In a recent NYC Department of Health campaign they ask, “Are You Pouring On The Pounds”? The campaign is to increase public awareness that healthy weight loss and weight maintenance depends not only on what you are eating, but also on what you are drinking. For instance, did you know that the typical cola contains 16 1/2 teaspoons of sugar? That’s 260 calories! And some people drink several cola’s per day, especially children who love that caramel sweet taste. Now to get a visual of 16 1/2 teaspoons check out the poster that the DOH hung all over the city.

If that isn’t scary enough allow me to present you with an even better visual aid in the form of a home, school or office project. Take a small bowl and spoon out 16 1/2 measured teaspoons of sugar onto it. When you literally SEE how much sugar piles up it will blow your mind. Humm, that reminds me of the scene in Super Size Me when they measured out all the sugar Morgan Spurlock ate in one month while eating every single meal only at McDonald’s. He ate 30 pounds of sugar. In one month. Yikes! That is about one pound of sugar per day. Much of that sugar came from the all the cola he drank.

Anyhoo, don’t go thinking that you can switch yourself or the kids over to drinking apple juice because there are 13 teaspoons of sugar in that juice. That’s right I said it, THIRTEEN teaspoons of sugar in apple JUICE. It drives me nuts when I see parents filling up their toddlers bottles and sippy cups with juices. And they wonder why their kids are hyperactive, over-weight and Type 2 diabetics. It all boils down to over consumption of sugar. If you are bored with plain water, then you can add a splash of juice for flavor.

Oh and that Orange Delight Drink the DOH mentions on the poster is also known as Sunny-Delight. Sunny-D is NOT juice as many parents believe. It only contains 5% juice. The rest of the ingredients include water, high fructose corn syrup, yellow dyes # 5 AND #6 and something else I can hardly pronounce, called SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.  What the hec is that??? I looked it up. Okay are you sitting down? Are you ready for this? According to Chemicaland21.com Sodium Hexametaphosphate is an inorganic (chemical) product used as a seqestering agent. It is used in the industry of soap, detergents, water treatment, metal finishing and plating, pulp and paper manufacture, synthesis of polymers, photographic products, textiles, scale removal and agriculture. According to ScienceLab.com’s MSDS sheet on the chemical it “May cause gastrointestinal tract irritation with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. May affect behavior/central nervous system/peripherial nervous system (somnolence, convulsions, lethargy, flaccid paralysis), urinary system (kidneys- renal failure, acute tubular necrosis). It may also cause heart disturbances (fall in blood pressure, slow pulse) and blood chemistry effects (reduction of serum level of calcium). The toxicity of phosphates is because of their ability to sequester calcium. Systemic metabolic acidosis may result as this material is believed to be hydrolyzed to ortho phosphates when ingested (before absorption). Tetany may also occur as a result of reduction in serum level of ionic calcium”.

As far as I am concerned there is no redeeming quality in Sunny-D, even if the commercials want to tell me that the product will make my life as a mother oh-so much more convenient on hectic school day mornings. I am not believing their lies that Sunny-D is a healthy choice for my kids. I mean they want me to believe that feeding my son 12 1/2 teaspoons of sugar before school is going to keep him healthy and make him smarter in school. Pleeeeeease. Sure it contains 100% Vitamin C but weigh that against the 12 1/2 teaspoons of sugar and the sodium hexametaphosphate (among other chemicals) and I’ll stick with giving my kid a fresh whole orange to get his daily dose of C, thank you very much. Okay so let me get off of my sunny soap box.

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Aging slows most people down thanks to aches and pains, arthritis, heart disease, fatigue and more. As our bodies naturally slow down, let us not use that as a reason to stop moving, and exercising to stay healthy. As the famous Chinese doctor and longevity specialist Ge Hong said almost 1,700 years ago: “The leather hinges of a moving door never rots, and flowing water never stagnates”.[i]

Although the aged may not run the New York Marathon, they can still participate in a variety of less physically challenging practices. Before starting a new exercise program check out tips from The American Academy of Family Physicians about how to prepare and engage in physical activities and talk with your doctor.

