By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
November 2, 1999
Brooke Shields wrote the cover story for the November/December issue of Women’s Sports & Fitness. The choice is kind of odd. Though the story is interesting enough, it’s not particularly sport or fitness-oriented. It’s more of a travelogue, but Shields does get across that she is athletic: “I’ve always been adventurous. When I was younger, I learned to do the stunts for my movie roles, whether it was trick riding on a horse or scuba diving. The challenge of seeing how far I could push myself always excited me – even on vacation. I love river rafting and kayaking, and prefer my hiking trails on the treacherous side. Recently, I traveled to Guatemala with friends, where I paddled and trekked.”
OK, I was mistaken. It wasn’t that interesting after all.
A more interesting read is Laura Billings’ feature about fake foods, such as low-calorie treats crammed with aspartame or low-fat chips with Olean. Are fake foods so harmful, she asks?
“Researchers on both sides of the fence are quick to point out that food additives aren’t inherently risky,” Billings reports. “. . . For some nutritionists, the greatest cause for concern is what these foods will replace in our diets.
” `When you eat these artificial foods, you’re not getting a lot of bang for your buck,’ says Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., a Seattle-area nutrition counselor. . . . The old prescription for good nutrition – fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, lean protein and a sparing dab of fat – is still the only diet that has been proven to fight disease and add years to our lives. It seems that prescription is gaining support as researchers learn more about the role phytochemicals and micronutrients play in sustaining good health. The paradox is that people who exercise can most afford to eat both the vegetables and the desserts.”
The December issue of More features an update on Queen Noor of Jordan, who’s finding a place for herself since the death of her husband, King Hussein. The American-born queen says she identifies most with Hillary Rodham Clinton. “You don’t have to have gone through all the hell you’ve gone through without putting it to some good use for others,” she says.
And cover girl Susan Sarandon reveals her thoughts on why – at over 50 – she is one of America’s sexiest women: “Personally, I think there’s a certain sexuality that’s all about withholding. My brand goes the other way. I probably don’t have enough mystery.”
