Hot Topics in Nutrition
As we enter the next focus this term on Nutrition, this information is timely. At the conference I attended last week for university physical education and health teachers in Oregon at Silver Falls I enjoyed a presentation by Monica Hunsberger, a nutrition professor at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Her presentation was title "Nutrition Hot Topics" and I will share some highlights below:
- Health message: Whole Grains, Fruits and Vegetables should be the basis. Consistently the countries with the longest living residents eat a diet rich in these foods and unsaturated fat. This message isn’t sexy and it doesn’t sell books, but it works.
- Sustainability has become a buzzword in the culinary world, as chefs and home cooks search for ways to minimize their impact on the planet. Consume organic, eat local foods, and avoid foods with hormones or antibiotics to follow this paradigm. see http://www.eatlocalchallenge.com/ :: http://www.ecotrust.org/foodfarms/videoclips.... :: http://chefscollaborative.org/
- The percentage for each macronutrient (Carbohydrates, Fats, Protein) is different for each person. The more important factor is the quality of food within each. I can identify with this, as the diet analyses I do show a very high carbohydrate diet in relation to the RDA values recommended by the USDA. I seem to operate effectively from a health standpoint with this "imbalance." However, I am definitely an anomaly because I'll routinely put in 7,000 calorie exercise efforts, so these carbs serve as a good energy source.
- Whole Grains are the power carbohydrate because of the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
- The Glycemic Index (GI) may not be that useful because it is not intuitive and not that practical because foods are tested individually.
- Assessment of protein quality is Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). Scores range from 1.0 to 0.0 (e.g. egg whites 1.0 perfect protein, Meat 0.92, Whole wheat 0.40).
- Plants can provide all of the protein necessary, they are just less potent.
- Fats are not all equal. Saturated fat (trans) like Coconut oil (92% saturated) are not good. Instead, use canola or olive oil.
- Portion control is very important to avoid over consumption. Portion sizes have grown to be too big nowadays.
- Policy developments today include required menu labeling and "Sin” Taxes or Soda Tax on junk foods similar to tobacco and alcohol.
- High Fructose corn syrup has gained a bad rap, but it is not much different than other sugars, just cheaper to produce.
- Farm Bill: “The farm bill influences not only what we eat, but what farmers grow. Each farm bill has had ripple effects over their five to seven year course on such issues as food prices, water quality, availability of renewable fuels, and even the amount of sprawl into rural areas.” Includes renamed Food Stamp Program, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP
- Obesity and hunger: These often occur in the same populations. Both can be consequences of low income and the resulting lack of access to enough food
- Hot topics: Acai Berry and Goji Berry. Sustainability of these foods and transport effects are questioned. Suggested to just eat more local berries that are similar. Eat more blueberries instead, because these have similar nutritional benefits.
- Tips for eating healthy on a tight budget
- Avoid packed goods
- Shop the perimeter
- Buy in bulk
- Incorporate the Thrifty Food Plan Concepts
- Keeping it simple
- Students interested in Dietetics
- OSU has the only undergraduate program in dietetics in Oregon
- Other programs are offered online
- After completing a DPD program students are eligible to apply for dietetic internships
- After completing an internship candidates can sit for the RD exam
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Comments
i have recently become interested in the caveman diet. essentially it says you should eat whatever was available to cavemen - so no cookies, etc. but rather fruits, veggies, meat, etc. pretty obvious but here are some things that surprised me like potatos - don't eat them becuase cave men didn't. they need to be cooked to become edible and cavemen didn't do this. one question i had that i couldn't seem to find a decent answer to was can you cook meat? if interested there's a lot online about this diet.
While I understand the premise behind the caveman diet (eating basic "natural" foods), we live over twice as long today in large part due to our better nutrition. So, in a way the caveman diet is something that is addressed in the first point I have listed, and may be just like many other popular fad diets in this regard. There are definitely some good principles that can be taken from the caveman diet, but I don't plan to eat like a caveman, just like I don't plan to live in a cave.
