Spirit of Women magazine is a national publication presented to women by hospitals and their physicians. The magazine provides up-to-date, evidence-based healthcare information and promotes our hospitals as leaders in women's health excellence.
Issue link: https://spiritofwomen.epubxp.com/i/694653
2 8 S P I R I T O F W O M E N S U M M E R 2 016 w w w. s p i r i t o f w o m e n . c o m H E A L T H C E N T R A L D I E T SHUTTERSTOCK 'C'-ing more clearly A couple's guide to weight-loss surgery If you're considering bariatric surgery, make sure your spouse is onboard with the changes because being married may actually work against you for good results, according to a study in the journal Obesity Surgery. In a review of 13 studies on weight- loss surgery, researchers found that in some cases married patients lost less weight than their single peers, and some couples' relationships could deteriorate post-surgery. Problems may arise when post-surgery patients alter their eating habits, bringing a change to the dinner table, and when spouses aren't supportive of the surgery, say researchers. The experts recommend spouses be part of the pre-surgical counseling process so they don't unwittingly sabotage their loved one's weight loss. • Y our potential for developing cataracts, which cloud the eye's lens and limit vision, increases as you age. But a few delicious food choices rich in vitamin C may cut the risk of cataract progression by a third, reports the journal Ophthalmolog y. Researchers in the United Kingdom looked at food intake and lens opacity for 1,000 pairs of female twins around age 60, and then followed up with one-third of the twins a decade later. They found that those who consumed more foods high in vitamin C at the start had a 20 percent reduction in risk for cataracts; after 10 years, the women who reported eating more high vitamin C foods had a 33 percent lower risk for cataract progression. The f indings pertained only to foods, not dietary supplements, so take advantage of the season's C-rich strawberries, raspberries and cantaloupe, as well as citrus fruits all year round. • Preventing vacation weight gain Ignoring calories during vacations could lead to long-term weight gain, according to a study in the journal Physiology and Behavior. Although the average increase was less than a pound on each vacation, it adds up over time, say health experts. Researchers took measurements— including weight—for 122 adult volunteers a week before their vacations, and then one week and six weeks afterward. Although the vacationers showed significantly reduced stress levels even after six weeks, the majority gained weight despite being slightly more active during vacation. Increased caloric intake, especially from alcoholic beverages, contributed to the added pounds: Volunteers consumed an average of eight drinks a week before their trips and double that while on vacation. So unless all your vacations are hearty hiking expeditions, bring along some of your healthy eating and drinking habits when you head out for a relaxing break. • Cleanliness is next to thinness? If your kitchen is cluttered, you may be more likely to put on a few extra pounds, say researchers from Cornell University. Chaotic countertops can make you anxious, which could increase your appetite for indulgent treats. To test the theory, researchers divided a group of 98 women between two kitchen environments—one organized and quiet, the other messy. To create stress awareness, each participant wrote about either an experience of feeling in control, a stressful memory or a neutral topic. Afterward the women were offered bowls of carrots, crackers and cookies, and the women in the chaotic kitchen who wrote about stress ate twice as many cookies as those in the organized space. Meanwhile, the women who described being in control ate about 50 percent less than the stressed group, even when both were in messy kitchens. The moral of the story: If you're not going to tidy up, own your mess and relax about it. •