Diet articles online

By: Cinneide

Rhinoplasty (also known as “nose job” or nose plastic surgery) is a type of plastic surgery that is used to enhance the function or appearance of a person’s nose. The technique has a profound history, as it was first developed by Sushruta (often dubbed as the “father of surgery”), who lived in ancient India around 500 BC. Several centuries down the line, his method of forehead flap rhinoplasty is practiced almost unchanged even today. Rhinoplasty can be performed for aesthetic reasons (cosmetic surgery) or to rectify congenital defects or breathing problems (reconstructive surgery).

People with a slightly abnormal nose feel that the shape or size of their nose is a source of social discomfort and embarrassment. But with rhinoplasty, patients don’t have to live with a disfigured nose. Plastic surgery can seamlessly enhance the appearance of their nose and, therefore, instill a sense of self-esteem in them. Having a normal looking nose and facial features, they can enjoy social events with confidence and vigor.

Rhinoplasty is performed under general or local anesthesia, depending on the doctor’s discretion and the patient’s preference. Incisions are made on the nose to remove the soft tissue of the nose, revealing the underlying cartilage and bone. The cartilage and bone is then reshaped to rectify the deformity. A synthetic implant is necessary if the bone structure is weakened or damaged, possibly owing to an accident. The reshaping is not purely cosmetic; it might also be done to improve breathing.

All in all, rhinoplasty is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures. It can effectively alter the shape of the nose tip or the nose bridge, if the patient finds the original features unappealing. Apart from its aesthetic benefits, it can also rectify breathing problems and congenital defects or injury. No wonder why rhinoplasty is a highly prevalent form of plastic surgery.

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By: Lana Hampton

Your body weight is really controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day through things like exercise and physical activity. This means that to lose weight, you actually need to take in fewer calories each day than you use so that there is deficit in calories consumed. There are two ways to do this - by becoming more physically active or by eating less each day. Following a weight loss program that helps you to become more physically active and also decrease the amount of calories that you eat, is the best way to achieve successful weight loss.

To lose weight and keep it off, you should be aware of the different types of programs that are available. You should also look at what makes up a good program. Knowing this information can help you select a weight loss program that will really work. The four types of weight loss programs include:

Do-It-Yourself Programs

1. Any effort to lose weight by yourself or with a support group either on or offline, fits in the “do-it-yourself” category. People using a do-it-yourself program rely on group support, and products such as diet books, for advice.

Non-Clinical Programs

2. These programs tend to be commercially operated, such as privately-owned, weight loss chains. They often use books and pamphlets that are prepared by healthcare providers but use counselors who are not usually trained healthcare providers. Some of these programs require participants to use the program’s food or supplements.

Clinical Programs

3. This type of program is usually provided in a healthcare setting, such as a hospital, by licensed health professionals, including physicians, nurses, dietitians, and/or psychologists. In some clinical programs, a health professional works alone; in others, a group of health professionals works together to provide services to patients. These clinical programs offer services such as nutrition education, medical care, behavior change therapy, and physical activity. Clinical programs may also use other weight loss methods, such as very low calorie diets, weight loss drugs, and surgery, to treat severely overweight patients. All of these programs would be carefully supervised during implementation.

Surgery

4. Gastric bypass surgeries are combination procedures that use both restriction and malabsorption to achieve weight loss. Because it is a combination approach, it tends to be more successful for weight loss than purely restrictive surgeries. Gastric bypass surgery may be an option if you are significantly obese and have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight on diet and exercise programs and are unlikely to lose weight successfully with non-surgical methods.

If you are considering a weight-loss program and you have medical problems, or if you are severely overweight, then programs or surgery run or conducted by trained health professionals are probably your best option. These professionals are more likely to monitor you for possible side effects of weight loss and will help you to lose weight successfully and safely.

Whether you decide to use the do-it-yourself, non-clinical, or clinical approach, the program you opt for should help you lose weight and help you to keep it off by teaching you healthy eating and exercise habits that you will be able to use for years to come.

