Diet articles online

By: Daniel J.Fox

The risks of the surgery include bleeding, infections, and respiratory problems. Generally, the procedure requires a three- to four-day hospital stay. After you go home, you need to follow strict dietary instructions. For the first few weeks after surgery, it might be difficult to eat anything without feeling uncomfortably full, and your stomach will still be very tender. It will take six to eight weeks before you are able to digest complex carbohydrates and protein (such as chicken, pasta, and dairy products) without vomiting. It will be difficult for you to digest large amounts of fat, alcohol, or sugar. Most patients lose an average of 10 pounds per month, and reach a stable weight 18 months after surgery.

If you weigh 500 pounds or more, your doctor might recommend a low-protein diet or the mouth-wiring procedure for a few months so that you can lose some weight before a gastric bypass can be performed. While your mouth is wired shut, you will lose weight quickly because your food intake, provided in liquid form, is strictly regulated.

Weight loss before gastric bypass surgery might be necessary because the endoscopy equipment is not long enough to accommodate the girth of a patient weighing 500 or more pounds. In addition, most operating tables can hold up to 400 pounds. Other risks, such as reaction to anesthesia, are also increased in patients who weigh more than 500 pounds, so wiring your mouth shut to promote weight loss might be suggested. However, wiring your mouth shut is only a temporary solution, usually only suggested for a few months. Then, the gastric bypass procedure and reducing and monitoring food intake are needed for long-term success.

Before such drastic measures are performed, there are a few qualifying conditions to be considered eligible for either of these procedures. You must be at least 100 pounds over your recommended weight and have exhausted all efforts to lose weight by reducing food intake, changing your eating habits, planning your meals, and exercising.

Keep in mind that there are no miracle weight loss cures. Any type of weight loss or maintenance regimen requires a lifetime commitment to be successful.

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By: Lana Hampton

These days, it seems that you can’t open a newspaper without seeing an article about one medical study or other that warns about all of the potentially harmful consequences associated with being overweight. For example, overweight people have higher risks of heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and diabetes. If you ask me, those are some pretty compelling reasons to make a commitment to shed some pounds now. But perhaps you’re a bit cynical about the whole dieting process because of failed attempts in the past.

With the number of weight loss plans, the key is most likely to find the best one that suits you and your body. One of the big ones on the market today is the South Beach diet. I swear everywhere I turn; I bump into a new meal from South Beach Diet. You really can’t get any simpler than that. The meals are already prepared for you. A microwave is all you need. While great weight loss plans such as Weight Watchers offer a plethora of products to suit anyone’s needs, we have to remember the other part of the weight loss equation. Regardless of what weight loss plans you’ve tested out, exercise is always a factor. It remains imperative that in order to drop pounds and stay in good shape, we all need to have a good fitness regime along with our healthy diets.

Many of us look too hard for the easy way out. This is not a plausible solution by any means. Jump online and sort through the deluge of weight loss plans and you will surely come across one that suits your lifestyle. With the vast spectrum of information at our fingertips, there is no reason why we should have any difficulty locating that perfect diet and workout routine. The key to successful weight loss plans is tenacity. Follow the diet accordingly and strive to exercise on a regular basis and you will certainly fit into those tight jeans again.

People are constantly looking for ways to improve the results when they have made the decision to lose a few pounds. We all know the traditional advice to watch what you eat and to get more exercise. Just remember that there are no magic weight loss products out there. The foundation of any effective diet is a combination of healthy eating habits and exercise. If you do just one or the other, you’re not likely going to see any noticeable long-term results.

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By: Lana Hampton

Everyone is looking for some practical weight loss tips.

The fastest way to losing those few extra pounds is the most basic of all weight loss tips: cut down your consumption of food. I know. That is easier to say than to do. Most weight loss tips about food consumption focus on slightly changing your eating habits. If you need the snack break, do it. The other class of weight loss tips is exercise. Studies have shown that people who walk faster tend to maintain their weight better than people who walk more slowly. If excess weight is a serious concern for you, the best of the weight loss tips is to consult with a qualified weight loss management expert.

Weight loss is something almost everyone struggles with sooner or later. “How to lose weight” is not the only question you should be asking. Make self-acceptance just as equal in importance to weight loss. Going for true self-worth gets you to stare the problem right in its eyes. It is strongly advised you get help if many wounds are surfacing. There are many great books and resources on weight loss self esteem, body image, and true self-acceptance that will take you in new directions.

