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.
How Calorie Restriction Affects Your Metabolism
Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories you use while at rest—just lying around doing nothing. It’s the calories your body uses to operate your internal organs and your brain, etc. From the second you open your eyes, the calories you burn are considered activity-related calories. The concern in trying to restrict calories […]
Can Cutting Calories Improve Your Mood?
In research like the CALERIE study, there’s a tendency to focus on physical changes but what about mood, depression, and quality of life (QOL)? Did researchers find changes in those variables as well? Let’s take a look. While the two-year span of the data analyzed varied slightly from other phases of the study, physiological results […]
Saving Muscle While You Reduce Calories
Several studies have been published from the CALERIE study data with even more interesting revelations, so I’ll review several over the next few Memos. I’ll start with changes in body composition in those who restricted calories (143 subjects) and those who continued to eat normally (75 subjects), often called ad lib or ad libitum. Remember, […]
It’s All About the Calories!
One of my long-held beliefs is that where weight is concerned, it’s all about the calories—and I’m happy to say that this study reinforces my belief. But when I’m wrong, I’ll tell you. Case in point: as I continued to examine the CALERIE trial, it became apparent I had made a mistake in the number […]
Reducing Calories Improves Immunity
The two-year results from the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) clinical trial—the first controlled study of calorie restriction in healthy humans—were released last week. The purpose of the study was to determine the benefits and hazards of calorie restriction. Animal studies have demonstrated that reducing calories up to 40% […]
The Price You Pay
On Tuesday, I asked where you’re spending your time. There’s a price for everything that we do and what we don’t do, even if the outcome will ultimately be positive. Here’s a personal example. It’s no surprise to any reader that I had a knee replacement just before Christmas and have been spending time rehabbing […]
The Right Choices
What do you think is more important: the state of your garage or the state of your clothes closet? The state of your basement or the state of your car? The state of your desk or the state of your pantry? Do you want them neat and organized, or are you okay with going through […]
2022 Super Bowl Webinar
The first Super Bowl Webinar I did examined the energy systems of the body and how to train each one for a specific purpose, a concept called “specificity of training.” Now, 12 years later, we’re going back to examine the part of the cells that produces the most energy: the mitochondria. Recent research has focused […]
I’m Back!
It’s been an interesting five weeks since my knee replacement. I’ve never taken that much time off before, but I’m healing well—just not as quickly as I want. Researching the best way to gain back joint strength and muscle loss, I’ve come across a new term that combines two conditions: osteosarcopenia. It’s a combination of […]
Happy New Year!
Where did the time go? It seems like we were just beginning the year, and now it’s New Year’s Eve. I wish you all the best in 2022, and I’ll be there with you. Have a good time tonight, no matter how you ring in the New Year, but be safe if you travel anywhere […]
