The article cited this week comes from the current Journal of the American Medical Association. It discusses the link between obesity and the development of diabetes in older adults. Needless to say, the illness indeed develops insidiously, as with other age groups. There are no surprises here:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/303/24/2504
Much more interesting and sadly emblematic of our times is a cover article in a recent “health” magazine. Last week I saw a famed “nutritional” periodical tell its readers how to “eat more, weigh less”, a physical impossibility. But this week I stared at the cover of a well-known journal with the headline: “Lose 7 Pounds in 6 Days.”
Let’s explore the mathematics of dieting, a favorite topic. 3500 calories = one pound, whether calories are taken in or burned off. In order to lose 7 pounds, you need to incur a calorie deficit of 24, 500 calories. If this is divided among 6 days, that comes to about 4000 calories a day. Now remember, you need a deficit, so that means…no eating at all…as well of one of these “exercise programs”: swimming for 6 hours per day, taking eight aerobic classes in sequence daily, or mowing the lawn for 10 hours per day—a “green” alternative.
Therefore, that article I saw promised something physically impossible. The “weight” lost by any crash program is extracellular tissue fluid—water—which will promptly be regained. Did you get fooled by any similar articles today? I hope not.
The general topic for this evening’s broadcast was “What is a Personal Myth?” This topic has been explored for decades by my lifelong friend, mentor, and literary colleague Dr. Stanley Krippner. My own take on this complex and fascinating topic:
Personal myths make up our “rulebook”, the code of behavior that we have developed for ourselves over a lifetime. Many can be positive, for example: “I can best help the world during my life by being a physician.” [one of mine]
But all of us harbor negative personal myths, and sometimes these can undermine our best efforts at living. A distorted belief system can lead an individual into unrealistic viewpoints, self-deception, and self-validation. The latter is nicely expressed in French as soi disante…[self-styled, making the speaker an authority figure].
Here are typical negative personal myths that interfere with some individuals’ inability to stay on a weight loss diet.
1) It’s been a hard day at work so I’m having another piece of pie.
2) I’m allowed to have “cheat days” because overall I plan to lose weight.
3) I’m going to eat macrobiotic for the rest of my life.
4) I just worked out at the gym so now I can eat whatever I want.
5) Ordering a diet beverage offsets the high calories in the rest of my meal.
6) Buying cakes and muffins in bulk is the perfect way to save money in a recession.
7) My kids aren’t overweight. That’s baby fat.
And so on…
The remedy is to replace each of these incorrect statements with a productive and realistic thought that leads to a healthier lifestyle. That’s part of The Park Avenue Diet, by the way.
In coming shows, we’ll explore how to do this. Meanwhile, can you think of any of your own personal myths…and how I might “rewrite” them to send you off to a happier tomorrow? Give it a try.
Meanwhile, here’s a superlative classic book by Dr. Krippner that belongs in your library.
http://www.amazon.com/Personal-Mythology-Ritual-Imagination-Discover/dp/160415036X/ref=pd_sim_b_1
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Notes on "The Park Avenue Diet Show"; June 20, 2010
A fascinating article was recently published in the British Medical Journal reporting the findings of a survey that found a correlation between obesity and adverse sexual health.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/340/jun15_1/c2573
This article is certainly the first of its kind and sparked interesting discussion on many news blogs. A definite correlation was found between Body Mass Index and sexual behavior. Unfortunately, the findings were negative and unpleasant.
What is most interesting was this statement: “The relation between obesity and sexual ill health might be forged via physiological, social, and psychological mechanisms. It is in the social factors influencing sexual behavior, however, that we are most likely to find insights into these findings, particularly for women.”
The correlation between weight and impaired social behavior is addressed as a central premise in The Park Avenue Diet. No other weight loss book or philosophy works on these seemingly unrelated components of image simultaneously. Poor interpersonal skills, however, will lead people into the abyss of dietary excess; food provides the comfort and pleasant feelings that elude them in intimate relationships. Although a harsh reality, this must be addressed as part of a weight loss program. The researchers in the above scholarly article have obviously come to the same conclusion.
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The Ten Commandments of Dieting, as discussed on the 6/20/10 show:
1. Matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical equation. [This is The First Law of Thermodynamics which basically states for our purposes that weight gain or loss is totally dependent on calories. Any other explanation defies physics.]
