If you are overweight, you are not alone. Sixty-six percent of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese. Achieving a healthy weight can help you control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar. It might also help you prevent weight-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and some cancers.

Eating too much or not being physically active enough will make you overweight. To maintain your weight, the calories you eat must equal the energy you burn. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. A weight-control strategy might include:

1. Choosing low-fat, low-calorie foods
2. Eating smaller portions
3. Drinking water instead of sugary drinks
4. Being physically active

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

• Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-Loss Program  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Weight Loss for Life (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Weight Management (Patient Education Institute)

Lake Health is leading the way to help individuals achieve safe weight loss that produces long-term solutions. We are dedicated to helping our patients lose weight and change their lifestyles. Weight loss and maintenance are very complex and options for treatment should be individualized. Our menu of specialized programs includes:

• Weight Management
• Weight 4 Life
• Physician Supervised Weight Loss(OPTIFAST)
• Medical Nutrition Therapy

For more information on any of these services, please call the Wellness Institute at 440-375-8153.

Overviews

• Better Health and You: Tips for Adults (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Overweight, Obesity, and Weight Loss (National Women's Health Information Center)
• Weight Loss: 6 Strategies for Success (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• What It Takes to Lose Weight  (American Academy of Family Physicians)

Latest News

• Dieting Resolution Works Best When Done in Stages (12/28/2010, HealthDay)
• Fish Oil Won't Accelerate Weight Loss (12/24/2010, Reuters Health)
• Meal Replacements Don't Help Obese Teens Slim Down (12/17/2010, Reuters Health)
• Trials Use Technology to Help Young Adults Achieve Healthy Weights  (11/29/2010, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• FDA Recommends Against the Continued Use of Meridia (sibutramine) (10/08/2010, Food and Drug Administration)
• More News on Weight Control  

Diagnosis/Symptoms

• Assessing Your Weight and Health Risk  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Alternative Therapy

• Holistic Weight-Loss Strategies (American Psychological Association)
• Hoodia  (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)
• Over-the-Counter Weight-Loss Pills: Do They Work? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Nutrition

• Eat More, Weigh Less? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Fast Food: 5 Ways to Healthier Meals (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Healthy Eating Starts with Healthy Food Shopping  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Just Enough for You: About Food Portions  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Key to Nutrition: A Diversified Portfolio (Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health)
• Snacks: How They Fit into Your Weight-Loss Plan (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths: How Much Do You Really Know? (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Coping

• Weight Loss Tip: First, Make Sure You're Ready (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Weight-Loss Help: Gain Control of Emotional Eating (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) 

Disease Management

• Guide to Behavior Change  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Physical Activity and Weight Control  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Health Check Tools
• Calculate Your Body Mass Index  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Interactive Menu Planner  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Make Your Calories Count (Food and Drug Administration)
• Portion Distortion! Do You Know How Food Portions Have Changed in 20 Years?  (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Tutorials

• Weight Management (Patient Education Institute)

Videos

• Watch Your Weight! (Healthy Roads Media)

Statistics

• FastStats: Overweight (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Prevalence of Underweight Among Adults Aged 20 Years and Over (National Center for Health Statistics) 

Children

• Childhood Obesity: Make Weight Loss a Family Affair(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Is Dieting OK for Kids? (Nemours Foundation)
• Keeping Portions Under Control (Nemours Foundation)
• Your Child's Weight (Nemours Foundation)

Teenagers

• 5 Ways to Reach (and Maintain!) a Healthy Weight (Nemours Foundation)
• Deal with Diets (Nemours Foundation)
• Emotional Eating (Nemours Foundation)
• How Can I Lose Weight Safely? (Nemours Foundation)
• Should I Gain Weight? (Nemours Foundation)
• Take Charge of Your Health: A Teenager's Guide to Better Health  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• What's the Right Weight for My Height? (Nemours Foundation)

Men

• Getting on Track: Physical Activity and Healthy Eating for Men  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Women

• Fit and Fabulous As You Mature  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Weight Gain After Menopause (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Young Woman's Guide to Losing Weight the Safe Way (American Osteopathic Association) 

Seniors

• Eldercare at Home: Weight Loss and Nutrition Problems (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)

Source: www.medlineplus.gov

If you would like more information, please contact a Lake Health Professional Librarian

Let's get serious.  How many people do you know who are---right at this moment---resolving to lose weight after January 1st?  Judging by the utter flood of TV commercials for Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers et al, that began right after Christmas, I'd say that the weight loss industry is thinking it's pretty much everybody.   

