JAESY AL ‘USRAH

When it comes to figuring out if you’re digesting things
properly and eating healthy, Dr. Mehmet Oz says that you should rely on your
senses in the bathroom. For starters, have you ever thought about the
importance of what your bowel movement sounds like when it hits the water?
Listen up!

"You want to hear what the stool, the poop, sounds like when it hits the
water. If it sounds like a bombardier, you know, ‘plop, plop, plop,’ that’s not
right because it means you’re constipated. It means the food is too hard by the
time it comes out. It should hit the water like a diver from

Acapulco

hits the water [swoosh]."

The next thing Dr. Oz recommends is looking at your stool—c’mon, you’ve done it
before! You should look twice—look at the shape and then, the color.

"It should be an S shape and you want to make sure the color’s normal
because the color of the poop tells you a lot about how you made it," Dr.
Oz says. "You don’t want [pieces]. Food is a medicine for you. It helps
you. [If the stool is in pieces] by the time you finished digesting your food,
you don’t have enough of it left to poop out in the right way and probably it’s
hurt the colon that has to process it. At the end of the day you can analyze
your body really effectively by looking at what comes out of your body."

Here’s a pop quiz. What part of your body is most similar to
your brain? The surprising answer is your small bowel, where most digestion
occurs.

"That’s the saying, you know, you’ve got blank for blank," Dr. Oz
jokes. "But the thing about the small bowel is it has primitive messenger
chemicals that tell the bowel how to work. If your bowel’s not happy, those
same chemicals influence your brain."

In this bowel the green stuff is bile, material in the process of being
digested. Dr. Oz says it’s important to listen to what your bowel tells you.

"A lot of times you don’t pick up on the subtle clues," he says.
"It will tell you that you feel washed out or tired or a little bit of
cramping. Or, you know, if you wake up in the morning and just don’t feel like
yourself, you probably had something allergic that you didn’t clue into."

Susan
(left), a busy, working mother of three children, says that she struggles with
constipation—sometimes only going to the bathroom once every five days. She
admits to not getting enough water, instead opting for eight cans of diet soda
a day. She also says she likes to eat a lot of cookies and chips, but doesn’t
get enough fruits and vegetables.

Maureen (right), a mother of four children, says that her health is the last
thing on her mind. She suffers from diarrhea, hemorrhoids and constipation.
"My hemorrhoids feel so bad that it’s like grapes hanging out of my
rear," she says. "Sometimes they hurt so bad, I can’t get out of bed
for two days." Maureen admits to eating too much fast food, and not
getting enough fiber and water in her diet.

"I
mean, their bodies are screaming to them," Dr. Oz says of Susan and
Maureen’s health. "’Help me. Help me.’ Their big colon is saying, ‘I need
something from you.’ And they’re not processing it. … We are the best health
educated society in the history of mankind but we don’t take information and
use it to motivate us to change our behavior."

On top of suggesting to Susan and Maureen to change their diets, Dr. Oz says
that Susan and Maureen need to pass gas more often and not be ashamed—we all
need to! Dr. Oz says that the average person passes gas 14 times a day—and less
than one percent of it actually smells. He says it’s so important that we start
creating a "no embarrassment zone"—we need to pass this much
gas!

If
more "number two" is a "number one" priority, add these
foods to your shopping list now!

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/health/wellnessandprevention/slideshow1_ss_yourbody_digestion/4

It is very hard to quit smoking. That’s because most people
who smoke are truly addicted to the nicotine in the tobacco. Nicotine addiction
can be as powerful as addiction to heroin or cocaine, and just as hard of a
habit to break. But you can stop smoking, and it’s worth it. (1 of 7)

Smoking looks sexy

Or at least, that’s what the tobacco industry would like you to think.
Well, it may look glamorous now, but just wait. Smoking causes deep wrinkles,
and yellow teeth are a by-product of years of smoking. Smoking also contributes
to osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones, which can cause stooped posture and
broken bones — not a pretty picture. In fact, women who smoke reach menopause
at a younger age than non-smokers. And, as non-smokers can tell you, kissing
someone who smokes is not tasty, let alone sexy.

I’ll gain weight

You might, but there are a lot less destructive ways to lose the weight. Most
people gain no more than 10 pounds. Planning a healthy diet and increasing your
activity level will help keep off the pounds. Some of the medications used to
help quit smoking can also assist in delaying weight gain.

