COMING UP ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH," Dr. RICH AND EXPERT PANEL WEIGH IN ON ALL THINGS WEIGHT.

FROM THE ROOT CAUSES OF OBESITY TO CURRENT NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES AND THE LATEST MEDICATIONS TO LOOK OUT FOR.

AND OUR TEAM VISITS A LOCAL PICKLEBALL COURT TO HAVE FUN WHILE STAYING FIT.

AND LATER ON THE NEXT MEDICAL STUDENT MINUTE, RAQUEL BATISTA SHARES THE CORRELATION BETWEEN A HEALTHY DIET AND A HAPPY BRAIN.

COMING UP ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH."

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "CYCLE OF HEALTH."

I'M YOUR HOST, DR. RICH O'NEILL TODAY' TOPIC: ALL THINGS WEIGHT.

INTEREST IN MAINTAINING A HEALTHY WEIGHT IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, AND FOR GOOD REASON--WITH OBESITY RATES REACHING A HIGH OF MORE THAN 75% OF ALL ADULTS IN THE U.S.

SO, WE'RE "WEIGHING IN" AS OVER WEIGHT OR OBESE IN THE U.S.

SO, WE'RE "WEIGHING IN" ON CAUSES OF WEIGHT GAIN INCLUDING SOME MEDICATIONS, THE LATEST NUTRITIONAL ADVICE, HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF WITHOUT DRUGS AND THE NEW WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS.

HERE TO HELP US ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS TODAY ARE DR. RUTH WEINSTOCK, MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT THE JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER AND DIVISION CHIEF OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AT UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY; MS. EMILY GOZY, REGISTERED DIETICIAN, NUTRITIONIST, AND CEO OF NOURISHED WITH EMILY; AND DR. JULIO LICINIO, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, ALSO FROM UPSTATE.

WELL, FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THESE FOLKS OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE THESE DAYS, WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN?

THAT'S HARD TO LOSE WEIGHT.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT IT?

>> I THINK THE BIG THING AND TIME IS BEING SPENT LESS SAND LESS ON THIS IN SCHOOL IS EDUCATION AROUND NUTRITION.

EDUCATION AROUND HEALTHY HABITS FOR PEOPLE.

SO THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WE NEED 40 TO 50 HOURS EACH YEAR IN SCHOOL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION TO HELP WITH PREVENTING SOME OF THESE ISSUES.

KIDS ARE GETTING AT THE MOST, EIGHT HOURS.

SO A FRACTION, NOT EVEN 25% OF WHAT THEY NEED, IN ORDER TO HELP THEM START TO BUILD THOSE HEALTHY HABITS WHERE WE ARE NOT OR DEALING WITH OBESITY AND BEING OVERWEIGHT AS WE GET OLDER.

I THINK NUTRITION EDUCATION AND HAVING THE TOOLS AND THE KNOWLEDGE IS REALLY THAT FIRST STEP WITH PREVENTING THIS FROM BEING A BIGGER ISSUE.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE-- ONCE KIDS LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE EATING DIET IN GENERAL, WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF EXERCISE?

>> EXERCISE IS HUGE.

I BELIEVE THE STATISTIC IS ONLY 50% OF AMERICANS ACTUALLY GET WHAT THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF EXERCISE IS, WHICH IS 150 MINUTES EACH WEEK OF MODERATE ACTIVITY, WHICH YOU THINK, BRISK WALKING, JOGGING, RUNNING, MAYBE TAKING SOME SORT OF CLASS OR 75 MINUTES OF VIGOROUS ACTIVITY LIKE RUNNING OR TRAINING FOR A MARATHON OR I KNOW FOR KIDS THEY RECOMMEND AT LEAST 60 MINUTES EACH DAY OF EXERCISE WHICH IS WHY THEY HAVE GYM CLASS BUT THEY DON'T HAVE GYM CLASS EVERY DAY.

MAYBE WHEN YOUR KIDS COME HOME FROM SCHOOL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM OUTSIDE.

>> TAKE AWAY THEIR TABLET.

>> EXACTLY.

MAYBE USE THAT LATER ON BUT DON'T BECOME SO RELIANT ON THE TABLET.

GET THEM OUTSIDE.

>> AND IF YOU ARE AN ADULT WHO IS OBESE OR OVERWEIGHT AND HAVE YOU COMPLICATIONS LIKE ARTHRITIS IN THAT-- DON'T BE DISCOURAGED.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND RUN.

