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Intestinal Weight Loss Surgery Today

Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:44:00 +0000

In the past, weight loss surgery was always regarded as an extreme course of action for the morbidly obese. Weight loss surgery was mostly a risky proposition often involving slicing into the intestines and re-routing or stapling. Even nowadays, it is true that several types of weight loss surgery are invasive, difficult to reverse and can cause serious complications. But, as more technology becomes available to surgeons, weight loss surgery is now easier and less risky than ever and thus, more common. Attempting to lose weight for, many people, can be exceedingly frustrating. No matter how much dieting or exercise they do, nothing seems to help. Whether it is due to a genetic component, a malfunction of the metabolism, or some subtle imbalance in the body, willpower and dedication are not enough. Weight loss surgery has become a more mainstream option as new procedures and technology make it less invasive and safer. A number of types of weight loss surgery are commonly performed on obese patients. One of the more recent surgery procedures is the Lap-Band. The Lap-Band apparatus, an adjustable rubber ring, is positioned around a patient’s stomach in order to restrict the amount of food and liquids that can enter the stomach. This Restrictive type of weigh loss surgery does not affect the normal digestion of food or nutrients, unlike Malabsorptive surgery types. Malabsorptive weight loss surgery is more invasive, in other words, it requires more internal surgical work, than other types. Malabsortive surgery shortens the digestive tract and limits the amount of calories that can be absorbed into the body. Amalgamations of restrictive and malabsorptive weigh loss surgery procedures are also typically used. These surgeries restrict the amount of food in the stomach as well as reduce amount of calories that can be absorbed in the body. Carrying around too much weight can cause myriad health and emotional difficulties. The overweight are more liable to experience heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems. People who are morbidly obese often have a shorter lifespan, as well. You may want to consider weight loss surgery, if traditional weight loss methods have failed. Each one of the three above types of weigh loss surgery has its own benefits and drawbacks, so it’s important to speak to a weight loss surgery specialist to find out if one of these surgeries is a good solution for you.

Count Colors Not Calores to Lose Weight!

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:39:00 +0000

If you need to drop and few kilos and don’t know where to get started, stop counting calories and start counting colours. When it comes to losing weight, make sure your plate is piled high with a range of colourful fruit and vegetables. You’ll naturally create more balance and health-filled menus. Why? Colour not only brightens your mood – but also your diet. Load your plate with fruit and veges like a box of crayons in colours such as red, yellow, orange, blue, purple, white and green and you’ll also be filling up on power packed phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are naturally occurring chemicals which combat disease, including cancer. Go easy on the beige and brown foods such as pasta and startchy carbs. When there are too many of these drab colours on your plate, weight gain is almost certain. That’s because these beige foods often are high in calories and can leave you feeling hungry later. A cup of beige or brown beans can be over 200 calories….but a cup of red or green vegetables is under a hundred! Add fresh greens, deep purple-reds and bright yellow-orange to a meal, and water the nutrient content go up, while calories go down! Plus, you’ll get more enjoyment from eating when there’s a variety of colours and flavours on your plate. According to Dr David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. and author of “What Color Is Your Diet” the key to designing your colourful diet is to choose from a range of different colour groups: Blue/purple fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of health-promoting phytochemicals such as anthocyanins and phenolics. Choose from a range including blueberries, blackberries, eggplant, plums, raisins. These assist in memory function. Green group includes broccoli; Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and bok choi. These foods stimulate the genes in your liver to turn on the production of enzymes that break down the cancer-causing chemicals in the body. The yellow/green group includes green peas, avocado and honeydew melon. These promote eye health. The yellow/orange group includes carrots, mangoes, apricots, rock melon and pumpkin. These contain carotenoids (beta carotene is one), fierce antioxidants that help prevent cancer and assist to lower heart-attack risk. The white group includes bananas, white peaches, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and are helpful to maintain heart health. The red group includes tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon all of which contain lycopene. Lycopene is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. The red/purple group includes grapes, grape juice, prunes, cranberries, strawberries and red apples. These foods contain anthocyanins which have a beneficial effect on heart disease by inhibiting blood clot formation.