Cavemen living in different locations would have different diets. So they were eating different roots (potato?), berries, and meat. So perhaps cavemen were the originators of eating local and that might be a good thing to take from the caveman diet. These primitive humans adapted to their surroundings and they also developed tools to kill, preserve, and cultivate (technology). So, as the technology improved their diets became more diverse and here we are today.
Also, the internet will be very misleading for diet information because much of what is presented is based solely on selling products or a diet plan. I do have some nutrition websites listed that are some less-biased sources.
Does anyone else have any thoughts on the caveman diet?
Some of my family are telling me that it is better for you to eat 5 small meals a day, rather than 3 bigger ones. Is that true? Or is that what you were meaning about portion control?
I also agree. I have likewise heard that it's better to snack all day too? Is that true? Because I often end up snacking and eating my 3 main meals!? And, I know that's NOT what you're supposed to do! However I have a fast metabolizm and during track season, it gets even faster and I seem to need the healthy calories. Many days I will eat a breakfast of oatmeal or cereal and toast, and then eat healthy snacks throughout the day (fruits, vegies, granola bars, ect.) then I usually eat a decent but not large sized dinner. Would you say I have the correct diet? What do you suggest?
I have a question about the last part of your post. You state that OSU has the only undergrad program in dietetics in Oregon, which I knew I was actually admitted into program and then do to personal reasons was not able to do. But I really want to and you stated that other programs are offered online? I have not found a dietetics undergrad program online, can you tell me where?
Kim
I think the idea of five meals per day has to do with portion control and keeping your body fueled for the energy you need to perform you own individule tasks or workouts. An example would be breakfast as a main meal but not "super size" and a small snack in between which will fuel your body until lunch, again not "super size" and so on, until dinner. By doing this you body gets only what it needs and does not store extra as fat.
Portion control is a different issue than increasing the number of meals, but you could combine the two principles like Carla has suggested. Portion control is eating the same foods that you normally would, but just in smaller amounts. The premise behind this is that our portions have increased over the years and that is why we are fat. This is very apparent in restaurants where the meals are so high in calories because the portions are huge nowadays.
Regarding the increase in meals, quite a few people subscribe to the belief that if you eat the same number of calories in a day, but disperse it into more meals, then more weight will be lost. The premise here is that the hypothalmus triggers the metabolism to kick in every time you eat, so you have a new greater energy burn with more meals. This is probably true, but that means that your digestive system is being taxed all day. I think the point in my notes is that diet is individual. For example, Kimberly points out the demands of being an athlete and more meals probably are best in that case.
I do not have an answer for online options for dietetics. These were notes from Dr. Hunsberger.
With regard to the timing and sze of meals I have read that timing of meals makes little difference (eat early or late) the important factor is total calories ingested. The many small meals v. few big ones - I have heard what Prof Staher has stated - that it will increase metablolism making you burn the calpries quicker and subsequently burn more of them. Not sure if I subscribe to that as I wonder how much if an effect it really has. Sort of a convienence v. functionality issue.
What I have read is that we do eat more today than we did 20 years ago. I have read articles that state people are generally as active as they were 20 years ago but are much fatter - the conclusion is that they eat more. So portion control is an important issue.
As for the caveman diet, I agree with the sentiment that we have evolved since then. However, I like the idea of eating foods that our bodies can process. I bring up potato and corn becuase we can't eat them without first cooking them. The articles I have read state that these foods leave toxins in our bodies that do bad things like bloat, casue digestive probelms, sap energy and the like. To me the diet seems to fit the idea of shopping the perimeter. aet what we're designed to eat. I just wonder whatthat is - esp since I see humans as scavengers - we'll eat anything.
This is a good conversation we have going here. Thanks for the replies. We need start referencing our sources better rather than just saying "I read" (and I'm talking to myself too). I know it is hard sometimes to recall exactly where we read something but for good scholarly writing we ought to reference some sources because obviously everything in print is not credible, especially online. At the very least, we can reference our textbook because that is a really good source.