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By: Lana Hampton

Have you ever wondered why there are so many diets out there on the marketplace these days? With new diets popping up on the Internet and in health and wellness journals all of the time, the phrase ‘yo-yo dieting’ says it all. If the South Beach Diet doesn’t work, there is always the Beverly Hills Diet, or the Cabbage Soup Diet…or…the list seems endless! If you are a serial dieter then you literally have no end to the options you can pick and choose from.

What you really need to know though, is that it is not the diet that controls the weight loss, it is the person behind the diet. If you have not yet come to understand what, if any, importance food weighs in your life, and you are bouncing from one diet plan to the next diet pill, to the next gym membership then you need to realize that it isn’t the diet that is failing you, but rather it is you failing the diet.

So what are some of the key things you can do to stay on track for a healthy lifestyle that involves a long term weight loss plan? Try these options:

1. Don’t follow a diet plan, but instead count your calories - You can buy a calorie chart at any bookstore and keep track for yourself how many calories you are consuming daily.

2. Stay away from fatty fast foods - Fast food restaurants may be fast and easy, but they serve up high calorie food that isn’t nutritious in the long run.

3. Make water your best friend - Water is an essential part of life. Everyone needs water because it helps to lubricate our joints. There are minerals in water that our body needs and our metabolism needs water in order to help us break down the protein in our body to supply energy. A person needs to drink at least 2 liters of water daily!

4. Stay away from alcohol - Alcohol dehydrates you. If you want some proof, remember your last hangover? After you came away with the sluggish, headachy feeling, were you craving a big glass of water?

5. Don’t skip meals - People mistakenly believe that if they skip meals they will lose weight? Skipping meals will just make your hungrier in the long-run and you will eat MORE food.

6. Stay active - Discipline yourself to be physically active. Don’t overdo it (and check with your doctor first). Create a program that you can work with. Set realistic goals and look around your environment for ways that will increase your physical activity without interrupting your day. Take advantage of any stairs you might have at home or in the office. Don’t take the elevator or escalator, take the stairs!

7. Gather support - Talk to your family members and loved ones. Involve them in your new healthy lifestyle. Plan family outings where there is a good amount of walking. Plan vacations with activities in mind that will involve the entire family. The commitment to lose weight is within yourself.

Strengthen your resolve and keep your goals small and attainable.

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By: Jack Smith

Do I need to supplement my diet with extra vitamins?
Are you a post menopausal woman? Are you an elderly person who perhaps is not getting enough exposure to the sun? Or are you are lactose intolerant? If the answer to any of the above is yes than perhaps you are a candidate for nutritional supplements. Nutritional supplements, as the name suggests are taken to supplement the diet. It can be one or a combination of vitamins, minerals, a herb or any botanical substance, an amino acid, substances such as enzymes, organ tissues, glandulars, a concentrate, metabolite, constituent or extract.

Why do people take vitamins and supplements?
In a study conducted in 2002, it was found that most Americans take vitamins and minerals supplements because they believe that it is good for their general health and a large majority take it as a dietary supplement. In some cases they are consumed for specific reasons like to prevent osteoporosis or colds and influenza. A small percentage even take it as an immune booster and because they have been recommended by their physician, family or friends. Herbal supplements on the other hand are more or less consumed to address a specific ailment or condition like arthritis, as a memory enhancer, for joint pains, to aid sleep, for prostate problems and as a general immune booster.

Do YOU need vitamins and mineral supplements?
If you belong to any of these categories then perhaps you should consider taking a supplement to your regular diet.

