On Saturday, November 15, Pacifica Institute hosted Coffee Night to learn about basic nutritional facts, tasted healthy international food, socialized, and made new friends. The event featured Dr. Ghasak Mahmood, MD, who lectured on healthy living, basic nutrition facts, and diet to prevent disease. Dr. Mahmood is a specialist in Endocrinology and Metabolism, and is board certified in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology. Her focuses of practice are diabetes management and insulin pumps, weight loss, women’s health, post-menopausal disorders and osteoporosis, thyroid disorders, metabolic bone diseases, adrenal disorders, and pituitary diseases.
We started the evening off with a couple ice-breaker activities, making bookmarks with beautiful ribbons and beads while discussing our favorite dishes, favorite novels, and items at the top of our bucket list. Once we had settled in and gotten to know one another, Dr. Mahmood began her lecture.
Dr. Mahmood went into endocrinology because she finds it interesting that with diabetes, every patient is different. It is crucial to understand diabetes because it affects every organ in the body. Mahmood talks about the “Western” diet, which is rich in red meats, fatty foods, and sweets, and can easily lead to obesity and heart disease. With the expansion of fast food chains like McDonald’s and the Western diet mentality, people are gaining weight all over the world. The United States is the top country in obesity, with 35% of our population overweight. Dr. Mahmood views diet as not only a way to lose weight, but also a way to treat disease.
Dr. Mahmood discussed the importance of maintaining a balanced diet focused on healthy foods. We should have 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits that are low in sugar, such as apples, pears and raspberries, are preferable to fruits that are high in sugar such as grapes, watermelon, oranges, and bananas. We should have 25-30 grams of fiber a day. The best source for fiber intake is legumes, such as lentils, beans, and peas. Our bodies also need Calcium and Vitamin D. Although too much Calcium can lead to kidney stones and heart problems, it reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to fatigue, mood disorder, and joint and bone pain. Fresh green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, and spinach are high in Vitamin D. Our bodies also need micronutrients such as sodium and potassium, but in moderation. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, hypertension, and heart disease. Saturated fats such as animal fats in red meats are not very good for us, while fish and white meat are healthier options. Dr. Mahmood also recommends cooking with oils such as olive oil and canola oil rather than butter and margarine. Trans-fats found in bakery treats such as donuts should be avoided.
Weight loss is achieved when we burn more calories than we consume. Dr. Mahmood believes that success in weight loss can be achieved when we believe our body weight can be controlled, and when we work as a team. She emphasizes the importance of peer support, and suggests letting people know you are trying to eat healthily and lose weight. If possible, it’s also beneficial to use the buddy system, in which you and your buddy help keep each other accountable. Reducing stress, maintaining positive thinking, and setting a reasonable weight loss goal (such as losing ten to fifteen percent of our body weight) are also important.
Weight loss also involves lifestyle changes. If we can determine what triggers eating, we can figure out ways to maintain it. Some tips include limiting where we eat, drinking water between bites or before a meal, and chewing more to slow down our pace. Cutting out the consumption of red meat, juices, and potato chips, and snacking instead on fresh vegetables or other healthy alternatives, is also important. Dr. Mahmood suggests rewarding ourselves for healthy habits – not with food! – by treating ourselves to something we enjoy, such as shopping, getting a massage, or a mani/pedi.
Pacifica Institute would like to thank Dr. Ghasak Mahmood for her informative, inspiring lecture, and all the women that joined us in celebrating healthy living.