A Weighty Issue
copyright © 2009 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org On February 15th, Barry boarded the plane. He was deep in thought and noticed few of the people around him. The prior evening had been exceptional. This sensitive man celebrated Valentine's Day with friends, with family, and best of all with himself, a person he had grown to love and respect, an individual he barely knew for all of his life, himself. More recently, Barry had become a more balanced individual. He is now constantly on the move, not merely in a physical sense, but in a more real manner. The successful businessman, the sensational father, the phenomenal friend, the scholar who climbed the career ladder well, in the not so distant past, never felt truly fulfilled. Now, he thought of himself as a work in progress, a being who has transitioned beyond his wildest dreams. Yet, he trusted there were still many roads to travel. He wondered; would he make it. On this day, unbeknownst to him, Barry would find his answer. Yet, he would also be prompted to ask more questions. As he approached the plank, Barry became aware of those near him. He began to ponder the persons in his presence. He observed, in appearance, many of the passengers, were as he once was. Only two short years ago, he was among them. He was an obese American, one of the almost 90 million exceptionally overweight citizens. Then, when he thought of his weight, and all the ill effects his bulk caused he felt hopeless. Over time Barry has lost most of his bulge, today he again felt the pain of excessive pounds. The plane full of people was too heavy to fly out as scheduled. The weight of the aircraft dictated a necessary change. The flight pattern would need to be altered. Customarily, jets left to the East. Aircraft passed over a power plant before the highest speed and preferred altitude was reached. As a precautionary measure, a plane as heavy as the one Barry now sat on could not be allowed to soar low over an electrical grid. Were the airbus to crash, surely, it would explode. Sparks would set off fires. Everyone on the plane would be killed. Over the intercom, the pilot proclaimed, excessive weight could be a deadly issue. The crew and air traffic controllers would do what was needed to ensure safe travel. The plump passengers would not be publicly embarrassed. Nor would any commuter be forced to feel responsible for the situation. No one person or his or her poundage would be singled out. Politely, the pilot presented the problem and assured all abroad, he and the tower had taken great care to secure a suitable solution. The plane would take an alternative route over water, and all would be well. Barry reflected on what the aviators feared might be the future of those persons anxious to depart from south Florida. He thought of how similar this situation was to his past. The once rotund man understood. In his own life, when he carried extra pounds, there was much he could not do safely. Then, just as he did now, Barry accepted what was an awkward truth. In the initial moments, while on the taxiway, Barry was patient. He endured as he had for most of his years. Adjustments would be made. Hours later, he, and the others would move forward, albeit a little more slowly than they would have was the plane not redirected. Barry and the more bulbous passengers were comforted by the care and attention to detail. A safe runway for departure, given its current weight, was all those on the aircraft wanted. Had the plane or more accurately the people on it, been a bit lighter the whole adjustment and delay would never have happened. Nonetheless, what was, was, and that was alright for those aboard this plane, or at least it had been Nearly forty minutes earlier, the formerly corpulent Barry was among the hordes of people who boarded the aircraft. Barry noticed a family, or three persons familiar with each other, were as he once was. Each weighed over 275 pounds. He thought; "There but for the grace of G-d go I." Barry noticed others of various sizes and shapes, all large. Yet, he thought nothing of their conditions or circumstances at the time they entered the plane. He had other thoughts on his mind. He wanted to return home. Cuddle with the kitties. Clean his house, Prepare for a busy workweek. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness were his only concern as the Valentine's Day holiday week ended. The more he had learned to accept himself as a unique and complete person, the less he allowed food sand drink to be his distraction. He felt no need to dive into the free chips or cocktails the airlines offered. Barry realized other sought solace in these complimentary sweets. People seemed pacified by food and the opportunity for greater folly. Funny, Barry thought, in the past, if a plane were stuck on the ground, during last night's Valentine's Day festivities, or on any other occasion he too would have ingested chocolates as he suspected most on this plane would do. On a day devoted to travel, as this one was, or on an evening dedicated to love, as last night was, Barry, his beloved, or the big woman who sat beside him on a 737, might have exchanged, "Sweets for the sweet." Thoughts of his blood-sugar and the adult onset diabetes that became his life long ago would have been ignored. A meal, a chance to steal a bit of snack time, life might be an excuse to celebrate togetherness. One little innocent confection could do no harm. Not too long ago, Barry may have sipped an alcoholic nectar with those he cares for and who are fond of him. Intoxicating beverages that build blubber certainly would have passed his lips. He might have believed as many he knows still do. People are less inhibited when drunk with delight. Intimacy is more possible when the fruit from the vine imbibed. Many courses of flavorful fattening foods, a meal fit for royalty, surely would have graced a Valentine's Day table. Today, on his tray table, condiments would have collected. The best way to the heart is through the stomach. The airlines knew that. Perhaps, that is why the flight attendants walked through the cabin with baskets of peanuts and crackers. No one would be upset by the delay if hunger was staved. Surely, 24 months earlier, Barry would have been content to wait as long as the food kept coming. He too might not have thought of a potential crash or the hazards of a weighty plane. Barry pondered. Possibly, for most of this crowd on the plane, his past habits were their present reality. Up until recently, Barry believed the pounds poured on to him as if by osmosis. He did not deliberately seek out sweets, starches, or saturated fats. They found him. His refrigerator was full with what he saw in the markets. Grocery stores were stocked with gooey goodies. Restaurants served sumptuous delicacies. Friends and family feasted upon fodder, all of it filling. Wherever Barry went, it seemed he needed to only look at food, and the weight gain would follow. Today, while on an airplane immobilized by the load it carried, he thought of his earlier bulk and that of others. Barry empathized. He felt the pain of those who carry unwanted pounds. He understood the challenges. It is difficult to develop new habits or to think you can rise above the clouds when you are fat and forlorn. Barry recalled how he had accepted much that was dealt to him when he was flabby. What else could he do? Not long ago, his options were limited, or so he believed. With much encouragement from the one he shared his Valentine's Day with this year, last year, and on the February 14th before that, he learned to believe in possibilities, in his own ability to eat, drink, and move through life differently. His best friend had also faced weighty issues in her lifetime. His life-partner's lengthy struggle with food, folly, and an inability to move forward was one he witnessed firsthand. Barry watched the woman he knew so well work through her inertia. She languished, anguished, and ultimately left her hefty sense of helplessness behind. Her efforts helped Barry to believe that his life could be better. It was not so long ago, Barry began to exercise, to eat healthy foods, to free himself from the habits that hurt him. Were he a plane, in the past, Barry's weight would have grounded him. Today, Barry knew he could not do as he had done years earlier. He would not stay motionless. Nor would he say nothing of the circumstances. He would not resign himself as the load of commuters had. He wondered whether his own history taught him that extra weight need not be a reality. A heavier load need not be a burden to be endured. Unlike the 100 plus others, who seemed settled with the fact that they could not leave the ground, at least not for another two hours, Barry was not. Just as he had decided not to settle for a life in which he battled his bulge, Barry concluded he would speak to the Captain. He would ask the pilot to invite ten to fifteen passengers to leave the aircraft. If this number deplaned, the usual traffic pattern could be put in place. The persons who remained on the vehicle could travel safely and in a timely manner. Those who voluntarily exited would not only receive recompense, they would also be assured a safer travel on a lighter plane. Once Barry voiced his willingness to make a change, to lighten the load, and to leave the aircraft, he was able to garner support from other travelers. The pleased pilot said he would return to the terminal and allow the few to exit. The crew was grateful for the diversion. They knew how the temperature and the tempers of those stuck on a plane, still, on the tarmac could rise. The persons who stayed on the plane were elated. Fat though most of these may have been, at least they would be able to move a bit more freely through the air with thanks to the benevolence of one who used to be as they were. Barry pondered the parallels as he walked through the airport. He had hours to wander and muse as he waited for the next flight. Determined not to be idle; a circumstance he disdained since he lost his own excessive weight, Barry walked. As he strolled, he realized he would need to find nourishment. His breakfast would not hold him through the day and into the evening when he would again board a plane. As he unsuccessfully searched for other than starchy, fatty, sugary foods in the airport, he became frustrated. Barry realized there was not a restaurant in the building that carried healthy victuals. He rented a handcart, placed his luggage on it, and briskly sauntered to another terminal. He had time. Besides, it was good to be able to move about and enjoy the sunlight. As he ambled about, Barry thought of how obesity affects the life of a plane or person. He saw the many who sat stationary in the terminal. Most of these individuals were chubby just as those on the plane were. Barry realized he had been so concerned with his own weight issues he had not noticed what now seemed obvious. In America, overweight was the new normal. This point became more real as a security guard approached him. The officer told Barry he appeared suspicious. Who was he to walk around the airport, to move about so freely? People did not do that, not today, and certainly not in a terminal. Barry shared the story of the plane too heavy to fly the normally prescribed route. He explained it would be hours before he could board the next flight. Barry said he last ate very early in the morning. He was desirous of fruit, or some healthy food to eat. The sentinel said, Barry was to do as the others, more weighty passengers had. Sit. Be still. Pack on the pounds. Build the bulge, and be satisfied with confections, soda filled with high fructose corn syrup, and starchy foods. The security guard assured Barry, there was no fresh produce to be had on the premises. "I have some Valentine's Day candy," the official said. "Here, have a piece." Barry smiled. He said, "No thank you." He walked on and wondered. When is weight an issue for an individual, a culture, a country, or better still, why is it not? References for a weighty reality . . . Before the plane left the gate, Barry marveled; he had grown, and not in width. No longer was his priority to please others, even at his own expense. Barry believes now, as he always did. It is best never to cause harm, not to others or to himself. Self-sacrifice was once the way Barry barricaded himself. He hid his emotions, his feelings, in truth, his fears. When with others, he acted as though he was empathetic. The people pleaser wanted to be identified as benevolent. In a desire to avoid more authentic associations, Barry binged on food. Early in his life, he grew fat. Better to blame his weight for what he could not do, then place the onus on others.