The New Year's resolution is a charming little tradition.  For a few days, we spend time reassessing our priorities and vowing to right our wrongs, fix what's broken.  But by January 3rd or 4th, life returns to business as usual and most of us have already forgotten our end of the year introspection.  Weight loss, in particular, doesn't respond well to resolution.  What is does respond well to is…planning.

Losing a goodly amount of weight is complicated business.  Our first mistake is to underestimate it.  On the other hand, if we size up the challenge correctly, there are a number of things we can do to vastly increase our chances of success.  So if you want to lost weight this year or if you know someone else who does, here's a battle plan:

1. Forget the January 1st Date!

You should only start a weight loss plan when you have everything in place.  Setting an arbitrary date like January 1st simply because the year changed from 2010 to 2011 is a bad idea.  Instead, allow for several weeks to get everything set up.  Set a "Quit Date" sometime later in the month.  This is what smokers are encouraged to do when they give up cigarettes and it can work for you too.  Pick a date that has some meaning to you (maybe it's the same number date as your birthday or anniversary, or maybe you just like the combination of digits). 

2. Pick Your Strategy 

Most people who start diets do so with only a vague idea of "cutting back" or "eating less junk".  The most effective diets are easy-to-follow plans that restrict food fairly severely and have simple rules.  Research has shown that most diets work---if they are followed strictly.  Your job is to figure out which type of diet you can follow to the letter.  Can you stick with Atkins the whole way, just fat and protein?  Would you do better with a Weight Watchers approach? Are you someone who is more likely to lose if you commit some money to the process?  Do you know that when you diet on your own you quickly lose focus?  Maybe you need to attend a group or see a dietician for accountability.  Do you have a friend or relative who has lost a lot of weight using a particular approach?  Should you interview them to see if that might work for you?

As a basis for starting this process, I can tell you what works for our patients.  We put them on a high quality meal replacement (either bars or protein shakes) during the day and have them eat a Primarian style meal for dinner.  This meal consists of a moderate serving of skinless poultry, very lean meat, or fish, a large salad with non fat dressing, a large serving of green vegetables (steamed, broiled or roasted) and a piece of fruit.  They generally finish the day with a low fat dairy product, like sugar free pudding or low cal yogurt.  We get excellent, consistent weight loss with this regimen but of course, in addition, our patients are checking in with us weekly.  Without trying to be too self-promoting, I will add that my book, Refuse to Regain, contains an eating plan in the middle.  Many people who have switched to this type of eating have lost between 30 and 50 pounds, so this might be another option.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many people who have weight issues are on medications, frequently for diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol.  Often these medicines need adjustment when food intake changes.  If you are on medicines and plan to diet significantly, make sure you check with a doctor or dietician prior to starting.  This is especially true for anyone on medicines to lower blood sugar or on diuretic pills.  These can be dangerous when combined with diets.

Once you have decided on your strategy, get everything set.  Make an appointment to begin on your appointed date or purchase your shakes and bars.  Or get your diet plan printed out or buy the appropriate books.  Put everything in one area and get it ready to go.

3. Set Up Your Exercise

While vigorous exercise is most helpful for weight maintenance, mild to moderate exercise will assist in keeping you honest during weight loss.  If you can do more as you go along, fine.  If not, don't sweat it, as long as you are losing.  Most importantly, don't exercise to the point where hunger knocks you off your 100% commitment to your diet plan.

Prior to your Quit Date, figure out how and when you will exercise.  If you are very out of shape, I recommend starting with short bouts (maybe 15 minutes or so) a few times a week.  Don't push it.  Your body is not used to exercise yet.  If you choose walking, figure out a place to walk in both good and bad weather.  If you choose classes like aerobics or spinning, register yourself so that you've committed the money.  If you choose a gym, see if you can hook up with a trainer for the first month just to keep things interesting.  If you choose exercise videos: find them and rent them.  Get everything in place.