Qi Gong and Tai Chi

In China, the elderly practice Qi Gong and Tai Chi every morning. Not only do these practices keep the body in optimal health, but they calm and center the mind before getting on with the day. Qi Gong and Tai Chi are now practiced by people young and old all over the world.

Yoga

Yoga is a wonderful practice for seniors because it also calms and centers the mind while opening and strengthening the muscles. This yoga DVD called Yoga for Back Care is excellent for beginners and those who are in pain and need modified poses. And this DVD specializes in yoga for longevity.

Walking

Walking requires little of the participant other than owning a good pair of sneakers, yet yields great results. According to a study run by the University of Georgia, seniors who routinely walk are 41% more likely to reduce future disability and walkers increase independence as they age. That means walking can reduce future disability by nearly half! Many elder communities get together and form walking clubs which meet in the great outdoors or inside malls when the weather is poor.

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Eating out while losing weight can present some problems to the dieter like when we are being served heaping portions of high calorie foods. This nifty You-Tube video can gives some tips on how to exercise portion control and cut calories when eating at restaurants.

Juliette Aiyana has an appetite for yummy, healthy and balanced meals several times per day. Her love for food, for writing, for cooking and for Chinese medicine led her to author her first book, Chinese Medicine & Healthy Weight Management An Evidence-based Integrated Approach (Blue Poppy Press, 2007). She is an acupuncturist, herbalist, workshop instructor, wife and mother. Her private practice, Aiyana Acupuncture & Chinese Herbs, is located in New York City. To read more of her articles visit her website and related blog at www.amazinghealing.com.

10 Weight Control Tips From the NIH

· Use nutrition labels. Don’t guess how many calories you’re eating.

· Watch your portions. Value-size servings aren’t a bargain if you’re eating too much.

· Cut the sugar. Don’t let sugary soda or other sweets crowd out healthy foods and drinks.

· Don’t eat out of habit. Mindless eating at work or in front of the TV can pack on the pounds.

· Think about the whole meal, not just the main course.

· Use smaller dishes and containers. Larger ones encourage you to eat more.

· Keep reminders of how much you’re eating. Wrappers, empty containers and bones nearby remind you of how much you’ve eaten.

· Get enough sleep. Less sleep is linked to higher rates of obesity.

· Get active. Look for opportunities to add physical activity to your daily routine.

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Every week I get an e-newsletter from Gaiam. They sell tons of workout equipment, and DVD’s while trying to use products that are eco-friendly or organic. I personally love their Rodney Yee yoga series of DVD’s. This the newsletter week featured a new work-out DVD called 5 Day Fit Weight Loss, so naturally I thought I’d turn on my readers to the DVD.

Here is how they describe the work out, “Any personal trainer will tell you that variety is the key to fitness success. Five Day Fit Weight Loss offers five distinctly different fitness styles that share the same end result: a slimmer, sexier you! This DVD introduces you to Budokon, yoga, dance, cardio sculpting and even walking as effective ways to drop unwanted weight. Each genre keeps your workout fresh by challenging and moving your body in different ways as you shed pounds.

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A patient of mine turned me onto a brand of dark chocolates called Xoçai™ Healthy Chocolates, which are minimally processed, high in anti-oxidants and which use the low glycemic sweetner called agave. I tasted several varieties of the brand because I just love dark chocolate, and she gave me a huge bag full for free. These chocolates are really tasty and I felt like I only need one or two pieces to curb my chocolate cravings.

The website product information says, “Xoçai™ products contain all natural, unprocessed cold pressed chocolate. Being unprocessed, it holds 100% of its antioxidant and nutritional value. With Xoçai™. Healthy Chocolates, you get ALL the antioxidant power of dark chocolate without the fat, preservatives, fillers and high sugar like you do in other chocolate”.

If you love chocolate as much as I do, but need to reduce calories for optimal weight loss or weight maintenance then eating a few pieces a week of these chocolates would be a healthier choice instead of chocolates which are high in sugar, fats, and calories.

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Those of you who are familiar with my writing know that, for a variety of reasons, cinnamon is my favorite spice. Versatile cinnamon, is traditionally utilized in both sweet and savory dishes found all over the globe. But can we believe the claims that cinnamon is useful to reduce blood sugar levels and to melt body fat?

