Sugar Overload!!!

As kids our moms warned us that having too many sweets would rot our teeth. Well guess what, mom was right! A typical can of soda can contain as much as 10 teaspoons of sugar! And we all know that some Americans, especially teenagers, sure can guzzle their soda!

Do you know how much sugar you and your family drink every day? According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the consumption of soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks has increased by 500% over the past 50 years in the United States. The ADA reports that Americans consume more than 53 gallons of carbonated soft drinks per person per year. Some people find it difficult to avoid these sugary drinks since there are nearly 450 different soft drinks available in the United States.

What’s alarming is that most people don’t realize how much sugar they, or their children, consume on a daily basis. A research project published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that the average American eats the equivalent of 21 teaspoons of added sugar a day and that’s about 2 ½ to 3 times more sugar than recommended.

Excess sugar consumption is associated with obesity, diabetes, and other conditions linked to heart disease. The study warns that eating a diet that is extremely high in sugar can be as dangerous as having one that is high in fat.

The study showed that people who ate the most added sugar had the lowest HDL, or good cholesterol and people who ate the least amount of sugar had the highest HDL, or bad cholesterol. The study concluded that eating large amounts of added sugar more than tripled the risk of having low HDL, which is “a major risk factor for heart disease.”

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar in the diet to no more than 100 calories a day for most women and 150 calories a day for most men. That equals about 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Did you know, however, that just one 12-ounce can of regular soda can have up to 10 teaspoons of sugar!

Eating and drinking excessive amounts of sugar affects the health of your mouth, too. Consuming too much sugar may lead to oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Sugar weakens and erodes enamel, the protective outer surface of teeth, and this makes teeth more susceptible to harmful bacteria and decay.

Simply put, eating and drinking too much sugar can cause cavities. A cavity starts as a small hole in your tooth. The ADA explains on their website that when you eat or drink sugary or starchy foods, the sugars and plaque on your teeth mix together to make an acid. The acids in your mouth attack your teeth and can make cavities.

Cavities cannot be fixed by themselves. They can only be fixed by a dentist who will remove the decay and put a filling in the hole left in your tooth. So what can you do to prevent cavities? The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing at least once per day, visiting the dentist regularly, and making nutritious food and beverage choices.

Bright Side Dental is a dental office with locations in Sterling Heights, Livonia, Canton, and Royal Oak, Michigan. Visit www.BrightSideDental.com for more information cavity prevention.
by: Josh Gershonowicz

Bigotry Against the Obese by Leaders of Massachusetts General Hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts?

I am amplifying a post by Roy Poses entitled "Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?".

In that post, Dr. Poses noted a lack of relevant professional credentials in executives making profoundly misinformed and indeed cruel statements about the obese:

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion. So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one. But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

Dr. Poses then went on to point out the lack of these executives' appropriate credentials to be making such statements.

In a Dec. 2009 post I'd addressed related issues:

Diversity Nightmare And Federal Antidiscrimination Laws: Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos M. Cosgrove Would Proudly Discriminate Against Fat People

The following stunning quote appeared in the Nov. 27, 2009 Newsweek article "The Hospital That Could Cure Health Care" about the Cleveland Clinic:

[Cleveland Clinic president and CEO Dr. Delos M. Cosgrove, a former cardiac surgeon] has even taken on the most intractable driver of American health-care costs: Americans. Having already banned the hiring of smokers (a dictate enforced by urine tests for nicotine), Cosgrove declared this year that if it weren't illegal under federal law, he would refuse to hire fat people as well. The resulting outcry led him to apologize for "hurtful" comments. But he has not backed down from his belief that obesity is a failure of willpower, which can be attacked by the same weapons used to combat smoking: public education, economic incentives, and sheer exhortation.

My thoughts come from the perspective of a former fitness-for-duty evaluator and drug testing officer (Medical Review Officer) for the regional transit authority in a very large city, and a hiring manager in the hospital and pharmaceutical sectors. I find a profoundly discriminatory statement that a hospital CEO would "refuse to hire fat people" if he could get away with it, and that he refuses to hire smokers and forces people (presumably candidates) to take a urine nicotine test, totalitarian and highly abhorrent.

The attitudes of these executives show a near-complete ignorance of this disease and its causes and treatment.

The attitudes also seem to show simple bigotry.

