Pear-Shaped Women More Likely to Lose Memory

The more weight a woman carries around her hips, the more likely her memory is to worsen as she ages, at least that's what the folks over at Northwestern Medicine are saying, according to a recent study. After conducting a study of 8,745 women between the ages of 65-79, researchers found a link between brain function and increased BMI.

The study was part of the Women's Health Initiative hormone trials and is the first to establish a possible connection between poorer memory and a specific area of fat on the body.

Diana Kerwin M.D, a physician at Northwestern Medicine says, "The message is obesity and a higher Body Mass Index are not good for your cognition and your memory. While the women's scores were still in the normal range, the added weight definitely had a detrimental affect."

Memory loss was proven to show up worse for pear-shaped women versus apple shaped women because of where the fat was stored. Obesity is bad regardless, but apparently it has detrimental cognitive affects depending on where it's located.

The researchers drew this conclusion based upon the release of cytokines, hormones that get dispersed by fats in the body, producing inflammation and ultimately affecting cognitive thinking. Because different kinds of fat releases different cytokines, which have varying effects on blood pressure, the trick is figuring out which type of fat is more destructive.

"We need to find out if one kind of fat is more detrimental than the other, and how it affects brain function,” Kerwin continues. It sounds a bit far fetched, but when you consider the cause of Alzheimer's, the build up of plaques and restricted blood flow to the brain, researchers might be on to something.

But don't let all this pear-shaped memory-loss talk get you down. You're on the road to healthy change with All Day Slim, what else is there to remember?

Distractions to Prevent Over-Eating with All Day Slim: Push Thursday 7/15/2010

It's time for that Push again! We all know dieting is a pain in the rear, and that's why this week's Push Thursday is going to focus on how we can keep on pushing, despite the ever present cravings, boredom, and depression that time and time again cause us to overeat. Here is a great list of distractions to keep you from reaching into that pantry for those peanut butter cookies, and to keep on persevering!

1. Take a warm bath: Hot water is soothing for the mind and body. Light some candles, throw in some bath bubbles, and turn on some soft music, it'll keep the cravings at bay.

2. Take a walk: Just a small, twenty minute one. A little air will get you out of the house and further from the fridge. And you'll burn some calories!

3. Keep a journal: Journals aren't for everyone, but diet journals are suggested by most physical trainers. Look over what you've eaten for the day. Do you really need to eat more? Count your successes for the day, it'll keep you motivated.

4. Treat yourself with a gift: Hit the mall, pick out a cute outfit you might not be able to wear until you've lost that last 5 lbs!

5. Browse the bookstore or library: My personal favorite. Pick up a bestseller and camp out on a park bench. Get lost in the world of fiction!

6. Brush your teeth: It sounds a little off-base, but a little teeth brushing goes a long way. It leaves you with that clean, minty feeling, and mint never tastes good with anything salty or sweet.

7. Drink water: Drink two tall glasses of water, it'll leave you feeling fuller, and it's good for you.

8. Get organized: Organize or rearrange your room. It's time for change anyway right? Color coordinate your closet. Get rid of old clothes and throw away old bank statements. Make way for healthy change!

9. Go to the movies: While a movie theater might seem like a junk-food hub, sitting in the dark for 2 hours with a giant water bottle, or small, healthy snack really keeps the cravings at bay. While it may seem hard in the beginning, shortly after the movie starts, it'll be the last thing on your mind.

10. Get lost in meditation: Visualize all of the beauty in the world!