Confession Time

Confession Is Good For The Soul

Confession is good for the soul or so I have always heard.  When I decided to become a Nutritarian, I publicly announced it on Facebook and  I provided updates often as I was losing weight.  It really gave me accountability and helped in my journey of changing the way I eat.  Not only did I lose weight, but my health improved.  My psoriasis that I have had since I was 14 cleared up.  The aches and pains were gone.  Before when I woke up in the morning,  I could barely walk because the bottom of my feet hurt so bad.  I was sleeping with a CPAP machine which I hated with a passion.  I was on blood pressure medicine, suffered from irregular heartbeat, andworst of all I had a C-Reactive protein score that was super high.  All of that cleared up and my blood work became perfect.  I lost 30 pounds. I was still 20 pounds short of where I should be.  I went in to maintenance mode long before I should have. I still ate only nutritarian food that kept me healthy, but I was no longer losing weight. 

Five years later and my blood work is still good for now, but I am sure that will soon change  Here comes the confession: this past year I have let too much SAD (Standard American Diet) food into my life.  I still eat healthier than most Americans, but not good enough to maintain my health where I had it before.  Most people can’t see what food does to them.  Eating poorly  makes you  feel bad and in some cases actually it can kill you.  I guess maybe I am lucky that my body lets me know pretty quickly that I am not eating completely the way I should.  I had been psoriasis free for over 4 years, but now it is back;  first on my scalp, then my elbows, and now I have places on my legs.  With that also comes aches and pains. I knew that I was slipping back at times to my old eating habits.  I went to Dr. Fuhrman’s health get away in July and before I went I did the 10 in 20.  That is Dr. Fuhrman’s program to lose 10 pounds in 20 days.  I lost 12 pounds and was feeling great. 10 of those were what I had gained back.  It was shocking how that was happening all over again.  A couple of pounds here and then another couple until it was 10 pounds.  The conference helped.  Old habits are so hard to break even after over 4 years of healthy eating.  I fell back into my old habits again.   Food is like alcohol to an alcoholic. My addiction will never go away.  I enjoy the nutritarian food I eat and fully believe that it is the only way to eat.  It is so frustrating  to let the foods I know are bad tocreep back in.  I am not  an overeater.  It is what I eat.  It’s not a problem every day.  It happens most often when I am out of town and on special occasions.  

If you think you can do this part time, good luck.  It does not work that way for me.  My body shows me I can’t eat healthy on a part-time basis.  Some people say they will start after the holidays.  That’s good, but why wait.  It is never easy.  There is always something that makes it hard to follow.  There is always that feeling of I can eat what I want just this one time.  There is always someone’s birthday party.  There is always that vacation.  

I began this journey 5 years ago this past October.  I even went through Thanksgiving and Christmas and lost weight that year.  Now, I could wait until January to start,but my body says "NO."  My psoriasis has gotten so much worse in just the last couple of weeks.  So, I have decided to get back on track today. I will eat only the foods that feed my body the way it should be fed.   My goal is to lose the other 20 pounds I still need to lose.  But, what is most important to me is to see this psoriasis clear up again.  I am publicly announcing again that I am back 100%on the Nutritarian diet.  If you don’t see me provide an update on how I am doing, please ask.  It really does help to have people hold you accountable..  If I am quiet, it means I am not doing well.

Merry Christmas and wishing you a healthy New Year!

Food for Thought:

Drugs that are given to treat psoriasis, I will eat my way to health, thank you!

