SHOULD WE TAX SODA AND PIZZA?
By Dr John Ellis MD // 2 Comments
Food is much cheaper today for Americans than when my parents were children. Back then, people ate out very seldom; now, Americans spend almost half of their food dollars outside of the home. Many “bad” foods are cheaper in part because of government subsidies in the US.
I believe we should tax “bad” foods to lower consumption. In a similar manner, taxing cigarettes and raising their prices has reduced smoking, especially amongst teens.
A study published today showed that, over time, as milk prices rose, Americans consumed less. As soda and pizza prices fell, Americans consumed more.
I believe we should tax “bad” (high in fat, sugar, and/or salt) foods to lower consumption, and also to offset the health care costs they impose on the society. Taxing cigarettes (raising the price) has reduced smoking, especially amongst teens.
Invest in your future and the health of your family – avoid the soda and fast food as much as possible.
I almost always travel with fresh fruit
Here is food I cooked for recent air travel (which I do quite a lot of). Chicken/spinach/spices/mustard. I did eat their “wheat” bread on the flight – not ideal, but it added some starch. Be prepared!
Chicken/spinach/spices/mustard
WHEN IN ROME…
By Dr John Ellis MD // 2 Comments
Keep on doing what you’re doing! Food in Rome normally has more oil than I eat (I usually have 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon fish oil a day). So, I made a pit stop at the supermecato…
Supermercato check out
I did NOT eat this!
I actually ate some canned salmon (packed in water; added some mustard) and broccoli (nuked without anything else) BEFORE going out to dinner. Then, I ate very judiciously from the pretty but rich (not to them, but to me) food they served. I had grilled fish and wild asparagus. I declined the eggplant (an oil sink), and oily zucchini.
Moral of the story: be prepared! And don’t be afraid to make requests and/or decline things you shouldn’t have.
Great wild asparagus; oily zucchini
Gym in Rome
TAKE THE STAIRS!
By Dr John Ellis MD // 1 Comment
One of my recommendations to those starting out is “1 up, 2 down.”
What that means is to get off of the elevator 1 flight below or 2 flights above your final destination and walk up 1 flight or down 2. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t think that you can suddenly go from a couch potato to climbing 7 flights. In a few weeks, you can add a flight… and then another…
Vigorous activity like stair climbing has been associated with reduced premature death from heart disease in a large study.
Step climbing at the gym
“THE ECONOMICS OF EATING”
By Dr John Ellis MD // Leave a comment
“The Economics of Eating: Living off a dollar menu may save you money now, but you’ll pay for it in the long run.”
If you want something healthy but of lower cost, sweet potatoes and beans are a great place to start.
Sweet Potatoes at Hyde Park Produce
SPRING IS HERE! GET YOUR GEAR!
By Dr John Ellis MD // Leave a comment
It will be 43 degrees and sunny in Chicago today! That doesn’t mean much to those of you in the South, but that’s spring for us.
Do you have your gear ready to begin to walk outside? Comfortable clothes (especially if you put on a few lbs over the holidays)? Comfortable walking/running shoes? Pedometer? Heart rate monitor? Walking buddy?
Commit to walking 30 min a day… preferably with a buddy… or your kids!
See this story which says that playing soccer builds bones and aerobic capacity in women… even better than running. So, soccer moms, help coach the team; or show your kids some moves; don’t just stand on the sidelines!
Dr. Ellis on the elliptical
DR. ELLIS, THEN AND NOW
By Dr John Ellis MD // 5 Comments
- Dr. John Ellis 2005
Dr. Ellis Mar 2008 ~330lbs
- Ellis lectures NJ June 2008 290lbs
- Dr. Ellis Feb09 240lbs
Dr. Ellis Feb10 211lbs
TONIGHT’S DINNER
By Dr John Ellis MD // Leave a comment
See more photos on Facebook page
Spiced cut pork chop
LOW-FAT OR LOW-CARB?
By Dr John Ellis MD // 2 Comments
A low-fat diet with complex carbs and abundant green vegetables (and fish and meats without added oils) has worked for me for almost 2 years and 125 lbs now…
But, maybe one size does NOT fit all.
Very preliminary work described in today’s Wall Street Journal suggests that one day we may examine our genetics to figure out which kind of eating plan works best in a given individual to promote weight loss.
The truth is not always simple…
COULD I HAVE DIABETES AND NOT KNOW IT?
By Dr John Ellis MD // Leave a comment
The answer is, yes! Some estimate that 40% of people with diabetes don’t know it; the percentage is higher for African-Americans. Problem is, diabetes is a devastating disease. Aggressive lifestyle management, medication (metformin), and weigh-loss surgery (bariatric, gastric bypass, banding, etc) may reduce or prevent progression to diabetes.
In the past diabetes was suspected if the fasting blood sugar was high. The definitive test has been the oral glucose tolerance test, where a persons swallows a sugar load and has serial blood sugars measured soon thereafter.
The hemoglobinA1c (HgbA1c) gives an estimate of your average blood sugar level over the past 2-3 months. It measures how much sugar sticks to the hemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein) in your red blood cells.
This week, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that an elevated HgbA1c predicts progression to diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. They studied 11,092 black or white adults who did not have a history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease at baseline.
It does so better than baseline fasting glucose levels.
In this week’s study, a HgbA1c > 6.0% was particularly ominous.
Take the American Diabetes Association test to see how likely you are to have diabetes.
DR. OZ’S CHURCH-BASED INTERVENTION
By Dr John Ellis MD // 1 Comment
Thanks, VB, for showing me this. Dr. Oz’s show has 25% black audience, and mostly female, so this is great to target, given average 80# overweight. My good buddy Dr. Mike Roizen is medical director of the show.
The recipes are far better than the “traditional,” though the okra/tomatoes (my mother, from Charleston SC, made this all the time) and sweet potatoes are old, old staples.
Still, one must read carefully. The recipes are a great improvement, but salt is still salt, even if “sea” or “Kosher”; too much is bad. African Americans, in particular, should limit salt intake because of high rates of hypertension. Limiting salt intake in African-Americans might decrease heart attack, death , and stroke by 15-20% (see bar graph below)!
Olive oil is good, but too much is not. I use a TEAspoon of olive oil (40 cal) for my green veggies, and none in my sweet potatoes; 3 TABLEspoons of olive oil are 360 cal!!!
My mom, a proud Charlestonian who loved her okra and tomatoes!
Amazon Affiliates
Advertise Here
Slideshow
Recent Photo
Recent Video Posts
Categories
Brows By Tags
Connect with me
