Winning at Post-Natal Weight Loss: Six Simple Strategies for New Moms . Part 1

Winning at Post-Natal Weight Loss: Six Simple Strategies for New Moms — Part 1
 by: Susan Peach

A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now that baby's here, you're probably wishing those extra pounds would hurry up and disappear! While it won't happen overnight, these six simple tips can help you lose that extra weight in a healthy way. (If you're looking for parts 2 and 3 of this article, you can find them both at http://www.mambomoms.com/articles.html)
1) Try to relax and don't be in too much of a hurry to lose your extra pregnancy weight. Remember, it took 9 months for you to put it on, and you should give yourself at least half that amount of time to take it back off. In fact, eight to 12 months is not an unreasonable amount of time to give yourself. And even if it does take a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy size and shape, those pounds are all the more likely to stay off because you've lost them gradually.
You definitely should not be thinking about weight loss at all in the early post-partum weeks. Your body needs this time to recover from giving birth, readjust to its pre-pregnancy state, and establish a milk supply for your baby. Besides, most new moms find that a fair amount of weight tends to melt off all by itself in these first few weeks as excess fluids retained in late pregnancy are gradually shed.
Remember that gradual weight loss based on sensible nutrition and enjoyable physical activity is the best path to permanent weight loss. This applies whether or not weight gain is due to pregnancy, but when you are dealing with all the changes and adjustments that come with having a new baby, it's all the more important to take a slow and steady approach so you don't add to your stress level.
And speaking of stress, recent research shows that when you're stressed, your body releases hormones that can contribute to weight gain. So try not to add to your stress level at this time by putting unreasonable pressure on yourself to lose that extra weight too fast. Instead, take a long term approach and be sure to incorporate some kind of relaxation into your day, whether it's having a nap, a warm bath, or receiving a relaxing back massage.
2) Eat well and nourish yourself with healthy foods so you'll have the energy you need to care for yourself and your baby. If you restrict your calories you'll probably get tired, cranky, and lose energy, making you less apt to exercise and less able to take good care of your baby.
Cutting back too much on your caloric intake can also sabotage your weight loss efforts by forcing your body into "starvation mode." When your body isn't getting enough fuel, it becomes much more efficient at using what you do give it, so that over time you will actually gain weight rather than lose it. You are much better off to eat well and get regular, moderate exercise to help shed those extra pounds.
Remember though, that there is a big difference between eating and eating well! If you eat nourishing foods you will probably feel full sooner and you will likely need fewer calories than if you eat "empty calorie" foods like white bread and french fries. Eat a variety of healthy foods, including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and make sure you are getting a proper balance of the major nutrients (protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats). You may want to talk to your doctor or midwife about continuing to take your pre-natal multivitamin, or other supplements, at least during the immediate post-partum period.
Snacking is something you'll probably want to do a lot of, either because you may not always have time to prepare a meal, or because the demands of caring for a new baby mean you get hungry more often. Here are a few ideas for good, nutrient-dense choices for snack foods: apple slices spread with low fat cream cheese and sprinkled with crushed walnuts yogurt with chopped fresh fruit and nuts whole grain toast with nut butter cheese with whole grain crackers or rice cakes tomato or mixed vegetable juice with a hard boiled egg
On the other hand, try not to overdo it. Being pregnant or nursing a baby is not a license to indulge in a non-stop buffet of foods, even if they are nutritious! Eat when you are hungry, make healthy food choices most of the time, and remember that your baby is counting on you to choose wisely if you're breastfeeding, so make those calories count nutrient-wise.
In part two of this article, you'll learn why drinking plenty of pure water is important to weight loss in general, and to post-partum weight loss in particular. You'll also find out how many calories a day you'll use by breastfeeding your baby. Part three will teach you how you can burn extra calories easily and enjoyably without huffing and puffing at the gym. You'll also learn the secret that savvy new moms use to effortlessly burn up to an extra 200 calories a day —that's 2 pounds a month with no extra effort!