Many significant, and in my opinion dependable, research studies have shown that cinnamon is effective in lowering blood glucose levels thus leveling out and reducing blood sugar levels. WOW! Isn’t it wonderful that something that tastes so great can be so healthy?

But, what about the weight loss question; can cinnamon really help flatten our bellies and thin out our thighs? Nutritional science teaches that High Glycemic Index foods flood the body with sugars which convert onto fat. So it makes logical sense that eating an herb which reduces and steadies blood sugar levels, will help us lose weight, or at the very least it will help prevent weight gain.

Cinnamon has also proven effective against bacteria and viruses!

Now, just because you heard this does not mean you can go runnin’ out to Dunkin’ Doughnuts for a cinnamon doughnut. Junk food is still junk food. But, you can take cinnamon capsules to get your daily dose, and start incorporating the tasty spice into your healthy diet.

Tips to Incorporate Cinnamon Into Your Diet:

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Over the years patients have asked my professional opinion about liquid diets, (which are usually raw) for rapid weight loss. My answer has always remained the same, “Liquid diets are unhealthy. They are considered to be “questionable diets” or “crash diet” to the health care community. Sure, you will lose some weight. You will also lose muscle because once the body burns off the fat for energy it starts to use the muscles for energy.

Your body uses all the fat and muscle for energy because it is not getting enough energy from your liquid diet to sustain your life functioning’s. And then you start eating solid food again, will gain back the weight, plus some more weight. The muscle mass does not come back as easily, you have to exercise regularly to get it back. Loss of muscle equals weakness of the body. Patients who are already in physical pain due to weakness can worsen the condition. Sure you want rapid weight loss. Who doesn’t want to lose weight quickly? But the loss of health that comes with rapid weight loss it is just plain dangerous.

The following material, excerpted from my book Chinese Medicine & Healthy Weight Management An Evidence-Based Integrated Approach, discusses more details about how and why liquid and raw diets are not recommended by most health care professionals.

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You are transforming your energy and your life. The transformative process takes patience, perseverance and compassion. So, as you embark on a new way of eating (or any new habit), be kind to yourself if you slip into an old habit.

Just acknowledge the awareness that you slipped and explore why. Do not beat yourself up. Instead ask yourself questions like: Was it because I had no food in the house that I went to a fast food restaurant? If so, how can I plan to stock my refrigerator and cabinets to avoid eating fast foods? Was I feeling emotionally vulnerable when I ate that entire box of cookies? What healthier choice can I make to feel better when I am emotionally vulnerable? Then, after you have acknowledged your awareness, learn why you made the mistake and prepare yourself how to do better next time, inhale and exhale to let go of the mistake. Keep in mind that each new moment offers the opportunity to “begin again.”[i] And if you make another mistake, simply begin again, again.

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Blame your brain for sabotaging your efforts to get back on track after splurging on an extra scoop of ice cream or that second burger during Friday night’s football game.

Findings from a new UT Southwestern Medical Center study suggest that fat from certain foods we eat makes its way to the brain. Once there, the fat molecules cause the brain to send messages to the body’s cells, warning them to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals from leptin and insulin, hormones involved in weight regulation.

The researchers also found that one particular type of fat – palmitic acid – is particularly effective at instigating this mechanism.

“Normally, our body is primed to say when we’ve had enough, but that doesn’t always happen when we’re eating something good,” said Dr. Deborah Clegg, assistant professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the rodent study appearing in the September issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

“What we’ve shown in this study is that someone’s entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets ‘hit’ with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin,” Dr. Clegg said. “Since you’re not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat.”

Dr. Clegg said that in the animals, the effect lasts about three days, potentially explaining why many people who splurge on Friday or Saturday say they’re hungrier than normal on Monday.

Though scientists have known that eating a high-fat diet can cause insulin resistance, little has been known about the mechanism that triggers this resistance or whether specific types of fat are more likely to cause increased insulin resistance. Dr. Clegg said she suspected the brain might play a role because it incorporates some of the fat we eat – whether it is from healthy oils or the not-so-healthy saturated fat found in butter and beef – into its structure.

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