Just Dying To Be Thin?

Eating disorders have become a big problem in today’s society. Up to 24 million people in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders. This number includes an extremely wide variety of ages and all genders. The two most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is the act of restricting food from their diet. Bulimia nervosa is often presented with moments of binge eating  followed by purging. Both of these cause extreme decreases in both physical and mental health. There are many causing factors in today’s society and the numbers of victims that fall to this illness is still increasing.

The first causing factor is socio-cultural. In today’s society the media has glorified thinness and outward beauty. It has portrayed being thin and beautiful as the foundation to which success and love firmly stand. With their endless ads for diet pills or the unrealistic bodies of models full of silicone, they have shaped the minds of people into believing that being thin is the definition of beauty. These constant and relentless messages have caused many people to fall victim to the illness that is an eating disorder. On top of these ads, the food industry also plays its role in aiding the development of eating disorders. They advertise their highly processed foods and make them cheap and convenient for everybody to eat. The problem? Throw this in with the pressures to be skinny, and you are presented with the never-ending vicious circle of disordered eating caused by today’s society. The U.S. is known for its unhealthy diet and quick fix diet pills, but these are only adding to a bigger problem. Many people in America are eating unhealthy, highly processed foods for their diet, so when it comes to the pressure of maintaining a thin figure, they are thrown into diet pills and disordered eating skills to fight against their poor food choices. The crowd most heavily influenced by these ways of thinking are young, teenage girls. With the strong desire to fit in with their peers, many girls are driven to unsafe measures to maintain what society tells them is “perfect”.

Another leading cause factor is psychological. Due to the lack of education on eating disorders, many people believe that eating they are caused mainly by the desire to be thin. They have this picture in their head that a woman (even though men make up 10-15% of victims) just wakes up one day and decides she wants to be thin and makes the conscious decision right then and there to stop eating. This could not be further from the truth. Many people do not truly notice or remember the day their eating disorder “started”. It is a process of the mind that twists into a psychotic way of thinking. Personality traits have been studied and linked to eating disorders. One trait that has sparked a lot of interest is the trait of perfectionism. Perfectionists have a strong desire to be in control at all times and have extremely high standards for themselves. Their desire for control can often translate into their diet. Anorexia nervosa is very common in linkage with this personality trait. There is nothing more controlling than controlling what goes into your body. The other common psychological state that has been studied is depression. It has been found that loneliness and sadness can cause excessive food intake, otherwise known as binge eating. This binge eating is often followed with feelings of guilt and remorse, and can sometimes end with a round of purging, or vomiting. Because of the excessive eating it can cause, depression is often linked with bulimia nervosa.

The physical effects of anorexia nervosa include bone density reduction, extreme weight and muscle loss, severe dehydration, kidney failure, and heart failure. Some effects of bulimia nervosa are tooth decay, peptic ulcers, esophageal and stomach cancer, and heart failure. Too many people have succumb to eating disorders because they were not given the proper treatment or support. While many believe that one can never be “cured” from an eating disorder, managing and maintaining health is possible. Support and rehab are crucial for someone that has developed an eating disorder in getting healthy again. I think the most important preventative is educating on the signs and symptoms and how to get help. Unfortunately in society eating disorders are looked at as a sign of weakness and this causes many people to stay silent about their eating disorder and suffer until it is too late. Learning to love yourself and understand what the true meanings of health and beauty are can not only help someone feel better but can save people’s lives.

Sizer, F., Whitney, E. Nutrition: Concepts and controversies. (12th ed.). (2011) Minneapolis/St. Paul: West Pub.

Halmi, K., Sunday, S., Strober, M., Kaplan, A., Woodside, B., Fichter, M., Treasure, J., Berrettini, W., Kaye, W. Perfectionism in Anorexia Nervosa: Variation by Clinical Subtype, Obsessionality, and Pathological Eating Behavior. (2000). Retrieved on March 28, 2015 from http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/appi.ajp.157.11.1799

Hesse-Biber, S., Leavy, P., Quinn, C., Zoino, J. The Mass Marketing of Disordered Eating and Eating Disorders: The Psychology of Women, Thinness, and Culture. Women’s Studies International Forum. (2006). Retrieved on March 28, 2015 from http://faculty.uml.edu/mduffy/48.240/Hesse%20Biber%20Eating%20Disorders%202006.pdf

