==========================================

Ask 100 people what the biggest health problem is in the western developed countries today. More likely than not, the answers you receive will be heart disease, cancer and even AIDS. While there is no question that these "popular diseases" are important health problems which do account for a significant percentage of deaths year after year, the most widespread threat to our health today is being overweight, or even obese. This dreadful disease is actually our most damaging health problem - so much so that as many as eighty million adult Americans alone have to deal with it every day. Furthermore, the number of overweight children and teenagers is rising at an alarming rate.

Being overweight may seem to be a rather unimposing health condition, more of an inconvenience than a disease. Do not be fooled. In fact, being overweight is often a double-edged sword. In addition to the physical, psychological and emotional problems directly related to excessive weight, the potential for stress, heart disease, stroke and several types of cancers is significantly higher when we weigh too much.

Ironically, just as the number of diet companies, diet methods and products increases, so does the number of overweight Americans. Stop and think about it. Newspapers and magazines are flooded with ads related to weight-loss. Weight-loss companies are familiar television advertisers and if you have ever ordered a weight-loss product through the mail, you may well have been shocked by the number and variety of follow-up offers you later received. A reasonable person might well wonder why the population of overweight Americans continues to rise when so many "diet miracles" are so abundantly available. Pills, powders, shakes, frozen meals and more are there for the taking. One would think that if any of these truly delivered what was promised, the problem would be declining rather than growing.

Over the last two or three decades, we have been bombarded with all kinds of so-called new diet fads and programs "guaranteed to make you lose weight." We have been told that we can eat all we want and lose weight, that we can lose weight without having to exercise, that calories do not count and that fat is the culprit. The claims go on and on.

Serious nutritional science gives us a different view. Dr. K. R. Westerterp at the Department of Human Biology, University of Limburg in the Netherlands, reported in the International Journal of Obesity in 1996 that calories do count. He demonstrated that increasing fat intake caused weight gain only when accompanied by increased consumption of calories; those who reduced fat intake lost weight when they correspondingly reduced total calorie consumption. Quite simply, we are becoming more obese as a population because we are consuming more calories, even as we are using less and less of them due to our more sedentary lifestyles.

All of the current data available suggests that there is no "magic bullet." To lose weight and maintain the loss for the long-term, we must learn not to overeat and to be reasonably consistent with some form of enjoyable exercise. We must burn at least the number of calories that we consume. If we do not, the calories are stored as body fat, which of course contributes to the development of the diseases listed above. The use of supplements and natural weight-loss products can help-in some cases, considerably. But again, there is no magic bullet. Remember that after water, the largest single substance that makes up our bodies is protein, which is probably the single most important dietary ingredient. Make sure your eating plan contains adequate amounts. Be more concerned with the quality of fat you consume than with the amount. Above all else, be consistent.

Modern mentality is one of convenience. Most of us will eat just about anything, as long as it tastes okay and is easy to prepare or consume. In our disposable society, we eat pre­packaged foods from drive-thru windows. When it comes to dieting, our approach is simple: "How short a time must I diet to lose x-number of pounds or kilos before I can go back to my old eating habits?" Most people view weight-loss as a short-term project rather than as a lifelong commitment to health and nutrition. This mentality, coupled with a lifestyle of overeating and under-exercising, creates an environment with a potential to limit not only the length of a healthy life but, even more importantly, the quality of that life.

Some Weight-Loss Myths and Truths

For millions, the number one life goal is to lose weight which is evidenced by a $60-billion-plus weight-loss product industry. The following guidelines provide some perspective on a few popular weight-loss methods.

Fad Dieting. Fad dieting has been around as long as most anyone can remember. The big attraction is that people usually lose weight quickly. Unfortunately, the real challenge in any diet is in keeping the weight off and more often than not, fad dieting leads to the familiar "yo-yo effect." A good illustration of this is in research conducted at the University of Pittsburgh in 1988. Mice were placed on a diet for a few weeks. Then they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted for the next few weeks before again being put back on the diet. This kind of cycling was repeated several times. Every time the mice went back on the diet, they lost less and each time the restriction was removed they gained more. Of course, most overweight individuals can relate to this scenario.

Drugs. In some cases where weight is life­threatening, medication can be justified for the short-term. However, the true benefits of using drugs should be considered. While study after study has shown that their results are only short-term at best, the side effects of these drugs are common. The relatively recent phen-phen scare is a typical example. Generally speaking, the health risks of such drugs are not worth the gamble.

