Save More Than Your Sex Life

I was listening to a call-in radio show the other day, and one of the callers asked about erectile dysfunction. He was in his 40’s, had been taking vitamin V (you know – Viagra), but it had stopped working for him. The show wasn’t a medical one, but the host gave a great answer. He told the caller to stop treating the symptom (in this case, plumbing that didn’t work right), and start treating the cause. How? By exercising, eating healthfully, and losing weight.

There is a strong relationship between being overweight, chronic disease, and limp-member syndrome, yet most men don’t put 2 and 2 together to come up with 4. In the process, they could be jeopardizing their lives. With weight gain, the body’s hormones begin to change, and these hormonal shifts bring about undesirable effects. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides increase because of high insulin levels. Eventually blood sugar can become abnormally elevated if the pancreas can’t keep up with insulin production. All of these factors lead to hardening of the arteries, and decreased circulation to the organs – all of them, not just the heart. Yes, THE organ of most concern for males is also affected, and an organ without proper blood supply isn’t a happy one. In addition, testosterone levels decline with increasing weight. As you can imagine, that doesn’t help at all if you want to be the stallion you once were.

Approximately 30 million American men suffer from chronic erectile dysfunction. Conditions such as diabetes, hardening of the arteries, and kidney disease cause about 70% of cases. What are the most common causes of these diseases? Being overweight and smoking. In many instances, ED will precede the diagnosis of other related chronic conditions by several years. And while ED isn’t fatal, the diseases it’s associated with certainly are.

Developing ED isn’t a natural phenomenon of aging, and it shouldn’t be accepted as such, or taken care of by reaching for the medicine bottle. It’s a warning sign that there are serious processes going on inside your body you don’t want to have happening. If you smoke, stop. If you’re overweight, lose the pounds and you’ll probably find you can get rid of many medications you may be taking, including vitamin V. Cut down on those “manly” portions of meat, and eat foods high in antioxidants and phytochemicals – they happen to be the same ones that are high in fiber – fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Exercise regularly. As you do these things, you’ll find yourself toning up and getting firmer in all the right places.

What you have to gain is more than just your sex life, but hey – that’s not a bad place to start!


The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

Obesity in children has tripled in the last 20 years. America’s current generation is the first in our history expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. Of the children born in the year 2000, one-third to one-half will develop type 2 diabetes. While not entirely to blame, the food our kids are given at school is not helping. Loaded with fat, processed grain, sugar, and salt and nearly absent fresh fruits and vegetables, current menus are anything but nutritious. If parents are trying their hardest at home to feed their children healthfully, does it make sense to undermine those efforts by having only poor options at school? On the flip side, if there is never anything decent for kids to eat at home, why not at least make good food available to them during school lunches? The battle against childhood obesity and chronic disease needs to start somewhere, and it makes sense for it to be at our schools.

The Child Nutrition Act is up for renewal in Congress, and now is the perfect time for an overhaul. A bill has been introduced, the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870, that would give incentives to schools that offer a plant-based (this means high-fiber) option to students at meal time. Eating high-fiber, naturally low-fat foods is one of the easiest ways to lose weight, and this legislation could be a first step to doing something meaningful in the fight against childhood obesity. To learn more about the bill, or to send your representative an email of support, go to http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/legislative/hsma.cfm.

Or, call Congress today, at 202-224-3121. Ask the operator to direct you to your representative and senators, and tell them you support the Healthy School Meals Act, H.R. 4870.

For five easy steps regarding how you can do even more, go to http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/fivesteps/five_steps.cfm.

Let your voice be heard, whether it be for your kids, grand-kids, your community, or your country. There is no better time than now.

The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

You Are the Solution to Childhood Obesity

Hats off to First Lady Michelle Obama for her plans to take up the battle against childhood obesity in 2010. Now that she is involved, it is possible the problem will finally get the attention it deserves. She knows the statistics, and that is why she is alarmed. There are 3 times more obese kids now than 30 years ago; for the first time in American history, the life expectancy of America’s current childhood generation is predicted to be less than that of their parents , because of obesity-related diseases ; and up to half of children currently 10 years old are expected to develop type 2 diabetes due to overweight and obesity. In the next 10 years it is anticipated that nearly 50 percent of America will be clinically obese, not just overweight.

Mrs. Obama will likely seek ways to change a culture that started the tidal wave of overweight and obesity that is sweeping away our children. That would be wise, because any real solution to the problem will require changes in numerous societal habits that are detrimental to America’s waistline. The struggle for change won’t be easy.

It’s simple to stand by and wait for others to lead the way, but the solution can begin with you. When you are trying to decide where to dine out, choose a place where you can get foods that fill you up but don’t fill you out – fiber foods. Find out how your city’s schools manage their hot lunch program, and insist that healthy foods are served daily. Make sure your kids eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans every day, and help them out by keeping these foods readily available at home. These are just a few examples of easy things you can do to start making a difference.

Become involved. Get assertive. Be a good example for your children and grandchildren. Their well-being and lives are at stake.

The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.