provide a fairly rapid source of fuel to the body by
raising blood-glucose levels. However, when life
becomes hectic and feels out of control, it is common
to reach for any available food regardless of calories or
nutritional content.Conquering CravingsLife will always have its stresses, but dealing with
stress in a healthful, nutritional way can have a pos-
itive impact on self-esteem, energy level, emotional
outlook, and weight. There are a number of positive
ways to deal with cravings, including:
Start the day off with breakfast, which helps prevent
overwhelming hunger later in the day.
Eliminate feelings of guilt related to labeling food as
either good or bad. Some choices are healthier than
others, but snacks and treats can be consumed in
reasonable amounts.
Plan ahead for each new week. Think about one’s
school, work, and activity schedule and how health-
ful snacks can be incorporated into it.
Keep healthful snacks close at hand, both at home
and at work.
Try not to go for long periods of time without eating.
Combine lean protein foods with high-fiber carbohy-
drate sources to provide energy that lasts for several
hours, such as a slice of vegetable pizza or a bean
burrito.
Cravings can be the exception instead of the rule
when it comes to one’s diet. Developing a lifestyle that
includes healthful food selections and regular meals
and snacks can help control cravings. The extra time it
takes in planning meals or snacks, whether eating at
home or eating on the run, is easily made up for in
increased energy and improved mood.Resources
BOOKS
Mitchell, Susan, and Christie, Catherine (1997).I’d Kill for a
Cookie. New York: Dutton.
Waterhouse, Debra (1995).Why Women Need Chocolate.
New York: Hyperion.
OTHER
American Dietetic Association. ‘‘Eating in Stressful Times.’’
Available from<http://www.eatright.org/pr.html>.
Hellmich, Nanci. ‘‘Stress Can Put on Pounds.’’USA Today.
Available from<http://usatoday.com/news>.Susan MitchellCrohn’s disease
Definition
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disor-
der that affects the digestive tract.Description
Crohn’s disease is named for Dr. Burril Crohn
who, with his colleagues, first described the disease in- Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the diges-
tive system, however, it develops most often in the
section of the small intestine just before the large
intestine begins. This region is called the ileum, and
Crohn’s disease that develops there is sometimes
called ileitus. The other common site for Crohn’s dis-
ease is in the colon or large intestine.
Crohn’s disease is one of several inflammatory
bowel diseases. In can be mistaken for ulcerative col-
itis. Both these diseases cause watery diarrhea or
bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps or pain. How-
ever, ulcerative colitis affects only the layer of cells that
line the intestine forming sores orulcerson this sur-
face. Crohn’s disease begins in these same surface cells,
but eats its way inward, damaging all four layers of the
intestine and sometimes creating a hole (fistula)
through the intestine and into other tissue. Another
major difference between Crohn’s disease and ulcer-
ative colitis is that Crohn’s disease can develop simul-
taneously in several spots in the digestive tract,
resulting in areas of damaged with patches with
healthy tissue in between. Ulcerative colitis, on the
other hand, spreads uniformly across an area. Crohn’s
disease is somewhat treatable, but not curable, and
can cause many complications beyond the digestive
system. Eventually in Crohn’s disease the walls of the
intestine thicken and blockages may occur that can
only be corrected by surgery.
Demographics
About half a million Americans, or 7 people out of
every 100,000 have Crohn’s disease. Of these, about
4% are children under age 5, and 10% are under age- Most people are diagnosed with the disease between
ages 15 and 35, although they may have had the disease
before that. In the United States the rate of Crohn’s
disease has been increasing since the 1950s.
Although most common among non-Hispanic
whites, the rate of Crohn’s disease among American
blacks, especially urban blacks, has been steadily
increasing. Jews who trace their ancestry middle Europe
are 2-4 times more likely to develop the disease than the
Crohn’s disease