The Word At The Barricade

Nutty Health Claims

 "Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

     That's the claim that will now start appearing on packages of almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts, thanks to a new Food and Drug Administration ruling that allows products to make health claims even when the supporting evidence is not crystal clear.

     The FDA ranks claims on a scale from  "A" (scientifically proven)  down to "D" (almost no evidence). The nut claim received an FDA ranking of "B" (promising evidence).

     Actually, my own understanding was that nuts have indeed been proven to help prevent heart disease. According to the book Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, written by Dr. Walt Willett with the Harvard School of Public Health (this is my personal nutrition bible, and I suggest you adopt it as yours, too--get more info at The Center for Personal Health Coaching Book Shop), several of the largest long-term health studies have shown that eating a handful of nuts several times a week is linked to a 30 to 50 percent reduced risk of heart disease.

    Nuts have plenty of protein and plenty of "good fats." They also have lots of calories, so the ideal strategy is to use them as a replacement for less healthy snacks. Certainly, be wary of their allure and... don't go nuts with them.

     Consumer groups worry that the eased restrictions on health claims add to consumer confusion. Based on what we've seen so far, I disagree. In fact, I think that consumers have been confused about whether nuts are a healthful food, and the new claims--especially since they include a serving-size guideline (1.5 ounces, or about a handful)--provide much-needed clarification and guidance. As for activists' concerns that claims receiving less than an "A" rating may someday be proven to be wrong, I have some news (I've tried to make this point many times in this newsletter): Even Grade-A health claims that have been found to be unequivocally documented by scientific research...also are sometimes proven to be wrong.

      There are no guarantees. 

Get Unstuck by Letting Go

  If you're like most people, then at times you have probably felt "stuck" in your pursuit of better health, or even in your pursuit of other life improvements (better career, better relationships, better finances, etc.).  I find, however, that when health seekers feel stuck, more often than not they are unwilling, unprepared, or unable to let go. 

     To improve your health, there is no end to the list of things you may need to let go of. Here are some of the most common:

• Old goals. If you've had the same goal for, say, several years, with no signs of progress, it's probably time to let it go. Then you'll have room for new goals. If you can let go of your weight loss goal, maybe you'll adopt a new, previously unimaginable goal. Maybe your goal will be to hike from Maine to Georgia. And you might just shed a few pounds in the process.
• Perfectionism/Absolutism. "I'm going to stop eating sugar in every form!" Really? Sounds like a set-up for failure. If you can let go of that idea, maybe you can adopt a more reasonable goal, such as indulging in sweets no more than once a week.
• Shoulds. Countless times, I've seen health seekers fixate on the type of exercise they think they should be doing (such as using whatever piece of home exercise equipment they have), and they never do it. They cling to their shoulds, and never stop to consider what their "wants" are. This is part of eliminating resistance: Stop wasting time with your shoulds; embrace yourwants. Unless required for medical reasons, you're not likely to do a should for the rest of your life (regardless of whether thatshould is riding your stationary bike, taking a vitamin daily, meditating, balancing your check book...whatever); it's easy to commit to a want.
• Other people's goals for you. Oh, there's no shortage of  them. Your husband wants you to be thinner; your mother thinks you should eat more vegetables; or Madison Avenue  wants you to stay young forever. You can't even hear your own goals in your mind until you can get everyone else's to stop clanging around in there.
• Fear. Health seekers fabricate all sorts of reasons to avoid taking actions that scare them. Often, they fear failure. With more clinical types of health changes, such as doing regular breast self-exams, they fear a catastrophic finding. Letting go of fear is hard, but you can do it.
• Other folks' doings. Comparing yourself to others is a losing proposition. Don't concern yourself with how your neighbor is doing with his weight loss, his fitness, his stress, his life. They're his, not yours.

     Unfortunately, I don't really have enough space here to spell out the various techniques to help you identify what you may wish to let go of, or how to let go of it (though those techniques are all covered in depth in my forthcoming book, The Health Seeker's Handbook--to be published this autumn). But no matter--awareness is the first and most important step. And I'll pass along to you one other quick clue, using an analogy:

     Imagine you're stranded at sea, clinging to a life preserver. You may feel stuck, but in reality you're not letting go. It would be stupid to let go, wouldn't it? Maybe not...not if there is something else,  something solid and grounded, for you to move toward.

     You must have something to move toward.

     Now, what do you need to let go of?

Blues Clues: Undiagnosed Depression (and Anxiety)

Didja catch in the news last week the results of the new survey on depression and anxiety? Turns out, only 18% of folks meeting the diagnostic criteria for depression or anxiety disorder ever receive treatment. The survey, conducted by the National Mental Health Association, identified 3 common trends that hinder people from getting medical attention:

1. 93% of undiagnosed respondents insist they're fine
   --thank you very much--even though 44% said their
   symptoms caused big-time emotional pain and disrupted
   their lives.

2. 44% of undiagnosed responents who would not consult a
   doctor believed they could manage their symptoms with
   activities such as prayer, exercise, rest, sleep, or
   emotional support from loved ones.