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on February 15, 2009 at 11:00 AM in Addiction, Americana, Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Childhood Obesity, Diet, Emotional Decisions, Emotional Intelligence, Food and Drink, Food Folly, Habits, Health | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Overweight Children - Adults Face Widespread Stigma and Strain
copyright © 2007 Betsy L. Angert. BeThink.org
In America and the European Union Overweight Kids Face [a] Widespread Stigma. Only days ago, I contemplated this truth. As I watched a family shop, I was struck. She was young, perhaps ten years old. She was very heavy. I wondered how could one little girl carry so much weight on such a small frame.
The lass was sweet, quite petite, although clearly troubled. She had been shopping with her Mom, her grandmother, and her younger brother. From appearances, it seemed this family was in Target gathering wares for Grandmamma. They did not give the impression of being poor; nor did they look to be wealthy. They were average folks; they could have been you or me.
This family did not dress well. Their clothes were clean, just not stylish. Were this group more fashion conscious pants, shirts, and shoes would have been color-coordinated. Patterns might have blended in a manner that was more appealing. However, I guess they were comfortable in casual apparel. After all, making purchases in a discount department store does not require a person to dress with finesse. Simply covering your body is sufficient for such a chore.
The family of four entered the checkout line. I was standing behind them. Their exchanges were pleasant. The children each chose to purchase an item for themselves. Grandmother and Mom paid for their goods, as did the boy. Then the young woman did her transaction. The cashier rang up the sale. Dollars passed from one hand to another. There was change. The school age girl went to place her pennies, nickels, quarters, and dimes into her tiny purse. A single nickel fell to the ground. The coin made a sound as it plunked to the floor. The girl heard the noise and saw the shiny nickel.
She looked at the currency longingly. Then, this lass turned and glanced at her family. They were walking away. Her brother, mother, and grandmother had not noticed what occurred. The group was not far and yet, not near to the girl. It would only take a moment to pick up the coin and move towards the others. Pensively, the female child considered the nickel. She looked down and then up and down again. Finally, she fled in haste, leaving the lonely coin behind. She never bothered to pick it up, although she did think too.
It did not seem to me that this little lady thought a five-cent piece was not worth much. From appearances, or perhaps I am projecting, recalling my own struggle with excessive weight, her greater concern was the effort involved in bending over to retrieve a small piece of anything. I remember the days, and not too fondly. My heart went out to this child. There, but for the grace of G-d, go I.
I am reminded of the time when I was obese, not pleasing plump, chubby, or fat; I was corpulent. I grew into a size that was twice that of normal quickly. I did not consume gross quantities of food. The portions on my plate, or in hand were not large. It was actually quite startling to see the weight pile on. Pound after pound was added to my body mass. There was no index to guide me. Indeed, I was eating less than I had for years before this gain.
However, my weight gain was not an anomaly. For me, fighting with my body mass was normal. My family was substantial mentally and physically. Many of my relatives are big people, not tall, just wide. The little girl and I seem to share a family shaping, or might I say out of shape. Her mother and Grandmother were large. Her brother was not as rotund; however, he seemed to be ready to tip the scale.
In my family, some were fit. My Grandpop walked for miles, each and every day. He was active and agile; a few relatives are. However, it seems on average, the propensity toward plump was prominent in my world. The younger generations in my own family might have mirrored their elders, or perhaps more accurately did as their parents had. This is true in most families, even the thin ones. However, patterns change. In recent years, Americans are shorter and more stout. For generations, Americans were taller than those in other nations; however, this is changing.
[H]eight has been stagnating in the US for a decade, and Americans are now shorter on average than many Europeans, including not only the very tall Dutch and Scandinavians, but even the citizens of the former East Germany, see John Komlos and Marieluise Baur (2004).This is troubling for many reasons. Not only is our health and life expectancy effected, so too is our income. For years, Economists told us tall persons earn more money than the diminutive do. An inch can increase your net worth by at least a thousand dollars per year. However, recent research reveals the height you achieve in adulthood may not determine your income. Stature may not be the key to financial success.While Americans are not expanding upwards, they continue to expand outwards, and the average American, like the average Briton, is now heavier than the weight that would minimize mortality risk given average height.
Tall men who were short in high school earn like short men, while short men who were tall in high school earn like tall men.If, during our younger years we do not think we are worthy, excellent, brilliant, or outstanding than likely we will not believe we are the best later in life. Often, we trust we are admirable when others act as if we are.That pretty much rules out discrimination. It's hard to imagine how or why employers could discriminate in favor of past height. If tall adolescents—even those who stop growing prematurely—grow up to be highly paid workers, it's got to be because they've got some other trait that employers value. [Nicola Persico, Andy Postlewaite, and Dan Silverman of the University of Pennsylvania] believe that trait is self-esteem. Tall high-school kids learn to think of themselves as leaders, and that habit of thought persists even when the kids stop growing.
For the fatter child, the need for approval weighs on their minds. Much embarrassment is felt, and experienced early on.
Overweight children are stigmatized by their peers as early as age 3 and even face bias from their parents and teachers, giving them a quality of life comparable to people with cancer, a new analysis concludes.At the age of two, nearly three, I recall sitting in the den with a ballpoint pen in hand. I drew lines on my thighs designating exactly where I wanted the excess meat removed. I do not recall being ridiculed at home; nor do I remember peers speaking of my weight.
I did attend summer camp at that age. At two and one half years, I was the youngest camper. Perhaps, being four years younger than all other campers had an effect on me. Indeed, I was left out of much. The counselors were not willing to teach me to swim. My bunkmates did not wish to include me in games. Being a person that loathes and avoids competition, and always did, I had no desire to participate. I was somewhat sedentary.
Possibly the situation demanded it. I could not go off and play on my own. I needed to stay with the group. Yet, I was separate. I sat still for hours while my bunkmates engaged in recreational activities. My situation, although different, mirrors much of what occurs today.
Lack of exercise is a major factor in the growing problem of obesity, both for children and adults, according to Dennis Styne, a UC Davis Medical Center pediatric endocrinologist who is a recognized authority on issues of childhood obesity. "Obesity has become a serious health risk in America, and it is reaching epidemic proportions, even in the pediatric population," Styne says. "Close to 25 percent of America's children and adolescents are now considered overweight, and the numbers are increasing."I developed habits that hurt my already hurting heart. The children ran, jumped, laughed, and enjoyed each other's company. I could not join in. They thought me too young. At an early age, my less active life took its toll. The pounds piled on. Later, as the years passed, I was just lethargic.
They say obese children are victim to teasing, rejection, bullying, and other types of abuse because of their weight. I was fortunate, I did not experience much, if any of this in my youth. However, when I reached the age of sixteen, and added a few more pounds, a phrase was used by a loved one to describe me, "butterball." To this day, every year from Thanksgiving to Easter when the company with the same name advertises their turkeys, I cringe.
