Dr. Jen Gunter
weight loss
Black bean Ghirardelli brownies (160 calories)
I really like to bake and I certainly didn’t stop my culinary adventures when I decided to lose weight, change my eating habits, and get in shape. I’m not one of those “sugar is a toxin” believers, for a variety of reasons that are too numerous and involved to discuss in this post. In fact … Continue reading
The only thing that a cleanse actually cleans is your wallet
From time to time I get asked about cleanses. What is typically meant by a “cleanse” is only drinking a juice concoction for several days. Some cleanses add things like cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, or other supposedly “healthy” substances. The most common reasons to “cleanse” that I hear from people who drink these things include: … Continue reading
Want to lose weight? Start by eating breakfast
A recent review article in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) aimed at debunking weight-loss myths (of which there are many, Dr. Oz, I’m looking at you) made the rounds in the popular press. The authors, Cassaza et. al., concluded that eating breakfast regularly is an unproven strategy in combating obesity, but I completely … Continue reading
How a treadmill helps me be a better runner
There was a time when I felt that I wasn’t a “real” runner. I was very slow and I ran on a treadmill and my future ex-husband was fond of telling me how that wasn’t “real” running. He had a variety of reasons, but it boiled down to, “Everyone is faster on a treadmill,” so … Continue reading
Can an egg a day keep the doctor away? New study says it won’t hurt.
Let me admit my bias up front. I love eggs. Sunny side up on an English muffin, soft-boiled with toast soldiers, hard-boiled with a little salt, or in a spectacular omelette filled with mushrooms and onions. Eggs were also a corner-stone of my weight loss program and are a key part of my weight maintenance. … Continue reading
Is it really healthier to be a few pounds overweight? That’s not what the study says.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) indicates that a body mass index or BMI of 25-29.9 (overweight) is associated with the lowest risk of death and that class 1 obesity (BMI 30-34.9) is not associated with an increased risk of mortality. As this study hit the presses January 2nd … Continue reading
Thoughts on giving up Diet Coke. Again.
My name is Dr. Jennifer Gunter and I am a Diet Coke addict. I had my last drink on Sunday, June 17th, around 6 pm. The photo is the Diet Coke that I drank that day. The last addition to the graveyard of my addiction. Now many of you might think my use of addiction in describing … Continue reading
When I’m Supreme Empress of Health, trans fats will be banned
Sometimes late at night I like to imagine myself as Supreme Empress of Health Care. Yes, I understand that America is a republic, but we need some major health care over hauling from someone who will A) actually get things done, B) think about the health of the nation as the political agenda, and C) … Continue reading
If you believe in universal health care, take this pledge
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has polarized many people (if you are among the 3% that don’t believe me, check out the responses on my post Cancer v. The Constitution). While I am the first to admit the law isn’t perfect (for example, lack of accountability from insurers and providers regarding charges and cost of … Continue reading
A tale of 2 BMIs: thoughts on redefining obesity
I am now the same weight that I was in grade 12: 154 lbs. At 5′ 11″ that gives me a body mass index (BMI) of 21.5 (it was 29 a year and a half ago). While my weight and height are the same as 17-year-old Jen, my size is not. I was a size … Continue reading