I’ll quit when I’m pregnant

It may be harder to get pregnant if you smoke, because smoking is a major cause
of infertility. Women who smoke have an increased chance of miscarriage and
complications during pregnancy. Also, it might take you a couple of attempts to
actually stop smoking, so your chances of success with quitting are better the
earlier you start.

One cigarette won’t hurt

Yes, it will. Every cigarette you smoke takes minutes off your life, and keeps
you in a nicotine-addicted state. And, if you smoke around other people, you’re
hurting them, especially if they have asthma, heart disease, allergies, or are
very young.

I’m young—I’ll quit in the next few years

Nearly all adult women who smoke started as teenagers. Most teenagers who smoke
daily don’t expect to continue smoking, but most are still smoking five years later.

smoke light cigarettes, so it’s not so bad

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these so-called
"light" cigarettes have the same ingredients as regular cigarettes,
including lead, ammonia, benzene, DDT, butane gas, carbon monoxide, arsenic,
and polonium 210.

Breast cancer is the number one cancer killer of
women

Nope, it’s lung cancer. The increasing number of deaths due to lung cancer is
directly linked to increased rates of smoking in women. Also, the number one
killer of women is heart disease and a major risk factor for heart disease is
smoking.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/wellnessandprevention/20080701_orig_kyb_smokingmyths

By Polly Brewster

Remember that there’s one consistent finding in health
research: Exercise helps you live longer and better. Five new studies confirm
what experts keep telling us: Every little bit of effort counts.

1. It wards off Alzheimer’s.

In a study of more than 800 elderly adults, Mayo Clinic researchers found that
those who engaged in moderate physical exercise two to five times a week
earlier in life had a reduced risk of developing the mild cognitive impairment
thought to be a precursor to Alzheimer’s.

2. It boosts your energy.

Pedaling at an easy pace on a stationary bike relieved fatigue by as much
as 65 percent in people who complained of exhaustion, according to a study at
the

University

of

Georgia

. And that was
after only six weeks of three-times-a-week 20-minute workouts. The authors say
this dispels the myth that exercising when you’re tired will leave you even
more fatigued.

3. It slows down aging.

One measure of aging is tail ends of DNA strands, which are called telomeres.
Each time a cell divides, the telomere unravels and shortens, eventually
dictating a cell’s death. When British researchers examined the DNA of more
than 1,000 pairs of twins—some of whom were active, others couch potatoes—they
found that the most active twin’s telomeres were longer on average, equal in
length to those of a sedentary individual up to ten years younger.

4. It helps manage menopause.

A daily walking routine can decrease feelings of stress and anxiety triggered
by depleted levels of estrogen, finds an eight-year study of 401 pre- and postmenopausal
women at

Temple

University

. Benefits were seen even with
light to moderate levels of effort—the subjects walked 35 minutes at a pace of
4 mph.

5. It reduces the need for drug treatment.

Walking as little as three to eight miles a week could reduce the chances
of having to take medication for diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol,
according to a survey of more than 40,000 men and women. Even less likely to be
at the pharmacy counter are those who go for at least one long walk—more than four
miles—once a week.

Source: Mayo Clinic; Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, March 2008; Archives
of Internal Medicine, January 28, 2008; Medicine & Science in Sports
& Exercise, January 2008; Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise, March 2008.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/wellnessandprevention/200808_omag_exercise

Food Allergies: Tips for Eating Out
By Colette Bouchez

Whether you’re trying to avoid peanuts or dairy products, experts offer strategies for dining safely at restaurants.
Having a food allergy used to mean dining out was limited to carrying your plate from the kitchen to the porch or, at best, eating at the home of a close friend or relative who could guarantee your food offenders were nowhere in sight.

Today, however, eating out is a lot easier—and safer—for the 2 million Americans who suffer with a mild, moderate or even a severe food allergy. One reason: Restaurants are more aware and more prepared.

"The awareness of food allergies has definitely increased within the food service industry, and many restaurants now take steps to not only train their staff about the need for accommodating those with a food allergy, but also train them on what to do if an allergic reaction occurs," says John W. Fischer, associate professor and restaurant manager of Escoffier Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America.

Among the most important steps in this direction is a training program for restaurants introduced by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and The National Restaurant Association several years ago.

Developed as both an educational and informational tool, the program not only helps make restaurants more aware of food allergies, but also what to do in the event that an allergy-related incident occurs.

