My Greatest Ever Feat of Strength!

So I guess technically it was a combined greatest ever feat of both strength and stupidity... I just moved my new king size mattress up 3 flights of stairs!  The closest I can think the relate the experience to is if I was a firefighter rescuing the Guinness Book of World Records Fattest Man from eminent danger.  There were times when I am sure passersby thought I was being eaten by it.  No sliding that bad boy, it molded right to every step and crack in the wall I hit, but I was determined; success was mine!  Now it sits conquered, sulking and taking up the majority of my living room.  The truck driver who left it on the driveway stayed around a few minutes, I think long enough to be sure I wouldn't become trapped under it 'with only a cell phone, a lighter and 90 minutes of oxygen';)  Anyway, I need to get sails, I mean sheets, for it and I'll let you know how it is!  I hope over the next 30 years (warranty) it will pay back some of the life that was certainly sucked out of me by moving it.

Top Causes of Preventable Disease, Are You at Risk?

An interesting study recently done by Harvard researchers and funded by the CDC looked at some of the top casues of 'preventable deaths'.  What this means is that by reducing one behavior, thousands of deaths could have been prevented.  This study is another stark example of the effects of diet and lifestyle choices on health.  They are a matter of life and death!
Here are the top six in 2005:
1.  Tobacco smoking 436,000 to 500,000 attributed preventable deaths
2.  High blood pressure (372,000 to 414,000),
3.  Obesity (188,000 to 237,000)
4.  Physical inactivity (164,000 to 222,000)
5.  High blood glucose (163,000 to 217,000)
6.  High LDL cholesterol (94,000 to 124,000)
7.  High salt intake (97,000 to 107,000)
8.  Omega-3 deficiency (72,000-96,000)
It is staggering that of the top eight, six (arguably seven if you include high blood pressure) have to do with diet and exercise!  By consitently making the right choices in your nutrition and increasing phycial activity, you can stop the stealing of years off your life!
One critique of the study is that is didn't look at vitamin D levels.  If they had, I wouldn't be surpirsed if low levels had surpassed smoking as the top cause of preventable death.
Let those words sink in...Preventable Death, and make a commitment to change your life and make it longer and healthier!

Source: Public Library of Science Medicine Journal
Vol. 6, April, 2009
‘The Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors’
Authors: Goodarz Danaei, Eric L Ding, Dariush Mozaffarian, Ben Taylor, Jurgen Rehm, Christopher J L Murray, Majid Ezzati

Vitamin D Defeats Depression, Dials Down Weight!

Heard alot about vitamin D lately?  Well its for good reason!  Yet another study has shown benefit of having appropraite vitamin D levels, this time in depression.  Depression is a currently estimated to be the number one cause of disability worldwide by the WHO, and levels are expecred to rise!  Vitamin D is typically made by our bodies through sun exposure, so with winter approaching now is the time to get your levels checked.  Could "Seasonal Affective Disorder", a form of depression suffered by some in the winter months, be related to low vitamin D levels in the winter months?  More research will be need to find out, but it seems plausible.  Besides depression, appropriate vitamin D levels are associated with decreased flu risk, weight loss, preventing several cancers and increasing muscle mass!  I typically recommend 2000 IU of vitamin D3 in the winter months but you should have your levels tested and monitored to keep them in a healthy range of 50-80 ng/mL. 

Scandinavian Journal Medicine and Science in Sports, 20:182-190, 2010.

Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1210/jc.2010-0347
“Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Depressive Symptoms in Older Women and Men”

www.vitaminDcouncil.org

The Healthiest Ingredients of Fall

There are two great falls flavors that can add health and nutrition to your ever shortening fall days.  Any guesses?  The first is Pumpkin, The canned variety (unsweetened) is just fine.  Try adding it to pancakes or oatmeal for a great tasting seasonal breakfast.  When I was wrestling, this was one of my favorite in season breakfasts.  Pumpkin is rich in fiber, about 7 grams for a small serving, so it keeps you feeling full.  Besides tasting great, it adds moisture to recipes and provides a small dose of healthy fats.  It is also rich in antioxidants!  When you have to wake up while it is still dark, you might as well wake to something deliciously fall.
Here is a recipe I found that is close to what I used to make, but I prefer oat flour over wheat...
http://pinchmysalt.com/2007/10/14/my-recipe-for-whole-wheat-pumpkin-pancakes/

The second great fall ingredient for health is cinnamon.  This simple spice can actually help better control blood sugar and keep levels steady after a meal.  One trick I use is to finish a meal with a cup of no sugar added apple sauce with a teaspoon of organic cinnamon.  The cinnamon helps slow the flow of sugar into the blood and the apple/cinnamon combination is an antioxidant powerhouse!  Also, this is a great way to let your brain know that that the meal is over.  If you get in the habit of finishing a meal with this tasty combo, your brain will start to associate it with the end of the meal, making it easier not to keep snacking.  It worked for me and I hope it does for you as well.  I can still remember the smell of those pancakes in our little place in Champaign on a cool fall morning! 
So this fall go apple picking and savor the season while you improve your health!