• Retinoids. Related to vitamin A, this group of drugs may reduce the production of skin cells if you have severe psoriasis that doesn't respond to other therapies. Signs and symptoms usually return once therapy is discontinued, however. Side effects may include lip inflammation and hair loss. And because retinoids such as acitretin (Soriatane) can cause severe birth defects, women must avoid pregnancy for at least three years after taking the medication.
• Methotrexate. Taken orally, methotrexate helps psoriasis by decreasing the production of skin cells and suppressing inflammation. It may also slow the progression of psoriatic arthritis in some people. Methotrexate is generally well-tolerated in low doses but may cause upset stomach, loss of appetite and fatigue. When used for long periods, it can cause a number of serious side effects, including severe liver damage and decreased production of red and white blood cells and platelets.
• Cyclosporine. Cyclosporine suppresses the immune system and is similar to methotrexate in effectiveness. Like other immunosuppressant drugs, cyclosporine increases your risk of infection and other health problems, including cancer. Cyclosporine also makes you more susceptible to kidney problems and high blood pressure — the risk increases with higher dosages and long-term therapy.
• Drugs that alter the immune system (biologics). Several immunomodulator drugs are approved for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. They include etanercept (Enbrel), infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira) and ustekinumab (Stelara). These drugs are given by intravenous infusion, intramuscular injection or subcutaneous injection and are usually used for people who have failed to respond to traditional therapy or who have associated psoriatic arthritis. Biologics work by blocking interactions between certain immune system cells and particular inflammatory pathways. Although they're derived from natural sources rather than chemical ones, they must be used with caution because they have strong effects on the immune system and may permit life-threatening infections. In particular, people taking these treatments must be screened for tuberculosis.

Recipe for the day:

Raspberry Blueberry Walnut Chocolate Chip

Blueberry

Strawberry Walnut Chocolate Chip

Best Muffins Ever  

Makes 6 muffins

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup mashed banana (Very Ripe)
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, uncooked
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray large muffin tin with non-stick spray.
Mash banana until smooth.
Add banana, oats, beaten egg, baking powder and vanilla to a bowl.
Stir until just combined.
Stir in blueberries.
Fill muffin tins with batter. I fill to the top, these muffins do not rise very much.
Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes, then decrease oven temperature to 375 and continue baking for 12 more minutes.
Allow muffins to cool slightly in muffin tin a few minutes. Removing them while hot will likely cause the muffins to break apart as they are very moist.

I have made these with strawberries, raspberries, and I add a few dark chocolate chips and walnuts.  My favorite is the blueberry, walnut, chocolate chip.

They make a great dessert too as well as for breakfast.  They freeze well but that is only when I make several batches because with one batch there are none left to freeze.  

 

Summer Update: Hilton Head Health Get Away with Dr. Fuhrman, Fibromyalgia, Key Lime Pie

It has been a very busy summer. The highlight was having my 5th grandchild Tate and also getting to meet Dr. Fuhrman.  Tate was almost born on my birthday but missed it by one day.  He is so sweet and cute he deserves his own day.  :)

The Health Get Away at Hilton Head with Dr. Fuhrman was a great experience and just what I needed.  I had my physical the week before we went and all my numbers were still excellent.  I had lost two pounds from my earlier visit in December.  The weight has stayed off now for over two years and I am finally beginning to lose again.  I hope to stay on track to get the rest off I need to get off.  The life style is easy and very enjoyable.  It was really great to sample so many different dishes at the conference.  We had three buffet meals a day and of course we had to try everything. :)  I was fortunate enough to get to dine with Dr. Fuhrman’s family twice and with him once.  The information that was packed in during the four days was so educational.

Because I have an autoimmune disease (psoriasis) I was asked to stand up and tell my story.  It was amazing the stories we heard on recovery from very serious illness and disease.  I was also asked to participate in a film for the Nutritional Research Foundation.  That was a little nerve racking but also very exciting.  It will premiere sometime November in New York City.  Hopefully, I will not sound too country.

Since coming back from the conference I have lost 4 pounds and my husband has lost 5.  I have dropped another digit on the scale.  I have been waiting a long time for that.  My goal is only 10 pounds away.  Much better than 50.

Continuing to study for the second test to become a Nutritional Education Trainer.  I am planning on taking the test soon.  Excited about helping others discover this wonderful way of eating and feeling healthy.

