 | A WEIGHT OFF MY MIND | August 2002
Helping Thyroid and Autoimmune Disease Patients Lose Weight and Feel Great
from Mary J. Shomon
Author of Living Well With Hypothyroidism, Living Well With Autoimmune Disease, and The Thyroid Diet Success Guide |
| IN THIS ISSUE:
New Food Guidelines Revamp Food and Exercise Recommendations
How Much Protein Should You Be Eating?
Ask the Experts: Diagnosing Hypothyroidism
The Best Protein Bars
Protein Shakes
Secrets to Starting an Exercise Program
New Studies Expand Knowledge of Hormones, Appetite Control and Weight
Type 2 Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Undetected in More than 25% of Obese People
Is Life on a Diet Worth Living? Find Out What Americans Think!
Eating More Late in the Day May Be a Factor in Obesity
Dieting for the Disinhibited: Are You REALLY Hungry?
Menstrual Cycle Linked to Weight Loss
The Thyroid Diet Success Guide
BACK ISSUES:
Online, back to December 2001
A Weight Off My Mind email edition is published monthly, and is copyright 2001-2002, by Mary Shomon.
Web: http://www.thyroid-info.com
Email: news@thyroid-info.com
Regular mail: Mary Shomon, P.O. Box 565, Kensington, MD 20895-0565
Fax: 425-977-1175
IMPORTANT NOTE: All information in this newsletter is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should always seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and always consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, herbal therapy, supplement or other self-directed treatment.
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NOTE FROM MARY: Sorry for the delay in the August issue. I took vacation in August, and then Labor Day weekend was upon me, and then it was “back to school” week, and before you know it, the first week of September is over! Look for a September issue later this month! – Mary
Welcome to the eighth issue of "A Weight Off My Mind," Mary Shomon's email newsletter for thyroid and autoimmune disease patients who are interested in losing weight and feeling better through diet and nutrition. You are receiving this issue because you signed up to receive this free email report. (Note: If you are no longer interested in receiving future
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NEW FOOD GUIDELINES REVISE FOOD AND EXERCISE RECOMMENDATIONS
To meet the body's daily energy and nutritional needs while minimizing risk for chronic disease, adults should get 45 percent to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 percent to 35 percent from fat, and 10 percent to 35 percent from protein, says the newest report on recommendations for healthy eating from the National Academies' Institute of Medicine. To maintain cardiovascular health at a maximal level, regardless of weight, adults and children also should spend a total of at least one hour each day in moderately intense physical activity, which is double the daily goal set by the 1996 Surgeon General's report.
Because carbohydrates, fat, and protein all serve as energy sources and can substitute for one another to some extent to meet caloric needs, the recommended ranges for consuming these nutrients should be useful and flexible for dietary planning. Earlier guidelines called for diets with 50 percent or more of carbohydrate and 30 percent or less of fat; protein intake recommendations are the same. The new acceptable ranges for children are similar to those for adults, except that infants and younger children need a slightly higher proportion of fat -- 25 percent to 40 percent of their caloric intake, said the panel that wrote the report.
"We established ranges for fat, carbohydrates, and protein because they must be considered together," said panel chair Joanne Lupton, professor of nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station. "Studies show that when people eat very low levels of fat combined with very high levels of carbohydrates, high-density lipoprotein concentration, or "good" cholesterol," decreases. Conversely, high-fat diets can lead to obesity and its complications if caloric intake is increased as well, which is often the case. We believe these ranges will help people make healthy and more realistic choices based on their own food preferences."
The report stresses the importance of balancing diet with exercise, recommending total calories to be consumed by individuals of given heights, weights, and genders for each of four different levels of physical activity. For example, a 30-year-old woman who is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 111 to 150 pounds should consume between 1,800 and 2,000 calories daily if she lives a sedentary lifestyle. |
However, if she is a very active person, her recommended total caloric intake increases to 2,500 to 2,800 calories per day. If her lifestyle fits the moderately active category as defined in the report, which is the minimum level of activity to decrease risk of chronic disease, she should eat between 2,200 and 2,500 calories daily. Using grams for the recommended ranges of intake, she should consume 55 to 97 grams of fat and 285 to 375 grams of carbohydrates per day.
The new one-hour-a-day-total exercise goal stems from studies of how much energy is expended on average each day by individuals who maintain a healthy weight. Energy expenditure is cumulative, including both low-intensity activities of daily life, such as stair climbing and housecleaning, and more vigorous exercise like swimming and cycling. Someone in a largely sedentary occupation can achieve the new exercise goal by engaging in a moderate-intensity activity, such as walking at 4 miles per hour, for a total of 60 minutes every day, or engaging in a high-intensity activity, such as jogging for 20 to 30 minutes four to seven days per week.
New Dietary Recommendations
Since the publication of the Recommended Dietary Allowances in 1989 and the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes in 1990, new information has emerged about nutrient requirements that warrants the development of updated guidelines. This report, the sixth in a series, develops new guidelines for the United States and Canada for the consumption of energy, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids, collectively known as macronutrients.