Medical doctors caution, however, that greater awareness on the part of the restaurant doesn’t mean you can let your guard down completely.

"The level with which you practice vigilance is obviously linked to the severity of your food allergy—but everyone who is allergic needs to personally take steps to ensure their safety when dining out," says David Rosenstreich, MD, director of the division of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center and professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Where do you begin? Experts say it starts with a good understanding of your food allergy.

Clearly, the most obvious way to avoid having a food allergy reaction
while eating out is not to order the offending food. But that’s not
always so easy. Sometimes you can’t fully see what you’re getting on
your plate.

"You really have to be aware of hidden ingredients.
Your allergen could be lurking in breading, a salad dressing, baked
goods or sauces, then it might not be obvious when your meal arrives,"
says Jonathan Field, MD, director of the Allergy and Asthma Clinic at
NYU Medical Center and Bellevue Medical Center in New York.

You
should also know the other names for your offending foods. Sometimes,
Rosenstreich says, products used by chefs—such as mixes for sauces or
dressings—list ingredients by alternate names. That means if you’re
going to request that something be left out of a dish, it’s vital to
know all the terms, including derivatives under which your allergen may
be listed.

The FDA considered this step so important it
instituted the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act in
2004, which mandated that all food manufacturers clearly label product
ingredients as they relate to eight major food allergies by 2006.
Before the law, people with a dairy allergy, for instance, may not have
realized that the ingredient labeled "casein" was really a protein from
milk. Now the product must say "milk."

Still, experts caution
this law only pertains to the eight most common food allergens: milk,
eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish and regular fish. These
are responsible for more than 90 percent of all U.S. food allergies.

Here are the most likely places key food allergens may be lurking, according to the experts WebMD interviewed.

Allergy: Milk/Dairy

Hidden sources:
hot dogs, canned tuna, some chewing gum, margarine made from corn oil
(skim milk powder), granola bars, chocolate chips, desserts containing
caramel coloring, brown-sugar flavoring, coconut-cream flavoring,
natural chocolate flavoring, grilled steak (many restaurants rub steaks
with butter after grilling)

Allergy: Eggs

Hidden sources:
Milky Way or Snickers bars (nougat contains eggs); any baked good with
a shiny surface, including bagels and pretzels; the foam on some coffee
drinks; the pasta in prepared foods such as soups

Allergy: Nuts

Hidden sources: Barbecue sauce, bouillon, chili (nuts are used sometimes as thickener)

Allergy: Wheat/Gluten

Hidden sources:
Hydrolyzed wheat protein is sometimes listed only as a flavor enhancer
or binder in prepared foods and sauces, alcoholic beverages, hot dogs,
ice cream cones, licorice, soup mixes, coffee creamer substitutes
(grain based), butter flavoring, caramel coloring, some brands of
butter, couscous

Allergy: Seafood

Hidden sources:
Caesar salad (anchovies); caponata (Italian relish/anchovies); foods
fortified with omega-3 fatty acids (fish source), including some orange
juice, baby cereals, and soymilk.

Choosing a Restaurant

While what you order is
important, where you order it matters too. That’s because some
restaurants are more likely to not only accommodate your food allergy,
but also be better educated on how best to do that.

Not
surprisingly, Fischer says that the larger and more established a
restaurant is, the more likely it has dealt with food allergies in the
past. So the staff is less likely to be surprised or thrown by your
requests.

Other good alternatives are corporate chain
restaurants—places like Olive Garden, Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday.
Fischer says chains often have tighter controls on their menus and
ingredients than independently owned restaurants, so the staff is more
likely to know exactly what’s in each dish.

Field agrees.
"While a local mom-and-pop restaurant may be more likely to veer from
the norm in an effort to please you, there is also more variability in
these places, so the dish may not be cooked the same way twice, and
that can be a problem," he says.

And while not every
restaurant staff can tell you exactly what’s in every dish (many chain
establishments use precooked foods that are only heated on site), most
of their corporate websites provide either a menu listing major
ingredients or an email address where you can access specific recipe
information. Some, like Olive Garden, provide recipes online so you can
find out exactly what is in the food on the menu.

Food Allergy: Preplanning Strategies

Phone the
restaurant ahead of time and find out what its policy is on serving
people with food allergies. "Ask if they have accommodated other people
with food allergies and ask what they ordered, and how they went about
letting the restaurant know about their problems," Field tells WebMD.