16 Minutes!

So, that was harder than I expected!  Maybe because the only time I had to workout was nine at night when I was the only person at the gym... Actually, I know what made it so hard, the wall sit/curls and lunge presses!  Why?  Because they are arguably the most grueling type of exercise-the dreaded 'compound movement' and burn more calories per rep than any other type of exercise.  Anyway, I was able to finish 3 sets in 16 minutes (then I did a fourth set through just for fun:)  It was suitably brutal and made even more so by my desire to impress my non-existent readers with a fast time in case anyone else tried to workout, I almost puked.  Anyway the whole point was to demonstrate that you don't need much time to get a 'good' workout in.  Can you spare 15 minutes?  If you can't we need to talk!  Next goal: an equally intense workout with only bodyweight that anyone can do at home, quick to the bat cave!

Exercise 'to the point'

I am going to experiment on myself this afternoon (I am my favorite subject) and see how quickly I can get a good workout in.  I suppose this begs the question "What is a good workout?".  For some a good workout might be no workout!  However, for me a good workout is one where I walk away feeling like I challenged my body and mind and used my time wisely.  For today I'll try a full body circuit with timed 90 second breaks between rounds.  This type of exercise spikes the body's fat burning capacity and keeps you using extra oxygen for days to some, and oxygen use=calorie use!  It is similar to driving a car; who will burn through more gas, the guy who drag races stop light to stop light or Steady Neddy who stays a constant speed?  The drag racer will, and it's the same thing with calories.  That's why research shows that high intensity training bursts followed by active rest periods is THE best way to change body composition (i.e. lose fat and gain muscle).  The best part is you can get done with a great workout in a fraction of the time of traditional exercise!  Note-this type of exercise is not for everyone, so consult a physician before starting an exercise program.
My workout today:
Wall sit/curls
Lunge/shoulder press
Smith bench press/reverse pushups
Dips/calf raises

I will try to post my time and pics later!  Wish me luck.
Yours in Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC),
DietDoc

THE One Simple Change to Get Healthier and Lose Weight!

Could one simple change lead to weight loss and improve health?  The answer is yes, and if your not sure what that habit is, you may want to sleep on it.  Sleep is probably the most underrated weight loss tool! In fact, numerous studies have shown that in both kids and adults, less than 7 hours of sleep causes weight gain as well as dangerous inflammation in the body and can lead to heart disease, memory problems, depression and aging!  It is my theory that the 'freshman 15' is as likely due to student's poor sleep habits as it is to cafeteria food.  To compound the problem, artificial light such as light bulbs, computer screens and tv's convince our brains that it isn't time for sleep when the sun goes down.  So, research suggests that hitting the hay early can lead to reduced cholesterol, body fat and rates of depression!  One simple change in your lifestyle can add years to your life and life to your years.  It amazes my that people will spend thousands of dollars for 'extras' for cars they may spend an hour a day in but buy a cheap mattress to spend a third of their day in!  I can't say I wasn't guilty of this myself, but today I shelled out a few extra bucks for a prescription-only mattress, proven in a University of Louisville study to reduce movement during sleep by 90%!  The way I see is, if I am moving 90% less, I am going to feel 90% better in the morning.  Keep posted to hear if that is the case.  Also, I will be sure to blog about prescription mattresses and how they are the only way to sleep on a truly poison-free mattress!  In the mean time, work on setting a consistent bedtime and bedtime ritual.  It should not include tv, or computer use and should limit flourescent light exposure.  Start by trying to add an hour of sleep to what you are currently getting and see how good you feel.  Here are some tips to get started:
Set consistent sleep and wake schedules and stick to them.
Take a hot shower before bed, sleep is associated with a drop in body temp that getting out of a hot shower can mimic.
Get the TV out of the bedroom!
Make your bedroom darker, heavier blinds or less background light.
Keep the bedroom cool.
Try progressive relaxation- starting at your toes, contract your muscles for a few second and them focus on letting that muscle group totally relax, work your way up your body.

Good Luck and Goodnight,
DietDoc

Weight Doc!

I have decided to name my blog after a popular sentiment expressed by patients upon stepping on my office scale, 'Weight, weight, don't tell me!'  After years of wrestling, both in highschool and the Big Ten, I know first hand what it is to look at the scale in fear.  The goal of this blog is to dispel some of that fear by providing and evidence-based review of weight loss and wellness research.  I want you to know that you CAN achieve your weight loss goals.  More importantly, I want my readers to know they can improve their health through simple, achievable and long lasting steps!  If you have hope, you can do anything!  I hope you will find hope and help in my posts!
Thanks for reading,
DietDoc