4. Purge Your Environment

Just prior to your Quit Date it is very important that you purge non-diet foods from your home and office environment.  Get a big bag and have a throw-away or give-away party.  During the early phases of your diet, strong hormonal signals will be flowing from your brain that will lead you to late night searches for hidden potato chips.  Make sure that they are not there to be found.  Enlist the help of your family.  Tell them that they will have to eat these foods outside the home (or hide them from you...not to be eaten in front of you) for the duration.  Tell them not to give in to your pleas for these foods even if you resort to bribery, coercion, and other trickery!

5. Declare Your Intentions

I have found that the people who do best on diets are those who tell everyone what they are doing.  Many patients tend to want to hide the fact that they are trying to lose.  "It's nobody's business," they say.  Or, "I don't want people asking me a lot of questions."  Naturally, this is your own decision, but generally it seems to be the case that those who boldly declare that they're out to change the way they eat seem to take the commitment more seriously.  After all, they've made a statement.  It's tougher to renege on a promise you've made publicly.  Yes, friends may watch, ask questions, and judge, but you can deal with it.

6. Buddy Up

Most people don't really believe it, but weight loss is tough.  You'll need someone to help you keep going, to praise you and to cheer you on.  Spouses are great, if you can recruit them to work as a team and if you can resist the temptation to give in when they say, "Honey...how about we have the popcorn just this once?"  A friend who is truly serious about losing weight might be even better.  Weight Watchers groups have been an inspiring source for many.  Dieticians can be great.  Hey, there are even a few good diet docs out there!  Some people use their personal trainers as cheerleaders.  Recruit your team and have it ready on day one.

7. Keep a Record

This isn't just a diet.  It's a serious journey through a new landscape.  Take verbal pictures (and maybe some real pictures too).  Get yourself a nice leather notebook or one with a beautiful cover.  Get yourself a comfortable pen.  Put everything in one place and have it ready to go.  Write a little bit about your journey each day.  You don't have to write down everything you eat (unless you want to), but write a bit about how you felt, what was tough, what was fun, what got you down. 

I have one patient who took a picture of herself in the same clothes in the same place every single week throughout her 100 pound weight loss.  What a visual story that makes!

OK!  NOW you're ready to go.  Forget January 1st.  Your Quit Date may be later in January or it may not come until April, July or November.  The important thing is that you will have thought it through.  You will be prepared and you've given this tough challenge the attention it needs to achieve a successful result.  After all, what we're searching for is not simply a Happy New Year.  It's more a Happy New Life.

Acupuncture has been utilized for over 5000 years.   Many Americans think that acupuncture originated in China.  Interestingly, Egypt, Persia, India and Japan were known to have used acupuncture first, even before China.  However, China is credited for extensive development and research on acupuncture due to the early writings and documents written during the dynasties.  Acupuncture can be traced back as far as the Stone Age in China and is a major component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  Modern acupuncture needles are made of a solid, sterile stainless steel. East China was the first to develop needle-like tools made of stone, called "bian" stones.  Bones, rocks, and bamboo were other materials were also used to make the needles.  Metal needles were finally invented after the invention of bronze casting.  Northern China was responsible for developing Moxibustion.  Moxibustion is the burning of an herb, Artemis Vulgaris, on or near the skin to nourish the Qi (pronounced "chee") and warm the body during the cold season.  In modern times, we can use infrared heat lamps to mimic the warming effects of the herb.   China was the first to document the use of acupuncture points,  and thus all systems of acupuncture began with the original Chinese medical text, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine by Huang Di Nei Jing, compiled during 475-221 B.C.  In the next centuries, Acupuncture developed quickly by the many Chinese dynasties who improved the system of acupuncture.  Another monumental text, "A Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion" was written in 400 AD.  This book described the names and number of points for each channel or Meridian, their exact locations, indications, and methods of manipulation.  These ancient texts are the basis for modern acupuncture which has been practiced in the United States for the last 150 years. 