Tell the wait staff about your food allergy when you arrive. Having an
allergy card to hand to your server may help too. These small
business-size cards feature your name and food allergy and all
offending ingredients with a request that the kitchen leave them off
any dish you order.

You could also try "Allernotes,"
preprinted sticky notes detailing your food allergy that the server
attaches directly to your order. Allernotes sell for $8.50 for 100,
while printable allergy cards are available free online.

If
you’ll be traveling to a foreign country, for $10 you can create a food
allergy card in your native language that is then automatically
translated into the language of your choice.

While they cards won’t replace a discussion with restaurant staff, they can help you get your message across.

Make sure to have your food allergy medications with you such as
injectable epinephrine and an antihistamine. A severe allergic reaction
can be life-threatening, so it is important to have your emergency
medication with you.

SOURCES: John W. Fischer, MS, CHE,
associate professor, restaurant manager, Escoffier Room, The Culinary
Institute of America, Hyde Park, N.Y. David Rosenstreich, MD, director,
division of allergy and immunology, Montefiore Medical Center;
professor of medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
Jonathan Field, MD, director, Allergy and Asthma Clinic, NYU Medical
Center and Bellevue Medical Center, New York. News release, National
Restaurant Association: "Committed to Food Allergies." The FDA’s Center
for Food Safety and Nutrition web site. Olivegarden.com. Talk About
Curing Autism web site: "Hidden Sources of Gluten." American Academy of
Allergy Asthma & Immunology website.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/20080723_partners_foodallergies/5

   
   

Food and exercise aren’t the whole diet
story. A slew of stealthy, often surprising weight gain culprits could
be causing the scale to creep upward.

Carb-free liquor.
An increasing number of purveyors of everything alcoholic, from wine to
beer to vodka, are trying to surf the low-carb wave. But alcohol has
never been a carbohydrate, so carb-free defines all hard liquor. Most
beer and wine contain some sugar (a.k.a. carbohydrates). Makers of the
low-carb versions have tried to minimize sugar content, but they’ve not
invented a diet drink: A five-ounce glass of the new low-carb One.9
Merlot has 125 calories, and typical red wine weighs in at 105. The
solution: Let "low calories," not "low carbs," be your principal
dieting mantra.

Depo-Provera. The birth control shot
may be convenient, but it delivers a high dose of progesterone, which
can cause appetite to increase. Seventy percent of women who use it
gain weight, with nearly half gaining more than five pounds after a
year. The solution: Consider lower-dose possibilities. The Pill may get
a bad rap for causing weight gain, but in a review published earlier
this year researchers found no correlation between oral contraceptives
and added pounds. Another low-dose option is the Ortho Evra patch.

Artificial sweeteners.
A recent Purdue University study compared two sets of rats: those fed
liquid spiked with saccharin, others fed liquid sweetened with natural
sugar. When both groups were later given a sugary snack, the rats
accustomed to artificial sweeteners ate more. "Our bodies have ways of
judging how many calories a food has from how it tastes, and artificial
sweeteners may mess up that natural regulating process," says Susan
Swithers, PhD, associate professor of psychological sciences at Purdue
and one of the study’s lead authors. The solution: "We’re not
suggesting you give up your diet soda at this point," Swithers says.
But if you consume artificially sweetened products, pay extra attention
to the calorie count of everything you eat, especially snacks with real
sugar.

Missing meals. Research shows that people who
eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight, and that morning meals
seem to help those who’ve lost weight keep it off. It’s not just
breakfast, either: Denise Bruner, MD, obesity specialist and former
president of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, says that
skipping meals of any kind results in a "tremendous bout of
compensatory hunger." The solution: Eat small meals throughout the day.
A steady nutrient intake will keep your blood sugar relatively
constant, helping prevent out-of-control binges.

Dining out. Super Size Me
gave fast food a bad name, but restaurant portions can be just as
oversize as a McDonald’s meal. An order of chicken Parmesan and pasta
at Ruby Tuesday, for example, tops out at 1,466 calories—more than a
Big Mac, large fries, and a Coke combined. The solution: Eating out is
fine, as long as you don’t use it as a frequent license to indulge.
Choose your entrees wisely, and find restaurants that serve smaller
portions or doggie bag half your meal.

http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/health_omag_200411_weight

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Extra calories may not be the only cause of weight gain.
It’s no mystery that a diet full of fried foods, giant portions, decadent desserts, alcohol and sugary soft drinks will lead to weight gain. And there’s little question why the pounds pile up when you take in more calories than you burn in physical activity. But how do you explain weight gain when your lifestyle includes regular exercise and a healthy diet that is controlled in calories? Gaining weight is absolutely maddening, especially when you really don’t understand why the needle on the scale keeps going up.