8People whose calorie intake is less than 1200
9Aged people who may not be eating as much as they should be, have limited exposure to he sun, are lactose intolerant, or are not able to sufficiently absorb and utilize Vitamin B-12 because of gastric problems
10Staunch vegetarians and vegans, whose consumption of eggs and dairy products is low or nil, and thus are not getting enough of vitamin B-12
11People who do not drink milk or consume dairy products, due to lactose intolerance or just a general aversion
12Women who are pregnant or in the child bearing stage of their lives may need folic acid and iron
13People recuperating from an illness or those who fall frequently or are chronically ill
14Alcoholics and smokers usually have a problem absorbing vitamin B-complex and vitamin C respectively
15People who skip meals often as a result of which are not getting sufficient vitamins and minerals from their diet.

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By: Lisa Scott

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Herbal diet pills are very popular these days as an alternative to more traditional methods of weight loss like diet and exercise. Herbal treatments in general are very trendy today, which I find a little worrisome for several reasons.

First of all, just about anything can be in an herbal diet pill. ‘Herbs’ are a kind of loophole in the FDA system, as they are not classified as drugs and therefore don’t have the rigorous standards for testing and safety that drugs normally get.

Make no mistake about it though, herbs can be every bit as potent and harmful as drugs. The difference between medicinal herbs and drugs is really quite vague anyway, as most drugs themselves come from a kind of plant or herb.

Most of the time the ‘herbal’ classification doesn’t last very long; the FDA eventually calls it a drug and brings in the scientists. When that happens herbal diet pills often either become available only by prescription or are banned completely. Snooping around a little from site to site selling herbal diet pills, it is clear that the makers of these things are all too familiar with the FDA.

Many sites even use it to their advantage saying things to the effect of ‘buy it now before the FDA bans it!’. You have to ask yourself, if the FDA is likely going to ban an herbal diet pill you’re interested in, should you be taking it at all?

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Anyway, just don’t be fooled by the word ‘herbal’ in an herbal diet pill. I would actually trust a regular diet pill that is FDA approved a lot more than some herbal diet pill concoction that has who knows what in it. The words herbal and natural are marketing ploys and should never be confused with the word safe unless there’s been some testing to prove it.

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By: Jack Smith

Folic Acid: A must for Women
Folic Acid, a much neglected vitamin in most women’s diet, is a naturally occurring vitamin B (also called vitamin B9) that helps a baby’s neural tube, the part of a developing baby that becomes the brain and spinal cord, develop properly. Neural tube defects are defects of the spinal cord and brain. If normal development does not occur, spina bifida and other anomalies can occur. Several studies suggest that women who do not consume enough of the B vitamin folic acid before and during the early weeks of pregnancy are also at increased risk of having a baby with a heart defect.

Your body also needs this nutrient for the production, repair and functioning of the DNA, our genetic map and a basic building block of cells. So getting enough folate is particularly important for the rapid cell growth that occurs during pregnancy. Folate is also required for a complex metabolic process that involves the conversion of one amino acid in your blood (homocysteine) into another amino acid (methionine). If you don’t get enough folate, you can end up with excessive amounts of homocysteine in your blood, which is though to contribute to some birth defects. Finally, folate helps make normal red blood cells, prevents anemia, and produces nervous system chemicals.

The signs of folic acid deficiency are very subtle. You may experience diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss as well as weakness, a sore tongue, headaches, heart palpitations and irritability. If you are only mildly deficient, you may not experience these symptoms, but you still won’t be getting the requisite amount needed for your baby’s development. Thus the importance of folic acid for a childbearing woman can’t be stressed enough.

Natural sources of folic acid are broccoli, legumes, asparagus, spinach, peanuts, orange juice, papayas, and romaine lettuce, among others. Folic acid is also found in most multivitamin supplements and as well as a folic acid only supplement. If you, like most people, don’t get the amount of folic acid you need from your diet, you definitely should consider taking a supplement. Research shows that the body actually absorbs the synthetic version of this vitamin (found in supplements and enriched foods) much better that the version that occurs naturally in certain foods.

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By: Jack Smith

There are 13 different types of vitamins that have been identified, that are necessary for our body’s well being and health. Each of them has a specific function, and a deficiency in any one can cause a health problem or a dysfunction of a body part or organ.

