A newsletter from
the Center for Weight and Wellness
Now offering Virtual Treatment Groups, Individual Medical, Behavioral, Exercise and Nutrition Appointments Strategy, Support, Success, Weight Loss
Our Mission:
To teach patients the skills necessary to make lifestyle changes and to empower patients to implement these changes in their everyday lives. Each patient’s program is personalized based on his/ her current weight, medical conditions, lifestyle factors, and personal goals.
The Center for Weight and Wellness provides comprehensive treatment programs designed specifically to treat various levels of overweight and obesity. Treatment staff include physicians, psychologists, licensed mental health clinicians, social workers, physician assistants, nurses, nutritionists, health educators, and exercise physiologists. Patients can enroll in a free orientation session by calling 401-793-8790. Two locations: 146 West River Street Suite 11A, First Floor Providence, RI 02904
1377 South County Trail, Unit 1A East Greenwich, RI 02818
www.lifespan.org/centers-services/ center-weight-wellness www.facebook.com/Miriamhospital twitter.com/Miriamhospital or @MiriamHospital Instagram.com/lifespanhealth
Vincent Pera, MD Medical Director
2021, Volume 8, Issue 4
Fall
Eating Disorders: What they are? Some Signs and Symptoms and Outreach for Prevention and Treatment. Norma Faraone-Legard, LCMHC, PhD
Many celebrates struggle with eating disorders. Here is a list of some wellknown celebrities and their diagnosis: Lady Gaga – bulimia, Paula Abdul – exercise addiction and eating disorder, Princess Diana – bulimia, Kate Winslet – overuse of laxatives, Molly Sims – anorexia, Jane Fonda – bulimia, Billy Bob Thornton – anorexia, Elton John – bulimia, Dennis Quaid – anorexia.
Perhaps you have looked at the celebrities listed above saying, “if only I could look that good.” You may fail to know that they are suffering from disordered thinking and inadequate food consumption.
What is an eating disorder? It is a range of mental conditions in which there is a persistent disturbance of an eating behavior with impairment of physical or mental health and can affect every aspect of a person’s life. Most eating disorders focus on weight, body shape and food. Proper nutrition is affected, and body systems may become compromised such as the heart, digestive, bones, teeth, and mouth leading to disease.
What are the names of eating disorders and what are some of their characteristics? a. Anorexia Nervosa: a person with a body image, excessive weight loss and very low body weight, has intense fear use of forced vomiting to compensate of gaining weight, has a distorted body the binge eating. image of weight and shape. Usually d. Binge-Eating: eating too much food interferes with one’s life in general. in an episode feeling a “lack of control” These individuals may use excessive over the eating. Eating quickly and exercising, laxatives, diet aids, vomiting large amounts of calories reaching after eating known as bulimarexia. uncontrollable fullness. Feelings of b. Bulimia Nervosa: one usually has disgust, ashamed, self-hatred after a episodes of bingeing and purging binge. (inducing vomiting) that involves e. Rumination: repeatedly and persistently feeling a lack of control over one’s regurgitating food after eating, this eating. A person can formulate a cycle is not associated to any of the above of this disorder: eat one day - does not disorders. Sometimes food is rechewed eat the next. During this cycle there is and re-swallowed or spit out. a false sense of control over the eating f. Avoidant/restrictive food intake: episode. Body weight and shape again failing to meet minimum daily nutrition are the driving force. requirements. Food is avoided due to c. B ulimarexia: a syndrome in which sensory characteristics, colors, textures, the person displays both bulimia and tastes, smells, type of food choices. anorexia, characterized by distorted Exclusive provider of
in Rhode Island
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A newsletter from the Center for Weight and Wellness
Eating Disorders: What they are? (continued) Some Signs of an eating disorder: a. Skipping meals or making excuses not to eat. b. Adopting an overly restrictive “type” of diet. c. Excessive focus on eating healthy.
d. Withdrawing from eating at social gatherings. e. Going to bathroom immediately after eating.
f. Persistent worry about weight gain and shape. g. Constantly weighing oneself.
h. Pinching one’s waist to measure fat.
i. Repeatedly eating large amounts of sweets or high fat foods. j. Excessive exercise. k. Secret eating.