I forgot to mention in my reply this morning that working out more times a day will have a better effect than eating more times a day, from a weight loss standpoint. If you take the same concept of equal calories but more often and apply it to exercise you get a better benefit. For example, if you took a 40 minute workout but did it for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening you would have a better metabolism effect. This is because your metabolism increases before exercise because you are anticipating it and then there is a metabolism boost for up to several hours following exercise. You can look at the heart rate chart in Ch 6 of Hoeger to see an example of the effect on heart rate (did you just notice that reference?). So, if you take the same total calorie workout and split it into twice a day you get a better metabolism kick. This is much better than eating more meals a day. One example of a way to do this is to bike to work and home each day. That is a simple split workout.
I agree with smaller portions when we eat. Some of us grew up with our mothers constantly saying, eat everything on your plate, it's not polite to leave food on your plate, etc. So even today, as creatures of habit, we continue eating in this manner and with increased portions in restaurants, we put the added calories on our bodies. In our own homes, we tend to fill our plate, so why not decrease the size of plate we use! Reality will show that with a smaller plate we put smaller portions on it. Eat slower and you will find the smaller plate with smaller portions is enough to actually fill you up. It takes a bit for our mind and body to catch up with the food being shoved into it. It really does work, I do it.
Another tidbit. . .When you feel those hunger pains coming on, drink a glass of water, wait 15 minutes and more times than not you will forget you are hungry. The reason being is that our thirst and hunger glands are in the same vicinity so the body thinks it is deprived of something - food, not water. If you are still hungry after about 15 minutes, eat something healthy. Most people don't drink near enough water and eat far too much food and this is the reason. Try it, I have and it really does work.
So, what do you think of the acai berries? It is the big thing on the internet now. All I have been hearing is that they give you alot of energy and you lose tons of weight in a short time. I fall for these kind of gimmicks. I am skeptical about this and don't know how something can make you lose 20 pounds in a week. And the price for these isn't cheap.
I find myself going to the fitness club doing cardio and weight training usually I will do a combo of both, I will start out weight training then end my workout with cardio, I am determined to lose bodyfat. 40 minutes of cardio and weight training each day does not seem to want to take the inches off. Maybe I should do 40 minutes of cardio in the morning and 40 minutes at night plus my weight training do you think this will help me finally start to lose bodyfat, I am not considered obese but I have read about how a large waist can put you at risk for heart disease, from what I understand you have to due alot of cardio and reduce your calories to lose this belly fat. I have been working so hard to lose belly fat because I do not want to be at risk for heart disease does anyone have any suggestions of the best way to go about this. I think I will have to start living at the fitness club to achieve this goal.
Right now that berry is being marketed as a miracle berry. I cannot comment specifically on the value of the berry, mainly because it is rather new and it will take more time and research to establish the health benefits of the berry. The real problem is that it is being marketed like a drug, pushed by salesmen eager to make money off of it. Because of this, you cannot trust what people are saying about it just like you cannot trust a used car salesman. The other major problem is that there are so many middle men and transport issues getting the berry to your mouth. And, I am not to sure about the sustainability of that crop and how it is harvested. With that said, if the acai berry is simply a pimped out blueberry then just eat an extra handful of blueberries. One thing is certain, you are not going to lose 20 pounds in a week because of acai berry. That would only happen through severe dehydration.
Christine, I guarantee you will lose body fat if you stick to a schedule of 40 minutes in your training zone twice a day. This is very ambitious! The problem is that fat loss takes time, and many people get discouraged after a few weeks of not seeing results. The scale often shows that you are heavier because you gain some muscle. That is why body composition testing is so important. The other issue is related to the Setpoint Theory discussed in Hoeger's book. Your appetite picks up as your workout more so you end up eating more calories. However, exercise does lower your set-point and I guarantee on that schedule you will lose weight but you have to be patient and give it time. On that schedule though, you should start seeing results soon.
The real benefit is less related to your belly fat and more related to the clearing of fat deposits and improved blood flow in your heart combined with strengthening of your heart muscle. I just heard a good presentation about women being predisposed to heart disease just as much as men. The only difference is that the heart disease is harder to detect in women and often goes undiagnosed, even after death. The presenter was Dr. Kent Thornburg of OHSU and his primary point was that your predisposition to heart disease is determined when you were a developing fetus and your birth weight is a good indicator of this (hopefully you were about 8.5 lbs). If you are pre-disposed to heart disease you need to be even more diligent with your exercise and eating habits.