About The Author

Susan Peach is a retired La Leche League Leader, a dance and fitness instructor, and mother to two teenage boys. She is also the creator of Mambo Moms, a fun and gentle Latin dance based fitness program that helps new moms get back in shape while spending quality play time with their babies. Find out more at http://www.mambomoms.com.

info@mambomoms.com

This article was posted on January 30, 2005

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An Introduction to Irritable Bowel Syndrome

An Introduction to Irritable Bowel Syndrome
 by: Sophie Lee

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a very common condition, but in some ways it is still a mystery. There are many different theories about what causes the syndrome, and different doctors will give you different reasons for your illness – anything from stress to bad bacteria to food intolerance. And once you have been diagnosed, there is no set form of treatment – instead, sufferers tend to try two or three supplements or therapies to find a combination that works for them.
IBS is clearly a complicated issue, so here is a basic overview of the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.
The symptoms
Although the symptoms of IBS vary from person to person, there are several symptoms which are typical of the illness. The most common symptom is either recurring diarrhea or recurring constipation (although some patients also have alternating diarrhea and constipation).
Additional symptoms can include stomach pain (sometimes relieved by a bowel movement), bloating, nausea and a lot of gas. These symptoms generally go away for a short time before returning again, as IBS can work in cycles. Sufferers may experience a few weeks or even a few months of good health before the symptoms come back.
Sufferers sometimes find that their symptoms begin after a bout of food poisoning or an operation. Others date their symptoms back to a very stressful period in their lives, and some patients can see no clear reason for why their symptoms began.
The diagnosis
There is no set test for IBS, and it is often called a diagnosis of 'exclusion'. This means that a doctor may rule out other bowel and stomach complaints such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease before giving you a diagnosis of IBS.
Sometimes patients are given a colonoscopy, where a tiny camera is inserted into the intestines to look for abnormalities. In an IBS sufferer the colonoscopy won't detect any physical signs of disease – IBS is often called a 'functional' disorder, because it seems to be caused by an alteration in the way the body functions rather than an identifiable cause such as inflammation.
However, this does not mean it is any less real than, say, inflammatory bowel disease, it just means that doctors haven't come up with a proper test for it yet!
It is very important that you receive a diagnosis of IBS from a medical professional rather than self-diagnosing, as bowel symptoms can be present in many other health conditions.
The treatment
The first stage of treatment may involve any medications your doctor has given you to try. This could be an anti-spasmodic, which will relax the muscles in the gut walls, or perhaps a low dose of an anti-depressant, which can help to reduce the pain.
You may also be given one of the new drugs specifically developed for IBS – Lotronex for diarrhea sufferers and Zelnorm for constipation sufferers.
If the drugs do not help you then you could try using a fiber supplement such as Citrucel to add bulk to your stool – this can be helpful for both diarrhea and constipation. Also, there are other supplements such as Caltrate Plus which may be useful (Caltrate Plus contains calcium carbonate which can reduce diarrhea).
It may also be worth looking at your diet. A nutritionist can advise on ways to identify any particular food 'triggers' which may be setting off your symptoms, and also on whether you might have a food intolerance to something like gluten or lactose.
Finally, there are several alternative therapies which can be effective for IBS. Hypnotherapy has proved very effective, and a special form called gut-directed hypnotherapy has been developed just for digestive problems. Acupuncture may also be worth looking into.

About The Author

Sophie Lee has had IBS for more than 15 years. She runs Irritable Bowel Syndrome Treatment http://www.irritable-bowel-syndrome.ws where you can read descriptions and reviews of the treatments available for IBS, from drugs to alternative therapy.

sophie@ibstales.com

This article was posted on January 30, 2005

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The Profect Solution for Diabetics