"The stigmatization directed at obese children by their peers, parents, educators and others is pervasive and often unrelenting," researchers with Yale University and the University of Hawaii at Manatoa wrote in the July issue of Psychological Bulletin.Research determined the heavier child exposed to such pressure is two to three times more likely to report suicidal thoughts. Frequently, the young and hefty suffer from other health issues. High blood pressure and eating disorders are not uncommon. Yikes, there I am. I was anorexic, then bulimic. My eating was out of order.The paper was based on a review of all research on youth weight bias over the past 40 years, said lead author Rebecca M. Puhl of Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
I have long been certain that my bingeing and purging was not related to my weight. Indeed, doing as I did, did not help me maintain a stable mass. The process stressed my body and my mind. Anorexia and bulimia are burdensome. They are as obesity in many ways. There is great shame associated with starving oneself. Over-eating and puking do not leave one feeling proud. People judge those that do not appear perfect or act in a manner that pleases others. We all criticize ourselves.
"The quality of life for kids who are obese is comparable to the quality of life of kids who have cancer," Puhl said, citing one study. "These kids are facing stigma from everywhere they look in society, whether it's media, school or at home."In a time when children are growing fatter, we can no longer avoid an issue that is pervasive. We must consider that they way people treat us when we are young has an effect throughout our lives. Height and weight evoke a response. That reaction stays with us. At a time when childhood obesity overwhelms the planet, we must consider the effect of this epidemic.Even with a growing percentage of overweight people, the stigma shows no signs of subsiding, according to Puhl. She said television and other media continue to reinforce negative stereotypes.
"This is a form of bias that is very socially acceptable," Puhl said. "It is rarely challenged; it's often ignored."
By 2010, almost 50 percent of children in North America and 38 percent of children in the European Union will be overweight, the researchers said.At times, we as a society must shield children from those that love them most, us. Sadly, parents, teachers, and friends do not realize how they hurt a fragile heart and soul. Teasing is thought to be just in fun. Expecting less of a fat child is considered realistic. Reacting to personal guilt for not caring for a child as you thought best, in a moment, might seem reasonable. However, the harm we do is immeasurable. Children internalize their pain.While programs to prevent childhood obesity are growing, more efforts are needed to protect overweight children from abuse, Puhl said.
A growing body of research shows that parents and educators are also biased against heavy children. In a 1999 study of 115 middle and high school teachers, 20 percent said they believed obese people are untidy, less likely to succeed and more emotional.Fat children are distinct. They stand out in a crowd. Actually, in their own mind they are often larger than life. I know I was. I was so surprised years later when I saw photographs of myself as a camper. I was not obese then. I only thought I was. For me, it was as Lynn McAfee stated, "You hear it so often; it becomes the truth." Even if the words were heard only in my head, they were repeated routinely. The belief that I was fat became my reality. In my teens I grew into the person I long thought I was. I became obese."Perhaps the most surprising source of weight stigma toward youths is parents," the report says.
Several studies showed that overweight girls got less college financial support from their parents than average weight girls. Other studies showed teasing by parents was common.
"It is possible that parents may take out their frustration, anger and guilt on their overweight child by adopting stigmatizing attitudes and behavior, such as making critical and negative comments toward their child," the authors wrote, suggesting further research is needed.
Lynn McAfee, 58, of Stowe, Pa., said that as an overweight child she faced troubles on all fronts.
"It was constantly impressed upon me that I wasn't going to get anywhere in the world if I was fat," McAfee said. "You hear it so often, it becomes the truth."
Her mother, who also was overweight, offered to buy her a mink coat when she was 8 to try to get her to lose weight even though her family was poor.
"I felt I was letting everybody down," she said.
Other children would try to run her down on bikes to see if she would bounce. She had a hard time getting on teams in the playground.
"Teachers did not stand up for me when I was teased," McAfee said.
A study in 2003 found that obese children had much lower quality of life scores on issues such as health, emotional and social well-being, and school functioning.
"An alarming finding of this research was that obese children had (quality of life) scores comparable with those of children with cancer," the researchers reported.
Sylvia Rimm, author of "Rescuing the Emotional Lives of Overweight Children," said her surveys of more than 5,000 middle school children reached similar conclusions.
"The overweight children felt less intelligent," Rimm said. "They felt less popular. They struggled from early on. They feel they are a different species."
Anyone that has ever struggled with their weight knows, trying to take off a few pounds can be a challenge. Eliminating the weight of years of mistreatment takes more effort than most can imagine.
Heavy children are insulted, ignored, rejected, and ultimately resent themselves. They misuse food. The weighty wonders may not appear malnourished; however, they are. The obese do not eat well.
[P]oor nutrition remains an impediment to health in much of the world today, Much less obvious is the idea that nutritional deficits are an important part of the health story in the rich world today. Yet there is a good deal of evidence, even—and in some cases particularly—in populations whose most obvious nutrition-related problem is obesity and over nutrition.Such mass consumption does not serve our children well. Nor do our eating patterns benefit us as we age.
"Obesity rates are increasing fastest among children, and they will carry obesity-related health risks throughout their lives," Ludwig says. "An adult who gains a pound or 2 a year through middle age will be at increased risk. But that is much less dire than the overweight 4- to 6-year-old who gets diabetes at age 14 or 16 and has a heart attack before age 30."Sadly, some of those that were heavy as children are already adults. Older persons, for the most part, do as they did in their childhood. Even if individuals lose the "baby fat," the feelings and ill effects associated with obesity often linger. Lifestyle, habits, health problems are more difficult and daunting than poundage. There are infinite influences on our body and mind. The marketplace matters.Ludwig -- director of the obesity program at Children's Hospital, Boston -- says the childhood obesity epidemic has three phases. The first came in the last decade, when child obesity became common but the public health effects weren't yet felt. Phase two is right now, as we begin to see serious complications such as type 2 diabetes in very young people. Phase three, Ludwig predicts, is coming soon.
"But we still have a little time before these children become young adults with diabetes and start to have heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, and increased mortality," he says. "It is a massive tsunami headed for the United States. One can know it is coming. But if we wait until we see the ocean level rising over the shore, it will be too late to take action."
The advent of processed foods altered the physique and psyche. Motor vehicles and machines have an effect, A commuter and computer culture counts. The number of calories we consume and do not burn off as earlier generations did effects our overall well-being. There is ample cause for concern.
Today, we stunt our growth upward and expand our girth outward. Perhaps, we need to advance our awareness for what motivates us. Why do we torment the portly? How easy it is to ridicule and judge. Frequently, the tall, the thin, those that appear healthy blame the obviously wounded one. These saintly souls think obesity is a choice. People are not born fat. Perchance that is, in part, true.Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity are responsible for an estimated 300,000 to 600,000 preventable deaths each year.
An estimated one third of all cancers are attributable to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and being overweight.
It was once thought diabetes or the tendency for this illness was inherited; however, there is ample to reason to believe that is not always true. Might we imagine that nothing occurs in isolation. If we are to cure what ails us, we must be open to options that are not easily observed.
Might we assess why those that gain so easily gravitate to food. I believe for too long we have presumed the answers are simple. It is often claimed obesity runs in families. The genes prime the pump. Numerous researchers prefer placing the blame on parents. Habits are learned. Mothers and fathers are our primary teachers. Schools receive their fair share of culpability. Surely if educational institutions supplied more nutritious fodder children would not eat as they do. Restaurants, food manufacturers all can claim an ounce of responsibility.
We too bear a burden; each of us decides what we will eat and enjoy. We believe we can easily forego exercise. We all are as the little girl. Bending down to pick up the nickel is not a simple task. Our mind may wish to do what we think wise; yet our body says we cannot. The two work in unison.
I believe, too often we do not honor the mind body connection. Possibly, we all are vulnerable to whatever affliction inhabits our bodies. In recent years, we are realizing that many ailments, once thought to be the result of natural causes are related to diet. What we eat has power; it effects the brain and bulk. Might we consider victuals feed us in ways we rarely explore.
To learn how to work with your appetite center, you must first understand it. It's time for you and your brain to become better acquainted.Perchance, we might empathize with the chunky little lass. She is you and me. Might we consider that our culture provides us with foodfare that harms us. Society teaches us habits that hurt us. Some lessons are learned subliminally. Others are fashioned at the dinner table. Possibly, we all would be wise to teach and treat the children well. If we do not attend to the biological, physiological, intellectual, and emotional needs of our progeny, they will suffer as will we all. If one man, woman, or child is diminished, we all are. Little girl, may I help you reach for more than a nickel.As soon as you bite into any food, sensory stimulation of nerve endings on the tongue leads to the release of a number of chemicals, including opioids, into the bloodstream. You release more opioids -- the body's natural versions of drugs like morphine -- when you consume foods high in sugar and fat, creating a powerful, neurochemical drive to overeat those foods.
