YOU: On a Diet ( June 5th - Sept. 25th )

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Feeling Wimpy? Try This Quick, Healthy Fix

If your arms feel like wet noodles after carrying groceries or pushing a swing, check your multivitamin: It -- and you -- may be low on magnesium. Your muscles (and your heart, nerves, and intestines) require this mineral to function properly, yet two-thirds of us don’t get enough. Ideal amounts are 400–500 milligrams (mg) per day. (Good rule of thumb: Get a third as much magnesium as you do calcium.)

When you don't get enough, you feel wimpy, and the effects increase with age. In studies, older adults with the lowest magnesium levels do the worst on strength tests, and being weak invites falls. Also, magnesium shortages encourage constipation.

Top sources include cashews (yes!) and the other good-for-you foods below, but it’s hard to get all you need from diet. Eat as much as you can, and add a multivitamin/mineral that includes at least 100 mg of magnesium.

Don’t depend on a supplement for more than 350 mg, though; the concentrated hit of magnesium you get from bigger doses can cause kidney trouble.

These eight foods are easy to work into your diet and will bump up your magnesium intake. Rely on your multi to top it off.

1. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas): 151 mg per ounce (bonanza!)
2. Cooked spinach: 150 mg per cup (ditto)
3. Dry-roasted almonds, cashews, or mixed nuts: about 75 mg per ounce (a small fistful)
4. Whole-grain cereal (oatmeal, bran flakes, shredded wheat): about 55 mg per serving
5. Yogurt, no-fat, no-sugar-added: 45 mg per cup
6. Brown rice: about 40 mg per half cup
7. Beans and lentils: 35 to 45 mg per half cup
8. Bananas: about 30 mg per medium piece

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Feeling Good: It’s Not a Stretch

Who wouldn’t want to feel more energized and have a smile on their face all day? But short of popping some "happy pills," it seems there’s no easy way. Until now. Enter yoga.

Yep, some simple yoga-style stretches and poses could do the trick. People who did them for 5 weeks reported a lift in their moods and more spring in their steps.

Positive Poses

A type of yoga that focuses on mood-boosting poses seemed to be particularly helpful in raising spirits in a recent study. In fact, people’s moods not only generally improved about halfway through 5 weeks of doing Iyengar yoga, but posers also felt a bit better after class, too. Talk about instant gratification. Try doing some of these simple yoga moves at your desk right now.

More Ways to Smile

If yoga doesn’t fit into your feel-good plans, try one of these better-mental-place lifestyle changes:

* Put on your walking shoes. You could start to feel better after just 30 minutes of hoofing it.
* Think fish, nuts, and flaxseeds.
* Indulge in a snooze. Skimping on sleep opens the door to blue moods.
* Don’t lose that loving feeling. Uh, huh.

RealAge Benefit: Taking care of your emotional health and well-being can make your RealAge up to 16 years younger.

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Give Carbs a Chance

When it comes to carbohydrates, it’s time for an extreme makeover. These macronutrients got a really bad rap in America’s recent carbs-are-poison panic. But the pendulum’s swinging back as people discover the nutritional truth: Some carbs are good, some are bad.

Eat the good ones and you'll lose the lingering can’t-zip-your-pants effect of last winter’s mac-and-cheese binges, and you’ll lower lousy LDL cholesterol. Eat the bad ones and . . . well, let’s not go there.

So what are good carbs? The ones with a low glycemic index (GI) -- a measure of how quickly foods break down and send blood sugar up. The slower, the better. Bad high-GI carbs create blood-sugar spikes that are quickly followed by sharp plunges -- which make you hungry again. Over time, that blood-sugar roller coaster increases your risk of belly blubber, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health problems.

The #1 trademark of good low-GI carbs is that they take a while to digest, which means they’re almost always high-fiber foods. Fiber keeps your stomach so busy that these foods plain can’t rush into your bloodstream and send sugar levels rocketing.

Good carbs include three huge groups: 1) most fruits and veggies; 2) 100% whole-grain anything -- cereals, breads, crackers; whole-wheat pasta and couscous; brown and wild rice; and 3) beans, lentils, and other legumes.