Food for Thought:

Fibromyalgia can disappear within a few months

Fibromyalgia is a disease highlighted by discomfort, pain and tenderness all over the body. The cause is unknown. Typical treatments involve pain medication and anti-depressants used to aid sleep. Better sleep has been shown to be of benefit.

Dr. Fuhrman has been utilizing a high antioxidant, acrlyamide-free diet for many years with marked success. Acrylamides are toxic substances produced by baking and frying carbohydrates. The diet-style he recommends for fibromylagia patients is rich in natural plant foods especially organic berries and green vegetables and restricted in animal products and baked grains. Vegetable soups and steamed vegetables are encouraged. Fibromyalgia patients routinely get well, and they get well quickly.

Studies in the medical literature support this method of treatment.[ii] Though the researchers do not seem to have the experience and understanding of why what they are doing works, the effects are dramatic.

Similar to the nutritional treatment of most diseases, it is not one photochemical compound or the removal of one toxic habit that works; it is the symphonic combination of removing multiple nutritional stresses along with the addition of multiple beneficial nutritional compounds that results in consistent and sustained results. The high intake of polyphenolic compounds such as quercetin, myricetin and kaempherol, and the high intake of lignans and bioflavonoids are just a few of the hundreds of nutrients with unpronounceable names that can only be obtained in large amounts from a diet rich in natural plant foods.

[ii] Information copied from drfuhrman.com

Recipe of the Day:

No-bake Key Lime Pie

Deana Ferreri

Serves: 12

Preparation Time: 1 hour, 30 min.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup raw walnuts

2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats

20 medjool dates, divided (4 for crust, 16 for filling)

3 avocados

3/4 cup fresh key lime juice (approximately 1.5 lbs. key limes)

1/3 cup raw cashews 

Instructions:
To make the crust: Grind the walnuts, coconut, and oats in a food processor using the S-blade. Add 4 of the dates and continue to process until the mixture starts to hold together. I add a tiny bit of almond milk. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.

To make the filling: Combine the remaining dates with the avocados, lime juice and cashews in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. Pour into crust and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

I forgot to take pictures but this was delicious and now one of our favorite desserts.

Recipe of the Day

No thoughts today....just a very tasty recipe. Enjoy !!

I had a delicious meal a couple of weeks ago in Asheville, NC.  It is a great place to get vegetarian meals.  However, even with vegetarian you have to be careful.  They can still be loaded with fat and be very bad for you.  The meal I had inspired me to work up my own healthy version.  It turned out to be very delicious.  I learned of a new grain that I had not experienced before,  Farro.  The restaurant used it instead of Risotto.  Risotto is an Italian rice dish cooked in broth to a creamy consistency.

"Farro Is fairly new to American cooks (including me!), but Italians have been eating it for more than 2,000 years. I love the hearty nuttiness that the healthful whole grain adds to everything from salad to soups -- and it makes me feel great, too!"

-- Seamus Mullen, Chef at New York City's Tertulia and Author of Hero Food

Fiber Fix
A cup of faro has about 8 grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber. That's four times as much as white rich; brown rice weighs in at around 5 grams.

Chill Pill
Whole grains like faro are full of minerals, including magnesium, which may relieve tension and menstrual cramps.

Smart Carb
Farro's complex carbs break down slowly, keeping your energy level stable. The grain also has cyanogenic glucosides, a type of carb that may boost the immune system.

Ok, enough of that, but it explains why I am excited to find out about Farro.  Now, back to the recipe.   :)

Name....Mushroom Dish???

Cook Farro according to package directions.

8 ozs. of thinly sliced organic mushrooms.

1 organic onion sliced

1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes 

1 cup of organic low sodium vegetable broth

Sauté on high for 5 to 10 minutes until most of liquid is gone.

 

Top with Cream Sauce.