In the past, recommended dietary allowances or RDAs have served as the benchmarks of nutritional adequacy in the United States. The new Dietary Reference Intakes, or DRIs, are established using an expanded concept that includes indicators of good health and the prevention of chronic disease, as well as possible adverse effects of overconsumption. The panel assessed thousands of scientific studies linking excessive or inadequate consumption of fats, carbohydrates, and protein with increased risk for dietary deficiency diseases, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. The DRIs include not only recommended intakes, intended to help individuals meet their daily nutritional requirements, but also tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) that help them avoid harm from consuming too much of a nutrient.
The DRIs are designed to meet the needs of individuals who are healthy and free of specific diseases or conditions that may alter their daily nutritional requirements. It is expected that people known to have specific conditions or chronic diseases will get nutritional advice from their health professionals that is tailored to their special needs.
Concern About Added Sugars
Both children and adults should consume at least 130 grams of carbohydrates each day, the report says. However, this newly set RDA is based on the minimum amount of carbohydrates needed to produce enough glucose for the brain to function, and most people regularly consume far more.
The report suggests that added sugars should comprise no more than 25 percent of total calories consumed. Distinguished from natural sugars, such as lactose found in milk and fructose found in fruits, added sugars are those incorporated into foods and beverages during production. Major sources include candy, soft drinks, fruit drinks, pastries, and other sweets. The suggested maximum level stems from the evidence that people whose diets are high in added sugars have lower intakes of essential nutrients.
Are All Fats Bad?
Fat is a major source of energy for the body and aids in the absorption of essential vitamins. Some foods that are major contributors of fat in the diet include butter, margarine, vegetable oils, visible fat on meat and poultry, whole milk, egg yolks, and nuts. High-fat diets usually mean increased intakes of saturated fat, which can raise the amount of low-density lipoprotein and the level of "bad" cholesterol in the bloodstream of some individuals and heightens their risk for heart disease. Meats, baked goods, and full-fat dairy products are the main sources of saturated fat in most diets. Because saturated fat and cholesterol provide no known beneficial role in preventing chronic diseases, they are not required at any level in the diet, the report says. Recognizing that completely eliminating saturated fat and cholesterol from the typical diet in the United States or Canada would make it very difficult to meet other nutritional guidelines, the panel recommended keeping consumption as low as possible while maintaining a nutritionally adequate diet.
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, also present in fat, reduce blood cholesterol levels and thus lower the risk of heart disease when they replace saturated fats in the diet. People must get two types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid), from the foods they consume since neither is synthesized in the body. A lack of either one will result in symptoms of deficiency, including scaly skin and dermatitis, although these deficiencies are extremely rare in the United States and Canada. The report sets recommended intakes for linoleic acid, present in high levels in vegetable oils such as safflower oil or corn oil, at 17 grams per day for men and 12 grams per day for women based on average intakes in the United States. For alpha-linolenic acid, found in milk and some vegetable oils such as soybean and flaxseed oils, the recommendations are 1.6 and 1.1 grams per day for men and women, respectively.
Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as those used in many margarines and shortenings, contain a particular form of unsaturated fat known as trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids have physical properties generally resembling saturated fatty acids, and their presence tends to harden oils. The report's findings and recommendations on trans fatty acids were released in early July at the request of the Food and Drug Administration as an important step in its process to determine whether trans fat should be listed on nutrition labels. Often found in cookies, crackers, dairy products, meats, and fast food, trans fatty acids increase the risk of heart disease by boosting levels of bad cholesterol. Because they are not essential and provide no known health benefit, there is no safe level of trans fatty acids and people should eat as little of them as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. Because trans fatty acids occur in so many types of food, an all-out ban is impractical and would make it extremely difficult to get a nutritional adequate diet, the panel added.
New Facts on Fiber
The report contains the first recommended intake levels for fiber from the Food and Nutrition Board. The fiber recommendations are based on studies that show an increased risk for heart disease when diets low in fiber are consumed. Although there is some evidence to suggest that fiber in the diet may also help to prevent colon cancer and promote weight control, the data are inconclusive at this point. The recommended daily intake for total fiber for adults 50 years and younger is set at 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women, while for men and women over 50 it is 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively, due to decreased consumption of food. The report also provides recommended intakes for children and teenagers. Many new food products are marketed as containing fiber, but the lack of a uniform definition of fiber for regulatory purposes casts doubts on the usefulness of some content claims. Therefore, the report provides a specific definition of what should be called fiber in food. It defines "total fiber" as the combination of "dietary" and "functional" fiber. Dietary fiber is the edible, nondigestible component of carbohydrates and lignin naturally found in plant food. Some foods with dietary fiber include cereal bran, flaked corn cereal, sweet potatoes, legumes, and onions. Functional fiber refers to those fiber sources that are shown to have similar health benefits as dietary fiber, but are isolated or extracted from natural sources or are synthetic. An example would be pectin extracted from citrus peel and used as a gel that is the basis for jams and jellies. The definition of functional fiber aims to exclude fiber-like products, whether extracted or synthesized, that cannot be shown to have proven health benefits. It is hoped that regulatory bodies in both the United States and Canada will work toward adopting these definitions.