These are the same healthy foods that help keep you feeling full rather than craving “something.” That hunger comes from the sugar low that follows the high, by the way.

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Slack Off for More Energy

Been trying to overcome the irresistible force of couch gravity, but just don’t have enough giddy-up to go? No, you don’t need a personal trainer -- or a workout that makes you sweat more than a tubful of ice in Honolulu.

Instead (slackers, rejoice), light, easy exercise may do more for your energy levels than the hard-core stuff.

The evidence: When nonexercisers do low-intensity workouts -- like light pedaling on a stationary bike for 30 minutes three times a week -- tired-all-the-time feelings are reduced by as much as 65%. And it takes only 6 weeks of light workouts for you to feel pepped up. Moderate-intensity workouts boost your energy levels, too, but not as much.

You don’t need a bike or a gym. Just put on your walking shoes and a watch (clothes are good, too) and time yourself for 30 minutes. Paying attention to time is more important than obsessing over how many miles, steps, or blocks you've walked because it keeps you from pushing too hard or going too slow if you’ve over- or underestimated the distance.

So what’s the explanation for the better energy boost you get from easygoing activities? If you’re out of shape, vigorous workouts tone you up but also tire you out. So if you're just trying to get off the couch, start slowly. When whatever you’re doing starts to feel too easy -- you’ll know -- that’s when it’s time to kick things up a notch.

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Avoiding Trans Fat

Dietitian Lona Sandon, national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and chair-elect of the Nutrition Educators of Health Professions, offers up the following tips on trans fats:

What is a trans fat?

"A trans fat is a type of man-made fat in which the chemical bonds of a vegetable oil, normally liquid at room temperature, are changed so that it becomes solid at room temperature and more shelf-stable," she said. The fats' chemical bonds become "twisted," hence the name "trans." Natural trans fats can occur as well, but they are not thought to be harmful.

Why are these compounds so bad for us?

According to Sandon, man-made trans fats have been shown to greatly boost levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, helping clog arteries with fatty plaques. Many nutritionists believe trans fats are even more dangerous than saturated fats.

How can I avoid trans fats?

"Trans fats are typically found in processed foods, particularly snack foods or bakery items," Sandon said. These would include cookies, crackers, pre-packaged donuts, muffins, even chewy granola bars. Always check labels. Better yet, stick to fresh, whole foods, vegetables, grains, nuts, lean meats, low-fat dairy and soft tub buttery spreads made with liquid vegetable oil.

If a product says "low" or "zero" trans fat, is it good for me?

Not necessarily. "You still must think about what else is in, or not in, the food," Sandon said. "The words [no] trans fat or low fat does not mean healthy."



SOURCES: Elizabeth Howlett, Ph.D., professor, marketing, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; Lona Sandon, M.Ed., R.D., assistant professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association, and chair-elect, the Nutrition Educators of Health Professions; Spring 2008, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing

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Happy as a Crab

Shell out. It's good for your heart.

Need an excuse to splurge on crab legs, crab salad, or a cold crab cocktail on a hot summer night? How about avoiding heart disease and cancer? Crab meat in general, and crab legs in particular, are loaded with zinc, a powerful antioxidant that's just been found to help ward off both health threats.

Getting your daily dose of zinc -- up to 12 milligrams (mg) per day -- can help protect you from heart disease and cancer. In a recent study, these killers were linked not only to a lack of zinc but also to an excess of copper and a deficiency in magnesium.

And being low on zinc made any problems with the other two minerals much worse. Researchers are still trying to determine whether the minerals were the direct cause of the outcome, but while they sort out the science, aim for 12 mg of zinc daily from food. Can't hurt, could help, and -- if you've got a yen for crab -- it tastes terrific.

Of course, crab's not the only good source of zinc. Oysters can't be beat, and clams and lobster are high on the list, too.

On a more wallet-friendly level, you'll find beneficial amounts of zinc in nuts, peanut butter, beans, poultry, red meat, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and yogurt. And a multivitamin with minerals will fill in any gaps.

