Is It Possible to Lose Wight Through Self-Hypnosis? Many people believe that weight loss is hard, and it is when you are starting cold turkey. But there are groups of people who had pretty good results with weight loss, using hypnosis. Some people tend to write off this form of weight loss, as a crazy way of weight loss. But after trying it myself, I can say that it is working wonders for me.
Self-Hypnosis is just like any type of hypnosis. Because you have to have control over your thoughts and actions. If you are trying hypnotizing someone else you need to have there permission first. Hypnosis is in many cases like meditation, but on a deeper level of thinking.
This is a good thing because it means the need for hypnotherapies are not need, but you could consult with one to better understand how this simple process works.
Will if hypnotizing myself was so easy, then why I can't lose the weight. Many people have tried to hypnotizing themselves. But they have only gone into a state much like meditation. This is not being hypnotized.
Well for years I have thought in this same frame of thinking. And I though my will power wasn't strong enough to get me through my eating habits. But it always ended with negative results. I lost my self-esteem and then my will power.
So why is using self hypnosis any different, and what makes it work for me? When the other methods of just changing your behavior or eating style have never worked before.
When I finally got into Conversational Hypnosis and also did some hypnotherapy training online, I then knew why the answer is obvious.
When a battle within your mind is raging with imagination vs. your will power. You imagination will win 9 times out of 10.
Using the power of self hypnosis gives anybody the ability to use your imagination. And with that the power to re-create yourself into the person that you want to be. In the mind anything is possible. The only limit that is placed on you is the limits that you place on yourself. Within the exception of doing the impossible, like flying like superman.
If you are trying to accomplish anything, not just weight loss. Just keep it in your mind and you will start to move towards that image within your mind. Eveyday think about losing 5 pounds and you will find yourself doing extra things within your day to lose that 5 pounds. The power of your mind will over power any and all other thoughts, and move you towards your goal of losing 5 pounds.
This is kind of like keeping a mental goal list in your head, but putting it on repeat until it is hammered into your mind. After you lose the 5 pounds there, don't stop there keep the momentum going until you become that perfect person that is in your minds eye.
If you are still confused on how the process works just get a sheet of paper and write down this sentence. If I had no limitations at all, what would I be like? See your entire lifestyle. Where you work, how much money you make etc…Just remember the in order to accomplish a goal, you first have to imagine it.
by: Ararat Keghart
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Fat Loss And Bodybuilding News! Even a modest amount of fat loss can reduce your risk of a serious illness and means you will enjoy a better, heathier and longer life expectancy.
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Top 6 Tips for Successful Weight-Lifting Workouts
Weight-training techniques that will help you get results.
It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today.
The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say.
"Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
And unlike other forms of exercise that burn calories only while you're working out, weight lifting keeps on incinerating calories for hours after you stop, experts say.
"It increases your metabolic activity for the entire day -- not only when you are challenging your muscles, but also during the repair process that occurs when you stop working out," says Alex Schroeder, an exercise physiologist and trainer at Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee, Wis., gym and rehabilitation center.
Of course, a successful weight lifting workout does involve a bit more than just moving those soup cans from the kitchen counter to the cabinet a few times a week. To help put you on the path to success, WebMD asked Bryant, Schroeder, and Mike Ryan, a weight expert from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute for some tips on how to start a weight lifting workout and stick with it until you meet your goals.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 1: Define Your Goals
For any exercise program, it's important to start with a realistic goal in mind. But for weight training, experts say, it's essential. Why?
"Setting a goal that’s attainable is important to not only give you a sense that you are accomplishing something, but, in the case of weight lifting, to insure that you don't overdo it when you first begin," says Schroeder.
Because successful weight training involves small steps, having short-term goals will keep you from giving up too soon, he says.
Ryan agrees with this strategy. "It's extremely important to set realistic, achievable goals so that you don’t get discouraged, and so that you don't try to do too much too soon and increase your risk of injury," he says.
What's more, he cautions that this advice is as important for seasoned athletes as well as fitness newbies.
"No matter how much you've accomplished in another sport, if you haven't done weight lifting, you're still a beginner, so don't expect too much too soon," says Ryan.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 2: Choose the Right Equipment
One of the best things about weight training is that your muscles don't know the difference between a $2,500 machine and $25 resistance band. So you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot of results. All you have to do is to challenge your muscles.
"The really nice part about that is if you are on a tight budget, you don't have to feel you are getting a compromised weight training workout because you can accomplish your goals without spending a lot of money," says Bryant.
Whether you're using hand weights, barbells, or resistance bands, Ryan says, look for whatever size allows you to do 12-16 repetitions. If you can't, they're too heavy.
But if you can do more than 15 with good form, then the weight load is probably not quite challenging enough, Bryant says. "So look for something a bit heavier or add on more resistance," he says.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 3: Don't Go It Alone
When it comes to weight lifting, how you do the exercises can be as important as which ones you do. That's why having even one session with a personal trainer can definitely get your weight training program going in the right direction, experts say.
"This is particularly true if you are working with dumbbells," says Schroeder. "It's important to have someone overseeing you at least the first few times, so you can achieve the correct form and function."
If that's not possible, the next best thing is using strength-training machines. These work well for beginners, Schroeder says, because they force your body into the correct position.
"It's still a good idea to have someone looking over you the first few times, to make sure the machine is adjusted correctly for your weight and size, but generally, the machines do help keep your body in line," says Schroeder.
If your time or money budget is extra-tight, Bryant says, pick up a weight training DVD from a well-known trainer, or visit web sites like that of the American Council on Exercise (acefitness.com) to get technique tips.
"You can find pictures that show the starting and ending positions for weight lifting and tips for keeping your body properly aligned during the activity," Bryant says. "It's definitely worth your while to spend your first weight-training session learning the proper technique and form."
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
When it comes to weight lifting, experts say, the tortoise beats the hare every time. The reason?
"The key to success in weight training is known as A-B-C – which stands for always be in control," says Bryant. The best way to do that, he says, is with slow, deliberate movements.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
"I don't want to give the impression that you are working in slo-mo, but you do want to make certain that your muscles are what are responsible for controlling movement in both direction, lifting and lowering," says Bryant.
Ryan agrees. "A lot of sports rely on high, fast motion, but when you’re doing weight training, it's slow, deliberate motions with controlled breathing," he says. "Don’t hold your breath and do the reps, and don't move too quickly."
Further, Schroeder says, beginners will benefit more from doing more repetitions with a lighter weight than trying to use heavy weights they can lift only a few times.
"In the beginning you have such a huge adaptation phase -- you're using muscles you never used before, and you're shocking your system, even with a light weight -- so you are much better off, and much safer to start much lighter with more repetitions," he tells WebMD
Starting with lighter weights mean you're less likely to end up with the kind of muscle pain that could end your weight training workout program on the spot.
"It's a discouraging scenario when you hurt all over, and starting slow means you are less likely to feel the kind of pain that causes you to get discouraged and quit after one or two tries," says Bryant.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 5: Rest and Recover
Although it has little to do with form or function, experts say the real key to successful weight training is to understand the importance of rest and recover. At the core of weight training is a tearing-down and building-up process that ultimately makes muscles strong.
Schroeder explains: "In order for muscles to build, muscle fiber has to be torn, which is what happens when you stress the muscle with weights."
While that tearing-downprocess is vital for the muscle building activity to begin, it's really the respite that follows in the next 48 to 72 hours that ultimately results in muscle strength.
"Think of it like paper being torn," says Schroeder. "You've got to tape it back together before you can rip it again, and that's what a rest and recovery period allows you do -- it allows the torn muscle fibers to come together so you can tear it again." Each time you do, he says, the muscle gets stronger.
If you try working out every day, you'll not only increase your risk of injury, but also work against getting the results you want. Ryan says that one of the key reasons some people don’t see results after 8-10 weeks of weight training is because they are simply not giving their bodies adequate time to recover.
"If you don’t see any change in your body after a few months, don’t think you need to do more. You probably need to do less," he says. "If you overtrain, all you get are breakdown and no buildup."
So how do you know when you're ready to hit the weights again? Ryan says to use muscle soreness and fatigue as a guide. "If you feel significant soreness, if your muscles feel fatigued, then it's too soon," he says.
Bryant says that as long as there is no injury, for most folks, the recovery process occurs within 48 to 72 hours after a workout. If you want to work out more often than that, he says, simply switch to a different area of the body for each workout.
Weight Training Rule No. 6: Chow Down to Build Up!
While good nutrition is vital to getting the most out of any exercise program, it's especially important for weight training. And if you're thinking fruits and vegetables, you're only partly right. Experts say muscles also require protein.
"You need protein for your muscle to recover," says Bryant, who advises everyone doing weight training to have a snack containing both protein and carbohydrates after every workout.
Ryan says that adding some extra protein to your diet, while cutting down on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and "bad" fats like saturated and trans fats, can help you see results sooner.
By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today.
The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say.
"Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
And unlike other forms of exercise that burn calories only while you're working out, weight lifting keeps on incinerating calories for hours after you stop, experts say.
"It increases your metabolic activity for the entire day -- not only when you are challenging your muscles, but also during the repair process that occurs when you stop working out," says Alex Schroeder, an exercise physiologist and trainer at Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee, Wis., gym and rehabilitation center.
Of course, a successful weight lifting workout does involve a bit more than just moving those soup cans from the kitchen counter to the cabinet a few times a week. To help put you on the path to success, WebMD asked Bryant, Schroeder, and Mike Ryan, a weight expert from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute for some tips on how to start a weight lifting workout and stick with it until you meet your goals.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 1: Define Your Goals
For any exercise program, it's important to start with a realistic goal in mind. But for weight training, experts say, it's essential. Why?
"Setting a goal that’s attainable is important to not only give you a sense that you are accomplishing something, but, in the case of weight lifting, to insure that you don't overdo it when you first begin," says Schroeder.
Because successful weight training involves small steps, having short-term goals will keep you from giving up too soon, he says.