Recommended Levels for Protein
The report establishes age-based requirements for the first time for all nine of the essential amino acids found in dietary protein. Values are included for pregnant women, infants, and children based on their special needs. Using new data, the report reaffirms previously established recommended levels of protein intake, which is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults. (For example, a 150 pounds person -- 68 Kilograms-- should eat at least 54 grams of protein each day. ) Recommended intake of protein during pregnancy also is increased. Because data on the potential for high-protein diets to produce chronic or other diseases are often conflicting or inadequate, tolerable upper intake levels for consumption could not be determined for protein or for the individual amino acids. However, given the lack of data on overconsumption for some of these amino acids and protein, caution is warranted in consuming levels significantly above those normally found in foods.
This study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Health Canada; U.S. Food and Drug Administration; National Institutes of Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Defense; Institute of Medicine; the Dietary Reference Intakes Private Foundation Fund, including the Dannon Institute and the International Life Sciences Institute-North America; and the Dietary Reference Intakes Corporate Donors' Fund, contributors to which include Roche Vitamins Inc., Mead Johnson Nutrition Group, and M&M Mars.
The study was undertaken by scientists from the United States and Canada under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board, which has been responsible for developing RDAs for United States for the last 60 years. The Institute of Medicine is a private, nonprofit organization that provides health policy advice under a congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences.
Read the Full Text of Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids for free on the web. Printed copies are available for purchase from the National Academy Press; tel. (202) 334-3313 or 1-800-624-6242 or on the Internet at http://www.nap.edu.
HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU BE EATING?
According to the new food guidelines, you should have around .8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. For those of us who are metric-impaired, that means that a 150 pounds person -- who weight 68 Kilograms-- should eat at least 54 grams of protein each day.) But how much is 54 grams of protein?
Here are some guidelines (the numbers are rough):
- 3 ounces of beef or pork meat has about 24 grams of protein
- 3 ounces of poultry has about 18 grams of protein
- 1 egg, 7 - 9 grams of protein
- 3 ounces of tuna, 30 grams of protein
- 8 ounces of lowfat yogurt, 12 grams of protein
- 1 cup skim milk or low-fat milk, 9 grams of protein
- 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 31 grams of protein
- 1 ounce of cheese, 8 grams of protein
So if you were shooting for 54 grams per day, you might have...
- an egg or milk at breakfast, for 9 grams
- 2 ounces of chicken with lunch for 12 grams
- 3 ounces of beef or pork at dinner, 24 grams
- a snack -- half a yogurt, or small protein/power bar, for 8-9 grams
ASK THE EXPERTS: DIAGNOSING HYPOTHYROIDISM
Periodically, various experts answer questions regarding your health, thyroid disease and related issues. In this issue, thyroid and metabolism experts Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames respond to a key question many patients have.
Question: What type of tests should I have to see if I have hypothyroidism, and do I need to see a special doctor, or can I see my general practitioner?
Answer: Let us answer the second part of this question first. Thyroid tests can be ordered and interpreted by several different kinds of doctors. Almost any GP, internist, or family physician would be an appropriate choice for initiating a thyroid evaluation. Some people seek out or are referred to an endocrinology specialist if their situation seems more complex or more difficult than simple low thyroid.
Keep in mind that endocrinology specialists are among the most conservative, often less than enthusiastic about trying something new and different. They are also often overburdened with life-threatening diabetes cases, and may not have the time to give thyroid the attention you would like.
We believe that having an open-minded, curious, and thyroid-friendly MD or nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, or any other practitioner allowed to order tests and prescribe medicine, can work fine as long as you become activated and articulate in directing your own care.
As for tests, a standard thyroid panel of TSH and Free T4 should be augmented with additional tests of Free T3 and thyroid antibodies. If you are already on medicine, and are doing the tests to determine the optimal dosage, you can drop the Free T4 and the antibodies and simply ask for a TSH and a Total T3 (the Free T3 is best used for making a diagnosis rather than for determining treatment).
Also regarding treatment, if you are taking just thyroxine alone (Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid, or Unithroid) as a single medicine by itself, and you are not doing as well as you'd like, you might consider also running a Reverse T3 to see if your T4 to T3 conversion process has gone awry.
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Dr. Richard Shames has practiced for over 30 years, written and lectured widely on thyroid-related topics, and is considered an expert in the field. He practices in San Rafael, CA. Karilee Shames has been an assistant professor of nursing, and has led thyroid support groups for many years. In addition to writing their popular book, Thyroid Power, they are regular contributors to Thyroid-Info.com, and provide a service offering thyroid coaching education sessions to consumers nationwide by telephone. For more information, see their site, http://www.Thyroidpower.com.