2. No commercially available weight loss program has ever been shown to be better than another. There “success rate” is approximately 5-10% with success defined as 12-15 pounds in one year. These facts are shielded from the American public. They would not be if the issue was car safety, for example. [The studies that prove this can be readily accessed in the bibliography of The Park Avenue Diet. In fact, the AMA and ACP have asked that no further studies be done on this subject since the outcomes will always be the same.]
3. There is no single set of foods associated with normal weight. On the contrary, individuals throughout the world are able to avoid weight gain on hundreds of ethnically different diets. [The foods that magically produce weight loss are figments in the imagination of desperate magazine writers.]
4. A weight loss program that does not take into account other components of image will fail in the long and short run. [Please refer to the discussion above for an illustration of the relationship between BMI and “interpersonal skills.”]
5. Magazines whose cover articles describe “How to Lose Belly Fat” should not accept advertising revenue from products with “empty” calories. Why have we banned cigarette and liquor ads from magazines? [A currently available supermarket magazine tells gullible readers “Eat more, Weigh Less”—a physical impossibility]
6. “Hormonal” imbalances affect weight gain minimally, probably around 15 pounds, according to the American College of Physicians. [Obesity is not a “glandular condition.”]
7. “Yo-yo dieting” is an independent risk-factor for cardiovascular disease. [All the more reason to lose weight and keep it off!]
8. Human genetics do not account for any aspect of weight gain. The obesity epidemic began in the mid-70’s, and 30 years is too short a time for the human genome to be modified. [The idea that human DNA can change drastically in a few decades defies molecular biology and common sense, although not necessarily in that order.]
9. You can not lose weight without proper nutritional supplementation. You can not maintain a healthy weight without regular exercise. [Them’s the rules. I don’t make them.]
10. Do not look at the scale. Observant friends, family, and colleagues will notice any improvement. They, after all, are the ultimate judges of how you look. [This is another central premise of The Park Avenue Diet. If you truly look and act much differently, everyone will notice and be impressed.]
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/340/jun15_1/c2573
This article is certainly the first of its kind and sparked interesting discussion on many news blogs. A definite correlation was found between Body Mass Index and sexual behavior. Unfortunately, the findings were negative and unpleasant.
What is most interesting was this statement: “The relation between obesity and sexual ill health might be forged via physiological, social, and psychological mechanisms. It is in the social factors influencing sexual behavior, however, that we are most likely to find insights into these findings, particularly for women.”
The correlation between weight and impaired social behavior is addressed as a central premise in The Park Avenue Diet. No other weight loss book or philosophy works on these seemingly unrelated components of image simultaneously. Poor interpersonal skills, however, will lead people into the abyss of dietary excess; food provides the comfort and pleasant feelings that elude them in intimate relationships. Although a harsh reality, this must be addressed as part of a weight loss program. The researchers in the above scholarly article have obviously come to the same conclusion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ten Commandments of Dieting, as discussed on the 6/20/10 show:
1. Matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical equation. [This is The First Law of Thermodynamics which basically states for our purposes that weight gain or loss is totally dependent on calories. Any other explanation defies physics.]
2. No commercially available weight loss program has ever been shown to be better than another. There “success rate” is approximately 5-10% with success defined as 12-15 pounds in one year. These facts are shielded from the American public. They would not be if the issue was car safety, for example. [The studies that prove this can be readily accessed in the bibliography of The Park Avenue Diet. In fact, the AMA and ACP have asked that no further studies be done on this subject since the outcomes will always be the same.]
3. There is no single set of foods associated with normal weight. On the contrary, individuals throughout the world are able to avoid weight gain on hundreds of ethnically different diets. [The foods that magically produce weight loss are figments in the imagination of desperate magazine writers.]
4. A weight loss program that does not take into account other components of image will fail in the long and short run. [Please refer to the discussion above for an illustration of the relationship between BMI and “interpersonal skills.”]
5. Magazines whose cover articles describe “How to Lose Belly Fat” should not accept advertising revenue from products with “empty” calories. Why have we banned cigarette and liquor ads from magazines? [A currently available supermarket magazine tells gullible readers “Eat more, Weigh Less”—a physical impossibility]
6. “Hormonal” imbalances affect weight gain minimally, probably around 15 pounds, according to the American College of Physicians. [Obesity is not a “glandular condition.”]
7. “Yo-yo dieting” is an independent risk-factor for cardiovascular disease. [All the more reason to lose weight and keep it off!]
8. Human genetics do not account for any aspect of weight gain. The obesity epidemic began in the mid-70’s, and 30 years is too short a time for the human genome to be modified. [The idea that human DNA can change drastically in a few decades defies molecular biology and common sense, although not necessarily in that order.]
9. You can not lose weight without proper nutritional supplementation. You can not maintain a healthy weight without regular exercise. [Them’s the rules. I don’t make them.]
10. Do not look at the scale. Observant friends, family, and colleagues will notice any improvement. They, after all, are the ultimate judges of how you look. [This is another central premise of The Park Avenue Diet. If you truly look and act much differently, everyone will notice and be impressed.]
Monday, June 14, 2010
Notes on "The Park Avenue Diet Show"--June 13th, 2010
Here are a few comments regarding the points covered in the show entitled" The Top Ten Weight-Loss Myths".
The Medical Riddle of the Day was: "What is it called when overflowing oil gushes out into natural surroundings and pollutes everything it touches?" The answer is not you-know-what in the Gulf of Mexico. It's visceral fat, that toxic accumulation of hormonally active, potentially carcinogenic, and thus extremely dangerous "oil"....which "pollutes" millions of American bodies internally. No tell-tale oil slick, since these chemicals (free fatty acids) do their mischief via the circulation.
And here are the Top Ten Weight-Loss Myths
1) Those mass-market diets are very successful. That's why they've been around for years. (See The Park Avenue Diet bibliography for medical articles on this topic----and be prepared to be horrified).
2) "I'm from the government and I'm here to help your weight" (This paraphrase of Ronald Reagan is meant as a warning that no elected official, government agency, or political party is particularly interested in your health...and therefore it's up to you. This will be even more true in future years.)
3) There are foods that can help you lose weight (This is conceptually impossible and defies the first law of thermodynamics).
4) There's nothing wrong with being overweight (Lifespan is reduced by one year in the overweight, 3 years in the obese, and 10 years in the massively obese....please complain to "The Lancet" if this seems unpleasant).
5) Exercise is more important than eating correctly if you want to lose weight (Many 'exercisers' overeat after a workout...conversely, exercise is mandatory for maintenance of a good weight.
6) All health information is equally valid, especially those magazines at the supermarket checkout counter.
7) Weight-loss depends on carbohydrate content and/or glycemic index. (see: the first law of thermodynamics)
8) Diabetes and high blood pressure are benign conditions like athlete's foot.
9) I feel okay so my weight isn't a problem.
10) "Weight loss has magical transformative properties." (This error in thinking is discussed at length in The Park Avenue Diet).
Next week: The Ten Commandments of Weight-Loss (June 20, 2010).
The Medical Riddle of the Day was: "What is it called when overflowing oil gushes out into natural surroundings and pollutes everything it touches?" The answer is not you-know-what in the Gulf of Mexico. It's visceral fat, that toxic accumulation of hormonally active, potentially carcinogenic, and thus extremely dangerous "oil"....which "pollutes" millions of American bodies internally. No tell-tale oil slick, since these chemicals (free fatty acids) do their mischief via the circulation.
And here are the Top Ten Weight-Loss Myths
1) Those mass-market diets are very successful. That's why they've been around for years. (See The Park Avenue Diet bibliography for medical articles on this topic----and be prepared to be horrified).
2) "I'm from the government and I'm here to help your weight" (This paraphrase of Ronald Reagan is meant as a warning that no elected official, government agency, or political party is particularly interested in your health...and therefore it's up to you. This will be even more true in future years.)
3) There are foods that can help you lose weight (This is conceptually impossible and defies the first law of thermodynamics).
4) There's nothing wrong with being overweight (Lifespan is reduced by one year in the overweight, 3 years in the obese, and 10 years in the massively obese....please complain to "The Lancet" if this seems unpleasant).
5) Exercise is more important than eating correctly if you want to lose weight (Many 'exercisers' overeat after a workout...conversely, exercise is mandatory for maintenance of a good weight.
6) All health information is equally valid, especially those magazines at the supermarket checkout counter.
7) Weight-loss depends on carbohydrate content and/or glycemic index. (see: the first law of thermodynamics)
8) Diabetes and high blood pressure are benign conditions like athlete's foot.
9) I feel okay so my weight isn't a problem.
10) "Weight loss has magical transformative properties." (This error in thinking is discussed at length in The Park Avenue Diet).
Next week: The Ten Commandments of Weight-Loss (June 20, 2010).
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