Ryan agrees with this strategy. "It's extremely important to set realistic, achievable goals so that you don’t get discouraged, and so that you don't try to do too much too soon and increase your risk of injury," he says.
What's more, he cautions that this advice is as important for seasoned athletes as well as fitness newbies.
"No matter how much you've accomplished in another sport, if you haven't done weight lifting, you're still a beginner, so don't expect too much too soon," says Ryan.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 2: Choose the Right Equipment
One of the best things about weight training is that your muscles don't know the difference between a $2,500 machine and $25 resistance band. So you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot of results. All you have to do is to challenge your muscles.
"The really nice part about that is if you are on a tight budget, you don't have to feel you are getting a compromised weight training workout because you can accomplish your goals without spending a lot of money," says Bryant.
Whether you're using hand weights, barbells, or resistance bands, Ryan says, look for whatever size allows you to do 12-16 repetitions. If you can't, they're too heavy.
But if you can do more than 15 with good form, then the weight load is probably not quite challenging enough, Bryant says. "So look for something a bit heavier or add on more resistance," he says.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 3: Don't Go It Alone
When it comes to weight lifting, how you do the exercises can be as important as which ones you do. That's why having even one session with a personal trainer can definitely get your weight training program going in the right direction, experts say."This is particularly true if you are working with dumbbells," says Schroeder. "It's important to have someone overseeing you at least the first few times, so you can achieve the correct form and function."
If that's not possible, the next best thing is using strength-training machines. These work well for beginners, Schroeder says, because they force your body into the correct position.
"It's still a good idea to have someone looking over you the first few times, to make sure the machine is adjusted correctly for your weight and size, but generally, the machines do help keep your body in line," says Schroeder.
If your time or money budget is extra-tight, Bryant says, pick up a weight training DVD from a well-known trainer, or visit web sites like that of the American Council on Exercise (acefitness.com) to get technique tips.
"You can find pictures that show the starting and ending positions for weight lifting and tips for keeping your body properly aligned during the activity," Bryant says. "It's definitely worth your while to spend your first weight-training session learning the proper technique and form."
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
When it comes to weight lifting, experts say, the tortoise beats the hare every time. The reason?
"The key to success in weight training is known as A-B-C – which stands for always be in control," says Bryant. The best way to do that, he says, is with slow, deliberate movements.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
"I don't want to give the impression that you are working in slo-mo, but you do want to make certain that your muscles are what are responsible for controlling movement in both direction, lifting and lowering," says Bryant.
Ryan agrees. "A lot of sports rely on high, fast motion, but when you’re doing weight training, it's slow, deliberate motions with controlled breathing," he says. "Don’t hold your breath and do the reps, and don't move too quickly."
Further, Schroeder says, beginners will benefit more from doing more repetitions with a lighter weight than trying to use heavy weights they can lift only a few times.
"In the beginning you have such a huge adaptation phase -- you're using muscles you never used before, and you're shocking your system, even with a light weight -- so you are much better off, and much safer to start much lighter with more repetitions," he tells WebMD
Starting with lighter weights mean you're less likely to end up with the kind of muscle pain that could end your weight training workout program on the spot.
"It's a discouraging scenario when you hurt all over, and starting slow means you are less likely to feel the kind of pain that causes you to get discouraged and quit after one or two tries," says Bryant.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 5: Rest and Recover
Although it has little to do with form or function, experts say the real key to successful weight training is to understand the importance of rest and recover. At the core of weight training is a tearing-down and building-up process that ultimately makes muscles strong.
Schroeder explains: "In order for muscles to build, muscle fiber has to be torn, which is what happens when you stress the muscle with weights."
While that tearing-downprocess is vital for the muscle building activity to begin, it's really the respite that follows in the next 48 to 72 hours that ultimately results in muscle strength.
"Think of it like paper being torn," says Schroeder. "You've got to tape it back together before you can rip it again, and that's what a rest and recovery period allows you do -- it allows the torn muscle fibers to come together so you can tear it again." Each time you do, he says, the muscle gets stronger.
If you try working out every day, you'll not only increase your risk of injury, but also work against getting the results you want. Ryan says that one of the key reasons some people don’t see results after 8-10 weeks of weight training is because they are simply not giving their bodies adequate time to recover.
"If you don’t see any change in your body after a few months, don’t think you need to do more. You probably need to do less," he says. "If you overtrain, all you get are breakdown and no buildup."
So how do you know when you're ready to hit the weights again? Ryan says to use muscle soreness and fatigue as a guide. "If you feel significant soreness, if your muscles feel fatigued, then it's too soon," he says.
Bryant says that as long as there is no injury, for most folks, the recovery process occurs within 48 to 72 hours after a workout. If you want to work out more often than that, he says, simply switch to a different area of the body for each workout.
Weight Training Rule No. 6: Chow Down to Build Up!
While good nutrition is vital to getting the most out of any exercise program, it's especially important for weight training. And if you're thinking fruits and vegetables, you're only partly right. Experts say muscles also require protein.
"You need protein for your muscle to recover," says Bryant, who advises everyone doing weight training to have a snack containing both protein and carbohydrates after every workout.
Ryan says that adding some extra protein to your diet, while cutting down on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and "bad" fats like saturated and trans fats, can help you see results sooner.
By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Top 10 Healthy Summer Foods for Children
Can kids eat healthfully, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods?
Ball games, cookouts, festivals. Summer is ripe with our children’s favorite foods. Yet so many summer foods -- from BBQ turkey legs to ice cream and hot dogs -- are dietary disasters.
Can children eat healthy, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods? Yes, they can have hamburgers, hot dogs, ice creamy treats, and desserts -- if you handle it right.
Healthy Food Rule #1: Let them eat sweets, says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LD, a dietitian in St. Petersburg, FL, and an American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman. "It's really important to treat sweets like any other food, to have a little bit every day. That's how kids develop a healthy relationship with sweet foods."
Healthy Food Rule #2: Make sure they burn off the calories, says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City, author of the book Feed Your Family Right!, and an ADA spokeswoman.
At a carnival, "if your kids want a funnel cake or corn dog, go for it," Zied tells WebMD. "You don't want them to feel deprived. Pump up their activity that week or that day so they can burn it off." She also teaches kids to share sweet and fatty foods -- so everyone gets a taste, but no one overeats.
Healthy Food Rule #3: "Be a good role model," says Sheah Rarback, MS, RD, director of nutrition for the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "Expose kids to healthy foods -- or at least healthier versions of their favorites. If you eat them, your kids will eat them."
Here are healthy tips for children’s favorite summer foods:
1. Top Summer Food: Nachos & Quesadillas
Mexican food is always a treat -- and has lots of healthy elements. Start with whole-wheat chips and tortillas for extra fiber, then add your favorite toppings. Done right, you can sneak lots of veggies, protein, calcium, and fiber into these snacks.
* Create your own nacho platter, Rarback suggests. "Top tortillas with beans, salsa, guacamole, and melt low-fat cheese over it all. Kids love those kinds of healthy carbs." Toss a bit of fat-free sour cream on top if you want.
* Puree different veggies -- then slip them into a chip dip, or use it as a nacho topping. Your kids won't know the difference!
* Quesadillas are another kid favorite. Top whole-wheat tortillas with beans, low-fat cheese, veggies (like red bell and green peppers, corn, green onions, spinach, mushrooms), and chicken. On the side, you've got the classic quartet -- low-fat sour cream, lettuce, salsa, guacamole -- also healthy.
2. Top Summer Food: Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
This all-American duo has always been trouble -- full of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The good news is, you can improve nutrition by making a few wise choices.
* If you grill burgers at home, mix it up. Use one-half lean beef and one-half ground turkey. Add a little applesauce or egg white for extra juiciness, Krieger suggests. Fun toppings -- lemon or orange zest, black pepper, salsa, BBQ sauce, pineapple. A slice of a summer tomato and some fresh-from-the-garden lettuce tops off the taste.
* Frozen veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns are another good option. Try grilling them, and toast the bun, too. Lots of fixings boost the enjoyment factor.
* Try light and reduced-fat hot dogs, including chicken and turkey dogs. They taste best hot off the grill, Krieger says.
* Switch gears: Grill skinless chicken breasts and lots of veggies -- onions, bell peppers, carrots, squash, eggplant. "These taste great with a little olive oil brushed on," says Zied. "Serve them cut up into small pieces -- or with some melted cheese on toasted French bread."
3. Top Summer Food: Ice Cream
It's hard to resist ice cream. But premium ice creams have about 15 grams or more fat per 1/2 cup serving.
* Sweet news here: Many well-known brands -- Dreyers/Edy's, Breyers, and Haagen-Dazs -- are making super-creamy "light" and "slow-churned" ice creams that cut lots of fat and calories. Read labels carefully. Plain flavors like chocolate and vanilla have about 100 calories per half-cup, while other flavors are 120 to 130 calories -- even 250 calories per serving.
* Another option: "If kids get a Fudgsicle or Popsicle, they'll be dodging lots of fat and sugar," Krieger says. In fact, Fudgsicles now come in fat-free or low-fat, no sugar added versions. Popsicles are fat-free, even sugar-free if you want. And both have built-in portion control, she adds.
* Make your own frozen fruit pops. Buy molds and sticks at a crafts store. Pour in your favorite fruit juice (with fruit chunks, if you want), and freeze. It's an easy yummy treat for a hot summer day.
4. Top Summer Food: Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt sounds healthier than ice cream -- or maybe not. "You have to read food labels to see," says Krieger. "Some have more sugar than low-fat ice cream. Others are the equivalent of sherbet. It can be tricky."
With desserts, you don't want to go for empty calories -- and that's where frozen yogurt fits in, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a New York City dietitian and also an ADA spokeswoman. "Go for foods that are valuable and taste good at the same time."
* How about frozen yogurt pie? Crunch up graham crackers (or buy a graham cracker pie shell), spoon frozen yogurt into it, top with fresh strawberries or raspberries, then freeze.
* Fruit and yogurt parfait, topped with granola, is another easy dessert. Or, spoon frozen yogurt between two low-fat cookies. You could also make a smoothie, using fresh blueberries, grapes, and strawberries.