More “Ask the Experts” questions and answers are featured online.
THE BEST PROTEIN BARS
Many people ask about protein bars -- which ones taste best, which ones do I recommend? Please see the article we did on this back in March, at:
http://www.thyroid-info.com/dietnews/4mar.htm.
In the meantime, if you have suggestions for your favorite bars, please keep sending them in to me at news@thyroid-info.com, and I'll do an update soon.
PROTEIN SHAKES INSTEAD OF PROTEIN BARS?
One option you have instead of a protein bar is a protein/diet shake. Forget Slimfast (it's very HIGH carb, and filled with sugar!) The one I've tried and think is really delicious, and is actually quite healthy and a good mix of nutrients, is Worldwide Sports brand "Pure Protein" shake. I like the Frosty Chocolate flavor in particular. It's not too sweet, but really tastes delicious.
For those of you who are finding results with a higher protein, lower-carb approach, this shake is a great choice:
Calories: 100
Total Fat: 1 gram (unsaturated)
Total Carbohydates: 6 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Cholesterol: 7 mg
Sodium: 60 mg
Protein: 21 grams
Potassium: 140 mg
This shake is also packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Calcium.
No sugar is added, and it's a gluten-free product.
In addition to using it instead of a protein bar, you can put it in a blender with some berries and make a smoothie, or drink a can of it with a serving of fruit, and you have a great low-carb breakfast.
I've been getting it at Trader Joe's for about $1.69 a can (which is a pretty good price for these sorts of high protein drinks). You should be able to find it at some vitamin stores, nutritional outlets, and some online retailers.
If you have a favorite protein shake, send me the info at: news@thyroid-info.com.
THE SECRETS TO STARTING AN EXERCISE ROUTINE
By David Junno Psy.D.
Exercise is something we all know we should do. The trouble is getting ourselves to do it on a regular basis. When approaching exercise, we often think of the work involved and the discomfort we may experience. No wonder we have trouble finding time for it, and so easily come up with many excuses not to do the exercise.
So how do we get ourselves to start an exercise routine? And how do we get ourselves to stick to it over time? There are two secrets to overcoming our resistance to doing exercise. The first is to focus on the benefits and the second is to gather evidence that refutes our negative perceptions.
Focus on the benefits
If an activity is something we associate to pleasure, like eating our favorite food, spending time with a person we love, or taking a nap when we are tired, it takes great effort to stop us from doing it. The problem with exercise is we tend to focus more on the difficulties than the benefits.
What are the benefits?
Exercising 30 minutes, four times a week will help you lose weight, get in shape, sleep better, improve your energy, increase your concentration, improve your mood, strengthen your heart, improve your health, help you look better, and improve your sex life.
Sounds great, doesn't it? How many other things can you do that take so little time and give you so much in return? Reminding ourselves of the benefits of exercise is an important tool in getting ourselves to commit to an exercise routine.
Gather evidence of the benefits
However, to experience the benefits of exercise we first have to do it for a period of time. To do this we need to exercise even when we don't feel like it. To help begin exercising despite not feeling like it, try this simple experiment. Establish an exercise routine, for example taking a brisk 30-minute walk four times a week. Before you take each walk, rate how you feel about
taking that walk. You can do this by using a 1 to 10 scale with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. Then take your walk and afterwards rate the actual experience on your 1 to 10 scale. What do you notice? There is a good chance that you are going to rate the experience higher after you do it. Learning that doing exercise is going to feel a whole lot better than we anticipate, is a powerful way to combat the negative thinking that often gets in the way of our intentions.
To maintain an exercise routine we have to do it. It is only by doing the exercise on a regular basis that we begin to feel the benefits of it. Experiencing the benefits will reinforce our efforts to stay with our routine, and eventually we get to the point where we actually look forward to it. Don't believe me - try it!
Reminder: before starting an exercise routine, especially if you are out of shape or have a medical condition, consult your doctor.
Having the right diet and getting enough exercise will not only improve your
health- IT WILL IMPROVE YOU LIFE.
Until next time,
Dave Junno Psy.D.
Dave Junno Psy.D. is a psychologist, coach and author of Lowering High Cholesterol and Reducing Your Risk of Heart Disease - READY OR NOT! To contact him mail to: drjunno@drjunno.com or visit his website: http://www.lower-high-cholesterol-ready-or-not.com.
WEIGHT LOSS BREAKTHROUGHS -- FOUR NEW STUDIES EXPAND KNOWLEDGE OF HORMONES, APPETITE CONTROL AND BODY WEIGHT
Four studies published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) and Endocrinology highlight the relationship between hormones, food intake, genes and weight regulation. All four studies—two basic research and two clinical research—will help scientists and physicians move closer to understanding the causes and possible treatments for obesity, which affects nearly 20 percent of adults in the United States.