JUST START DOING A LITTLE MORE EACH DAY START WITH CHAIR EXERCISES IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE WALKING.

IF YOU CAN WALK A SMALL AMOUNT, WALK A SMALL AMOUNT.

EACH DAY JUST TRY TO INCREASE IT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE ANY ACTIVITY IS BETTER THAN NO ACTIVITY.

>> MOTION IS LOTION FOR THE BODY.

I HEARD ANOTHER-- >> MOTION IS LOTION FOR THE BODY.

>> A BODY IN MOTION STAYS IN MOTION.

SO IF WE START GETTING ACTIVE AND STAYING ACTIVE AT A YOUNGER AGE, WE WILL HAVE LESS ISSUES.

>> THAT'S WONDERFUL.

SO I THINK HAVE YOU TO DO SOMETHING FROM-- I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST WE ENJOY-- MAYBE FIT IT IN WITH FRIENDS.

I LIKE BRISK WALKING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HURT.

TALK WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND KEEP GOING.

A STUDY SHOWED 400,000 PEOPLE.

PEOPLE WHO DID 10 MINUTES A DAY OF BRISK WALKING HAD LOWERED THEIR HEART DISEASE RISK BY 30%.

AND EACH ADDITIONAL 10 MINUTES ANOTHER 6%.

IT WAS REALLY AMAZING.

WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF STRESS AND EATING AND OVEREATING AND GAINING WEIGHT?

>> I THINK IT'S EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR A PERSON TO ACTUALLY LOSE WEIGHT IF THEY'RE CHRONICALLY STRESSED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE EFFORT TO , YOU KNOW, TO COOK, TO ORGANIZE LIKE HEALTHY MEALS, TO EXERCISE, TO GET OUT, THAT, YOU DON'T DO EASILY IF YOU ARE CHRONICALLY STRESSED.

SO I THINK CHRONIC STRESS IS LIKE AN PANDEMIC.

WE TALK ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS BUT THERE IS PHYSICAL STRESS.

LIGHT AT NIGHT IS A STRESSOR.

SLEEPING IN A ROOM THAT IS NOT PITCH BLACK IS A CHRONIC STRESS ITSELF.

YOU CAN BE THE HAPPIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD BUT IF YOU SLEEP IN A ROOM THAT HAS A TV OR THOSE, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS OR DISPLAYS OR WHATEVER, THAT IS A CHRONIC STREET.

SHOWING THAT IN ANIMALS AND HUMANS.

>> STRESS WILL CHANGE HOW THE BODY UTILIZES THE MACK MACRO NUTRIENTS.

WHEN CORTISOL LEVELS ARE ELEVATED, IT IS EASY FOR THE BODY TO STORE FAT FOR ENERGY.

YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEING CHASED BY A BEAR, HAVE YOU TO FIGURE THAT OUT FIRST BEFORE YOU CAN EFFECTIVELY USE THE NUTRITION WE ARE HAVING AND PUTS US AT RISK FOR DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE AND OTHER THINGS.

>> WHAT IS A GOOD DIET?

, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ALL THESE DIETS OUT THERE LIKE THE ATKINS DIET AND THE CARNIVORE DIET AND ALL THE-- I THINK, IN MY HEAD, I HAVE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IS LIKE THE BOTTOM LINE.

IS THAT A GOOD, FROM A NUTRITIONIST POINT OF VIEW?

IS THAT A GOOD RULE OF THUMB.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE TEACH OUR CLIENTS, TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW CAN I GET IN MORE WHOLE FOODS, WHOLE GRAINS, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, LOW FAT DAIRY, THE HEALTHY FATS ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR OVERALL HEALTH AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAN YOU STICK WITH.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN STICK WITH FOR A WHILE AND NOT HAVE TOIO YO-YO ON AND OFF ON.

WHEN WE ARE STRESSED WE OVER EAT BY 133%.

IF WE CAN STICK WITH IT, YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO SEE IT THROUGH AND MEDITERRANEAN STYLE EATING OR EVEN THE DASH DIET WHICH IS REDUCING HYPERTENSION ARE BETTER FOR US AND MIGHT BE EASIER FOR TO US STICK WITH LONG-TERM.

>> THE DASH DIET BEING LOW SODIUM.