These opioids and other chemicals enter the bloodstream and carry their messages to the hypothalamus, which sends out yet another set of chemicals to regulate appetite. The more flavors your taste buds register, the more stimulated the hypothalamus becomes, releasing the hunger-promoting hormone neuropeptide Y. When you taste a lot of flavors at once, the brain releases a lot of neuropeptide Y.
Meanwhile, in response to the smell and taste of food, your stomach produces the hormone ghrelin, which also stimulates appetite. It continues to produce this hormone until you eat enough food to literally fill your stomach and stretch the stomach wall. Farther down the line, in your intestines, levels of several hormones rise to varying degrees -- depending on the nature of your meal -- either inducing more hunger or turning off hunger..
The thick of it . . .
Thursday, July 12, 2007; 3:54 AM
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on July 13, 2007 at 01:44 PM in "Take me as I am!", Adult Influence on Children, Calories. Cells., Childhood Obesity, Diabetes, Eating Disorders or Habits, Food Folly, Habits, Health, Nature or Nurture, Nutrition, Quality of Life, Teach The Children, Weight, When Will I Be Right? | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
I Am An Anorexic, Bulimic, A Person! ©
Once you label me, you negate me.
~ Soren Kierkegaard [Danish Philosopher]
An article in the New York Times grabbed my attention instantly. It appeared in the health section. The title, One Spoonful at a Time. This writing was heartfelt. Author, Harriet Brown tells a gripping tale. It took me to memories of my own struggle with anorexia and bulimia and how these affected my family. In this exposé, the dilemma of how to treat the condition was thoroughly discussed. I wish to share my response to this situation and story. My personal experience of this is vast. I hope my thoughts, realizations, and rejoinders on this topic will be helpful to those grappling with similar issues. I trust that the effects of anorexia and bulimia are trials and tribulations for all those afflicted by these.
The subject of weight alone is a sensitive probing. An individual need not starve, binge, or purge in wrestling with weight. On the same day another New York Times essay loomed large entitled "Big People on Campus." This commentary contemplated the plight of being "fat." I was once that too. Many may muse in this moment, all anorexics believe they are chubby, and while that may or may not be true, I actually was at times in my life. My weight rarely was stable; nor was I when reflecting upon it. However, my weight was never the issue; it was a distraction, a symptom of what was within.
I read the articles mentioned above, then, when I turned on the television and saw a report on the increasing male bulimic and anorexic population, and as I listened to a discussion focusing on the media, and the message of being thin, I wondered. Why are Americans obsessed with their weight and avoiding the truer concern?
Americans spend billions of dollars on books, diet programs, professional weight trainers, and behavioral experts that might deliver them from "evil" otherwise known as "eating disorders." Some recount, "I eat too much," others muse, "I eat too little." There are those that think they do not make healthy choices, those that believe themselves fine; their family worries about their physical condition.
I lived in a plump body; a buff body, a slender body, and one that was sickly thin. As a child I over ate. It was what most members of my family did. As an adolescent, I dieted. That is what teenagers do. However, weight was not the trepidation it appeared to be. My problems with body image were not pressing; nor did my peers influence me.
It was my life at home, in my heart. Much was disquieting. My parents were together; yet, they were not. My natural father was rarely home and when he was, it was not fun for me. My sisters were close in age and seemed to have a connection with me; however, it felt incomplete. For me, school began at an early age. I love learning and welcomed the opportunity; still, there were demands, those I placed on myself. Life progressed and it seemed perfect.
I had goals, visions, and dreams. In my late teens, I wanted to lose my virginity. That seemed the natural progression, at least in my neighborhood, or among my peers. Oddly enough, a young man began paying attention to me. This may not seem unusual; yet, it was. Those that are closely familiar with my ways and thoughts recognize that this was quite striking.
I was never "boy crazy." I had no thoughts of marriage or even being in a relationship. I was and still am extremely comfortable with my own company. Perhaps, I am a little too independent. While I have always had very close friends, I was not one to seek physical intimacy. I did not need company or companionship. It could be imposing. I needed time to be me. Nevertheless, this gentleman delighted in my presence.
Yes, we did "connect;" we did the deed; still he wanted more! Imagine that! Eric wanted a real relationship, with all the bells and whistles. I later learned Eric wanted to marry me. Years, before realizing that his intention was to wed, I freaked. When confronted with the fact that he wanted us to spend all our time together I panicked.
Eric was and is an extraordinary man. Physically, he is quite the "looker," not my type. I love brains; brawn does little to warm the cockles of my heart. He is kind, tender, and evenly tempered. Eric is infinitely considerate, and amazingly enough, he does love to learn.
Women fell for him, flocked to him, and fought for his attention, all but me. Initially, I just saw him as a vehicle for losing my virginity. I never expected he would fill my mind. I did not plan to take time and be with him beyond the bed. I never imagined he would enter my heart. Yet, he did and that scared me. I put on weight, lots, and lots of pounds. I did this as I do most things. I am exceptionally thorough. If I am to do a job, I will do it incredibly well. I grew fat! Perchance, obese might be a better word. Eric said nothing. He still wanted to be with me.
Now, what was I to do? All this weight, I wore poundage that poured over the edges of my clothing. I was uncomfortable in my body. I needed, no wanted to loose all this excess mass. I began dieting. I did it well depending on your standard, and not well, if health is a main concern. At first, I only wanted to lose what I had gained. I did this. Then as the pressures of life grew, my apprehension for food and what would follow were I to eat it grew.
Years passed, as did my obsession with weight and food. After a time, apprehension for my impending graduation from college consumed me. The more I thought about this the more I struggled. Careers, professions, being more a part of the "real" world, more responsible for my self, it all seemed a sacrifice. What was I to do or be now?
While attending the University, I never hesitated. I chose my majors and pursued each discipline with zeal. My course of study never changed. However, I never expected to graduate. That was not part of my plan. I had no desire to leave the sanctuary of school. I first enrolled in classes at the age of two. Academia was the world I knew. What next?
Next, or soon, I would become a statistic. Not unlike the "Kitty" in the tale her author mother, Harriet Brown tells. I was anorexic. Ultimately, that lifestyle was too difficult. Starving my self was such a struggle. I chose bulimia instead. I "thought" that would be an easier avenue to pursue. It was not. I had no control over my life, my weight, my worries, my ways. A person such as myself that prefers infinite tranquility, found herself in a world of chaos, chaos I created!
For decades my family deliberated, what would they do? What could they do? Some pondered what had they done. Who was at fault and would the circumstances ever change? There was much guilt, theirs, mine, and ours!
I share this revealing story with reason. Harriet Brown, the parents, the professionals in her tale all do as people customarily do. They look for facts, quick fixes, simple solutions, thirty-second spots, immediate gratification, and spontaneous change. I acknowledge the year or more this family invested in re-parenting and feeding their child; one spoonful at a time was overwhelming. Yet, in the end, wonderment still fills the void of not knowing.
Ms. Brown discusses in depth the niche, a role, the pondering, the play, the place, and the label each person holds. Yet, for me, she misses the nuances. The world within will determine whether Kitty again chooses an addiction with food or the lack of it. I believe and experience that our compulsions cannot be broadcast through numbers. I understand the fascination with facts, the need to look for answers. Nevertheless . . .
Programs may not be profound no matter what they cost or what their supposed success.
we asked Kitty's pediatrician where her other anorexic patients went for treatment. "When they're this sick, they go away," she said, referring to inpatient eating-disorder clinics, where people often stay for two or three months. The nearest was an hour away and cost $1,000 a day, most of which would not be covered by our HMO.There is ample reason for alarm.
Anorexia is one of the deadliest psychiatric diseases; it's estimated that up to 15 percent of anorexics die, from suicide or complications related to starvation. About a third may make some improvement but are still dominated by their obsession with food. Many become depressed or anxious, and some develop substance-abuse problems, like alcoholism. Almost half never marry. It is thought that if anorexia is not treated early on, during adolescence, it tends to take an average of five to seven years for the person to recover - if it happens at all.There are behavioral modification plans and they tout great success.