I mainly like to eat less greasy foods and more fruits and veggie's. One of my rules that I try to follow is to not eat anything after 8pm, and to not snack. I try to only eat the 3 meals, not a meal then snack then a meal again.
Have any of you tried the Mona Vie Juice or Xocai Chocolate. These are the 2 popular acai berry products in my area. They are sold using a network marketing (Pyramid)selling method. The juice is very good but expensive. I myself agree that berries are the more economical and proven way to gain the nutritional values supposedly available from the acai berry.
In regards the Acai berry - it has come under a lot of attack because of some issues with the company MonaVie (or Mona Vie) which has some weird marketing and corporate problems. The company got slammed in an article by Newsweek, the problem being that the berry got slammed along with the company (It was a poorly written article). The berry in and of itself is not a 'miracle', it is similar to other berries. In general there is nothing that Mona Vie does with the juice that is miraculous either. The berry contains more protein than most other berries, it is higher in antioxidants as well. In combination with other ingredients that Mona Vie provides the juice is very effective in helping to maintain blood sugar levels. This is a very important point. Most people who find Mona Vie effective are people (like me) who have blood sugar issues. Some people have blood sugar issues that aren't necessarily detectable with standard tests or that go unchecked or undiagnosed (Or who have other issues that may affect blood sugar). They start drinking Mona Vie and they feel fabulous - and its not because they are cured, its just because they are drinking something that helps a problem they either did or didn't know they had.
I had a host of issues because of problems with my blood sugar levels. I finally went to see a Nurse Practitioner that specialized in Nutrition (along with her husband who is a Doctor.) I was put on a diet (the standard: Veggies, fruits, nuts, oils, protein) and she also told me that I should try the Mona Vie. It began to work immediately. Everyone in my office tried it. Not surprisingly all of the women that were overweight and/or had issues similar to mine (depression, fatigue etc etc etc) began to feel much better - and those that already had good diets didn't really feel different - or in some cases had slightly adverse reactions. (You're only supposed to drink about 4oz. a day, so don't overdo it either.) The berry gets touted as this miracle cure because people (like me) that have been put on a host of prescription drugs and who have struggled for years with all kinds of different issues suddenly find that they can make it through an afternoon without a nap and without wanting kill someone. It's not a miracle - just good chemistry. I've heard a lot of other 'miracle' stories - and I don't know how much to believe - but I get agitated because people think it has to be an all or nothing. thing. It either has to work or it doesn't. Well, depending on a host of variables it might work for you, it might not. Now that I am on a decent diet and I'm not eating sugar all of the time I don't really need to the Acai anymore (I can still use it for the antioxidants- but for me the biggest thing was the blood sugar stabilization.) I get my antioxidants from other berries now. Also - Mona Vie is REALLY expensive - you can get Acai juice at Co-ops for much much less. (Be careful that it's ALL Acai though - there are a lot of juices that have a big mix, and that's okay too, but if your looking for Acai for the blood sugar thing it's best to have 100%)
Anyway - I can get more specific information from the Nurse Prac. if anyone is interested. I don't actually understand HOW the Acai effects levels blood sugar - I just know that that is what she told me and I found it to be true for myself.
Secondly - in regards to five meals a day. I don't know how it works in regards to dieting and metabolism exactly. My Nurse Practitioner suggested that for those people who have blood sugar issues it is helpful to eat through out the day (5 small meals) because it helps keep us stable. I find this to be true. I also like it because when you are working, stopping to eat a big meal interrupts your day and then you feel really tired after lunch.
Hannah
Your thoughts about the fact that it is the COOKED corn and potato that are bad for the human body are interesting. I have heard a lot of different things on this topic. I think one of the recent diets that became popular was the...macrobiotic diet...(I can't ever remember the name.) It is basically a diet that says that anything you eat can't be cooked (or heated) to over 160 degrees. I believe the reason is that our bodies are meant to eat food raw (more or less) and that there is much more nutrition from food when it is raw. (Which makes sense.)