Acupuncture became more popular and accepted in the United States in 1971, after President Nixon made a trip to China.  During this trip to China, James Reston, a journalist traveling with President Nixon, had an emergency appendectomy in China.  On the plane ride back to the United States, President Nixon was surprised to learn that acupuncture was used for Mr. Reston's post-operative pain relief.  When Mr. Reston returned to New York, he wrote an article in the New York Times regarding his experience in China with Acupuncture.    Mr. Reston was amazed by how a patient could be totally awake and that sticking needles into the body could actually block the pain from surgery. Since that time, acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States.

The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the National Institute of Health (NIH), in 1997, stated that acupuncture is being "widely" practiced by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturist, chiropractors, and other practitioners, for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.  According to the 2002 National Health Interview Survey-the largest and most comprehensive survey of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by American adults today- an estimated 8.2 million U.S. adults have used acupuncture, and an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults have used acupuncture in the previous years. It is estimated that now 15 million people each year try acupuncture for the first time and more would try this ancient healing method if they only knew more about how it worked.  Hopefully, as you continue to read these blogs, you will have a better understanding of acupuncture, and perhaps try this method for yourself.

Medical patients can often struggle with feeling insecure about asserting their feelings or needs to health care providers. However, when you assert yourself you feel more in control and ultimately your stress is reduced.

Keep in mind that assertiveness is not aggressiveness. Assertiveness is a balance between the extremes of aggressiveness and submissiveness. People who act in an aggressive style demand and expect others to do exactly what they want. Those who act in a submissive style give up their own beliefs, opinions, and wants to the demands of others. They feel guilty to ask for what they want as if others' needs are more important than their own. As assertive person respects others' views and feelings but also values and respects their own.

Look others directly in the eyes when talking to them and maintain an open posture. This will be easier to do if you reinforce for yourself that what you are saying is important. Don't assume a posture that says you are absolutely right---such as glaring at others when speaking, and ending your statements as if there is no questioning or doubting your words.
 
Be specific when making requests. Vague requests or comments can often be misinterpreted by others or simply ignored. If your request is very specific and direct, there is little room for confusion. For example, instead of asking for someone's help in general, specifically state what you want help with, when, and for how long.
 
Asserting your opinions, needs, concerns and questions with your healthcare providers will help you with making important decisions and assist you in your coping. Those who feel they have a voice and it matters will feel more in control and engage in a more healthy decision making.

Is it hard for you to fall asleep or stay asleep though the night? Do you wake up feeling tired or feel very sleepy during the day, even if you have had enough sleep? You might have a sleep disorder. The most common kinds are:

• Insomnia - a hard time falling or staying asleep
• Sleep apnea - breathing interruptions during sleep
• Restless legs syndrome - a tingling or prickly sensation in the legs
• Narcolepsy - daytime "sleep attacks"

Nightmares, night terrors, sleepwalking, sleep talking, head banging, wetting the bed and grinding your teeth are kinds of sleep problems called parasomnias. There are treatments for most sleep disorders. Sometimes just having regular sleep habits can help.

Did you know that Lake Health has two sleep centers?  The nationally accredited sleep medicine program at Lake Health has over 15 years of experience diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of sleep disorders. Both sleep centers feature four private rooms in a quiet and comfortable atmosphere where patients are monitored overnight for suspected sleep disorders, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, snoring, sleep walking and restless legs syndrome.  Accredited by the American Association of Sleep Medicine, the centers offer the most advanced monitoring and diagnostic technology as well as an expert staff of physicians board certified in sleep medicine, professional registered polysomnography technicians, registered respiratory therapists, pulmonologists, otolaryngologists (ENT) and psychologists.  The Sleep Centers are conveniently located at:

Willoughby                                Willoughby Hills
West Medical Center          Chagrin North Office Park
36000 Euclid Avenue         34900 Chardon Road
Willoughby, OH 44094       Building 1, Suite 105
(440) 602-6306                    Willoughby Hills, OH 44094
                                                   440-918-1745

Overviews

• Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Sleep and Sleep Disorders (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Sleep Disorders (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
• Sleep Disorders (Food and Drug Administration)
• Your Guide to Healthy Sleep (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF

Latest News

• Military Deployment May Lead to Unhealthy Sleep Patterns (12/01/2010, HealthDay)
• Common Sleep Complaints May Be Tied to Heart Threat (12/01/2010, HealthDay)
• Body's 'Clock' Gene May Play Role in Depression (11/18/2010, HealthDay)
• Sleep and Your Smarts (11/15/2010, HealthDay)
• Sleep Problems? (09/13/2010, HealthDay)
• More News on Sleep Disorders

Diagnosis/Symptoms

• Polysomnography (Sleep Study) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Sleep Studies (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Treatment

• Common Treatments of Sleep Disorders (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
• Insomnia Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Instead of Sleeping Pills (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Prescription Sleeping Pills: What's Right for You? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Sedatives (Consumers Union of U.S.)

Alternative Therapy

• Melatonin (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Valerian (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)

Disease Management

• Preventing Parasomnias (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)
• Sleep Hygiene: The Healthy Habits of Good Sleep (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Health Check Tools

• Interactive Sleep Quiz (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Sleepiness Scale (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Tutorials

• Sleep and Aging (National Institute on Aging)
• Sleep Disorders (Patient Education Institute)

Videos

• Alcohol and Sleep (Harvard Medical School)
• Caffeine and Sleep (Harvard Medical School)
• Considering Medication vs. Behavioral Approaches for Treatment of Sleep Problems (Harvard Medical School)
• Discussing Sleep with Your Doctor (Harvard Medical School)
• Drowsy Driving(Harvard Medical School)
  • Jet Lag and How to Mitigate Its Effects (Harvard Medical School)
• Over-the-Counter Sleep Medications (Harvard Medical School)
• Shift Work and Ways to Improve Sleep (Harvard Medical School)
• Sleep Deprivation and Cardiovascular Risk (Harvard Medical School)
• Sleep Problems in Older Adults (Harvard Medical School)
• Sleep Strategies Later in Life (Harvard Medical School)
• Sleep, Learning, and Memory (Harvard Medical School)
• Smoking and Sleep (Harvard Medical School)
• To Nap or Not? (Harvard Medical School)
• What to Expect from a Sleep Evaluation (Harvard Medical School)

Games

• Sleep For Kids: Games and Puzzles (National Sleep Foundation)

Children

• All about Sleep (Nemours Foundation)
• Naps (Nemours Foundation)
• Night Terrors (Nemours Foundation)
• Nightmares (Nemours Foundation)
• Sleepwalking (Nemours Foundation)
• Taking the Bite out of Bruxism (Nemours Foundation)
• What to Do if You Can't Sleep (Nemours Foundation)

Teenagers

• Common Sleep Problems (Nemours Foundation)
• How Much Sleep Do I Need? (Nemours Foundation)
• Pointers for Parents (National Sleep Foundation)
• Teen Sleep: Why Is Your Teen So Tired? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Men

• Sleep & Men (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Women

• Sleep & Women (American Academy of Sleep Medicine)

Seniors

• Good Night's Sleep (National Institute on Aging)
• Insomnia and Aging (Geriatric Mental Health Foundation)
• Sleep and Aging (National Institute on Aging)

Source: www.medlineplus.gov

If you would like more information, please contact a Lake Health Professional Librarian

I get asked all the time, "What can acupuncture treat?"   Well, the list is truly endless.  In very simple terms, acupuncture balances the body to try to maintain and restore homeostasis.   Anytime your body is out of balance or in disharmony, acupuncture may be able restore harmony and improve your body's function, thereby, . In 1997, the National Institute of Health (NIH), endorsed acupuncture for some common conditions. The NIH stated "there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine."  The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine's ability to treating these following conditions.   

 
      Because of the neural, hormonal and immune effects of acupuncture, the list of what acupuncture can treat is extensive.  In the last fifty years, there are been many scientific studies which have validated and clarified how acupuncture works.  The use of acupuncture has dated back over 5000 years.  Since the 1970's, acupuncture has been utilized by millions in the United States.  Acupuncture is an ancient therapy which has been proven to be successful for so many conditions.