Dr. Mark's Blog

TIDBITS: Find Your Inner Calm

2010-03-09T17:43:00Z

This week I want to keep you all in the know with series of tidbits. These are all sidebar blogs of things that you may not know, but are good to know.

The first tidbit for the week is, why it is so important for you to find your inner calm? Ever hear the term “Worried sick?” Well, there is actually science behind this. A study published in May in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that people with heart disease who were highly anxious had nearly double the risk of heart attack or death, as compared to people who were calm. The researchers also found that people who started out anxious, and became more anxious, were at the greatest risk. People who were anxious, but then found their inner calm, decreased their risk. The bottom line is that you should try to keep your cool when it comes to battling diseases like heart disease.

In one of my past blogs, I suggested multiple ways to help you relax when you get stressed, such as numerous treatments, from acupuncture to massage, and classes such as Yoga or Tai Chi. Look into what is offered in your community so that you can find your inner calm.

Take time for yourself to help put your health back into balance. If you do not do it now, when will you ever get the chance?

Top 9 Ways to Restoring Your Appetite Regulation

2010-01-26T19:36:00Z

You are hardwired to eat brownies and food is like an addictive drug. So what are you to do to fight the good fight when losing weight and trying to monitor your food intake. Try these 9 tips to restore your appetite regulation and leave that brownie in its place!

High Protein Diets: high protein diets reduce your appetite. They leave you satiated longer. Protein as a macronutrient takes longer to empty from the stomach to the small intestine, finally to the large intestine, keeping you fuller longer. Also, it satisfies the umami taste buds in your mouth that pick up in savory long lasting satisfying foods. In general, people lose more weight on a high protein meal plan and they have an easier time maintaining their weight if they keep their protein intake high.
Multiple small meals per day: Multiple small meals reduce your appetite.
Eat Breakfast Daily: Eating breakfast reduces your appetite. In a study done the Farschi in 2005, individuals who ate breakfast ate 90 calories less daily than individuals who skipped breakfast. Does not sound all that impressive, but a difference of 90 calories per day is a 9 pound weight gain per year. According to study done by Wyatt and colleagues (2002), the vast majority of people who maintain long term weight loss eat breakfast 7 days per week.
Avoid liquid calories (sodas, juices): Check back in my liquid calorie reality blog for a reminder on this one. But as a quick reminder your body does not register liquid calories (the one exception is high protein drinks) so people compensate less for beverage with their calorie intake than with solid foods.
Limit high fat/high sugar foods: These foods perpetuate the reward system that you are trying to break. These foods should be a treat not the norm due to the addictive qualities that occur in the brain.
Get sufficient sleep (7-8 hrs/night): In my blog about sleep, I let you know how important it is to get sleep for weight loss and even weight maintenance. A study published in the Annals Internal Medicine, showed that individuals with 2 days of 4 hour sleep had twice the overall appetite ratings compared to individuals that slept 2 days of 10 hour sleep. If you want to control your appetite, get your sleep!
Reduce Stress: Again, I am bringing back to one of my earlier blogs and putting the pieces together for you. Stress increases appetite in 90% of individuals according to Epel and colleagues (2001). There are too many sweet treats to eat in this world, you do not need to make it that much harder for you to resist by being a victim of stress eating.
Find alternative coping strategies for unpleasant emotions: Dopamine is the compound that when it is released gives us that feel good reward sensation. Food releases this dopamine and that is why emotional eating is one of the largest causes for obesity in our country today. But did you know other things release dopamine, like sunshine, relationships, touch and music. So go get a massage, make out with your spouse or even take 15 minutes in the sun!
Expend 2,500 calories/week in physical activity: Physically active people regulate energy intake better and individuals that burn 2,500 calories per week of physical activity achieve better long term weight maintenance overall. How much is 2,500 calories per week? 60-90 minutes of brisk walking, 5-7 days per week or 30-60 minutes of running or jogging, 5-7 days per week.

I can guarantee if you put these 9 tips into active practice appetite regulation will almost be second hand nature.