What I am saying here is that the real problem is not how to lose weight, or what to eat, etc. the real problem is self judgment. Our society today certainly struggles with a weight epidemic. When it comes to our weight and health, a reasonable diet and sufficient exercise always prove superior. Fortunately there is diet information everywhere we turn.

Understanding your body and how it functions is key in forming a good diet. If you watch television, then you’ve surely been bombarded with diet information from some fitness guru. A great place to begin your search for diet information is online. Many diet plans offer a variety of meals that contain low amounts of fat, carbs, and calories. The key to dropping weight is eating healthy and acquiring a daily exercise routine.

Whether you’re looking to start that new celebrity diet, or simply desire some diet information, you will find it on the World-Wide-Web. With proper diet and fitness benefits, your body will soon transform into that size six you crave. It’s time to live healthy, and rid yourself of that burden, which too often destroys your confidence, as well as your body.

There is no quick fix when it comes to weight loss, but if you make gradual improvements across a number of areas, the combined effect will put the brakes on the obesity snowball and have your weight loss snowball rolling before you know it.

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By: Julie Walker

A chewing gum which the makers say can help enhance the size, shape and tone of the breasts has proved to be a big hit in Japan. Maker says its gum, when chewed three or four times a day, can also help improve circulation, reduce stress and fight ageing.

The gum works by slowly releasing compounds contained in an extract from a plant called Pueraria mirifica. In theory, this helps to keep the muscle tissue in good order. Pueraria mirifica, also known as Kwao Krua, is a species found in Thailand and Burma. It has long been used by indigenous hill tribe people as a traditional medicine.

The plant’s underground tubers contain a number of chemicals called phytoestrogens - natural compounds which mimic the effects of the female sex hormone oestrogen. These include miroestrol and deoxymiroestrol, which are believed to exert a particularly strong effect, as they are very close in chemical structure to oestradiol, the main human oestrogen.

It cites tests carried out by Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University which found Pueraria mirifica therapy was able to enhance breast size by 80%. Further tests carried out in England found that the plant had a beneficial effect on the skin, and hair, as well as the breasts. The gum, which comes in rose flavour, has proved so popular that there are plans to start selling it in convenience stores.

Woman in the rural communities of Thailand have used this tuberous roots effectively as rejuvenating folk medicine for well over a hundreds years before it become well known and received much attention from Thai and foreign scientist, especially the Japanese.

Most of the kwao kreu processed by the Japanese are made into medicines and cosmetics commonly used for improving the skin, hair and firming the breasts.

This herb is known to …

- Grow hair, strengthen and darken existing ones
- Help improve complexion and remove wrinkles
- Improves eyesight
- Increase energy and vigor leading to more reflexive body movements
- Including breast enhancement.

You can find out more information about Pueraria Mirifica at:
http://www.anbes.com/article/

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By: Lana Hampton

For your weight loss plan to be a weight loss success, it’s absolutely critical that you understand the difference between weight loss fad diets and safe, effective weight loss routines that produce long-lasting weight loss results.

There are all sorts of weight loss programs out there that can help you lose weight (not necessarily fat), but they are so miserable that it’s impossible to stay on them very long - even more difficult is keeping the weight loss results you achieved.

The four characteristics for successful weight loss are:

1. The weight loss plan must avoid cravings
2. The weight loss plan must avoid hunger
3. The weight loss plan must include increasing your activity level
4. It must be a weight loss plan you can live with for a lifetime

What are cravings? A craving is when your body pushes you to want a particular food ingredient. This can occur even when you are not hungry. When you finally give in and get the food, you almost always binge, that is, eat more than you would have if you did not have the cravings in the first place. For the most part, you body is probably asking for water, but out of bad habit you might turn to fatty fast foods to fill the gap.

What causes cravings? Your body needs 6 essential food ingredients to function properly. They are carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins and water. If you deprive your body of any of these, it will create the sensation that will drive you to get it. The most easily identified example is when you deprive your body of water. You develop thirst. Thirst is the body’s craving for water. Don’t turn to fast food, when all your body is asking for is a big glass or two of fresh cool water. Better still, don’t turn to a fad diet that restricts you to eating one or two items only. This will only heighten your body’s need for other foods.