I think as a general rule this is a great idea. It means eating lots of raw veggies and fruits. The thing I can't get around is the legumes. How do you eat a bean without cooking it? And beans are really important for people to eat - but you just can't eat a bean raw.
So I will have to look this up, because I can't remember the ins and outs of it. I'm sure that (just like the Atkins diet) it is much more complicated than what I read in a blip in a magazine somewhere.
I do know that potatoes (starches) are thought to become carcinogenic when fried, and that the state of California has gone as far as to put warning labels in McDonald's and other restaurants warning of the danger of french fries...so it doesn't surprise me that certain foods when cooked could cause adverse reactions in people. We don't really think about it - but there is a chemical reaction taking place when you cook something.
Also - I think that there are so many foods, and so many ways foods are cooked, that cause digestive problems. Just look at milk and bread. They are the staples of most people's diet and they cause so many problems because so many people are allergic to one or the other or both.
Anyway - I think all of it is worth looking into. I had so many different issues in my life - and the more I learned about food and the better I ate - the better I felt - so even if it sounds a little wacky I'm willing to research it. (There are some things I am not willing to do - I will never eat a raw egg - or take cod liver oil - not gonna happen - but I'll look into things.)
Hannah
I am one of those that seems to forget to drink water through out the day. I do eat when i feel hungry and when i finally do drink water, i realize that that is what i needed instead of snacking all day. I have bottles of water in the front of my fridge and I put them in the front of my cupbards so that reminds me that i have the option to drink water instead of snacking.
It's one of those things that you can know about yourself - and still end up ignoring. (The fact that you need water.) It's a great idea to put water in the front of the fridge, that's a good suggestion. I always go for food first - but the days I take a water bottle or have one of those flavored water beverages with me I feel so much better. I try to drink water in the morning - I realized a while back that I kept drinking coffee thinking I needed caffeine and I was just really dehydrated.
I agree, most of the time when I think I'm hungry, I'm actually just thirsty and the hunger goes away after drinking a glass of water. I try to keep a nalgene water bottle with me at all times. I find that if I have the water readily available (like during class), I drink more of it.
I think people don't take into consideration how important breakfast is. I usually try having a balanced breakfast, like oatmeal or omlete, or cereal. Working out before eating breakfast really gets your metabolism going as well. I've heard that eating 5-7 small meals a day is better than 3 big meals too. I guess it works for some people. I believe that as long as you eat the right kind of foods, eat proper portions, and are exercising, you will and can mainitain a healthy body weight.
I have tried to go without eating certain foods, but I find that's just setting myself up for failure. I don't eat very much sugar or processed foods, but I'm not going to beat myself up for enjoying it once in awhile.
I just got home from the fitness club and I did 50 minutes of cardio, and 45 minutes of weight training, I havent started doing 40 minutes of cardio twice a day yet but that is the plan if I do not see a reduction in body fat around my waist that is my main concern. I know that lots of cardio and a reduction of calorie intake is going to help me get to this point of losing inches off my waist and that is my major goal righ now. I have found that now that I am a little older it is harder for me to lose weight and also to get my heart rate up as high as I used to be able to, I had my heart rate up to about 22 bpm on the eliptical today but that is after I have been on the eliptical for a while. I imagine as time progresses and I continue to get in better shape I will be able to workout at a higher precentage of my maximum heart rate. I feel really good when I get done working out the 50 minutes of cardio does great for the mental state I love how much better I feel. I can tell that my muscles are getting stronger. I believe when I was born I weighed in at 6 pds and 7 oz, my mom is really petite 4 ft 11 inches so she had all small babies. I always thought that 7 pds was average weight for a newborn girl and 8 pds for a boy.
I came home tonight and made some steamed broccoli with my dinner, I am trying to be patient knowing that if I keep at this I will finally see results.
I am really bad about making sure I drink enough water, I am not a soda pop drinker I cant stand all that sugar they put in soda pop, and aspartame makes me ill, so I either drink green tea (decaf) with no sugar or water. I love milk I could drink glasses and glasses of it but I am trying to cut back on that and I feel alot better since I have. I have found that if I am really hungry I make some steamed broccoli to eat with my meal and it helps fill me up so that I am getting good nutrition and not a bunch of fat and calories. I am going to try to start drinking more water and when I get really hungry I will try drinking lots of water first.
