Control of the Body

Today I read an article in the NYTimes Health Section about a study that was done on liposuction- not something I've ever considered doing, but it did bring up an interesting point. To recap the study was led Drs. Teri L. Hernandez and Robert H. Eckel of the University of Colorado. After randomly assigning non-obese women to have liposuction on their protuberant thighs and lower abdomen or to refrain from having the procedure, serving as controls. The women who were control subject were told that when the study was done and they had learned the results they get have the operation done at a reduced price- if they still wanted it.

"The result, published in the latest issue of Obesity, was that fat came back after it was suctioned out. It took a year, but it all returned. But it did not reappear in the women’s thighs. Instead, Dr. Eckel said, 'it was redistributed upstairs,' mostly in the upper abdomen, but also around the shoulders and triceps of the arms."   

The article brings up a great question, plastic surgery has been around since 1974, what hasn't anyone thought to run this study? Well apparently, it is difficult due to the use of scans and the variety in procedure, ever doctor has their own methods and strategies- unlike pills which are all the same. If you ask me that's a pretty weak excuse. Another reason given is that being that plastic surgery is a hands on procedure, the doctors form a deep connection with their patients and have trouble "randomizing" them. You would think that with the deep connection made, doctors would be more invested in taking precautions when it comes to their patients.

Anyway tests were done on rodents and the results also showed that the fat came back, just not in the same area where it had been removed.

"It turns out, Dr. Leibel said, that the body controls the number of its fat cells as carefully as it controls the amount of its fat. Fat cells die and new ones are born throughout life. Scientists have found that fat cells live for only about seven years and that every time a fat cell dies, another is formed to take its place."

This is what really caught my attention. I'm not into plastic surgery, but interested in fat cells. If the body controls the numbers of fat cells, how much control do we really have? In this case, the outcome of the study indicates that that the outcome does not so much depend on the surgeon, but on the biology of the fat. Obesity researchers say that they aren't surprised the fat comes back. "The body defends it's fat. If you lose weight, even by dieting, it comes back." At this, I am flabbergasted. Is this to say that we have very little control over what out body looks like. I work out, I eat well but at the end of the day will my body reject my efforts and do everything in it's power to insist the fat that I was born to have, stays there? And if this is so, what does this mean for the "curvaceous" women of color out there.

Perhaps we are up against much more than I thought. It would be interesting to look into this. What does the biology of fat for women of color say about our ability to lose the excess weight it keep it off?

Interestingly, of the women who had the surgery, they were still happy to have had the surgery, "They had hated their hips and thighs and just wanted that fat gone." And of those in the control group, more than half still went through the procedure.

To see full story: "Liposuction Study Finds That Lost Fat Returns" on the NY Times: Health

Starting With Myself: Am I healthy? What does Race Have to Do With It?

I figure that if I'm going to be a nutritionist, I better be healthy myself. I mean if I'm going to have patients that come to me for advice, I'm going to need to be the best role model there is.  Which of course is my main motivation for eating healthy and working out to be a healthy weight. According to a BMI report, a 23 year old woman like myself should half a BMI of anywhere between 18.5 to 24.9, this does not take into account body composition.  I would have to figure out the fat caliper for that.  My personal BMI is 25.5, which just barely makes it into the unhealthy range- however it doesn't necessarily deem me unhealthy, because once again.. it does not take into account body composition. Of course, I'm not quite sure what that means exactly, but I can take a guess that it it does not take into account my body type, fat percentage and genetics. I read in a magazine that this data is often formed using angle-saxons. That because it is not very inclusive of ethnic women, read black and hispanic, that I should automatically assume that I am unhealthy. 

I would like to explore this as a possible thesis statement.  Should we really take into account different races as a measurement of our health. I mean yes to some degree.. but I believe they may be looking at it for the wrong reason. There is a theory that is often thrown around: Latinas and African American women are "curvaceous" and should not be expected to fit the same health standards as white woman. I'm not advocating that anyone should attempt to live up to anyone's standards but I do not believe that we should excuse Latinas and African American women being overweight with the believe that we are curvaceous. 