The Continued Drug Effects of Food: The Yin and Yang of the Opioid and Dopamine System

2010-01-11T18:10:00Z

Now in my last blog, I gave you all a brief run down on the Opioid system and why it makes food have a drug like effect in terms of addiction causing you to need more of a hit of sugar the next time around. For every yin there is a yang and the yang, to the Opioid system is the Dopamine system.

I mentioned previously that the Dopamine System is the motivation or the “wanting” we experience. Actually cocaine is a drug that when entering the brain chemically, releases dopamine in the brain. In a very similar fashion, food does the same thing, just with a smaller quantity of dopamine released in the brain (not such a big hit). The dopamine released is equated to a reward in the brain. This behavior becomes reinforcing and you now associate cocaine, or in the case of struggling dieters, food as a reward. In a study done in 2005, published in the Basic Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology Journal, rats were offered sugar along with normal food. Over a week, the rat’s sugar intake increased 3 times. When the sugar was taken away the rats began to develop withdrawal symptoms.

When the rats began eating the sugar at the beginning of the week, they had large activation of their reward circuits. This activation was caused of course by dopamine. As a result, the reward system perpetuated the rats to eat more sugar, as this triggers possibility of more of a reward. The “Reward Deficiency Syndrome” occurred when the sugar was taken away as there was less dopamine receptors activated resulting in less activation of the reward circuits.

You guessed it! Obese people have less dopamine receptors. That means obese individuals need more sugar to receive the same reward signal. It gets better; dieting actually increases the reward effect. This is why when you are dieting for a while and you have that very first piece of cake after a couple weeks or months, you think that is the best cake you have ever had in your life. This sends you into a possible tail spin with your diet as you think “why did I give up all that stuff, it tastes so good!” But next time, it takes twice the amount of cake to release the same amount of dopamine and it just does not taste quite as good as it did the first time. I will let you all in on a secret, the first two bites of any food are the best. After that, the response signal in your brain has been blunted and the bites that follow are less vivid and tasty. Knowing that, why not just eat one? It is going to be better than the second and it is just disappointing from there on out.

Food intake is driven by a pleasure and reward system rather than an energy deficit or excess signal system. The big question is how do we restore our appetite regulation? In my next blog, I will give you the 9 top tips to restore your appetite regulation, so you can unwire your brain to needing and wanting that brownie.

Food: The New Cheap Drug

2009-12-14T22:49:00Z

In my last blog, I let you know what you always thought was true. You are hardwired to keep eating more high sugar high sweet foods.

It gets even more complicated. If you thought you have or had a food addiction, you may not be all the far off in the long term. Food acts like a drug in your brain. Here is how…

Like I have said before, palatable food keeps us coming back for more. When we eat a hot fudge sundae, a pleasure or “liking” system is triggered called the opioid system. This is paired with a motivation that occurs or “wanting” at the same time as the “liking.” This is referred to as the Dopamine System.

High fat, high sugar foods increase opioids in your system when you consume them. The opioids trigger the pleasure receptors in your brain and you feel happy and euphoric. Similarly morphine injections increase opioids in the system. Thus, food has this drug like quality. In a study done by Erlanson-Albertsson in 2005, rats were given morphine injections. The rats over ate high fat, high sugar and artificially sweetened foods. If you give rats direct opioid injections, rats will eat large volumes of high fat, high sugar foods.

The drug effect of food does not stop there. We constantly need more to receive the same pleasure. So the first time you give in to that brownie, you get an opioid release that activates the pleasure center of your brain. The next time you have something sweet like a brownie, you will release 1/3 of the pleasure inducing opioids. You are already less sensitive to the same dose of sugar. You will now need twice the amount of high sugar food, let’s say two brownies, to release the same amount of opioid you had the first time.

Opioids in general give us stress relief. Sweet and fatty foods alleviate crying and signs of distress in animals and human infants. Opioid release also depends on sweet taste (not calories), thus artificially sweetened drinks can have the same effect. There is also a high pain tolerance when people taste sugar. In a cold pressor test, where individuals have to leave their hand submerged for 2 minutes in ice water, subjects were more likely to sustain the submersion for the full two minutes if they ate a chocolate chip cookie. Chocolate chip cookies increased the pain tolerance, where as bland foods did not.

