Health and Fitness

Health & F tness Your Weight and Covid-19

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a warning: being somewhat overweight (not only being considered obese) will increase the risk of a severe form of Covid-19.

At the start of this pandemic, it was clear that obesity played a significant role in the mortality rates of this disease, but new research has shown that even a moderate amount of excess weight will increase the likelihood of a severe disease. Currently, about 40% of the U.S. adult population is obese, and another 32% are considered overweight. This means that almost three-quarters of the American population is at an increased risk of severe Covid-19 if they were to get infected. Extra weight has been proven to increase risk of other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers but now we have an additional and very pressing concern.

The CDC issued its warning after reviewing multiple studies carried out in the United Kingdom and in Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York. After the researchers adjusted for age, diabetes and other factors, they found that Covid-19 patients who were overweight or obese were at an increased risk of requiring mechanical assistance with breathing and had higher mortality rates. In these studies, the overweight patients surprisingly fared even worse than the obese patients. Overweight patients were 40 percent more likely to die than healthy weight patients, but obese patients were 30 percent more likely when compared to healthy weight patients. These percentages are significant and alarming.

So what is a healthy weight? A healthy weight is calculated using a person’s Body Mass Index, which is an estimate of how much body fat a person has and is based on height and weight. BMI can easily be googled and a calculator located online can help you determine your BMI number. People with a BMI of less than 18.5 are underweight; a range of 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be of healthy weight. A BMI of 25-29.9 is considered to be in the overweight range, and a BMI of 30 or more is obese. The downside to using BMI as a tool to determine healthy weight is that it is a universal calculation and does not differentiate between gender and age. The issue with that is women usually have more fat than men, and older people generally have more fat than younger people. Athletes tend to have less fat than non-athletes.

Although BMI is not an exact science, it can give us an overall idea if a person is within a healthy range. Another trick I learned when I was a student was that a woman of 5 feet should be 100 pounds, and every inch above that add 5 pounds, take that number and add and subtract 10 percent and that will be the person’s healthy weight range. For example, a woman that is 5’5” should have a range of 112.5-137.5 pounds. Similarly, a man at 5 feet should be 106 pounds and for every inch above that add 6 pounds, plus and minus 10 percent for his range. So a man whose height is 5’ 10” should weigh between 150-182. These calculations are not taking into account a person who is very muscular and exercises often. Muscle weighs more than fat and will inflate the number on the scale. Additionally, there are some people that have a larger and heavier frame than others. So don’t panic if your BMI indicates that you are overweight, but

Although BMI is not an exact science, it can give us an overall idea if a person is within a healthy range.

rather take it as a sign that it’s time to see your physician to get an accurate assessment as to how much you as an individual should weigh.

It’s not just the weight that is important but how the body stores the weight. I once had a patient who had a healthy BMI but stored all of his fat in his abdomen. He had heart disease and his cardiologist referred him to me to help him achieve weight loss. Abdominal obesity can increase the risk of heart attacks and may also cause compression of the diaphragm, lungs, and chest cavity. This may lead to compromised breathing, which is an issue for someone with Covid-19, pneumonia, or other respiratory illness. Additionally, excess adipose tissue, which is the fat accumulated by the body, can cause chronic low-grade inflammation in the body. This will compromise our immunity, which needs strengthening not weakening in our current health climate.

If you gained those extra pounds due to quarantine, or had them even before the pandemic, now is the time to reassess and prioritize what’s really important. It behooves all of us to eat healthier and smarter than we ever have before. Don’t focus on the ideal weight if the number feels too far out of reach. Make small goals for yourself, then the larger goal will be easier to attain and maintain. Even a 7-10% weight loss can make a huge impact on your metabolism. Once you reach that goal, go for the next 10% and so on.

Don’t give up on yourself! As we have all learned, there are many things in life that are out of our control. What you eat, however, is completely within your control – you just have to decide to seize control.

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.

Health & F tness Alternatives to White Flour

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN

White flour is a staple of most people’s lives – from cereal to bagels to cookies and pretzels. Most people live on these goodies, however, white flour can be very harmful to our bodies.

Why is white flour so detrimental to our bodies? Refined white flour has been stripped of all its vitamins and nutrients. It’s basically left with very few good qualities. But that’s not all. After it’s stripped of all of its good qualities, it gets enriched. Enriched means to make something richer by adding good things. However, in this case, the things that are added are not necessarily good. In fact, these additions – such as preservatives and high fructose corn syrup – are actually toxic to the body. Even worse, enriched flour does not get absorbed as a grain which usually provides effective energy to the body. Have you ever felt tired and sleepy after eating a load of carbs? You can thank white flour for that! White flour gets absorbed as a starch as opposed to a grain, and the body reacts to it the same way it reacts to pure sugar! Therefore, white flour is really nothing more than refined carbohydrates with the same harmful results such as an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, certain cancers, inflammatory diseases, diabetes and

high cholesterol, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and hypoglycemia. All of this also contributes to the obesity epidemic.

So what can be used as a substitute for white flour? Try replacing enriched flour with whole wheat, spelt flour, oat flour, rye flour, almond meal, or brown rice flour.

Whole grain flour is higher in fiber because the wheat germ and bran are fully intact. The fiber in the whole grain allows the foods to get digested more slowly, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. Additionally, fiber helps lower cholesterol levels and aids in digestion. The recommended amount of fiber is 25g/day and 35g/day, for women and men respectively. If the body requires fiber, and adequate amounts are found in whole grains, it should be a no brainer to do away with white flour. White flour is empty calories and whole grain is beneficial. Whole grain flour is a great substitute for white flour.

Spelt flour has fewer calories than wheat flour. Spelt is a great source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, and niacin. Spelt flour contains very little gluten and is therefore a great choice for those on gluten-free diets, such as individuals suffering from celiac disease.

Oat flour has a unique taste and is created from oats, with the germ, bran, and endosperm still intact. Nothing is added to nor removed from oat flour. When baking with oat flour, more liquids are required.

Rye flour also has a distinct taste and is 100% whole wheat. Rye flour is most commonly used to make crackers and breads like pumpernickel and is known to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and heart failure. Rye flour is also very high in fiber which provides the sensation of fullness, thus contributing to weight loss. Rye flour also triggers a quick response in insulin release making it a great choice for diabetics.

Almond flour is made from real almonds and is an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin E which helps ward off cancer. Almond flour also contains heart healthy monounsaturated fats which can help reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure and lower the risk of blood clots. Almond flour is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc which all help in bone health maintenance.

Brown rice flour is very high in protein and fiber and has little gluten, making it another great choice for those on gluten-free diets.

All of the above listed flours are great substitutes for white flour. They are all high in protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Each of the flour alternatives promotes cardiovascular, bone, and overall health. Cutting out white flour alone contributes to weight loss and adding any of these flour choices to your diet helps with the weight loss process as well. Limiting white flour will improve your overall health, provide extra energy, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thus reducing chances of cardiovascular disease.

So what are you waiting for? Get rid of all the white flour in your home and choose your favorite alternative.

Cindy Weinberger MS, RD, CDN, is a Master’s level Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She graduated CUNY Brooklyn College receiving a Bachelor’s in Science and Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Sciences. Her Dietetic Internship was completed under Brooklyn College primarily in Ditmas Park Care Center and Boro Park Center where she developed clinical and education skills to treat patients with comprehensive nutrition care. She is currently a dietitian at Boro Park Center and a private nutrition consultant. She can be reached at CindyWeinberger1@ gmail.com.