5. Top Summer Food: Waffles & Pancakes
This classic breakfast food is fun for kids. It's made easier with frozen, whole grain, reduced-fat products. The toppings boost the nutrition: natural applesauce, blueberries, sliced banana and strawberries, and a little light syrup, Zied suggests.
* Another classic: Scrambled eggs mixed with low-fat shredded cheddar, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms (or whatever veggies your kids like).
* Scrambled-eggs-in-a-cup: Take a slice of whole wheat bread, break it up into a cup, top with the cooked egg mixture. You're good to go!
6. Top Summer Food: Marshmallows
What's cool about marshmallows? "Even kids with food allergies can eat them," Krieger says. "Give one to a child who can't eat a chocolate chip cookie and you're sure to get a smile."
* Four large marshmallows have 90 calories -- mostly sugar. To give 'em a nutrition boost, try skewering marshmallows with strawberries and other fruit.
* Of course, toasted marshmallows and S'mores are American standards. If your kids haven't discovered these classic treats, it's time! Just toast a marshmallow over a grill or campfire, place it over a chunk of chocolate. Put it between two graham crackers (a good source of whole grains).
7. Top Summer Food: Popcorn
Whole grains help keep kids from gaining weight, and popcorn qualifies as a whole grain. In fact, a recent study showed that people who eat popcorn regularly get about 22% more fiber in their diet, compared to people who don't eat popcorn.
The only problem is all the fat that accompanies many brands of microwave popcorn. There are some low-fat versions out there, so read labels carefully, says Rarback.
* Air-popping popcorn is your healthiest option. Or make your own microwave popcorn: Place 3 tablespoons of kernels in a brown bag, roll it up, and pop in the microwave. Then spray with butter and add Parmesan cheese or salt. That's about 80 calories.
* Put limits on how much your child eats, Rarback advises. "Instead of putting it in a huge bowl, put a reasonable amount in a small bowl. Make that their serving."
8. Top Summer Food: Watermelon
There's no doubt that watermelon is good for kids -- with its high concentration of lycopene, an important disease-fighting antioxidant. Watermelon is 92% water and 8% sugar, and a favorite sweet treat for kids.
* Make sure watermelon wedges make it to your table. But don't stop there. A platter or bowl of other seasonal fruits -- fresh blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums -- makes a yummy treat, too.
* Taub-Dix suggests putting the fruit bowl in the freezer, and serving it frozen. Her 13-year-old son, Jesse, would rather have the fruit in a smoothie instead. "You won't get kids to pick up frozen fruit," he says. "But a smoothie would be great."
* Introduce kids to fun veggies, too, says Rarback. "Edamame is fun to eat because you pop out the little soy beans out of the pod. It's an engaging thing. But have most kids ever tried it?" Include edamame on raw veggie platters, along with baby carrots, celery sticks, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes -- plus nutritious dips like hummus or low-fat yogurt.
9. Top Summer Food: Anything Sweet
Chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, cakes of every flavor are all-American picnic fare. Is that really such a bad thing?
If they eat just a slice, that's fine, says Rarback. "In the summer, kids should be active enough that they can eat a piece of cake if they want it -- especially if the majority of their foods are nutrient rich. It's all about balance and moderation."
* Bake cupcakes, brownies, or dessert bars -- instead of layer cakes -- for portion control. Lighten up cake and brownie mixes by replacing oil with half oil and half applesauce (or another fruit puree).
* To give kids a chocolate fix, use chocolate shavings for flavoring on angel food cake, frozen yogurt, seasonal fruit, or other healthier treats. "It's better than giving them a candy bar," Rarback says.
* A naturally sweet treat: grilled bananas, low-fat ice cream, a drizzle of melted chocolate -- and light whipped topping .
10. Top Summer Food: Thirst Quenchers
At the ballpark, at the carnival -- it's hard to find a good replacement for soda, says Zied. "Even lemonade isn't a great option, with all the added sugar."
"One soda once in awhile is fine," she says. "But I also give my kids the option of choosing whether they want a can of soda or three cookies instead. I let them make the choice. That empowers them to not waste calories."
* Share those huge lemonades -- divide it in cups. Dilute with a bit with water.
* Carry fruit juice with you. Or, flavor ice water with an artificially sweetened powder. "If it's hot, they're not going to fuss over drinking water," Zied says.
* Another option: Make a spritzer with exotic fruit juices (like pomegranate or noni juice) plus sparkling water. Or, use blueberry extract with sparkling water. "Kids love blue food," says Rarback.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature
Ball games, cookouts, festivals. Summer is ripe with our children’s favorite foods. Yet so many summer foods -- from BBQ turkey legs to ice cream and hot dogs -- are dietary disasters.
Can children eat healthy, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods? Yes, they can have hamburgers, hot dogs, ice creamy treats, and desserts -- if you handle it right.
Healthy Food Rule #1: Let them eat sweets, says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LD, a dietitian in St. Petersburg, FL, and an American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman. "It's really important to treat sweets like any other food, to have a little bit every day. That's how kids develop a healthy relationship with sweet foods."
Healthy Food Rule #2: Make sure they burn off the calories, says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City, author of the book Feed Your Family Right!, and an ADA spokeswoman.
At a carnival, "if your kids want a funnel cake or corn dog, go for it," Zied tells WebMD. "You don't want them to feel deprived. Pump up their activity that week or that day so they can burn it off." She also teaches kids to share sweet and fatty foods -- so everyone gets a taste, but no one overeats.
Healthy Food Rule #3: "Be a good role model," says Sheah Rarback, MS, RD, director of nutrition for the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "Expose kids to healthy foods -- or at least healthier versions of their favorites. If you eat them, your kids will eat them."
Here are healthy tips for children’s favorite summer foods:
1. Top Summer Food: Nachos & Quesadillas
Mexican food is always a treat -- and has lots of healthy elements. Start with whole-wheat chips and tortillas for extra fiber, then add your favorite toppings. Done right, you can sneak lots of veggies, protein, calcium, and fiber into these snacks.
* Create your own nacho platter, Rarback suggests. "Top tortillas with beans, salsa, guacamole, and melt low-fat cheese over it all. Kids love those kinds of healthy carbs." Toss a bit of fat-free sour cream on top if you want.
* Puree different veggies -- then slip them into a chip dip, or use it as a nacho topping. Your kids won't know the difference!
* Quesadillas are another kid favorite. Top whole-wheat tortillas with beans, low-fat cheese, veggies (like red bell and green peppers, corn, green onions, spinach, mushrooms), and chicken. On the side, you've got the classic quartet -- low-fat sour cream, lettuce, salsa, guacamole -- also healthy.
2. Top Summer Food: Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
This all-American duo has always been trouble -- full of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The good news is, you can improve nutrition by making a few wise choices.
* If you grill burgers at home, mix it up. Use one-half lean beef and one-half ground turkey. Add a little applesauce or egg white for extra juiciness, Krieger suggests. Fun toppings -- lemon or orange zest, black pepper, salsa, BBQ sauce, pineapple. A slice of a summer tomato and some fresh-from-the-garden lettuce tops off the taste.
* Frozen veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns are another good option. Try grilling them, and toast the bun, too. Lots of fixings boost the enjoyment factor.
* Try light and reduced-fat hot dogs, including chicken and turkey dogs. They taste best hot off the grill, Krieger says.
* Switch gears: Grill skinless chicken breasts and lots of veggies -- onions, bell peppers, carrots, squash, eggplant. "These taste great with a little olive oil brushed on," says Zied. "Serve them cut up into small pieces -- or with some melted cheese on toasted French bread."
3. Top Summer Food: Ice Cream
It's hard to resist ice cream. But premium ice creams have about 15 grams or more fat per 1/2 cup serving.
* Sweet news here: Many well-known brands -- Dreyers/Edy's, Breyers, and Haagen-Dazs -- are making super-creamy "light" and "slow-churned" ice creams that cut lots of fat and calories. Read labels carefully. Plain flavors like chocolate and vanilla have about 100 calories per half-cup, while other flavors are 120 to 130 calories -- even 250 calories per serving.
* Another option: "If kids get a Fudgsicle or Popsicle, they'll be dodging lots of fat and sugar," Krieger says. In fact, Fudgsicles now come in fat-free or low-fat, no sugar added versions. Popsicles are fat-free, even sugar-free if you want. And both have built-in portion control, she adds.
* Make your own frozen fruit pops. Buy molds and sticks at a crafts store. Pour in your favorite fruit juice (with fruit chunks, if you want), and freeze. It's an easy yummy treat for a hot summer day.
4. Top Summer Food: Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt sounds healthier than ice cream -- or maybe not. "You have to read food labels to see," says Krieger. "Some have more sugar than low-fat ice cream. Others are the equivalent of sherbet. It can be tricky."
With desserts, you don't want to go for empty calories -- and that's where frozen yogurt fits in, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a New York City dietitian and also an ADA spokeswoman. "Go for foods that are valuable and taste good at the same time."
* How about frozen yogurt pie? Crunch up graham crackers (or buy a graham cracker pie shell), spoon frozen yogurt into it, top with fresh strawberries or raspberries, then freeze.
* Fruit and yogurt parfait, topped with granola, is another easy dessert. Or, spoon frozen yogurt between two low-fat cookies. You could also make a smoothie, using fresh blueberries, grapes, and strawberries.
5. Top Summer Food: Waffles & Pancakes
This classic breakfast food is fun for kids. It's made easier with frozen, whole grain, reduced-fat products. The toppings boost the nutrition: natural applesauce, blueberries, sliced banana and strawberries, and a little light syrup, Zied suggests.
* Another classic: Scrambled eggs mixed with low-fat shredded cheddar, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms (or whatever veggies your kids like).
* Scrambled-eggs-in-a-cup: Take a slice of whole wheat bread, break it up into a cup, top with the cooked egg mixture. You're good to go!
6. Top Summer Food: Marshmallows
What's cool about marshmallows? "Even kids with food allergies can eat them," Krieger says. "Give one to a child who can't eat a chocolate chip cookie and you're sure to get a smile."