Now let's take a step back.  Some of us are curvaceous but body type is something that must be considered across the board, whether a woman is Latina, African American, White or even ASIAN.   

I am struck when I read a small comment saying  NOTE: BMI may be lower.. if you are Asian.. in other words: if you are Asian it's OKAY to be underweight. Nevermind the small little detail that body image and eating disorders are prominent in Asian communities due to the widely spread rumor that Asians are just smaller and Asians being extremely thin means nothing and is not a health concern.  

Truth is, it may not be a health concern. Some Asians are naturally, healthfully smaller. Some African American and Latina women are naturally, healthfully larger. But I for one, am not going to allow stereotypes to determine what can be bypassed as healthy... when in reality it's not. 

Back to me.  So my BMI is slightly over what it is suppose to be.  There are moments when I get into the mentality that maybe 144 is my natural weight. and having a BMI of 25.5 is what is natural. But then I think back to about two years ago when I couldn't lower my weight below 150 lbs. Eight pounds later - here I am.  No it didn't take me two years to lose 8 lbs.  It just too real determination to eat properly, as well as discipline. For me, discipline has been the main factor. I first started taking major steps to lose weight on April 11. I  weight 152 back then. In two week I shed weight like non-other. Was it healthy? I can't say, I'm not a registered dietician.  But as far I can tell, it wasn't unhealthy. I worked ALOT. Almost 2 hours a day for about a week after a breakup.  I ate minimally. AKA lots of salads, cereal and water.  Is this safe? I'm not sure, but I wasn't starving.   I even got down to 142. That was exciting. But then came the plateau. I'm 144. Bouncing back and forth between 142-145 and in all honesty, I am having quite the hard time keep my love for chocolate and peanut butter and delicious goodness in check. 

So begins my quest to discover what is my healthy weight and really.. what does race/ethnicity have to do with it. 

It started with ambition

I am ambitious. I say that to myself every day as often as I can. To remind myself that I must follow my heart and pursue a life of passion.  Let me tell you a little about myself.

I was a young lady that believed that I wanted to create a career for myself in which I would be easily able to begin a family. Until I recently I thought it to be a priority.  I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Which is why I was so obsessed with finding the one, being in a relationship- because it was the one thing I knew I did want. 

 I thought I wanted to fight for social justice- I just wasn't sure how. Having fought for social justice the last few years, I realized I needed more direction than I had given myself.  I created an interdisciplinary degree based on business, workplace and people. Why? I'm not sure. I'm not passionate about business. I am passionate about people and community. Which means that the last four.25 years of my life weren't a waste.  I got a lot out of my bachelors degree- personally I needed it, to justify the feelings that I felt as a person of color. I will use it- because my perspective of the workplace - whatever workplace that is - is defined by what I studied. 

I got a lot of my major but at the end of my undergraduate education I felt unfulfilled. I have no desire to be in a part of corporate america. I don't have a particular liking to the non-profit world.  My next "natural" step would be to get my masters in public administration or get my MBA.  However, the thought of either leaves miserable. That would be submitting to the fact that I will be working towards a career that harbors no significant passion within me.  My passion lies in my desire to help communities of color.  But until recently I couldn't figure out exactly how I wanted to do this.

And so one day after explaining to my mom healthy fats on the back of the label she said, "You should have become a nutritionist."  My response came naturally, "ya I wish I had." And then she said three precious little words that may have opened my eyes and allowed me to make the best decision of my life, "Why don't you?"

This blog will document my journey is trying to reach my dream. There are many of obstacles in the way. 

1) Masters programs say bachelors degree with science preferred

2) I have to take science... more specifically chemistry.. which I have avoided my entire college life

3) I'll also have to take math, another set of requirements that I have avoided 

So let this be the big breathe a person takes before jumping.  *BIG BREATHE.. taken*

I will be documenting everything I do from now until then.  What is then? Well to be real, I want to blog all the way to the end. I want to blog while I begin my journey to prepare myself, educate myself to be in the masters program. I want to blog while I'm in the masters program. and I want to blog as a licensed dietician. and lastly I want to blog while I'm abroad, doing my part to save the world.