Among the few studies done on anorexia treatment, I came across one from 1997, a follow-up to an earlier study on adolescents that assessed a method developed in England and was still relatively unknown in the United States: family- based treatment, often called the Maudsley approach. This treatment was created by a team of therapists led by Christopher Dare and Ivan Eisler at the Maudsley Hospital in London, in the mid-1980s, as an alternative to hospitalization. In a hospital setting, nurses sit with anorexic patients at meals, encouraging and calming them; they create a culture in which patients have to eat. The Maudsley approach urges families to essentially take on the nurses' role. Parents become primary caretakers, working with a Maudsley therapist. Their job: Finding ways to insist that their children eat.Yet, I think it is essential to consider what works for one person may be the kiss of death for another. I personally, would have rebelled and reacted more overtly had my parents spent their every waking hour with me, as the Brown's did.The two studies showed that 90 percent of the adolescents recovered or made significant gains; five years later, 90 percent had fully recovered. (Two other studies confirmed these results.) In the world of eating disorders, I was coming to understand, this was a phenomenally high success rate.
I would not have felt loved, quite the contrary. I would have felt as though they did not trust me. I grew up in a family whose primary principle was "No one has the right to tell you what you "should," think, say, do, feel, or be!" Granted coupled with this was the belief, "Do whatever makes you happy, as long as it does not hurt anyone" and of course, my reactions were hurting everyone; nonetheless, they were mine to choose. In my mind and in the family I was raised in, it was accepted, in order to learn we must error. It is part of our evolution. To force another to be, as we believe is best gives them no room to grow and discover for themselves.
Harriet Brown acknowledges that
The idea that parents should be intimately involved in the re-feeding of their children can be quite controversial, a departure from the conventional notion that the dynamic between parent and child causes or contributes to the anorexia. Many therapists advocate a "parentectomy," insisting that parents stay out of the treatment to preserve the child's privacy and autonomy. They say that a child must "choose" to eat in order to truly recover.However, she chose to believe as Maudsley advocates "no one else knows the child as well or has the same investment in the child's well-being. She states, "That felt right to us."
As I read Ms. Brown's re-counting, I was continually struck by the specifics of the feeding process and the lack of luminosity. There was so little of Kitty's feelings expressed. While I trust that her parents spoke to her of her fears, apprehensions, and worries, the details of these discussions were not shared with the reader.
As I reflected on Kitty's approaching entrance into high school, my own memories flooded my mind. I knew while living through anorexia and bulimia, it was never about the weight. It was the wait, the anticipation of the unexpected, unknown, unidentified, and unfamiliar. It was the strange, the strain, the mysterious, and the mystifying musings that strangled my soul!
I do understand the dynamic; the habit becomes the pattern etched into the brain and physical memory. I comprehend the ever-present question, which comes first the chicken or the egg. I recognize the theories
Over the last few years, most eating-disorders researchers have begun to think that there is no single cause of anorexia, that maybe it's more like a recipe, where several ingredients - genetics, personality type, hormones, stressful life events - come together in just the wrong way.What I think is in error is the prospect presented by
Maudsley practitioners say that focusing on the cause is secondary, ultimately, because once the physiological process of starvation kicks in, the disease takes on a life of its own, unfolding with predictable symptoms, intensity and long-term consequences. Anorexics become almost uniformly depressed, withdrawn, enraged, anxious, irritable or suicidal, and their thinking about food and eating is distorted, in part because the brain runs on glucose, and when it has been deprived over a long period of time, when it's starved, it goes haywire. It's important to get the patient's weight up, fast, because the less time spent in starvation, the better the outcome. Adult anorexics who have been chronically ill for years have much poorer prognoses than teenagers.In my own life and search for a cure, I found professionals that believed as these do. I contend, the obsessions of medical professional almost killed me. Killing with the kindness of tough-love, prescribed by parents or physicians has the potential of doing a person in. It certainly would have taken a toll on me.
Thankfully, I located others, those that treat with love, just as my parents did and do. I discovered "experts" that acknowledge they are not. They understood the notion that a person that has never experienced an illness cannot fully understand it. Thus, they turned to me. My parents and physicians reflected on who they knew me to be as a person. They thought me wise.
I was trusted to resolve the situation for myself. I was given only potassium and talk therapy to keep me alive. Those in my life trusted my intelligence, my reflective nature, and my ability to be introspective. The professionals, my parents, and my peers believed in me when I did not. This was confusing, though extremely meaningful to me.
Those close to me knew of the tens of hours I devoted daily to eating, isolation, and purging. They hoped, based on their history and knowledge of me that I was not simply doing binging and purging, but that I was also thinking. I was working through my concerns and circumstances. Indeed, I was. When I finally, she says with great exasperation, found myself, discovered what Harriet Brown might refer to as my demons, I met them with delight. I no longer; nor did my family or friends need to contemplate the possible impending doom. I would not, will not return to those trying days of old anorexic or bulimic beckoning.
Four months after the "change of life" [no, not menopause] giving up my ways, I was thrown into a situation that truly tested my will. I was in a serious accident. Unexpectedly, my life went topsy-turvy. I was badly injured and unable to walk. The prognosis was grim. It would be half a year before I could again return to a standing position. I had perfected the bulimia process through many a situation, and in the past, I would have found a way to again engage. I had the will and there was always a way. However, on this occasion I did not return or resort to my decades old pattern. I did not consider the option.
Ms. Brown, I share this with you for you are questioning, anxious, what might the future bring. I myself think behavior modification programs such as the Maudsley plan may be nice. Their success rate may seem comforting; however, I caution, it is my experience that unless or until the cause is addressed, the emotional effects are evaluated the likelihood that there is true resolution is "slim." Many experts say anorexia and bulimia are chronic conditions. Years after my coming of age, I still do not experience sweaty palms. I do not white knuckle my way through stressful situations. I think the emotional, intellectual work is essential. Kitty may have done the work that you did not speak of. I know not. Nonetheless, I worry. I think "cures" and certainty come with more than one spoonful at a time.
Please weigh your options. Read the references. Reflect who you are, more than your mass.
Dear reader, you may wish to peruse Chapters One through Six, of my life as an anorexic, bulimic, a person. Please do.
Or Similar Discussions . . .
A reader asked that I share this information.
The National Eating Disorders Association's "Every BODY Is Beautiful" Online Fundraising Auction currently running through Wednesday, December 6th! There are some unique holiday shopping (jewelry, handbags, clothing, celebrity-autographed collectibles - featuring customized jeans from The Sopranos' Jamie-Lynn Sigler and singer Sarah Evans - and much more) while at the same time contributing to an amazing, life-saving cause!
You may wish to read of the artist in an LAWeekly essay, The Art of Spooning, By Caroline Ryder, or of the fundraiser at SpoonFed Art on MySpace.com.
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on November 27, 2006 at 03:28 PM in "Take me as I am!", Addiction, Anorexia Nervosa, Approval or Love, Being, Becoming, Bulimia, Calories. Cells., Change the World [Within], Childhood Obesity, Compassion, Conflict, Complex, Desire to Learn, Diet, Dreams Live and Die , Emotional Decisions, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy and Evolution, Facts or Fictions, Failure, Family, Functioning, Fables, Fear, Food Folly, Habits, Health, Human Nature, Humans, Self-Destructive, Life, A Forward Motion, Light. Darkness., Looking at Life, Looking for Love, Loss, Love of Learning, Metamorphosis of Minds, Nature, Nature or Nurture, Nutrition, Parent Child Relationship, Personal, Psychology , Quality of Life, Reality or Perception, Short-term Solutions, Society, Standards in Society, Teach The Children, Weight, When Will I Be Right?, “Art of Loving” , “When is Enough, Enough?” | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Calories Do Not Count. Cellular Considerations Do ©
People ponder, “How many calories might I eat or burn? Will exercise bring me bliss? What is my heart rate, my blood pressure, and how are my Triglycerides? What is my HDL, [High Density lipoproteins] or LDL [Low-density lipoproteins]? Is my glucose level good?” BMI [Body Mass Index] is an important concern, or is it. I contend our weight may not be the issue. Calories are not the contribution that counts, cellular considerations do.
Nevertheless, conversations on health turn to diet and weight is always the issue. Talk of menus, medical issues, and diets always turns to surgery, and medication. Good health seems to be the concern. People want to achieve it, maintain it, or ignore it. For many, loosing excess pounds or gaining them is the solution. They think all ailments are caused by excessive or inadequate weight. I think they are not. Many healthy looking people are not as they seem to be.