The Profect Solution for Diabetics
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population or over 18,000,000 people [i], is diagnosed when the body is not creating or effectively utilizing the hormone called insulin. As a result, much-needed energy from sugar, starch, and other sources are not being exploited as effectively as they should. This can lead to severe adverse health consequences, including nerve, ocular, and kidney problems [ii].
While genetics and environmental factors play a role, the exact cause of diabetes is as yet undetermined. However, one thing is precisely clear to those with this condition: eating right is vitally important.
Generally speaking, people with diabetes do not eat a standard "one size fits all" diet. Rather, they must adhere very closely to the healthy eating guidelines prescribed by their doctor.
However, these recommendations, which generally apply to the general public as well [iii], include principles such as eating a low-fat diet, and limiting calories from saturated fat to less than 10% of daily caloric intake. The recommendations also include eating complete sources of protein, and limiting calories from protein to 20% of daily caloric intake [iv]. It is worth noting that protein also plays an added support role in a diabetic diet, because protein can slowly transforms into glucose. As such, ingesting appropriate amounts of complete protein can help a diabetic manage blood-sugar levels.
At the same time, maintaining low blood pressure is of enhanced important for those with diabetes. As such, a diet that helps maintain a healthy body weight is essential, since high blood pressure is related to obesity and overweight conditions [v].
Diabetics know full well they should eat a calorie-smart diet that is low in fat, fortified with complete protein, and scores low on the Glycemic Index [1]. Yet quite often what is lacking is time to ensure that this diet is maintained.
Unlike individuals without diabetes who can, if they must, "snack" on unhealthy foods from time to time, persons with diabetes are well advised by their qualified doctors to ensure that a very healthy eating regimen is consistently followed. Yet following this regimen is indeed difficult; especially since so many foods in restaurants and vending machines are utterly devoid of healthy ingredients.
At most, one might expect to find some low fat options when eating out; but these usually have high calories, high sodium – to compensate for flavor lost due to reduced fat – and a high GI score. None of this is welcome information for diabetics.
Fortunately, a product called Profect has been medically engineered to provide diabetics with a practical eating solution. Profect, with its low Glycemic Index, contains absolutely no sugar. Therefore, diabetics do not have to worry about their blood sugar levels spiking after eating a serving of Profect.
As an added benefit to those with diabetes, Profect contains 25 grams of complete protein [2] -- and zero fat. As such, Profect can be eaten along with other foods to slow down the overall absorption cycle. Ultimately, this means that Profect can effectively reduce insulin spikes and the subsequent creation of fat cells; which, as noted above, can lead to weight gain and high blood pressure.
Yet perhaps most appreciated by diabetics is the fact that eating Profect is very convenient. It requires no cooking ability, nor the creation of a messy – and potentially poorly configured – health "shake" that might actually add too much protein to the system, and lead to adverse toxic buildup.
The fact that Profect is convenient may seem like something of a marketing "benefit", to be touted on a website or a package container, but the reason for this has nothing to do with marketing appeal. People with diabetes, just like most of the population, lead busy lives in which time is of the essence. Finding 2 or 3 hours each day to create foods is oftentimes unrealistic.
It is because of this need for a convenient and easily accessible food that Protica Research created the 2.7 fluid ounce container to protect each serving. These containers are extremely strong, easy to carry and store, and are deliberately suited for busy, time-starved lifestyles.
Dealing with diabetes is a reality that more than 18 million Americans face each day, and over the next 2 decades the rate of diabetes is expected to increase by almost 250% throughout the developing world [vi].
Daily – one might say hourly – some of the finest brains in science are searching for preventions and cures that will help millions of people diagnosed with diabetes to lead full, healthy lives. Aligned with this ultimate mission is Profect's eating solution for diabetics and healthy eaters alike.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "All About Diabetes". American Diabetes Association.
http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp
[ii] Source: "Diabetes". Diet-i.com.
http://www.diet-i.com/diabetes-diet.htm
[iii] Source: "Diabetic Diet Questions". Anne Collins.
http://www.annecollins.com/diabetic-diet-questions.htm
[iv] Source: "Diabetes Diet". MedlinePlus.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002440.htm
[v] Source: "Diabetes". Diet-i.com.
http://www.diet-i.com/diabetes-diet.htm
[vi] Source: "Diabetes Cases Could Double in Developing Countries in Next 30 Years". World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr86/en/

