“The LILI Letter” — March 2025

March,

The month of surprises. The earth is shifting from winter to spring in the Northern Hemisphere, in all its wild and capricious glory. March reminds me of a two-year old: unpredictable, fun, exasperating, exuberant and ultimately, calmer and less combustible. We observe Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Ramadan, St. Patrick’s Day and the spring equinox. May March treat you kindly, with more lamb and less lion.

In good health,
Jennifer James

Success story

I am listening to the “Game of Thrones” on audiobook. It is terrific. There is a character in the book, Samwell Tarly. He is a kind, bookish and chubby young man who admits he is a coward. His father sends him off to train with a group of young knights, in hopes of “making a man out of him”. Alas, sword fighting and aggression are not Samwell’s calling. One of the knights, Jon, rallies the other knights-in-training to befriend him, not beat him up or bully him. When this group of knights is conscripted for other duties, Samwell is left behind. Jon sticks his neck out, and tries to find another position for him, realizing the next group of young men that will take their place will likely destroy Samwell. It is a wonderful testament to looking reality square in the face, and doing the right thing. Samwell will never be a knight, but he could be very good at something else. A win for everyone.

How many of us face reality head on? How many of us live an honest life, without deluding ourselves or those around us? Do we live within our means? Choose healthy relationships and jobs we love? Eat food that makes our bodies feel light and energetic, and not sleepy and stuffed?

Living a life of integrity involves setting boundaries and making difficult choices that honor ourselves and others. This can be incredibly challenging, especially if we are people pleasers or feel we don’t deserve what we truly want. We don’t want to grieve, feel lonely or upset others or the apple cart, so we stay stuck in a rut.

So, my friends, what in our lives needs to be met head on? Time to finally admit we need to dethrone our unhealthy ways and make those hard changes? Realize that friendship is just not working? Accept the fact we are outspending our income and downsize? Whatever is weighing us down, it is likely something we kid ourselves about. Be brave! Our lives (and those around us) will be the better for it. Who wants to live a lie?

Have you ever tried…chili crisp?

As I was saying…

One thing I felt the need to write about this month is…interrupting each other when we speak. We all do this. We are in the middle of explaining something that happened to us, or our observations about something, or we are trying to help out someone…then we are cut off in the middle of a sentence, with the other person saying their piece. How does it feel when this happens? That what we are saying is not important, that what they have to say takes precedence, and that our contribution to the conversation is insignificant. Maybe the other person is feeling anxious or afraid, or really wants to be included/noticed, particularly in a group. Maybe they need to say something that is important to them, regardless of our input, and they interrupt. Or the other person may just be a rude so-and-so.

In my health coach training, we were taught to listen as if we didn’t exist, without an agenda forming in our minds about what we wanted to say. Instead of interrupting or thinking about our response, let’s just listen. We could give a thoughtful observation about what they are saying, and resist turning the conversation around to ourselves. To fully listen to another person is rare. When another person feels completely heard, we have given them a tremendous gift.

If we are interrupted, we can politely say, “may I finish what I was saying?”. Let’s be mindful of our interactions with others, especially in a conversation. Let’s not interrupt each other. Hogging the conversation is not good either, but that is a topic for another day.

Semi-starvation. It’s a thing.

The pendulum has swung to a new state of nutritional ignorance. The gist of what I see these days are people who want to lose weight, but eat less than what their body’s basic functions require, which is at least 1200 calories a day for even a small woman, and more for men and taller women. The average intake I have seen lately is 600-700 calories a day. Not enough for a toddler! All of the organs in our body require energy (calories) to function. Our brain sucks up 20% of our energy needs. If we eat 1200 calories, that is ~250 calories a day. We are so focused on losing weight, we leave our common sense and the body’s wisdom at the door.

See below for how semi-starvation/starvation affects our bodies:

• Decreased bone mass Decreased muscle mass
• Increased fat storage Impaired immunity
• Increased hunger hormones Slowed metabolism
• Decreased body temperature Lowered heart rate
• Slowed digestion Decreased fertility
• Exhaustion Difficulty concentrating, poor memory
• Nutrient deficiencies Gut muscles atrophy, gut discomfort when eating
• Irritability Edema
• Increased interest in food Loss of interest in sex
• Isolation Anxiety and depression
• Difficulty with daily tasks Chest pain and increased risk of heart failure
• Stunted growth and development in children

What a fun way to live! In full-blown starvation, if a person does not die from an infection due to a weakened immune system, the muscles in the heart and diaphragm will eventually be exhausted and cease to function. I understand this is dramatic and grim, but we are combatting something I call “diet head”, that is, weight loss at all costs, even venturing into the semi-starvation realm. Let’s use our common sense here. If we don’t feel good while losing weight, and feel exhausted and cold, we are overly restricting our food intake. Our bodies and food are not the enemy. Our distorted thinking around dieting and weight loss is the true enemy.