Why Do We Cheat On Our Diets?

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:36:00 +0000

If only we could solve this question, the world (for many) would be a better place! Well, the reality is that there are real answers to this question that will apply to many people. It will take a good dose of reality and a brave heart to stop denying what really happens. Read on to discover some answers that may change your life forever and give you the impetus to lose weight and keep it off! Justification? Being overweight can be used as an excuse for being unhappy, especially when you do not do anything to help yourself. Subconsciously, over-eating is a comfort for many people and this then allows them to hide behind their weight problem and helps them to justify rejection and avoid being hurt. They can then shift the blame of rejection on their weight-problem, without addressing other aspects of their fears. Sometimes it seems easier to hide behind your “weight problem”, than address other matters where you may have a greater fear of failure. Eating Without Thinking? If you are concentrating on another activity while you are eating you are more likely to overeat because you are not fully aware of how full you are feeling. This factor can be difficult to change because it is not a conscious action. Try to only eat when you don’t have a lot of other distractions. Sit down, eat slowly and enjoy the food you are eating, and remember that it is not always necessary to go back for seconds. It takes 20 minutes for food to reach your stomach and for your brain to register that you are full. Cravings? The famous “Pavlov’s dogs” were conditioned to eat at the sound of a bell, and we human are much the same when it comes to habitual cravings. If you wonder why you always feel like a chocolate when you sit down to watch a movie, or you have to have a box of popcorn….think again. You are not necessarily craving these foods because you are hungry, but rather consider force of habit. During the time when you have a craving, try to ask yourself whether you are really hungry or not. If you are hungry, reach for a low fat snack rather than a chocolate bar or bag of crisps. Indulging? Eating or thinking about food can be a distraction from your troubles and you may therefore be unnecessarily over-eating. Emotions and hormones can trigger certain cravings, for example, if you are feeling low, chocolate and carbohydrates assist the production of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin helps you feel happier. This is why we might crave sweet or starchy foods during times of sadness or stress. If you identify with any of the above factors, you could be on your way towards discovering what is triggering you to overeat.

Weight Loss At Work: Non-Food Rewards

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:01:00 +0000

The e-mail comes out at noon. “To celebrate your hard work this week, there is cake and ice cream in the big kitchen at 3 today. Be there!” The universal reward for hard work always seems to be food: cake and ice cream, a catered lunch for in-service training sessions, pizza for the overtime crew, bagels and cream cheese to brighten up a bleak Monday morning. Food seems to be the perennial favorite for any kind of work reward because it is universally accepted. Some of us (we hard core dieters) may pass on the sweet stuff but usually find something allowable. In a world where two thirds of us are overweight or obese, is there nothing else available as a gift that cuts across all individual interests? Recently, we had a whole week at my company devoted to employee appreciation. The primary rewards were, of course, food but other things were added: a company baseball cap, a hiking water container, a lunch bag, and a handwritten note of thanks to every employee from their supervisor. The cap was a bust for those of us with any modicum of fashion sense; the insulated flask and bag were food related, and the handwritten notes were superfluous – good supervisors show their appreciation of hard work constantly while a handwritten note from a harsh supervisor, no matter the “thanks” stated, means diddly squat to a resentful employee. The HAS to be something else, doesn’t there? We human beings have few things totally in common and eating is the primary universal. Other common bodily activities such as urination and defecation are not easily translatable into some kind of reward system. We are all involved in physical activity, to some degree, but that is often more a chore than a delight. When it comes to our other senses, we all differ so much that one person’s pleasure is another person’s pain: music, perfume, pictures, or massages are differential tastes rather than general givens. Money is almost always acceptable but the small amounts that would be individually generated to replace a free dessert or snack would be so minimal that their reward value would be insignificant. So what can those of us on a permanent diet, and alarmed about our coworkers’ increased girth, suggest? How about plants? Small individual pots or a larger department shrub would save our waistlines while adding to the health and esthetics of our environment. I calculate, just within my call center, that if a plant had been given to each department, instead of an edible goodie, for celebrations over the past 5 years, that I would now be working in a lush rain forest of exotic plants where the stale re-processed air conditioned air would be purer, more humid, and a thousand times fresher. Morale booster and health benefits in one fell swoop! How about the gift of time? In our overly busy pressured lives, who would not be immensely grateful for a free hour here or there. Rotate it through each department, letting one or two people leave early on a Friday afternoon. That would means something and would carry no cost so upper management should be ecstatic. Instead of a handwritten note, how about getting Supervisors to perform their subordinates work duties for an hour or so, once in a while? Can you imagine the morale boost for an employee to get off the telephone, or the machine, or the computer, and shoot the breeze with friends for an hour while their duties are performed by their supervisors? And if mistakes are made – so much the better. It creates a sense of equality and inter-relationship between workers and supervisors that is generally lacking in a corporate environment. How about free “Get out of jail” cards for every line worker? Each person gets one free card and additional cards can be given by supervisors for outstanding work, ensuring that the better workers have more cards. The cards can then be used as excuses for small transgressions – coming in a little late, leaving early, making minor mistakes. With the use of the card, a worker avoids verbal coaching, warnings, or being put on report. And let employees use their cards for coworkers who may need them – think of the teambuilding that would accomplish! Flexibility of hours, assignments, and days, is another area where workers will universally respond: not to money, or food, but to accommodation of individual needs. Give each employee a wish card and then allow them to use it to get something they need. What does all of this accomplish? It allows for employee rewards without fats and carbohydrates. Now isn’t that worthwhile? P. S. I’m recommending this to my company. I’ll let you know if they buy it!