RealAge Benefit: Protecting your immune system can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

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Proteins Could Relate To Increased Longevity In Women

ScienceDaily (June 30, 2008) — Scientists in Spain and Italy have identified a group of proteins in laboratory rats that could help explain two enduring medical mysteries — why women live longer than men and why calorie restriction stands as the only proven method of extending longevity.

Their study, which could help scientists understand the biochemical underpinnings of aging, is scheduled for the July 3 issue of ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

In the study, Adamo Valle and colleagues point out that women, on average, live years longer than men. Previous studies also have shown that diets extremely low in calories consistently increase maximum life spans in a wide range of animals. Scientists have speculated that the explanation may involve hormones, stress, cardiovascular protection and other factors.

Using lab rats as stand-ins for humans, the researchers found that the livers of both female rats and calorie-restricted rats produced different levels of 27 proteins than male rats or those on a normal diet.

The findings suggest that a previously unrecognized set of cellular pathways may be involved in the longevity boost from being female and eating a sparse diet, the study says, suggesting that these insights could lead to new ways of boosting human longevity.

Journal reference:

1. Valle, Adamo, Silvestri, Elena, Moreno, Maria, Chambery, Angela, Oliver, Jordi, Roca, Pilar, and Goglia, Fernando. Combined Effect of Gender and Caloric Restriction on Liver Proteomic Expression Profile. J. Proteome Res., 2008 DOI: 10.1021/pr800086t

Proteins Could Relate To Increased Longevity In Women

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Getting Off the Cow
Reducing the amount of red meat in your diet can be easy with these tips.

Cutting back on red meat makes good health sense and makes your RealAge younger. Studies show that eating too much red meat can increase your risk of many chronic health conditions.

But what kind of nutrition hole is created when you limit red meat in your diet? The truth is, it's easy to miss out on important nutrients when you cut back on a major food source. So, when you cut back on red meat, make a balanced eating plan to help ensure you don't shortchange yourself on important nutrients such as protein, vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, and zinc.

To get enough of these important nutrients, replace red meat with other foods that contain them. Soy products, such as tofu or soy burgers; legumes, such as lentils or garbanzo beans; low-fat dairy; dark green, leafy vegetables; nuts; and whole grains can supply many of these nutrients. Also, poultry and fish are leaner sources of protein that provide many of the same nutrients found in red meat.

The Research on Red Meat

cardiovascular disease:
In a study, postmenopausal women who substituted vegetable protein for their usual red meat lowered their coronary heart disease mortality by a whopping 30%.

arthritis:
In a recent study, men and women who ate the greatest amount of red meat and meat products and total protein had higher rates of inflammatory polyarthritis compared with people who ate the least amounts.

diabetes: If you're at high risk for type 2 diabetes, you may reduce your risk by up to 50% by exercising regularly and eating a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and fiber while limiting red meat and other sources of saturated fats.

cancer:
Several studies suggest that high intake of both red meat and processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer.

Also, high-heat cooking methods, such as grilling, broiling, or pan frying, provoke the formation of carcinogenic compounds in red meat. You can decrease the formation of these compounds by marinating meat for 1 hour before cooking, steaming or poaching meat, turning the meat frequently while cooking over medium heat, and by adding rosemary extract before cooking.

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How Not to Be a Mosquito Target: Use This Oil

When you want to enjoy the picnic, not BE the picnic, you don’t have to resort to chemical mosquito repellents, party-spoiling bug zappers, or walking around with a net over your head. Some repellents now contain oil of lemon eucalyptus (Repel makes one) and work as well as products that contain low levels of DEET. And that’s not too shabby -- low levels of DEET aren’t less effective, they just don’t last as long as higher concentrations of that chemical.

Oil of lemon eucalyptus (its chemical nickname is PMD, for para-menthane-3,8-diol) is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use as a repellent, which means the EPA considers it safe and effective when used as directed. And “as directed” in this case means taking the usual precautions, such as putting it on your face by spraying it on your hands first, and then using them to apply it. Also, don’t use it on kids age 3 or younger.