This is the Opioid system and the yin to the yang of the Dopamine System. Stay tuned and I will clue you in on the drug effects that the Dopamine System continues to cause in relation to high fat, high sugar foods.

Obesity Not a Simple Problem: Are You Really Hardwired to Eat That Brownie?

2009-11-30T17:06:00Z

People struggle to keep their weight off… In fact, only 5% of people are able to maintain a 5% weight loss after 3 years (Crawford et al. Int. J. of Obesity. 24, 1107-10. 2000). I know… this is dismal.

Your body is very good at detecting an energy deficit. If your calories you burn exceed the calories you take in, your appetite increases (and remember I have told you this in my former blogs) this is due to ghrelin. An increase in appetite, results in an increase in your consumed calories, paired with a decrease in activity (your body learns to conserve its energy). And before you know it your calories in equal your calories out and you are back in energy balance.

As with everything, it is a double edge sword. Your body is not very good at detecting an energy surplus. If your calories in exceed your calories out, you do not get a decrease in appetite or an increase in activity. Control of your energy balance is unfortunately asymmetrical. Low energy diets and increased activity create an energy deficit. Your efficient signals will immediately drive you back to energy balance. In an energy surplus, with an energy dense diet and inactivity, there are inefficient signals and putting your health back into balance is much more difficult.

The big question is why can’t you eat just one? Well, palatable food disrupts our appetite regulation. High saturated fat/sugar diets increase neuropeptide Y (NPY). MPY is a protein that then releases in your brain causing you to seek out food. High fat diets increase the release of a protein called agouti-related peptide (ARP). ARP floods the brain and this triggers you to seek food. Wait it gets better. A lovely chemical in your body called cholecystokinin (CCK) releases and enters your brain when you have a nice moderate fat, moderate protein meal, triggering you to stop eating and decrease your food intake. But if you have the high fat burger and fries, this high meal/diet blunts the brain’s response to CCK. Therefore you do not decrease your food intake.

The answer to the question is yes, you are somewhat hardwired to eat that brownie. How about if you are obese, are you more likely to eat that brownie? The answer is… yes. Obese people don’t respond to satiety signals very well. After eating a moderate protein, moderate fat meal, the protein peptide YY (PYY) is released and travels to the brain. PYY helps to signal your brain to reduce its food intake as it now your body has been fed. However, obese individuals have lower levels of PYY, blunting their response to decrease food intake after they have eaten.

Our brains are magnificent, but they come with some hardwiring that does not make the weight loss game all that simple. Stay tuned for my next blog and I will let you know, how much food can resemble drug like qualities, hooking you and making you come back for more.

Sugar Reality Part Two: How to Decrease Your Intake

2009-11-10T17:08:00Z

In my last blog, I gave you a little tough love and showed you the sugar reality that can result in you gaining insurmountable amounts of weight and cause your body fat to rise sky high.

Here are some tips to make this sugar addition go down, down, down and hopefully make your weight go down, down, down.

CUT DOWN ON soda and fruit juice drinks. Most of these products primarily contain fructose (sugar) from corn syrup and carbonated water. Try to stay away from foods with ingredients such as high sucrose (sugar) corn syrup, table sugar, powdered sugar, brown sugar, sucrose syrup, brown rice syrup, and evaporated cane juice. These are just other words for sugar!
CHOOSE HOME BAKED goods so you have control over the sugar content. If you make it you can determine the sugar content.
LIMIT FAST FOODS, which often contain corn syrup when not necessary (McDonalds’s French fries or Egg McMuffin). That’s right you heard me, they put corn syrup in fast food. This is one of the top reasons that McDonald’s salads are high in sugar. If they put sugar in it, you will like it better right? Wrong! Your waist will absolutely regret it.
WATCH FOR sugar in sauces and dressings (i.e. ketchup or tomato sauce, raspberry vinaigrette.) Look for less than 5 g of sugar and fat, less than 400 mg sodium per serving.
REDUCE INTAKE OF caloric and artificial sweeteners to retrain your taste buds. Artificial sweeteners are 200x sweeter than sugar. So if you are used to eating artificial sweeteners often the next time you have real sugar, your taste buds will be all that less impressed and you will needs twice the amount of regular sugar to get the same effect. You guessed it… this means twice the amount of calories.
EAT MORE fresh fruit, vegetables, and unprocessed foods. Aim to get the majority of your sugars from natural sources of sugars like fructose in fruit, lactose in dairy or glucose in honey. These sources of sugar come with water and fiber to help you fill you out while you fill up on sweet. Plus natural forms of sugar (that is that some in their natural state and are not milled from sugar cane and concentrated) tend to be used 100% by the body vs. processed forms get stored by the body more readily as the body does not know how to process 100% of that sugar structure.