Rotenberg, K.J. The Silent Suffering of Eating Disorders. (2014) Retrieved on March 28, 2015 from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/matter-trust/201402/the-silent-suffering-eating-disorders

Garner, D., Garfinkel, P. Socio-Cultural Factors in the Development of Anorexia Nervosa. Psychological Medicine. (1980). Retrieved on March 28, 2015 from http://www.eat-26.com/Docs/Garner-Sociocultural-Factors-1980.pdf

NEDA. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences-eating-disorders

The Reason Why Our "Genes" Don't Fit Anymore

There’s no doubt about it, the size of our waistlines have increased dramatically over the past few decades.  Everywhere you go, you see food advertisements posted on billboards and convenient drive-thru restaurants on every street corner. Is this the sole cause of the obesity epidemic that we are seeing run rampant through America? Contrary to previous beliefs, it may be a little more than just the low quality, high calorie “food” that we are consuming on a daily basis. We may actually be predisposed by evolution to be fat and therefore our current lifestyle of sitting and binging may be killing us.

            From an evolutionary standpoint, our ancestors led an extremely different lifestyle. In the Paleolithic era, the cavemen foraged for their own food. They ate simply: fruits, vegetables, and protein from the animals they hunted. They had to learn to survive on small portions, as well as infrequent eating schedules because it was never certain when they would be able to find their next meal (Turner and Thompson 2013). This created an evolutionary adaptation to create a better system to store fat in the human body. Research has shown that there may be a “thrifty” gene responsible for our increased ability to store fat (Tabarin et al 2005). We obviously perceive this to be a bad thing in our day and age, but in prehistoric times it was absolutely necessary for survival to convert foods into fat more readily.

            This adaptation of our “thrifty” gene helped our species survive through extremely taxing environments. So the question is now, how can something that was fundamentally important for our survival be such a nuisance in our day and age? The answer: the food we are consuming and the lack of energy we use to retrieve it. Ask yourself this, how many servings of fruit do you eat a day? Vegetables? Natural protein? Maybe an easier question is, how many of your meals consist of processed foods? Did you completely prepare that dinner from whole foods or did it come from a box?  

            The Paleo diet considers the way our ancestors survived and it takes into account all of the reasons that their diet was advantageous. If you follow the Paleo diet, it consists of 3 main sources of nutrition: fruits, vegetables, and animal protein. If the cavemen were able to forage for it, you should eat it. Everything in the Paleo diet is pure from nature, whole foods. Our bodies were built to consume and extract specific nutrients from these sources of foods to aid in our survival (Turner and Thompson 2013). Just the same, our bodies were meant to use energy to obtain our food. If we still consumed these types of foods and incorporated moderate activity, this “thrifty” gene wouldn’t be such a monstrosity. The problem is that we are eating such high-calorie, high-trans fat, low nutrient foods that our body is unable to recognize and break down efficiently (Frassetto et al 2013). On top of the poor amount of nutrients, food is so readily available that we are not required to work hard to get it anymore.

            When you’re sitting down to eat a meal, take a look at what you’re really eating. Did it come from a box? Is it something that was purely produced by nature? Is it full of the vitamins and minerals that the body needs? The combination of our “thrifty” gene along with our unnatural food sources is a huge problem for our country, with obvious health concerns like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancers, etc. (Lemonick and Bjerklie 2004). Luckily for us, with the demand for organic foods increasing, the ability to live like our ancestors is becoming easier by the day. We could all be much healthier if our country was able to focus on consuming a whole, balanced diet while leading an active lifestyle, instead of sitting in the car and going through the drive-thru for dinner.

You are the only one in control of how you treat your body. So, put down the bag of chips, grab an apple, go for a walk, and realize that with the proper nutrition and activity, this “thrifty” gene could be your friend and not your enemy.

References:

Frassetto, L. A., L. Shi, M. Schloetter, A. Sebastian, and T. Remer. "Established Dietary Estimates of Net Acid Production Do Not Predict Measured Net Acid Excretion in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes on Paleolithic–Hunter–Gatherer-type Diets." European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 67.9 (2013): 899-903. Retrieved March 29, 2015 from Ebsco Host

Lemonick, Michael, D. and Bjerklie, David. “America’s Obesity Crisis: Evolution- How We Grew So Big” Time Magazine. 163 (2004): 58-60. Retrieved March 29, 2015 from Ebsco Host.

