Tried-and-true advice?

May 11, 2008 2:06 am

Separating myth from truth comes with the territory when you're trying to be healthy. The news is full of breakthrough medical advice--some of which conflicts with conventional wisdom and popular old yarns. So what's a person to believe about drinking beer before liquor, or eating before bedtime? Read on.

ONLINE Read up on nutrition myths at win.niddk.nih .gov/publications/myths.htm.

Eating at night makes you pack on pounds

It's commonly thought that a late-night snack adds to your heft because you can't burn off the calories while you sleep. But the truth is, it doesn't matter when you eat.

"It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day" that shapes your weight, reports the Weight-control Information Network, which is affiliated with the National Institutes of Health.

That means a snack before bed is fine, as long as you haven't overindulged during the day. But be careful not to chow down while watching TV. The distraction can lead to overeating, and that--not the time of day--can cause weight gain.

Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight

If you believe that, you'll prime yourself to pack on more pounds. Research shows that people who skip meals--especially breakfast--actually end up weighing more than those who eat four or five times throughout the day. It's better to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a couple healthy snacks in between, than to try to slim down by skipping meals.

Meal-skippers end up getting so hungry that when they do eat, they eat more they normally would, the Weight-control Information Network says.

DON'T LIFT WEIGHTS WHILE DIETING

If you believe this, you'll deprive yourself of some valuable exercise. The fact is, lifting weights and doing other strength-building activities can help you maintain or lose weight. Muscle burns calories faster than fat, so if you build up muscle mass, you burn more calories--even when you're resting, says the Weight-control Information Network, which is affiliated with the National Institutes of Health. So go ahead and do some push-ups and heave those weights.

"Doing strengthening activities two or three days a week will not 'bulk you up,'" the organization says.

Nuts are fattening--avoid them if you want to lose or maintain weight

It's true that nuts are high in calories and fat. But they can be part of a weight-loss program, said Kendra Fink, a Virginia Tech student interning with local dietitian Nancy Farrell.

"Nuts are my favorite snack in the whole world," Fink said.

Nuts are good sources of protein and fiber, so don't shy away from them unless you're allergic. Just keep your portions small: a half-ounce of mixed nuts has 270 calories, the Weight-control Information Network says.

Farrell, a wellness dietitian with Spotsylvania County schools, advises mixing nuts with dried cherries or cranberries for a satisfying snack.

"That can help you manage your weight and get you from one meal to the next," Farrell said.

Go vegetarian and you'll not only lose weight, but also be healthier

Maybe. Vegetarians do tend to weigh less and eat less fat and fewer calories than meat-eaters. But they can be just as guilty as everyone else of eating sugary, nutrient-poor foods. The key to losing weight and being healthy as a vegetarian is making smart food choices. That means selecting more fresh foods and fewer processed ones. While a plant-based diet is better for weight loss than one loaded with hamburgers, a vegetarian who downs lots of sodas and chips can end up gaining weight, too. Read more about vegetarian eating at mayoclinic .com/health/vegetarian-diet/AN01580.

All fat is bad

Actually, your body needs fat and can't function properly without it. The trick is to eat more of the healthier fats, and less of the not-so-healthy fats.

The fats to minimize: trans and saturated. These are the fats found in things like red meat and whole milk. There's no need to avoid them entirely, but they should make up no more than 10 percent of your daily calories, public health officials say. Check labels: If you see the word "hydrogenated," it's a sign the food has saturated fat.

Healthy fats are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated ones. They're found in things like fish, walnuts and olive oil, all of which are staples of the Mediterranean diet that dietitians consider so healthful.

"We know those [fats] tend to decrease our bad cholesterol, the LDL, and they help to increase our good cholesterol," said Farrell, the school wellness dietitian.

To read more about fat, visit mayoclinic.com/health/fat/NU00262.

Eating lots of sugar causes diabetes

Now, it's true that eating lots of sugar might mean that you get heavier. And weight gain can raise your risk of developing diabetes.

"But does sugar itself make you diabetic? That's really a myth," said Farrell, the wellness dietitian for Spotsylvania schools.

Not only is there no straight line between sugar intake and diabetes, diabetics can eat some sugar without making their condition worse, says the American Diabetes Association. Read more at diabetes.org.

Eat for two when you're pregnant.

Bad idea. The average woman needs about 300 extra calories a day when she's pregnant to sufficiently fuel herself and her growing child, said Farrell, the wellness dietitian. Eating more than that not only won't help, it might hurt. Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy increase their risk of having a large baby and difficult delivery. Plus, there's the strain of carrying all those extra pounds.

Pregnant women can indulge, though. Those extra 300 calories can come from their favorite snacky foods, so long as they've eaten well throughout the day.

Pregnant women should consult their doctors about how much weight they should aim to gain, because it does vary. "What your pre-pregnancy weight is will help guide you," Farrell said.

Drink 64 ounces of water a day

It sounds catchy to drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day. But it's not necessary. People get water from foods, too, and massive liquid consumption can put a strain on the kidneys. For most people--serious exercisers aside--two 20-oz. bottles of water a day should suffice, said Nancy Farrell, wellness dietitian for Spotsylvania County schools. Aim for 50 ounces, Farrell said. But certainly don't worry if you aren't hitting that 64-oz. mark. It's kind of arbitrary and not necessary for good health.

Kendra Fink, a dietetic intern working with Farrell, advises that people "listen to their bodies."

Beer before liquor, never sicker; liquor before beer, never fear?

No matter what kind of alcohol you drink or what order you drink it in, if you overdo it you'll suffer.

"Alcohol is alcohol, no matter what," said Deena Bise, a case manager in the intensive outpatient program at Snowden at Fredericksburg.

You can't prevent a hangover by drinking shots before beer. And the trouble with drinking beer before liquor isn't the order, but the amount. A person's liver can safely metabolize just one alcoholic drink in an hour, Bise said.

To avoid a hangover or worse, drink minimally and eat while--or before--you drink. Food helps slow your body's absorption of alcohol.