In Connors' case, his statements also show ignorance of his own hospital, Mass General.

From the website of the MGH Weight Center, realistic and compassionate attitudes about obesity:

Obesity, or excess body fat, is a serious medical problem now affecting one-third of all American adults and 20% of American children and adolescents. Even mild obesity increases a person's risk of having diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disorders, liver disease, arthritis, certain cancers, and other medical conditions. Overweight people have tried hundreds of ways to lose weight, from expensive commercial programs and risky drugs to unusual diets and exercise regimens.

"Recent discoveries about the genetic and physiological causes of obesity, along with the rapid development of pharmacological opportunities, have generated hope and excitement among patients and their families, their physicians and the scientific community. Massachusetts General Hospital has assembled the resources and outstanding professionals so that we can provide state-of-the-art treatment and work to find a cure for this challenging medical problem."

Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD Director

Overweight and obesity, like many other chronic medical problems, require specialized treatment. We believe that weight disorders must be treated by compassionate and knowledgeable professionals who take advantage of the latest scientific developments and tailor treatment to each patient's individual needs.

In that regard, I wrote Dr. Kaplan an email:

Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 7:52 AM
To: kaplan@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Cc: Miriam@cswd.org; Lynn@cswd.org; billfabrey@amplestuff.com

Re:  Bay State hospital and insurance heavies blames
fat-slob consumers for heath problems

Dear Dr. Kaplan,

I am a physician and advocate for the best healthcare, in my case through excellence in health IT. However, I am also an advocate for another cause - antidiscrimination against the obese.

As my colleague Roy Poses of Brown wrote at the blog of the Foundation for Integrity and Responsibility in Medicine, Heathcare Renewal:

Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion. So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one. But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

It seems Connors and Guzzi are calling obese people irresponsible, in effect, lazy slobs. Roy also noted that both your Chairman Connors and Guzzi lack healthcare credentials and therefore any understanding of the causes and challenges of treating obesity.

I had addressed this issue in a Healthcare Renewal post of my own, in my Dec. 2009 post "Diversity Nightmare And Federal Antidiscrimination Laws: Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos M. Cosgrove Would Proudly Discriminate Against Fat People"

As a physician who has been up and down the scale myself, and discriminated against when on the heavy side, I am quite tired of such attitudes.

I note more realistic attitudes at http://www.weightcenter.org/ .

I believe a statement from you on this matter would be appropriate.

I am CC'ing this message to cswd.org and amplestuff.com, two groups with whom I communicated in the past.

It is a sad day indeed when the Chairman of one of the finest hospitals in the world, Massachusetts General, talks stupidly and discriminatorily out of the distal gastrointestinal orifice about how much people put in the proximal end of their GI tracts.

-- SS

Bigotry Against the Obese by Leaders of Massachusetts General Hospital and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts?

I am amplifying a post by Roy Poses entitled "Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?".

In that post, Dr. Poses noted a lack of relevant professional credentials in executives making profoundly misinformed and indeed cruel statements about the obese:

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion. So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one. But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

Dr. Poses then went on to point out the lack of these executives' appropriate credentials to be making such statements.

In a Dec. 2009 post I'd addressed related issues:

Diversity Nightmare And Federal Antidiscrimination Laws: Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos M. Cosgrove Would Proudly Discriminate Against Fat People

The following stunning quote appeared in the Nov. 27, 2009 Newsweek article "The Hospital That Could Cure Health Care" about the Cleveland Clinic:

[Cleveland Clinic president and CEO Dr. Delos M. Cosgrove, a former cardiac surgeon] has even taken on the most intractable driver of American health-care costs: Americans. Having already banned the hiring of smokers (a dictate enforced by urine tests for nicotine), Cosgrove declared this year that if it weren't illegal under federal law, he would refuse to hire fat people as well. The resulting outcry led him to apologize for "hurtful" comments. But he has not backed down from his belief that obesity is a failure of willpower, which can be attacked by the same weapons used to combat smoking: public education, economic incentives, and sheer exhortation.

My thoughts come from the perspective of a former fitness-for-duty evaluator and drug testing officer (Medical Review Officer) for the regional transit authority in a very large city, and a hiring manager in the hospital and pharmaceutical sectors. I find a profoundly discriminatory statement that a hospital CEO would "refuse to hire fat people" if he could get away with it, and that he refuses to hire smokers and forces people (presumably candidates) to take a urine nicotine test, totalitarian and highly abhorrent.