* Four large marshmallows have 90 calories -- mostly sugar. To give 'em a nutrition boost, try skewering marshmallows with strawberries and other fruit.
* Of course, toasted marshmallows and S'mores are American standards. If your kids haven't discovered these classic treats, it's time! Just toast a marshmallow over a grill or campfire, place it over a chunk of chocolate. Put it between two graham crackers (a good source of whole grains).
7. Top Summer Food: Popcorn
Whole grains help keep kids from gaining weight, and popcorn qualifies as a whole grain. In fact, a recent study showed that people who eat popcorn regularly get about 22% more fiber in their diet, compared to people who don't eat popcorn.
The only problem is all the fat that accompanies many brands of microwave popcorn. There are some low-fat versions out there, so read labels carefully, says Rarback.
* Air-popping popcorn is your healthiest option. Or make your own microwave popcorn: Place 3 tablespoons of kernels in a brown bag, roll it up, and pop in the microwave. Then spray with butter and add Parmesan cheese or salt. That's about 80 calories.
* Put limits on how much your child eats, Rarback advises. "Instead of putting it in a huge bowl, put a reasonable amount in a small bowl. Make that their serving."
8. Top Summer Food: Watermelon
There's no doubt that watermelon is good for kids -- with its high concentration of lycopene, an important disease-fighting antioxidant. Watermelon is 92% water and 8% sugar, and a favorite sweet treat for kids.
* Make sure watermelon wedges make it to your table. But don't stop there. A platter or bowl of other seasonal fruits -- fresh blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums -- makes a yummy treat, too.
* Taub-Dix suggests putting the fruit bowl in the freezer, and serving it frozen. Her 13-year-old son, Jesse, would rather have the fruit in a smoothie instead. "You won't get kids to pick up frozen fruit," he says. "But a smoothie would be great."
* Introduce kids to fun veggies, too, says Rarback. "Edamame is fun to eat because you pop out the little soy beans out of the pod. It's an engaging thing. But have most kids ever tried it?" Include edamame on raw veggie platters, along with baby carrots, celery sticks, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes -- plus nutritious dips like hummus or low-fat yogurt.
9. Top Summer Food: Anything Sweet
Chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, cakes of every flavor are all-American picnic fare. Is that really such a bad thing?
If they eat just a slice, that's fine, says Rarback. "In the summer, kids should be active enough that they can eat a piece of cake if they want it -- especially if the majority of their foods are nutrient rich. It's all about balance and moderation."
* Bake cupcakes, brownies, or dessert bars -- instead of layer cakes -- for portion control. Lighten up cake and brownie mixes by replacing oil with half oil and half applesauce (or another fruit puree).
* To give kids a chocolate fix, use chocolate shavings for flavoring on angel food cake, frozen yogurt, seasonal fruit, or other healthier treats. "It's better than giving them a candy bar," Rarback says.
* A naturally sweet treat: grilled bananas, low-fat ice cream, a drizzle of melted chocolate -- and light whipped topping .
10. Top Summer Food: Thirst Quenchers
At the ballpark, at the carnival -- it's hard to find a good replacement for soda, says Zied. "Even lemonade isn't a great option, with all the added sugar."
"One soda once in awhile is fine," she says. "But I also give my kids the option of choosing whether they want a can of soda or three cookies instead. I let them make the choice. That empowers them to not waste calories."
* Share those huge lemonades -- divide it in cups. Dilute with a bit with water.
* Carry fruit juice with you. Or, flavor ice water with an artificially sweetened powder. "If it's hot, they're not going to fuss over drinking water," Zied says.
* Another option: Make a spritzer with exotic fruit juices (like pomegranate or noni juice) plus sparkling water. Or, use blueberry extract with sparkling water. "Kids love blue food," says Rarback.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature
Monday, 16 June 2008
Ideal Weight or Happy Weight?
Maybe you've been struggling -- without success -- to get down to the size you were in high school or on your wedding day. But do you really need to go that low? The truth, experts say, is that you can weigh more than your ideal weight and still be healthy (not to mention happy).
If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease. Not only that, experts say, but this kind of weight loss is easier to attain and maintain, setting you up for success in the long run.
Your Weight "Set Point"
Just as your body temperature is programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%, says Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at University of Pennsylvania Medical School. This weight range is known as the "set point."
A complex set of hormones, chemicals, and hunger signals help your body naturally maintain your weight within this range, says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD.
It is not just a matter of genetics, though. Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point.
"Overeating swamps the internal regulatory system, and, as a result, the set point increases -- which is much easier to do than it is to lower it," says Wadden. The body adjusts to the higher weight and "resets" the set point to defend the new weight.
It is difficult, but not impossible, to set your range lower. "With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you can lower your set point," says Blatner.
The 10% Solution to Weight Loss
A recent book, Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off, by George Blackburn, MD, suggests that maintaining a 10% loss for six months to a year helps your body adjust to the lower weight and thus reset the set point.
Wadden explains that when you lose large amounts of weight at once, you set up an internal struggle and hormones like ghrelin spike to make you hungrier as your body tries to defend its comfortable range.
Instead, experts recommend that you try losing 10% the old-fashioned way -- by slowly changing eating and exercise behaviors -- then maintain this new weight for a few months before trying to lose more. Not only will your body get the signal to lower its "set point," but you'll give yourself a chance to get used to new food choices, smaller portions, and regular exercise.
“When patients lose 10% it may not be the pant size they want, but they start to realize how a little weight loss impacts their health in very positive ways," says Blatner. "They feel better, sleep better, have more energy or less joint pain, and some people are able to reduce medications."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature
Lose Weight, Gain Tons of Benefits
A little goes a long way when it comes to weight loss. Research has shown that losing 10% of your body weight -- or less – can have big payoffs for your health.
Such a small loss may not seem like much if you're trying to look svelte in your jeans. But in terms of your health, it can be a big victory.
Health Benefits
With more than 60% of Americans classified as overweight or obese, most of us would benefit from trimming down.
''Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk for the development of a multitude of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more,'' says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center.
But lose a few pounds and you can start to turn your health around, according to several studies.
''Lifestyle changes that include healthier diets, regular physical activity, and weight loss of 7%-10% have shown phenomenal health benefits that can be more effective than medications,'' says Katz, author of the best-selling book What to Eat.
Lowering body weight can reverse or prevent diabetes; lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; and improve sleep apnea and other sleep problems -- along with helping you feel better about yourself.
According to Katz, 90% of all diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 60% of cancers are preventable with healthier lifestyles and normal body weights.
''We have seen a consistent pattern in our weight loss studies that when patients lose 5%-10% of their body weight, they lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ["bad"] cholesterol, improve glucose tolerance, and in general, lower the risk for cardiovascular disease," says Catherine Champagne, a researcher with Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Some doctors have reported that they have successfully taken patients off blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications after the patients lost small amounts of weight, Champagne says.
Are You an 'Apple?’
Losing a little weight can be especially beneficial for people who store their excess weight in their abdomens, rather than in their hips. This ‘apple’ pattern of weight distribution means you're at greater risk for heart disease -- but it also means you should have an easier time losing the weight, and thus reversing the risk, experts say.
''Depending on where you store the excess weight, there are some people who show dramatic health improvements with as little as a 2% weight loss,'' says Katz.
Fat stored in the waist and in the liver is more metabolically active, which makes it more of a trigger for heart disease, but also easier to lose, he says.
To find out if you're apple-shaped, Katz suggests measuring your waist. He recommends seeing your doctor if your waist circumference is above 34 inches for women, and 40 inches for men.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Such a small loss may not seem like much if you're trying to look svelte in your jeans. But in terms of your health, it can be a big victory.
Health Benefits
With more than 60% of Americans classified as overweight or obese, most of us would benefit from trimming down.
''Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk for the development of a multitude of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more,'' says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center.
But lose a few pounds and you can start to turn your health around, according to several studies.
''Lifestyle changes that include healthier diets, regular physical activity, and weight loss of 7%-10% have shown phenomenal health benefits that can be more effective than medications,'' says Katz, author of the best-selling book What to Eat.
Lowering body weight can reverse or prevent diabetes; lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; and improve sleep apnea and other sleep problems -- along with helping you feel better about yourself.
According to Katz, 90% of all diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 60% of cancers are preventable with healthier lifestyles and normal body weights.
''We have seen a consistent pattern in our weight loss studies that when patients lose 5%-10% of their body weight, they lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ["bad"] cholesterol, improve glucose tolerance, and in general, lower the risk for cardiovascular disease," says Catherine Champagne, a researcher with Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Some doctors have reported that they have successfully taken patients off blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications after the patients lost small amounts of weight, Champagne says.
Are You an 'Apple?’
Losing a little weight can be especially beneficial for people who store their excess weight in their abdomens, rather than in their hips. This ‘apple’ pattern of weight distribution means you're at greater risk for heart disease -- but it also means you should have an easier time losing the weight, and thus reversing the risk, experts say.
''Depending on where you store the excess weight, there are some people who show dramatic health improvements with as little as a 2% weight loss,'' says Katz.
Fat stored in the waist and in the liver is more metabolically active, which makes it more of a trigger for heart disease, but also easier to lose, he says.
To find out if you're apple-shaped, Katz suggests measuring your waist. He recommends seeing your doctor if your waist circumference is above 34 inches for women, and 40 inches for men.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
The Truth About Belly Fat
Having a flat belly or so-called "six-pack abs" is a dream of most adults. If you're middle-aged, have ever been pregnant, or sometimes indulge in too much food or one too many beers, you probably have a spare tire you'd like to get rid of. So what's the best strategy for banishing belly fat? Is it as simple as adding certain foods to your diet, or doing particular exercises?
WebMD turned to the experts for answers on belly fat -- and the best ways to lose it.
The Answer to Flatter Abs
Don't despair; you can lose that spare tire, experts say. But there's no secret formula.
"There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight," says Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher.
Whether you're an "apple" shape with excess belly fat, or a "pear" with wide hips and thighs, when you lose weight, you'll most likely lose proportionately more from the abdominal region than elsewhere.