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating

Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.
Indeed, the risk factors for childhood obesity read like a checklist of ailments that only a generation ago would never have been linked to children and diet: heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and of course, social ridicule and alienation [i]. This latter consequence of childhood obesity -- ridicule and alienation -- has the dual effect of damaging a child both physically and emotionally far beyond childhood, and possibly for the rest of his or her natural life.
For years, medical experts have called for a multi-faceted strategy to address this epidemic. It has been clear that any long-term solution must be fought on four major fronts: physical activity, sedentary behavior, socioeconomic status, and eating habits [ii].
Yet there is room for another pillar; or, at the very least, the identification of another component that must be a part of any lasting solution. This fifth pillar, or undiscovered component, is smart nutritional supplements.
Many obese children have been told repeatedly by well-intentioned dieticians that eating smart is the key to overcoming this scarring condition. This is easier said than done; especially when emotional eating or an unobserved food addiction [1] may fuel adverse eating habits.
Yet being told to "eat smart" is oftentimes not enough. Children must be provided with foods that are nutritionally sound, and foods that they actually enjoy eating. It is this latter criterion that most well-intentioned experts and caregivers overlook. This is explained below.
Most obese children are neither unable to learn, nor willfully disobedient. Some of these children even have remarkable support from their well-adjusted families who dutifully remove the usual suspects of chips, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and other damaging foods from the home. Yet many of these same children continue to gain weight and march ever closer to the litany of health defects noted above.
These children are not sadistic, and they are not attempting to kill themselves through eating; though some do because of the stigma associated with their condition. Indeed, many obese children are cognitively aware of the danger to which they are subjecting their bodies. Yet they continue to snack away in secret, or binge on foods when they get the chance, thereby undoing whatever minor gains might have been achieved in the previous few days or weeks.
The problem is one of food selection. Generally speaking, children of all weights and shapes will not eat something that they do not like. For obese children who have typically had unfettered access to highly stimulating foods such as gravies and sugar-loaded soft drinks, the willpower to eat unpalatable foods is undeveloped. Indeed, the dietician may snack away on carrots and celery while talking to an obese child about the importance of eating smart. For the obese child, carrots and celery are foreign foods for which there is no known preference.
This fifth pillar, or new component, is therefore one that provides obese children with nutritional supplements that they will eat. As stunningly obvious – even axiomatic – as this seems, it has been lost on many experts until recently.
Thankfully, as noted above, there is a solution emerging. It is one that meets this demand for tasty, healthy foods. Forward-thinking companies that understand their consumers are creating low-calorie, highly nutritious foods fortified with life-sustaining vitamins and protein. More importantly: they are tasty, and are often packaged in colorful containers that are "teen-friendly". Companies including MetRx™, Experimental and Applied Sciences™, Protica Research™, and others develop products that fit well within these requirements. Granted, a healthy diet does not start or end with nutritional supplements. A healthy diet employs nutritional supplements to complement and fortify real foods.
Indeed, children and families affected by the obesity epidemic in America are cautiously optimistic at this point; after all, they have been promised solutions in the past. However, thanks to the next generation of nutritional supplements, there is an expectation that this optimism will steadily grow with every success story, and every child that recovers from the potentially devastating impact of obesity.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "The Problem of Overweight in Children and Adolescents". The US Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
[ii] Source: "Childhood Obesity". American Obesity Association.
http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/causes.shtml

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Safely Transitioning Off Meal Replacement Plans

Safely Transitioning Off Meal Replacement Plans
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Meal replacements have been part of the diet landscape for decades. They have helped numerous people lose weight, and more importantly, they have helped people learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating choices. Both quantity and quality of life improvements can be credited to the concept of meal replacement solutions.
Those that have successfully relied upon a meal replacement plan can reflect fondly on how the plan helped address a fundamental diet obstacle: choosing what to eat.
One of the greatest challenges that a dieter faces – if not the greatest – is discovering what to eat, and what to avoid. Answering the latter is usually easier, since most experienced dieters are rather well aware of what they should not be eating. Yet they are often left wondering: what should I eat? Dieters who are fortunate enough to be able to answer this with a simple: I'll eat my meal replacement foods often see their diets succeed beyond its vulnerable infancy [i].
Dieters who rely on willpower alone, or follow a poorly designed "fad" diet, often do not lose weight. The most that these dieters usually experience is maintenance of current weight, or perhaps a few pounds lost, likely through water loss.
As with most weight loss solutions, there are some potential pitfalls that can undermine dieters. And perhaps the most ironic of these pitfalls exists for those dieters who have chosen a meal replacement route to achieve their weight loss goals. This difficulty is explained, and solved, below.
Diets supported by meal replacement plans are often successful; and herein exists the potential problem. Once a dieter has lost his or her desired weight, there is a transition period from meal replacement food to "normal" food. Without the proper nutritional supplements in place to ensure that this transition is both smooth and long-term, a high number of dieters revert back to their pre-diet unhealthy eating habits. The result, regrettably, is the regaining of weight; and for many dieters, yet one more failed attempt to shed pounds and inches [ii].
The blame for this regained weight is typically, and incorrectly, assigned to two sources. The first target for this misplaced blame is the meal replacement plan itself, which promised long-term weight loss yet apparently failed to deliver. The second misplaced blame, and the one that can do the most damage, is directed towards the dieter him/herself. It is just "another failure", and a crushing blow to self-esteem.
However, as noted above, this blame is misdirected. The cause of the problem is neither the meal replacement plan, nor the dieter's lack of willpower. The culprit here was that once the meal replacement plan had done its job, there was no strategy in place to maintain that accomplishment over the long term.
Fortunately, there exist some very well designed nutritional supplements and plans that support this transition strategy. These nutritional supplements are not candy bars posing as "energy bars", or protein powders laden with calories and fat grams [iii].
Rather, these authentic nutritional supplements are scientifically designed, low-calorie, complete eating solutions. That is, they can be used to supplement a meal that is not fortified with vitamins or complete protein, or they can be used -- without health risk -- to replace a meal when healthy eating choices are not available.
Meal replacements have proven their value in the "battle of the bulge"; especially since they provide dieters with an easy answer to the question: what do I eat today? However, it is just as clear that the period just after weight loss, when the meal replacements program ceases, is critical.
Far too many dieters are left without a transition plan that enables them to safely return to a diet of non meal-replacement items. Fortunately for these individuals, and for future dieters as well, there exist authentic and medically engineered nutritional supplement solutions that bridge this gap, and help ensure that a hard won weight loss battle is a long-term victory.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Are you Sabotaging your Diet?". Prevention.com.
http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-4-57-190-4559-3,00.html
[ii] Source: "Meal Replacement Diets". All About Info Ltd.
http://dietsnutrition.allinfoabout.com/features/replace.html
[iii] Source: "Nutritional Supplement". Rolf Rasmussen.
http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Nutritional-Supplement&id=8188