Lydia (and everybody), check your Nalgene bottles. If they aren't brand new they are probably Recycling Code 7 (on the bottom). These are bad bottles to be drinking out of. I reported on recycling codes a couple weeks ago, so check all your bottles for these codes. Nalgene has been getting some bad press about this recently and they have upgraded to a safer plastic in their new bottles. You would be surprised at how many other things you are drinking out of have bad plastic.
As long as you have the right type of bottle, having one with you is definitely a good move because it is so hard to always rely on drinking fountains to get enough water during the day.
Christine, you are right in your assumption that as you get more fit you will be able to sustain higher intensities with your heart rate. With age, your heart rate will go down some. As you become more fit your stroke volume increases too so that can lead to a reduced heart rate at a given load (e.g. speed, resistance). So, that helps magnify the fitness effect, because you're not only going faster but you are also able to maintain a higher intensity. Also, that 22 bpm is a wrong number, so make sure you are taking heart rate correctly. Or, maybe you just forgot the 1 in front of it.
In the highlights I noticed that Monica Hunsberger said that High Fructose is not much different than regular sugar. I have done a lot of research on it because my father in-law is a hippy. I have found that it is not the same as sugar and that your body can not process it the same way it processes sugar. Is this true? My other question is why is it cheaper to make than regular sugar?
She said it has the same calories and sweetness of table sugar and honey and nutritionally it is the the same (fructose and glucose). One issue is that fructose puts some extra demand on the liver to process. However, I followed this up with asking the question about whether fructose has this same effect when used as a fuel during exercise. She said fructose is fine for use during long aerobic exercise like marathon running.
Regarding the cost of manufacturing, I'm not sure why it is cheaper but I think a couple decades ago this process became very cheap and that is why it is in so many foods today. One theory on obesity is that the trend has paralleled the use of high fructose corn syrup in U.S. foods. Dr. Hunsberger's information inferred this is not the case.
I have the same problem as many of you, I forget to drink water. But the bigger problem is that I don't drink enough water but I do drink alot of pop and coffee. Besides not drinking water I also don't drink ANY milk, I absolutely hate the taste of it, and I have been thinking about getting a calcium supplement because every time I bring it up people tell me that not drinking milk is bad for your bones. What do you think?
I read a consumer reports article that made similar comments. I think the biggest concern (at least the one I have) is that high fructose corn syrup is in so many foods. We are only supposed to eat an additional 40 g of sugar per day. A cup of yogurt often has between 20 and 30 g of sugar. So before breakfast is even over you've had half of your allowance. I think people are just starting to realize that we eat so much sugar - and a lot of it is 'hidden'. It's in crackers and things you don't necessarily equate as being 'sugary.' Don't even get me started on soda. Also - I just think there is a movement toward eating as much natural food as possible. I think this is a really good thing. I still eat some processed food, but the more I eat natural food and food that I make myself the better i feel. I think that's the real point, that people want to know what it is they are eating, they want to know that it was grown somewhere, or at the very least isn't overly processed. I think there has been a growing awareness that we eat all of this food and we don't know how its prepared or really what's in it. In the end, it is everything in moderation, but as much as high fructose corn syrup may not be harmful, cutting it out of your diet certainly doesn't hurt either.
As I was looking at different articles on the internet I did come across a few that stated that high fructose corn syrup may be processed differently in the body...I'll have to look into it more, I was just glancing around.
I did read this article in TIME and I thought it was interesting. This study is showing that fake sugar screws up your body's natural anticipation of calories. It seems counterintuitive - but it makes sense to me. It does not include high fructose corn syrup, but does include sugars like saccahrin.
Hannah
The TIME article can be found at http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,859...
