Celebrity Diagnosis: Harmful or Helpful?

Check out this article below. Apparently a husband and wife (both physicians) have decided to take celebrity health issues and turn them into “teachable moments.” What do you think about this?

On one hand, I hate the fact that it feeds into our unhealthy obsession with people who (in my humble opinion) are not always great role models of physical or mental health. But on the flipside, it may provide more reliable information and squelch health and nutrition myths. Check out the website here. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

When Your Patients Want That Pill the Stars Are Taking
By Marianne Mattera | July 26, 2010

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When movie stars, rock stars, top athletes, and other celebrities use a
medicine, or an herb, or a home remedy it often makes news. News that is
likely to generate questions from patients. What do you tell them? Where do
you go to find out about these pill and potions, some of which are far from
mainstream?

Well, soon you can find such information at MedPage Today.

This week, we'll begin bringing you blog posts from "Celebrity Diagnosis," a
website run by a husband-and-wife team of physicians, Michele Berman and
Mark Boguski, who provide what they call "teachable moments in medicine" by
reporting on "common diseases affecting uncommon people" and the sometimes
uncommon remedies they use to treat them.

Like kombucha tea. That's a folk remedy currently popular with such
Hollywood notables as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst, Lindsay Lohan,
Madonna, and Halle Berry. It's supposed to be good for everything from
anorexia to atherosclerosis. And it's the subject of the first Celebrity
Diagnosis post.

You'll learn what the tea is, what studies have been done on it, whether
there are possible side effects, and what role it may have played in
activating Lindsey Lohan's alcohol-monitoring bracelet -- a tidbit that will
prove you're up on the latest in the world of pop culture.

Having that reputation may not be one to which you've aspired, but it may
give you the cache necessary to steer some patients away from things that
are harmful.

The posts from Celebrity Diagnosis should also help you understand why
you're getting some of the questions you've been getting lately, or why so
many patients are coming in asking you about a given condition. Google
searches about lupus escalated after Snoop Dog revealed that his daughter
has lupus and Lady Gaga announced she had "borderline lupus." Berman and
Boguski knew those queries would be coming and dealt with the subject.

How they know these things, we don't know. What we do know is that we'll be
bringing you interesting reading -- with sound research behind it -- that
should help you answer the questions your patients will ask.

Look for the first installment on Tuesday and let us know what you think.
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Eggless Salad

I stumbled across this delicious recipe, courtesy of the the Red Lentil restaurant in Watertown (which I HIGHLY recommend for delicious vegetarian/vegan food).  It's a fabulous meal for a warm summer day and makes great leftovers!  The recipe list looks long but it's a lot of stuff you likely have on hand.

Eggless Salad

2 16-oz pkgs. extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 2 slabs
3 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup light or soy mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. ground turmeric
1 Tbs. ground cumin
1 Tbs. ground coriander (didn't have, I just left it out)
1 Tbs. lemon juice (fresh is most delicious!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Press tofu slabs between two cutting boards 15 min to remove excess water. Pat dry, and place in baking dish.  **See my note below.

2. Whisk together soy sauce, vinegars, maple syrup, and garlic in bowl. Pour mixture over tofu.  Bake 15 minutes. Cool.

3. Crumble tofu in to small pieces and mix with the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper as desired.

4. Enjoy on salad greens, in a wrap, or in a sandwich.

**My note.
I think pressing the tofu is a critical step.  If you don't know how to do it, check out this link. I press my tofu for at least an hour.  The more you press your tofu, the more water you squeeze out, and the meatier the texture of your tofu.

Your yummy food lovin' dietitian in Cambridge,
Marci
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Produce No Case: Shape-Ups & Easy Tone

Each month I have a little fun showcasing an item that, in my opinion, just isn't as good for your health as it is advertised to be.  In the past I have showcased food items.  But last week, a client prompted me with a brilliant idea.  

She had been to City Sports in Cambridge and decided to try on a pair of Skecher's Shape-Ups (Reebok Easy-Tone is another version of the same idea).  You know the shoes.  Slim, long legged models wear them in their commercials, promising that they'll help you "burn more calories, tone muscles, and more."

So my client was curious to know whether or not there was any actual research behind the dramatic sales pitch.  So I did some research of my own.  First I looked for any data to support the claims of calorie burning and leg toning.  Nope, couldn't find anything.  Doesn't appear that either company has done any actual research that would validate such claims.  Skechers or Reebok, if you know something I don't, please send the research my way!  I'm all ears.

Then I decided to contact my colleagues. Here were their responses:

• There was another brand that came out a few years ago with these. I bought them (because Oprah had them...lame, I know!) and they really hurt my knees so I gave them away. A chiropractor told me they were not great for your back.

Free Renfrew Workshop for Those in Recovery

Are you or is someone you know working on recovery from an eating disorder?  The Renfrew Center is offering an excellent (and might I add free!) workshop/webinar.  Topics include goal setting, body image concerns during the summer, and coping with the challenges of vacations. 

Here's a link for more info.
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Workout Fun?

Did you know that research shows that the right tunes can actually help you enjoy your workouts more?  I recently read this article and thought the concept was great.  If you are prone to hanging out on the couch, the right music may just help you get your bootie movin'.  Check out the playlist selections posted in the article, it may be just the motivation you need to get up, get out, and start having a little fun. :)

  Here are the top 5 songs that get me excited to exercise:
1. Right Round- Chani
2. Lovegame- Lady Gaga
3. Glamorous (Craig Dice remix)- Fergie
4.  Maneater- Nelly Furtado
5.  Bounce That- Girl Talk

What tunes get you moving?