Here’s The Real Reason Why Dieting Won’t Help You To Lose Body Fat

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:10:00 +0000

You may not like what I’m about to say, but dieting alone will not help you to lose weight. Watching your diet alone is not going to yield results unless it is coupled with proper exercise. You have to make a conscious effort for this. And the solution for this is a workout routine. Yes there are people that lose weight just from cutting down on their fat intake, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, or calories in general; but have you seen the results under their clothes? It is not a pretty sight! Without exercise (weight training in particular) your body has no way of toning up, and you could be left with near sagging skin with a non attractive shape. Also, losing weight from diets is mostly water weight loss and not fat loss. Do you want to lose water from your body and become dehydrated? Or do you want to lose Fat? The absolute only way to burn a high percentage of body fat is through exercise. The only reason why anyone should choose a diet plan is to see which one can help complement their workout program. The diet plan you choose should be one that you can stick to for the rest of your life, and it should be healthy for your body. Diet is such a short term word, so think of dieting as changing your eating habits for the long term. Your eating habits should provide you with enough protein for your muscles and enough carbohydrates for energy as well as other vital nutrients. Stay away from diets that focus on losing weight quickly… Not only are they unhealthy, but most of the weight you lose is water weight. Once again, do you want to lose water or fat? If you want to lose fat, you most definitely will not be losing it quickly unless you know how to burn fat. Being that you are losing mostly water on these quick weight loss diets, you will soon find out that you will gain the weight back just as quick as you lost it (if not faster). You must eat! If your body thinks you are starving, it will feed on your muscle tissue for energy. It is not enough to just take in enough calories each day for energy, but it is how often you feed your body the calories. In order for your metabolism to function correctly, you must eat at least 5-6 meals per day. The total calories of the 5-6 meals should equal the amount of your daily calorie intake. Eating throughout the day, gives your metabolism fuel to keep burning your stored body fat. That said, you should still cut down on your calorie intake to lose weight, but you also must know how many calories per day is right for your body. Stay away from diets that say you must eat protein and carbohydrates separately… Protein and carbohydrates work together within your body; they are team players, not individuals. Think of it like this: Mr. Protein needs to take a taxi to get to the muscles cells to help build and condition them. Mr. Insulin is the taxi and Mr. Protein is not capable of calling a taxi, so Mr. Carbohydrate will always call Mr. Insulin to transport Mr. Protein to the muscles. The muscles cells love Mr. Protein, but they also must have Mr. Carbohydrate for energy. Mr. Carbohydrate is very outgoing and there is a lot of him to go around, but too much of him is bad. On the other hand, not enough of him is also bad. Muscle cells only need enough carbohydrates to fill the glycogen stores. If more carbohydrates are present, it will get stored as fat. Eating protein and carbohydrates will slow down the absorption of carbohydrates which means that your body will have time to burn off the extra carbohydrates before they are stored as fat. So why not just significantly lower your carbohydrate consumption? Because too much protein and very low carbohydrates will cause you to overburden your liver and kidneys; could cause dehydration (most people do not realize that metabolizing protein requires you to drink more water); and your body will not get the right amount of its preferred source of energy-carbohydrates. So you see, eating these two nutrients together allows your body to function like it should. The key is to know how much carbohydrates and protein is the right amount to satisfy your body’s needs. Bottom Line when it comes to dieting and weight loss: Losing weight is easy. Losing weight by losing fat the healthy way is more of a challenge. Don’t get caught up into just losing weight. Understand that you need to stay healthy at the same time that you are losing weight by losing fat.