Cream Sauce

Blend 1 cup of cashews, 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, 2 cloves of fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon of onion flakes until smooth.  Add as much milk as you like until it's a consistency you like for a cream sauce.  I added more milk a little at the time until it was the way I like it.

Top Farro with vegetables and then top with cream sauce.  Enjoy.

This cream sauce can be used on any thing that calls for cream sauce and it is so healthy.

Next, I will be making homemade vegan cheese.  Hope  it's good.

P.S.  Guess I did add some thoughts.  :)

My End of Year Post... A Little Late

End of Another Year

Health wise I am doing great. My numbers were all wonderful when I went to the doctor in December. However, November and December I was under a lot of stress.  Sugar came back in to my life. That stuff is poison to me. Out of the 33 pounds I lost I found 5. The good news is I know exactly how to correct the problem. I have thrown out all the junk and replaced it with the food I know I should eat according to "Eat to Live".

Looking back on 2013 I would say I ate healthy 80% of the time. Maybe a little more. I feel better and look better. My husband and I went on a trip of a lifetime to Israel for 13 days   There was so much walking and climbing but I had the energy to keep up.  My children and grand children are all healthy. We found out before Christmas grandchild number 5 is coming in July. What a wonderful birthday present that will be.  My husband's and my birthday are in July.  I have a friend fighting cancer again. My prayer is that she will beat it one more time. Love her and will not think of life without her.  My mother broke her hip in November and is in rehab now but will need to go from there to assisted living. She will not be able to go home to live. Change is hard on everyone.  This year seemed so busy and went by so fast.

My goals for 2014 are to stick much closer to Dr. Fuhrman's guidelines and lose the other 20 pounds I need to lose. If I behave, that should be accomplished by July.  I am looking forward to 2014 being the year I meet Dr. Fuhrman in person. Not sure when or where yet but I will get to meet him.  Be a great wife, mother, grand mother, daughter, sister and friend.  Find time for me but most of all find time for God.  I need to make sure He has time in my daily life. More than a quick thank you prayer, that I am guilty of. To slow down and enjoy life.  We let life rob us of all the blessings we have by not taking the time to really enjoy what we have.  

Food for Thought:

The High Cost Of Cheap Food

Fabulous & Frugal

Posted on Jan 14, 2011

In the car this morning, some disturbing statistics caught our ear—could we have possibly heard right that there was a new obesity intervention program starting in the schools… in second grade? The commentator went on to explain that a shocking one in three children in our country are overweight.

Thankfully, Michelle Obama and her ‘Let’s Move’ program are putting childhood obesity center stage. But aside from the White House, what can you do about food issues in your own house? For both children and adults, one thing is clear: Processed, crappy food—no matter how cheap—is not a bargain!

Spend More To Save More.

For starters, you might be surprised to hear Fab & Fru tell you that you should be spending more on your food in order to save big in costs to your health and well-being!
According to Michael Pollan in his book, “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual,” Americans spend less than 10% of their income on food—less than the citizens of any other nation. We seem to have gotten away from that simple truth that our grandmothers used to tell us: “You Are What You Eat” after all! Pollan also shares another gem of grandmotherly wisdom: “Better to pay the grocer than the doctor!”

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.

Yes, real food does usually cost more upfront than processed food. But, by spending more to purchase high quality food, you will be more satisfied, eat less and be healthier. All of which will certainly save you money in the long run! First, we need to change our concept of “getting a deal.” The American perspective on getting a great deal on groceries is really a raw deal—let’s say you can get a ‘discount’ on hormone-pumped up chicken, pesticide sprayed (though perfect looking!) apples, high fructose laden bread, cereal and soda. Sure, your grocery bill this week might be lower than had you bought organic, but at what cost to your health (and heath related bills) in the long run?

Our Disease-Prone Diet.