A landmark study, “The Minnesota Semistarvation Experiment”, using volunteer conscientious objectors during World War II, was conducted to better understand how starvation affected people physically and emotionally. The findings of the study were to inform aid workers in Europe how best to rehabilitate those enduring starvation during WWII. For a very interesting personal account of a volunteer’s experience during the study, visit epi.umn.edu/cvdepi/video/the-minnesota-semistarvation-experiment. Be warned it contains graphic images of starving people. It is also not a secure site.

• Cecchele, T. & Clares, A. (2020, October 25). What is starvation syndrome? At TaliaCecchele.com/post/what-is-starvation-syndrome

Hiking: Just what the doctored ordered

My love of hiking started when I worked in Yellowstone National Park for two summers during my college years. Any coworkers who had the same days off ended up exploring the park by hiking together. Seeing the “touron” attractions was beneath our dignity, so hiking was our go-to activity.

Hiking offers many benefits to anyone willing to “hit the trail”. It offers unique cardiovascular and musculoskeletal benefits, along with emotional and psychological benefits. It beats walking on a treadmill, since the terrain is uneven and requires us to be more mindful of where we put our feet, increasing more overall muscle strength, balance and flexibility. Steep terrain really gets our heart pumping, and the beauty of a hiking trail is nourishing to our soul. Hiking with others makes it a social activity. We are very blessed to have the myriad of hiking trails, near and far, in our intermountain west.

Some things to be mindful of if you are new to hiking: hike with a group if possible, to learn the trails and tips about what to bring along. A daypack with an internal water bladder or water bottle, snacks, Kleenex, bug repellent, chap stick and sunscreen are must-haves. Invest in a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or boots. Do not skimp on this bit of equipment. It will make hiking much more enjoyable. Try new boots out on easy terrain before tackling a long or strenuous hike. Some people like to hike with poles for balance and to give their knees a break on the downhill. I carry a plastic rain poncho and small emergency medical kit. Always check the weather forecast and let someone know where you are going and expected return time if you hike alone. Not recommended for beginners.

Start out slowly, gradually increasing the length and difficulty of the hikes. The Trails Foundation of Northern Utah (formerly Weber Pathways), offers an interactive map on their website, that lists the trails in the area, with mileage and level of difficulty. The 21^st Street Pond trail is a mile long and rated “easy”. The South Skyline Trail is 9.5 miles and rated “difficult”. There are MeetUp groups along the Wasatch Front that sponsor hikes. If you sign up with a group, you receive emails of the various hikes that an experienced hiker will lead. Don’t be shy! It is a good way to get in shape, meet other hikers and develop friendships (speaking from personal experience).

My love of hiking has been lifelong. If you have never ventured forth on our local trails, please consider it. Our lives are healthier, more social and richer from it.

• Austin, D. (2024, June 27). Why hiking is uniquely beneficial for your body and your brain. NationalGeographic.com.

Chili Crisp Noodles

Who doesn’t like an easy meal? Chili crisp was originally designed to use with noodles. For an easy and very flavorful weeknight meal, try this recipe. You can add steamed vegetables, and shrimp, chicken or tofu cubes to the noodles to round out the meal. This meal is on the saltier side, so use low sodium soy sauce and peanut butter without added salt. Also, do not salt the cooking water. The amount of sodium per serving is reasonable if you take these steps.

• 8 ounces of noodles, pasta or rice (preferably whole grain)
• 2-4 Tbsp. of chili crisp
• 5 Tbsp. natural peanut butter, unsalted
• 2 Tbsp. Chinese black vinegar, or other vinegar will do
• 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar, honey or natural maple syrup
• 1 cup chopped, steamed vegetables (optional)
• 1 cup cooked shrimp, chicken, or tofu cubes (optional)

Cook the noodles, pasta or rice according to package directions. Drain.

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, until well blended and smooth.

Toss with the drained noodles. Add the vegetables and protein if using. Voila!

• 4 servings
• Calories (2.5 Tbsp. chili crisp, 1 cup of steamed asparagus) for ¼ recipe: 398
• Sodium for ¼ recipe: 444 mg

March Support Groups

• Mondays, 2:00-3:00pm
• Heart Center Conference Room
• ORMC Medical Plaza, Suite #200
• Free to graduates of ORMC weight loss classes

Of all the paths you take in life,
make sure a few of them are dirt.

John Muir