If you want a healthy body

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:44:00 +0000

The main reasons for this is that once we reach the age of 30, the muscles in our body begin to shrink because they are not being used correctly. Also our bones become much less dense over time. In some cases this may actually lead to a person suffering from osteoporosis. Unfortunately as our muscles begin to shrink so our metabolic rate also begins to slow down as well. its hard to keep the muscles and a flat body you had, However there are things a person can do when they reach the age of 40 which can help to prevent them losing muscle mass and keep their metabolic rate working at a good level. You have to follow the right kind of diet and use a good exercies. below here you can find some tips wich are usefull. Tip 1 It is important that you have a good well rounded set of exercises in your workout program. You need ones that are going to flex and stretch your body and also include some cardiovascular exercises as well. By including such a good set of exercises into your workout program the less likely you are to suffer from any kinds of injuries. Tip 2 Never carry out the same routine each day, instead mix it up a bit. So one day go and do a session in the gym and another just go for a walk or bike ride instead. If you mix up your exercise regime more then the less likely you are to get bored with doing it and so the less likely you are to quit. Also by varying your workout routines the less likely you are to suffer any kind of injury because you are not overworking any sets of muscles too much. Tip 3 Before you start any sort of workout it is vital that you carry out the right kinds of stretching exercises first. If you start working out whilst your muscles are still tight can spell disaster for you. Remember as you get older your muscles are not as elastic as they were when you were younger. Therefore by stretching before working out or just generally through out the day will help your muscles to regain and retain the elasticity in them. These tips is the begin to getting fit again. and maintain that healthy body. But as I said this is just the basic

The Holidays: An Emotional Feast

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:51:00 +0000

Every year, I swear that I will be thin enough to wear my smallest dress to the office party. And every year, I don’t quite make it. Oh, I can usually get into it by the beginning of February after a diet-obsessed, guilt-ridden January, but it doesn’t mean as much then. Why are November and December so toxic to our weight control efforts? Certainly there is abundant food available during the month long celebration from Thanksgiving to New Year. It is the season for non-stop parties and gifts of food from colleagues, friends, family, and customers. But more than just the food, there is a special atmosphere that descends on the Western World at the end of November. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzai – whatever the celebration involved – evoke the onset of primitive emotions. We wax nostalgic over the holidays we recall from childhood. We turn towards family and traditions that have been absent from our thoughts for the rest of the year. We indulge ourselves in the joy of giving and receiving. Cookies, and chocolates, and gift baskets bursting with preservatives, which we would politely refuse during any other time of the year, are now gratefully accepted in the spirit of the season. Food we would normally avoid – creamed soups, fruit glazes, gravy, fruit breads, honeyed hams – appear as comfort foods, warming and welcoming. Our sophisticated and world-weary veneer fades in the face of traditions that make us feel whole and contented again. The goodwill we feel demands a context and a continuity that was established many years ago. Each December, we trot out the same old carols, enjoying the familiarity of tunes we learned to love sitting next to a glittering tree and a roaring fire. For a month, we emotionally step back in time to reconnect who we are with who we were. Despite its current crass commercialism, we need the holidays to remind us of our roots, our values, and our beginnings. So this year, I am going to throw myself into the fray, eat whatever I want, and let the chips fall where they may. I can always wear something else to the office party and there will be innumerable occasions in the New Year when I can attain caloric virtue through deprivation and denial. This year, I’m going to have guilt-free, unalloyed, and omnivorous fun. Bon Appetit!