"Ninety-nine percent of people who lose weight will lose it in the abdominal region before anywhere else -- and will lose proportionately more weight from the upper body," says Jensen, also a professor of medicine.
And why is that? "Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it," explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.
And the more weight you have to lose, the more quickly you're likely to start losing your belly fat, experts say.
"People who are significantly overweight may see quicker results in their belly than someone who has less to lose in that area, such as a postmenopausal pouch," says Georgia State University nutrition professor, Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD.
Can Whole Grains Help You Lose Belly Fat?
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains trimmed extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.
Study participants who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more weight from the abdominal area than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains.
"Eating a diet rich in whole grains while reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response and makes it easier to mobilize fat stores," says study researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, a distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University.
"Visceral fat is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat, especially if you have plenty of it and the right conditions are met, such as the ones in our study."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
WebMD turned to the experts for answers on belly fat -- and the best ways to lose it.
The Answer to Flatter Abs
Don't despair; you can lose that spare tire, experts say. But there's no secret formula.
"There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight," says Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher.
Whether you're an "apple" shape with excess belly fat, or a "pear" with wide hips and thighs, when you lose weight, you'll most likely lose proportionately more from the abdominal region than elsewhere.
"Ninety-nine percent of people who lose weight will lose it in the abdominal region before anywhere else -- and will lose proportionately more weight from the upper body," says Jensen, also a professor of medicine.
And why is that? "Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it," explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.
And the more weight you have to lose, the more quickly you're likely to start losing your belly fat, experts say.
"People who are significantly overweight may see quicker results in their belly than someone who has less to lose in that area, such as a postmenopausal pouch," says Georgia State University nutrition professor, Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD.
Can Whole Grains Help You Lose Belly Fat?
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains trimmed extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.
Study participants who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more weight from the abdominal area than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains.
"Eating a diet rich in whole grains while reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response and makes it easier to mobilize fat stores," says study researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, a distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University.
"Visceral fat is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat, especially if you have plenty of it and the right conditions are met, such as the ones in our study."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
3 Benefits to the Intake of Diet Pills
There are important events in one's life that somehow urges people to check that bathroom weighing scale more often than usual. There are the traditional reunion occasions like Christmas, Anniversaries, Weddings and, don't forget, swimwear summertime. And then, there are the medical nuances like hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes ... and the list goes on and on. Losing weight is a very common concern of many people. And, like any modern day citizen, an overnight miracle is preferred.
Of course, there are no miracles, sorry to say. But, a huge network of smart medical professionals recognized the need to aide, especially obese people, by developing a supplement assisting faster weight loss. To many who have experienced positive results, these supplements are called "Magic Pills" ---- more properly referred to as diet and weight loss pills.
There are many benefits to the intake of diet pills:
1. First and foremost isconvenience.
Diet Pills is undeniably an attractive alternative to the sweaty trip to the gym, performing exhausting cycles and aerobic rhythms. Not only do you experience tired and aching muscles as a result of the workout regimen, but it also demands a significant portion of your daily and weekly schedules. Out fast-paced environment nowadays offers very little extra time to dedicate to these "at least three times a week" rituals.
Although adequate exercise is still required to keep those muscles toned, with diet and weight loss pills, frequency and intensity of workouts will be less required. The basic requirement of 10,000 steps daily, though sometimes overwhelming when first heard about, is not really a biggie. Just take the stairs when you can, park farther from the door than usual and so on.
2. Other pluses that can be credited to diet pills
Apart from the convenience factor, there are other pluses that can be credited to diet and weight loss pills. Depending on the particular type of pill, benefits such as lowered calorie intake, fat burning, appetite suppression and metabolic rate increases will be gained.
Lowered calorie intake is the primary benefit gained from diet pills called carb blockers. As food is ingested, carb blockers inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar. Meaning, the carbohydrates are not readily absorbed by the body and cannot supply calories to your body. This results to lowered carbohydrate calorie-intake that consequently reduces fat storage. Less fat storage, leads to weight loss.
Fat Burners, on the other hand, raise the body temperature to burn more calories. Furthermore, the release of fat tissue into the blood stream, allowing body fat to be broken down and used as energy, is another accomplishment of another type of diet pill.
3. Diet and weight loss pills can also influence your basic urge to eat
Appetite suppressants can trick your mind into thinking you are full, directly resulting to reduced food intake. By doing so, your body resorts to using stored calorie sources (fat).
Diet and Weight Loss Pills can, also enhance metabolic rate, or the speed at which we burn calories for energy.
Now, after reading these select benefits of diet and weight loss pills, wouldn't you think they're "magic"?
Of course, there are no miracles, sorry to say. But, a huge network of smart medical professionals recognized the need to aide, especially obese people, by developing a supplement assisting faster weight loss. To many who have experienced positive results, these supplements are called "Magic Pills" ---- more properly referred to as diet and weight loss pills.
There are many benefits to the intake of diet pills:
1. First and foremost isconvenience.
Diet Pills is undeniably an attractive alternative to the sweaty trip to the gym, performing exhausting cycles and aerobic rhythms. Not only do you experience tired and aching muscles as a result of the workout regimen, but it also demands a significant portion of your daily and weekly schedules. Out fast-paced environment nowadays offers very little extra time to dedicate to these "at least three times a week" rituals.
Although adequate exercise is still required to keep those muscles toned, with diet and weight loss pills, frequency and intensity of workouts will be less required. The basic requirement of 10,000 steps daily, though sometimes overwhelming when first heard about, is not really a biggie. Just take the stairs when you can, park farther from the door than usual and so on.
2. Other pluses that can be credited to diet pills
Apart from the convenience factor, there are other pluses that can be credited to diet and weight loss pills. Depending on the particular type of pill, benefits such as lowered calorie intake, fat burning, appetite suppression and metabolic rate increases will be gained.
Lowered calorie intake is the primary benefit gained from diet pills called carb blockers. As food is ingested, carb blockers inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar. Meaning, the carbohydrates are not readily absorbed by the body and cannot supply calories to your body. This results to lowered carbohydrate calorie-intake that consequently reduces fat storage. Less fat storage, leads to weight loss.
Fat Burners, on the other hand, raise the body temperature to burn more calories. Furthermore, the release of fat tissue into the blood stream, allowing body fat to be broken down and used as energy, is another accomplishment of another type of diet pill.
3. Diet and weight loss pills can also influence your basic urge to eat
Appetite suppressants can trick your mind into thinking you are full, directly resulting to reduced food intake. By doing so, your body resorts to using stored calorie sources (fat).
Diet and Weight Loss Pills can, also enhance metabolic rate, or the speed at which we burn calories for energy.
Now, after reading these select benefits of diet and weight loss pills, wouldn't you think they're "magic"?
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Fruit juice Consumption not related to Overweight in Children
Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, and Singapore (April 14, 2008) -- Despite studies that assert otherwise, 100% fruit juice consumption is not correlation to overweight in children, as per the authors of A Review of the Relationship Between 100% Fruit Juice Consumption and Weight in Children and Adolescents in the May/recent issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine (AJLM), published by SAGE.
The statistics about overweight children are alarming. Over the past 20 years, there has been an increased prevalence of overweight and at-risk-for overweight in all ages and ethnic groups. In 2002, 10.3% of children 2-5 years of age were overweight, an increase from 7.2% in 1994. In males and females 12-17 years of age, waist circumference increased by 4.0% and 5.2%, respectively, between 1994 and 2004.
The article, authored by Carol E. ONeil, PhD, MPH, LDN, RD, Louisiana State University, and Theresa A. Nicklas, DrPH, USDA/ARS Childrens Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, examined 21 studies about a relationship between consumption of 100% fruit juice by children and adolescents and weight, and found there is no systematic association between consumption of 100% fruit juice and overweight in children or adolescents.
Health professionals and policy makers should be encouraged to objectively review the literature on all beverages and encourage consumption of healthful beverages including water, milk, and 100% fruit juice, as per the authors. The data support the consumption of 100% fruit juice in moderate amounts, and this may be an important strategy to help children meet the current recommendations for fruit.
The rising epidemic of overweight and obese children should be a cause for great concern amongst healthcare professionals and the public at large, said James M. Rippe, M.D., heart specialist and Editor in Chief of AJLM. The findings that the consumption of 100% juice by children and adolescents is not linked to overweight is very important since 100% fruit juices are nutrient dense and their consumption represents an excellent way to help children meet the dietary guidelines for Americans. The article by ONeil and Nicklas clears up misconceptions that a number of healthcare professionals and parents may have about this issue. Source
Start Losing Belly Fat
The statistics about overweight children are alarming. Over the past 20 years, there has been an increased prevalence of overweight and at-risk-for overweight in all ages and ethnic groups. In 2002, 10.3% of children 2-5 years of age were overweight, an increase from 7.2% in 1994. In males and females 12-17 years of age, waist circumference increased by 4.0% and 5.2%, respectively, between 1994 and 2004.
The article, authored by Carol E. ONeil, PhD, MPH, LDN, RD, Louisiana State University, and Theresa A. Nicklas, DrPH, USDA/ARS Childrens Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, examined 21 studies about a relationship between consumption of 100% fruit juice by children and adolescents and weight, and found there is no systematic association between consumption of 100% fruit juice and overweight in children or adolescents.
Health professionals and policy makers should be encouraged to objectively review the literature on all beverages and encourage consumption of healthful beverages including water, milk, and 100% fruit juice, as per the authors. The data support the consumption of 100% fruit juice in moderate amounts, and this may be an important strategy to help children meet the current recommendations for fruit.
The rising epidemic of overweight and obese children should be a cause for great concern amongst healthcare professionals and the public at large, said James M. Rippe, M.D., heart specialist and Editor in Chief of AJLM. The findings that the consumption of 100% juice by children and adolescents is not linked to overweight is very important since 100% fruit juices are nutrient dense and their consumption represents an excellent way to help children meet the dietary guidelines for Americans. The article by ONeil and Nicklas clears up misconceptions that a number of healthcare professionals and parents may have about this issue. Source
Start Losing Belly Fat
Caution on New Anti-Obesity Drug in Kids
Anti-obesity drugs that work by blocking brain molecules similar to those in marijuana could also interfere with neural development in young children, as per a new study from MITs Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.
