French Fries to Go

By James Kelly, Managing Editor

I used to envy Christine Gorman. After all, she is an immensely popular TIME health columnist, drawing hundreds of e-mails a week from readers soliciting her advice. She is one of the most unflappable people I know, able to report and write covers on topics ranging from AIDS to managed care without ever looking the least bit stressed. And then I heard about the cafeteria problem.

It seems Christine can't buy lunch in our building without folks critiquing her choices. If she buys a slice of pizza, a stranger who recognizes her is sure to comment on her unhealthy habits. "I also used to love French fries, but I'd have to eat them in secret in my office." That is, until the FedEx deliveryman caught her and gave her grief. "His good-natured kidding got me to stop," Christine says. "My arteries are all the happier for it." Every so often, however, she indulges her passion for chocolate mousse.

This week's cover grew out of Christine's own exercise regimen and the changes she has made in her diet. It is a measure of the loyalty of her readers that when she once wrote that she was looking for a good recipe for Brussels sprouts, she received more than 40 different recipes. (Oddly enough, none of her colleagues asked to borrow any.) Her greatest reward is learning how her columns have alerted people to check out symptoms they had been ignoring. One woman wrote that her mother was saved from a massive stroke as a result.

"I have to work at being healthy," says Christine. "I have to watch what I eat, and I'd rather sleep in than work out at the gym. In writing this week's story, I wanted to share the good news that lifestyle changes can make a difference." Now if only a reader would send Christine the perfect recipe for chocolate Brussels sprout mousse.

James Kelly, Managing Editor