Acomplia And Xenical For The Treatment Of Obesity

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:55:00 +0000

Obesity Obesity is not as simple as we think. It is not just putting on weight by eating too much. Being obese is a chronic disorder that refers to having excessive weight or fat than normal and it can cause major health issues. Obesity is one of the fastest growing diseases in the global population today. If you are obese you can take Acomplia or Xenical to get rid of obesity. Being obese and being over-weight are two different aspects. You are over-weight if your BMI is between 27 and 29.9 and you are obese, if your BMI is 30 or above. You should take it seriously if your BMI goes higher than 30. There are many prescription medications such as Acomplia and Xenical that can give you a kick start, but should be taken only if you were unable to have significant results from low calorie diet programs and physical exercises. Acomplia – It is the most awaited weight-loss medication available now for sale in the UK and many other countries of Europe. Manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis, Acomplia has proved highly effective and carries major success stories along with it. Although widely asserted, this drug has depressive side-effects. Acomplia works on the Endocannabinoid system that affects the energy balance, glucose levels and lipid metabolism of the body. Acomplia blocks the receptors in the brain and makes you feel full. Xenical – It is an obesity treatment and can be purchased only if you have a valid prescription from a registered doctor. Manufactured by Hoffman-La Roche, Xenical can help people to lose significant weight if taken with physical exercises and a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals but low in fat. Xenical works directly in the stomach by preventing the breakdown and absorption of fat that we consume in our diet. Acomplia and Xenical are prescription-only treatments and can be purchased only on a private prescription. There are many online clinics and pharmacies that can provide you Acomplia and Xenical online, but you need to choose the right online clinic. 121doc.co.uk provides free consultation online with registered doctors from the UK and the EU. You just need to fill in an easy consultation form and give us as much information as possible. Our doctors will review your consultation and prescribe Acomplia, and Xenical if it is right for you. Our pharmacies are registered in the UK with the MHRA and assure to provide branded and genuine treatments. 121doc.co.uk provides discrete and speedy delivery service within 4 to 5 business days.

Diets and Diet Programs – Choosing a Diet that works

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:35:00 +0000

If you find yourself with a few added pounds, feeling sluggish or just wanting to be the best that you can be, then your diet has a lot to do with your optimal performance. There have been many studies on which diet works the best. Although there are plenty of choices such as the Atkins diet, South beach diet, Mediterranean diet, etc. Many health professionals are quick to note that not every diet is perfect for everyone. Most health professionals agree that as long as you stay within a healthy range, then there are plenty of ways that your diet can help you take off the weight and make you look and feel great. Health professionals advise a person to eat a balance diet, which includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Using these foods, dieters can come up with some very healthy choices to lose the pounds. Unfortunately, when people are on a diet they think of all the foods they can’t have instead of the foods they can. There are dozens of fruits and vegetables that can fit into anyone’s diet and plenty of lean meats that offer flavor and give you the protein that is needed daily. Just because you can’t eat bacon or lots of butter on a diet, doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world. If you want to find a diet that will lose the pounds and keep it off, then don’t think of it as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle. Choose a lifestyle with all the healthy foods that will help keep off the pounds and keep you looking and feeling great. Everyone is different. We all have different metabolic rates. Finding the ‘perfect’ weight loss program is a personal choice. Base your decision on your lifestyle and ability to be flexible. I’ve found that moderation works well for me and no one program is ‘perfect’ for me.

Bust Through the Weight Loss Plateau!