Researchers recently discovered that a hormone called ghrelin can stimulate hunger. New research, published this month in JCEM, shows that insulin levels directly impact ghrelin levels and, therefore, play a role in appetite regulation. Dr. Mohammed Saad and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, found that changes in insulin levels were associated with changes in plasma ghrelin levels. The researchers infused insulin for two hours in eight patients between 42 and 50 years old. Regular blood samples measured the plasma insulin and ghrelin concentrations. The results indicated that insulin is a physiological regulator of ghrelin. Additionally, the relative level of insulin was shown to mediate the effects of nutritional status on ghrelin.
"In all of our subjects, changes in insulin levels were directly associated with swift and reciprocal changes in ghrelin levels," explained Dr. Saad. "Our research demonstrates that insulin plays a pivotal role in the regulation of feeding behavior and body weight through its opposite affect on ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates food intake and leptin, a hormone that inhibits food intake and supports weight loss. Larger and longer studies are now needed to confirm this finding."
In a second study on ghrelin, which is also published in the August issue of JCEM, researchers studied the contribution of the ghrelin gene to height, body mass and glucose tolerance in 70 obese, tall children and discovered that variations in the ghrelin gene contribute to obesity in children. The researchers found that a common polymorphism (SNP247) of the ghrelin gene is associated with an increase in body mass index and lower insulin secretion.
"SNP247 was found to be associated with an earlier onset of obesity in children in our study," explained Dr. Marta Korbonits, the lead investigator on the study and a researcher at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.
One of the biggest challenges for dieters is keeping the weight off. Previous research has shown that the hormone leptin decreases food consumption while increasing fat metabolism and energy expenditure. In a study published in the August issue of Endocrinology, researchers at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center and the University of Florida College of Medicine delivered leptin into the brains of obese rats to determine whether an increase in energy expenditure alone would maintain, over an extended period of time, weight loss achieved through an initial food reduction. The researchers measured food consumption, body weight and energy expenditure for nearly five months.
"We concluded that a reduction in food intake mediated the initial loss of body weight, however, only an increase in energy expenditure was necessary to maintain the reduced weight, even after food consumption returned to normal," explained Dr. Philip Scarpace, the lead investigator on the study. "Our findings suggest that a continuation of reduced food consumption is not critical to maintain a reduced body weight as long as there is a sustained increase in energy expenditure."
In another study also published in this month's issue of Endocrinology, researchers at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center determined that two neuropeptides (small hormones produced in the brain) influence the desire for high fat and low fat foods. High fat and low fat diets were fed to separate groups of rats who were injected with one of two neuropeptides—orexin-A or melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). The study determined that orexin-A stimulates the consumption of high fat foods. The researchers also discovered that MCH stimulates the consumption of high fat and low fat foods equally.
Another aspect of the study involved opioids—a hormone that is involved with the rewarding and motivational aspects of food intake. The researchers, lead by Dr. Deborah Clegg, assessed whether food intake elicited by orexin-A and MCH is sensitive to drugs that inhibit opioid receptors. The findings suggest that only orexin-A enhances the rewarding aspects of food.
Taken together, these four new studies help advance our understanding of the hormonal control of food intake and energy expenditure, findings which may be used to design more effective approaches to the treatment of obesity.
Source: The Endocrine Society
FREE SUPPLEMENTS!! -- FREE "WELL HEART" RESVERATROL GRAPE SUPPLEMENTS HELP CIRCULATION, CHOLESTEROL AND HEART DISEASE
The antioxidant supplement resveratrol, a derivative of grapes (and the ingredient that gives grapes, grape juice and red wine some of their reported health benefits) is available free from Freeherbs. This is a reputable company! For more information, and to request your free “Well Heart” supplements, go to the Free Herbs site at http://freeherbs.com.
TYPE 2 DIABETES AND PRE-DIABETES ARE UNDETECTED IN OVER ONE QUARTER OF OBESE POPULATION
According to data presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Budapest, Hungary during summer 2002, over one quarter of obese people may have previously undetected or untreated type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance, IGT). This translates to around 100 million people worldwide who may be at risk of the serious health problems associated with untreated diabetes. The data presented at EASD were a new finding of the XENDOS study, which showed that:
- 28.3% of obese people had previously undetected or untreated diabetes or pre-diabetes (IGT)
- The risk of having type 2 diabetes increased with increasing Body Mass Index (BMI), increasing age, and male gender
Excess weight is well recognized as the most important modifiable risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes often goes undetected and therefore untreated for many years. During this period, diabetic complications such as heart disease, nerve damage and stroke can develop.
Worldwide, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is growing at an epidemic rate, with a corresponding surge in the incidence of type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that there are at least 150 million people in the world with diabetes and that type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 per cent of all cases. This figure is expected to double over the next 25 years. Because of the severe health and cost complications of type 2 diabetes, organizations such as the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) have called for increased efforts to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. President of the IDF, Professor George Alberti, stated recently that "The importance of diabetes prevention cannot be underestimated."
ARE YOU DIABETIC OR PRE-DIABETIC?