Marijuana is known to be an appetite stimulant, and a new class of anti-obesity drugssuch as rimonabant (trade name Acomplia) developed by Sanofi-Aventis and awaiting approval for use in the United Stateswork by blocking brain receptors that bind to marijuana and other cannabinoids.
Marijuana, derived from the plant Cannabis sativa, contains special active compounds that are referred to collectively as cannabinoids. But other cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) are generated naturally inside the body.
The MIT study, which was done in mice, observed that blocking cannabinoid receptors could also suppress the adaptive rewiring of the brain necessary for neural development in children. The work is published in the May 8 issue of Neuron.
Our finding of a profound disruption of cortical plasticity in juvenile mice suggests caution is advised in the use of such compounds in children, wrote lead author Mark F. Bear, director of the Picower Institute and Picower Professor of Neuroscience.
The scientists investigated plasticitythe brains ability to change in response to experienceby temporarily depriving newborn mice of vision in one eye soon after birth. This well-known experiment induces a long-lasting loss of synapses that causes blindness in the covered eye, while synapses shift to the uncovered eye. How and where this synaptic shift occurs in the primary visual cortex has remained controversial.
Understanding the mechanism behind this phenomenon is key because the same brain mechanisms are used for normal development and may go awry in conditions that cause developmental delays in humans, and may reappear in old age and contribute to synaptic loss during Alzheimer's disease, Bear said.
In mice, the MIT scientists found, even one day of deprivation from one eye starts the shift to dominance of the uncovered eye. But injecting the mice with a cannabinoid receptor blocker halted the shift in certain brain regions, indicating that cannabinoids play a key role in early synaptic development.
Blocking cannabinoids receptors could thwart this developmental process, the scientists said. Source
Start Losing Belly Fat
Marijuana is known to be an appetite stimulant, and a new class of anti-obesity drugssuch as rimonabant (trade name Acomplia) developed by Sanofi-Aventis and awaiting approval for use in the United Stateswork by blocking brain receptors that bind to marijuana and other cannabinoids.
Marijuana, derived from the plant Cannabis sativa, contains special active compounds that are referred to collectively as cannabinoids. But other cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) are generated naturally inside the body.
The MIT study, which was done in mice, observed that blocking cannabinoid receptors could also suppress the adaptive rewiring of the brain necessary for neural development in children. The work is published in the May 8 issue of Neuron.
Our finding of a profound disruption of cortical plasticity in juvenile mice suggests caution is advised in the use of such compounds in children, wrote lead author Mark F. Bear, director of the Picower Institute and Picower Professor of Neuroscience.
The scientists investigated plasticitythe brains ability to change in response to experienceby temporarily depriving newborn mice of vision in one eye soon after birth. This well-known experiment induces a long-lasting loss of synapses that causes blindness in the covered eye, while synapses shift to the uncovered eye. How and where this synaptic shift occurs in the primary visual cortex has remained controversial.
Understanding the mechanism behind this phenomenon is key because the same brain mechanisms are used for normal development and may go awry in conditions that cause developmental delays in humans, and may reappear in old age and contribute to synaptic loss during Alzheimer's disease, Bear said.
In mice, the MIT scientists found, even one day of deprivation from one eye starts the shift to dominance of the uncovered eye. But injecting the mice with a cannabinoid receptor blocker halted the shift in certain brain regions, indicating that cannabinoids play a key role in early synaptic development.
Blocking cannabinoids receptors could thwart this developmental process, the scientists said. Source
Start Losing Belly Fat
Sunday, 11 May 2008
Low Carb Recipes
Sugar-Free Margaritas
From Laura Dolson,
Your Guide to Low Carb Diets.
Margaritas tend to be very high in sugar. Traditional ones have Triple Sec or Cointreau, both orange liqueurs with 5 grams of carb per tablespoon (16 grams per jigger).
Margaritas made with sweet and sour mix are usually worse, as 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of sweet and sour mix has at least 17 grams of sugar, and sometimes more. Imagine how much sugar you're getting in one of those big margaritas! Yikes!
INGREDIENTS:
1 jigger (1.5 oz) tequila
2 Tablespoons (1 oz) lime juice - bottled more convenient, fresh tastes a lot better
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) water
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 Tablespoon's worth artificial sweetener (I like to use liquid, carb-free types)
Ice - small handful
Margarita salt or kosher salt
PREPARATION:
Wet the rim of the glass and dip into a small plate of salt.
Combine all ingredients. You can either serve it over ice (in Mexico I've usually been served it this way, but I can't say I've had extensive experience), or strained into the glass, or blended in a blender.
2 grams of carbohydrate using bottled lime juice, 2.5 for fresh.
From Laura Dolson,
Your Guide to Low Carb Diets.
Margaritas tend to be very high in sugar. Traditional ones have Triple Sec or Cointreau, both orange liqueurs with 5 grams of carb per tablespoon (16 grams per jigger).
Margaritas made with sweet and sour mix are usually worse, as 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of sweet and sour mix has at least 17 grams of sugar, and sometimes more. Imagine how much sugar you're getting in one of those big margaritas! Yikes!
INGREDIENTS:
1 jigger (1.5 oz) tequila
2 Tablespoons (1 oz) lime juice - bottled more convenient, fresh tastes a lot better
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) water
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 Tablespoon's worth artificial sweetener (I like to use liquid, carb-free types)
Ice - small handful
Margarita salt or kosher salt
PREPARATION:
Wet the rim of the glass and dip into a small plate of salt.
Combine all ingredients. You can either serve it over ice (in Mexico I've usually been served it this way, but I can't say I've had extensive experience), or strained into the glass, or blended in a blender.
2 grams of carbohydrate using bottled lime juice, 2.5 for fresh.
Saturday, 3 May 2008
Fight Belly Fat By Eating Whole Grains
Study Shows Whole-Grain Diet Good for the Waistline and the Heart
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
A diet rich in whole grains may help fight your belly bulge while lowering the risk of heart disease.
A new study shows people who followed a weight loss program incorporating whole-grain breads, cereals, and other foods lost more body fat from the abdominal area than those who ate only refined grains like white bread and rice.
In addition, those on the whole-grain diet experienced a 38% drop in C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation in the body linked to heart disease.
Researchers say the results suggest that incorporating whole grains into weight loss plans may help burn fat as well as reduce the risk of heart disease.
The results appear in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains
In the study, Heather I. Katcher of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues divided 50 obese adults with metabolic syndrome into two groups. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that increase risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Both groups were instructed to cut calories for 12 weeks. But one group was told to eat only whole-grain products while the other group was asked not to eat any whole-grain foods.
By the end of the study, both groups had lost weight, an average of 8 pounds among the whole-grain group and 11 pounds in the refined-grain group.
Both groups experienced a decrease in body fat, but the whole-grain group lost significantly more body fat from the abdominal region than the refined-grain group. Excessive fat around the midsection is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
The whole-grain group experienced other benefits. For example, CRP levels dropped by 38% among those who followed a whole-grain diet. No decrease was found among the refined-grain group.
Those in the whole-grain group also increased their intake of dietary fiber and magnesium.
Sources of Whole Grain
Looking for food that is a good source of whole grain? Here are some examples of whole grains:
Whole wheat
Whole oats/oatmeal
Whole-grain corn
Popcorn
Brown rice
Whole rye
Whole-grain barley
Wild rice
Buckwheat
Triticale
Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Millet
Quinoa
Sorghum
You can add whole grains at meals and snacks:
Snack on ready-to-eat, whole-grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.
Add whole-grain flour or oatmeal when making cookies or other baked treats.
Try a whole-grain snack chip, such as baked tortilla chips.
Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt and butter.
Whole Grains on Food Labels
When trying to select foods with whole grains, choose foods that name one of the following whole-grain ingredients first on the label's ingredient list:
Brown rice
Bulgur
Oatmeal
Whole-grain corn
Whole oats
Whole rye
Whole wheat
Wild rice
Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products.
Color is not an indication of a whole grain. Bread can be brown because of molasses or other added ingredients. Read the ingredient list to see if it is a whole grain. Use the Nutrition Facts label and choose products with a higher % Daily Value (%DV) for fiber. The "%DV" for fiber is a good clue to the amount of whole grain in the product.
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
A diet rich in whole grains may help fight your belly bulge while lowering the risk of heart disease.
A new study shows people who followed a weight loss program incorporating whole-grain breads, cereals, and other foods lost more body fat from the abdominal area than those who ate only refined grains like white bread and rice.
In addition, those on the whole-grain diet experienced a 38% drop in C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation in the body linked to heart disease.
Researchers say the results suggest that incorporating whole grains into weight loss plans may help burn fat as well as reduce the risk of heart disease.
The results appear in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains
In the study, Heather I. Katcher of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues divided 50 obese adults with metabolic syndrome into two groups. Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that increase risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Both groups were instructed to cut calories for 12 weeks. But one group was told to eat only whole-grain products while the other group was asked not to eat any whole-grain foods.
By the end of the study, both groups had lost weight, an average of 8 pounds among the whole-grain group and 11 pounds in the refined-grain group.
Both groups experienced a decrease in body fat, but the whole-grain group lost significantly more body fat from the abdominal region than the refined-grain group. Excessive fat around the midsection is linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
The whole-grain group experienced other benefits. For example, CRP levels dropped by 38% among those who followed a whole-grain diet. No decrease was found among the refined-grain group.
Those in the whole-grain group also increased their intake of dietary fiber and magnesium.
Sources of Whole Grain
Looking for food that is a good source of whole grain? Here are some examples of whole grains:
Whole wheat
Whole oats/oatmeal
Whole-grain corn
Popcorn
Brown rice
Whole rye
Whole-grain barley
Wild rice
Buckwheat
Triticale
Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Millet
Quinoa
Sorghum
You can add whole grains at meals and snacks:
Snack on ready-to-eat, whole-grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.
