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The Weight Loss Hormone

Its called leptin, and it tells your brain to suppress hunger. Here's how to make the most of it

During a recent physical, my doc­tor suggested I lose about 8 pounds. No problem, I figured: I'd simply step up my workouts and skip my nightly dessert. But after several weeks, I'd lost almost no weight and was always hungry.

Sound familiar? If so, you'll be inter­ested in leptin, a chemical that could be the "master hormone" for your appetite. Produced in the body's fat cells, leptin travels to the brain after a meal to suppress hunger. As the meal is digested, leptin levels fall, and appe­tite rebuilds.

But this exquisite system can be easily disrupted. A major culprit? Elevated triglycerides in the blood, which prevent leptin from reaching the brain, allowing hun­ger feelings to persist. Fortunately, you can take steps to bathe your brain in leptin and quell appetite naturally:

· Eat foods low in triglycerides: Be wary of foods high in dairy fat (like whole milk and ice cream), which is 98% triglycerides.

· Get hooked on fish oil: It may lower triglycerides and also facilitate leptin's passage to the brain.

· Sleep about 8 hours: Anything less is associated with lower levels of leptin in the blood and brain.

· Exercise often: Regular activity lowers triglycerides and helps the brain absorb more leptin.

An additional bonus to maintaining robust levels of leptin in the brain: a flatter belly. When appetite (and, thus, food intake) is suppressed by leptin, the body first turns to its most readily available source of body fat, which is stored around the belly, for fuel.

Take Time to Shine

Share your inner divine light

The holiday season is here and, like me, you prob­ably find yourself rushing around trying to finish errands, shopping, decorat­ing, and all the other tasks on holiday to-do lists. Our hearts and minds are filled with thoughts of loved ones, wishing them the most pleas­ant holiday season. Through gifts we try to share these thoughts, but are we really letting our inner light shine? Which gifts truly matter?

The simple gifts in life are the most treasured. They don't come in a box with exquisite paper and ribbon, and they aren't delivered by the postman or the local florist. The gifts I remember most are the make-believe tea parties with my grand­daughters; the unexpected dinners with family and friends; the gentle smiles and hellos received from strang­ers; and shared laughs with coworkers over lunch. These are the magical moments I cherish.

I have a beautiful Christ­mas tree that shines brightly, with exquisite jeweled orna­ments crafted by me and my children and a collection of

finely crocheted snowflakes made with love by a dear friend. In the quiet of its eve­ning lights, I sit in awe of the tree's beauty. It's a reminder of the hours of tender care that went into each deco­ration, and I feel I'm safe, warm, and blessed. When I wake in the morning, I find my faithful friend Puss Cat lounging beneath the tree, also enjoying its beauty. Although she's not wrapped, she's presented herself as a special gift to me.

December is the time of year with the shortest days and longest nights, so let your light shine out to every­one you meet. Cherish the simple gifts in life; love our planet and everyone in it just as God loves us. Each of us is like a light on the tree, brightening the path for someone else. Open the door to your heart, and spread that inner glow to lift others who need a beacon to guide them in the darkness.

My love and best New Year wishes to each one of you.

PREVENT MED MIX-UPS

The names of more than 1,400 drugs are frighteningly similar to those of others, creating potentially troubling confusion, according to a study by the United States Pharmacopeia, a scientific organization. Here are four ways to avoid this simple mistake, plus several common drug soundalikes—all of which have been dispensed incorrectly and actually harmed patients, according to USP.

1. Copy down the drug name and dosage on a separate sheet of paper from your prescription and read it back to your doctor to confirm. Check this information against the pill bottle with your pharmacist present. (You're entitled by law to receive free pharmacy counseling every time you begin a new medication.)

2. Confirm a generic's brand-name equivalent and indica­tion with your pharmacist after receiving your meds; many prescriptions are filled with generics, meaning the drug name on a bottle label could be different from the one your physician wrote down.

3. Verify the medication's "indication for use" (the symp­toms it treats) on the information sheet most pharmacies include with medications.

A HEALTHY

BALANCE:

LIVING WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

Live better, stay healthy, one easy step at a time

Now is the time to take charge of your condition and begin living a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. You can do it - empowered by today's best information on eating right, exercising and losing weight.

Here, for example, is how you can still enjoy fast food and stay healthy, too. Just follow these three simple steps.

STEP 1: Know Your Numbers

Nearly all fast-food establishments publish nutritional information on their Web sites. Most also supply it at the counter. Make sure your entire meal contains no more than...

· 750 calories

· 20 g total fat

· 800 mg sodium

· 60 g carbs

STEP 2: Know When to Walk

· Avoid jumbo burgers with the works— cheese, bacon, special sauce.

