Category Archives: Health & Wellness
Cheers! Tips for Safe Alcohol Use During the Holidays
By: Ariel J. Warden-Jarrett, M.D., FAAFP
The holidays are a time for family, friends and celebration. Unfortunately, it’s also when people sometimes drink too much, with consequences ranging from fights and falls to serious traffic accidents.
People often put themselves at risk because they believe myths about alcohol use ─ common but incorrect beliefs. Let’s look at some of the most common alcohol myths, and then we’ll tell you how to safely enjoy a few drinks during the holidays.
Alcohol myths
I’m in control. At first, alcohol acts as a stimulant, and you may feel happier and confident. But at this stage, alcohol has already reduced your inhibitions and impaired your judgment. As you drink more, you are likely to underestimate alcohol’s effects, making you feel “bullet proof” while seriously eroding your ability to think clearly and control your behavior.
It’s okay, I’m just drinking beer. One 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor have the same amount of alcohol. It’s not what you drink, it’s how much you drink that matters.
I can still drive. You may think you are safe to drive as long as you’re not slurring your words or acting erratically. However, the coordination needed for driving is compromised long before the signs of intoxication are visible. Plus, the sedative effects of alcohol increase your risk of nodding off or losing attention behind the wheel.
I stopped drinking, so I’m fine. It’s easy to misjudge how long alcohol’s effects last. After you stop drinking, alcohol in your stomach and intestine continues to enter your bloodstream, impairing your judgment and coordination. Your liver can only process about one standard drink every hour, so the effects of drinking can drag on for hours.
I can sober up quickly if I need to. It’s widely believed that coffee, a cold shower or fresh air will get you sober. It’s also wrong. These things may help with drowsiness, but not with the effects of alcohol on decision-making or coordination. There are no quick cures; only time will help.
I ate a big meal, so I won’t get as drunk. Eating before drinking can slow the absorption of alcohol by the body, but it can’t prevent you from getting drunk. Eventually, the stomach will empty from dinner and alcohol absorption will pick up again.
Tips for safe alcohol use
Whether you’re attending or hosting a holiday party, here are ways to consume alcohol safely.
- Pace yourself. A standard drink is one 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor, and you should have no more than one per hour. And no more than four drinks per day for men or three for women.
- Slow down. Sip your drink.
- Space your drinks. Make every other one nonalcoholic, such as water.
- Eat food before and while you drink to slow down your absorption of alcohol.
- Make plans to get home safely. Remember that a designated driver is someone who hasn’t had any alcohol, not simply the person in your group who drank the least.
If you’re a party host:
- Offer a selection of non-alcoholic beverages and plenty of food.
- Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends.
- Don’t serve alcohol to an intoxicated guest.
- Don’t let anyone who is drunk drive home.
For more information on celebrating the holidays safely, visit http://www.RethinkingDrinking.niaaa.nih.gov
Dr. Ariel Warden-Jarrett is an MPCP partner and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She practices in the Bowie office.
Fad Diets and Holiday Weight Loss
By: Janice Rutkowski, M.D.
The holiday season is approaching, filled with parties, family and, for many of us, a few extra pounds. If you stand on the bathroom scale January 1 and see a higher number, you may resolve to take off those pounds ─ fast.
If that’s the case, be careful how you do it. There are fad diets on the market that promise quick weight loss, but many of them take an unbalanced approach to diet and nutrition. Some tell you to avoid “bad” foods, such as carbohydrates or fats, while others restrict you to just a few foods.
Any diet that restricts certain foods or strictly limits calories can lead to initial weight loss. But fad diets rarely bring long-term results because people return to their poor eating habits when the diet ends. Also, people who use these extreme diets may not be getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
Let’s examine five fad diets to avoid in 2017. Then we’ll give you tips for the right way to control your weight during the holidays.
- The Five-Bite Diet
The Five-Bite Diet encourages you to count bites instead of calories. You skip breakfast and then eat five bites of whatever food you want at lunch and dinner. The problem with this approach: even if you choose high-calorie foods for your five bites, you may only take in about 800 calories a day, which is less than half of the recommended daily amount. This diet won’t provide you with the key vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs, and may cause deficiencies that lead to anemia, bone loss, decreased cognitive function, and low energy.
- The Raw Food Diet
The Raw Food Diet teaches that cooking food destroys nutrients and natural enzymes, so you should only eat raw fruits, vegetables and grains. Since raw foods are often low in calories and fat, you’ll probably lose weight and get some nutrients on this diet. The downside is you’ll also miss some important nutrients, including protein, iron, calcium and minerals. Also, cooking food has some benefits, such as killing bacteria and making food easier to digest. Eating only raw foods can also lead to bloating, indigestion, constipation, malnutrition and a lowered immune system.
- The Baby Food Diet
The Baby Food Diet is an Internet phenomenon that cuts calories and controls portions by having you replace one or two meals a day with baby food, which ranges 25-75 calories per jar, and then eat a healthy dinner. This diet has several notable drawbacks. It is very low in fiber, which can lead to digestion problems. It is low in fat and protein, which will leave you hungry in an hour or two and increase your chances of binge eating. Also, since baby food is very bland and there’s little chewing, you will probably feel unsatisfied and crave something else.