Mosquitoes appear to be attracted to perfumes and people drinking beer (and you think you’re so evolved). As the American Mosquito Control Association, a scientific nonprofit organization, puts it, “Limburger cheese has also been found to be attractive.” Scientists theorize that this may explain “the attractancy” mosquitoes have for human feet (so that’s how to describe that smell!).

As for other reputed DEET alternatives, garlic and vitamin B12 do little to keep the little bloodsuckers away.

However, while mosquitoes can buzz around at about 1 mile per hour, they’re not the strongest flyers, so an electric fan on your deck or patio may also help prevent them from feasting on you or your guests.

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Pep Up Your Health with Peppers

Love sweet red, green, and yellow bell peppers? Know which are most healthful?

The red and yellow ones -- they have almost twice as much vitamin C as their green siblings. And getting an ample supply of C is credited with reducing the risk of stroke, one of the most common causes of death and disability in Americans.

Researchers have found that people with the lowest amounts of vitamin C in their diets have a 30 percent greater risk of having a stroke compared to those with the largest intake of C. So when you're grocery shopping, pick up a few extra bell peppers.

Midsummer is prime season for them -- they're sweet, cheap, and abundant. Still, you can eat only so many peppers.

For variety, reach for other high-C foods: papaya, strawberries, cantaloupe, citrus fruit, and broccoli are all-stars when it comes to this potent vitamin.

RealAge Benefit: Getting 1,200 milligrams of vitamin C per day from food and supplements can make your RealAge as much as 1 year younger.

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Three Cheers

Throw back three shots of orange juice every day for maximum health benefits.

Drinking orange juice morning, noon, and night can help raise and keep antioxidant levels consistent in your bloodstream. This, in turn, may help keep you protected from free-radical damage all day.

It's not just the vitamin C in the juice that's beneficial; the less-touted carotenoid cryptoxanthin in OJ has been associated with a 15 percent to 31 percent reduced lung cancer risk.

Drinking three 8-ounce glasses of orange, apricot, or papaya juice per day is ideal for raising your levels of antioxidants, including the carotenoid cryptoxanthin, and lowering your risk of chronic conditions. Just remember that juice is high in calories, so you may need to adjust your diet overall.

In a recent study, researchers discovered that drinking about 8 ounces of ready-to-drink commercial orange juice three times per day for 3 weeks raised participants' blood levels of vitamin C by 59 percent, folate by 46 percent, carotenoids by 22 percent, and flavanones by 800 percent.

Eat a variety of red, orange, yellow, green, and purple fruits and vegetables; different colors of produce tend to be high in different health-promoting nutrients.

RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

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Lovers Lane: Show Some Skin

While you’re helping your significant other get slathered up with sunscreen this weekend, throw in a little bonus gift: a skin check.

You see, there’s a benefit to being this close. Couples with tight-knit bonds are more likely to carefully check each other’s skin for moles, bumps, and other worrisome marks.

I’ve Got Your Back

Skin self-exams can catch melanoma and other skin cancers early, when treatment has the best shot. And in a study of melanoma survivors, couples in close relationships were about three times more likely to do the skin-check deed. A partner can help with hard-to-see spots, too -- like your back and your scalp.

Extra Skin Safeguards

Along with slathering on sunscreen, try these stay-young skin-savers:

* Get a good product.
* Choose the right SPF . . . based on your own skin’s sun sensitivity.
* Avoid peak sun time. That means 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
* Get zesty. Zest from lemon, orange, or grapefruit peels protects your skin Try some in your tea.

RealAge Benefit: Safely getting enough sun can make your RealAge as much as 1.7 years younger.

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•Honey Bee Good

About to sweeten your tea with honey? What kind? It matters.

Until recently, if you asked a nutritionist about the pros and cons of, say, lightly processed "raw" sugar versus honey, table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, fructose, or maple syrup, you'd hear this exasperated chant:

"Sugar is sugar is sugar."

No longer. Several studies have found that buckwheat honey -- dark, rich, and malty -- has an unusual number of age-fighting antioxidants in addition to serious sweetening power.