It’s no secret that our Western diet of processed, chemical-filled foods has led to an onslaught of distinctly Western diseases. According to Michael Pollan, “Virtually all of the obesity and type 2 diabetes, 80% of cardiovascular disease, and more than a third of all cancers” can be linked to our Western diet! Now, you may not be making the connection between purchasing a processed snack for your kids and the rising cost of health care, but you should be. (Our apologies up front for giving you yet another thing to be stressed out about in terms of parenting!)

Processed = Profitable.

According to Michael Pollan, processed food is profitable food. It can sit on the shelves forever and is inexpensively mass produced in factories. Pollan says we should think of most processed food less as real food as more like ‘edible foodlike substances.’ And many of these foodlike substances unfortunately seem to permeate our diet. One of his suggestions we particularly like is, “It’s not food if it’s called by the same name in every language. Think Big Mac, Cheetos, or Pringles.” Now, look : We’re not saying you should never indulge in a bag of Cheetos (particularly the crunchy variety), but his point is, these treats should be only eaten from time to time—they should not be the mainstay of our diets!

Ok, so let’s say you want to start eating higher quality food—more ‘real food,’ as Julia Child used to call it. That doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t like to save money on your weekly grocery bill! But, you may have noticed, most of the coupons in your newspaper are for highly processed foods from major corporations—not a surprise that these are the companies that can afford the marketing dollars and are producing products cheaply enough to give enticing discounts. So, lately we have been on a quest—a quest to find coupons for organic and ‘real’ food. Can’t we have the best of both worlds?

Most organic companies don’t have the marketing budgets to put ads and coupons in major newspaper coupon circulars, but the good news is: organic coupons do exist! For instance, the other day, we spent a little time online hunting for organic coupons for staples we use, and we found coupons for the following: organic milk, organic yogurt, organic pasta, organic bread, organic tomato sauce… all items we regularly buy! It definitely takes more legwork than finding coupons for, say, a six-pack of Coke, but it is worth it!

What Would Great-Grandma Say?

Don’t get us wrong—we love a highly processed, Westernized treat from time to time as much as the next girl, but from time to time certainly does not mean from day to day! The easiest rule of thumb is Michael Pollan’s suggestion: “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” We think this one sentence can help you navigate the grocery store better than any nutrition manual ever could. Unless you are having a really bad day, in which case, we agree—Twizzlers are mandatory!

To read this article in its entirety, check it out at Fabulous & Frugal! CLICK HERE.

Recipe of the day:  

Broccoli Salad   

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large heads organic broccoli, florets cut to bite size

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raisins, divided

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 chopped walnuts

3/4 cup pomegranate juice

1/2 cup raw cashew butter 

Instructions:
Combine broccoli, a 1/4 cup of the raisins, walnuts, seeds and onion in large bowl.

In a high-powered blender, make dressing by combining pomegranate juice, remaining 2 tablespoons of the raisins and nut butter until smooth but not too thin. Pour dressing over broccoli mixture and stir all together. Chill and serve.

I couldn't find cashew butter so I made it from scratch.  Turned out wonderful.  I will share that recipe in my next post.  Happy Eating!!!

Rainy Day Recipes

Rainy Day Recipes

Today has been rainy and cool.  To put the day to good use I spent all day in the kitchen.  In the past this would have been a bad thing, but today it has been good.  I have tested some recipes by substituting healthy food to replace un healthy food.  Eating healthy does not mean the same old boring food over and over again.  What I like best about eating like a Nutritarian is all the variety I can have.  I like the challenge of making the old favorites into wonderful healthy eating.

It has been almost two years since I became a Nutritarian.  Time has really flown by and I can't believe this is one way of eating I can stick with and enjoy.  I feel too healthy to ever give up on eating this way.  I have kept off the 30 pounds.  I would like to lose 15 more but even if I never do, I am much healthier and look much better than I used to.