For the last couple of months my brother has been trying to lose weight and he’s been watching what he eats, goes out and exercises about 3 to 4 times a week, and has been taking diet pills that said, he would lose up to 7 to 10 pounds of weight in just 7 days. When he went and weighed himself on the 7th day he still weighted the same. At first we figured that maybe it was still a little early to tell if the pills were working or not. So he decided he would wait until he was done taking the pills and then weigh himself. Also some things he and I noticed while taking the diet pills were that it made him a little fatigued in what he was doing, make him light headed every now and then, and had to be constantly drinking water all the time.
At the end of the first month, which was about how long it took to finish all the diet pills, he still weighted the about the same weight, he had gone down about 5 lbs. After knowing I got interested about which diet pills really work and I read that its not always true about diet pills saying you will lose 7 to 10 pounds a week. The Article, “Can Diet Pills Workout without Dieting or Exercise,” said that its not very healthy if lose that much weight in just a week and that in some cases its not a safe rate to lose weight. I was wondering if anybody has tried any other products that have worked for them or have any recommendation.
There is a good discussion on diet pills on the Weight Management chapter. The quick weight loss that you indicate is bad because the entire loss is in water. That is why your brother was probably so thirsty. Most of the diet pills are amphetamines similar to cocaine, caffeine, methamphetamine, etc. It depends on what pill he was using though. It is very important to check ingredients and the manufacturers aren't always so forthcoming. The supplement rules are very unregulated in the US ever since legislation in the 80s that allowed for the unfettered proliferation of the GNC-type stores and now online retailers. So, you often do not know what you are getting. Your brother may not have lost weight because he was also gaining muscle with all the working out. It would have been interesting to see his bodyfat percentage at the end, rather than weight. In short, diet pills are not a good way to lose weight, just like smoking and cocaine are not good ways to lose weight. However, I am interested in hearing answers to your question to others in the class sharing their personal experience with a diet pill.
Hannah- Dr. Hunsberger also indicated that aspartame (artificial sweetener also known as Nutrisweet) is not good. That confirms the article you read. So, stay away from those diet sodas because they can be worse then sugar sodas. She recommended sucralose (aka Splenda) instead, if you want to watch the calories.
Also, I have some thoughts on the "evilness" of sugar. Sugar is not evil, it is good. It is a fast-acting energy source that is good for fitness and happiness. If everyone was as active as they were a century ago, then sugar would not have the effect it currently does. Since we are so inactive and sugar is so prevalent, we have a volatile situation today, and over consumption becomes a problem. There is no magical quota of sugar for everyone, it just depends on our energy needs and activity levels. Does anyone want to challenge my notion on this?
My doctor suggested a bone density scan which revealed I have a low bone density due to aging and I'm sure my eating habits. It's interesting, what you don't see, you don't think about. Personally, I wouldn't worry so much about not drinking milk as long as you focus on other foods high in calcium such as leafy greens, broccoli, salmon, and almonds for snacks, just to name a couple of my favorites. And add in some weight bearing exercises. If you decide to take a calcium supplement, try to take calcium citrate vs. calcium carbonate as the citrate absorbes better. You also want to make sure you are taking Vit D to help the calcium absorb. The citrate is more spendy than the carbonate but well worth it. My doctor also said that for women, the early 20's is when you stop building bone mass and so by eating foods high in calcium, exercising, and taking supplements if need be, you help maintain what you have and slow down the loss that comes with menopause. I really highly recommend you check with your doctor before taking any supplements. You want to make sure you take what is right for your body.
I have heard from several sources that Milk does not have as much calcium as we all think it does. Also, milk isn't really that great for you, and you are probably better off with out it. The Nurse Practitioner that set up my diet really emphasized having only one to two servings of dairy a day, and she was adamant that if you could eliminate all dairy (with the exception of yogurt, for the pro biotics) than so much the better. Lots of people are either lactose intolerant or just end up eating way too much dairy. I LOVE dairy, I can drink about 6 8oz glasses of whole milk a day, and let me tell ya, when you quit doing that you lose weight pretty fast. I have several friends who, for a variety of reasons, have cut milk out of their diet - and they tend to be a pretty healthy group.
("Researchers at Harvard, Yale, Penn State, and the National Institutes of Health have studied the effects of dairy intake on bones. Not one of these studies found dairy to be a deterrent to osteoporosis." (Freedman, 58))
(Also "The undigested lactose and the acidic nature of pasteurized milk encourage the growth of bacteria in our intestines." (Freedman, 56) I've heard that from more than one sources as well.)