Add whole-grain flour or oatmeal when making cookies or other baked treats.
Try a whole-grain snack chip, such as baked tortilla chips.
Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt and butter.
Whole Grains on Food Labels
When trying to select foods with whole grains, choose foods that name one of the following whole-grain ingredients first on the label's ingredient list:
Brown rice
Bulgur
Oatmeal
Whole-grain corn
Whole oats
Whole rye
Whole wheat
Wild rice
Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products.
Color is not an indication of a whole grain. Bread can be brown because of molasses or other added ingredients. Read the ingredient list to see if it is a whole grain. Use the Nutrition Facts label and choose products with a higher % Daily Value (%DV) for fiber. The "%DV" for fiber is a good clue to the amount of whole grain in the product.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Big Fat Belly Fat
Your belly fat could be making you hungry
Researchers in London, Canada identify new source of appetite stimulant
The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat.
Dr. Kaiping Yang and his colleagues at the Lawson Health Research Institute affiliated with The University of Western Ontario found abdominal fat tissue can produce a hormone that stimulates fat cell production. The researchers hope this discovery will change in the way we think about and treat abdominal obesity.
Yang identified that the hormone Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is produced by abdominal fat tissue. Previously, it was believed to only be produced by the brain. Yang believes this novel finding may lead to new therapeutic targets for combating obesity. Their findings were reported in a recent issue of The FASEB Journal.
The traditional view is that one of the main reasons why overweight people eat more food is because their brains produce the hormone NPY in excessive amounts. NPY is the most potent appetite stimulating hormone known, sending signals to the individual that they are constantly hungry. However, Yang, a Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Physiology & Pharmacology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, has provided evidence that in obese rat models NPY is also produced locally by abdominal fat.
A fat cell cannot replicate itself. But the researchers found NPY increases fat cell number by stimulating the replication of fat cell precursor cells, which then change into fat cells.
Yang says “this may lead to a vicious cycle where NPY produced in the brain causes you to eat more and therefore gain more fat around your middle, and then that fat produces more NYP hormone which leads to even more fat cells.”
Being overweight, regardless of where the fat is located, is unhealthy. However, because of its anatomical location and its byproducts, abdominal fat or the apple-shape is known to be the most dangerous. People predisposed to the apple shape are at an elevated risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and some cancers.
Start Losing Belly Fat
Researchers in London, Canada identify new source of appetite stimulant
The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat.
Dr. Kaiping Yang and his colleagues at the Lawson Health Research Institute affiliated with The University of Western Ontario found abdominal fat tissue can produce a hormone that stimulates fat cell production. The researchers hope this discovery will change in the way we think about and treat abdominal obesity.
Yang identified that the hormone Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is produced by abdominal fat tissue. Previously, it was believed to only be produced by the brain. Yang believes this novel finding may lead to new therapeutic targets for combating obesity. Their findings were reported in a recent issue of The FASEB Journal.
The traditional view is that one of the main reasons why overweight people eat more food is because their brains produce the hormone NPY in excessive amounts. NPY is the most potent appetite stimulating hormone known, sending signals to the individual that they are constantly hungry. However, Yang, a Professor in the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Physiology & Pharmacology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, has provided evidence that in obese rat models NPY is also produced locally by abdominal fat.
A fat cell cannot replicate itself. But the researchers found NPY increases fat cell number by stimulating the replication of fat cell precursor cells, which then change into fat cells.
Yang says “this may lead to a vicious cycle where NPY produced in the brain causes you to eat more and therefore gain more fat around your middle, and then that fat produces more NYP hormone which leads to even more fat cells.”
Being overweight, regardless of where the fat is located, is unhealthy. However, because of its anatomical location and its byproducts, abdominal fat or the apple-shape is known to be the most dangerous. People predisposed to the apple shape are at an elevated risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and some cancers.
Start Losing Belly Fat
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Eating for Stress
by L. Lee Coyne, Ph.D.
Any good stress management program will tell you that all stress is perceived by conscious or sub-conscious mind. It is not an absolute but rather a relative response phenomena to our environment and is best defined by how we "choose" to react". Consequently, stress affects each of us in different ways and to different degrees.
The late Dr. Hans Selye, author of "The Stress of Life", made it clear that there is no such thing as a stress free life. In fact, no stress equals death, but some stress forms are better for you than others. An example is the contrast between the stress of a well planned 45 minute work-out versus the stress of running to exhaustion in 40 degree weather while being pursued by a Sabre Toothed Tiger. (The latter is not good stress.)
The connection between nutrition and stress can be intriguing because usually wise food choices are the last thing on our mind when we perceive stress. Nutritional deficiencies are rarely the cause of the stress. We do know that our nutritional needs change when we are experiencing stress and we can help the body "cope" with stress by providing enough of the nutrients which are in greater demand or are more difficult to acquire when we perceive stress.
The two most significant issues underlying nutritional problems during stress are:
food selection
digestion.
Food selection tends not to be at its best while we are stressed. We tend to choose "comfort" foods - those easily obtained, easily digested and sweet or flavorful (again - in our perception). They give us a temporary but quick lift but are rarely the most nutritious.
Poor digestion during stress is the result of the "fight or flight" reaction generated by our response to stress. Digestion is given very little priority by the hierarchy of body functions during these circumstances. This results in fewer digestive enzymes, less HCL acid and poor blood supply to the gut. (The blood finds the brain and muscles to be more important during this period.) With poor digestion, even the best food choices will not result in adequate nutrients reaching important body parts like the brain. If you don't feed the brain, all of your stress management tools will be ignored and you will tend to react at the "stimulus/response" level (a level below rational thought). So you respond with anger, fear, nervousness, sleepless. depression, anxiety, lethargy, etc.
Another major consequence of poor digestion/poor absorption of nutrients, particularly proteins and essential fats is one of self-cannibalism. Your body, in search of protein and fat will proceed to use it own muscle tissue to provide energy for the brain and other vital functions. (This can include deterioration of and muscle tissue including vital organs like liver, heart, kidneys etc.) I am sure you have witnessed, maybe even experienced, the "wasting away" look of one under severe stress. They physically deteriorate and the immune system breaks down leading to opportunistic infections (flu, colds, pneumonia, viral invasions) and inflammatory conditions (arthritis, asthma, skin disorders etc). Immune deficiencies can lead to Heart Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Cancer.
Increased nutrient requirements during stress that are well recognized (as recently published by Texas A & M University and by Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for Women, The Complete Guide) and considered minimal if you are to help your body to cope with the demands of stress are calories, protein, anti oxidants (vitamins A, C & E) B complex, Essential Fatty Acids, Calcium, Magnesium and trace minerals. It is also important to understand that when digestion is challenged, even the best conventional food choices may not do the job. An alternative is to choose reputable food supplements, which are complete and known to digest easily.
Calories: Under severe physical stress, such as burns, trauma, fever or surgery requirements increase by 50 per cent or more.
Protein: With the increase in Calories comes a corresponding increase in protein requirements. Part of this is due to the increased secretion of the adrenal hormone Cortisol (the bodies natural form of cortisone) which converts protein to carbohydrate to feed the brain.
Anti-oxidants: Vitamins A (or beta carotene), C and E plus selenium are all important in maintaining a healthy immune system. Stress related tissues such as the adrenal and pituitary glands show depletion of anti-oxidants during stress. Consequently, a cycle develops whereby stress depletes the anti-oxidants, which in turn reduces the body's resistance to infection and disease and increases the likelihood of further stress. The self-perpetuating spiral continues until dietary intervention reverses the cycle. Unless you have been living in a cave, you are also aware of the role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.
B Vitamins: There are 8 recognized B vitamins which all play a role in the extraction of energy from food and maintenance of the nervous system. Deficiency in these vitamins is considered to be response for the typical stress symptoms of irritability, lethargy and depression.
Calcium & Magnesium: These to minerals go together and are required for every nerve impulse and muscle contraction in the body. Evidence shows an elevated loss of these nutrients during stress. Low calcium accounts for weakened muscles and muscle spasms. Low Magnesium increases the secretion of stress hormones which aggravates the stress responses. Deficiencies in both result in inability to relax and increase sensitivity to noise.
Some Solutions:
Try to eat a diet with adequate digestible protein and essential fats. I am a fan to 40 per cent carbohydrate (primarily form vegetable and fruits), 30 per cent high quality protein and 30 per cent high quality fat (not trans fats and low in saturated fat). Make liberal use of high quality protein supplements as snacks, or part of your meals. (A modern solution to modern problems.)
Understand that for good health, supplementation is not an option. Use quality multiple vitamins, anti-oxidants, essential fatty acids (lecithin, GLA, Flax oil etc), Calcium and magnesium. Moderate exercise is not only essential for good health but is an excellent way to get a break from stress.
Recommend Fat For Idiots
Any good stress management program will tell you that all stress is perceived by conscious or sub-conscious mind. It is not an absolute but rather a relative response phenomena to our environment and is best defined by how we "choose" to react". Consequently, stress affects each of us in different ways and to different degrees.
The late Dr. Hans Selye, author of "The Stress of Life", made it clear that there is no such thing as a stress free life. In fact, no stress equals death, but some stress forms are better for you than others. An example is the contrast between the stress of a well planned 45 minute work-out versus the stress of running to exhaustion in 40 degree weather while being pursued by a Sabre Toothed Tiger. (The latter is not good stress.)
The connection between nutrition and stress can be intriguing because usually wise food choices are the last thing on our mind when we perceive stress. Nutritional deficiencies are rarely the cause of the stress. We do know that our nutritional needs change when we are experiencing stress and we can help the body "cope" with stress by providing enough of the nutrients which are in greater demand or are more difficult to acquire when we perceive stress.
The two most significant issues underlying nutritional problems during stress are:
food selection
digestion.
Food selection tends not to be at its best while we are stressed. We tend to choose "comfort" foods - those easily obtained, easily digested and sweet or flavorful (again - in our perception). They give us a temporary but quick lift but are rarely the most nutritious.