Weight loss plans that tell you to cut out particular foods will always lead to cravings. It is this battle in your body to give it what it needs that creates conditions of discomfort and lead to most individuals ending the weight loss programs. There is an area of the brain that controls what and how much you eat. It is also responsible for creating cravings as a way for you to provide the body what it needs.

So, what is the best way to avoid cravings? First and foremost, the best way to avoid cravings is by eating all the required food ingredients. The key is that in all of the food groups, there are “good” types and “not so good” types of foods. You need to know the good types and eat only those. For example, with carbohydrates, good types (in general) are the ones with a low glycemic index (GI). GI is a measure of how fast a food increases the production of insulin. Insulin causes fat buildup. Whole grains and vegetables have low GIs and therefore are good for weight loss.

By understanding the weight loss concept of eating all of the essential foods and dividing them into “good” and “not so good” foods, you will avoid cravings and overeating.

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By: Lana Hampton

When combined with a reduced-calorie diet and regular physical activity, weight loss medicines can help people struggling with their weight, to lose weight over a consistent period of time. People who use these drugs may not feel as hungry, or they may feel full after eating only a small amount of food.

Weight-loss medicines include diethylpropion (brand name: Tenuate); phentermine (brand names: Apidex-P, Ionamin, Pro-Fast); sibutramine (brand name: Meridia); and orlistat (brand name: Xenical). Unlike other weight loss medicines, orlistat works by keeping your body from digesting some of the fat that you eat.

Although some weight loss supplements containing ephedra, ephedrine or caffeine are available without a prescription, it is not known whether these drugs are safe. Such supplements have been linked to reports of heart attack, seizure, stroke and death. It is important to talk to your doctor if you are considering taking a weight loss supplement or if you are already taking one.

Weight loss medicines tend not to be offered to people who are just a little overweight, but rather are reserved for people who are very obese. In fact, most weight loss medicines are designed for people who weigh 20% or more above what is the ideal recommended weight for their height and body type or who have a high body mass index (BMI). The BMI is a measure of your weight and height. Your doctor can tell you if weight loss medicines might be helpful for you.

At the end of the day, there is no magic cure for being overweight. Weight loss medicines can help you get off to a good start and are a great way to get motivated early on, as you see fast results. But once you stop taking them, the weight you lost may well come back if you have not also commenced a well balanced eating plan, and begun an exercise program. To keep the weight off, you must eat a healthy low-calorie diet and be physically active on a regular basis. You must continue these healthy habits even after you stop taking the medicine. Remember that losing weight and keeping it off is a lifelong effort.

If you decide weight loss medicines aren’t right for you, you can still meet your weight loss goals. It’s important to develop healthy eating habits, but don’t expect to change everything overnight. Start by training yourself to eat without doing anything else at the same time.

It is also important to be physically active. A good goal for many people is to work up to exercising for at least 30 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week. Regular exercise helps you burn calories faster, even when you are sitting still. Exercise also helps you burn fat and build muscle. Aerobic exercise raises your heart rate and helps you burn calories. Aerobic exercises include swimming, brisk walking, jogging and bicycling. These are ideal exercise options for people who want to burn calories on a regular basis. Anaerobic exercise, such as weight training, is also good because it adds muscle mass to your body and allows you to burn even more calories.

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By: Tom Takihi

Low carb diets are very effective in achieving weight loss when followed. But the key word there is that they should be followed. However, there are controversies about their “healthiness”. Definitely, people get into these diets to lose weight. But what every person getting into this is not only the aspect of losing weight but also as always, keeping the weight off. But it goes beyond that. It also involves being and staying healthy and functional in whatever we do everyday. A slim person is definitely not attractive if he or she is weak from lack of nutrients and energy due to these low carb diets.

The body uses up carbohydrates first as a source of energy. If there are more carbohydrates taken in, the body stores the surplus as fat. If there are fewer carbohydrates taken it, the body is forced to use the stored fat for its energy requirement. The principle of these low carb diets is to take in food low in carbohydrates so that the body is forced to use its stored fat.

By drastically reducing carbohydrates to a small fraction of a person’s diet, the body goes into “ketosis”. The body burns its own fat to convert into energy A person in ketosis is getting energy from ketones. Ketones are little carbon fragments that are created by the breakdown of stored fat. One feels less hungry when his or her body is in ketosis. The end result is that he or she is likely to eat less even if allowed to do so. In effect, the body is transformed from a carbohydrate-burning machine into a fat-burning one, thus making fat the primary energy source. This brings us to the most fundamental fact of dieting: the less fat you have, the lighter you weigh. The end result is the desired weight loss.