The attitudes of these executives show a near-complete ignorance of this disease and its causes and treatment.

The attitudes also seem to show simple bigotry.

In Connors' case, his statements also show ignorance of his own hospital, Mass General.

From the website of the MGH Weight Center, realistic and compassionate attitudes about obesity:

Obesity, or excess body fat, is a serious medical problem now affecting one-third of all American adults and 20% of American children and adolescents. Even mild obesity increases a person's risk of having diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disorders, liver disease, arthritis, certain cancers, and other medical conditions. Overweight people have tried hundreds of ways to lose weight, from expensive commercial programs and risky drugs to unusual diets and exercise regimens.

"Recent discoveries about the genetic and physiological causes of obesity, along with the rapid development of pharmacological opportunities, have generated hope and excitement among patients and their families, their physicians and the scientific community. Massachusetts General Hospital has assembled the resources and outstanding professionals so that we can provide state-of-the-art treatment and work to find a cure for this challenging medical problem."

Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD Director

Overweight and obesity, like many other chronic medical problems, require specialized treatment. We believe that weight disorders must be treated by compassionate and knowledgeable professionals who take advantage of the latest scientific developments and tailor treatment to each patient's individual needs.

In that regard, I wrote Dr. Kaplan an email:

Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 7:52 AM
To: kaplan@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Cc: Miriam@cswd.org; Lynn@cswd.org; billfabrey@amplestuff.com

Re:  Bay State hospital and insurance heavies blames
fat-slob consumers for heath problems

Dear Dr. Kaplan,

I am a physician and advocate for the best healthcare, in my case through excellence in health IT. However, I am also an advocate for another cause - antidiscrimination against the obese.

As my colleague Roy Poses of Brown wrote at the blog of the Foundation for Integrity and Responsibility in Medicine, Heathcare Renewal:

Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion. So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one. But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

It seems Connors and Guzzi are calling obese people irresponsible, in effect, lazy slobs. Roy also noted that both your Chairman Connors and Guzzi lack healthcare credentials and therefore any understanding of the causes and challenges of treating obesity.

I had addressed this issue in a Healthcare Renewal post of my own, in my Dec. 2009 post "Diversity Nightmare And Federal Antidiscrimination Laws: Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos M. Cosgrove Would Proudly Discriminate Against Fat People"

As a physician who has been up and down the scale myself, and discriminated against when on the heavy side, I am quite tired of such attitudes.

I note more realistic attitudes at http://www.weightcenter.org/ .

I believe a statement from you on this matter would be appropriate.

I am CC'ing this message to cswd.org and amplestuff.com, two groups with whom I communicated in the past.

It is a sad day indeed when the Chairman of one of the finest hospitals in the world, Massachusetts General, talks stupidly and discriminatorily out of the distal gastrointestinal orifice about how much people put in the proximal end of their GI tracts.

-- SS

Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion.  So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one.  But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

Jack Connors is currently chair of the board of Partners Healthcare.  A quick biography is here:

John M. Connors, Jr., 67, Chairman Emeritus of Hill Holliday (formerly Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc). (full service marketing and communications company) since 2006. Chairman of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc. from 1995 until 2006, during which time Mr. Connors also served as President and Chief Executive Officer until 2003. Mr. Connors was a founding partner of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos. Director of Covidien Ltd. Mr. Connors’ 40 years of business experience includes cofounding and developing one of the top advertising and marketing communications firms in the United States, advising many of the top branded companies in the world, and serving on the boards of dozens of entities, including public companies, private companies, hospitals and colleges. (Biographical Information as of 4/16/10)

Although Mr Connors did once run a medical education and communications company (see this post), he has no obvious direct experience or training in biology, epidemiology, public health, or medicine.

Similarly, here is biography of Paul Guzzi:

Paul Guzzi is president and chief executive officer of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, one of the region’s leading business associations.

Mr. Guzzi brings extensive experience in both business and government to his work at the Chamber. A former Massachusetts secretary of state and chief secretary to the Governor, as well as a member of the management teams of two Fortune 500 companies; he is a leading advocate for economic development and job creation.