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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The Glycemic Index and Dieting

The Glycemic Index and Dieting
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams, models, acronyms, and abbreviations; more than the average person can memorize. As such, one often comes across someone who has simply burnt out trying to keep track of how much to eat, when to eat it, how to find the calories from fat, the RDI, the DV, and so on. There is an overkill of useful information within the nutrition field, and it can ironically provoke one to grow weary and exhausted, tune out, and go grab a fast food burger.
Yet every once in a while, a concept within the nutrition field emerges that truly demands attention. Over a decade ago, the USDA's "Food Pyramid" was one such concept because it helped eaters discover how many gaps existed in their typical daily diet. Now, as the Food Pyramid begins to take a new shape, and as the nutrition field works to establishes itself as the most important branch of health care in the 21st century, an invention called the Glycemic Index is taking center stage.
The Glycemic Index (GI) is not new; it has been around for more than 2 decades. Yet until recently, its exposure beyond the world of diabetes has been limited [i].
The Glycemic Index indicates how "high" or "low" blood sugar levels change in response to carbohydrate intake. A "high" Glycemic Index indicates carbohydrates with a swift breakdown, whereas a "low" Glycemic Index indicates carbohydrates with slow, gradual breakdown. Both terms are of equal importance to diabetics, because there are times with high Glycemic Index foods are required, and times where low Glycemic Index foods are required.
Indeed, the Glycemic Index itself is not new, but its application far beyond the borders of a diabetic dialogue is notable; especially for dieters.
People striving to lose weight often face a nemesis much tougher than establishing an exercise regimen or introducing healthier foods into their diet. The problem is one of energy. Many dieters are surprised – and disturbed – to learn that their diet program is causing them to lose more than inches and pounds: they are losing energy.
This is often expressed as a complaint, as in "I'm feeling weak", or even "I can't stay awake". Many dieters and those advising them have erroneously chalked this up to a matter of attitude, or will power, or some non-biological cause.
The plain truth is that many dieters have been oblivious to the Glycemic Index, and hence, to the fact that many of the diet foods they have eaten – or are eating right now – score very high Glycemic Index levels. As such, these foods are providing a quick boost to blood sugar levels, and then setting up the dieter for the inevitable fall. This is because high GI foods typically increase blood sugar values, which in turn trigger the hormone insulin to clear sugar from the blood. Since blood sugar (a.k.a. glucose) largely dictates the body's energy levels, it stands to reason that this process manifests as an initial boost in energy, and then as a depletion of energy. This rise and fall of blood sugar – and energy – is often described by dieters using a "roller-coaster" analogy: one minute they feel confident and strong, and the next, they are about to pass out and require some kind of stimulant in order to make it through the day.
Regrettably for many dieters, that stimulant is usually more high Glycemic Index foods, such as sugary snacks or soft drinks. It is easy to see how this experience can lead an individual to stop dieting. After all, before the diet, the individual was merely gaining weight. On the diet, the individual is gaining weight and is exhausted for most of the day. It is better to quit the diet.
The above scenario only takes place, however, when a dieter unwittingly eats high Glycemic Index foods. Research has shown that low Glycemic Index foods, which raise blood sugar levels much more gradually than high Glycemic Index foods, are very helpful for dieters [ii]. This is because a dieter will experience less of a "roller-coaster" ride while on the diet, and furthermore, will be less inclined to snack because energy in the form of blood glucose is being released slowly and gradually. Low Glycemic Index foods are much more efficient sources of energy than high Glycemic Index foods, because the body needs less insulin to convert food into energy [iii].
Despite the growing awareness that low Glycemic Index foods are beneficial, the world of diet foods has not kept pace. This is because many manufacturers are searching frantically to find low Glycemic Index carbohydrates sources for their products, and overlooking a basic, simple fact: the lowest possibly Glycemic Index is no carbohydrates at all.
These zero-carbohydrate/zero sugar nutritional supplements – which are quite rare in the market – do not deliver any sugar to the bloodstream. As a result, dieters do not have to worry about riding the "roller coaster" of energy spikes and pitfalls.
Yet there is an even greater benefit for dieters who choose a 'zero sugar' nutritional supplement. If that low Glycemic Index nutritional supplement is rich in complete protein, then it will act as a sort of antidote to high GI foods by helping to combat their adverse consequences.
For example, a dieter who eats a high Glycemic Index candy car can mitigate the roller-coaster spike in blood sugar levels by eating a nutritional supplement that has very low Glycemic Index and has a rich source of complete protein. This is because the protein in the nutritional supplement mixes with the high Glycemic Index of the candy bar, and effectively lowers the overall Glycemic Index. This is welcome news to dieters who would otherwise be seeing those extra carbohydrates transformed by insulin into triglycerides, and stored in adipose tissue; also known as body fat.
Currently, only a handful of nutritional supplements are designed to offer zero carbohydrates and thus score as low as possible on the Glycemic Index. And of these zero-carbohydrate products, even fewer offer a rich source of complete protein that effectively helps counter the blood sugar spike impact of high Glycemic Index foods.
It is inspiring to note that Glycemic Index is getting some well-deserved attention from outside the diabetic community, where it has helped millions of people eat wisely. Now, dieters and obese people can enjoy the wisdom that this index promotes.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "The G.I. Diet: A Food Drill". CBS News.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/04/earlyshow/living/main604138.shtml
[ii] Source: "The Glycemic Index". The Healthy Weight Forum.
http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/articles/glycemic-index/
[iii] Source "Glycemic Index". WebMD.
http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/uq2846.asp

