Letters to the Editor

Fighting the Urge

Thanks for including “Sweet Success” in the Summer 2007 issue of Real Health. I was raised to be a member of the “clean plate club”—no leaving the table until your plate is clean—and like many club members, I learned the unhealthy habit of shoving everything on my plate into my mouth, regardless of how full I was. This caught up to me in adulthood when I gained 40 pounds in two years. I’ve only now started to lose the weight by taking control of my portions. There really is no good substitute for proper exercise and portion control. More magazines should have articles like this one—instead of featuring ads for diet pills.

From the editors: Thanks! Yes, portion control is an integral part of maintaining a healthy diet. And watching your weight is just one part of the puzzle. In a recent Real Health study, about 60 percent of readers said they’re trying to control their sugar and sodium intake, and close to half of you said that high blood pressure was a concern. A few brave staffers tried to address some of their own dietary issues in our RH eating challenge; see how they did on page 35.

Leave an Impression, Not a Scar!

Thank you for “To Spank or Not to Spank” (Summer 2007). This is a tricky and testy conversation in black households, and trust me, it doesn’t go away just because the kids grow up. I am the father of a 17-year-old who has been making lots of lapses in good judgment. Admittedly, sometimes a spanking has been my immediate thought. But I remember that it’s not going to help when he has to think on his feet in the middle of a conflict. So, while he may hate my two-hour lectures, he remembers them, and not just that his dad “knocked some sense into his head.” Thanks for reminding me why I changed my mind...and how that changes my son.

Fit, 50 and Fabulous

I am writing in response to “Grown ’n Healthy,” the article about fitness ideas for seniors (Summer 2007). For starters, why is it so short? Having an article geared toward older adults provides a lot of useful information and inspiration. As I age, it motivates me when I read about others who are not letting Father Time stop them. There are so many activities out there: hiking, biking, pilates and swimming, just to name a few. I would like to see future articles on each of those topics to provide your readers with options. Age and wealth should never be a barrier to health and fitness.

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