Tabarin, A, Diz-Chaves, Y., del Carmen Carmona, M., Catargi, B., Zorrilla, E., Roberts, A., Coscina, D., Rousset, S., Redonnet, A., Parker, G., Inoue, K., Ricquier, D., Penicaud, L., Kieffer, B., Koob, G. “Resistance to Diet-Induced Obesity in the μ-Opioid Receptor- Deficient Mice: Evidence for a “Thrifty Gene”. American Diabetes Association Journal. 54 (2005): 3510-3516. Retrieved March 29, 2015 from Ebsco Host.

Turner, Bethany L., and Amanda L. Thompson. "Beyond the Paleolithic Prescription: Incorporating Diversity and Flexibility in the Study of Human Diet Evolution." Nutrition Reviews 71.8 (2013): 501-10. Retrieved March 29, 2015 from Ebsco Host

"Is It In You?" Should it Be?

Walking down the drink aisle of a grocery store can seem overwhelming if you’re in the market for something to aid in your athletic performance. There are so many choices and exercise factors to consider. Is your sport aerobic or anaerobic? What is the weather like outside? Are you a salty sweater? Being a person who enjoys different endurance exercises like running and biking, I wanted to know, do sports drinks improve athletic performance in endurance athletes?

One of the benefits of sports drinks for some people is that they are flavored, making them more appealing than plain water. This can be especially true for children. The thought is that since they taste better, people are more willing to drink them, keeping them better hydrated. This was tested in a study done on adolescent endurance athletes. In this study they tested cross country runners by giving them water, flavored water, and a flavored carbohydrate-enhanced drink. The goal of the study was to determine whether the flavoring increased voluntary fluid intake and if there was a difference in performance between the runners. The study ultimately showed that for these runners there was no significant difference between the amounts of fluid that was consumed nor was there an effect on their performance (Wilk, Timmons, & Bar-Or, 2010). However this study only consisted of 80 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise so it is unclear what effect longer times would have had on the outcome.

Another common recovery drink discussed is chocolate milk. A study on a group of cyclists researched the comparison between chocolate milk and sports drinks and how each affected endurance athletes. In this study, the participants were put through an exercise test to deplete their body of its glycogen stores. Following was a recovery period where they were given either chocolate milk or a sports drink. The results did show that those cyclists who consumed chocolate milk were able to cycle longer after the rest period than those who drank sports drinks (Thomas, Morris, & Stevenson, 2009). This shows that chocolate milk may be better for recovery than sports drinks when dealing with light-moderate exercise. However, this study did not look at what is best to consume while exercising.

The two studies described above show that sports drinks may not be a necessity for activities that are light-moderate intensity and are not maintained for a long duration. However, as stated by one study, carbohydrate-replacing drinks  may be more effective for higher-intensity endurance exercise due to carbohydrates being relied upon more heavily as a fuel source  (Thomas, Morris, & Stevenson, 2009).  The Dieticians of Canada also say that sports drinks are effective when exercising either very hard or for a very long time. In the case of endurance sports, one or both of these criteria may be met. This becomes necessary because the body is losing carbohydrates and key electrolytes like sodium that water is not able to replace (Dieticians of Canada, 2015).

Since there are so many options for sports drinks, the next step is to determine what they should contain. The ideal amount of carbohydrate is 4-8% since that is what is most effectively emptied by the stomach and absorbed by the small intestine. The carbohydrates found in sports drinks are easily digestible so they can be converted into muscle glycogen without difficulty. Any amount much higher than this could cause an upset stomach which would hinder performance. In terms of electrolytes, a good range is 20-60 mg of sodium (https://sportmedbc.com/article/sports-drinks-and-athletic-performance). More would result in better water retention but the drink would start to taste poorly. Along those lines, flavor is another important factor. The better it tastes the more likely you are to drink it. Obviously this is necessary to stay hydrated and receive the benefits of the added carbohydrates and electrolytes.

          In summary, the effectiveness of sports drink ultimately depends on the type of exercise being done. For light-moderate activity it may not be the best option for recovery, with chocolate milk showing better results for that intensity level. However, for activities that are high-intensity and last for over an hour, sports drinks are needed to replenish lost glycogen stores and electrolytes during exercise in order to maintain optimal performance.

