Treat Your Body Write!
by Robin Bayne

Fighting BIC Syndrome

It's January as I write this, start of the new year, the traditional time for everyone to make those New Year's Resolutions. You know, the promises we make to ourselves to lose weight, get in shape, eat healthier? You are reading this in March (or later!) —so if you made such a resolution, did you keep it? Have you lost any weight or made significant changes to your diet?
 

If you haven't, you're not alone. Most of America has not. Writers seem to feel the stress of a poor diet more than those who have more active jobs (or hobbies). We spend so much time at our desk we end up with BICS — Butt In Chair Syndrome. And while BICS is great for your writing productivity, it's tough on the rest of you.

But help is available! I studied the biology of nutrition in college and belong to a variety of online diet and nutrition groups. Over the years, I've learned we can improve our overall nutritional health by addressing two major issues: Way of Eating, (WOE) and Supplementing our WOE.

Way of Eating

There are basically three methods people use to try to lose weight. One is the basic low-calorie diet, which keeps track of your caloric intake. The Weight Watchers^® program falls into this category; meaning participants can eat any foods they like as long as they stop when they've used up their "points" for the day. I know several people who have lost and maintained with Weight Watchers^®, but have also heard from many folks who are always hungry under that program.

Sometimes used in conjunction with a low-calorie program is the low-fat program, which was very popular in the '80s and '90s. (Remember Jerry Seinfeld, who always ordered egg-white omelets?) You can lose weight with a low-fat diet, but the problem is you will tend to feel hungry because the allowed foods "don’t stick to your ribs."

This is why the low-carb method is my method of choice. I eat non-processed, sugar-free foods that keep me feeling full for hours. There are a variety of programs that fall under the low-carb umbrella, the most well known being the Atkins program and the South Beach Diet™. The stereotypes that prevail about a low-carb diet are usually untrue—we don't "eat nothing but bacon and eggs." If you decide to try a low-carb WOE, I recommend you read one of the available books on the subject before starting. They are a wealth of information and will explain why limiting refined flours and sugars is so beneficial to your health, as well as why this WOE causes you to lose weight while eating hearty foods.

Supplementing WOE

Whichever WOE you choose, it's important to supplement your diet with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Some are particularly important for full-time writers who don't get enough sunlight or exercise.

See the sidebar for a quick summary of benefits from common supplements.

Also, surf to the following web sites for more information:

www.nutrition-abc.com

www.weightwatchers.com

www.lowcarbfriends.com

www.lowcarbchristians.com

www.fitday.com (Free service to track your daily diet)

www.caloriecountercharts.com

www.livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com

www.neulifenutrition.com/focuson.asp?id=7

www.protectivebreast.com (Dr C Horner on supplements)

www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/2904.cfm (Sloan Kettering on nutrition)

www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm (Sloan Kettering on supplements)
 

Common Supplements

Note: Vitamins B and C are considered water-soluble, meaning they will flush through your system quickly. Timed release versions will keep the vitamin in your system longer. Other vitamins and minerals, including A, D and E, are oil-soluble and can build up in your system, so it's important not to exceed recommended dosages.

Please visit the Sloan Kettering site for more detail on these and many other supplements. Keep in mind scientific information can change at any time, so please check with your doctor before trying something new.

Vitamin A — good for the writer's eyes, acne and to treat kidney stones.

The Vitamin B Complex — 8 main vitamins which in general are good for stress and the metabolism, along with preventing many diseases. Each B Vitamin works best in combination with the other B's.

B-6 — good for preventing water retention, heart disease, treats carpal tunnel and diabetes.

B-2 Riboflavin — deficiency causes Ariboflavinosis.

B-3 Niacin — known to lower bad cholesterol; deficiency causes Pellagra.

B-1 Thiamine — prevents the disease known as BeriBeri.

Folic acid — good for prevention of heart disease and birth defects, prevents certain cancers.

Vitamin C — good for the immune system, for healing and as an antioxidant.

Vitamin D — good for the bones and skin.

Vitamin E — good for the skin, and heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.

Calcium — good for preventing bone loss, helps teeth, prevents colon polyps and can lessen cramps and can improve mood.

Magnesium — good for constipation, also helps calcium to work.

Potassium — good for leg cramps and bone density.

Fish Oil — good for the heart and circulatory system. Also helps fight dry skin, can prevent colon and heart diseases. Can assist those with diabetes and depression.

CoQ10 — good for the heart, may prevent some cancers.

Turmeric — may prevent some cancers.

Cranberry — good for reducing and preventing urinary tract infections.

Chondroitin and Glucosomine — good for alleviating joint aches and pains.

Garlic — is used as a spice and to treat hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, and infections.

Milk Thistle — has cleansing properties for the liver, may prevent liver and other cancers.

www.genaw.com./lowcarb/index.html (Low Carb recipe source)

www.newstarget.com/nutritional_supplements.html

www.theheart.org

Your Doctor Knows Best

Keep in mind that none of this should be taken as medical advice, and you should consult with your own doctor before making any significant diet changes. Be sure to check out the potential drug interactions of any medications you are taking—enter your drug and the supplement you wish to take at this website: www.drugdigest.org. Click on "heck interactions" and you will get a quick, free analysis.

Finally, keep in mind that serious writers cannot avoid BICS. The greater our productivity, the more time we'll spend sitting as we write, edit, and re-write. Nonetheless, we can limit the negative impact of BICS, as we take care of our bodies.