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Well Now nr >
I he SlUilem Health C enter Neweletter
The saga of a dieter
fir Karin Prat ork
Once upon .1 time there lived a
young woman who was constantly on a
diet. This young woman tried every
thing. She fasted, tried pills, "drank
three shakes a day and ate a sensible
dinner' and still had no luck. “If
Tommy Lasorda can do it, so can 1,"
she told herself, hut he didn't do any
thing for her hut cost a fortune.
Every time she read a magazine or
watched TV. she would see these
incredible women who looked perfect,
and she wondered if she would ever
have a body like theirs. Dieting began
to occupy bet every thought, and soon
her road into dieter’s hell had begun.
This is not a fictional character; it is
about people like you and me who
have been dieting for too long, too
dangerously.
1 am this young woman, Karin Pea
cock, and I know what it’s like to be
trapped in an overweight body and
“mindset."
I have tried every type of diet on the
market to lose those extra pounds,
from Weight Watchers to Slim F ast to
Jenny Craig, but the only thing I got in
return was extra poundage and frustra
tion.
The problem with all of the diets I
tries! was that they didn’t teach me
how to cat right, nor did they encour
age me to exercise.
Instead, they gave me cither fake
milkshakes that have no nutritional
value or boxed dinners that couldn’t
even fill up a small child.
As each day passed, I grew more
ansi more angry at myself because I was
becoming larger and my clothe* were
becoming smaller. I began to hale
myself and have a low self image, I felt
trapped.
Alter returning home (rotrt summer
school last August. I knew that 1 want
ed to do something about my weight
problem. I had decided that I was sick
and tired of being fat for more than 18
years and that something had to be
done about it.
My first step was a doctor's
appointment and complete Woodwork,
including a cholesterol test 1 his doc
tor told me that if I reallv wanted to
lose weight. I needed to cat tight and
exercise daily; I was waiting for him to
tell me something profound, possibly
a secret, hut when he told me those
two words. I felt like a tool because I
realized I already knew that!
When I got my test results hack, my
cholesterol level was way too high, and
I discovered that I was at high risk for
cardiovascular disease. I hat was it
From that day on, I made the most
important decision of my life to stop
dieting and to become a healthy indi
vidual.
I have learned to cut most dairy
products and tats from my diet, drink
lots of water, do a step aerobics class
and walk aerobically four times a week
Today. I am more than twenty
pounds lighter, my cholesterol level is
down thirty points, and 1 have never
Iscen this happy in my entire life.
I have found a new freedom within
myself, I know that I can do anything
because I believe in me! It I can do it.
anyone can
ALCOHOL
(jinnnurd fnm fhift I
Other medical researcher* dont
believe that alcohol has anything to
do with preventing heart disease.
"There is no direct proof that it's
the alcohol that protects against coro
nary heart disease," says heart disease
researcher William ( minor of I he
Oregon I Icaltli Sciences ('enter.
Conversely, studies have shown
that people who drink moderately
have a lower risk of heart disease.
Unfortunately these studies do not
prove that alcohol prevents heart dis
ease. And we do not have a more
convincing explanation for this link
between alcohol and HDLs.
Another point that researchers
have made is that alcohol association
with a lower risk of heart disease
could actually have nothing to do
with alcohol.
This is not likely, but it is possible.
Mavbe moderate drinkers lead a less
stressful or less rigid life than non
drinkers.
Most research in this field has
l>ecn on men, and the research that
has recently been conducted involv
ing women has not had favorable
results.
Researchers have iound that in
women alcohol has the same effect in
increasing I H)t-s, but it also increas
es the chance for breast cancer.
At this point in research on the
connection between alcohol con
sumption aiul heart disease, I feel
that if you are a person who drinks
moderately, you may be doing vour
self more good relaxing than some
one who never takes the time out to
relax.
By no means am 1 suggesting that
anyone go out and start drinking. We
need to remember that there are
many ways to prevent heart disease,
such as diet and exercise, but every
thing should be done in moderation.
Food for better thought
Hr Trtuty < juLmh
Growl ...rumble
rumple., .growl! Suiv
slowly and quietly sinks
lower into her scat and
notices that every eve in
I SO Columbia is on her Oh no! I lere
comes another one - anti oh, it s going
to be loud; she quickly pushes on her
stomach to stop the growl before it
starts.
As she sits there paranoid, her ton
centration is far from where it should
be. Not only is her stomach embarrass
ing her and driving everyone else cra/v,
but her mind is fuzzy and she cant
seem to focus on the essay question in
front of her.
Suddenly, Suzy draws a blank on
everything she knows; she begins to
squirm and breaks out into a cold sweat
when it comes time to hand in the test.
