The Cheater's Diet

Paul Rivas, Natural Journeys, $17.95

Diets are regimented, boring and destined to fail.

That's why we need to cheat at them in order to lose weight, argues Paul Rivas, a board-certified internist who has specialized in obesity for the past decade.

In his new book, The Cheater's Diet, Rivas recommends eating forbidden foods on weekends to relieve boredom and keep our bodies from hoarding calories out of deprivation during the week.

He hails the antioxidant power of chocolate, the "miracle food" ingredients of pizza, and beer's gift to eyesight and arteries.

While the advice may sound too good to be true, it's just another way of following the same mantra nutrition experts have always offered: moderation, moderation, moderation.

Rivas does a good job explaining the often frustrating realities of hunger, willpower and genetic disposition.

The book includes menus and meals for 10 weekdays, as well as chapters on weight-loss supplements and cheating for special occasions such as weddings and vacations.

But in the end, The Cheater's Diet may be just as difficult as other diets because it, too, requires that we control how much we eat, even on weekends.

- Ronnie Lynn

HEALTH FINDINGS

Despite aspirin's reputation for helping reduce the chances of heart attack or stroke, many high-risk patients are not taking the treatment.

A Stanford University School of Medicine study found that doctors prescribe aspirin to only about a third of such high-risk patients - those who have cardiovascular disease and are at risk for stroke or heart attack. The study, published on the Web in the journal PLoS Medicine, suggests aspirin is under-prescribed.

A host of previous studies recommend aspirin for all high-risk patients, except for certain cases where the drug could cause internal bleeding.

Researchers investigated doctors' prescribing habits from 1993 to 2003, finding that around 1997, physicians began to prescribe statins, which are more expensive. Part of the reason may involve the fact that the newer drugs have been more heavily advertised.

Authors of the study worry that doctors are not using the full array of treatments to reduce the likelihood of heart attack or stroke.

- Greg Lavine

Researchers at the University of Utah need stuttering adults to help evaluate the effects of pagoclone, a drug that has shown promise in clearing stumbling speech patterns.

At most, 1 percent of the population stutters, and many people who do might be hesitant to take medication, said Michael Blomgren, an assistant professor in the department of communication sciences and disorders at the U. That has made it challenging to recruit participants in parts of the nation where the study already has begun.

"For people that stutter, it's a pretty big problem. . . . It can really be disabling," said Blomgren, who has personal experience battling the disorder.

Drug companies already have tested pagoclone for treatment of anxiety and panic disorders, but researchers found it had beneficial effects on stutterers, with no side effects.

The U. is one of 10 centers nationwide recruiting for the clinical trials.

Potential participants who complete a screening will be asked to take the investigational medication or a placebo for eight weeks, and will receive about $20 per visit. At the end of the treatment period, participants may choose to extend the study, taking the drug for 12 months free of charge.

Those who want more information should call Blomgren at 801-585-6152, or visit http://www.stutteringstudy.com.

- Tyler Peterson