I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WITH THE DIET WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, TO HAVE ENOUGH PROTEIN BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE LOSE A LOT OF WEIGHT, THEY TEND TO LOSE FAT, OF COURSE, BUT THEY CAN, 30% OF THE WEIGHT LOSS CAN BE MUSCLE AND YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOUR MUSCLE MASS.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE ENOUGH PROTEIN.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ACTIVE SO THAT YOU TRY TO KEEP YOUR LEAN BODY MASS OR MUSCLE MASS.

>> IT ALSO WILL HELP MAINTAIN ME TAB LISTEN.

MUSCLE IS MORE METABOLICALLY ACTIVE THAN FAT IS.

SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE MUSCLE MASS AND BUILD MORE MUSCLE MASS, YOU ARE BUILD BUILDING YOUR METABOLISM.

>> BUT YOU ASKED ABOUT DIET.

WHATEVER DIET IT IS, YOU HAVE TO , YOU KNOW, HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN MAKING THE FOOD.

SO IF YOU ONLY EAT PREPACKAGED FOODS AND ULTRAPROCESSED FOODS, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

AND YOU SEE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.

BUT AS TIME GOES BY, FEWER AND FEWER PEOPLE ACTUALLY COOK FROM SCRATCH.

AND A MEAL PREPARED FROM SCRATCH WITHOUT PROCESSED, ETC., WILL BE HEALTHIER THAN PREPACKAGED.

SO THAT'S I THINK A MISSING LINK COOKING SHOWS ARE VERY POPULAR.

EVERYBODY WATCHES IT.

BUT IT'S LIKE PEOPLE WATCHING LIKE A THRILLER MOVIE WITH TOM CRUISE AND MISSION IMPOSSIBLE.

YOU WATCH IT BUT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO THE GYM AND-- >> FOLLOWING UP.

>> LIKE WATCHING FOOTBALL ON TV.

YOU KNOW, THE GUYS THAT ARE DOING THE EXERCISE THERE BUT WE ARE SITTING THERE WATCHING.

IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THE COOKING.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCH COOKING SHOWS BUT THEY DON'T COOK AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED AT HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS ARE THERE THAT NOBODY COOKS LIKE ANYTHING, NOT EVEN BREAKFAST, LIKE NOTHING.

>> IT IS AMAZING.

I THINK THE THING I HAVE IN MY HEAD IS EAT LIKE YOUR GRAND MOTHER ATE.

YOUR GRANDMOTHER DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AVAILABLE BACK IN THE DAY, RIGHT?

SO SHE USED TO COOK, RIGHT?

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD RUBRIC.

EAT LIKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER ATE.

>> AND IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, HAVE A SCALE AT HOME.

AND I RECOMMEND TO PEOPLE THAT THEY WEIGH THEMSELVES FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AFTER THEY GO TO THE BATHROOM.

THAT'S YOUR LOWEST WEIGHT OF THE DAY AND DO THAT EVERY DAY AND IF AT THE END OF THE WEEK, EVEN IF YOU HAVE EATEN HEALTHY, IF YOU HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING, THEN YOU HAVE TO REDUCE YOUR PORTION SIZE.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CHANGE.

>> SO YOUR GUIDELINES, GOOD GUIDELINES FOR LOSING WEIGHT, WEIGH EVERYBODY EVERY DAY,-- WEIGH YOURSELF EVERY DAY AND KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PORTIONSY ATTEND OF THE WEEK, YOU HAVE LOST A POUND AND THEN THE GOAL FOR THE NEXT WEEK WOULD BE TO TRY TO DO THE SAME.

>> IS A POUND A GOOD UPPER LIMIT?

YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE MORE THAN THAT?

YOU TRY-- >> SOMETIMES AT THE BEGINNING OF DIETING, A LITTLE MORE COMES OFF, THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO OR THE INITIAL PERIOD.

BUT AFTER THAT, IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER.

SO THE IMPORTANT THING IS NOT TO GET DISCOURAGED.

AND JUST, YOU KNOW, KEEP ON A HEALTHY DIET, TRY TO BE A HEALTHY DIET.

AND TRACK IT.

IF YOU ARE GAINING WEIGHT, AGAIN, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S THE TIME TO CUT BACK.

>> GOAL ONE, DON'T GAIN ANYMORE.

GOAL TWO, CUT BACK, WEIGH YOURSELF AND KEEP TRACK OF YOUR LOSING WEIGHT AND IF YOU ARE NOT LOSING WEIGHT, REDUCE HOW MUCH YOU ARE EATING.