Prior to leading the Chamber, Mr. Guzzi was vice president of state and community affairs for Boston College. Previously, he was a consultant for Heidrick & Struggles, an international recruitment and consulting firm. Mr. Guzzi also served as a vice president at Data General Corporation and as a senior vice president at Wang Laboratories. During his tenure at Wang, he worked closely with Dr. An Wang to oversee the restoration and transformation of what is now the Wang Theatre.

Mr. Guzzi began his public service career as a state representative from Newton in 1970. He was elected Massachusetts secretary of state in 1974. Mr. Guzzi served as a chief of staff for Governor Edward King and chief administrator of the Board of Regents of Public Higher Education.

A graduate of Harvard University, Mr. Guzzi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. He completed the Harvard Business School Management Development Program. He was also an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Again, Mr Guzzi has no obvious training or experience in biology, epidemiology, public health, or medicine.

So maybe it should be no surprise that the Boston Herald article chronicled some skepticism about these worthies' public health pronouncements.

Calling the pair’s comments 'pure smoke blowing,' Boston University public health professor Alan Sager said, 'Sure individual responsibility matters, but the responsibility for efficient, affordable, high-quality health care for all Americans falls on everybody who works in health care.'

By the way,

Connors said a major reason for rising health-care costs is that a high percentage of people who leave the hospital are later readmitted, because they don’t follow their doctors’ directions. He owns a company, Dovetail Health, that makes money by helping elderly patients readjust to life after hospitalization, including staying on their medications.

Every week I get piles of notices of "healthcare" conferences at which most of the speakers are health care organizational executives with no obvious expertise or experience in actual health care, or in biology, epidemiology, public health or medicine. I think I dimly remember a time when most people who gave public remarks on health care actually knew something about health care, not just about making money (often personally in large amounts) from the health care "industry."

Note that while the Herald was able to find people who were skeptical about these health care leaders' remarks, there was no report that their audience (presumably made up mainly of business people) roared with laughter at their efforts to talk about controversial topics which they did not seem to really understand.

We need to ask why we have become so deferential to leaders of large (and and least heretofore prestigious) health care organizations that we treat them like true experts on biology, epidemiology, public health or medicine when they have no obvious expertise, or even knowledge in these areas?

Thanks to one of our anonymous scouts for a tip on this item.

Why Pretend An Advertising Executive and Chamber of Commerce Leader Are Public Health Experts?

Obesity as a public health problem has been the subject of considerable discussion.  So that luminaries from the prestigious Partners Healthcare system and Massachusetts Blue Cross Blue Shield would weigh in on the issue at a public meeting should surprise no one.  But see this report by the Boston Herald:

When asked about rising health-care costs, Jack Connors - chairman of the Partners chain, which includes Mass. General and Brigham and Women’s hospitals - said yesterday, 'Taking care of yourself starts at home.'

'What happened to individual responsibility?' Connors said at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Westin Boston Waterfront. 'Why is obesity such an epidemic (when) we all know that a big part of being healthy is exercising and eating the right food?'

Blue Cross Blue Shield Chairman Paul Guzzi echoed Connors’ attitude yesterday.

'What is the responsibility of the individual?' said Guzzi, who as the chamber’s chief executive hosted Senate President Therese Murray’s speech on health care yesterday, despite his dual role as Blue Cross chairman.

Jack Connors is currently chair of the board of Partners Healthcare.  A quick biography is here:

John M. Connors, Jr., 67, Chairman Emeritus of Hill Holliday (formerly Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc). (full service marketing and communications company) since 2006. Chairman of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc. from 1995 until 2006, during which time Mr. Connors also served as President and Chief Executive Officer until 2003. Mr. Connors was a founding partner of Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos. Director of Covidien Ltd. Mr. Connors’ 40 years of business experience includes cofounding and developing one of the top advertising and marketing communications firms in the United States, advising many of the top branded companies in the world, and serving on the boards of dozens of entities, including public companies, private companies, hospitals and colleges. (Biographical Information as of 4/16/10)

Although Mr Connors did once run a medical education and communications company (see this post), he has no obvious direct experience or training in biology, epidemiology, public health, or medicine.

Similarly, here is biography of Paul Guzzi:

Paul Guzzi is president and chief executive officer of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, one of the region’s leading business associations.