Several things should be considered if you are gaining weight while watching calories and being physically active. More than likely, it’s a variety of things working together that have resulted in the weight gain.

"Weight gain is so complicated; there are so many factors that can impact your weight. It is more likely a combination of things more than just one factor," explains Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work.

Here are five factors that can cause the scale to creep up when you least expect it.

1. You Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep

The body functions best when well rested. "When you don’t get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently," says May.

When you’re tired, you also don’t handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Symptoms that you may not be getting enough rest include fatigue, low energy levels, nodding off easily and feeling irritable.

Strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel," suggests May. "Continue to experiment with additional 15-minute increments until you find the … amount of sleep that is right for you."

When you develop good sleeping rituals and get regular exercise, you sleep better, she adds.

2. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress

We live
in a society that demands we do more, be more and achieve more. Stress
moves us forward and helps cope with life’s demands, but it also
affects our mood and emotions.

"Stress response, whether it is
‘fight-or-flight,’ juggling too many responsibilities or coping with
financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go
into survival mode," explains May. "Our bodies store fuel, slow down
metabolism and dump out chemicals [cortisol, leptin and other hormones]
which are more likely to cause … obesity in the abdominal region."

Many people reach for food to help ease the stress. But, of course, this doesn’t work in the long run.

"Food is a temporary fix because it does not deal with the real
stressors that must be addressed in order to reduce the trigger for
eating and fix the problem," says May.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD,
assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress
eaters tend to prefer high-carbohydrate foods because these foods
trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, which has a
calming effect. "It is almost like self-medicating," she says. "Many
people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better."

Both May and Bowerman recommend relaxation techniques as well as
exercise, which also burns calories and provides other health benefits.

3. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Medications

Some prescription drugs used to treat depression, mood disorders,
seizures, migraines, blood pressure and diabetes can cause weight gain,
from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month. Some steroids,
hormone replacement therapy and even oral contraceptives may also cause
gradual weight creep. Your medicine cabinet might be the cause of your
weight gain if you’ve gained 5 or more pounds in a month without a
change in your lifestyle.

"Every drug works a little
differently to cause weight gain, from increasing appetite, altering
the way fat is stored, to how insulin levels change," says May. "And
not all drugs have the same side effects on all people."

In
the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not even be related to the
action of the drug—feeling better can also result in a heartier
appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the
scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.

Experts say that some of the most common types of medications that may cause weight gain are:

• Steroids
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Antiseizure medications
• Diabetes medications
• High blood pressure medications
• Heartburn medications

But it’s important to remember that a few extra pounds may be well
worth the trade-off of what a particular medication does for your
overall health, experts say. Further, even if your medications are the
cause of your weight gain, you still need to be mindful of eating a
healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

"Rarely is the
problem solved with a change in meds," says May. "These things can
contribute, but rarely are the sole cause of the weight gain."

If you suspect your medication is causing weight gain, talk to your
health care provider to see about changing your prescription. But
whatever you do, don’t go off your medication without seeking medical
advice.

"There could be very serious consequences if you stop taking your medication without consulting your physician," says May.
       
       
       
            
       

   
4. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of a Medical Condition

The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is
hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease
metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

"If you are
feeling fatigued, lethargic, swelling, hoarse voice, intolerance to
cold, sleeping too much or headaches, you should see your doctor for an
easy test to determine if you have hypothyroidism," says May.

Much rarer is a condition known as Cushing’s syndrome—a disorder caused
by an excess of the hormone cortisol—that can also result in weight
gain.

5. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Menopause

Women reach menopause at a range of ages, but most are in midlife and
are often less physically active than when they were younger. Along
with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At the same time,
hormonal changes can trigger hunger, depression, and poor sleep.

"It is multifactoral. When women go through menopause, they lose
estrogen, causing their shapes to change—usually a loss of hip and
thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the middle," says
Bowerman. She explains that estrogen favors fat deposition in the lower
body, and when you lose this hormone, fat is more likely to be
deposited in the midsection (much like men). This spare tire around the
middle has been not so affectionately called the "menopot."