To find out whether you are diabetic or pre-diabetic, talk to your physician about blood tests that evaluate your blood sugar and handling of sugars. In addition, you can start with a home test, called a Hemoglobin A1c, which is able to detect undiagnosed diabetes in about 75% of cases. Get more information on home tests now.
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LIFE ON A DIET NOT WORTH LIVING, U.S. POLL SAYS
How much is good health and long life worth to us? Not as much as we might think, apparently. According to an ABC News poll, most Americans do not want to be on a strict diet even if it means they will live longer. In the poll, 73% of those polled said they would not be willing to eat one-third fewer calories a day if it meant they would live longer. (Source: Reuters, Aug 30, 2002).
PEOPLE WHO ARE OBESE TEND TO EAT MORE LATE IN THE DAY
Researchers in Sweden found that obese women typically eat one more meal a day than non-obese women, and tend to consume more food later in the day. According to the research, the obese women typically consumed six meals a day, versus 5 for the non-obese women. While both groups were equally likely to eat breakfast, the obese women consumed more meals later in the day, or during the evening or night, and had more between-meal snacks. (Source: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;56:740-747.)
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NOTE FROM MARY: Some diet programs suggest that dieters stop eating after 7 p.m. or 8 p.m., and there appears to be some logic to that suggestion. The message here is that if you are having trouble losing weight, it might be a good idea to cut back on late-day or evening eating.
DIETING FOR THE DISINHIBITED! "AM I REALLY HUNGRY?"
According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, what's known as your "inhibition" when it comes to eating snacks and high-calorie foods is linked to your likelihood of being overweight.
The researchers at Tufts University in Boston wanted to explore the role of eating behavior in weight gain, and looked at three specific behaviors--restraint, disinhibition and hunger, of a group of more than 600 women.
Restraint is being able to specifically reduce and restrict your food intake in order to maintain your weight, or lose pounds. Disinhibition is a tendency to eat too much when something tempting is there, or to eat too much when there are other factors that reduce your inhibitions -- such as stress or fatigue -- whether or not you are hungry. Hunger is simply your sensitivity to feelings that you need food.
Interestingly, the researchers found that the higher the level of disinhibition, the higher the weight. Disinhibition eating is very strongly linked to obesity. The researchers told Reuters Health that being disinhibited about food also typically added up to weight gain of 30 pounds or more over 25 years up to age about 60 years.
Being a restrained eater can, however, help to minimize the negative effects of disinhibition. Counting calories, watching fat intake, can all help to offset somewhat. But the best strategy is to be a restrained eater as much as possible.
People who as disinhibited may constantly face the desire to eat everything offered to them, or to eat an entire serving or large portion of a particular desirable food. Instead, however, it's best to stop and ask yourself very specifically, "Am I hungry?" If you decide you truly are hungry, have a small portion or taste, then stop. (Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;75:476-483.)
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NOTE FROM MARY: When I read about this study, it was if they were speaking to me! I come from a Mediterranean family, where food is love, celebration, comfort, medicine. I can't even imagine walking into my parents' house without food being brought out. After breakfast, the discussion is what you're going to eat for lunch. And before lunch is cleared away, we're talking about dinner. When I get with my family, I start thinking, "why not, I deserve to celebrate/relax/enjoy, etc." and I get into full disinhibition mode.
I imagine many of you come from similar families, where food is used to express so many things, and the idea of pushing away from the table when there's something good to eat is unheard of. It's tempting to think -- ok, that's my background, I'm doomed to live just like my family. But it's not so. Because interestingly, I'm married to Mr. Restrained Eater. His family is also the same. They eat when they are hungry, and only what's needed. Certainly they celebrate a special occasion at a restaurant, or make a birthday cake -- they are not austere. But most of the time, they eat to live, rather than live to eat.
Now that I'm a "restrained eater" -- following my Thyroid Diet program -- I find that it can become habit...even if you grew up and are right now a full-scale disinhibited eater, after a few weeks of restrained eating, it becomes second nature, and the cravings -- especially for sweets and starchy carbohydrates like bread and rice -- fade, and you get in a groove of eating to live. I rarely have to even stop and think, "am I hungry" or "do I want to eat that" because my blood sugar is balanced, I know exactly what I'm going to eat most days and how much and how many portions I can eat, and whether I need to get in more vegetables, fruit, protein, etc. before the day is through, in order to complete my day's totals.
Even if you're currently in disinhibition mode, start by stopping the next time you automatically reach for something high-calorie or high-fat, or are presented with a large portion of food -- and think... "AM I HUNGRY?" It's a simple but very powerful technique to get started toward healthier eating.
MENSTRUAL CYCLE LINKED TO WEIGHT LOSS
Did you know that when in your menstrual cycle you exercise can affect how quickly you lose weight? Australian researchers have found that women who exercise in the later part of the menstrual phase may actually burn more fat and feel less tired during workouts. The later part of the cycle is when levels of ovarian hormones such as estrogen and progesterone are higher. Since these hormone promote the body's use of fat as an energy supply during exercise, this means that more fat can be burned off as you exercise. So start scheduling more workouts in the weeks before your period starts! (Plus, other research has shown that exercise can help with symptoms of PMS, so there's an added benefit!)
