The Yo-Yo Diet

Due to the influx of exercise and diet goals during this month I thought I would address this issue. The health market is flooded with all sorts of diets, and following them are all sorts of myths and facts. Now how do you know which diets are worth a try, and which diets you should stay away from?

There are a few things to look at when deciding whether a diet is going to help you or hurt you. The first is to remember that in order to function properly your body needs a balanced diet. A balanced diet will provide you with all the nutrients, vitmains, minerals, and compounds that your body needs. If you’re lacking in something it could actually prevent your body from maintaining a healthy weight.

Many diets have certain days where you can only eat select foods. For example some diets only allow you to drink juice, or only eat soup for a week. There are many varieties of these restrictive diets, but in the end none of them are good for you. With some of these diets you may actually see weight loss results, but in the end they are depriving your body of nutrients, and the majority of the results are not long term.

Another common characteristic of yo-yo diets are extremely restricted calorie intake. No matter how much weight you want to lose you should never go below 1200 cal/day without a doctors supervision. You body needs a certain amount of nutrients just to keep itself going. Limiting calories may actually make your body store fat because it thinks it’s starving.

Yo-Yo dieting has also been linked to higher rates of hyptertension and cardiovascular disease. This is because constantly losing and gaining weight can actually cause fat to travel through your arteries more often causing increased plaque build-up. So be careful is you are constantly gaining weight and then losing it. Overall lifestyle changes that promote healthy weight loss may take longer, but in the end they may save your life.

The last thing I want to address is the effect Yo-Yo dieting has on mood. Usually extreme diets that make you lose more than 7-14 pounds per week are severely restricting your food intake. This can make you cranky, and can even lead to binge eating after the first week or so.

As you can see there are a lot of draw-backs to Yo-Yo dieting. In the end they aren’t worth your time, or your health. Losing weight can be frustrating especially because it is usually a slow process. However, it’s important to remember that healthy weight loss that leads to long-term results is only about 1-2 pounds/week. So if you’re goal is to lose weight this year just remember that making healthy substitutions, and watching your portion sizes is one of the best ways to go.

By Lisa Owens

Myths surrounding our friend the common cold.

There are many rumors that circulate about the common cold. Some of these rumors involve catching a cold, and others involve getting rid of a cold. For this month we are going to reveal how much truth there is to some myths about the common cold.

Myth 1) You can catch a cold just from being out in cold weather. This is most certainly a false rumor. You can catch a cold when it’s 98° outside. You get a cold from coming into contact with a virus. However, there is more of a link between catching a cold, and cold weather than just the name. People are more susceptable to catching a cold in winter time due to several factors. It is thought that because people spend more time indoors and in close quarters they catch the cold virus more easily. Some also think that because the lining of your nose is drier you are more susceptiable to viral infections.

Myth 2) Flooding your system with Vitamin C will drown out the cold. This also happens to be false. Vitamin C is good for your immune system, but taken in large quantities will not decrease you chances of getting a cold. There have been many studies done on Vitamin C and colds, but so far none have been able to show that Vitamin C will help you get rid of a cold. When taken in excess it will just pass through your system, and too much, in fact, can actually be harmful.

Myth 3) Chicken Soup can help you rid a cold faster. This myth is actually true. A study done by the University of Nebraska found that chicken soup does have an anti-inflammatory effect. It also keeps the mucus in the nose moving. The virus resides in the nose, and if the mucus is moving, it could potentially help you get rid of the virus a little bit quicker.

Myth 4) Milk can cause congestion. Myth. There have been no studies that have shown that milk increases congestion, or that it causes a cold to last longer. Milk is good for you, so drink it up if you like it.

Myth 5) You can spread a cold by kissing. Yet another myth. The virus lives in the nasal passages. Scientist did a study where they spread a solution containing rhinoviruses over the nose and mouth of volunteers. Those who had the virus spread over their mouth did not catch a cold. It takes a much much stronger dose to catch it that way. The virus is usually spread from the hands to the nose. So kiss away, but if holding hands make sure you are washing them.

As we have discovered, there are a lot of myths about the common cold. Taking products such as airborne, and other immune boosters may have a placebo effect that can lessen the effects of the cold. Anti-histamines can also help reduce symtoms. However, it seems that the most effective defense against a cold is to wash your hand regularly, and avoid touching your face! So go out, and enjoy the cold weather. Just wash your hands afterward.

Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

By Lisa Owens

Avoiding the yearly holiday stress… or at least doing your best to beat it. Everyone experiences a little bit of stress with the holidays. Don’t try to deny it. Maybe the biggest stress is if you’ll get what you want for Christmas, but to some it’s still considered a valid stress. Though you may not be able to avoid feeling overwhelmed, there are certainly ways you can lessen strong grip of stress.

Here are a few suggestions to beat the holiday stress…

• Shop early, and don’t try to get it all done in one trip! Know what you want to buy so you’re not spending hours going from store to store, and make sure you keep a list of what you’ve bought so you don’t shop for the same person twice.

• If you’re hosting the Thanksgiving feast don’t be afraid to ask guests to bring something! You don’t need to do everything.

• Find time for exercise! To many this may seem like just another think to add to your list. However, many people find that exercising regularly helps them cope with other stresses, and gives them more energy to accomplish everything they need.

• Remember to schedule time for relaxation! Taking just 15 minutes or so can do wonders. Those who take time to relax, breathe deeply, and clear their mind are often more productive.  Don’t be afraid to do something for yourself such as getting a massage, or your hair cut. If you don’t take time to care for yourself then you won’t be able to care for everything else in life!
  • Here is a great exercise that only takes 10 to 15 minutes. Lie down, close your eyes, and focus on breathing deeply. Focus on one area of your body, and visualize your muscles relaxing. Maybe start with your feet, focus on them relaxing, and then move to your calves. Make sure to take extra time on your shoulders, or wherever it may be that you tend to hold your stress. After you have gone through the whole body take a few deep breathes, and then slowly stand up.

• Don’t fill up on sugary holiday sweets! Those sweets will provide limited energy, and will not sustain you throughout the day. Eating healthy will also help keep you from getting sick while trying to get everything ready for the holidays. If you’re going out shopping make sure to eat a health snack beforehand.

• Remember the reason for the season. Put the holidays into perspective, and don’t be afraid to cut out some events that may be making your holidays unenjoyable. Don’t forget to take time to do some service. It’s healthy for your soul…

When you begin to feel overwhelmed this holiday just remember these simples tips. Hopefully they can help you to actually enjoy this wonderful season!