QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Be sure to check out the other questions posed to Miriam Nelson, PhD and Rebecca Seguin, BS, CSCS on our web site at FAQs.

Q: My wife has degenerative disc disease (DDD). I am quite impressed with your thorough research and your synergistic approach to the problem. However, like many other treatises, everything seems to apply and point to knee and hip problems. Is there proof (not just assumption that if it works for one thing it will work for another) that your approach is as effective with spinal problems? The doctor says that my wife has spinal stenosis. The pain goes down her right leg. It has been in her ankle at times and in her arm. I guess my real question is whether following your exercise program for strengthening the muscles as opposed to a supervised swimming program is worth the effort?

A: Strength training will help the legs recover some muscle that is lost secondary to spinal stenosis, and it will also help with functional capacity -- walking, etc. It will not reverse the underlying problem in the spine, which can sometimes be reversed surgically. Indeed, one will see much more strength gain from strength training than from swimming. The changes we saw in strength in people with arthritis were about 60% with strength training vs. 9% with swimming, at a rate of twice per week for 12 weeks.

Q: I am the mother of 5 kids - ages 12, 5, 4, 2, and 1. My biggest problem of all is the meal planning. My family & I are on a very limited income right now. We do a lot of Mac & Cheese, hot dogs, peanut butter sandwiches, & hamburgers with bread. I really need help in this area. My doctor has told me that my bad cholesterol level is 150. I really need to get this down, but I'm just not sure how to do this with what limited food I have in my house. Can you please help me figure out a way to do this?

A: It can be a challenge to cook for a large family on a limited budget, but it can be done! Below are some meal and item suggestions. As a foundation though, it is important to have basics on hand. First, vegetables and fruit are the mainstay of a healthy diet. While it can sometimes be difficult and costly to keep fresh vegetables on hand, frozen and even canned vegetables are a great alternative, and since you have a large family, you can buy in larger quantities (as you can with loose, whole grains; see my book “Strong Women Eat Well for more tips on this). Also, when seasonal, local fruits and vegetables are inexpensive, stock up and either freeze or jar them for later use whenever possible. Minimize on packaged “snack” foods as well as soda and fruit drinks. Instead, opt to keep frozen juice on hand.

Eggs are an excellent purchase for your money. A dozen eggs cost between $1-$2 and can feed your entire family. There are so many different meals you can make with eggs (see recipe below) - so much so that you could use this option several times a week. People generally think of eggs as a breakfast item, but in fact, eggs can be an excellent option for any meal! One great dinner idea is a frittata, which is easy and can feed the whole family. Simply beat the eggs (as if to scramble) and then add whatever ingredients you have on hand - cheese, onion, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus (any vegetable really) - and pour into a lightly oiled pan to bake in the over for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with whole grain toast and/or fruit. This is a healthy, protein-rich meal!

Beans are another excellent food to keep on hand for your family. They are rich in both protein and fiber, and are inexpensive. You can buy them dry and then soak them, or buy them canned. Black, white, kidney (or cannelli), pink, garbanzo (chick peas), are some examples. You can serve them with brown rice (or any other whole grain) and vegetables for an inexpensive, healthy meal!

Preparing a large crock of soup can be easy, healthy, and inexpensive - and it can be good for more than one meal. Use vegetable or chicken broth (from the can or cubes) or make a tomato-based broth. Add lots of vegetables, beans, and some whole grains, and you have a hearty, healthy meal for the whole family.

One final tip: if space permits, you might consider growing some fresh herbs and maybe even tomatoes in your windows. Growing things such as parsley, chives, basil, and dill can be extremely inexpensive, easy, and very convenient for adding flavor and variety to dishes like rice and beans.

FROM THE MAILBOX

Here are excerpts from a few of the inspiring letters we've received recently. If you enjoy reading them, check out the collection of reader mail on our web site at Success Stories.

"I just want to tell you how great the "new" site looks - wow! I bought my first Strong Women book back in 1998 and subscribed to the newsletter in March '99. Already at that time I really admired the encouraging spirit of your site and the newsletters, but "forgot" the program, then for some reason the newsletters stopped popping into my mailbox in August '99. After that I have been doing a little this and that - aerobics, running etc. - on an irregular basis, but no strength training. Right now I want to lose some weight and decided to dig out your books and those dumbbells again to boost my metabolism. I figured out the best way to get started would be by finding out whether you're still maintaining your site, for though I have three of your books (Stay Young, Stay Slim and Strong Bones), I found the newsletters very inspiring and encouraging last time I followed your program. Well, you still have your site - and WHAT A SITE! Those moving images are just so COOL! Now I'm so thrilled and inspired about starting the program again, I'm absolutely sure I will succeed in both the strength training and in losing those ten pounds.

So, thank you for saving me from the sedentary life again and keep up these fantastic job you're doing - you're really making a difference in many, many peoples life."

-- Anneli (from Finland)

"I looked at your sample exercises on this miraculous discovery that exercise helps arthritis. You should have consulted me many years ago. I have been doing all these exercises and more for many years and am a strong believer that the exercising is the only reason I am still walking. I have a daughter who has one knee "going bad" and have tried my best to get her to do exercises but what does a mother know anyway? I am now 60 years old and I certainly cannot throw my pain medications away. I have also learned that heat is a great help. If enough of my body is hurting, a soak in a hot tub of water helps -- a hot tub would probably be better but unfortunately I don't have one and cannot afford one! Right now, I have no cartilage left in my knees and my back gives me fits all the time; however, there will be no joint replacement for me because of a number of health reasons. So I am stuck doing the best I can with no miracles! Thank you! …Keep up the good work, but I guess I woulda put you all out of a job had you consulted me prior to your study! Sorry."

-- Patsy

RECIPE OF THE MONTH