MAYBE UP YOUR EXERCISE?

>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE HAVE IS WHEN THEY LOSE WEIGHT, TO MAINTAIN THAT WEIGHT, THEY NEED TO EAT LESS THAN SOMEONE ELSE, THE SAME SIZE WHO IS THAT WEIGHT BUT HAD NEVER BEEN HIGHER THAN THAT.

>> WHY IS THAT?

>> YOUR METABOLISM SLOWS WHETHER YOU'VE LOST WEIGHT.

SO IT'S UNFAIR.

PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY THIS ISN'T FAIR, YOU KNOW, MY SISTER CAN, YOU KNOW, EAT MORE THAN ME AND NOT GAIN.

AND THEY'RE RIGHT.

IF YOU LOSE WEIGHT, YOU WILL NEED FEWER CALORIES THAN SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER LOST WEIGHT, TO MAINTAIN THAT WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS HELPFUL FOR THAT AS WELL AS EATING HEALTHY BUT ALSO MONITORING YOURSELF.

IT TAKES A LOT OF WILLPOWER.

>> WELL, IF WE NEED MORE MOTIVATION TO KEEP ACTIVE LET'S TAKE A MOMENT TO SPOTLIGHT A GROUP IN OUR AREA PROVIDING COMMUNITY FOR LESS STRESS FOR PEOPLE ON THEIR FITNESS AND WELLNESS JOURNEYS.

>> LET'S SEE IF PICKLEBALL IS A FUN WAY TO GET FIT.

>> I GOT IT.

>> WHO ARE YOU?

>> I'M BROOK AND I VOLUNTEER TO COORDINATE FOR CNY PICKLEBALL WHICH IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ORGANIZATION, IT'S JUST A NAME FOR EVERYBODY WHO PLAYS IN THIS AREA.

SO I HELP PEOPLE FIND COURTS.

I HELP COURTS FIND PLAYERS.

IF I'M SERBING FROM THAT SIDE, I'M SERVING TO THAT RECTANGLE.

IT CAN'T GO TO THE KITCHEN, THAT'S TOO SHORT.

IT HAS TO BE BEYOND THAT.

>> SO IT'S SORT OF LIKE MINI TENNIS.

1-1.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT PICKLEBALL THAT MAKES IT SO APPEALING TO PEOPLE?

>> IT'S REALLY EASY TO GET STARTED.

ANYONE AFTER PLAYING FOR ONE DAY CAN USUALLY GET INTO A GAME THAT THEY FIND FUN.

THEY'LL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE PLAYING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS SO EVEN IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOOD, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE TO PLAY WITH THEM AT THAT LEVEL.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT YOU COME WITH.

YOU JUST ONE PERSON, YOU COME ON IN AND EVERYBODY WELCOMES YOU INTO THE SPORT.

>> YOU GOT INTO THIS BECAUSE YOU WERE IN THE PANDEMIC, YOU WANTED SOMETHING NEW TO DO.

PEOPLE GET INTO THIS JUST TO GET FIT?

>> THEY DO.

THEY WANT TO GET ACTIVE AND IT IS KEEPING, ESPECIALLY OLDER PEOPLE, SO MANY PEOPLE ARE MORE ACTIVE BECAUSE OF IT.

THEY HAVE DONE STUDIES AND IT SEEMS THAT YOU CAN GET AS GOOD OF A WORKOUT PLAYING THIS AS YOU CAN WITH PLAYING TENNIS AND OTHER COMPARABLE THINGS.

>> WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT PICKLEBALL?

>> I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO IS LOOKING TO GET INVOLVED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN.

THERE IS A COMMUNITY OUT THERE THAT IS VERY WELCOMING.

THERE ARE CLASSES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

A PLEASURE MEETING YOU.

>> NICE MEETING YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD GAME.

THIS IS SO FUN.

>> SO, A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE WEIGHT LOSS AREA HAS BEEN THESE NEW DRUGS.

SO TELL US ABOUT THESE NEW DRUGS.

DO THEY REALLY WORK?

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS?

GIVE US THE LOWDOWN.

>> SO THESE NEW DRUGS ARE PART OF A FAMILY OF DRUGS BASED ON ENDOCRINE HORMONES.

IT TURNS OUT WHEN YOU EAT, THERE ARE HORMONES THAT ARE SECRETED FROM YOUR GUT.