For more information on eating disorders: https://zencare.co/practice/rhode-island-hospitaladult-partial-hospital-program www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/eatingdisorders/rhode-island www.mcleanhospital.org/eating-disorders
l. So much more…. Causes are too numerous to mention however, it could stem from genetic, biological factors such as with brain chemistries, psychological and emotional health issues, substance use issues and other medical conditions.
www.waldeneatingdisorders.com www.newportinstitute.com
www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-centers/ massachusetts-ma
Terry’s Fall Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore (serves 4)
Ingredients • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced in strips • 1 red pepper, halved, seeded, and sliced
• 1 green pepper, halved, seeded, and sliced • 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced • 1-pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (not more than 1 cup),
or 1 cup of canned diced tomatoes in juice
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, and minced • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ¼ cup white cooking wine
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, or 3 fresh leaves • Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 1. Sauté chicken over a medium high setting in a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Sauté on both sides for a total of 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
2. Add peppers, onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, and garlic to skillet. Sauté for 5 minutes, until peppers start to soften. 3. Return chicken to skillet. Add tomato paste, wine, basil, and seasonings. 4. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes
Can serve over riced cauliflower or zucchini noodles, if desired.
A newsletter from the Center for Weight and Wellness
Travels with Miriam ~ Patient Success Story: Donna Joanne DeCataldo, MA, Health Educator, Clinical Exercise Physiologist
Donna was experiencing extreme pain. Her diagnosis was advanced lumbar stenosis and spondylolisthesis. It was time to get serious about losing weight and keeping it off to improve her chances of living a pain-free life.
Donna recognizes the effort it has taken to lose over 100 pounds and shares her wisdom by saying, “Keep your WHY Close By.” Her “Why” comes in the form of STRENGTH. STRENGTH for Donna stands for stamina, training, restoration, endurance, nature, glow, In September 2020 Donna began the tenacity, and hardiness. While in the Full Fast liquid diet with a starting weight of 301.9 and a Body Mass Index of 51.3. Full Fast program she kept a notebook By February 2021, Donna transitioned to to chart her progress and kept track of everything. Transitioning to the Modified the Modified Fast protocol which allows Donna after Donna before Fast program, she weighed her food, for one sensible meal per day and three Donna recalls her weight loss journey at measured her fruits and vegetables, and the Center for Weight & Wellness, calling it Optifast Meal Replacement Supplements. followed her shopping list. Donna has “Travels with Miriam.” A recently retired In September she transitioned to Meal a passion for international cooking and Plan Step One when she reached her Professor of Anthropology at Wheaton thought she would never be able to adjust current weight of 198.5, with a longCollege with a lifetime of teaching and her recipes to reflect healthy, tasty, lowterm goal of 175 pounds. Her nonconducting research around the world, calorie meals, but she has! She uses spices scale victories are as follows; her blood Donna decided it was high time to take and no-calorie flavored cooking sprays to pressure medicine has been cut in half, better care of herself. Donna admits spice up her meals. her pain is managed with 1/3 the dose to a long history of losing and gaining of pain medicine as before losing weight, What’s Donna’s goal? weight. After quitting smoking and hitting menopause the rate of weight loss she has a normal A1C, normal/excellent “I have recently retired and would like to Cholesterol, increased mobility, no more became slower. live the next 30 years walking, swimming, sleep apnea and improved mood. and enjoying my life with my daughter, Around 2011, Donna was diagnosed with friends, and colleagues; traveling, reading, Donna is enjoying 45 mins of mixed osteoarthritis resulting in knee surgery writing books. I want to enjoy how I look cardio/resistance training 2x’s per week and in 2015 she was told she needed a with a trainer; water aerobics and a and feel and wake up joyous and full of double hip replacement. January 2020, just before the Covid pandemic onslaught, regular walking program. curiosity and adventure.”
Arianna’s Activity Advice: Establishing Exercise as a Healthy Habit
Start small: Start with 5-10 minutes of daily physical activity “snacking”. Exercise snacking is considered a small amount of movement scattered throughout your day. This helps those with time restraints and/or physical limitations.
Let’s call it “movement”! The word exercise at times can be intimidating. Replace the word exercise with something that works for your own personal motivation
Give yourself rest: Let’s face it, some days are busy or some days we’re tired. Don’t be afraid to take an active recovery day. This is a day without any structured or purposeful exercise, but a day filled with generalized movement— Instead, think exercise snacking! Use those smart trackers to track steps.
Buddy system: Find someone who is just as motivated to engage in physical activity with you. This helps with accountability.
Make a realistic exercise goal: Having a weight loss goal is great but do you have an exercise specific goal? Take the time to write down the type of movement that is going to appropriately supplement your dietary plan. Start with something small & realistic!