At my last physical all my numbers were still improving.  The one I was most excited about was my C-Reactive Protein.  This is a blood test that measures inflammation in the body.  My doctor said it is actually a better indicator of heart disease than cholesterol.  The first time she took it in 2008 it was 10, normal range being 0 - to 3 mg/L..  There is no medication to bring this down like there is for cholesterol.  Every year since then it has varied from 8 to 10.  I tried not to let this concern me because I have psoriasis which is an inflammation of the body and an auto immune disease.  That helped me to relax and realize I wasn't likely to have a heart attack.  Recently, I have read that people with psoriasis are more prone to heart attacks because of the inflammation.  The good news is with eating like a Nutritarian my psoriasis is just about completely gone and drum role please…….my C-Reactive Protein is . 28.  That is point 28.  Less than 1.  I never thought I would see that number in the normal range.  I am glad there is no medication to lower this number.  Now I know it can be lowered just by eating right.  So much better than collecting pill bottles.


Food for Thought:

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels

The hs-CRP test measures your risk for heart problems. It may be done to find out if you have an increased chance of having a sudden heart problem, such as a heart attack. But the connection between high CRP levels and heart attack risk is not very well-understood.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels

Less than 1.0 mg/L           Lowest risk
1.0 to 3.0 mg/L                 Average risk
More than 3.0 mg/L          Highest risk


Recipes of the Day:

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 pounds fresh broccoli
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup petite carrots, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 avocado

In heavy medium pot pour one cup of vegetable broth, add onions and carrots, salt and pepper.  Sauté until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.  Add broccoli and the rest of the broth.  Simmer until broccoli is tender, about 15 minutes.  Pour in almond milk and add avocado.  With an immersion blender, puree the soup.  I blended it in my Vitamix.   Serve hot.  I add a little vegan cheese on top. 


The original recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup heavy cream and 3 Tbls. of flour.  The healthy avocado and almond milk replaces that and makes the soup really rich and creamy and very healthy.

Butternut Squash Soup

4 pounds of butternut squash  (I found it at the grocery store already cubed in the produce department)
1 cup finely chopped onion
5 Granny Smith apples finely chopped 
2 Tbls. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 cups of vegetable broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 avocado

In large stockpot pour in 1 cup of broth, sauté' the onion, apple, thyme and ginger for 5 minutes, until the onion and apple are softened.  Add squash and the rest of the broth.  Simmer 20 to 30 minutes until the squash begins to fall apart.  Add avocado.   Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.  I pureed it in my Vitamix.  I like it topped with a few chopped walnuts and some vegan cheese.

The original recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of butter and 1 cup of heavy cream and another 1/2 cup of butter.  The avocado made this so rich and creamy without all the unhealthy ingredients.

In my recipes I use organic produce and broth.

Are You Carrying Too Much Sand?

A friend of mine recently lost 60 pounds and I am very proud of her.  What she has done for her health and future is wonderful.  I was out this morning spreading new sand on my patio to fill in cracks that have opened up.  The sand came in 50 pound bags.  I had to drag them around because I could not pick them up.  I was thinking the whole time how she had lost 10 pounds more than what I was trying to lift.  Can you imagine what carrying around this much extra weight does to your body?  No wonder so many people have knee replacements.  They can't climb stairs, their joints ache all the time, and they have no energy.  I see more and more people riding around in those auto shopping carts.  It's really sad that we have eaten our way into such misery. 

It would be smart if everyone out there that needs to lose weight would get something that weighs the amount you want to lose.  Each time you think of putting something unhealthy in your mouth, pick the item up and carry it around a few minutes ( if you can lift it) and then see if you still want to eat whatever it was.  I seriously doubt you would.  I have twenty more pounds to lose so I am on a mission to find two things around the house today weighing 10 pounds each.  I will let you know if it helps me get serious about this last 20 pounds.

Food for Thought: 

Obesity’s Effects on

Bones and Joints

Stephen P. Makk, M.D., M.B.A.

Obesity is an escalating health threat in the United States. It

increases the risk of developing life-shortening conditions

including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea and

cancer. Excessive weight also affects the musculoskeletal system.