ONE IS CALLED GLP 1, ONE IS GIP.

BUT WHAT THESE DRUGS DO, THESE DRUGS DO IS THEY MIMIC WHAT THOSE HORMONES NORMALLY DO.

WHAT DO THE HORMONES NORMALLY DO?

THEY SELL THE PAN CREEIAS TO RELEASE INSULIN.

THEY AFFECT OTHER HORMONES INVOLVED IN METABOLISM.

SLOW THE EMPTYING OF YOUR STOMACH SO YOU FEEL MORE FULL.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY AFFECT YOUR BRAIN SO YOU DON'T FEEL AS HUNGRY.

THAT THE CRAVINGS ARE REDUCED.

IT AFFECTS YOUR BRAIN.

YOU FEEL YOUR FULL WHAT WE SAUL SATIETY.

THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT AS MUCH.

SO YOU EAT LESS AND LESS AND LESS.

NOW THEY ALSO AFFECT PARTS OF THE BODY THAT MAKE SOME OF THE SIDE EFFECTS WHICH CAN BE NAUSEA, EVEN VOMITING IN SOME PEOPLE, FEELING BLOATED.

SO THERE ARE G.I.

SIDE EFFECTS FOR THESE DRUGS.

AND LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, WE ARE ALL HETEROGENEOUS, THEY DON'T WORK ON EVERYONE.

AND THEY WORK ON SOME PEOPLE BETTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE.

SO IF TAKE THEM AND THEY DON'T WORK, STOP.

BUT MANY PEOPLE LOSE A VERY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WEIGHT ON THESE DRUGS.

AND IF THEY STOP THE DRUG, HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE DRUGS ARE EXPENSIVE,-- >> LIKE ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

>> AND IF THEY STOP TAKING THEM, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE REGAIN.

SO AGAIN, YOU DEVELOP THE CRAVINGS THAT HAD GONE AWAY, YOU GET MORE HUNGRY.

YOU TEND TO WANT TO EAT MORE.

SO THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM WITH STOPPING AND STARTING AND MANY PEOPLE STOP THESE DRUGS FOR VARIETY OF REASONS: COST, SIDE EFFECTS,.

>> SOME PEOPLE DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE, KEEP TAKING MEDS.

>> AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE VERY LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN AROUND THAT LONG.

THERE ARE CERTAIN CONTRADAYSES SO BEFORE STARTING A DRUG LIKE THIS, TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN.

IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF PANCREASITIS, DON'T TAKE THE DRUGS.

>> I KNOW TAKING DRUGS, PSYCHIATRISTS PRESCRIBE A LOT OF MEDICATIONS.

ARE SOME OF THE MEDICATIONS THAT MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.

>> WE DID A NUMBER OF STUDIES BEGINNING ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO.

SHOWING THAT IF YOU ACTUALLY TREAT ANIMALS CHRONICALLY WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND GIVE HIGH FAT DIET, THOSE ANIMALS GAIN MORE WEIGHT THAN THOSE THAT ARE ONLY ON THE HIGH FAT DIET.

AND THEN WE FOLLOWED THAT AND DID A STUDY IN PEOPLE LIKE A LARGE COHORT STUDY THAT SHOWED THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS IF THEY'RE ON A HEALTHY MEDITERRANEAN DIET, THEY DON'T GAIN MORE WEIGHT THAN REGULAR PEOPLE.

SO THE WEIGHT IS THE SAME.

BUT IF THEY ARE ON A JUNK FOOD DIET OR WESTERN DIET OR PIZZA DIET, IT GIVES POTENTIAL WEIGHT GAIN CAUTIONED BY JUNK FOOD.

SO ABOUT 13% OF PEOPLE OVER 12 YEARS OF AGE IN THE U.S. ARE ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND THIS IS NOT JUST TAKING THE ANTIDEPRESSANT.

IT'S EXPOSURE, IF YOU TOOK IT AND THEN STOPPED, THE EFFECT CONTINUES FOR MONTHS, EVEN YEARS.

SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED IS VERY HIGH.

SO IF YOU HAVE TAKEN THESE DRUGS, YOU SHOULD MAKE A VERY CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO BE ON A HEALTHY MEDITERRANEAN DIET.

>> WOW.

I HAD NO CLUE ABOUT THAT.

13%.

BUT IT EXTENDS IF YOU HAVE STOPPED THE DRUG, IT STILL CONTINUES.