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:31:00 +0000

Dieters dread the plateau. You’re on a roll, losing weight steadily and happily for weeks. Your confidence is high and your goal is in sight. Then suddenly your scale freezes. No matter how hard you try, those extra pounds just refuse to budge. You’ve hit a wall and you know the frustration of seeing no progress could easily lead you to gain back what you’ve lost. So how do you break through the plateau? It’s perfectly normal for a dieter to reach a plateau. The trick is to use it as an opportunity to double up your efforts and get really clear on your strategy to carry you through to the finish line. Below you’ll find suggestions that can help you recommit to your program and re-ignite the weight-loss process when you feel challenged. 1. Get clear on your ultimate weight-loss goal. Be sure that your weight-loss goal is realistic and that your expected rate of weight loss is reasonable. If you are on a heath enhancing, nutritionally rich weight loss program you can expect to loss one to two pounds a week. Each body has its own ideal weight and size. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, but listen to your body and notice what feels best for you. A simple way to approximate your ideal weight is by referring to a Body Mass Index chart. 2. Go high-protein, low carbs. Unless you are eating enough protein to maintain your lean muscle mass, you are likely to have lost weight already from both your fat stores and muscle. Women need to eat approximately 100grams of protein a day and men 150 grams in order to preserve their muscle tissue during a weight loss program. If you have lost some muscle during your weight loss program so far you will need to focus on protein so your body can build muscle, which requires more calories to sustain, which will in turn, kick start your weight loss again. Needless to say, any weight loss program you choose should be one that preserves your body’s muscle and this does not happen! 3. Add resistance training to your program. A wonderful way to boost your metabolism and break through to the next level of weight loss is by incorporating aerobic exercise into your program, such as 30 minutes of walking three to four times a week. (If you are 35 years or older, or haven’t exercised regularly, begin with 10 to 15 minutes two to three times a week.) In addition, weight training with free weights or machines several times a week can help increase muscle mass, which in turn allows you to burn more calories faster. Studies show that weight training can increase your metabolism overnight by five to 10 percent. Working out can increase your metabolism for up to 21 hours after an intense workout. 4. Look out for hidden carbohydrates. If your weight loss progress seems slow, look out for carbohydrates that might be sneaking their way unnoticed into your diet. Sugar can lurk in the most unexpected places such as ketchup, salad dressings, teriyaki and barbecue sauces. Watch out too for cornstarch, sugar or milk solids in many processed foods such as gravies, or sauces on frozen vegetables. Be especially careful about “low-fat” foods where flavor is enhanced by sugar and other carbohydrates. Try keeping a diet journal for a couple of days of EVERYTHING you eat and drink. You may quickly discover the hidden carbs that are keeping your weight-loss progress stuck and be able to eliminate them and move past your plateau. 5. Take the “refinement” out of your diet. Try eliminating all refined sugar and refined grains from your diet. This includes white bread, pastries, pasta, white rice, white flour crackers, sugar-coated breakfast cereals, cookies and cake. This simple step can encourage a huge weight-loss breakthrough and leave you feeling more healthy and energized in the process. 6. Don’t go hungry. Cutting back on how often you eat can have a negative impact on your diet plateau. Many studies show that small, frequent meals are more satisfying and produce better weight-loss results than the same number of calories consumed in three large meals. Take advantage of healthy snacking and crunch on fresh slices of raw vegetables like celery, peppers, cucumber and jicama when you’re hungry. 7. Drink to burn up. It’s vitally important to replenish your fluids by drinking plenty of water on your weight loss program. An inadequate supply of water in itself can slow down your weight-loss. Carry water with you wherever you go throughout the day. For additional weight-management benefits, add a high quality aloe concentrate to your water to help keep your digestion in top shape. Also, a probiotic supplement can help us maintain a healthy intestinal flora. Keeping well hydrated not only helps you burn fat efficiently, it also helps control hunger. 8. Keep your incentive strong. Remember the determination you felt when you first began your weight-loss program? Remember the excitement of watching the pounds drop one by one? Go back to whatever your initial motivation was and see whether it still works for you. It may have been the desire to lose weight for a particular event or to regain your figure after pregnancy. You may have been motivated by poor health or by the shock of just how much weight you had gained. See whether the same motivation still has juice for you. If not, choose a new one. Keep a picture of yourself looking great (or bad!) on your refrigerator as a daily reminder of where you are heading. (c) Kim Beardsmore