Women's Health: Even "Low-Fat"
Calories Can Pile Up

By Kathy Sena

It seems like the "low-fat" label really whets the appetite for many of us. In a recent Cornell University study, published in the Journal of Marketing Research, people (especially if they were overweight) consumed up to 50 percent more calories when they ate low-fat versions of snack foods than when they ate the regular versions.

"This is a world of fat-free, carb-free and sugar-free products," says study co-author Brian Wansink, professor of marketing and applied economics at Cornell and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think (Bantam; $25).

In fact, many low fat-labeled foods have only about 30 percent fewer calories than their regular counterparts, Wansink says, adding low-fat labels trick people into eating more than they would of the same type of "regular" foods. "If we are looking for an excuse to eat, low-fat labels give it to us."

Wansink recommends that manufacturers of low fat-labeled foods post larger, more realistic serving sizes on their labels, which might deter people from eating too much by giving them a more accurate calorie count.

One more thought: Are we downing too many low-fat treats because we’re not really satisfied by those treats in the first place? Sometimes it’s more satisfying to enjoy one yummy "regular" chocolate chip cookie, purchased at the grocery store bakery, than to take home an entire bag of low-fat cookies and then have to worry about keeping a hand out of the bag.

Women, Men Handle Trauma Differently

Men experience more traumatic events on average than do women, yet women are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a review of 25 years of research reported in the Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association. PTSD is defined as "an anxiety disorder precipitated by a traumatic event and characterized by symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and numbing, and hyper-arousal."

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers reviewed 290 studies conducted between 1980 and 2005 to determine whether men or women are more at risk for potentially traumatic events and PTSD. They found that while men have a higher risk for traumatic events, women suffer from higher PTSD rates.

Female study participants were more likely than male participants to have experienced sexual assault and child sexual abuse, but less likely to have experienced accidents and non-sexual assaults, to witness death or to experience injury, disaster, fire or war. Sexual trauma, the authors conclude, may cause more emotional suffering and is more likely to contribute to a PTSD diagnosis than other types of trauma.

Also, "PTSD may be diagnosed more in women in part because of the criteria used to define it," the researchers report. "Cognitive and emotional responses to traumatic events make a diagnosis of PTSD more likely. So even though men may experience more traumas, they don’t seem to have the same emotional responses to traumatic events."

The male study participants were less likely to report anxiety or depression, but were more likely to report behavior and drug problems. They also were more likely to become irritable, angry or violent after traumas.

Spice Up Your Health

Many of us are trying to eat more fruits and vegetables and less salt and fat. To add even more healthful benefits to these already good-for-you foods, try adding a dash of basil and oregano or a few cloves of garlic.

Using more herbs and spices and less sugar, salt and fat can help to improve the overall health benefits and flavor of the foods we eat every day, says Suzanna Zick, N.D., M.P.H., a naturopathic physician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health System.

"These foods can help prevent certain cancers and even lower blood pressure, control blood sugar and improve cardiovascular health," Zick says. She offers tips for picking the best spices for your health:

Instead of salt, try herbs. Common herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic help bring out the natural flavors in food.

Cook with garlic. The "stinking rose" appears to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. "For maximum benefit, you need to have about three medium cloves of garlic per day," Zick says.

Soothe an aching tummy with ginger. Ginger contains gingerols, which decrease oxidative products in the digestive tract that cause nausea. The key is to eat real ginger in foods or real ginger ale, not artificially flavored ginger ale beverages, Zick says.

Reduce the sugar, add the spice. If you need to cut back on sugar, Zick suggests adding spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg to your sweet snacks. For instance, if you buy unsweetened applesauce, add cinnamon to give it an extra kick.

Big Purses = Big Pain

It’s one of the biggest fashion trends this season, but experts say carrying those over-sized bags may leave you with back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and possibly arthritis.

"I see so many women with neck pains and headaches, and what I usually do is look for their purse and pick it up," says Jane Sadler, M.D., a family-practice physician at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas. "We take it over to the scale and weigh it, and usually it’s anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds."

These new, extra-large purses mean women are carrying more, causing an imbalance as they walk and stand. "If you think about how you carry a bag, it’s usually on one side and you kind of pull your neck to one side and lift your shoulder. It’s a very unnatural position," Sadler says.

That kind of weight pulling down on you for several hours at a time can leave a lasting impression. "It creates strain along the neck and into the nerves that exit the neck and down the shoulder, so it can be very painful later on for many women," she says.

How heavy is too heavy? Sadler says if you’re carrying your cell phone, makeup and wallet in your purse, that’s already too much. If your purse is uncomfortable when you put it on, if you can feel it pulling on your shoulder or if it weighs more than just a few pounds, it may be time to make changes. Here are a few tips to help lighten your purse load:

Downsize your wallet. Only carry the credit cards and cash you need. Emptying your change purse every few days helps. Instead of carrying parking-meter change in your purse, keep a roll of quarters in the car.

Leave the oversized makeup bags at home.

Carry your cell phone with a clip on your body.

Kathy Sena is a freelance journalist specializing in women’s health issues. She writes for Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Every Woman and many other publications. Visit her Web site at www.kathysena.com.