SO YOU REALLY GOT TO WORK.

YOU HAVE TO CALL UP EMILY AND FIND OUT, WHAT THIS IS DIET AND HOW DO I GET ON IT, RIGHT?

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE FOOLING AROUND AND GAIN WEIGHT.

>> PEOPLE ASK ME A LOT, SHOULD YOU NOT TAKE THE DRUGS BUT IF YOU ARE CLINICALLY DEPRESSED WITH A RISK OF SUICIDE, AND IF WORK, YOUR LIFE IS AFFECTED BY DEPRESSION, I THINK THAT THE DRUGS ARE BENEFICIAL AND YOU JUST HAVE TO BE ON A HEALTHY DIET.

>> AND THINK, TOO, WHAT YOU EAT REALLY DOES IMPACT HOW YOU FEEL EVERY SINGLE DAY.

YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU EAT, AND IF YOU ARE EATING A LOT OF HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS AND YOU PUT YOUR CLOTHES ON AND YOUR SWOLLEN, MY CLOTHES DON'T FIT ANYMORE, THAT PLAYS INTO HOW YOU ARE FEELING MENTALLY ABOUT YOURSELF AND I'M SURE ALSO INCREASES THE RISK OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ANY OF THOSE ISSUES.

>> AND THE THING I'VE WORKED WITH DEPRESSION MY WHOLE LIFE.

ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING IN DEPRESSION THAT PEOPLE TEND NOT BE SO AWARE OF AND MINDFUL IS IT'S A NEGATIVE VICIOUS CYCLE.

PEOPLE'S DEPRESSION, BECAUSE OF THE DISEASE ITSELF, THEY FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

OTHERWISE IF YOU FELT GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF, YOU WOULDN'T BE DEPRESSED INCLUDING BODY IMAGE.

YOU FEEL YOU ARE NOT A GOOD PERSON, YOU DON'T LOOK GOOD, ET CETERA, THEN AT THE SAME TIME YOU DON'T HAVE ENERGY.

YOU ARE NOT LIKE VERY ACTIVE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE DISPOSITION TO GO AND, YOU KNOW, FIND HEALTHY FOODS SO YOU EAT LIKE A BAD DIET.

THEN YOU DON'T EXPEND SO MUCH ENERGY, THEN YOU GAIN WEIGHT AND YOU LOOK YOURSELF AT THE MIRROR YOU ARE BIGGER AND HEAVIER AND FEEL WORSE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOU GET MORE DEPRESSED AND THIS BECOMES LIKE A AVALANCHE COMING DOWN THE HILL.

AND IT JUST PERPETUATES ITSELF.

AND IF IT IS REALLY HOOSH, YOU KNOW, THEN PERSON GETS HELP BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, ITS MORE LIKE A LOW GRADE CHRONIC FEELING, YOU KNOW, CHRONICALLY STRESSED, NOT SO GREAT, MILDLY DECEMBER PRESS-- DEPRESSED AND THEY GET WORSE AND DON'T EXERCISE AND GRADUALLY GAIN A LITTLE MORE WEIGHT AND THEN IT PERPETUATES AND BREAKING THAT CYCLE IS REALLY CRITICAL.

BUT TO JUST SAY GO OUT AND EXERCISE, JUST START EATING HEALTHY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO DO IT.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY TO DO THOSE THINGS AND YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT YOURSELF AND DOWN GOES YOUR ENERGY EVEN MORE.

>> THAT'S WHERE THE WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS CAN BE HELPFUL BECAUSE AS PEOPLE LOSE WEIGHT, FIRST OF ALL THEY'RE VERY GOOD FOR PEOPLE WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES, THEIR BLOOD SUGARS IMPROVE AND THERE ARE CARDIAC BENEFITS, BENEFITS IN THE HEART FOR PEOPLE WITH HEART DISEASE AND IF PEOPLE HAVE KIDNEY DISEASE PARTICULARLY RELATED TO DIABETES, IT CAN BE HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE CERTAIN BREATHING PROBLEMS, SO THERE ARE DEFINITE BENEFITS.

SO EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON SHOULD DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL RISK AND BENEFITS WITH THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO SEE WHAT THE BEST APPROACH IS FOR THEM.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY REALLY HAVE SOME WONDERFUL BENEFITS.

THAT'S GREAT.