- The Blood Type Diet
The Blood Type Diet is based on the assumption that the foods you eat react with your blood type, so your blood type dictates what you should eat. If your blood type is A, for example, you should have a mainly vegetarian diet; type O’s should consume meats and avoid grains; type B’s can eat a variety of foods; and if you’re type AB you can eat anything on the A and B lists. But research has not supported this diet’s claims, and following it can deprive you of vital nutrients. For example, people with type A blood may not get the proteins and carbohydrates they need for good health.
- The Master Cleanse
Master Cleanse claims to rid the body of harmful “toxins” and promote weight loss. It is a liquid diet that lasts three to 10 days and features a special lemonade drink made of lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. This concoction is a diuretic that will cause you to shed water weight. The problems with the Master Cleanse are shared by all “cleansing” regimens. First, its claim that it rids the body of toxins is questionable since your liver and kidneys do that on a continual basis. Second, once you stop the diet, the water weight will return. Third, the diet only gives you 600-1,200 calories a day, well below the recommended daily amount. And finally, because of the lack of nutrients and calories, you may experience fatigue, nausea, dizziness and dehydration.
Now that we’ve looked at wrong ways to deal with weight gain, here are 10 good tips to help you enjoy the holidays while keeping your weight under control:
- Be realistic. Instead of trying to lose pounds during the holidays, try to maintain your current weight.
- Plan time for exercise. A moderate increase in exercise can help offset holiday eating. Try walking briskly 10-15 minutes twice a day.
- Before a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite.
- At a party buffet, take small portions of a variety of foods, including vegetables and fruits.
- Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Chew your food slowly and enjoy the flavor.
- Limit the amount of alcoholic beverages you drink. They can lessen your inhibitions and induce overeating.
- If you overeat at one meal, eat less at the next to balance out your calorie intake.
- Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes.
- Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.
- Prepare favorite dishes that are lower in fat and calories. Here are some tasty, healthy holiday recipes to get you started.
Dr. Janice Rutkowski is an MPCP partner and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She sees patients at the Arundel Mills office.
Water for Weight Loss
Forget expensive diet programs. The secret to maintaining a healthy weight may be… plain water.
A new study suggests that by increasing plain water consumption, you can control your weight. Not only that, but water can also help you reduce your intake of sugar, sodium and saturated fat.
Published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, the study examined the link between plain water consumption and weight. Plain water was defined as water from a tap, cooler, drinking fountain or bottle.
Participants were asked to recall all foods and drinks they consumed, and then researchers calculated the amount of plain water that each participant consumed as a percentage of daily dietary water intake from both foods and drinks.
On a daily basis, the participants consumed an average of about 4.2 cups of plain water, which accounts for just over 30% of their total water consumption.
The average calorie intake for each participant was 2,157 calories, which included 125 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages and 432 calories from desserts, pastries, snack mixes and other foods that are not essential.
The results of the study revealed that people who increased their consumption of plain water by one to three cups daily lowered total energy intake by 68-205 calories each day. They also consumed significantly less sodium, sugar and cholesterol.
Obviously, drinking water is not a silver bullet for weight loss; factors like a healthy diet and exercise are also important. But if more water can reduce your intake of calories, sodium, sugar and cholesterol, our advice to you is: drink up!
Manuel Skow, Physician Assistant, joined MPCP in 2007 and sees patients in the Glen Burnie office. He received his Master of Science/Physician Assistant degree from St. Francis University, and completed his Physician Assistant Preceptorships in Primary Care at the United States Naval Academy Brigade Clinic and Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Small Doses of Nature Can Lead to Big Health Benefits
Many people believe that being outdoors in nature is good for them, and research backs that up. But what “dosage” of nature is needed for good health?
Two recent studies show that just ten minutes of exposure to nature, two to three times per week, provides real health benefits. And you don’t have to visit the wilderness to get the good effects; short nature “time-outs” can happen in small, urban green spaces or even your backyard.
The studies were conducted by Mary Carol Hunter at the University of Michigan and Marc Berman of the University of Chicago. The studies are part of a larger body of research supported by the TKF Foundation, which funds projects across the country integrating the design of urban green spaces with research on user benefits. TKF has funded the creation of more than 130 publicly accessible, urban green spaces, and seeks to prove that green spaces provide health benefits through contemplation and restoration, with the goal of influencing city planning and design.
Hunter’s study had subjects immerse themselves in nature and answer questions before and after about their mental well-being on a mobile app. The digital entries were correlated with participants’ cortisol levels in saliva, an indicator of stress. After being exposed to nature for just ten minutes, two to three times a week, participants reported having significantly less stress, improved ability to focus, and increased satisfaction with their mood and energy levels. Also, benefits were greater in residential landscapes or small parks.
In Berman’s study, subjects were asked to take a 2.5 mile, 50-minute walk through either a dense urban environment or an arboretum. Afterward, they were given memory tests to measure their ability to concentrate or focus. Those who walked through the arboretum had a 20 percent improvement in working memory over the other group.
The two researchers are still working to answer questions such as how senses other than sight might influence health benefits, and which features of nature create a sense of well-being and improve one’s ability to concentrate. However, their studies make a strong case that exposure to nature, even in small doses and in urban settings, makes you feel better. And that’s an important part of good health.
Dr. Ashbeck is an MPCP partner and sees patients in the Pasadena office. Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, he received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completed his residency program in Family Practice at Memorial Medical Center.