Prepackaged Foods. While prepackaged food programs make meal planning easier for the dieter, the long-term results are frequently similar to those of fad dieting. The biggest drawback to such plans is that they do not teach the dieter how to eat in the real world. More effective are plans in which support classes are held to encourage healthy eating habits. Unfortunately, these plans are usually implemented at weight-loss clinics and are often quite expensive.

Lifestyle changes. Businesses providing weight-loss programs which advocate healthy lifestyle changes are among the fastest-growing in the country. Unhealthy lifestyles let us get out of shape and such programs are about the only way we can reverse the trend. Long-term results are usually obtained only when we make small, incremental but progressing changes in the way we live. Such behavior changes must include eating less and exercising more. For every pound lost, we must reduce our intake by 3,500 calories, or burn 3,500 more. At the same time, we must be careful to eat enough protein to maintain body organ functions and energy levels.

Not until a personal commitment is made to change the habits that make us overweight in the first place can we begin to see the positive changes that good eating and exercising create. Only from that point on will the potential for success on any weight-loss program become realistic. Then, day by day, we can move closer and closer to the goals we have set-our most important motivation to continue. One day at a time, we can be successful in controlling our weight.

==========================================

HEALTH BYTES

==========================================

To lose weight in a healthy way, we must control caloric intake and increase the amount of calories burned with some form of exercise. Regardless of the eating plan component of your weight-loss program, the following tips will help you accomplish your goals of healthy weight-loss and weight maintenance:

1. Drink two or more quarts of water each day. This helps control your appetite. Sometimes a feeling of hunger is actually thirst. Additionally, water is necessary to carry away the breakdown byproducts of fat.

2. Carry a little sport bottle at all times. If you feel hungry, take a drink. This works great, for example, when you are at your desk or computer as it helps to curb your appetite.

3. Use small plates and eating utensils. You will feel that you have eaten more, because the portions will look bigger. This will reinforce your mental perception of eating a "full plate."

4. Slow down your eating pace every way you can. For instance, if you are right-handed, eat with your left and vice-versa. Put your fork down after each bite and refrain from picking it up until you have completely swallowed the last bite.

5. Chew every bite at least thirty times. Your food will taste better and you will be much more satisfied. Try not to swallow until all the flavor is gone from of each bite.

6. Brush your teeth after every meal. You will be less tempted to eat if you do. Brush and floss after your evening meal; many people agree this helps avoid late-night cravings for snacks.

7. Both sodas and juices are loaded with calories that are simple carbohydrates. These trigger insulin production and hunger and are pretty much "empty calories," lacking other important nutrients such as protein. Drink water instead.

8. Pay attention to when and what you are eating. Ask yourself: "Do I really want to eat this?" Never eat on the run - wait until you arrive. Otherwise, your body will not even realize you have eaten.

9. Do not keep junk food snacks around the house. Eat healthy snacks like carrots, celery - even beef jerky. Avoid eating lots of fruit, which are high in carbohydrates; reasonable quantities are okay.

10. Eat lots of high-fiber foods or use a fiber supplement daily. Fiber is great for helping you feel full as well as helping to cleanse your digestive track. The natural cleansing helps improve both your energy level and overall feeling of wellness.

11. Before going to a restaurant or party, think about what you will eat. When you get there, remember your plan. Alcoholic beverages can add lots of calories. Drink a glass of skim milk or some healthy snacks before you leave.

12. Do not get discouraged when you plateau. Realize this up front. Plateauing is healthy and necessary. During these times, focus on drinking more water and a little extra walking each day. Remember the three laws of success in dieting: "consistency, consistency, and consistency."

13. Use visualization. Picture yourself as you would like to be and focus on that picture as often as possible. Find an old photo that you like of yourself when you were thinner. Have copies made and put one in your purse or wallet, on the refrigerator door, at your desk, on the bathroom mirror and anywhere you can think of to help you visualize your new, thinner self.

14. Above all, write it down. Keep an eating diary. Carry a piece of paper folded up or an index card in your pocket, purse or wallet and write down everything you eat during the day. Look up the foods in a reference book at home in the evening and add up the calories actually consumed. This is a great learning tool. You do not have to do this all the time, but it is good to do during the early stages and when you plateau.

==========================================

HEALTHY RECIPE-OF-THE-MONTH