Dr. Mirkin

I subscribe to a free weekly e-newsletter from Roadbikerider.com. It's got lots of great tips for cyclists, and of course I need to scrutinize each issue to see if there is some new tip for climbing better.

This week they passed along a tip from Dr. Mirkin about aging and dieting that is important to pass along. Even you aren't old yet, you will be soon enough and you no doubt know someone that is old enough to benefit from this information:

The Doc is asked: Why do so many people fail to keep weight off after they diet? And the doc's answer is:

"A new study shows that older people who diet without exercising lose huge amounts of muscle. When weight loss was combined with exercise, they did not lose muscle (Journal of Applied Physiology, October 2008).

"Loss of muscle slows metabolism even further because larger muscles burn more calories at rest.

"In the study, elderly sedentary people were placed in three groups: (1) diet only; (2) exercise only; (3) diet and exercise.

"Those who dieted and exercised for four months lost more fat and less muscle than those who only dieted. Most of the exercisers chose to walk on a treadmill, which is not a very vigorous endeavor.

"This also explains why losing weight repeatedly through dieting shortens a person's lifespan.

"Many people go on diets and lose weight, quickly regain their lost weight, and then go on a diet again. These people then become fatter at the same weight because they have lost so much muscle. Therefore, at the same weight, they have fuller fat cells.

"Full fat cells produce an immune stimulant called cytokines that turn on a person's immunity continuously to cause inflammation, which increases risk for cancers, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and other harmful diseases."

I visited Dr. Mirkin's site for the first time tonight. What a find! His wife has posted a ton of recipes that look to be very tasty and healthful, so I'm looking forward to trying out a lot of new recipes next week. And he also provides a subscription to a free weekly e-zine with tips on eating and living well. I can't wait to get the first issue. While you're at the site, also get your free copy of The Good Food Book!

And check out his page about salt and blood pressure. You'll be surprised by what he tells you, but my recent experience has validated his advice.