3.  42% of respondents who were diagnosed, and 17% who
   weren't, were ashamed of their condition.

     Hey, I wonder if part of the problem could also be that a lot of people's primary doctors have the interpersonal skills of a doorknob? I recall a study some years back that showed that, on average, doctors interrupt their patients within the first 14 seconds of a visit. Yeah, this is the guy (or gal) you wanna bare your soul to.

How People Lose Weight Part II of II

Now, let's take a look at the National Weight Control Registry, a database of more than 3000 people who have lost at least 30 lbs and kept them off at least one year. How'd they do it? We can learn so much from the success of others. Here are just some of the insights gleaned from the profiles of these "successful losers":

• Most registry members eat low-calorie, low-fat
  diets. Women in the registry report eating an
  average of 1206 calories a day (24.3% as fat). Men,
  1,685 calories a day (23.5% as fat).
• On average, registry members report burning 2800
  extra calories a week doing physical activity. The
  average duration of activity (including things like
  chores as well as exercise) is two hours a day.
• Walking is the preferred form of exercise amongst
  registry members. Stationary cycling, road cycling,
  aerobics, and treadmills also are popular.
• Registry members eat an average of 5 times a day,
  with most meals being prepared at home.
• Among those members that modified their diets (the 
  vast majority), about 90% limit their intake of
  certain kinds of food, about 45% limit the amount
  of high cholesterol foods they eat, and 44% count calories.
• Surprisingly, 42% say it is easier to maintain their
  weight loss than it was to lose the weight.
• Most registry members tried diet aids and diet books
  and found that they didn't work. But more than half
  lost the weight through a formal weight-loss program.
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week; 38% weigh
  themselves daily. 
• A majority of registry members say that weight loss
  improved their quality of life, including their
  physical health, mood, and energy level.
• Registry members who lost a lot of weight early on
  were more likely to regain weight than those who
  started with slow, steady progress.

     The National Weight Control Registry was founded by researchers at the University of Colorado and the University of Pittsburgh, who have published numerous findings in several prestigious journals. 

     The closest thing to a blockbuster finding in this research is the average level of activity reported: 2800 calories a week! That's no stroll around the block. Typically, you'd have to walk about 28 miles to burn that many calories. So to me, the take-home message is: If you want to lose weight, and keep it off, you have to be active. Really, really active.

How People Lose Weight Part I of II

 In the 1990s, after seeing that weight loss hype was doing more harm than good by promoting self-destructive attitudes rather than healthy lifestyles, I became quite the anti-weight-loss activist. Today, however, I readily support people with their weight loss goals. I've come to believe that everyone's health goals should be honored. And, the fact is, people do successfully lose weight, keep it off, and enjoy the benefits. 

     Here are my own observations and tips about successful, healthy weight loss (in the next issue, I'll share with you what the research says about how people lose weight and keep it off):

1. Losing weight is about eating fewer calories and
   being more active. Don't forget the activity side of
   the formula; it's a deal breaker.
2. If you look at yourself in the mirror and say,
   "Yuck!" or "Fatso," weight loss is not your biggest
   problem. You won't be inclined to take care of your
   body if you don't get along with it. Consider seeking
   help from loved ones, a spiritual community, or a
   qualified therapist.
3. Deprivation leads to bingeing. Don't give up fats
   or sugars. And don't believe the anti-carb hype.
4. Select foods and activities that you enjoy. If
   your new lifestyle is not enjoyable, can you sustain
   it?
5. Throw away your weight loss supplements and diet
   books. They almost never work.
6. Dump your TV while you're at it.
7. You will enjoy eating healthy foods if you
   do it mindfully. Put your utensils down between bites. 
   Take time to chew and swallow your food. Note the
   flavors and physical sensations. Eating healthfully
   can be wonderful!
8. Pleasurable weight loss activities will make
   you less dependent on willpower. That's good, because 
   willpower is so ineffective as a strategy that if it
   had to be approved by the FDA, it would never pass
   muster.
9. Launch your weight loss effort in a new setting. A
   week at a spa is great if you have the dough, but you 
   can create your own retreat in any peaceful, natural
   environment.
10. Portion size does count. Manage it.

     And remember, the scale measures your weight, not  your worth. Believe me: you are perfect, even if your weight may not be.

Power-Up Your Health Confidence

Ever wonder why some people can successfully make  health changes  while others try and. . .uh. . .fail to succeed?  One of the key factors is what I call Health Confidence. Health confidence is your belief in your own ability to make a health change (such as quitting smoking, losing weight, reducing stress, shaping up, or getting a chronic disease under control). It's the difference between "I'm going to make this change and nothing's going to stop me!" versus "I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try."

     A couple of important things to understand about health confidence: 

• Health confidence is behavior-specific. That is, you 
  can be super confident in your ability to, say, exercise 
  five days a week, but have zero confidence that you can
  eat healthier.
• Health confidence can be cultivated. You're not stuck 
  with what you've got.