Okay, we know you probably don't have a yellow-capped squeezy bear of buckwheat honey in your pantry. But the next time you're in a natural-foods grocery or speciality market, pick up a jar.

Although several types of honey have some antioxidant effects, researchers have pronounced buckwheat honey far and away the star. And buckwheat itself (think pancake mixes, Japanese soba noodles) is being investigated as a "functional food," thanks both to its high levels of protein, fiber, and minerals, and its lab-tested ability to reduce body fat and cholesterol and even prevent gallstones.

So the next time you're making yourself a cuppa, try sweetening it with something that's got a lot more going for it than sugar's empty calories.

RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.

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•Go, Soy, Go

Special plant compounds found in soy may help protect the colon.

Regular exercise and high-fiber foods can help keep the colon healthy. Now new research suggests that plant compounds found in soy may complement other colon-friendly habits.

These plant compounds -- called sphingolipids -- appeared to inhibit the formation and growth of colon tumors in a recent study.

Colon cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in certain developed countries. In the U.S., colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. Some of the risk factors for colon cancer include a family history of colon cancer; a diet high in fatty foods -- especially ones from animal sources; a sedentary lifestyle; and excessive alcohol intake. Most of the people found to have colon cancer are over age 50.

RealAge Benefit: Eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.

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•Black and Blue

Some strange, dark things may be in your near future.

Like chokeberries. And elderberries. These little black- to blue-hued berry beauties pack one heck of an anthocyanin punch -- an even stronger one than blueberries do -- so you may be seeing more of them in products on grocery store shelves.

A Tricky Flavor Situation

Although chokeberries and elderberries are tops when it comes to anthocyanin content -- and they really ratchet up the diversity factor in your diet -- there is one challenge in coming up with uses for them: taste. Both berries are extremely astringent, and neither is edible raw.

Coming Soon?

Still, given their near superfood status, you may see them appearing more frequently in commercially prepared juices and other health-food products.

If you go the grow-it-yourself route, you can bake chokeberries (also called aronia berries) or elderberries in breads or cook them down with sugar to make jams or pies. You can also inquire about fresh berries at local farmers markets.

The take-away lesson here: Dark is good. It's true for chocolate and just about any berry variety.

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From Walden, Thoreau wrote

"One farmer says to me,
"You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with"; and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones;
walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of every obstacle."

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•Cram in More Cranberries

Bursting with flavor, dripping with color, and abounding in cancer-fighters -- the tiny cranberry has it all.

The bright red of the cranberry is a clue that it is jam-packed with flavonoids, including ones that appear to defend against cancer cell growth.

So spread your turkey sandwiches with lots of tasty, fresh cranberry relish. It's great on fish, in muffins, and as a salad topping, too!

Researchers testing a unique group of flavonoids -- anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and flavonol glycosides -- found that individually, each one prevented liver and breast cancer cells from multiplying.

When the three are combined, as they are in a cranberry, they may be even more effective in squelching cancer cell growth. In the lab, it's called synergy. In your mouth, it's called divine.

Enjoy plenty of fresh cranberries this season by making sauces, cobblers, muffins, and breads with them. When they are out of season, stock up on dried cranberries and add them to cereal, salads, and trail mix.

And cranberry juice with a splash of sparkling water is a terrific refresher. With every bite or sip, you'll be doing something positive for your health, and positively delicious.

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New Review Highlights Cranberry for Cancer Preventing Mechanisms
EAST WAREHAM, Massachusetts

Led by Dr. Catherine C. Neto of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and funded in part by the Cranberry Institute and the Wisconsin Cranberry Board, this review is the first to examine the effects of cranberry polyphenols on human cancer cells, in order to further explore cranberry's potential role in cancer prevention.

The review was published in the current edition of The Journal of Nutrition and presented as a part of the International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Cancer, hosted by the American Institute of Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. in July 2006.

The review explores the existing research and recent findings on the anti-cancer properties of the cranberry, and its diverse phytochemical profile that likely plays a role in cancer prevention. Cranberries' high antioxidant content is one of the many factors that work synergistically to create observed anti-tumor activities.