· Skip supersized or large soft drinks, fries, onion rings.

· Run from any sandwich that calls itself "crispy"—it's probably been dipped in a carbohydrate-rich batter, then deep-fried.

STEP 3: Stick to Smart Options

· Choose regular burgers with no extras... and add a little mustard.

· Round out your meal with a side salad (but go light on the dressing).

· Choose water, low-fat milk, or a diet soft drink instead of a regular soft drink.

· Order small-size fries instead of larger options.

· Try grilled chicken or fish sandwiches and fresh fruit with low-fat yogurt.

4 Keys to Great Health Care

· FIND A DOC YOU TRUST— AND WHO LISTENS If your physician treats you like a customer at a drive-thru or makes you feel foolish for asking questions, get another doctor. Experts say one of the best ways to protect yourself is to find a physician who will take time to talk over a procedure's risks and benefits and listen to your personal concerns.

· EXPLORE THE DO- NOTHING OPTION "If a doctor recommends an invasive treatment, such as hysterectomy or knee surgery, you should ask a series of ques­tions," advises Shannon Brown- lee, author of Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer. "Ask: Is there a less invasive treatment I can try first? What's the evidence this treatment will leave me better off than I am now? How good is the evidence? What's likely to happen if I don't do anything?" Query tests, too. Experts know tests can reveal an abnormality that may never cause a problem—but once a little abnormality is found, it's hard for a doctor (or a patient) to do nothing.

· FIND A SECOND OPINION OUTSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY If your condition is serious (or can be treated multiple ways), it's worth traveling across town to a doctor affiliated with a dif­ferent hospital—or perhaps even to another state to see a doctor there. Or get another point of view without hitting the road by trying a reputable online service that offers second opinions, such as MyConsult, run by the Cleveland Clinic. (The cost of online second opinions may not be covered by your insurance.)

· SEEK DECISION­MAKING TOOLS Many medical choices have no obvious right or wrong answer, only ones that work better or worse for you. In the case of breast cancer, for instance, one woman might prefer to preserve her breast—even though she'll have to be alert to the possibility of the tumor recurring—while another woman might choose to have a mastectomy.

Cook Like Your Life Depends on it.

Even minor tweaks to common preparation methods can triple the nutrition of your meal.

PILING YOUR SHOPPING cart high with healthful staples like veggies, fish, and lean meat? Great! Now, take it to the next level. It's what you do with those fantastic foods once you bring them home that transforms them into real nutritional superstars. Take the tomato: Eat it cooked instead of raw and you'll get as much as 171% more of the cancer-fighting com­pound lycopene. "Even one little change in the kitchen can result in a huge health payoff," says Robin Plotkin, RD, a Dallas-based nutri­tionist. Follow our simple rules for cooking smarter and amp up the disease-fighting power of every meal.

Bake tomatoes

FOR: Younger skin (and cancer protec­tion). Compared with fresh tomatoes, cooked tomatoes (and products like pasta sauce) contain more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Research sug­gests lycopene may guard the skin against damage from the sun's UV rays. Baking tomatoes makes them healthier and more versatile, adding a flavorful twist to sandwiches, salads, and pastas. HOW: Wash and dry 30 cherry or grape tomatoes and place in a small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. MAKE IT A MEAL: Baked Tomato, Moz- zarella, and Roasted Turkey Sandwiches (2 servings) Halve a small whole wheat baguette lengthwise. Spread ^x/i tea­spoon of Dijon mustard on lower half. Layer on 2 ounces sliced roasted tur­key breast, 2 ounces reduced-fat sliced mozzarella cheese, and 15 of the hot, baked cherry tomatoes. Cover with top baguette portion and slice in half.

RoaSt 0MEGA-3-RICH FISH FOR: A slimmer waistline. Roasting a fatty fish, such as salmon, with a bit of olive oil doesn't increase its fat con­

tent, according to a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. When researchers fried the fish, it absorbed the olive oil, increasing fat content by about 10% (and adding unnecessary calories). HOW: Drizzle baking dish with olive oil. Select fresh fish fillets, approximately Vb pound per person. Roast fish skin- side down in dish in a 450°F oven until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 145°F degrees, or 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Properly prepared fish will flake easily with a fork (overcooking makes it dry). Remove from oven; serve immediately. MAKE IT A MEAL: Roasted Fish Fillets (2 servings) Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat small baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place two 5-ounce fillets (such as salmon or lake trout) in dish. Sprinkle with the juice of a small lemon, 1 clove garlic (crushed), and ^l/s teaspoon ground red pepper. Roast 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and serve with a grain of your choice, like quinoa or wild rice, and steamed veggies.