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Beyond Macronutrients and the Importance of Vitamin Supplements

Beyond Macronutrients and the Importance of Vitamin Supplements
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Most healthy eaters are familiar with the three macronutrients that garner the most media attention within the diet world: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Indeed, some highly regarded eating programs, such as the Isometric Diet®, are designed to deliver an optimal balance of these three macronutrients.
Yet what is often overlooked in a nutrition vocabulary dominated by talk of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, is the plain fact that vitamin supplements play a critical role in an overall healthy eating program. It is a neglect that, ironically, derives from scientific misunderstanding.
Until recently, the scientific community firmly maintained that vitamin supplements were unnecessary and potentially even dangerous. This claim was based on a position that the body's vitamin needs could be met through diet, and that vitamin supplements are largely created from synthetic, low quality ingredients.
However, evidence to the contrary has emerged; or to put things more accurately, the scientific community is finally accepting a new view. Clinical studies clearly show that high quality vitamin supplements can be produced from all natural sources, and that taking them can prevent serious health ailments such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and even cancer [i].
It has also been accepted that vitamin supplements help the body effectively regulate how energy is utilized. In this sense, they ensure that the energy delivered by macronutrients – in the form of calories – is directed properly to promote growth and development [ii].
However, despite the scientifically proven importance of vitamin supplements, some key concerns have been raised. Specifically, the nutrition community has raised questions with respect to the potential toxicity of supplements that contain "fat-soluble" vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are not easily and swiftly eliminated by the body. Instead, they are stored in organs and tissues. Over time, there can be a build-up of fat-soluble vitamins [iii], which can lead to adverse health effects such as nausea, diarrhea, unhealthy weight loss, bone density loss, and digestive tract disorders [iv].
Fortunately, to avoid this potential damage, there are vitamin and nutritional supplement products on the market that offer water-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins travel smoothly through the body and the excess is excreted through the kidneys. As such, there is little to no risk of toxic build up [v].
At the same time, these water-soluble vitamin and nutritional supplements can be derived from all-natural sources. This is important to note, because, synthetic vitamins can only replicate a fraction of the beneficial nutrients found in natural sources. As such, the holistic positive impact that can only come from several nutrients working together cannot be reproduced synthetically [vi].
These scientific acknowledgements of the value of vitamin supplements -- and the accessibility of water-soluble, all-natural products -- bode well for the average consumer, and especially well for dieters.
Some diets irresponsibly advise dieters to take diuretic pills that create weight loss through water loss. As a consequence to this short-term strategy, dieters often become dangerously deficient in water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Biotin, and Folic Acid.
However, some well-designed nutritional supplements provide anywhere from 50% to 100% of these essential vitamins. As such, dieters who are currently subscribing to an unhealthy water-loss diet can responsibly transition to these products, and replenish their depleted water-soluble vitamin stock.
Similarly, dieters who are fortunate enough to have avoided these potentially dangerous diet pill/diuretic diets can wisely integrate these nutritional supplements into their current eating regimen.
Indeed, the scientific community, for all of the contributions it has made to diet and nutrition, has been unusually slow in accepting the fact that vitamin supplements are an essential part of healthy eating. Yet the consensus of this fact is now fairly widespread, as is the understanding that water-soluble and all-natural products simply outclass fat-soluble and synthetic products in terms of safety and efficacy.
It may have taken a decade or so too long to reach this "vitamin awareness", but now that it is here, it is reason for both dieters and non-dieters to celebrate a future of healthier and smarter eating.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Dietary Insurance: A Daily Multivitamin". Harvard School of Public Health.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins.html
[ii] Source: "Vitamins and Minerals". McKinley Health Center.
http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/Handouts/vitaminmineral.html
[iii] Source: "Toxicity of Vitamins". Medicinal Foods News.
http://www.medicinalfoodnews.com/vol04/issue3/toxicity.htm
[iv] Source: "Fat-Soluble Vitamins". Colorado State University.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09315.html
[v] Source: "Vitamins". WebMD.
http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/stv5441.asp
[vi] Source: "Natural Vitamins or Synthetic?". Olga Timbol.
http://www.chiff.com/a/natural-vitamin.htm