MARY SHOMON’S “THYROID DIET SUCCESS GUIDE”
 | Thousands of people have already ordered their copies of the “Thyroid Diet Success Guide,” and I’m getting lots of emails and letters from people who are happily using the low-glycemic approach of the diet that can be so effective for many thyroid patients. Here are two recent emails I received!
"Thanks for your Diet Guide. I have tried for years, nearly every diet without success. With your guide, I have been able to lose weight and also have more than enough to eat. Thanks again."
-- Jeanette
"The information you have provided really helped me. I ordered your Thyroid
Diet and lost ten pounds which I thought was hopeless before. (Believe me I
tried everything to lose weight plus was working out over an hour each day).
With your encouragement, I decided to totally educate myself on my
condition. I changed my doctor (found someone who would listen) and my
medicine and I feel so much better."
-- Sally
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This is the only way I’ve been able to effectively lose weight (and believe, me, I’ve tried them all!!) The "Thyroid Diet Success Guide" features information about why it's harder for thyroid patients to lose weight, insulin resistance, the role of the adrenal system, and lots of practical suggestions to help you finally enjoy weight loss success.
Just a few of the key features in the 35-page Guide include:
- Weight Loss Secrets for Thyroid Patients
- The Thyroid/Weight Loss Connection - Some Theories
- How To Lose Weight With Hypothyroidism
- Weight Loss Success: How I Lost 25 Pounds in 12 Weeks
- The Ultimate Thyroid Exercise Program
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Overview
- Choosing the Right Weight Loss Program
- The Habits of Successful Weight Loss
- How Much Weight Do You Really Need to Lose?
- Popular Weight Loss Myths
- Seeing Results with Weight Loss and Exercising
The "Thyroid Diet Success Guide" features a diet plan that you can follow, and specific information on exercises, and many other tips and resources. The Success Guide will help you get on the right track, with information that has actually helped other thyroid patients -- including me -- to effectively lose weight!
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ONLINE SECURE ORDERING – AT A DISCOUNT!!
We now have secure online ordering for the Thyroid Diet Guide. You can order using Visa, Mastercard, American Express or your Discover card, via secure processing with CCNow.
US ORDERS are $14 ($12, plus $2 shipping and handling)
OUTSIDE US: $19 ($12, plus $7 shipping and handling)
Order your guide now, online!.
FAX OR MAIL ORDERS
You can also order by fax, or mail. For an order form you can print out, visit http://www.thyroid-info.com/dietbook.htm. U.S. cost is $15, outside the U.S. is $25.
ORDER TOLL FREE
To order by phone, call our toll-free order line during weekday business hours at 888-810-9471 to order using your credit card. If you'd like a call-back, leave a message with your name and number, and Pat at the office will call you back to take your order. U.S. cost is $15, outside the U.S. is $25.
DELIVERY TIME: Don’t forget to allow 10 days to 2 weeks from receipt of your order for delivery of your Thyroid Diet Success Guide.
SPECIAL OFFER: We have a few more “Mini-Guides” left, so the next 100 people who order the "Thyroid Diet Success Guide" will receive a free pocket-sized "Mini-Guide" that summarizes the key diet tips in a portable, easy-to-carry format!
MORE CRUCIAL THYROID NEWS TO HELP YOU LIVE WELL
If you are not receiving the Sticking Out Our Necks bimonthly print newsletter, you may be missing out on some essential thyroid news. But...there's still time to order your subscription and receive the September/October issue.
A one year subscription is only $25. Order securely online now, with Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover, or via mail/phone/fax (Visa and MasterCard only).
THYROID NEWS ROUNDUP
Our new secure online ordering system makes it easy to order a subscription right now, AND, when you order online, you'll get a special, free 8-page "Summer 2002 In-Depth Thyroid News Roundup Report," which features 45 news reports on thyroid disease, with research references. Some brief highlights of just the weight-loss related news stories include:
Some brief highlights of just the weight-loss related news stories include:
- A Third of Patients Become Obese After RAI
- People Who are Overweight Frequently Have Undetected Endocrine Problems
- Low-Calorie Diets Cause Reduced Thyroid Function
- T3 Treatment for Obesity?