Mr. Guzzi brings extensive experience in both business and government to his work at the Chamber. A former Massachusetts secretary of state and chief secretary to the Governor, as well as a member of the management teams of two Fortune 500 companies; he is a leading advocate for economic development and job creation.

Prior to leading the Chamber, Mr. Guzzi was vice president of state and community affairs for Boston College. Previously, he was a consultant for Heidrick & Struggles, an international recruitment and consulting firm. Mr. Guzzi also served as a vice president at Data General Corporation and as a senior vice president at Wang Laboratories. During his tenure at Wang, he worked closely with Dr. An Wang to oversee the restoration and transformation of what is now the Wang Theatre.

Mr. Guzzi began his public service career as a state representative from Newton in 1970. He was elected Massachusetts secretary of state in 1974. Mr. Guzzi served as a chief of staff for Governor Edward King and chief administrator of the Board of Regents of Public Higher Education.

A graduate of Harvard University, Mr. Guzzi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in government. He completed the Harvard Business School Management Development Program. He was also an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Again, Mr Guzzi has no obvious training or experience in biology, epidemiology, public health, or medicine.

So maybe it should be no surprise that the Boston Herald article chronicled some skepticism about these worthies' public health pronouncements.

Calling the pair’s comments 'pure smoke blowing,' Boston University public health professor Alan Sager said, 'Sure individual responsibility matters, but the responsibility for efficient, affordable, high-quality health care for all Americans falls on everybody who works in health care.'

By the way,

Connors said a major reason for rising health-care costs is that a high percentage of people who leave the hospital are later readmitted, because they don’t follow their doctors’ directions. He owns a company, Dovetail Health, that makes money by helping elderly patients readjust to life after hospitalization, including staying on their medications.

Every week I get piles of notices of "healthcare" conferences at which most of the speakers are health care organizational executives with no obvious expertise or experience in actual health care, or in biology, epidemiology, public health or medicine. I think I dimly remember a time when most people who gave public remarks on health care actually knew something about health care, not just about making money (often personally in large amounts) from the health care "industry."

Note that while the Herald was able to find people who were skeptical about these health care leaders' remarks, there was no report that their audience (presumably made up mainly of business people) roared with laughter at their efforts to talk about controversial topics which they did not seem to really understand.

We need to ask why we have become so deferential to leaders of large (and and least heretofore prestigious) health care organizations that we treat them like true experts on biology, epidemiology, public health or medicine when they have no obvious expertise, or even knowledge in these areas?

Thanks to one of our anonymous scouts for a tip on this item.

What is Your Body Type?

Your body and its features are greatly determined by your genetics. This is why certain people can have a real hard time loosing weight and others have a real hard time gaining weight. To understand why your body acts in certain ways you needed to learn more about your body type. Doing so will help you determine the best manner to achieve your goals of a healthier body.

Most people can be placed into three categories of body types. Each body type has its own unique characteristics and genes have a lot to do with that.

THE ECTOMORPH: "Ecto" refers to the slim/thin body type. People with this body type are usually the ones that have the hardest time putting on weight. They can eat anything they want and as much as they want without gaining a single pound. People with this body type are naturally skinny and have been skinny throughout their entire lives.

Ectomorphs are the most fragile of all three body types. They have long, slender limbs with small, thin bones and joints along with the very little fat and muscle mass.

Ectomorphs are also known as "hard-gainers" as they have the hardest time of all three body types to gain weight. This is due to the incredibly high metabolic rate of their bodies. This is why they can eat whatever they want without gaining a single pound. This is good if you are not trying to gain weight, but for most ectomorphs that is not their goal.

Ectomorphs have the hardest time of all to put on muscle and this can become very frustrating. I know this because I am an ectomorph. All throughout my childhood I had been very skinny. In face when I started college I was about 5'11'' and 127 pounds. So when I decided to start working out and put on muscle, it was an extremely difficult and frustrating task. I had to eat a constantly (and still do) and a lot in order to put on weight. Eventually, however with patience and hard work I have been able to put on quite a bit of muscle.

As an ectomorph, you just have to remember to stay eat constantly, maintain a good workout routines, and most importantly remain patient to achieve your goal of your ideal body type.

Key Features: Skinny, lean, fragile, fast metabolism, hard-gainers.

Famous Ectomorphs: Kiera Knightly, Johhny Depp, Paris Hilton, Bruce Lee.