I think it would be much much healthier to take a calcium supplement. Also, there are certain fruits and veggies that have calcium. I think you can get enough calcium from a multi-vitamin, but I'm not entirely sure. Food that has Calcium: Fortified grains, Kale, collard greens, mustard greens, cabbage, kelp, watercress, chickpeas (eat lots of Hummus!), broccoli, red beans, soybeans, tofu, seeds, and raw nuts. Vitamin D is also good for stronger bones (and will totally put you in a good mood, I highly suggest it as a supplement.) (Freedman, 62)
As for all that coffee and soda - the thing that help me cut that out (I still have two cups of coffee in the morning) were (surprisingly) eating nuts in the morning (and eating breakfast too -even if it's just a little bowl of instant oatmeal) and I started drinking that Vitamin Water. (The Power-C has the least amount of sugar of all the different drinks I could find, and it also doesn't have fake sugar, which is really bad for you.) I know it still has sugar in it - but I think in baby steps! I went from drinking coffee (and breves all day) to drinking that Vitamin Water and I lost 2lbs in a week. I drink 1 to 2 bottles of that stuff a day, and it actually reminds me to also drink more water, and then I don't eat as much. Hydration is a beautiful thing.
Hannah
I really had no idea that milk was so low in calcium, and not needed. Maybe I just got that idea from my parents and relatives who are so old school. I would like to get a calcium supplement especially since early 20's is the best time to try and protect yourself from osteoporosis. I don't want to spend the money to go to a doctor though, I know it would be the best way, but as a college student I try to cut back on all the expenses that I can.
On the subject of pop and coffee, I have tried drinking the Vitamin C and other types of waters but the taste doesn't sit well with me. The thing is I love water, but I can't (won't) drink it unless it is super cold, and when it comes out of the faucet it isn't cold enough, I have to have ice or refigerated water. ( don't ask me why) Which limits my ability to have water with me all day at school, I guess maybe I just need to buck up and drink it anyway.
Thank you guys for your help!
You aren't supposed to do this with plastic bottles - so maybe you can find a metal one - but I had a lot of friends in college who would freeze a bottle of water and drink it as it melted through out the day.
I wouldn't spend the money on a doctor. I am not trying to slam doctors here - but having been to several - they know very little about nutrition. (That's actually been acknowledged by several in the medical field). I might spend the money on a nutrition book or guide or encyclopedia, there's lots of really great ones out there, or go to a library and spend some time looking through one to make sure you are doing all of the things you need to do.
You might also try something like those carbonated and flavored waters. They are cheap, and they taste a lot like pop. (With a lot less sugar.) I love the Lemon ones.
(I don't really like to drink water all that much - so I'm always trying to come with alternatives...)
As much as I would like to challenge, I believe your comment is on target. Sugar is a long standing energy source. I believe our society has not used sugar in the proper portions. To much of anything is not a good thing. This is the case with sugar. But total elimination of it is a mistake. A balance is needed. The fact that each person has different activity levels and require different energy needs seems to escape a majority of articles that are out there.
The comments and research provided on milk I found very interesting. I have heard remarks from people in the past regarding milk, but no one has been able to supply a reliable source till now.
One way I my needed water amount is to drink it with all meals. I also have water when I exercise and throughout the day. When I began to drink water with meals, it became make a part of my routine and my first source over other choices. I still believe if you are going into high training regimen or athletic event drinks such as
Gatorade and Powerade can be consumed the day before. Once again the sugar connection.
I absolutely agree about the fact that the lifestyle is different. Just last night I was watching a discovery channel documentary on a South American tribe that still lives by their own traditions withough knowning the outside world.
Just like the cavemen, their day to day lives consist of the "basic survival" needs: water, food, reproduction. As well, like the cavemen, their life expectancy is much shorter than an average person nowadays.
The beauty of our life today is that we can learn on other people's mistakes (like the cavemen) and be exposed to many other choices to better our life through nutrition.