Poor digestion during stress is the result of the "fight or flight" reaction generated by our response to stress. Digestion is given very little priority by the hierarchy of body functions during these circumstances. This results in fewer digestive enzymes, less HCL acid and poor blood supply to the gut. (The blood finds the brain and muscles to be more important during this period.) With poor digestion, even the best food choices will not result in adequate nutrients reaching important body parts like the brain. If you don't feed the brain, all of your stress management tools will be ignored and you will tend to react at the "stimulus/response" level (a level below rational thought). So you respond with anger, fear, nervousness, sleepless. depression, anxiety, lethargy, etc.
Another major consequence of poor digestion/poor absorption of nutrients, particularly proteins and essential fats is one of self-cannibalism. Your body, in search of protein and fat will proceed to use it own muscle tissue to provide energy for the brain and other vital functions. (This can include deterioration of and muscle tissue including vital organs like liver, heart, kidneys etc.) I am sure you have witnessed, maybe even experienced, the "wasting away" look of one under severe stress. They physically deteriorate and the immune system breaks down leading to opportunistic infections (flu, colds, pneumonia, viral invasions) and inflammatory conditions (arthritis, asthma, skin disorders etc). Immune deficiencies can lead to Heart Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Cancer.
Increased nutrient requirements during stress that are well recognized (as recently published by Texas A & M University and by Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for Women, The Complete Guide) and considered minimal if you are to help your body to cope with the demands of stress are calories, protein, anti oxidants (vitamins A, C & E) B complex, Essential Fatty Acids, Calcium, Magnesium and trace minerals. It is also important to understand that when digestion is challenged, even the best conventional food choices may not do the job. An alternative is to choose reputable food supplements, which are complete and known to digest easily.
Calories: Under severe physical stress, such as burns, trauma, fever or surgery requirements increase by 50 per cent or more.
Protein: With the increase in Calories comes a corresponding increase in protein requirements. Part of this is due to the increased secretion of the adrenal hormone Cortisol (the bodies natural form of cortisone) which converts protein to carbohydrate to feed the brain.
Anti-oxidants: Vitamins A (or beta carotene), C and E plus selenium are all important in maintaining a healthy immune system. Stress related tissues such as the adrenal and pituitary glands show depletion of anti-oxidants during stress. Consequently, a cycle develops whereby stress depletes the anti-oxidants, which in turn reduces the body's resistance to infection and disease and increases the likelihood of further stress. The self-perpetuating spiral continues until dietary intervention reverses the cycle. Unless you have been living in a cave, you are also aware of the role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of heart disease and cancer.
B Vitamins: There are 8 recognized B vitamins which all play a role in the extraction of energy from food and maintenance of the nervous system. Deficiency in these vitamins is considered to be response for the typical stress symptoms of irritability, lethargy and depression.
Calcium & Magnesium: These to minerals go together and are required for every nerve impulse and muscle contraction in the body. Evidence shows an elevated loss of these nutrients during stress. Low calcium accounts for weakened muscles and muscle spasms. Low Magnesium increases the secretion of stress hormones which aggravates the stress responses. Deficiencies in both result in inability to relax and increase sensitivity to noise.
Some Solutions:
Try to eat a diet with adequate digestible protein and essential fats. I am a fan to 40 per cent carbohydrate (primarily form vegetable and fruits), 30 per cent high quality protein and 30 per cent high quality fat (not trans fats and low in saturated fat). Make liberal use of high quality protein supplements as snacks, or part of your meals. (A modern solution to modern problems.)
Understand that for good health, supplementation is not an option. Use quality multiple vitamins, anti-oxidants, essential fatty acids (lecithin, GLA, Flax oil etc), Calcium and magnesium. Moderate exercise is not only essential for good health but is an excellent way to get a break from stress.
Recommend Fat For Idiots
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Tart Cherries May Reduce Factors Associated With Heart Disease And Diabetes
Tart Cherries May Reduce Factors Associated With Heart Disease And Diabetes.
Tart cherries -- frequently sold dried, frozen or in juice -- may have more than just good taste and bright red color going for them, according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.
Rats that received whole tart cherry powder mixed into a high-fat diet didn't gain as much weight or build up as much body fat as rats that didn't receive cherries. And their blood showed much lower levels of molecules that indicate the kind of inflammation that has been linked to heart disease and diabetes. In addition, they had significantly lower blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides than the other rats.
The results, which were seen in both lean and obese rats that were bred to have a predisposition to obesity and insulin resistance, were presented Sunday at the Experimental Biology 2008 meeting in San Diego, CA by a team from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory.
In addition, the obese rats that received cherry powder were less likely to build up fat in their bellies -- another factor linked to cardiovascular disease. All the measures on which the two groups of animals differed are linked to cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
The new findings build on results that were reported last year at the same meeting by the U-M team. Those data came from experiments involving lean rats that were prone to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and impaired glucose tolerance, but that received a low-fat diet with or without cherries. In that case, cherry-fed rats had lower total cholesterol, lower blood sugar, less fat storage in the liver and lower oxidative stress. However, it was unknown if these benefits would be observed in obesity-prone animals, or in animals fed a higher fat, western-style diet containing elevated saturated fat and cholesterol.
While it's still far too early to know whether tart cherries will have the same effect in humans, U-M researchers are preparing to launch a pilot-phase clinical trial later this spring. They note that if a human wanted to eat as many tart cherries as the rats in the new study did, they would have to consume 1.5 cups every day.
fat Disease
Thursday, 3 April 2008
A Look at the Effectiveness of Today's Cellulite Treatments
It has been the bane of every women's existence since the dawn of time - the affliction known as cellulite. We all have it to varying degrees, and it seems to get worse as we get older in many cases. So, should we just resign ourselves to the fact that it is here to stay, or is there a way to fight and get rid of cellulite?
Thankfully, the answer is yes, we can fight cellulite, or at least the appearance of cellulite, through several therapeutic treatments that are available on the market today. It is not, however, a one-time deal. Once you stop the treatments, the cellulite will inevitably return. So, the treatment of cellulite is an ongoing commitment, and it should be incorporated as part of your daily beauty regimen for consistent and lasting reduction in it's appearance.
Some of the over-the-counter cellulite treatments actually do quite a good job of significantly reducing the appearance of cellulite.
In order to achieve maximum effectiveness with these products, it is imperative that you massage the affected areas vigorously for a few minutes when applying the treatment. In addition to the smoothing and tightening ingredients in the treatment, the massaging stimulates circulation and helps break the collagen bands that have constricted and resulted in the "puckered" look of the affected areas. The most effective ingredients, and what gives these products their smoothing effects, are caffeine and aminophylline. Many also add seaweed extract as well, but this is not the most effective ingredient in the product.
In addition to the cellulite creams, lotions and gels, there is a procedure called endermology that has many women reporting extraordinary results. It is actually a large mechanical pressure device that uses a technique similar to the process of a rolling pin rolling out dough to make cookies. This action kneads the problem areas with substantial pressure to break down the aforementioned collagen bands, and smooth the sponginess and puckering out for an even and toned appearance. Drawbacks are it is expensive and does require return visits for maintenance, it can be an uncomfortable and even slightly painful process, and it may result in some temporary bruising.
Another option is oral herbal or medicinal remedies for cellulite. Beware though. There have not been significant studies or proof verifying whether these products actually produce results. I cannot recommend investing in or experimenting with these newer products until substantial findings or proof are published regarding their effectiveness.
So, what else causes cellulite? This question is still the subject of scientific debate. We definitely know that it mostly affects women, so there is much speculation that the underlying cause is hormonal in nature. Many other studies suggest it is related to age, diet, genetics, and fitness/level of activity. It has been noted that strength and toning exercises, as well as steady weight maintenance will help with the appearance of cellulite. Frequent weight fluctuation, high fat diets, and even excessive carbonated beverages have been some of the suspected culprits as well.
cellulite Caffeine
Thankfully, the answer is yes, we can fight cellulite, or at least the appearance of cellulite, through several therapeutic treatments that are available on the market today. It is not, however, a one-time deal. Once you stop the treatments, the cellulite will inevitably return. So, the treatment of cellulite is an ongoing commitment, and it should be incorporated as part of your daily beauty regimen for consistent and lasting reduction in it's appearance.
Some of the over-the-counter cellulite treatments actually do quite a good job of significantly reducing the appearance of cellulite.
In order to achieve maximum effectiveness with these products, it is imperative that you massage the affected areas vigorously for a few minutes when applying the treatment. In addition to the smoothing and tightening ingredients in the treatment, the massaging stimulates circulation and helps break the collagen bands that have constricted and resulted in the "puckered" look of the affected areas. The most effective ingredients, and what gives these products their smoothing effects, are caffeine and aminophylline. Many also add seaweed extract as well, but this is not the most effective ingredient in the product.
In addition to the cellulite creams, lotions and gels, there is a procedure called endermology that has many women reporting extraordinary results. It is actually a large mechanical pressure device that uses a technique similar to the process of a rolling pin rolling out dough to make cookies. This action kneads the problem areas with substantial pressure to break down the aforementioned collagen bands, and smooth the sponginess and puckering out for an even and toned appearance. Drawbacks are it is expensive and does require return visits for maintenance, it can be an uncomfortable and even slightly painful process, and it may result in some temporary bruising.
Another option is oral herbal or medicinal remedies for cellulite. Beware though. There have not been significant studies or proof verifying whether these products actually produce results. I cannot recommend investing in or experimenting with these newer products until substantial findings or proof are published regarding their effectiveness.
So, what else causes cellulite? This question is still the subject of scientific debate. We definitely know that it mostly affects women, so there is much speculation that the underlying cause is hormonal in nature. Many other studies suggest it is related to age, diet, genetics, and fitness/level of activity. It has been noted that strength and toning exercises, as well as steady weight maintenance will help with the appearance of cellulite. Frequent weight fluctuation, high fat diets, and even excessive carbonated beverages have been some of the suspected culprits as well.
cellulite Caffeine
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