Vitamin A: Also known as retinol because it generates the pigments necessary for the proper functioning of the retina, Vitamin A aids in the formation of healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes and the skin; it is also required for reproduction and breastfeeding and for good vision. A deficiency in Vitamin A can lead to night blindness, excessively dry skin and even dryness of the eyes. The body can obtain vitamin A from carotene, a vitamin antecedent found in vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, and broccoli among others. Our body can also absorb ready made vitamin A from plant eating animals. Some of these sources are milk, butter, egg yolk.

Vitamin B: These are water soluble vitamins and are together called vitamin B complex. They are considered extremely important for the break down of carbohydrates into energy. They are also important for the formation of red blood cells, regulation of the healthy functioning of the heart and nerve cells, absorption of proteins and synthesis of hormones and cholesterol. Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine, Cobalamin, Folate, Panthothenic acid and Biotin are all different types of vitamin B.

Vitamin C: Also called ascorbic acid plays an important role in maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It also aids in the absorption of iron and is important for the formation and maintenance of collagen, the connective tissue that supports many body structures. It also promotes healing as it is an antioxidant. A deficiency of vitamin C can cause scurvy. Although it is widely believed that vitamin C prevents colds and flu, these claims have not been collaborated under scientific conditions. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, fresh strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and guava and vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, spinach, kale, green peppers, cabbage, and turnips.
Vitamin D: Also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, our bodies are able to produce this vitamin by exposure to sunshine. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous and is thus essential for bone formation and for healthy teeth. A deficiency of vitamin D can cause rickets, which is a deformity of the rib cage, skull and bones of the leg. Sources of vitamin D include egg yolk, tuna, dairy products like cheese, butter, margarine, cream, fortified milk and also cereals.

Vitamin E: This vitamin is known to play a role in the formation of red blood cells although its entire function in the human body is still not fully known. It is also known to be an antioxidant. Sources of vitamin E are wheat germ, olives, corn, nuts vegetable oils, liver, and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin K: This vitamin is vital for the coagulation of blood. Vitamin K is found in alfalfa, liver, cabbage, cauliflower and cereals. The bacteria in our intestines also produces vitamin K.

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By: Kathy Hammond

Female facial hair can be embarrassing. It often appears first during puberty and then gets darker and coarser after the age of thirty five, when facial hair removal becomes an important issue.

Most female facial hair appears over the lip and on the chin, but many females have unwanted hair on their jaw, cheeks and neck. Fortunately, there are a number of different ways to finesse female facial hair removal.

First and foremost, a female should determine the underlying cause of her facial hair before deciding on a removal method.

Females who are pregnant or nursing often notice an increase of facial hair. They should speak with their doctor before using any hair removal method that uses energy, chemicals or drugs.

Females who have high levels of androgens, (a steroid hormone, such as testosterone or androsterone, that controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics), creating facial hair may obtain prescription oral medications from a medical specialist.

Tweezing is probably the method most often used to remove female facial hair. But while it’s okay to use tweezers for eyebrows, it really isn’t for other female facial hair. It’s painful, time consuming usually needing to be done on a daily basis, and over time, tweezing can damage the skin.

Some females believe they can conceal their facial hair by bleaching it, but then, under make up and in bright light their face looks, “furry”.

Topical creams for female facial hair removal, available only by prescription, inhibit the growth of new hairs for about 50% of the females who have used one.

Shaving with a wet razor is not recommended as a female facial hair removal method because hairs grow back very quickly and the stubble appears thicker and darker.

One can remove unwanted female facial hair with a hair removal cream or lotion known as a depilatory. But don’t be surprised if you get pimples as a reaction to the harsh chemicals.

A facial wax is a clean, fast and easy method for removing female facial hair for up to 6 weeks. But, many experience swelling and redness in reaction to the hairs being literally yanked out.

