Dr. Rippe's Blog

Connecting with nature--even if you just have a pot plant or two or just a view of trees from your window--can improve your mood and boost health. Over the last thirty years, scientific evidence has grown that looking at nurture and/or being involved in growing things can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even improve immune function.  Some of the first studies just tested post-operative patients: those whose hospital rooms looked out over a natural setting recovered more quickly than those whose view comprised a brick wall.

In my own practice, I find that my patients who garden seem to be the most optimistic and able to look forward with hope and to partner with me in finding the therapeutic regimen for their conditions, if they have any health issues.

When it comes to gardening, it doesn't matter if you live in an urban apartment or home surrounded by land.  I knew one woman who lived into her nineties and who gardened although her health condition necessitated assisted living.  She tended dozens of pot plants of all sorts just inside her window and on a small balcony.  Her sister who also lived into her nineties in spite of a serious heart condition opted mainly for orchids which prospered under a single "day light" lamp, which also provided full-spectrum light to the gardener. (The vitamin D in sun, in moderate amounts, may contribute to health.) I also recently read of a woman who was fighting cancer who found inspiration in tending one amaryllis bulb.  So you can start small and grow from there.

Why mention gardening in late winter?  Well, that's the time that we gardeners--and I'm a dedicated one--begin to start new plants indoors ready for planting when the weather moderates.  If you have kids, they really enjoy helping you start small seeds (tomatoes and beans are a good bet) indoors and transplanting them outdoors when the soil warms.  If you don't have enough outdoors, many tomatoes and bush beans will do well in pots.

Happy gardening!

On a weight loss diet, can you target belly fat?  Or fat on your thighs or under arms? Or those annoying "love handles"? I often get questions like this on "Ask Dr Rippe" on this Start Making Choices website. Although the marketplace is full of promotions for products (preparations you eat or equipment you use) that claim they target fat in a certain area of your body, that's not how the body loses weight.

The basic rule of weight loss for everyone is that you must burn more energy (calories) than you consume. The goal is to burn calories stored in the body as fat, not to burn calories from lean muscle mass. So how do you do that? The evidence of thousands of research studies show that you can lose weight on almost any weight loss diet in the short-term.  But if you don't exercise while you diet, then you tend to lose lean muscle along with fat and that slows your metabolism. The result? Yo-yo dieting.

To target body fat in your weight loss efforts, you need to do two things. 1) Eat a balanced but calorie-restricted diet. A diet plan that includes balanced nutrition is best. 2) Get regular physical activity or exercise while you diet. For most people, 30 minutes of moderate to brisk walking daily will help you maintain lean muscle and burn more calories. However, strength training on two or three days a week can also be very helpful in maintaining muscle mass. Exercise also tones and strengthens muscles and enhances your appearance--you look better no matter how much weight you burn.

If you look closely at most dietary products that promise to help you "burn fat" from a certain area of the body, you'll see in small print "with diet and exercise."  If you look at most exercise equipment that claims to target a particular area, you'll see that the product actually is strengthening or toning the muscles in that area. (The exception may be sweat suits or bands that primarily produce temporary water weight loss and that can pose health risks.)

So if you want to lose weight effectively, plan a program that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise. The programs on Start Making Choices allow you to design a plan that fits your needs and lifestyle. And track your progress--that's another key to success. Soon you'll see fat loss over your whole body including those problem areas.

Rising rates of childhood obesity in the U.S. and what we parents can do to help our children maintain a healthy weight has been much in the news this week with the launch of First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign on this issue. As you know, health professionals have been concerned for a number of years about the growing number of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.  Being overweight as a child increases the risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes both as an adult and even during childhood or adolescence. A growing body of research has shown that there are some simple steps that every family can take to help our children, starting at a very young age, maintain a healthy weight by adopting healthy lifestyle habits.

• Get physical activity every day. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to intense play and physical activity every day. Active outdoor play and specific activities such as swimming or playing an active sport such as soccer or basketball all count. Making sure that children have warm outdoor gear can make playing outdoors possible even in colder weather. When the weather is really terrible or storms keep the family housebound, it's still possible to encourage activity. Most homes these days have a large family room or area. Do situps, push-ups and jumping jacks together as a family keeps kids active and helps them let off steam. Friends of mind enjoyed "four-legged" indoor "races" with their children--the four "legs" position was to put both hands and feet on the ground. The race track was up and down the family room or around the circuit of family room, kitchen, dining room, hall, and back to family room. Each child or adult raced alone against the clock. Active Wii video games or exercise videos may also be a possibility.
• Eat meals together as a family. A growing body of research suggests that eating meals--particularly dinner and breakfast--together as a family help children development healthful eating habits and maintain a healthy weight.
• Feature healthful foods for snacks and meals. In our family, we always keep fresh fruit (apples, pears, oranges, bananas, strawberries and the like) washed and out in a bowl on the counter or in the front of the refrigerator handy for healthful snacking. We also like air popped popcorn--a delicious way to get a low-fat whole grain treat. At meals, we watch portion sizes both for parents and kids.
• Get a full night's sleep. Getting adequate rest helps children and adults perform better and, interestingly, is associated with better weight levels.

Taking just these steps will help your kids a lot.  You can find many more tips and specific aids on the CDC's healthy weight website.