On her way home, Suzy reflects back
on her recent study habits to determine
what could have possibly caused her to
suddenly draw a blank; this is the third
time in the past week it has happened.
After carefully evaluating her habits,
she still fails to find a cause for her
spaciness and decides to make an
appointment with a counselor at the
Student Health Center.
After a couple of sessions, the coun
selor determined that Suzy s problem
lies not in her study habits, but rather
in her eating habits! Suzy has never
been a breakfast cater, but she will now
include this meal in her morning agen
da.
One week later, Suzy sits in her das',
and awaits yet another examination.
This time, however, she’s attentive,
well-focused and prepared for the test
Why? Because Suzy ate a nutritious
breakfast!
lor many of you, breakfast may
seem pointless, but many researchers
and doctors consider breakfast to be
the most important meal of the day.
Scientific studies prove that beginning
the day with a good breakfast leads to
increased awareness and allows people
to have a more productive morning
than those who skip it altogether.
Working all morning without eating
anything for breakfast is analogous to
spending money before it has been
earned. If you begin eating at noon
each day. the food you consume is used
by your system to make up for what
you didn't eat earlier rather than pro
vidmg nutrients and the energy need
cd to help get you through the rest of
the day.
Because everybody is different, our
loot.! preferences and amounts sve con
sume individually tend to vary.
Some people prefer large breakfasts
and consider it the largest meal of the
dav, whereas others who aren’t accus
tomed to eating breakfast, may cat
nothing or very little.
These people usually begin their
breakfast regimen by eating small por
tions and gradually work their way up
to larger servings with the essential
nutrients.
Breakfast foods need not be high in
calories, but they should include serv
ings from at least three of the four food
groups to ensure maximum nutrition.
The following menu is a simple sug
gestion lor a quick, easy and nutritious
breakfast:
Tuud iintup !ko mat Lsaruvlt
Vcgctablc-Truii I 1/2 Cirjpcfruil
Bread ( !ereal 2 f oast/t .ereal
Hairy I I cup Milk
With the winter months already
upon us, it is especially important to
make time in your morning to cat a
nutritious breakfast to help give your
self a boost through the dark and
gloomy days.
Not only does eating breakfast pro
vide energy and nutrients, it also helps
to increase metabolic processes, thus
preventing the body front putting on
unwanted pounds.
The body’s natural tendency during
the winter is to store extra calories as fat
to provide insulation for warmth.
Therefore, eating a low caloric
breakfast every morning will prevent
your metabolism from slowing down.
So if you think that eating breakfast is a
waste of time that could be spent sleep
ing an extra ten minutes, think again.
Just by eating something small,
whether at your kitchen table or on
your way to class, your overall perfor
mance can and will improve signifi
cantly - you will be surprised by how
good you feel at the beginning and
even at the end of the day.
Workshops
Helpful information for a healthy lifestyle
Smoking Cessation
Two 4-wcS workshop* which will follow lhe American
(juicer Society Guideline*.
Monday*; 2:00-3:20pm. Medical library
Kt Sewnm January 25th, February I u. 8rh and I5ih
2nd Seuion; February 15th, 22nd. Marcli In and 8th
Weight Management
7-wcek workshop
Wednesday*. 2:00-3:20pm Medical library
January 20th, 27th, Feb 3. 10. 17, 24. and Match 3rd
Vegetarianism Workshop
3- week workshop
Tuesdays: 1:30-3:00pm, Medical Library
Ecb 9th, Ibth and 23rd
Women, Weight & Food Issues
4- week workshop
Wednesdays: 1:30- 2:30pm, Group Room
Begins January 27th
Call the Health Education Center to pre-register for
workshops at 346-4441 or 346-4436.
1 Resources for well-being
Conflict Revolution:
University Counseling ('.enter
13th Street 4t Agate 346 (227
UO Crists ('.enter hotline
346-4488 24 hours a day
Sexual Assault Support Services
484-9795
U of () Mediation Program
EMU Room 318
346-4240
Oflitc of Student Advocacy
EMU 318 346-3722
Women's Resource
and Referral Center
Suite 3 EMU 346-3327
Physical Ailments:
Student Health ('enter
13th Street at Agate 346-4441
Health Information:
l ifrttyln Planning Program
Health FJticaiion ( timr
346-4456
Financial Concern!:
Office of Student Financial Aid
260 Oregon Hall 346-3221
Student I mployment Office
I 2 I Icndricks 11.ill 346 32 14
Academic (Concerns:
Office of Academic Advicing and
Student Scrviccc
164 Oregon I tail 446 3211
Career Planning and Placement
244 Hendrick- Hall 346-3235
('.enter lor
Academic learning Services
68 PI C 346 3226