ten to twenty laps up and down. This will also increase that heart rate, but it probably is not as much fun as the outside activities or shopping!!

Foods rich in soy protein serve as a good alternative to meat, poultry, and other animal-based products, but did you know that incorporating soy into your diet is great for your health? This would make sense because soy is much leaner and healthier than meats and meat products. Studies have shown soy to be beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels, building and helping with bone integrity, preventing certain cancers, and helping with hot flashes! Now that you know the health benefits of soy, you should be adventurous and branch out and try to add soy in your diet. (Note: It’s recommended to consume 25 grams of soy daily to reap the health benefits.)

Here are a few soy products to consider and try out:

Edamame
Found in the frozen foods aisle, all you have to do is cook in water, either stove top of microwave, and then lightly salt to taste if needed, and enjoy!

Soy Nuts
Eat them alone or thrown into salads.

Soy Cereal
Normally found in the health or organic aisles of the store.

The idea of comfort food, foods that evoke a psychologically pleasurable response when ingested by an individual, is not new. Your idea of which foods are comforting is somewhat individual and based on a variety of factors. The pairing of sustenance with comfort has been said to start as early as the womb. This pairing continues with the bonding created by infant feeding, both physical and emotional needs are met at the same time, and rewarding toddlers and children with food for good behavior.

Many families use food to distract one from or heal negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness, hurt, and even boredom. Many of my family members admit to using food to love and care for each other, trying to meet both physical and emotional needs. How often do we express gratitude and caring during holidays with gifts of food? Is it any wonder that we use food as a drug to effect both our physical and emotional states?

We have all heard the term “brain food” used to identify foods that can increase the health and functioning of your brain. Fish is the most well-known brain food due to the Omega-3 fatty acids, which promote brain cell health. Fish also contains Omega-3 DHA which keeps brain cell membranes healthy and aids communication within brain cells.

Other lesser known brain foods include brightly colored produce high in antioxidants, including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, prunes, and my favorite blueberries. Whole grains and whole grain products such as bread, rice, and pasta contain B vitamins and magnesium which assist normal brain and nerve functioning.

Feeding your brain can increase your mental energy. Mental capacity is what we use to organize our lives. When your mental energy is low, you’re likely to become more forgetful, distracted, and have difficulty thinking and completing tasks. Maximum mental energy is derived from oscillation; changing channels mentally permits different parts of the brain to be activated while others rest and can facilitate creativity.

Pregnancy is one of the most magical times in a woman’s life. Those nine months are filled with a maelstrom of changes- physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. And for many women, being healthy has never been so important as during the time when she is carrying a little within her. One way that many soon-to-be-moms stay fit and healthy is through yoga.

Just to set the record straight, yoga is safe to do while you are pregnant as long as you are careful and move at a pace that is comfortable for you and your growing child.

Here are four reasons why yoga is so beneficial to pregnant moms:

1) Connection: Pregnant women are acutely in tune with their body during these life-changing nine months.  For pregnant women, listening intently to their bodies can make a significant difference in how well they treat their bodies. Yoga facilitates this connection even deeper because it brings a greater inner awareness to what our bodies need and require rather than want and crave. In addition, this inner awareness creates an easier path for which moms can connect with the little life inside of her.

Are family meals making a comeback? I know in my household we are trying to make an effort to eat most meals at the kitchen table instead of haphazardly around the family room. I’ve found that my two-year-old daughter will eat much better that way than just hanging out on the couch and eating in front of the tube.

I would have thought that most households eat meals informally. Everything is so fast paced and short attention spanned, people just eat when they get around to it. But, according to a 2007 Columbia University survey of more than 1,500 teens and parents, 59 percent of teens eat dinner with their families at least five times a week, an increase of 12 percent over the last decade.

Getting bored while running (working out) is a major problem facing many of us today and there is really no way around it. You can try new music, run inside instead of outside or vise-versa, watch television, or find new routes to change the scenery a little bit. I love to run, but I have my days where I just really do not want to run and a day off is not in my vocabulary (should be though). So, I have found that signing up for races or running groups is the way to go. Most of the time I love to run by myself, but on those days that lack motivation, I lean on others to help me get through another run.