THE ENDOMORPH: "Endo" refers to the large/heavy body type. People of this body type have the easiest time gaining weight and hardest time losing weight. Their bodies are naturally inclined to store more fat which makes losing fat incredibly difficult for them.

Most endomorphs have a majority of their weight focused at the centers of their body giving their bodies a round look. Also due to their weight, they gain the appearance of being stocky and can be described as having pear-shaped-bodies.

Endomorphs can literally eat a minute fraction of what Ectomorphs eat and still gain weight. This can become extremely frustrating when trying to loose weight. Endomorphs have a hard time losing weight due to their extremely slow metabolism rate and are essentially the complete opposites of ectomorphs.

If you are an endomorph, you will have to be patient just like ectomorphs to achieve your goals of weight loss. A steady, healthy diet of small meals along with regular exercise should help you achieve your ideal body type. But like with all goals, discipline and routine are the keys to success.

Key Features: Large, big-boned, slow metabolism, easy gainers.

Famous Endomorphs: Jack Black, Queen Latifah, Cedric the Entertainer, Kirstie Alley.

THE MESOMORPH: "Meso" refers to the strong/muscular body type. People with this body type can consider themselves to be lucky. Basically they are a combination of all the good traits of ectomorphs and endomorphs without any of the bad traits. Unlike ectomorphs, they can easily gain muscle mass and unlike endomorphs they have no trouble loosing weight. They essentially have the ideal muscular and athletic body type that ectomorphs and endomorphs envy.

Mesomorphs have well built bodies with well-defined muscles and strong bones. They are broad in their pectoral regions and narrow in the abdominal regions.

Mesomorphs do not need any special routines to gain or loose weight. As long as they maintain a healthy lifestyle with a combination of weight training and cardio, they can achieve the body they want.

Key Features: Hard-bodied, well-defined, muscular, strong features.

Famous Mesomorphs: Lebron James, Halle Berry, Anna Kournikova, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Most people do not strictly have one of these three body types, but rather a combination of two or all three. Your body type is determined by your genes and your goal when trying to determine your body type is to use that information to figure out the best workout routines. You can not change your genes, but you can change your body. All it takes is hard work, determination and discipline and then anything is possible. So go out there and make it happen!!!

My name is Ronek Bhatt. I am 22 years old and a fitness enthusiast. I started working out 5 years ago and since then have dedicated numerous hours learning and researching about fitness, bodybuilding, diets, and other sources of healthy living.
by: Ronek Bhatt

Is Dieting Right for You?

Dieting is the practice of ingesting food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In many cases, the ultimate goal of women who wants to go on a diet is to lose weight. Diets can generally promote weight loss and they are divided in many categories like low fat, low carbohydrate, low calorie, and very low calorie.




Women normally watch their food intake and healthy habits, but more than a third of the women’s population is already overweight, and the importance of getting fit and healthy is getting critical. One way to get fit is to adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet. But with all the diets, exercise crazes, and other activities out there, it is very difficult to find the perfect diet to utilize. No exact diet will work for everyone. You need to find the diet that fits your personality and needs. What you need to do is just choose a diet that you know can be a big part of your lifestyle. Do not trust diets that promise fast weight loss without any effort and do not trust diets that promise results without exercise and changes in your eating behavior.

Your Lifestyle and the Diet Options

The diet that suits you most is the one that suits your lifestyle. If you are sedentary, you should select the diet that put an emphasis on exercise. If you are constantly craving sweets, try the Carbohydrate Addict diet. If you are into body building, you can try the Targeted Ketogenic Diet or the Cycling Ketogenic Diet. If you have a blood sugar problem and any other cholesterol problem, try the Dr. Atkins diet. There are many types of diets out there and you should choose the one that will be most convenient to you.

Choosing the Diet

When it comes to choosing the right diet, there are some simple reminders and tips that you should follow.

* Try the Metabolic Typing Diet if you are unsure whether you should choose the diet that is lower or higher in carbohydrates.

* If you are looking for a low fat diet that is predominantly vegetarian, choose the Macrobiotic Diet. This diet can prevent hormonal related cancer like breast cancer.

* If you are having problems with your digestion, sinuses, and breathing, you should do the detox diet. You will feel a lot healthier, and you can experience the juice fasting method.