Still, diet books sell in mass. Bulky building “nutrients” are also flying off shelves. Manuscripts mimic what experts may state; however, often they propose what is thought to be the contrary. In America, and possibly worldwide, those living in “civilized” societies are consumed with their weight. Individuals count calories, carbs, grams of fat, and points. People flock to join groups looking for support; they try Weight Watchers™ and Jenny Craig™. They descend into a world of trends. The Zone, South Beach, and Atkins diets come to mind. Individuals calculate the numbers. They do so in every office, home, restaurant, and car.
The common consensus remains, thin signifies vigor and vitality, as long as it is not too extreme. Fitness is visible, rather than veiled. For some reason we are convinced, if a person that appears to be in good physical shape, s/he is. We do not look deeply; we focus on the obvious, weight and vitals.
Over the last decades, I too was consumed with the superficial, the diagnosis, and not the cellular forces that guided me. I did not always consider the function of food as much as the taste. There are those that eat only to survive; they too rarely weigh the benefits of their choices.
I thought emotions were my main guide. I ate because I felt sad, happy, scared, or expectant. Even the experts, media, and conventions told me that my eating, weight, and milieu were responsible for what was my life. Numerous persons believe convenience, cost, and accessibility are the decisive factors that influence them.
While these rationalizations, in part, may be true, why we eat, as we do, cannot be easily categorized. Nothing is that simple. Therefore, I propose we must take a comprehensive approach to assessing our food choices and the results of these.
We look at the body and see only the size. Rarely, do we assess the color, texture, and quality of a person’s skin when we are evaluating health. Judgments are often that, appraisals with little information. In the minds of most, outer beauty defines what is within. Even as we scan our own bodies, we rarely look at the characteristics of our nails, teeth, or hair. When considering good health we ignore the clarity of our eyes. We attribute what we do see to outside forces. Few of us think about what is happening within.
For the most part, studying these nuances is not possible. Nails are painted, broken, or bitten. Teeth are capped, bleached, false, or stained. Hair is dyed, fried, or otherwise altered. The glow in one’s eyes, some think, simply fades with age. Age, now that is an interesting topic. Why do we age and do we need to. I myself am experiencing juvenescence.
I offer my beliefs and those that substantiate my experience. In my own life, I have realized that weight was never my problem. Counting calories did not help. Actually, ignoring these and the scale were my answers.
I looked at science, at chemistry, physic, physiology, and psychology. I combined all schools of thoughts and determined what would be my truth. Yours may be different and that is fine. I merely wish to bring possibilities to the table. Please feast along with me, differ, disagree, and discuss. My mind is open to the opportunity.
In my life, there were many food addictions, poor eating habits, and health concerns. All were interrelated. I lived on sugar, transfats, grains, and goodies that were made of these. I stayed away from these at times and; yet, I was always drawn back. I struggled to gain control over my food plan, not my weight. However, they were inextricably tied. Until I realized this, I was lost in a world of confusion, consumption, calories, or chaos.
Finally, I recognized calories and consumption were not the problems; the way my body reacted to the quality of these was. For me, the chemistry of foods, the cellular reactions were more important than the calories or other superficial considerations.
I changed. I exchanged complex carbohydrates for simple sugars. I studied the Glycemic Index so that I might determine how foods were being processed in my body. Were they physically and psychologically fulfilling? Were they acting as fuel and fending off ailments.
I increased my protein while balancing this intake with other nutrients. I chose fats and oils that were healthy and essential. I personally decided against dairy and looked to food that are naturally fortified with calcium. This thought may not be a popular one. I offer it only because it works for me.
Grains and starches, for me, need to be consumed with caution. When I start filling my empty stomach with these, I can easily become bloated. I forget to eat the more nutritious victuals. For me, a wholesome diet is beneficial. Manufactured blends that are now labeled “food,” I think are empty. I know the arguments, time, money, convenience, and comfort. For most people these are all truths. I struggle with none of them; nor do I believe these dictums. I have made my life work, and I eat, as I prefer.
Personally, I think simple sugars are costly. Fast food does not come quickly. The affects of these last a lifetime. It is more convenient for me to eat nourishing foods. I can grab a piece of fruit or a vegetable easily. Preparation, at times, can be nil. As for comfort, ahh, I can only sigh. There is such comfort in not needing extraordinary amounts of medication, if any, in visiting physicians at will and not because of a chronic condition. I trust that healthy food is not the answer for all that ails any of us. However, if we eat well, we can eliminate worries of weight.
In all, I make no recommendations. I only ask you to do your own research. Study your body. Look at more than weight, or the indicators of overall health. Reflect upon the data and then digest how the foods you eat feel within you.
• The New Superfoods, By Anne Underwood. Newsweek October 24, 2005
• Bulking up without 'the juice,' By Jacqueline Stenson MSNBC March 24, 2006
• Getting Thin On A Budget CBS News. May 25, 2004
• How the new diet books measure up, By Nanci Hellmich, USA Today January 4, 2006
• Skinny models 'send unhealthy message By Audrey Gillan. The Guardian. May 31, 2000
• Unhealthy obsession, By Gabriella Boston. The Washington Times. April 9, 2006
• The Effects of Physical Activity On Health and Disease Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Weight-Loss Surgeries Info Ethicon Endo-Surgery 2006
• Common Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss, By Robert B. Saper M.D., M.P.H., David M. Eisenberg, M.D., and Russell S. Phillips, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
• Who made America fat? By Julie Flaherty. Tufts Nutrition. Tufts University. Fall 2004
The farmers passed the extra calories onto the food companies in the form of inexpensive raw materials. The food industry prospered by supplying large volumes of low-cost, good-tasting processed food that the American public was very willing to buy. Americans chose and bought their food mainly on taste, convenience and price, rather than on health benefits.
As food producers consolidated into larger corporations, they were able to invest millions in the marketing and promotion of processed foods. Advertising was a good way to reach every available customer. But once there are no more new customers to be found in the United States, the only way to increase sales is to get those customers to eat more.
“In spite of largely saturated markets in all types of processed foods and beverages in recent years, the food industry as a whole continues to grow both in sales and product volumes,” Tillotson wrote in the Annual Review of Nutrition. “This economic paradox of continued growth in spite of apparent market saturation results in the caloric source of much of America’s pandemic obesity.”
Not surprisingly, Economic Research Service data suggest that the average daily calorie intake is 2,700 calories. That is an increase of 530 calories, or 24.5 percent, between 1970 and 2000.
At heart, it is good old-fashioned capitalism, Tillotson acknowledges. “Our stock market demands it,” he said. “They honor the company that has growth and promise.”
• Poor Nutrition and a Sedentary Lifestyle: “The 21st Century Plague”
• High Costs Of Poor Eating Patterns In the United States, By Elizabeth Frazão
• Fat In America By, R. Coleman. The North Texan
• CSPI's Guide to Food Additives, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Traditional thinking says it’s our own fault, but University of North Texas [UNT’s] Priscilla Connors says this may not be entirely true. “We certainly have a level of personal responsibility, but it can also be said that we live in a somewhat toxic environment,” says Connors, a nutritionist and assistant professor of hospitality management.
• Prescription for Aging Beautifully, By Dr. Nicholas Perricone. Harpo Productions
• All that rich food is leading to poor health, By Wang Shanshan. China Daily. May 16, 2006
With more money in their pockets, they are now eating food that is higher in quantity and lower in quality, according to some of the country's best nutritionists. "Urban residents are taking in too much fat and too few minerals," said Chen Chunming, nutritionist and former president of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine in Beijing.
• A Simple Guide To Complex Carbohydrates, By Dale Blumenthal. Hopkins Technology. 2006
• Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage, Harvard School of Public Health. 2006
• Dietary fats: Know which types to choose, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 2006
• Healthy Grains, Big Carrot Natural Food Market
• Eating Guidelines to Lower Triglycerides, University of Wisconsin Hospitals. 2004
Simple Sugars
• Sugar, It’s Effects On the Body and Mind The Macrobiotic Guide
Refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, and only empty calories. What happens when you eat a refined carbohydrate like sugar? Your body must borrow vital nutrients from healthy cells to metabolize the incomplete food. Calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of the sugar. Many times, so much calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium.
• Nancy Appleton, PhD, Author of “Lick The Sugar Habit” offers 146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health. I submit a few of these for your review.
1) Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2) Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
3) Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4) Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
5) Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases).
6) Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose.
7) Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins.
8) Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9) Sugar leads to cancer of the ovaries.
10) Sugar causes copper deficiency.
11) Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
12) Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and nor epinephrine.
13) Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
14) Sugar contributes to obesity.
15) High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Why Sugar is Toxic To the Body Nexus
Dr Martin classified refined sugar as a poison because it has been depleted of its life forces, vitamins, and minerals. "What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. The body cannot utilize this refined starch and carbohydrate unless the depleted proteins, vitamins, and minerals are present. Nature supplies these elements in each plant in quantities sufficient to metabolize the carbohydrate in that particular plant.
Transfats
• Trans Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease ©, By Alberto Ascherio, Meir J. Stampfer, and Walter C. Willett. President and Fellows of Harvard College. 1999
Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
Five years ago, evidence was strong that trans fat had deleterious impacts on blood lipids; ensuing studies have confirmed these metabolic findings and strengthened epidemiologic support for an important adverse effect on risk of coronary heart disease.
• “For the sake of health, the food industry must admit oils ain't oils,” The Sydney Morning Herald. May 16, 2006
Trans fat is associated with a long list of serious problems. It increases "bad" LDL cholesterol, just like saturated fats. But it also decreases "good" protective HDL cholesterol (saturated fats increase this one), raises triglyceride levels, and increases blood levels of another harmful fat called Lp(a). Studies show that a 2 per cent increase in kilojoules from trans fats increases the incidence of heart disease by almost 25 per cent.
Trans fat also increases inflammatory reactions within the body - including those associated with diabetes and sudden death from cardiac causes. And many of the adverse effects are greater in those who are overweight, a problem for the majority of Australian adults.
Grains
• Whole Grains By Jane Higdon, Ph.D.
Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon State University. December 16, 2005
A Possible Frame. Personally, I believe the choice is yours. Study your body.
• Food Guide Pyramid. What Should You Really Eat? Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition. 2006
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on May 18, 2006 at 06:50 PM in Calories. Cells., Childhood Obesity, Competitive Production, Diabetes, Diet, Eating Disorders or Habits, Emotional Decisions, Farming Business, Food Folly, Ford, Soda, Soft Drinks, Sugar, TransFatty Acids, Weight | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Childhood Obesity. Adult On-Set Diabetes. Osteoporosis. Soda ©
Mr. Clinton realizes conditions such as theses are more prevalent in today’s society because people are drinking more soda. Scientifically there is connection between our sweet sodas and our failing health. I offer much of this research at the conclusion of this treatise. However, my concern goes beyond what I believe is a superficial solution to the problem. Having been a person saturated in soda water, I think removing the culprit from our schools, may not alter the effects.
The Former President, along with the American Heart Association, negotiated an agreement with the three largest soft-drink manufacturers. Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Cadbury Schweppes, will willingly stop selling fattening sodas and sugary drinks in American elementary and middle schools. The companies will no longer offer the larger sized sweet beverages in the high schools. The elder students will be able to buy diet drinks, sports beverages, and brews that are lower in calories. The President and the producers propose, if young people have less access to the high caloric carbonated beverages, they will drink less and be healthier. Possibly that is true; perhaps, it is not.
The hazards soft-drink consumption is a subject I have thought of for decades. I, as Mr. Clinton did imbibe great quantities of soda. I knew as the President discovered, this action had its effects. I am famous among hundreds of students for my “Mountain Dew Story.” For close to a decade students have asked me to write and publish the tale. This week as Former President Bill Clinton and soft drink manufacturers get much press for the simplistic solution they are presenting I feel compelled. I will share the oft-told tale in writing.
For me this story is not about soda, though superficially some may see it as that. It is about choices, habits, and the decision to be healthier. I offer this narrative to classes at the beginning of each term. Students call it the “Mountain Dew Story.” However, they know that is not the lesson of this tale. They can quote the real reason for this narrative. The lesson it teaches is, “The manner in which we think, say, do, feel, and are is a choice.”
We often think that who we are and what we think, say, do, and feel is our nature; we were born this way. We are not. We learn these habits at a very young age; so young we do not recognize that we are learning. We do not know we have other options. Therefore, we choose what we know, what is familiar, and what our families teach us, knowingly or not. We adopt habits and assume these are personifications of us. They are our nature; they are not.
I offer this my own story in an attempt to illustrate that we can choose to change. We can choose wisely; we can become healthier and happier. Your habit may be one of zillions. When I offer this thought to students I relate their possible habits to classroom conduct or aspects of life that relate to school. I might suggest procrastination as a habit. Nervous energy may be the practice I mention. For those of us older; yet barely wiser our conventions may be different. Whatever your custom may be the correlation is clear, if we decide to consider these.
I grew up in a family that did not drink milk. We had milk in the house; it was only for cooking and baking. The first time I ever ran away from home was when my Dad decided I needed to drink the milk remaining at the bottom of the cereal bowl. I did not want to do that. I did not like milk. I used it only as a conduit to moisten my cereal and to soak up the sugar. After the cereal was gone and I had slurped up all the sugar, I was done. My Dad thought not; he said so. I fled from home with him hot on my tail. However, that was only a moment, it occurred later in my life. I was eight years of age at that time.
When I was younger, very young, I began walking, talking, and I toilet trained my self. I did all this by the age of eight months. Therefore, I could be easily left with a babysitter. The sitter my family and I preferred was my Grandfather. My Grandpop owned a pharmacy and in those days, pharmacies had what were called soda fountains. These were counters with stools in front of them. Behind the counters were grills for short order cooking. Soda was on tap. I could have all that I wanted. Happily, I would sit all day. I read comic books, ate candy, and drank a lot of soda.
I suspect my sisters did similar in their youth. I am uncertain. However, I have reason to believe that my eldest sister might still be drinking soda for breakfast. I can relate.
My grandfather did not like the way Coca-cola did business. He worked with and sold only Pepsi products, and yes, I knew the difference. In discussing this, my Mom shared, he had posters hanging in the back of the store. They were pro-Pepsi and anti-coke banners. I got the message.
Years later, my family moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lexington, Kentucky, Bluegrass Country. This was the same year Pepsi introduced Mountain Dew. Though I was a loyal cola drinker, I was interested in the new product, as was my Dad. The company began advertising eight weeks before they brought the merchandise to the shelves. I was anxiously awaiting it.
My Mom theorized I was hooked on the advertisements; I was not. I hated these, thinking them silly. Originally, the soda was promoted as one bottled by “hillbillies” Patsy and Bill. The slogan was, “Yahoo, Mountain Dew.” Now, living in hillbilly country, I thought I must be meant to try this.
Finally, the drink hit the shelves and soon appeared at our dinner table. It was bright yellow. Yes, I heard the chuckles and the words comparing it to urine. These had no effect on me. I indulged and indulged and indulged. I changed my preference, my “poison,” I switched from cola to Mountain Dew.
When I was living with my grandparents for a summer, in Florida, my grandmother became quite concerned. She called my parents and said, “Betsy seems to be drinking an awful lot of soda.” My father and mother did not share her apprehension. They assured her, it was all right. She relented, allowed me to, and I continued to drink. In my mid-to late teenage years, I began freezing the liquid ambrosia. I would pour the fluid into plastic cups. I prepared five to eight of these nightly. The next day, I would then eat them.
Once frozen, the Dew developed a layer of syrup on the top. The carbonation kept it from freezing as a hard as a rock; there were air pockets. It was a delicacy. I would run home at lunch, during breaks, and after school to grab a frozen “Dew.” I was in a hurry as I dashed for my delight. On these occasions, I could not be stopped. I was on a mission.
By the time I reached adulthood, I was an addict, a devotee, and an aficionado. Those in the grocery store would insist, ‘You should do ads for the company or buy stock in it.’ They knew, as did I, I could sell Mountain Dew to anyone. I could profit from my own purchases. We would laugh.
Later in life, I hurt my back, then my arm. I could no longer lift large bottles from the grocer’s shelves. Nor could I push shopping carts loaded down with the quantities I drank daily. Thus, I would call ahead to the request that these bottles be made ready for my arrival. I would say “this is Betsy.” and the voice on the other end of the telephone would reply saying, “How many?” I would answer twenty-four.
That meant, "Please put twenty-four two liter bottles in a cart.” Place these in the front of the store, I would be right over to pick them up. I back-stocked. The stores knew me so well that they gave me my own blue crates. Typically, there is a deposit on these; yet, for me, there was none. I would store three crates in the trunk of my car and more in my pantry. I worried; I did not want to run out.