Electrolysis is an unpleasant form of female facial hair removal because it involves inserting a needle into the follicle, (the skin depression from which the hair emerges), of each individual hair, which can cause swelling, redness, pinpoint scabbing and even scarring. Electrolysis requires anesthesia, is expensive and needs to be done regularly for 1 or 2 years to achieve final results.

Laser treatments for female facial hair removal can provide results within six to eight treatments - If you can afford the hefty cost. Because laser hair removal involves a hot laser light, “zapping”, the hair follicles, these treatments require the use of a topical anesthetic.

One last thing - If you do your own research you’ll discover there is one more hair removal method that will help you finesse your female facial hair.

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By: Kim Black

People have always believed that yoga can do more for your body than just keeping it fit and flexible. Research now shows it can help weight control, lower back pain, insomnia and even heart disease. Studies indicate yoga helps with weight loss and maintenance. In a study of 15,000 adults, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that those who did not practice yoga gained approximately 18.5 pounds more over a 10-year period than those who practiced for at least four years. There was also a study done at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. This study found people who regularly practiced yoga and meditation, exercised and watched their diet lost more weight than those who exercised, and ate a balanced diet, but did not practice yoga.

Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sport’s Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yoga’s backbends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.

Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.

Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels’ ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.

© Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.

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By: Ken Black

A thyroid disorder called hypothyroidism means you have an underactive thyroid gland. If you have trouble losing weight no matter what you do, it could be because you are hypothyroid. There are almost 30 million Americans with thyroid disease and women are 7 times more likely than men to have it. Hypothyroid is the most common thyroid disorder and often misdiagnosed by doctors.

You may get this because it is inherited, or because of previous problems, such as nodules, goiter, thyroid cancer, previous thyroid surgery, another autoimmune disease.

This is a condition where the thyroid gland, a small butterfly shaped organ located at the base of the neck, does not produce enough hormone to function properly.

What happens is that it takes in iodine, combines it with tyrosine (an amino acid) and converts it into the hormones T4 and T3. If your thyroid is normal, 80% will be T4 and 20% T3. These hormones travel through the bloodstream, converting oxygen and calories into energy. If this process doesn’t work properly, then the calories and oxygen cannot convert the energy properly and you may gain weight or incapability to lose weight.

The symptoms can include : weight gain, depression, forgetfulness, fatigue, hoarseness, high cholesterol, constipation, feeling cold, hair loss, dry skin, low sex drive, tingling hands or feet, irregular periods, infertility. You may even experience recurrent pregnancy loss, resistant high cholesterol, difficult menopause, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, or mitral valve prolapse.

Do you feel sluggish and fatigued on a regular basis, or do you get bouts of depression and sadness? Are you always feeling cold, especially your hands and feet, or do you have brittle nails? These are just some of the possible signs of the disease. There may be other causes, but at least this may give you a clue as to why you do not feel well. Check with your doctor in all cases to be sure.

When your metabolism doesn’t work right because you have this disorder, you may find that there’s no amount of dieting or exercise that takes the weight off. You may in fact put on extra pounds, even though you are doing just what you are supposed to.

What can you do ? Meet with your doctor and ask if you need a thyroid examination and blood test. These likely will be a TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) blood test, along with T4, T3, Free T4 and Free T3 tests.

A drug called levothyroxine (often called Levo-T, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Unithroid) may be prescribed for you. It is usually inexpensive, has minimal side effects, and has uniform potency. However, all thyroid hormone replacement therapies, whether natural or synthetic, have the ability to restore thyroid hormone levels.

Supplements that contain the following might also help:

- L-Tyrosine - is one of the amino acids that your body needs to make thyroid hormones. It is included in some weight control products because it works to stimulate your metabolism. It’s also an element in helping your brain operate more efficiently which makes you feel better.

- Guglipid - an extract from the Indian guggal tree, may improve thyroid function and assist in controlling your weight. Scientists are finding that guglipid lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, and thus can help somewhat to prevent heart disease.

There is always hope and lots of help out there for you. If you suspect that you have this condition and you are not sure what to do, talk to your physician for guidance and advice.

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