- Hyperthyroidism Increases Carbohydrate Cravings
- Obesity and Hyperthyroidism Linkage Explored
In addition to more detailed versions of the above stories, the free 8-page "Summer 2002 In-Depth Thyroid News Roundup Report" contains a total of 45 different thyroid-related news stories including:
- Hyperthyroidism Increases Carbohydrate Cravings
- Obesity and Hyperthyroidism Linkage Explored
- Thyroid Disease and Its Effects on Blood Pressure
- Iodine Use During Pregnancy
- Gluten Sensitivity and Loss of Balance/Coordination
- Thyroid Linked to Vitiligo
- Subclinically Hypothyroid Women With Infertility and/or Menstrual Problems Should Receive Treatment
- Thyroid Hormone Treatment Can Help Subclinical Hypothyroidism
- New Cause of Congenital Hypothyroidism Discovered
- Calcification and Solitary Nodules Present Greater Risk of Cancer
- Head And Neck Cancers Rising Among U.S. Kids
- T3 after Thyroidectomy or Prior to Thyroid Cancer Scan May be Unnecessary
- Graves' Disease With Thyroid Cancer
- Relapse Rates After Antithyroid Drugs for Graves' Disease
- Total Thyroidectomy Recommended As Standard Graves' Treatment Outside U.S. Controversies Over RAI Examined
- Effects of Suppressive Goiter Treatment on Osteoporosis Risk
- Moderately Low TSH May Point to Nodular Disease
- Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Can Show Up As Knee Pain
- Cigarette Smoking and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
- New England Journal Researchers Followup on T3 Use
- T4 Plus T3 Best Achieves Normal Levels in Blood and Tissues
- Thyroid Surgery Under Local Anesthesia?
Order online now -- Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover accepted -- and you’ll get a one-year subscription (6 bimonthly issues) plus the 8-page free special report, for only $25.
NOTES FROM MARY
Oprah has finally gotten with the program...well, sort of! In show after show, Oprah and her guests have gone on about symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, low libido, depression, and hair loss – and attributed them to everything from menopause to shame over aging to laziness – never once mentioning the 10 million Americans – most of them women – who have undiagnosed thyroid conditions that could very well be causing these symptoms. But even though she and her producers have put up a pretty strong resistance to covering hypothyroidism on “Oprah,
her magazine, “O” has finally broken the boycott and tackled the topic in the September issue.
In A Delicate Imbalance -- Tired? Gaining weight? Sad? It may be your thyroid, author Alice Kelly talks about hypothyroidism and how overlooked it is, along with ideas for getting diagnosed and treated. She interviewed me for the article, so you can look for my quotes in the magazine article. A quick summary page is featured online (but note, this is not the whole article, just a one-page recap of key points), at: http://oprah.com/health/omag/health_omag_200209_thyroid.jhtml.
So go get the September issue of “O” magazine, and write to Oprah and tell her it’s about time she finally does a show on hypothyroidism!
Thanks again for subscribing to "A Weight Off My Mind." I'll look forward to hearing your feedback.
If you're a new "Weight Off My Mind" subscriber, you may not know about my monthly thyroid newsletter, "Sticking Out Our Necks," which features thyroid-related news and information, both conventional and alternative. Each monthly issue covers a variety of the latest thyroid disease news and information of interest to patients and practitioners. If you signed up for this diet newsletter, you are NOT automatically subscribed to the monthly thyroid newsletter, so if you would like me to add you to that list, be sure to send an email to news@thyroid-info.com with the subject "Subscribe Thyroid Newsletter."
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Also, your starting place for information about hypothyroidism is my book, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctors Don't Tell You...That You Need to Know. The book, published in 2000 by HarperCollins, is a top 40 Amazon.com health bestseller, and now in its 13th printing. It's a manual of living well for anyone with an underactive or non-existent thyroid. Keep in mind, if you've had your thyroid removed due to cancer, nodules or hyperthyroidism, have had radioactive iodine treatment, or are on thyroid hormone replacement drugs, you too fall into the category of being “Hypothyroid” -- even if you're being treated. So ultimately, people with every type of thyroid problem have found my book helpful in their struggle to return to wellness. |
You can find out more information, read a free chapter online, order it now from Amazon.com, or get more information on the book and how to order it at http://www.thyroid-info.com/book.htm. The book is available at online bookstores, or your local bookstore, and at many libraries as well.
 | For those of you who have Hashimoto's disease, Graves' disease, or any autoimmune condition, my new book is coming out this October! Living Well With
Autoimmune Disease - being published by Harper Collins, and the second book in my ongoing "Living Well..." series, focuses on various autoimmune diseases and subclinical autoimmune syndromes, their symptoms, and the conventional - and alternative - treatments that can help reduce the risk of developing these conditions, help to keep them from worsening - and in some cases, even CURE them! It's also the only book to look at autoimmune diseases as one group of conditions with common or similar causes and triggers, and many common treatments to help. |
I spoke with dozens of the nation's most respected physicians and natural medicine experts with expertise in autoimmune disease to develop this book, which includes a variety of lifestyle issues, including diet, herbs and supplements, that you can use to help deal with autoimmunity in general, and specific conditions. I'll be launching a new newsletter soon to cover the issue of autoimmune disease specifically, so if you're interested, send an email to news@thyroid-info.com with "Subscribe Autoimmune" in the subject for news and updates, including advance information on the book. You can pre-order the book now at Amazon.com, find out more about the book, or read a free chapter at the new website, www.autoimmumebook.com.
-- Mary
All
information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a
substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical
conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health
issues and consult your physician or health practitioner before starting a
new treatment program. Please see our full disclaimer.
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