Your beat loving dietitian in Cambridge,
Marci 
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Product Showcase: My Lil' Coach

Each month I highlight a product I love.  It's usually food, but this month I wanted to highlight a pretty cool IPhone app.  It's called My Lil Coach, developed by Registered Dietitian Lisa Bunce.

In her 20 years of nutrition counseling experience, she ran across the dilemma that most people have- figuring out a way to stay consistent with making positive changes for their health...for the LONG-TERM.  Here's a little summary on the product:

Mylilcoach is an iphone or ipod touch application that uses gentle reminders on the app on your iphone or ipod periodically throughout the day at pre-determined time intervals. In addition to a built in pedometer, these gentle nudges help her clients change behavior and comply with the basics of a healthy lifestyle: eating right, staying hydrated, increasing physical activity and practicing mindfulness in eating and stress reduction. The application saves your data for tracking purposes, which can be sent to your healthcare provider daily, weekly, or monthly. Lisa has seen that the use of the app by individuals changes habits and keeps healthy regimes in the forethought of the patient and changes in behaviors.

Current research at Stanford University shows that the development of healthy behaviors can be achieved and maintained by using gentle reminders. This growing body of research reflects that even the smallest amount of social support can influence an individual's ability to change behavior. 

To access and download the application for $1.99 visit:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mylilcoach/id376407824?mt=8

For more information visit: www.Mylilcoach.com

I love that she incorporates gentle reminders to practice mindfulness-based eating.  What a fantastic product to help encourage you to spend time developing healthy behaviors.  I'm going to start using it and will keep you posted on my experience.


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Measurement of Health: Our Neck?

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I think measuring things like weight and BMI isn't all that useful.  I just don't feel that the information tells us a whole lot about our health. I believe that it gives us a sliver of information, not the whole picture.  I believe that focusing on behavior is much more important.  Working towards healthier eating habits and moving our bodies more is far more productive for our health than being concerned about the number on the scale (which for someone who works with eating disorders knows that weight tells very little about health).

Check out the book "Big Fat Lies" if you are interested.  The author describes (in detail) the flawed data that our current BMI and weight charts as based on.  I highly recommend it.

Just today, a client forwarded me an article I couldn't help blogging about because it's just so darn ridiculous.    Apparently a new study shows that your neck measurement may actually be a better way to determine your body fattness.  What!?  As if we need another number to be concerned about.  

The study authors had the following to say:

"We've been using BMI to advise parents and patients for making healthy choices," he said. "Unfortunately, often we tell someone their BMI is 27 or 30, most of the time it doesn't mean much. To tell you that your neck is wide, these are some of the risks associated to it -- that we feel people would be able to relate to it better than BMI."

I couldn't help but laugh. Let me be so bold as to offer you some advice- stop obsessing about numbers.  Stay focused on what you can do today and every day to be healthy: get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, eat lots of produce, make an effort to move your body, you get the idea.
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Orthorexia: Can healthy eating be a disease?!

Yesterday, I received several emails with a link to this article on a condition called "Orthorexia."  Most people read the article and wondered if it was serious, wondered if it wasn't some sort of exaggeration or joke.  

And while I admit, reading about it online may seem strange or even ridiculous, it is a true disorder that affects both the physical and emotional health of a lot of people.  Just read my recent client spotlight. What began as "healthy eating" and exercising for her, quickly became orthorexia, which then became a much more severe eating disorder that required residential treatment and intensive outpatient care.  

Now of course I believe in healthy eating and exercise- my life is committed to supporting it in myself and others!  BUT, the distinction between healthy living and orthorexia are two important words: unhealthy obsession.  You can read more on the Orthorexia home page, written by Dr. Steven Bratman who coined the term and wrote the book "Health Food Junkies." 

<Ironically, I just loaned my copy to a client who has suffered mental, emotional, and physical distress FOR YEARS due to an unhealthy obsession with "healthy" eating and exercise.> My clients who suffer from orthorexia share a single characteristic- the obsession diminishes rather than enhances their quality of life.  Relationships suffer, social isolation ensues, they have often feel paralyzed, depression/anxiety is worse, sleep patterns are affected, etc.  

My philosophy is that moderation with food, exercise, and in life- is the key!  And I also believe that we are meant to find enjoyment, satisfaction, and fulfillment from the food we eat.  Anything taken to an extreme is unhealthy.  If you have always been interested in "healthy" living and are curious as to whether or not you are taking a bit too far, the assessment below may be helpful to you.  This is taken from Dr. Bratman's book.

Dr. Bratman suggests that you may be orthorexic, or on your way there, if you:
o Spend more than three hours a day thinking about healthy food.
o Plan your day’s menu more than 24 hour ahead of time.
o Take more pleasure from the “virtuous” aspect of your food than from actually eating it.
o Find your quality of life decreasing as the “quality” of your food increases.
o Are increasingly rigid and self-critical about your eating.
o Base your self-esteem on eating “healthy” foods, and have a lower opinion of people who do not.
o Eat “correct” foods to the avoidance of all those that you’ve always enjoyed.
o So limit what you can eat that you can dine “correctly” only at home, spending less and less time with friends and family.
o Feel guilt or self-loathing when you eat “incorrect” foods.
o Derive a sense of self-control from eating “properly.”

Bratman suggests that if more than four of these descriptions applies to you, it may be time to take a step back and reassess your attitude toward what you eat. If they all apply, you’re in the grip of an obsession.

This seems to be a controversial topic.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Striving to live a balanced life in hectic Harvard Square,
Marci
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