There are diets like Atkins that seem to be a dream come true. It stems from its design that a person could eat as much as he or she wants from a wide variety of food that other diets steer away from. Steaks, meat, crab, eggs, all types of protein based food are allowed since the body will burn carbohydrates first and not protein or fats. Basically, it follows the same low carb principle of reducing carbohydrate intake and forcing the body to use fat towards weight loss.

But experts are concerned about the long term safety of the diet. By contemporary medical standards, the risk of heart diseases, stroke, cancer, liver and kidney problems are very extremely high. These risks have been pointed out repeated by a number of health researches on high fat diets.

Other low carb diets are cleansing in nature such as the detox diet. It helps in the health reassessment of one’s lifestyle, eating patterns and focus on foods. Here, one becomes more aware of one’s food intake. However, there are individuals, such as diabetics, people with low blood sugar or eating disorders have to stay clear of it. They will find themselves more in trouble than they are already.

Low carb diets serve their purpose. But there is no substitute for the traditional, proven healthy lifestyle of a balance diet of the basic food groups in the nutritionists’ pyramid order combined with the proper exercise. However, should a person still go through with these diets for whatever reason, he or she should be equipped with knowledge of not only the benefits but most especially the risks. Everyone wants that slim, healthy look. But everyone should also go for health in a sustainable manner.

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By: Lana Hampton

The weight loss industry is big business world wide. In recent years in the United States, more than $30 billion dollars was spent by consumers on various weight loss products, gym memberships, exercise machines and food programs.

Choosing a weight loss program is the first step towards staying healthy, if you need to lose weight for the sake of maintaining or improving your health and well being. But staying with a weight loss program can prove to be difficult for so many. That is why, when it comes to weight loss, choosing a support program, checking with your doctor and then adding in some regular exercise is the key to long term success.

What ever you do, don’t to be tempted to follow a one food diet program such as the Cabbage Soup diet, or the Grapefruit diet, because your body is just not meant to exist on just one type of food for a sustained period of time. Instead, use your common sense and adopt a program because it works for you, not because it is the latest fad that all of the Hollywood stars have had success with. Remember that at the end of the day, the fad diets come and go, but your body is with you for the duration of your life, so it is important to take care of your body wisely.

People are focused on an easy and quick way to lose weight. But finding a program that will support long term weight loss and maintenance is the key to success.

Your mind is a powerful tool. While many people have yet to understand and harness the power of their minds, plenty of people are trying to do so, on a consistent basis, and this is helping them to reach all manner of success in their personal and professional lives. If you are at the point where nothing is working for you as far as losing weight or dieting, and you want to go a more controversial way, then you might want to consider weight loss hypnosis.

The first thing you need to do is find a qualified behavioral counselor. Many of these gifted individuals are also skilled in the area of self- hypnosis. Set up an appointment and talk with the counselor about your relationship with food. Then question the counselor as to whether or not his or her teaching you self-hypnosis will work to help you lose weight.

Self-hypnosis can be effective, but having the right person teaching you is critical. Beware of practitioners who ask for large sums of money beyond the counseling session to teach you this tool. While weight loss hypnosis can be effective, you should really steer clear of tapes and books that teach you the DIY (do it yourself) technique, as you will probably end up wasting your money. You really need a human guide to be able to be successful and lose weight.

Hypnosis alone will not allow you to lose weight. But if you have found a qualified counselor, you will receive advice about eating sensibly, exercising regularly and drinking more water.

Weight loss hypnosis is not a quick and easy way to cure a weight loss problem, but rather it is a means to an end. The end result is that you will gain control over your life and over what foods you choose to eat.

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By: Lana Hampton

It doesn’t matter what you are doing - browsing the Internet, surfing cable, or flipping through your favorite magazine – you will find plenty of advertisements that promote the magical qualities of weight loss supplements. Weight loss supplements come in all manner of shapes, sizes and styles and have a range of claims and solutions. And there are all manner of claims – from pills, patches and creams. But do these cures really work? Only you can decide that for yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular weight loss products and the positive benefits and negative effects of each, so you can make up your own mind.

Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange: These products are made directly from concentrated extracts from orange peel. They often claim that they increase metabolism, but there has been no conclusive tests to back this up. Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange contain the stimulant synephrine, which can cause hypertension and cardiovascular toxicity. Individuals with heart disease, hypertension, and glaucoma should avoid these at all costs.

