You Are What You Eat

Presents tips on dieting after the holiday season in the U.S. Pounds gained by the average U.S. adult each year; Details of the myth on excessive eating during the holiday season; Importance of consulting a doctor before starting a diet plan. INSET: The secret is in the oil (of oregano, that is).

By PT Staff, published on March 01, 2002

The average American gains a pound every holiday season, but that extraweight usually stays on for good.

The holidays can be hard on the body. Not only have you been holed up for weeks but the season can seem like one long pig-out. Starting with the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, the calendar runs through holiday parties, Christmas supper, New Year's chips and dips, Super Bowl snacks and Valentine's Day candies. And though you've dedicated yourself to losing weight, the very idea of dieting leaves you glum.

Fortunately, it doesn't have to be that way. Changing the way you eat this spring can not only undo the damage of holidays past but also even give your mood a boost.

One great myth of holiday nutrition is that excessive eating packs on the pounds. But in a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reported that the average holiday-season weight gain for American adults is just one pound. The bad news is that, for most people, that weight is there for good. In fact, the study showed that the average adult gained 1.5 pounds each year. Like a slowly rising tide, weight gained at that speed is hard to notice. But it means adding 10 pounds every seven years.

There's no better time than spring to shed that added weight. As always, you should consult with your doctor to find a diet that matches your age, body type and level of fitness. Often, the recommended course isn't a crash diet but a commitment to a long-term change in eating habits.

Healthier eating shouldn't be a project, but a lifestyle. Granted, eating sensibly won't help you shed pounds overnight. But just as weight accumulates over time, experts believe the most successful way to lose it is to work gradually.

But what about the psychological boost from eating a slice of pecan pie? Many people can't stick to diets precisely because bad food makes them feel good. If you want to change your brain chemistry for the better, however, studies suggest that you don't have to blow your diet. Research by Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge indicates that within half an hour of eating a handful of baked potato chips or pretzels, the brain receives a surge of serotonin, a naturally occurring chemical that provides a sense of well-being. Adding a small midafternoon snack to a nutritious diet can help you get through the day and achieve a healthier weight.

The secret is in the oil (of oregano, that is)

Eating right doesn't only make you feel good: Some foods and supplements have powerful germ-fighting abilities. Researchers believe that spicy foods became popular in the tropics because the spices keep bacteria at bay and foods from spoiling.

The oil of the oregano plant has received some recent attention as a natural means to combat bacterial and fungal infections. Researchers at the University of Tennessee compared the power of various spices in fighting off common food borne microbes, including E. coli and Listeria. The results were startling: Oil of oregano seemed to completely inhibit the growth of harmful organisms. Cass Ingram, M.D., author of The Cure is in the Cupboard, says that oil of oregano can treat conditions ranging from acne and earaches to varicose veins. Ingram even suggests taking a few drops before eating in a restaurant to fight off any bacteria that might lurk in the salad bar.