AND NEED TO BE IN COMBINATION WITH A GOOD DIET AND IT WILL BE HELPFUL IN MULTIPLE WAYS.

>> JUST LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND THEN SEEING THAT YOU LOOK BETTER PROBABLY DOES A LOT TO YOUR SELF-ESTEEM AND CAN HELP YOU BREAK THE CYCLE.

>> WE HAVE TO GO, BEFORE WE WRAP OUR SHOW TODAY, I WANT TO INTRODUCE EVERYBODY TO MS. RAQUEL BATISTA, CLASS OF 2027 AT UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, WHO IS GOING TO SHARE WITH US WHAT SHE'S LEARNED IN MED SCHOOL ABOUT HOW A HEALTHY DIET CAN MAKE FOR A HAPPY BRAIN.

JUST WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> HI, MYRA KELL BATISTA, A SECOND YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY AND THIS IS MY MEDICAL STUDENT MINUTE.

THE COOLEST THING I LEARNED IN MEDICAL SCHOOL THIS MONTH IS THAT CERTAIN PROBIOTICS CAN HELP US DEAL WITH STRESS.

DID YOU KNOW OUR GUT AND BRAIN ARE BEST BUDDIES.

LET'S DIVE INTO THIS INCREDIBLE CONNECTION.

IMAGINE YOUR GUT AS A MINI BRAIN.

IT CONTAIN AS ROUND 100 MILLION NEURONS FORMING THE ENTERIC NERVOUS SYSTEM WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH A BRAIN THAT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.

THIS CONNECTION HAPPENS WITH THE VAGUS NERVE.

A SUPER HIGHWAY OF INFORMATION.

WHEN WE EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS, OUR GUT SENDS HAPPY SIGNALS TO THE BRAIN MAKING US FEEL SATISFIED.

OUR GUT BUDDIES OR GUT MICROBIOME, THE TRILLIONS OF BACTERIA THAT ARE IN YOUR GUT PRODUCE CEREMONY CEREMONY-- SEROTONIN, RESEARCH SHOWS A HEALTHY GUT CAN INFLUENCE MOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH.

ONE STUDY REVEALED THAT A SPECIFIC STRAIN OF BACTERIA GIVEN TO PARTICIPANTS WAS LINKED WITH AN INCREASE ADD BUILT TO HANDLE NEGATIVE MOODS SPECIFICALLY BY IMPROVING RUMINATION.

THIS MEANS THEY WERE BETTER AT MANAGING THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS WHEN THEY WERE FEELING DOWN.

SO IF WE ARE FREELING DOWN, WHAT WE EAT MATTERS.

WHEN WE FEED OUR GUT BUDDIES A DIET RICH IN FRUITS, VEGGIES AND PRO-BOITICS, THEY CAN HELP US BY FEEDING OUR BRAINS.

IT'S A WIN-WIN.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN WITH ME.

I'M RAQUEL BATISTA THIS IS MY MEDICAL MINUTE.

>> THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS: DR. RUTH WEINSTOCK, MEDICAL DIRECTOR AT THE JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER AND DIVISION CHIEF OF ENDOCRINOLOGY AT UPSTATE; MS. EMILY GOZY, REGISTERED DIETICIAN, NUTRITIONIST, AND CEO OF NOURISHED WITH EMILY; AND DR. JULIO LICINIO, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, ALSO FROM UPSTATE TO HEAR OUR COMPANION COMMUNITY FM RADIO SHOW, CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP, VISIT WCNY.ORG/COMMUNITYFM.

AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE THIS EPISODE AGAIN AND PAST SEASONS, GO TO WCNY DOT ORG SLASH WCNY.ORG/"CYCLE OF HEALTH."

FOR 'CYCLE OF HEALTH', I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

DON'T "WEIGHT" AROUND, KEEP MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!

DO I GET TO GRUNT.

THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.

ON THE NEXT "CYCLE OF HEALTH," OUR PANEL EXPLORES ORGAN DONATION, DEMYSTIFYING THE TRANSPLANT PROCESS, DEBUNKING COMMON MYTHS AND DISCOVERING THE INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES.

AND Dr. RICH SITS DOWN WITH THE MOTHER OF TASHOTYSCENE RICHARD SON WHO SAVED MANY OTHERS BY BECOMING AN ORGAN DONOR SUPERHERO AND ON THE NEXT MEDICAL STUDENT MINUTE, HOW TO SPOT THE SIGNS OF A STROKE.