Irony!

I have a student, an 11th grader mixed in with all the freshmen. We'll call her "Louise". She stands out because she is older, keeps to herself a bit, is of a nationality that is less common at my school but most of all she stands out for what she eats in class.

Almost daily Louise brings a ziplock bag with raw vegetables: baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. This is so unusual compared to the other kids in my classes. The norm for the last 10 (or 30) years is students eating Flaming Hot Cheetos while entering class, or on a good day, Pop Tarts or Goldfish which I sometimes allow.

So the last few days Louise has had the mother of all colds. She was blowing her nose so often I took the roll of toilet paper off my desk (poor man's kleenex) and put in on her desk. Then I moved the trash can and put it next to her desk. She thanked me.

NOT FAIR! Why does she get the cold? Why not Amanda who comes in with red fingers and mouth and as she finishes off her Flamin' Hot Cheesy Ohs and cleans off her fingers by licking them clean. Why doesn't she get sick!

As we know life is not always fair but in general, though Loiuse is ailing now, I will bet on her in the long run - cholesterol wise, diabetes wise, weight wise and so on. Life isn't a sprint, but a marathon and practicing good health habits at an early age generally pay great dividends years from now.

McDonalds Hurts

This is the third year that I have shown SuperSize Me to my 9th grade health classes. I am not thrilled with the handout that I have to accompany the film but the last question I ask is: Will this film change your eating habits in going to fast food restaurants? Explain your answer.

Right now the answers are running about 60/40 favoring Yes. I think that's good, better than I expected, however, it's one thing to be affected by something immediately after watching a film, but 2 months later, a year, not so much. Habits and peer pressure override logic and good intentions so people routinely act in ways they know are not in their best interests.

For teens there is still the feeling of omnipotence that most thankfully outgrow in their 20's. There is also I think a fair amount of denial going on about being overweight. Out of my 195 or so students, I probably have 25-35 students that are 20 or more pounds overweight, (a few a lot more than 20 lbs).

The scary part is that my students are 14 and 15 years old. How much will they weigh at 18 or 25? My school is not unique either as overweight is the "new normal". Is McDonalds to blame? Yes, but only partly. Who else? Some blame also goes to PepsiCo, which is a food conglomerate that owns Mountain Dew, Lays chips, Gatorade, Cheetos, Doritos, Tostitos, well- you get the picture. Who else is to blame? Direct TV, Apple, MTV and quite a few others that market 24/7 entertainment choices to young and old alike. Why get exercise when I can sit in my bedroom, eat chips, drink soda, not do my homework and text my BFF until my thumbs are sore?

All across the US kids are spending more time eating junk, drinking junk, playing video games, texting, watch videos, updating their Facebook page, THAN THEY ARE walking, running, playing sports, eating fruit, drinking water and reading for pleasure. A lot more time.

Flabby bodies, and it appears flabby minds as test scores and graduation rates can attest. While we have been discussing obesity and nutrition now 8 school days into the new semester, in every class students have asked "can't you just have an operation? That stomach thing?" Just 5 years ago my students saw liposuction as the solution to overweight. Today, gastric by-pass. It apparently worked for "that guy" in the SuperSize Me video. I generally stop the video then and say "Yes, and his next operation will be a quintuple by-pass for his heart, unless he dies in route to the hospital."

I can't wait for 2025 when parents will choose prenatally the genetics for their kids, virtually eliminating all the undesirable characteristics. Until then, pass the chips, salsa, and the Double Gulp. I'm thirsty from all the YouTube videos I've watched today.

Food, Glorious Food!

I would like some more sir. I think that's the famous line spoken by Oliver Twist in Dicken's classic book, and later in the musical adaptation (Oliver). Then there is the song that follows about the enjoyment of food.

Food, glorious food!
We're anxious to try it.
Three banquets a day --
Our favourite diet!

Just picture a great big steak --
Fried, roasted or stewed.
Oh, food,
Wonderful food,
Marvellous food,
Glorious food.

It's a great scene if you want to see the video it's: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqtkX46mlX8 with the famous chorus starting at the 45 second mark.

So what does this have to do with anything? HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN my friend (ho, ho ho!) The 5 weeks that go from Thanksgiving to Christmas, right through New Years Day comprises three wonderful opportunities to pack on the pounds. And how many of us maybe have 2 or more Christmas dinners to eat, plus other holiday parties at work or school.

Here is an interesting article on holiday weight gain (HWG) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/22/the-skinny-on-holiday-weight-gain/ and there are many more that you can find just by googling those three words. This article points out that the HWG phenomenon is actually overblown, that the average person only puts on 1 pound over this period. BUT, and it's a BIG BUTT, an already overweight person is likely to put on much MORE than one pound over this same period.