Chromium (Examples of Chromium products include Puritan’s Pride Chromium Picolinate, Vitamin World Naturally Inspired Yeast Free Chromium Picolinate, Nutrilite Trim Advantage): The claims that chromium increases weight loss and improves body composition have been backed by one main study which proved this to be the case. There are two types of chromium: Trivalent (which the body requires and is considered safe in doses of 200 micrograms or less daily) and Hexavalent (but this form can cause stomach upsets, ulcers, convulsions, kidney and liver diseases, and death).

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) (Examples of this product include Vitamin World CLA, Nature Made CLA, Now Foods CLA): This product claims to promote leanness, but there are very few studies that actually support the marketing claims. While more research is needed, CLA is generally safe.

Ephedra/Ephedrine: Ephedra may aid weight loss by suppressing appetite, and research has proven its effectiveness when used with caffeine. However, ephedra causes high blood pressure, stroke, and serious heart problems, which is why the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra was prohibited in April 2004.

7-Keto Dehydroepiandrosterone (7-keto DHEA): Preliminary research indicates that this product may decrease body weight and fat composition by increasing metabolism, but larger research studies are needed.

Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) and Garcinia Cambogia: These products claim to suppress appetite and improve fat metabolism. While studies have shown mixed results, they are generally safe.

L-Carnitine: L-Carnitine claims to inhibit obesity, but there is very little evidence of its effectiveness.

Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), Pyruvate, and Dihydroxyacetone and Pyruvate (DHAP): A few small studies suggest that these supplements may have modest effects on weight loss, but research is needed. Presently, no serious side effects have been reported.

Lecithin, Guar Gum, Psyllium Hulls, Chickweed, and Chitosan (Examples: Chito-Trim, Exercise in a Bottle, Fat Blocker—Chitosan Complex, Fat Grabbers, Fat Trapper, Fat Trapper Plus, Metabo Fat Blocker, Miracletab, Now Chitosan with Chromium): These products claim to help break down fat so that it can be absorbed, emulsified, trapped, and eliminated by the body. There is currently no competent and reliable scientific research to support such claims.

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By: Lana Hampton

It doesn’t matter whether you are trying to lose five pounds or more than 50 pounds; all of the same simple laws of physics determine whether or not you will lose weight and how fast your weight loss will occur. While everyone is different, if everyone remembered these simple guidelines and put them into practice, then they would find that these guidelines would generally lead to weight loss without the aid of any special diet plans, books, or medications.

Our weight is determined by the amount of energy that we take in as food, and the amount of energy we expend in the activities of our day. Energy is measured in calories. If your weight remains constant, you are probably taking in the same amount of calories that you are burning each and every day. If you’re slowly gaining weight over time, it is likely that your caloric intake is greater than the number of calories you burn through your daily activities.

Everyone is in control of the amount of food he or she consumes each day, so as a result, our intake of calories is something we can control with relative simplicity. To some degree, we are also able to control our output of energy, or the number of calories we burn each day. The number of calories we burn each day is dependent upon:

1. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR)
2. The number of calories we burn per hour simply by being alive and maintaining bodily functions and
3. Our level of physical activity

For some people, due to genetic (inherited) factors or other conditions, their resting metabolic rate can be slightly higher or lower than average. Our weight also plays a role in determining how many calories we burn at rest – the more calories that are required to maintain your body in its present state, the greater your body weight. As an example, a person that weighs around a hundred pounds requires less energy (food) to maintain body weight than a person who weighs 200 pounds.

Lifestyle and work habits partially determine how many calories we need each day. Someone whose job involves heavy physical labor will naturally burn more calories in a day than someone who sits at a desk most of the day (a sedentary job). For people who do not have jobs that require intense physical activity, you need exercise or increased physical activity to increase the number of calories burned.

As a rough estimate, an average woman aged 31-50 who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs about 1800 calories per day to maintain a normal weight. A man of the same age requires about 2200 calories. Participating in a moderate level of physical activity (exercising 3-5 days per week) requires about 200 additional calories per day.

In order to lose weight rather than maintain it, you will want to eat sensible, well balanced meals with small portion sizes, cut down or reduce your intake of daily calories, try with your best efforts to eliminate fats from your diet and ensure that you exercise on a regular basis.

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