* Choose a low carbohydrate diet if you have blood sugar problems. The Zone diet is a low carb diet that includes essential fatty acids and plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

* Try the Alkaline Diet if you feel uncomfortable on high protein diet. This will help in counterbalancing the effects of diets will lots of protein, caffeine, sugar, processed and junk foods and grains.

* If you have a liking for Indian food, try the Ayurvedic diet.

* If you have any food allergies and sensitivities, a simple three-week elimination and challenge diet will help you identify all of them.

* If you have irritable bowel movement syndrome or any inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, or any small intestine bacterial overgrowth, you can try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
by: James Pendergraft

Nutritional Supplements for Weight Loss

Nowadays, it seems that everyone wants a quick and easy way to lose weight. At present, we are a fatter nation than ever before and the average size of everything seems to have increased: the size of our takeout burgers, the size of our cars, and the size of our waistlines. The best course of action in our fight against weight gain is to scale down the size and portions of our meals and snacks, and move our bodies more often. Good old fashioned diet and exercise is still the best defense for our ever-increasing weight problem...




While there really is no ‘quick fix’ for weight loss, there are certain measures people can take that do come in tablet or capsule form. Some weight loss supplements have been shown to effectively supplement a reasonable diet and solid exercise program, and have stood the test of time so that they are not considered ‘just a fad’. Let’s look at some of these supplements and what they can do for you.

CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) is an oil capsule that you take with each meal. This supplement hit the health food stores about a decade ago and they could not keep it on the shelves or re-stock it fast enough. CLA helps metabolize fats in the body and bloodstream, and there is even some anecdotal evidence that it staves off hunger. Clinical tests have shown time and again that people who have supplemented their diet with CLA over a substantial period of time have lost more weight than those taking a placebo. Even though it is no longer the fad pill of the moment, CLA has stood the test of time and is a great additional to a sensible weight loss program.

More recently, hoodia has hit the market as the best supplement for effective weight loss. This is an herb, and comes in capsule form. It works by controlling hunger and decreasing appetite. Because we are so accustomed to eating large portions of food, this type of weight loss supplement is really helpful for a lot of people. Appetite control is crucial for weight loss. Loss of control can really sabotage one’s efforts to lose weight, because the sense of accomplishment you get from watching the pounds slip away diminishes and leaves you frustrated. If you can control your appetite, your chances of sticking with your weight loss program increase and you gain confidence and satisfaction seeing your progress. For people who benefit from this type of control, hoodia is a great supplement for you.

Sugar intake in the United States is at its highest. Even though many new foods are labeled as “fat free” or “low sugar”, our sugar consumption increases with each passing year. Many of the food labels we read are misleading, as they lead consumers to believe that “fat free” or “low sugar” means “low calorie”. This is simply not true, and people end up eating more and more of these foods that are void of nutrition and very easy to overeat.

Some people have an almost uncontrollable craving for sugar, and these people would benefit from supplementing with chromium picolinate. Chromium is a trace mineral that is often difficult to get in sufficient amounts in one’s diet. It can be taken once or twice a day in capsule form, usually in a 200 mg dosage. Chromium functions to control one’s craving for sugar, and works at the cellular level to do so. Along with healthy consumption of fruits and vegetables and a concerted effort to lessen the intake of empty calories such as cakes and cookies, chromium picolinate can help maximize your weight loss efforts.

There are a great number of things you can do to maximize your weight loss efforts. If you find that the hours in your day are limited, you can wake up just a half hour earlier and get your exercise in then. When you eat your dinner, try substituting that side of French fries with an extra helping of the broccoli you prepared instead. Park your car an extra 50 yards from the supermarket entrance, instead of trying to find the closest parking space you can. When you watch TV, do pushups or sit-ups or jumping jacks at the commercials, instead of eating a bag of potato chips mindlessly through your program.

Despite these efforts, some people just have a more difficult time losing the weight. If you are one of those people, the supplements mentioned here can really help and can easily be incorporated into your daily regimen. Try these daily, along with some healthy new habits and you will be well on your way to maintaining your weight loss and getting into the healthy shape you deserve!

by: Megan Hazel

The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity

Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" and "obesity,"* the risks for the following conditions also increases:¹

• Coronary heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Stroke
• Liver and Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
• Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

*Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher.