Factoids
ie average American
woman is STtall and
veighs 140 pounds. The
average American mode) is
5’ 11” tall and weighs 117
pounds.
—The National Ealing
Disorders Association
In 5 to 15 years, the risk of
stroke for ex-smokers
returns to the level of those
who've never smoked
—The American Heart Association
There are 10 different meth
ods of birth control avail
able at the health center
90% of all campus rapes
occur when alcohol has
been used by either the
assailant or the victim.
—foctsontap. com
Female college freshman
are at the highest risk for
sexual assault between the
first day of school and
Thanksgiving break.
—foctsontap.com
By the first year of college
4.5 to 18% of women have a
history of bulimia.
—S. CaRED (eatin-disorder.org)
One 15-30 minute indoor
tanning experience exposes
the skin to the same
amount of UV light as an
entire day at the beach
—(http://www.aad. org/Dermln
sights/fbll2000//arming hlmt)
A regular Chocolate Chip
Cookie Dough Blizzard
from Dairy Queen has 36
gams of fat and 950 calories
-(http://www.oten.com/cgi
tm/td0d2)
The best selling category of
books, other than text
books, is cookbooks; sec
ond best seller is diet
Today, about 13% of
Americans, or 35 million
people, are aged 65 and
older. Between 2010 to
2030, the growth rate of the
derly is projected to
:ceed that of the popu la
ion under age 65,and by
2050, the elderly population
is projected to reach 79 mil
lion.
—(USAdmirnmation on Aging,
ummooa. dhhs.gov; US Census Bureau)
When Americans are under
stress, or uncertain about
:he economy, they tend to
■ach for comfort foods
d sweets. Chocolate sales,
example, have risen
. iy in North America
following the terrorist
attacks. \
—Sources dealers, Newsservice,No
0embet2Q(il ;http://)us/k>Qd,CQm
; of April 7,2003,more
an 100 cases of SARS
(severe acute respiratory
syndrome) had been
reported in the U.S.
—muwcdc.gov/fKidod/sars
Oils that are low in saturat
ed fats include canola oil
(7% saturated fat), flaxseed
oil (10% saturated fat) and
safflower oil (10% saturated
fat). Oils high in mono
unsaturated fats include
olive oil (75% mono-unsatu
rated fat). All make good
choices for cooking.
■—American Dietetic Association
eatrightcom
Trans fats:
We're talkin’food, not cars
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup (200$
Amount Per Serving
Calod«*JS0
FetlSg
Carbohydrate 31 g
Protein fg
YMmm A. 4%
ao%
w%
i e%
o%
Vitamin C 2%
Example of new food labeling slated to show up
this year according to the FDA.
By Molly Lehrkind
Do you consider yourself“fat savvy?”
Do you know how to make wise choices based on
nutrition labeling on packaged foods? What if I
were to say that nutrition labeling is not everything
it appears to be. If you are someone who prides
yourself on knowing how to read a nutrition label
to make healthy food choices, you will want to
read on.
Going into effect this year, the Federal Drug Ad
ministration (FDA) has approved a new line added
to the nutrition facts on every box, can, or package
of processed food. The new line will indicate the
amount of “trans fat” in the food item.This decision
is based on findings that trans fats are as potentially
harmful as the much maligned saturated fats.
Trans fatty acids (or trans fat) have been used in
processed foods for the last 100 years. They are
made from manipulating vegetable oils (corn or
soybean) in a process called hydrogenation. More
specifically, hydrogenation is a process that
changes liquid oil into a more solid form, making it
easier to use in baking and frying. The process is
helpful to food manufacturers because it allows for
a longer shelf life by reducing rancidity and making
it cheaper overall.
So why call attention to this now? Re
search by the American Dietetic Association ( ADA)
finds that partially hydrogenated unsaturated fat
raises blood cholesterol and presents relative risks
for coronary heart disease (CHD) that are similar to
or more than those for saturated fats. Trans fat is
known to raise LDL or “bad cholesterol” and lower
HDL or “good cholesterol.” Many consumers (us!)
are not aware that trans fats are in our food, let
alone their adverse impact on heart health. For ex
ample, the package containing Oreo cookies cur
rently lists that one serving (3 cookies) has 1.5
grams of saturated fat. They do not mention that
one serving also contains 2 grams of trans fat. We
can see the trans fats only by looking at the ingredi
ent list, which includes “partially hydrogenated veg
etable oil”,i.e. trans fats.
What should we do with the new trans
fat information once packaging lists it?
American Heart Association recommendations are
still prudent. They suggest no more than 30% of
our daily calories come from fat, this includes the
10% of our calories from polyunsaturated fats
(mainly, vegetable oils that haven’t been hydro
genated) and 10-15% from monounsaturated fats
(such as olive and canola oil). That leaves a mere 5
10% of our calories from saturated and trans fats
combined.
It may be difficult to reduce intake of trans fats
immediately because labeling of trans fats is not yet
in effect and will not be until fell of this year. How
ever, chances are if “partially hydrogenated oil” is
listed, it contains trans fet. The only sure- fire way is
to stick to unprocessed foods. Stock up on whole
foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and veg
etables, which contain no trans fat. Also, control
what is in your food by learning to cook meals
yourself using heart healthy oils and ingredients. It
is a whole lot cheaper too!
For more information on trans fat, visit the
American Dietetic Association web site at
www.eatright.com. For questions about your own
diet, see Kristin Olmos (346-2794),the UO Heath
Center dietitian or join her cooking 101 class of
fered every term.
Hypoglycemia: Less common than you might think
By: Karla Garcia
Have you ever eaten a meal and then shortly after felt spaced-out, weak,
nervous, or unable to concentrate? Often when individuals are dragging be
tween meals, they are tempted to conclude that they have hypoglycemia.
The term literally means low blood sugar. The condition of clinical hypo
glycemia, however, is quite rare. Typically the low energy feeling after meals
is indicative or something else. Allow
me to explain what I learned as a re
sult of my own experience and re
search.
To understand hypoglycemia,
let’s consider blood sugar more care
fully. Our body ’s preferred sources
of fuel is glucose.When it is trans
ported in the blood, it is commonly
referred to as blood sugar. While di
etary protein and fats affect blood
glucose concentration, dietary carbo
hydrates affect your glucose levels
more directly. Ideally our pancreas
and insulin levels maintain relatively
steady blood glucose before and af
ter a meal. In a hungry state, stored carbohydrates in the liver (known as
glycogen) is released into the blood in response to a decline in blood glu
cose. In a fed state when blood glucose levels rise, insulin acts to clear blood
glucose and store it as glycogen for later use. If glucose levels were to drop
below the normal range of 80-120 mg/dl,your body may experience some
thing akin to running out of fuel. You could begin to get shaky, indecisive,
weak or dizzy. Maintaining relatively constant blood sugar levels is essential
for your entire body to function properly.
There are several causes for blood sugar levels to drop low
enough to trigger that spacey and weak feeling that ate not a medical condi
tion. Skipping meals is one such reason and is easily remedied by a little meal
planning. Long periods of strenuous exercise will also deplete blood glucose
and also glycogen stores. Drinking too much alcohol can also cause blood
sugar to drop in sensitive individuals. These situations do not constitute clini
cal hypoglycemia since they are not a metabolic abnormality.
Medical conditions that can cause hypoglycemia include diabetes where
...hypoglycemia is a rare condition, and
many people who diagnose them
selves are confusing their symptoms
with inadequate nutrition, fatigue, de
pression or related situation.
• .mm. *
injections of insulin following a meal
can cause an abrupt drop in blood
glucose, which is commonly referred
to as an “insulin reaction.”According
to the American Dietetic Association,
hypoglycemia is a rare condition, and
many people who diagnose them
selves are confusing their symptoms
with inadequate nutrition, fatigue,
depression or related situation.
Your medical practitioner can test
for hypoglycemia. While experienc
ing such symptoms, your blood sugar
levels are measured and then upon
digestion of sugar, symptoms are re
lieved. If you notice common symp
toms such as anxiety, sleeplessness, lack of energy, irritableness between
meals, feeling faint and shaky when hungry, having a poor memory or difficul
ty concentrating, see your medical practitioner to determine the cause of the
symptoms. Don’t fall into the common trap of diagnosing yourself as having
hypoglycemia.
If you have questions or concerns about your diet or your blood glucose
level, come by the Health Education office on Tuesdays 9:30-11:30, when die
titian Kristen Olmos is offering cholesterol and blood glucose screening. To
make an appointment with the Health Center’s physicians or nurse practi
tioners call 346-2770.