What's On The Inside...

When counseling in the hospital, I ask patients a series of questions that may be uncomfortable for them to answer: how is your appetite, what is your current weight and have you experienced any weight changes in the past year. At times I hear responses such as, "I have a great appetite--you can tell just by looking at me!" or "I have lost some weight, but you wouldn't be able to tell." To this I respond that I only know a small piece of someone when I look at them. I ask these questions to investigate any other issues I need to know about, issues I cannot discover simply by physical assessment.

Our outsides only show us a part of what is happening with our health; what truly matters is what is going on inside. Brain function is one of those things. This small article describes how diet and exercise, especially when combined, can decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/health/18prev.html?ref=research

The Mediterranean diet is high in healthy fats (unsaturated fats found mainly in plant-based products such as nuts and oils, but also found in fish), fruits, and vegetables, and low in saturated fats (mostly found in animal products such as red meat). Moderate consumption of red wine is another component of the diet; moderation regarding alcohol is defined as one drink per day for women, two per day for men. The Mediterranean diet may also help lower your risk for developing cancer and heart disease.

This article further demonstrates the importance of a healthy, well-balanced diet--as well as physical activity--to promote quality of life.