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Understanding Amino Acids and their Importance in Diet

Understanding Amino Acids and their Importance in Diet
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

The importance of protein in a healthy diet is well known to nutritional scientists, and widely understood by the general population. Indeed, every bodily system is directly or indirectly supported by protein. For example, protein supports the structural development of cells, helps ensure the integrity of tissue, aids digestion, carries hormones, and strengthens the immune system[i].
More recently, however, the motivation for people to choose protein-rich foods has been fueled by carbohydrate-free and carbohydrate-reduced diets, such as the Atkins™ Diet, South Beach Diet™ and Isometric Diet™. Via each of these diet programs, millions of people are vigilantly scanning food labels, and asking pertinent health questions when eating out. Added to this growing number of protein-aware people are, of course, the millions of bodybuilders, powerlifters and athletes who have demonstrated for centuries the irreplaceable value of protein in building and maintaining muscle.
As impressive and inspiring as it is to see that more people than ever before are "protein-conscious", there is still more useful protein information to learn. It is well past time to add an understanding of amino acids to this protein knowledge base.
Many people – understandably -- do not recognize that amino acids are not acids as they are conventionally understood. Rather, they are the molecular units that comprise protein. They are, quite simply, the very building blocks of protein.
Amino acids are organic compounds that contain two groups of molecules: amino (-NH2) and carboxyl (-COOH). There are a total of 19 amino acids in the human diet, of which 11 are non-essential, and the remaining 8 are essential. It is this critically important fact – that there are 2 kinds of amino acids -- that should be well understood and acted upon by eaters everywhere.
If the term "amino acid" does not readily suggest the link to protein, the terms "non-essential" amino acids and "essential" amino acids can be sources of even greater confusion. The nutritional world is fond of the word "essential", and uses it often to describe something that is important, or critical, or irreplaceable. For example, a nutritionist may rationally inform her patient that eating 50 grams of protein per day is essential; and by this she means "very important".
This same application of the term does now, however, flow to the "essential" and "non essential" amino acid vocabulary.
Non-essential amino acids are those that the body is able to synthesize itself. This does not mean, of course, that the body can create these non-essential amino acids out of nothing. Rather, it means that the body's own internal laboratory can create these 11 non-essential amino acids from raw materials. It is for this reason that these 11 amino acids are called non-essential; it has nothing to do with the term "important" or "unimportant". These 11 non-essential amino acids include, in alphabetical order:[ii] Alanine Arginine Asparagine Aspartic Acid Cysteine Glutamic Acid Glutamine Glycine Histidine Proline Tyrosine
The remaining 8 amino acids are called essential; and this refers to the fact that they cannot be synthesized. The body can only receive them exogenously (eg. through food). These essential amino acids include, in alphabetical order:[iii] Isoleucine Leucine Lysine Methionine Phenylalanine Serine Threonine Tryptophan Valine
Understanding the importance of amino acids is critical, because a failure to eat foods that contain these essential amino acids can lead to deficiency and adverse health effects. These effects can include – but are not limited to -- fatigue, allergies, loss of memory, and even heart disease[iv]. When one considers the pain and suffering caused by any of these four ill health effects, and the myriad of subsequent ailments that they can provoke, it becomes readily apparent that a knowledge of amino acids, and especially "essential" amino acids, must be a part of an intelligent eater's knowledge base.
While there has been some movement on the part of nutritional supplement companies to provide eaters with convenient and palatable sources of protein, many of them have put their marketing needs first and ignored amino acids altogether. As a consequence of this omission, some eaters are actually suffering from an "overdose" of incomplete protein. This is because what they are eating may not provide them with the total, essential protein that they need. The only complete proteins on the planet are derived from dairy, meat, fish, poultry and soy, and these foods are not present in our most common foods. There are, however, protein supplements that also offer proteins with the full spectrum of amino acids.
The solution here is uncomplicated and accessible. Eaters must simply choose to eat foods and nutritional supplements that offer a "complete" source of protein. This means that all 19 essential amino acids must be present including, of course, the "essential 8" amino acids that the body cannot synthesize.
There are some companies – though still clearly in the minority – that create nutritional supplements that carefully ensure that all of the amino acids are present. It is notable that these companies do not necessarily have to do this, since neither the Food and Drug Administration nor many consumers are demanding this from their food labeling; at least, not yet. This is all the more reason to laud those companies that are putting people and nutrition first, and marketing a distant second.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Amino Acids. Diet-and-health-net.
http://www.diet-and-health.net/Nutrients/AminoAcids.html
[ii] Source: "Amino Acids". About.com.
http://exercise.about.com/library/Glossary/bldef-amino_acids.htm
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Source: "What are Amino Acids?". Vanderbilt University.
http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/content.asp?ID=759

