Do yourself a favor
By David Williamson
If losing weight is high on your list of resolutions for the New
Year, you can do yourself a big fat favor by avoiding most
"miracle" diets and food fads.
Tliat's the opinion of Dr. Sue Y.S. Kimm, a nutrition expert
who is assistant professor of pediatrics here.
"Hardly a day goes by that I don't come across a newspajser or
magazine article extolling some fabulous feats of Dr. Joe Blow's
latest miracle diet," she said in an interview.
The problem with weight-reducing and food fads, according
to Kimm, is that many of them don't work, while others can be
positively dangerous.
"It's important that all of us realize that we live in a real world
where there is no constant occurrence of miracles," she said.
"Unfortunately, we tend to be lazy. We want to be passive
recipients of magic rather than active participants in our own
health programs."
Dislikes use of 'diet'
Kimm, who holds masters degrees in both nutrition and
public health from Harvard in addition to her Yale M.D., says
she dislikes even the way the word "diet" is used today.
"In popular usage, 'diet'implies something that is self-limited
or temporary," she explained. "You hear p>eople say 'I went on a
diet last week' or 'Today, I completed my diet.' "
Originally, the Greek meaning of "diet" was "a manner of
living or life style," and Kimm prefers to have her patients think
of dietary rehabilitation as a change in nutritional life style.
We eat too much
"Americans as a group eat too much food," she said. "At least
30 per cent of us are significantly overweight, and obesity has
been called our number one health problem."
She points to a Department of Agriculture studv that
estimated that Americans could reduce the amount of heart
disease by 25 per cent, and in turn save $30 billion a year, simply
by changing their eating habits.
Wishful thinking
Eating fads and miracle diet books make a lot of money for
authors, publishers and certain retail stores, but seldom help the
consumer stay slim or become particularly healthy, she said.
They attract wishful thinkers because they promise something
for nothing more than their purchase price.
(Continued on page 3)
DR. SUE Y.S. KIMM cites reports that "miracle" diets can be dangerous.
Infrared light
measures oxygen
(Continued from page 1)
techniques for measuring metabolism in
living tissue for 20 years, but it has only
been within the past year that he
discovered how deeply infrared light can
penetrate.
He now is working on applying the
technology toward oxygen sufficiency in
the heart. Lack of the essential element in
heart tissue results in heart attacks.
Two other applications he envisions
include regulating the amount of oxygen
administered to premature babies in
hospital nurseries and determining
whether blood is flowing adequately
through certain vessels after surgery.
Too much oxygen is toxic and can cause
infants to go blind, he said. Too little
oxygen will cause skin flap transplants
and fingers that have been reattached
after accidents to die.
"I think this work may become a good
example of the benefits that accrue from
basic research for the alleviation of
human illness and suffering," he added.
Intercom
is published weekly by the Office of Public
Relations, Duke University Medical
Center, Box 3354, Durham, N.C. 27710.
Joe Sigler
Director
John Becton
Editor
Primary contributors: William Erwin,
CoiTlprehensive Cancer Center medical
writer; Ina Fried, staff writer; Parker
Herring, public relations assistant; Edith
Roberts, staff writer; David Williamson,
medical writer.
Circulation: Ann Kittrell.
LOOKING BACK
From Intercoms of December 1954 and February 1955
Duke Hospital's Medical Town Hall makes its TV Debut...over WTVD, channel 11. Subject of the first TV program will be
"Holiday Accidents in the Home" with Dr. Jay Arena and Dr. George Ferguson as speakers. Dr. George Baylin, creator of the
program, will be moderator.
* * *
Dr. Eugene A. Stead recently was named to two top national posts. He will serve on the National Advisory Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases Council and
has been named vice chairman of the American Heart Association's Scientific Council.
* * *
Steamshovels have been in full swing at Duke Hospital, as excavation got underway for the new $3,000,000 addition to the
hospital. The new wing, which will provide 109 new beds and a number of badly-needed clinic and waiting areas, will be seven stories
high and is expected to be completed in December, 1956.
#
* * *
Dr. Roy Parker has joined the Ob. Gyn. Department as an associate professor, following residency here. Dr. Bernard Bresslar, now completing a two-
year tour with the U.S. Army at Fort Behoir, Va., will join the Duke Department of Psychiatry March 1.
* * *
Elon Clark of the Department of Medical Illustration is serving as one of six associate directors in the current campaign for a new
$550,000 YMCA in Durham.
* * *
A familiar sight on the wards these days is Miss Ann Jacobansky, newly-appointed dean of the Duke University Nursing School. In announcing the
appointment, Dean Davison described the new dean as a "real asset to the nursing school staff. Medical school and hospital personnel have expressed
enthusiastic support of her appointment."
* * *
Another Splendid Sale was a huge success and will benefit the Auxiliary's special project: the new playroom on Howland Ward.
The Howland Playroom Fund has been augmented by about $25 recently — the proceeds of the Christmas greens sale managed by
Mrs. Bayard Carter and Mrs. Paul Horton just before the holidays.