My advice?

• Extra exercise, even if it's just walking can help off-set the extra calories.
• Drink water instead of _____ at all these dinners and parties. It will also help "fill you up" and save you from getting too many calories that you are already getting with the holiday goodies.
• Watch your portion size. Less is more. Believe it, and do it.
• Choose wisely. There will usually be a salad with most meals, maybe fruit too. The fiber can help control your weight, help "fill you up", and generally has less calories. It's often delicious as well. I am not saying you can't have any of "the good stuff" but also include the healthy choices when filling your plate.
• Consider putting this plan into effect today or tomorrow, a preemptive strike before the big meals. Wouldn't it be coolio if you could lose a few pounds BEFORE the big holiday eating starts? That way, if you do put on 2 pounds from the holidays you might weigh the same as today because you off-set that weight gain with a weight loss.

Good luck to you and happy holidays!

The flu shot.

Hurt a little now, or hurt a lot more later.

My kids are 6 and 8... another 10-11 months from their next birthdays and the older one more so than the younger one is VERY ADVERSE to getting shots. A year ago with the H1N1 shot he ran out of the gymnasium when we were 5 feet from the table to get our shots. When I finally retrieved him and brought him back and TWO adults held him down, he was fine with the shot. Didn't hurt at all. Actually mine did but it was no big deal.

What my son doesn't realize is that yes, it may hurt for 1-2 seconds and perhaps a day or two after you might have some soreness in that shoulder but ever had the flu? Depending on the type and the severity you are in a world of hurt, many times from head to toe for a lot longer than a few seconds or a day or two.

But try reasoning with an 8 year old! It's like a Democrat and a Republican sitting down to discuss Sarah Palin's wardrobe. Don't bother.

Now have you had your flu shot this year? No excuses. Do it! Need help finding one? School clinic, doctors office, most pharmacies. Heck, even our church had them for free last week. No excuses, they are safe... get one!

Food and Meat Production

I showed two films to my health students this semester: Food Inc, and Fast Food Nation-- well not the entire film FFN because it is R-rated but I showed them enough that they can see that in fact animals have to die in order for us to have a McMeal, and also that the food supply is not safe.                                                                                                                                                     Food Inc teaches us in a documentary format that feeding cattle corn (subsidized by the US government) is a way to produce e-coli in cattle, and that deadly bacteria makes it's way into the meat.                                                                                                                                                                                     Eating lower on the food chain is just that. Eating more veggies, grains, and fruits. It's cheaper, lower in fat, and far better for the planet since feeding a cow takes a tremendous amount of freshwater and land in which to grow that precious corn which they eat.

Thinking BEFORE Eating!

True Confessions

I am a big late night eater. Like eating just before bed. I am better than I use to be though. Now I am only eating 2-3 times a week before bed. It use to be something like 9x a week. I wish I could say it was bananas, mango, kiwi late at night but it's generally one of the sinful foods... chips, ice cream, crack-lite, etc.

So the other day it's about 10:15 pm and I go down to the kitchen and I grab a bag of salty banana chips from Trader Joes. I take the bag and sit down and start reading the newspaper. Just as I am about to start eating/reading, I STOP and take out maybe 5-6 and then put the rest of the bag on the counter about 6 feet away.

Guess what happened? I read for ten or so minutes while eating the chips, and then saw the bag on the counter, gauged my hunger (gone) and put the bag away and went to bed!

This was shocking to me because generally I would just read and MINDLESSLY eaten almost the whole bag. Yet, this BAD HABIT was broken (at least for now), but it takes planning and THINKING for it to occur.

So instead of late night reading/eating, are you eating while watching late night TV or texting? It's okay to be hungry at night or in the afternoon but we would be better served if we take a small amount and put it in a bowl, PUT the original package away, and then EAT - instead of mindlessly or habitually OVEREATING straight from the bag! Hey if this OLD DOG can still learn a new trick maybe so can you!

Zumba... super cool, super fit!

About two years ago my wife came back from her first Zumba class.  "How was it", I asked.  She smiled and said, " I ran out of water and my legs hurt."

She loved it.  And what's not to love.

The first link below is a WHYTE GURL shakin it to Rude Boy... Would love to do that thing with my hands.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHOOHWFPAlY

and here is a more vigorous Zumba workout... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT3TBOb_oz0&feature=related

So what are you waiting for?  Look around, there are classes everywhere.  My wife does it through the local community ed.  Your community, or "the Y" probably does too.