I realized this was ridiculous, as was my consumption. I read and read of the effects of soda, what the caffeine, sugar, phosphates and more were doing to my body. I knew and I was scared. I wanted to end this cycle; I wished for the cascade of effects to be eliminated, or at least reduced. With time and age, these were increasingly apparent. My teeth alone were evidence. There were other maladies. I suspect these too were related to my consumption. However, I did not think I could stop. I did love the drink.
I would think of what I was doing and justify. At least I had never had a drink of alcohol; I did not gamble or do “drugs.” Though I wondered, what were sugar, caffeine, and phosphates for me? Were these not my trappings? Corn syrup and high fructose were other topics I could discuss. However, I will leave these for another investigation. I told myself Mountain Dew was a health drink. Among its main ingredients was orange juice. A friend that traveled to China said in that country, it was advertised as such. That worked well for me. Rationalizations, are they not quaint?
More than seven years ago, closer to eight, which seems a significant number in my life, I began saying aloud, “I need to quit.”
Each day I would go to the store to retrieve my drug of choice and instead of simply laughing with the cashers of my habits, I would say aloud, “One day I will give this up.” The question was would I or could I? A year and one half went by, and for no specific reason of note, I decided to stop consuming caffeine. I would switch to a soda without that. It was April 30, 1999. It was a challenge. I really did not enjoy the other options; nevertheless, it was important that I do this. I needed to try to stop the flow of caffeine.
I continued to read of the effects of soda. Instantly, I realized eliminating Mountain Dew would not improve my worn tooth enamel. The calcium was still being leeched from my bones. Soda was the source of much of my concerns. It was not merely the ingredients in the Dew.
By May 25, 1999, I was done. I stopped drinking all soda. I digested no more empty calories. I thought I would go through withdrawal. I expected the sight of soda to stimulate salivation. I though I would be as Pavlov’s dogs. Surprisingly, I was not. None of what I was told would happen occurred. I did have an eyeball headache for a few hours; that was all.
Actually, I began slowly, to eat better, to improve my habits in other avenues of my life. I felt empowered. I had made a choice and followed through. Imagine that.
More interesting to me was that I did not white knuckle this. I never went back to soda. I did not substitute another addiction for this one. The years of thinking of this habit, telling the story had helped. Working on me was the wonder. The reflection was the labor; the change was my love. I gave up nothing. I gained so much. Words will never accurately describe this. It must be felt from within.
Therefore, I have a sneaking suspicion that I could share more statistics, offer more facts, promote greater fear, and still do nothing to help those of you with a craving. I believe that facts are futile, interesting, and possibly might stimulate thought and a decision. However, only you can cast your habits aside. I will not remove distractions, soda, or the source of your addiction. Bill Clinton may have the power to do this; I do not.
I only ask you to think of yourself. Please do so before you do much more damage. I know the process is slow and you can and will progress at your own pace. Please do not be discouraged; do not rely on the government or manufacturers to help you work through your habits. They may offer a quick fix, a simple solution; however, typically, these are short-lived. While I appreciate Mr. Clinton’s attempts and I am awestruck by the soft-drink companies willingness to reduce soda sales in the schools, I do not think in the end, this plan is a solution.
We are familiar with the process. Persons on diets empty their homes of the foods they fear eating. They find these same sweets elsewhere, or purchase them again later. Individuals that want to quit smoking do, some do this time Habits are a challenge; change is not a whim. Much conscious thought goes into altering who you are, or who you thought you were. You have long believed what you think, say, do, feel, and are is your nature.
I offer this. A thought stimulates action. Without our thoughts, we remain as we are, as we were before we knew more. Think through your habits and chose those that are healthy.
Maybe the research will be your motivation, thus I share some of this.
The sugar from soda takes a great toll.
James A Howenstine M.D. writes in A Physician's Guide to Natural Health Products That Work
"In an interesting experiment the sugar from one soft drink was able to damage the white blood cells' ability to ingest and kill gonococcal bacteria for seven hours."
"Soft drinks also contain large quantities of phosphorus, which when excreted pulls calcium out of the bones. Heavy users of soft drinks will have osteoporosis along with their damaged arteries.”
Caffeine has replaced calcium in America diets. The effects of this are documented.
Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influenced Nutrition and Health (California Studies in Food and Culture) offers, “caffeine has replaced calcium in American diets.” She believes there is cause to worry. In her text, she continues . . .
"Soft drinks have replaced milk in the diets of many American children as well as adults. School purchases reflect such trends. From 1985 to 1997, school districts decreased the amounts of milk they bought by nearly 30% and increased their purchases of carbonated sodas."
"The relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times."
"Adolescents who consume soft drinks display a risk of bone fractures three to four-fold higher than those who do not."
"Sugar and acid in soft drinks so easily dissolve tooth enamel."
"Americans drink 13.15 billion gallons of carbonated drinks every year."
"Soft drink consumption in children poses a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones.”
Soft-drink consumption leads to calcium loss via the kidneys.
Dr. Neal Barnard, MD reinforces the earlier stated sentiments in Foods That Cause You to Lose Weight: The Negative Calorie Effect
"Another advantage of avoiding sodas is that you will avoid the caffeine that is in many of them. Caffeine is a weak diuretic that causes calcium loss via the kidneys."
Soft drinks lower calcium and raise the phosphate level in the blood.
Michael Murray ND and Joseph Pizzorno ND, write in the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition
"Soft drinks have long been suspected of leading to lower calcium levels and higher phosphate levels in the blood. When phosphate levels are high and calcium levels are low, calcium is pulled out of the bones. The phosphate content of soft drinks like Coca -Cola and Pepsi is very high, and they contain virtually no calcium."
"Many general dietary factors have been suggested as a cause of osteoporosis, including: low calcium-high phosphorus intake, high-protein diet, high-acid-ash diet, high salt intake, and trace mineral deficiencies. It appears that increased soft drink consumption is a major factor that contributes to osteoporosis. A deficiency of vitamin K leads to impaired mineralization of bone. Boron deficiency may contribute greatly to osteoporosis as well as to menopausal symptoms.”
Diet soda drinkers do not escape harm as they too consume empty calories.
According to Carol Simontacchi, author of The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children presents this.
Weight Gain Occurs, with or without exercise. Reduced caloric intake does not change this.
Greg Critser, penned, Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World.
He offers . . .
"A joint study by Harvard University and Boston Children's Hospital researchers in February 2001 concluded that such excess liquid calories inhibited the ability of older children to compensate at mealtime, leading to caloric imbalance and, in time, obesity."
"One extra soft drink a day gave a child a 60 percent greater chance of becoming obese. One could even link specific amounts of soda to specific amounts of weight gain. Each daily drink added .18 points to a child's body mass index (BMI). This, the researchers noted, was regardless of what else they ate or how much they exercised. "Consumption of sugar [high fructose corn syrup]-sweetened drinks," they concluded, "is associated with obesity in children."
There is much to consider, more to reason to choose wisely. Please, be happy and healthy.
References for your reveiew . . .
• Soda Ban Means Change at Schools By Mary Otto and Lori Aratani. Washington Post Thursday, May 4, 2006
• School's Out for Soda By Sora Song. Time Magazine. May 4, 2006
• Expelling Pop From School: Sugary soda could vanish by 2009, By Peggy Walsh-Sarnecki and Chastity Pratt. Detroit Free Press. May 4, 2006
• Soda—A Look at the Effects It Has on the Human Body By Erin Sanders. Missouri Baptist University. October 28, 2003
• Soda Consumption Puts Children at Risk For Obesity, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and Cavities Northern and Southern California Public Health Associations. August 2005
• The Real Dangers of Soda to You and Your Children, By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege
• The health effects of drinking soda - quotes from the experts By Mike Adams. NewsTarget Network. Saturday, January 08, 2005
• “A Physician's Guide to Natural Health Products That Work" By James A Howenstine M.D.
• "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influenced Nutrition and Health" By Marion Nestle
• Foods That Cause You to Lose Weight: The Negative Calorie Effect
• Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno
• The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children By Carol Simontacchi
• Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World By Greg Critser
Posted by Betsy L. Angert on May 4, 2006 at 10:01 PM in Bill Clinton, Former President , Childhood Obesity, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Cadbury Schweppes, Diabetes, Food Folly, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Short-term Solutions, Soda, Soft Drinks, William Jefferson Clinton | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