Obesity is generally defined as being more than thirty

percent above one’s ideal body weight. The rate of obesity is

increasing across all demographic groups in the U.S. and is

especially high in children. While many factors are to blame,

certainly poor diets, fueled by processed and fast foods, and

sedentary lifestyles are culprits.

Joint and Spinal Problems

Obesity accelerates the wear on the joints and spine. In

particular, osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis) of the knees is

increased. Obese people have difficulty squatting (getting on

and off the toilet, getting out of a car), running and climbing stairs.

Biomechanically this is explained because the force on one’s

knees between the patella (kneecap) and its articulation with

the rest of the knee is about three times your body weight with

walking. When these other activities are undertaken, the forces

can reach six to 10 times body weight. That is, the force on a 200-

pound person’s knees while walking is 600 pounds, and when

they are climbing, running, squatting, etc. the force approaches

1200-2000 pounds. Multiply that by the number of years people

are overweight and you get excessive wear and thus arthritis.

The corollary is true as well, and this provides a nice

incentive to lose weight. The bang for the buck for the knees is 3-

10 pounds of wear reduction for every pound lost! Simply losing

10-20 pounds can make a real difference in one’s activity level.

Moderate exercise and leg-strengthening exercises can reduce

the effective joint forces as well.

Obesity also affects spinal mechanics. Truncal obesity with

a panniculus (doctor-speak for a big gut) causes an anterior

bending force and a compressive force on the spinal column,

thus leading to disc pathology and back pain. Imagine wearing

a backpack backwards with 50-75 pounds in it for a day and you

get the idea.

Hip and Knee Replacements 

As an orthopedist specializing in hip and knee replacements,

I often see obese patients with severe knee arthritis. In fact, this

is a wide-scale, increasing problem. Some are too overweight

to physically perform surgery on, notwithstanding the inherently

higher perioperative risks that they have. Sometimes we have no

alternative but to suggest that they buy motorized scooters.

Many patients swear that they will lose weight after they get

their knees replaced. I can count on one hand and personally

remember the patients that I have operated on over the last

dozen or so years who have actually done this. There was a well-

researched paper in our most respected journal a few years ago

that showed that the average weight loss one year after knee

replacement was actually a six-pound weight gain.

Additionally, hip and knee replacements demonstrate wear in

all the patients that get them, and obese patients, especially young

ones, tend to wear out faster, necessitating additional “revision”

operations which are usually more involved, to say the least.

Research shows that obese joint replacement patients do

worse functionally than thinner patients overall. But, studies also

show that obese joint recipients in the short term have equally

high satisfaction scores with the procedures. It is clear that obese

patients have more complications in the perioperative period,

including anesthetic difficulties, infections, blood clots, medical

problems and poorer functional outcomes.

In summary, obesity is bad for the musculoskeletal system.

With the average lifespan increasing, it would be prudent to keep

your weight at a reasonable level and to keep fit so that you may

better enjoy those extra years without the pain and limitations of

musculoskeletal wear.

Recipe of the Day:    

4 red potatoes
1 bunch kale
4 T. water (or more)
1 onion thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 T. tamari

Instructions:
Scrub potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Steam over boiling water until just tender when pierced with a fork. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.

Rinse kale and remove stems. Cut or tear the leaves into very small pieces and set aside.

Heat 2 T. water in a large skillet and add the onion, garlic and sesame seeds. Saute 5 minutes. Add the cooked potatoes, black pepper, and paprika. Continue cooking until the potatoes begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the mixture gently as it cooks.

Spread the kale leaves over the top of the potato mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 T. water and the tamari. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 7 minutes  

If you don't think you like kale try this.  I didn't think I did but I really liked this and so did my son that never eats greens of any kind.

I served this with sweet potato cut in cubes sprinkled with cinnamon and coconut sugar and baked in the microwave until soft.  Yummy