"The results from in vitro studies using a variety of tumor models show that the polyphenol extracts from cranberry inhibit the growth and spread of breast, colon, prostate, lung, and other tumors," said Dr. Neto.

"This review is so significant because it adds to the growing body of evidence of both the proven and emerging health benefits of the cranberry," said Martin Starr, PhD, science advisor to the Cranberry Institute.

The cranberry has long been recognized for its potential health benefits, from prevention of urinary tract infections and gum disease via a unique anti-adhesion mechanism, to its high level of antioxidants, which may also provide protection from cardiovascular disease.

These new findings reinforce earlier research on cranberry's anti-cancer benefits and show promise that cranberry may limit processes involved in tumor development and growth in human patients

New Review Highlights Cranberry for Cancer Preventing Mechanisms

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The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating


1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.

2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.

3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.

4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.

5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.

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6. Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.

7. Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.

8. Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.

9. Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.

10. Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.

11. Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

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The Hidden Reason You’re Gaining Weight

You're eating right and working out, yet your pants keep getting tighter. Don’t blame your dry cleaner or your fork or your ab crunches. Check your thyroid. When it’s sluggish -- as it is in millions of North Americans -- you can pack on the pounds and inches despite your healthiest efforts.

Plenty of things go awry when your thyroid is loafing, but they can be so subtle that most people blow them off until extra weight sounds the alarm. Symptoms include dry skin, joint or muscle aches, cold intolerance, fatigue, shifts in sexual drive, menstrual changes in women, and even depression -- all stuff that’s easy to chalk up to being overtired or overstressed or to just feeling guilty about gaining weight. But more sleep or more willpower won’t help you. What will? Getting your thyroid tested.

Women over 40 are at highest risk; after 50, up to 10% struggle with sluggish thyroids, though they often don’t know it. And it gets more common: By age 60, 15% to 20% of women and 5% of men have abnormally slow thyroids. While the cause isn’t clear, there’s new evidence that gaining weight itself seems to affect thyroid function -- which, of course, makes it easier to gain even more weight.

Basically, your thyroid, a tiny gland at the base of your neck, produces hormones that control your metabolism -- which means your little thyroid can affect the function of everything from your heart and lungs to your emotional well-being. If your thyroid slows down, sooner or later your belt size will go up, because you’re burning fewer calories.

Mention any suspicious symptoms to your doctor. And even if you feel fine, get your thyroid checked at age 35, and every other year after that. This involves two simple blood tests: TSH and free T3/T4. Why two? To get the whole picture. Your hypothalamus (a brain gland) pumps out a substance that stimulates the pituitary gland to release TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone, as long as we’re getting technical). TSH tells your thyroid to pump out T4, which is converted to T3.

If you have too little T3, your brain tries to increase TSH, which drives your thyroid gland -- like a jockey on a horse -- to go faster and produce more T4. So if you have normal T4 but elevated TSH, it could mean your thyroid system needs hormonal help. (You see why medical school is necessary).

Sounds like the next step should be simple (just give me some T4, doc!), but you need combo T3/T4 pills to affect your TSH -- and your waist and weight.

Actually, it’s even more complicated than that -- that’s why general physicians like Dr. Mike call in specialists (in this case, endocrinologists). It’s not always clear whether we should treat the numbers or treat the symptoms.

And the numbers themselves are wild. The so-called normal range for many levels is defined as the middle 95% (yes, 95!) of people with those levels; the top 2.5% are considered high, and the bottom 2.5 percent are considered low. Unfortunately, that’s like saying that if normal is a size 6 to 11 in shoes, then a 6 shoe will be okay for you, even if you wear a size 4. Not a good fit, but you’d still be wearing a “normal” size.

That’s why docs can choose to treat the symptoms -- in other words, get you a shoe that’s comfortable -- as long as the treatment doesn’t cause very abnormal levels on blood tests.

Your doctor needs to work with you, possibly backing off now and then to see if you can be symptom-free with less thyroid hormone. Thyroid disease is tricky, so you need to consider your doctor a partner in your healthcare, and you need to be the active other half of that partnership.