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Archive for March, 2009

Spring Cleaning for Body, Mind and Soul

The way I remember them in my childhood memories, the seasons seemed longer and more pronounced than today. Winter was colder and brought much more snow. Spring carried a greater sense of excitement and promise. Summer never seemed to end. And Fall was full of melancholy and serenity. I don’t have these deep feelings of being connected with nature any more. I’m too busy with the realities known to adulthood. The changes I notice now are mostly in my face and around my waistline. And, of course, although I am determined to fight it every inch of the way, I am aware that I’m engaged in a losing battle.

I also remember my mother preparing for each season with an intense burst of cleaning and mending activities. Especially Spring. Our home got a real makeover as soon as it was warm enough to open all the windows, letting fresh air breeze through every room. I was always amazed how much dust had settled in with us over the winter months. How could it get so dirty all by itself? I was young then and ignorant about the fact that all things deteriorate over time unless they are regularly cared for. Read more »

How Safe Are Water Bottles and Plastic Food Containers?

Dear Timi,
I’m concerned about using plastic water bottles and food containers since I read that there is increasing evidence that they are not safe and perhaps hazardous to our health. Do you have any more specific information on this subject?

Dear Reader,
There have been several studies on this subject. The one that was published recently by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) got a lot of attention. According to this study, higher levels of urinary Biphenol A (BPA), a chemical compound used in many plastic containers made for packaging of food and beverages (including plastic water bottles), have been found in individuals who have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and liver problems. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet released an official statement about BPA but has scheduled a hearing. BPA is widely used in the industry and various levels of the chemical have been detected, according to researchers, in more than 90 percent of the U.S. population.

Since no government action has been taken yet to eliminate BPA from the production process of plastic containers, you may have to take matters in your own hand. There are plastic containers available that are BPA free and they are advertised as such. Or you may switch to products made of stainless steel or other materials.

Dear Reader – March 2009

Timi Gustafson, R.D. When I wrote this article originally for my monthly column, I received some criticism for taking a “political” stand, which, I’m told, is unusual for a “Health and Lifestyle” columnist. I accept that, although, I believe that issues of health are not a purely private matter. Particularly, when it comes to educating our children about the ins and outs of healthy nutrition, we should make sure that these issues are being addressed in schools where they spend most of their formative years.

Most parents feel that sex education is important to protect teenagers from sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. These are health issues and they should be part of the curriculum. Learning about sound eating habits from early childhood on seems to me just as important, though. So why not teach the benefits of good nutrition in schools and follow suit by providing high quality school lunches? There are great advantages to this and I cannot see any downsides. Kids eat better and are more likely to maintain healthier eating habits as adults. So what’s political about that?

Thankfully, I’m not alone in my views. Have you heard yet of the vegetable garden that has been planted on the south lawn of the White House by school children under the supervision of Michelle Obama? I’m with the First Lady on this one – and that is NOT a political statement, but the opinion of a health care professional who is also a mother and a grandmother.
Go to Newsletter of March 2009…

The Meaning of Good Health

I love the Internet. I don’t miss the days when one had to go to the bookstore or the library to read up on anything and everything. Whatever there is to know about almost any subject, it’s right at our fingertips. I can see a difference in my clients too. They are so much better informed about their aches and pains – even before they come to my practice, and every so often they give me a heads up on the latest news too.

Never before in our history had we so much knowledge available to us in an instant. Search the word “health” on Google and you find no less than one and a quarter billion hits. Narrow that down to “good health” and you still have more than 200 million hits to sift through. A search for “fitness” gets you to nearly half a billion. Search results for “weight loss” number well over 100 million.

So, how is it possible that we find ourselves so confused about seemingly simple matters, such as eating right, staying fit, managing weight, dealing with stress etc? Some people argue that we may be “overeducated” in these matters and that we are bombarded with too much information which only adds to our confusion. Frankly, I don’t believe that. I don’t think there is such a thing a being “overeducated.” That’s like being considered “overqualified” for a job because you have more than the minimal qualifications required for a certain position. What’s the harm in having as much knowledge as possible? Read more »