The key to avoiding this extra belly fat is to maintain and increase
the amount of lean body mass, which will, in turn, increase your
metabolism or calorie burn rate.

"Women need to understand how
critically important weight lifting and strength training is to their
health," says Bowerman. And don’t worry, doing strength training won’t
make women muscle-bound, experts say.

Exercise also helps
offset bone loss that can come with menopause. A combination of
exercise and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and
vitamin D is the answer to thwarting menopausal weight gain.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/20080723_partners_weightgain/3

   

Try these tips for getting more satisfaction from fewer calories.

Babies are born knowing to eat when they are hungry and stop when they
are comfortable. But as we grow up and are exposed to fad diets,
advertising, food used as a reward, etc., many of us unlearn this
beautifully balanced way of eating and begin to overeat.

Yet eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are comfortable is
one of the keys to healthy eating and living, says Linda Bacon, PhD,
nutrition professor at the City College of San Francisco.

Much has been written on the "eating when you’re hungry" side of this
equation. But how do you learn to stop when you’re comfortable if
you’ve lost touch with this over the years?
xperts say there are things you can do to make yourself more likely to stop eating when you are comfortable. They include:

• Eating Slowly
  This isn’t a new concept. Remember all those familiar dieting tips like
  "sip water between bites" and "chew thoroughly before swallowing"?
  These were all aimed at slowing us down when we eat. Research led by
  Mark Gold, MD, at the University of Florida at Gainesville has shown it
  takes 12 or more minutes for food satisfaction signals to reach the
  brain of a thin person, but 20 or more minutes for an obese person.
  Eating slowly ensures that these important messages have time to reach
  the brain.
• Being Aware
  "Be more
  attentive about the whole eating experience; don’t eat when you are
  driving or at the computer," Bacon advises. When we’re distracted or
  hurried, the food—and calories—we eat tend not to register well in our
  brains. Jean Kristeller, PhD, a psychologist and Indiana State
  University researcher, suggests a brief premeal meditation to get
  centered before eating so you can more easily derive pleasure from your
  food, give the meal your full attention and notice when you’ve had
  enough.
• Make the First Bites Count
  Bacon believes that maximum food enjoyment comes in the initial bites.
  "After a few bites, taste buds start to lose their sensitivity to the
  chemicals in food that make it taste good," she explains. Satisfying
  your taste buds by really savoring those first few bites may help you
  stop eating when you’re physically comfortable.
• Keep up appearances
  Using a smaller plate and paying attention to the presentation of a
  meal can increase your awareness of the food in front of you and help
  you stop eating when you are comfortable. "The brain looks at the plate
  and decides if the portion is adequate," Gold says. "It takes some
  time, but the smaller the plate, the smaller the portion."
• Choose Satisfying Foods
  Steer away from foods that give you a lot of calories for very little
  volume, such as milk shakes, cheese and chocolate, Gold recommends. The
  higher the fiber, protein and/or water content of a food or meal, the
  more likely it is to be satisfying in your stomach without going
  overboard on calories.
• Research during the past decade suggests there are three factors that
  help make a meal more satisfying: the weight of the food, the amount of
  protein and the amount of fiber.

  A revolutionary study done by researchers at the University of Sydney
  in 1995 noted that of the 38 foods tested, certain foods scored higher
  in satiety. Top-scoring foods included whole-meal bread, grainy bread,
  cheese, eggs, brown pasta, popcorn, all-bran cereal, grapes, porridge,
  baked beans, apples, beefsteak, ling fish (a type of cod) and oranges.
  All of these foods are high in fiber, water or protein.

  And
  which foods tend to have low satiety scores—making them much easier to
  overeat? These would be foods with large amounts of fat, sugar and/or
  refined carbohydrates, like potato chips, candy bars and white bread.

  "Satisfaction Score" for 20 Common Dishes

  So is there a way you can determine how satisfying your favorite foods
  are likely to be? A mathematical formula calculates a satisfaction
  score for a food. First we give a serving of a particular food points
  for its weight divided by calories (multiplied by four to give it
  significant point value). Secondly, we add the number of grams of
  protein it contains. Finally, we add the number of grams of fiber.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/health_weight_overeat_b1/3