References

Sports Drinks and Athletic Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from https://sportmedbc.com/article/sports-drinks-and-athletic-performance

Sports Drinks: Their role in hydration for athletic performance. Dietitians of Canada. (2015). Retrieved March 27, 2015, from http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Sports-Nutrition-(Adult)/Sports-Drinks.aspx

Thomas, K., Morris, P., & Stevenson, E. (2009). Improved endurance capacity following chocolate milk consumption compared with 2 commercially available sport drinks. Applied Physiology Nutrition & Metabolism, 34, 78-82. Retrieved March 27, 2015, from Ebsco Host. Doi: 10.1139H/08-137.

Sizer, F.S., & Whitney, E. (2011). Nutrition: Concepts and controversies. (12th ed.). Minneapolis/St. Paul: West Pub.

Wilk, B., Timmons, B., & Bar-Or, O. (2010). Voluntary fluid intake, hydration status, and aerobic performance of adolescent athletes in the heat. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 35, 834-841. Retrieved March 27, 2015, from Ebsco Host. Doi: 10.1139/H10-084.

 

Educate Before you Caffeinate

Caffeine, the world’s most commonly used drug. Everyday millions of people are getting their fix through means such as a cup of coffee in the morning, a can of pop with lunch, or that late night energy drink to help you finish a paper. Everybody knows the more common effects of caffeine, such as: they seem to sort of perk up, become energized, and have problems going to sleep. However, there are many effects, both good and bad, that people don’t know about. So before you go for that third cup of coffee in the morning: educate before you caffeinate.

Being the most addicted to drug on the face of the earth, caffeine is a much studied substance. When caffeine enters the body it attaches itself to adenosine receptors on the brain. When adenosine attaches to the receptors, the body starts to prepare itself for sleep. When caffeine takes its place, we start to wake up and become more alert. That’s how that effect of caffeine stimulating your day happens. (Olson, 2015) Other lesser known effects might include lowering your risk for degenerative cognition diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. (Santos et all, 2010, p. S179) These are major brain diseases so any factors that could lead to a lowering of risk of contraction are being looked at thoroughly. There have been multiple studies to support this idea. This doesn’t mean that people should start downing four or five cans of Mountain Dew though. The protective effects of caffeine do have a limit. Scientists have not discovered what the threshold value is yet, but more studies are being conducted in order to find out.

Many people rely on caffeine to get them through the day. They seem to not be able to function without it. Caffeine is an addictive drug, and these are withdrawal effects. (Rogers 2007, p. 85) Your body becomes dependent on caffeine to wake up after it has been in the system for so long. Contrary to popular belief, it does not make one more productive. There have been studies that show people using caffeine only come back to a normal level when compared to people who use little to no caffeine. There is also a problem with caffeine’s tendency to increase ones anxiety and blood pressure. (Rogers, 2007, p. 85) This is a bad combination. Once a person becomes dependent, they have problems functioning in everyday life without it, but once it is in their system, they become anxious.

One body system that people don’t consider when they take caffeine is the reproductive system. Studies have supported that caffeine can cut in half fertility rates. It also has been shown to large amounts of caffeine can increase a woman’s risk of having a miscarriage. There has also been research into birth defects correlating with caffeine consumption. The data collected on this however, is inconclusive. There is not strong enough data to say that caffeine increases chances of birth defects, or that it does not. (Schardt, 2008, p. 4-5)

            One of the most popular substances on earth is caffeine. People use it daily without ever thinking about what the effects of it are going to be. It is very much researched because of its popularity. If people want to know what it does, one can find it with a little digging. It has many effects on the mind and is seen as a cognitive protector. It also has many effects on the body like increasing anxiety and blood pressure. Next time you want to get that fix of caffeine, learn the benefits and risks of putting the substance in your body.  Make sure that you educate before you caffeinate. 

References

Olson, S. (n.d.). Health Benefits Of Caffeine: Brain On Caffeine Has Its Positives And Negatives. Retrieved April 1, 2015, from http://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-caffeine-brain-caffeine-has-its-positives-and-negatives-283408

Rogers, P. J. (2007). Caffeine, mood and mental performance in everyday life. Nutrition Bulletin, 3284-89. doi:10.1111/j.1467-3010.2007.00607.x

Santos, C., Lunet, N., Azevedo, A., De Mendonça, A., Ritchie, K., & Barros, H. (2010). Caffeine Intake is Associated with a Lower Risk of Cognitive Decline: A Cohort Study from Portugal. Journal Of Alzheimer's Disease, 20175-185. doi:10.3233/JAD-2010-091303

Schardt, D. (2008). CAFFEINE The Good, the Bad, and the Maybe. Nutrient Action, 1-6.