     It's this latter point that is really critical. As you try to transform your own health, you need to know that your confidence can be boosted. Don't be resigned to low  confidence. Here are the three key strategies to give your health confidence a lift:

1. Identify role models. Seek out people that have already
   made the change you're trying to make. They will inspire
   you.
2. Get cheerleaders. As much as possible, surround yourself
   with people who will give you unconditional support, who 
   will celebrate your milestones, and who will help you up if
   you fall down. This is where a good coach can really help,
   but if you look around you'll also find friends, family, 
   co-workers and support groups who will eagerly serve in
   this role.
3. Practice. Tried to make this change before? Don't view 
   previous attempts as a string of failures--they're not! View 
   them as valuable steps towards success, with each step 
   affording you lessons about potential pitfalls, and bringing
   you closer to your ultimate goal. Also, think about other
   positive changes you've made in your life; and be your own
   role model!

     I didn't invent the idea of Health Confidence. It's based on theories of "self-efficacy" developed and researched by  noted Stanford psychologist Albert Banduras. And there's a  wide body of evidence proving that these strategies work.

    Three strategies that are easy and that work. What more could  you ask for? Why not put them into play, today, and power-up  your health confidence?

 

-------------MIND YOUR CHANGE--------------
Write a list of 10 successful health
changes, big or small, you've made in 
your life. Can't think of 10? What about
switching to lower-fat milk, eating less
meat, or drinking more water? (Just some
ideas). What factors in your life
facilitated those successes?
-------------MIND YOUR CHANGE--------------

The Economics of Gum Disease?

Recently, I was reading Ladies' Home Journal ('cause that's just the kind of 21st-century guy I am), and I came across a mini-article about how high levels of financial stress combined with "poor coping behaviors" can double your risk of gum disease. Of course, there was no mention of any medical journal, research institution, or individual investigator. I can't help but guess how this happened: I imagine a busy bar on Madison Avenue. It's 5:30pm and two guys sit at a table. One says, "You know, Earl, last year all my stocks really tanked. Not only that, but when I brush my teeth, my gums bleed like nobody's business!" Seated at a neighboring table, well within earshot and taking copious notes, is an editor from LHJ, beaming at having found the perfect filler for the next month's issue. Okay, maybe not.

The Perils of Positive Thinking

Don't get me wrong. Positive thinking is gosh-darned important. But it needs to be executed skillfully and discriminately. Otherwise, it just may backfire.

     The most important thing about positive thinking is to direct it toward those outcomes that are under your control. So, yes, you must believe that you will eat healthier, exercise regularly, floss every day, or gain balance in your work and family life, if those are things you want to do. But these days, positive thinking has taken on a whole new dimension, in which people actually believe that they must think they'll win the lottery in order to actually win it. I hate to break the news to these well-meaning folk (okay, you caught me: I love to break the news to them), but they probably will not win the lottery. Them's the odds, plain and simple.

     Here are 5 suggestions to help you frame your positive thoughts so that they move you forward, in your health improvement or in any other aspect of your life, rather than hold you back:

1. Cultivate a positive attitude, rather than forcing
   yourself to think positively. Attend to the joy of
   life--for example, by surrounding yourself with people
   you love, spending time in nature, or having a spiritual
   connection--and positive thought will flow, organically.

2. Establish boundaries for your positive thinking.
   The media is full of stories about how optimism makes
   people live longer. Not as well publicized are the
   countless stories about people who have been bilked out
   of thousands of dollars as they remained "optimistic"
   about fraudulent treatments. Consider the "positive
   thinking" that perpetuates anti-aging creams, hair loss
   remedies, and a zillion weight loss scams.

3. Respect your negative thoughts, and don't try to
   squelch them with positive thoughts. Negative
   thoughts are present in all of us, but they do their most harm when we stuff them so far down into ourselves that we may forget they're there. Ultimately, negative thoughts
   find a way to express themselves, one way or the other.

4. Identify the silver lining. As a coach, I often help
   clients see the good in what appears to be a setback.
   For example: If a client wants to get back the body
   they had 20 years ago...okay, I'll coach them around
   that. But if a client tells me, "I've resigned myself
   to the fact that I'll never look like I did 20 years
   ago," I might offer: "Well, I understand that you feel
   resigned to that, but another way to look at it is
   that you've accepted it." This type of distinction
   can really shift a client, from thinking that they've
   failed...to knowing that they've grown. 

5. If your body breaks down or doesn't heal, don't
   assume that it's because you didn't maintain a
   positive attitude. Attitudes affect health, no doubt about
   it. But sometimes you just get sick or injured. Your body
   is fallible. And some of the most upbeat people of the
   world, regrettably, suffer nasty physical ailments.

     I'm not a shrink, and I'm not presenting these ideas to you as scientific fact. But, over the years as I have helped thousands of people try to improve their health,  this is what I have seen works best. 

     So go ahead: Wear your rose-colored glasses. But please, don't be blinded by them.