Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
Do You Have Orthorexia Nervosa?
Based on the prior memos, the question has to be: Is obsession with healthy foods really such a bad thing, worthy of an actual medical term? After all, it’s really healthy eating, isn’t it?
I can’t argue with that. However, any time people transition from freedom of choice to being compelled to do something that seems beyond their control, that’s a problem. Maybe not the worst problem, but a problem nevertheless.
I’ve observed first-hand anorexia nervosa when I was a college professor; college students seem to be prone to it, especially the female students . . .
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Extreme Food Choices
People have always fixated on the perfect diet. From the food combiners of the early 20th Century to the current focus on the Paleolithic diet, there’s always someone touting the best and healthiest way to eat. A lecturer from Australia, Rebecca Charlotte Reynolds, recently wrote an article on food fixations and raised the question of whether the food obsessions might fall into the category of psychological disorders such as anorexia nervosa (1).
She cites three current ways of eating that can take over someone’s life in an unhealthy way: raw foods, clean foods, and the Paleolithic diet. I . . .
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Disordered Eating?
You may have noticed that when it comes to weight loss, I’ve expanded my recommendations. It used to be eat less and move more; I’ve now added “eat better” between those two recommendations. That can mean a lot of things, but the simplest explanation is to eat more vegetables and fewer refined carbohydrates. But eating better can mean a whole lot more: grass-fed beef, free-range chickens, organic foods, and non-GMO foods.
Grocery stores are being developed to cater to this market. Whole Foods Market has decided to introduce a smaller scale store that offers organic . . .
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Race Volunteer: My Observation
Before I get to where you could be in a year, I’m going to give you my final observation on working the finish line at the Fifth Third River Bank Run a week ago. Before I do, I want you to understand that I respect every runner, walker, and wheelchair competitor. One woman did the 25K on a knee-walker to show it takes more than two kinds of cancer and a fractured heel to stop her. I’ve done every distance in the race . . .
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Race Volunteer: You Must See It to Believe It
This is what I saw and what I experienced working the finish line at the Fifth Third River Bank Run.
Rain
From the moment I got there at 5 a.m. and pretty much throughout my entire time at the finish line, it rained. Almost seven hours. Even the medals were wet. I’m glad it was 65 degrees with no wind or it could have been more uncomfortable. But for a runner, that’s perfect weather: every step cools you down. And of course rain is no obstacle to the dogs intent on winning their race bandanas . . .
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Race Volunteer: Why I Did It
The Fifth Third River Bank Run is the premier running event in Grand Rapids every year. When I say “event” I mean it: this year, close to 14,000 men, women, children, and dogs participated in the various races. There is a 5K, 10K, and the USA Track and Field 25K Championship, along with wheelchair and handcycle races. There is also a 5K walk and a 5K walk with your dog—Fido gets his own Riverbank Run bandana.
I’ve run the 25K several times and intended to do it this year. I was training for it as I got . . .
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Question Time: Professional Help
Wrapping up this week on recently asked questions, I saved the most serious question for today. I talked to a number of people who were concerned about themselves, friends, or family members. The simplest way of explaining the questions is to say they or people they knew had medical issues related to nutrition and diet, and the inability to resolve health and eating issues may have contributed to a state of depression and anxiety.
Note that I said “may have.” This is not my area of expertise. I wouldn’t presume that I know enough to be able to say . . .
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Question Time: Cracking Knuckles
Got an interesting question last weekend from a parent regarding her 13-year-old son: it seems every joint in his body snaps, crackles, and pops when he moves. That ties in with a question I’m asked all the time. Does “cracking” your knuckles harm the joints?
Let’s talk about the teenager first. My question to Mom was, “Does he say it hurts?” She said no. I said don’t worry about; he might make less noise if he worked on flexibility, but it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s always a possibility that one of the . . .
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Question Time: The Scoop on Poop
Spending the past two weekends on the road, I got asked a lot of questions, and in some cases, I’m asked the same questions several times. This week, I’m selecting the top three questions and answering them for everyone. Let's begin with this question: how many bowel movements per day are normal?
The question came from people who were concerned they’re eliminating too many times or not enough. I know some television doctors and websites talk endlessly about bowel movements; not to be indelicate, they talk on and on about frequency, color, floating or not, and . . .
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The Real Agenda: Refined Carbohydrates
Let’s finish up our look at the editorial in a sports medicine journal that says exercise will not help you lose weight.
While the headline certainly gets our attention, the authors really want to talk about the increase in refined carbohydrates as the cause of the obesity epidemic. I don’t disagree, but I disagree with how they’re doing it. They began by talking about an exercise myth and weight loss which was completely unnecessary. Then they ramble on about how the refined-food industry is using advertising tactics similar to the tobacco industry. The public is intentionally . . .
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