These are just a few tips to get you off the sugar band wagon. I can tell you for sure the less sugar you have, the fewer cravings you will experience. The first week all my patients go through a week long meal plan where there sugar intake is significantly reduced. This results in severe withdraw symptoms for the first few days, followed by complete removal of cravings as their body is back in balance. Ask any of my clients after week 1 and they will tell you it is like they are on automatic pilot to say “NO” to any cakes and ice cream that come their way.

Sugar Reality

2009-11-02T20:05:00Z

On average, individuals consume 300 to 400 calories of sugar per day. Sugar provides unnecessary extra calories which can easily add up to be stored as fat on the body and lead to weight gain. The average American today is consuming approximately 182 pounds of sugar per year, the size of a normal weighted 6 foot male.

Here is the reality of your sugar intake. One teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to 15 calories. The average 12-ounce can of soda contains about 40 to 50 grams of refined sugars. That’s about 10-12 teaspoons of pure sugar-calories, the recommended limit for the day. The FDA recommends:

A 2,000 calorie diet should have <10 tsp (40 g) of refined sugar per day.

A 1,500 calorie diet should have <8 tsp (32 g) of refined sugars per day.

A 1,200 calorie diet should have <6.5 tsp (26 g) of refined sugars per day.

And just to let you all know, 2,000 calories is what you should be eating daily for most of you to maintain your weight. Fellas, if you are looking to lose weight you should aim for 1,500 calories per day and ladies your weight loss calories are 1,200. So if you drink one soda pop during weight loss mode, you just blew your sugar intake for the day pretty much excluding all the good sugars that come from fruit and dairy and help to fill you up because they are paired with fiber and water.

Sugary foods can often replace healthy foods in our meal plan. The increase in foods containing refined sugars promotes obesity, which increases the risks of the following:

Diabetes
High blood pressure
Stroke
Heart disease

The increase of sweets also contributes to diseases like osteoporosis and cancer which are directly affected by the food choices we make.

No worries though. In my next blog, I will help you reduce your sugar intake while making it relatively painless!

Breast Cancer: Reducing Your Risk Through Diet and Exercise

2009-10-28T15:06:00Z

Breast cancer is a disease that affects many American women. In fact, it is the leading cause of death from cancer among women in the United States. While you can never completely eliminate your risk of getting breast cancer, there are things you can do to dramatically lower your risk. The effects of diet and exercise on the risk of breast cancer have been the topic of hundreds of scientific studies published in the past decade. Let's review what science has to say about reducing your risk of breast cancer through diet and exercise.

1. Stick with whole grains

A number of studies show that diets high in refined carbohydrates will elevate your risk of breast cancer. In one study, people who got over 8.5% of their calories from sucrose (table sugar) had twice the odds of developing breast cancer in their lifetime, compared to people who only got 5.2% or less of their calories from sugar. In another study, postmenopausal women who ate a low-glycemic (high in unrefined carbohydrates which do not cause rapid rises in blood sugar) diet had an 87% lower odds of developing breast cancer.

2. Keep carbohydrate intake moderate (40-45% of calories)

One study indicated that moderate carbohydrate intake was associated with the lowest risk of breast cancer. Another study showed that women who ate 58% or more of their calories from carbs had 39-122% greater odds of getting breast cancer compared to women who got 52% or less of their calories from carbs.

3. Limit desserts and sweets

One study showed that each 1% increase in your calories from sweets elevated your breast cancer risk by 5%. Another study on Italians showed that 2 ½ or more servings of dessert per week was associated with an 11-19% increase in your odds of getting breast cancer.

4. Control your blood sugar

A study on premenopausal women found that women with a fasting blood sugar of over 84 mg/dl had a 176% greater risk of breast cancer than women with a fasting blood sugar of 71 mg/dl or less.

5. Keep your protein intake high (more than 100 grams per day)

In one study, people who ate more than 100 grams of protein per day had the lowest risk of getting breast cancer. In another study, every 1% increase in calories from protein reduced breast cancer risk by 13%.

6. Use olive oil

Olive oil has been found to suppress the activity of a particular breast cancer gene. One study found that people who ate 8.8 grams or more of olive oil per day had a 73% lower odds of breast cancer than women who consumed less olive oil.

7. Take your fish oil capsules

A number of studies show that diets high in omega 3 fats lower your risk of cancer.

8. Avoid well-done and deep-fried meat

Well-done and deep-fried meat are high in heterocyclic amines, chemicals known to increase the risk of cancer.

9. Increase fruit and vegetable intake

Dozens and dozens of studies have shown that diets high in fruits and vegetables will dramatically lower your risk of breast cancer (by as much as 50% in some studies). Keep your servings to at least 5-8 per day.

10. Control your weight

A number of studies show that being overweight or obese not only increases your risk of breast cancer, but increases your risk of dying from it if you happen to get it. At my 20/20 Lifestyles program we help individuals get those pounds off and keep them off, which will lowers the risk of breast cancer. Weight loss is also used when the patient has already had breast cancer. It reduces reoccurrence by over 50%.

11. Limit alcohol intake

One drink or more per day is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Keep your alcohol intake to less than a drink per day on average.

12. Exercise

Numerous studies show that exercise reduces breast cancer risk, and improves quality of life in breast cancer survivors. One study found that only 3-5 hours of walking per week decreased the risk of dying of breast cancer by almost 50%!

The science doesn't lie. A healthy lifestyle that incorporates good dietary habits and exercise will go a long way towards reducing your risk of breast cancer, and increasing your odds of survival if you happen to get it.

Outsmarting That Booze So You Can Lose - Do not let alcohol sabotage weight loss efforts.

2009-09-24T15:07:00Z

In my last blog I explained just how alcohol can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Now let me help you out with some pointers so you can outsmart the booze and be one lean looking machine:

When actively losing weight, eliminate alcohol altogether: alcohol is energy dense (high in calories) but almost completely lacking in nutrients ("empty calories"). You will end up "drinking" your calories instead of eating whole foods with nutrients, fiber and water that help fill you up when restricting calories. Alcohol can make you lose your inhibitions and encourage a more ravenous appetite, which results in consuming more calories than intended, in addition to your alcohol calories.
When you reach your goal weight and decide to add alcohol to your diet, choose a light beer or wine over a mixed drink to keep calorie intake lower. If you prefer a mixed drink, opt for diet soda or plain soda water as a mixer. Beware of drinks made with cream or sugary liquors like Irish Cream or Kahlua.
Alcohol counts as a carbohydrate. When you dine out use the plate model: one-third of your plate for protein; one-third for vegetables; and one-third for carbohydrates. And 12 ounces of beer, 1 ounce of hard liquor or 5 ounces of wine at dinner will count as your carbohydrate choice. So this means no eating the bread that's brought to the table, ordering pasta as the main course or tiramisu for dessert, if you are choosing alcohol. Alcohol is your carbohydrate choice!

In general, moderate consumption of alcohol (one to two drinks) may be considered safe. Persons with medical and social conditions made worse by alcohol should not consume alcohol. And if you are trying to lose weight, drop the booze and pick up the weights. Nothing can come from that calorically dense, fat generating glass of wine.

Alcohol and Weight Loss - Why you have to put down the booze if you want to lose.

2009-09-21T15:34:00Z

No gripes, no excuses and no complaints. When all my patients come into the 20/20 Lifestyles program to lose weight, I make a point to say there is absolutely no alcohol during active weight loss. A couple of weight lifter buddies of mine in college knew that beer was a means of excess calories that were just going to give their abs that flat affect. So they had decided to cut out all food for dinner and simply replace those calories with beer to continue to lose weight and get defined. All I can say is I would love to see their livers now. Guess what happened! Even though they cut out their night calories to make room for the beer calories, they could not budge the scale and their body fat percentage was actually increasing. What was going on here?

Basically it comes down to how the beer belly happens. Because of how alcohol is metabolized, shifts occur in the body’s ability to generate energy. When consuming alcohol, the cells make fatty acids and glycerol, the building blocks of fat. A metabolic shift to producing fat lends the body to store fat in most tissues, causing that beer belly. When it is all said and done, the liver processes most alcohol. General alcohol consumption leads to synthesis of fat in the liver. The kidneys and lining of the heart can also accumulate lipids that interfere with their functioning.

So have you changed your eating habits and are still gaining weight? Well my question to you is how much alcohol are you are consuming? It may come down to the simple calorie breakdown of alcohol. Alcohol is seven calories per gram which makes it closer to fat at nine calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins, which are four calories per gram. Just 12 ounces of beer, 1 ounces of hard liquor and 5 ounces of wine is 100 calories. A hundred extra calories a day beyond what you expend can lead to 10 pounds of weight gain a year. If you changed your eating habits, but are still topping off your day with a nice glass of wine, there is that extra 100 calories daily.

Stay tuned for my next blog, as I will give you some tips on how to monitor your alcohol consumption when losing and maintaining your weight.

Should You Eat Before Your Workout? - The answer is up to the individual.

2009-09-03T18:45:00Z

As a physician, I am always getting patients who want to lose weight and they all know they need to reduce their calories and increase their exercise. Sounds simple right? Well, again, I am going to have to let you down: It’s not. Everyone needs to understand that weight loss is not as simple as “just do it.” Many individuals do not realize that it takes planning ahead for meals and snacks, learning proper times to eat to keep your metabolism burning all day and finding the right balance of foods that do not cause you to be hungry or have cravings.

One of the first questions I get is, “Should I eat before my workout when losing weight?” Ask 1,000 people whether or not you should eat before your workout (particularly a morning workout) and you’ll get one of two answers: Some people will tell you that you shouldn’t eat before your workout. Their reasoning is that, if you eat before your workout, your body will use the food for energy, rather than the fat you’re trying to shed. Other people will tell you that you should eat before your workout, because otherwise you won’t have any energy to push yourself, and your workout (and results) will suffer. So who is right?

In my last blog, I let you know it doesn’t matter how much fat you burn during a workout, as long as you create an energy deficit. This means that you shouldn’t worry about eating before a workout ... it’s not going to stop your fat loss. It comes down to what is most comfortable for you. Are you low on energy or do you feel weak during your workout? Then go ahead and have a snack beforehand … you’ll be able to train harder and get better results. Remember, the more energy you expend, the more fat you will lose. On the other hand, does eating before you workout make you feel sick? Then go ahead and avoid that pre-workout snack.

This also dispels the myth that if you work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you’ll burn more fat. Technically, this is true. However, the extra fat you’ll burn isn’t very much. We’re talking small gram amounts. Also, if you look at the amount of fat burned over 24 hours, it will be the same whether or not you ate a quick breakfast beforehand … as long as you expend the same amount of calories in the workout.

So it’s up to you on whether you eat a small, balanced snack before working out or you don’t. The one thing you know you have to do is burn, burn, burn!

A Lesson in Fat Loss - Workouts are all about expending calories.

2009-08-28T22:51:00Z

A lot of people think that when you’re in the gym, you’re there to burn fat. However, that’s not always true. The amount of fat you burn during a workout can be pretty small when you compare it to the amount that people typically lose in a week. If you expend 600 calories in a workout, you might burn around 30 grams of fat. That’s not much.

You’re probably thinking, “Oh, great, Dr. Mark, I guess I’m wasting my time going to the gym!” Well, not so fast. You see, it really doesn’t matter how much fat you burn during a workout. What matters is the amount of calories you expend. Even if you don’t burn any fat during a workout, you will still lose fat if you expend more calories than you eat. Why? Let’s say you burn 200 calories of carbohydrate during a workout. While you didn’t burn any fat, you created an energy deficit. Your body is going to make up for this deficit by taking the energy from your fat stores after you’re done working out. As long as you create that energy deficit, your body will get rid of the fat at some point during the day. It’s like digging a hole. It doesn’t matter whether you dig up dirt or gravel … you still have a hole!

So now you know: cardio is cardio whether you are burning fat or calories. Either way you are cutting that fat out of your midsection. Enjoy your workout today!

Can Sleep Help You Lose Weight? - Proper rest important part of dieting

2009-08-28T22:50:00Z

I have written blogs on the importance of getting eight hours of sleep and the correlation to weight loss. Less sleep causes people who are trying to lose weight to only lose half of what they would have lost had they gotten eight hours of sleep. For those individuals who are not dieting but eating the right number of calories to maintain their weight, it can cause weight gain.

I know many of you are laughing and saying there is no way that you are able to get eight hours of sleep per night. Well, a paper written in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association (Dec. 24-31, 2008: Short Sleep Duration and Incident Coronary Artery Calcification by C.R. King, D.S. Lauderdale, et al.), showed that decreased sleep time appears to be related to coronary artery calcification (coronary artery plaques). This really does make sense when you think about it. During sleep we reduce stress and release a cascade of chemicals that repair the damage to our bodies and arteries that happen while awake. Less release means there is unrepaired damage and in the arteries it means there is easier plaque formation.

If you think being young helps you, I have to tell you I believe in this case age does not matter. Remember, it takes a year to grow and develop plaques that will eventually close your arteries and possibly kill you. So step back a moment and decide how long you want to live. Part of that longevity is related to your sleep habits.

Study Examines Overweight Mothers - Findings give more reason to make certain future moms are healthy.

2009-08-25T15:51:00Z

An article in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association, from February 11 looked at maternal overweight and obesity and the development of congenital anomalies. Although the numbers were small, overweight and obese mothers had an increase in incidents of neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly, cardiovascular anomalies, cleft palates, limb problems and hydrocephaly. The exact cause can’t be traced, but I am betting that it is visceral fat.

This study gives us another reason to make sure women who want to get pregnant first get healthy (including weight) and then stay healthy during pregnancy. This means diet, exercise and lifestyle modification. It makes sense that healthy, fit women have healthy babies. I also believe that the father of the child must be healthy and fit. After all, he supplies half of the genes and we don’t know what effect obesity can have on the male sperm, but I guess being insulin resistant (which 80 percent of obese people are) doesn’t help to create the best sperm.

Depression and Weight Gain - Elevated cholesterol and blood pressure among risks

2009-08-19T16:03:00Z

Depression, like anxiety, causes some release of cortisone from the adrenal glands. Cortisone will cause insulin resistance at the cellular level, making the delivery into the cells difficult. This in turn causes hunger and weight gain.

What’s interesting is that depression causes an increase in abdominal fat instead of increasing fat over the entire body. The abdominal fat gain is not subcutaneous (just below the skin) but within the abdominal cavity. This is called visceral fat. Visceral fat accumulation is the worst. It releases several chemicals and hormones. It causes elevated cholesterol and blood pressure and increases the risk of diabetes. All of these things cause cardiovascular disease.

We all get the occasional depression caused by the loss of a loved one or loss of our job. Most people usually recover quickly. If you don’t, you need to seek the help of a good psychologist. Occasionally depression may require temporary medication. If your depression hangs on for more than 10-14 days, immediately get cognitive behavior therapy, which should help to improve your condition.

Don’t let depression go untreated because the secondary effect of abdominal obesity will cause a whole set of new medical problems.