As you know, I occasionally feature guest bloggers who are experts in their field and who can augment the Voice of Reason with credible, informative entries. This week, I’m happy to hand over the pen to my friend and colleague Dr. Suzanne R. Steinbaum, Director, Women and Heart Disease Heart and Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City…

Heart Disease is the number one killer in the United States. Amazingly, 80% of heart attacks are associated with at least one risk factor that has been identified as modifiable. The risk factors that lead to heart disease are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, family history and age. Many think that if heart disease does not run in their family, then they are not at risk. With the statistic that 80% of the time, there is something you actually can do to prevent a heart attack, clearly it is worth making the effort, even if no one in your family has any heart problems.

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even diabetes are 3 conditions that can lead to heart disease, and that can be reversed or controlled with lifestyle choices. It is frightening to think that 40-60% of the time, the first sign of heart disease is sudden death. I would say, with these odds, prevention is the most compelling option. At the root of the problem is the way that we live. Studies from other cultures, such as the China Study, revealed that there is a lower incidence of heart disease until the culture becomes westernized.

With diet and exercise, it has been shown there is a reduction in blood pressure, cholesterol and even a reduction in the risk of developing diabetes, which almost guarantees heart disease. At the foundation of prevention is, simply, empowerment.

Consciously doing the right things — eating well, exercising and living an active and healthy life — makes a difference. Getting older doesn’t equate with a diminishing quality of life. I contend aging is a process that allows us to flourish. The inevitable is not getting sick. The potential is growing old healthy. And it really is within our control and within our power to make a difference.

As a nutrition professional and fitness enthusiast, I practice what I preach, and I’m always on a quest for the latest exercise trends that will keep me excited about going to the gym and motivated to stay in shape.

I’ve tightened my abs with masala bhangra; I’ve strengthened my upper back and body with intensive Forrest yoga classes, and I’ve maintained cardio fitness by spinning and kick-boxing; however, while exercise fads come and go, the one constant I rely on for accurate, reliable fitness information is Christopher Warden, certified personal trainer.

For years, Christopher was my personal trainer and, until a few months ago, his counsel was available to only his clientele. Now, Christopher has a blog that gives everyone access to what I believe is some of the most credible, clear and useable fitness information on the Net.

I encourage everyone who wants to lose weight, get in shape, separate exercise myth from fact or just stay motivated, to add Christopher’s site to their favorites list. His personal anecdotes and inspirational prose will make you want to go for that run after work, take an aerobics class or just reach out and start dialog with someone who truly has the credentials to be called a fitness expert.

I had to laugh after reading a 55-page research report issued last week by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The study, called Food for Thought: Television Food Advertising to Children in the United States, prompted headlines across the country ranging from Kids Gorge on Junk Food Ads, to Kids Besieged by Food Ads. Quoted in these stories were the usual suspects of food police and activists and, frankly, all the coverage was a yawn.

While the Kaiser Family Foundation study examined the overwhelming amount of TV children watched per day and the number of food ads they saw daily, and newspaper reports screamed about marketing’s detrimental effects on childhood obesity, no one addressed a critically serious problem underlying the epidemic: effective ways to motivate kids to become active vs. leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Clearly, it’s easy for consumer advocates and policy makers to point fingers and lay blame as opposed to asking their constituents to take responsibility for their own health. That takes effort. And it surely doesn’t win votes. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) told a forum held to discuss the Foundation study that the food industry must voluntarily shift marketing campaigns away from unhealthy foods for kids or face the prospect of government imposed limits on advertising.

Can we be realistic for a moment? Will candy ads touting a fitness message really solve the problem? In theory, that sounds lovely, but kids get information from innumerable sources and, as long as we ignore the basics of behavior modification, these block-and-tackle attempts to solve the obesity crisis will never be effective.

A few weeks ago, I found myself at the national convention of the North American Veterinary Association Conference where I learned that domestic animals (aka dogs and cats) are suffering from obesity in record numbers, just like their human counterparts.

I thought this was fascinating, so I did some reading to determine if there’s a positive correlation between pet/owner body weights.

As I suspected, there isn’t a groundswell of data about the subject, but a study published in a recent issue of Obesity chronicled an experiment designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a combined people/pet weight loss plan.

During the 12-month study, pet owners met with a registered dietitian (RD) AND a veterinarian (DVM). The RD provided helpful tips for better human nutrition and the DVM offered pet-specific advice related to diet and exercise.

The result - Both people and pets enjoyed the benefit of weight loss, by combining treatment efforts. This is because the etiology of weight gain is similar between people and their domestic animals.

So, if you’ve done everything to lose weight without success, try working out with your dog. Regular runs to the dog park or any consistent exercise with your pet might just provide the motivation you need to get in shape. Plus, your pet will reap similar benefits from exercise including a better quality of life and a decreased predisposition to disease.

This truly gives new meaning to man’s best friend.

 Reading the paper this morning, I realized that the foodscape has become the Wild, Wild West. What to expect this year? Well, saddle up. Here’s what lies ahead:

FOOD FOR MOOD, MIND & PERFORMANCE
Every day, there seems to be a study linking a food or food group to what ails you, and that flood of findings won’t ebb anytime soon (See New York Times, Jan. 30, 2007). So get ready to see more functional foods in the spotlight and even more controversy surrounding their potential regulation.

ETHICAL CONSUMERISM
As more and more food companies realize that their actions have both social and environmental impact, the rise of this consumer behavior will become pivotal when it comes to what people buy and why. Just look at green winemaking. Parducci (See Parducci web site) has made an art and science from growing grapes without pesticides and that sends a very clear message.

BEAUTY FROM WITHIN
Diet and health have taken paramount importance in Japan and Korea, both aging societies. So what does that mean for the Baby Boomer population in the U.S.? A look to the East is indicative of what’s coming. Watch for food and beverages that fuel, energize, purify and beautify.

RESTRICTIONS, LAWS AND REGULATION
There’s a lot going on under that big, white dome. Debate will continue over government’s role in obesity; Congress will ponder FTC authority to restrict advertising to children; country of origin labeling will be passionately debated; careful consideration will be given to creating a single food agency for regulation. That’s just for starters.

SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL
Zumba. I have no reason to mention this soon-to-be-exercise craze other than the fact I took a class and was hooked immediately. Any day now, Zumba will be the toast of Tinsel Town gyms. Check it out at Zumba’s web site.

Here’s some recent Zumba news coverage in the Chicago Tribune.

EXOTICA
With fruits flexing their nutrition muscle and showing off everything from anti-oxidant properties to fiber content, expect to see more from the Ugly Betty of fruits, namely Acai, Rambutan, Mangosteen and Goji. Getting your daily requirement of fruit has never seemed so juicy…

There’s my thinking. What am I missing? Let me hear from you, and we’ll track these trends (and, more import, decipher them) as the year goes by.

There’s something about a New Year that’s empowering. While January is just another month on the calendar, it’s a fresh start, psychologically. The new year provides a clean slate on which to outline personal goals or define new, professional objectives. For me, it’s about the later.