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Protein Principles for Diabetes

Protein Principles for Diabetes
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Dietary considerations can present a Hobson's choice in diabetes. Even when the intake is nutritious, assimilating it can be another matter. Then there is the problem of progression of diabetic complications if one ends up with excess glucose or fat in the system. Excess carbohydrates in a meal, and the resulting uncontrolled blood sugar levels can be detrimental to any number of tissues, from the lens of the eye, to the neurons, small blood vessels and the kidneys. Fat is also a problem with increase incidences of atherosclerosis, large vessel disease and cardiac complications. What, then is the appropriate macronutrient for the diabetic population? Enough medical literature exists to suggest that in diabetes, proteins are probably the best bet.
Proteins are the natural choice of the body when faced with diabetes. In uncontrolled diabetes, muscle protein is broken down into amino acids to be converted into glucose by the liver. If left to fend for itself, this can create a commotion within the body. Since proteins have to supply enough energy to substitute for carbohydrates, proteins are broken down faster than they are made. The body ends up with a protein deficit, a situation with subtle, yet far-reaching effects on normal body functions. Importantly, for diabetics, a protein deficit has been shown to impair resistance to infections (Ganong WF). Replenishing the depleting protein stores is a vital requirement of all diabetic diets.
Importance of proteins in a diabetic has been well documented. The American Associations of Clinical Endocrinologists have made it clear that not much evidence exists to indicate that the patients with diabetes need to reduce their intake of dietary proteins. The AACE recommends that 10-20% of the calorie intake in diabetes should come from proteins (AACE Diabetes Guidelines). It is in fact believed that this is one nutrient that does not increase blood glucose levels in both diabetics and healthy subjects (Gannon et al).
Nutrition therapy for diabetes has progressed from prevention of obesity or weight gain to improving insulin's effectiveness and contributing to improved metabolic control (Franz MJ). In this new role, a high protein diet (30% of total food energy) forms a very pertinent part of nutrition therapy. One of the most important causes for type II diabetes is obesity. Excess body fat raises insulin resistance and higher levels of insulin are required to bring down blood sugars as the weight increases (Ganong WF). Another problem with excess fat is the clogging of arteries with atherosclerotic plaques that is responsible for a wide range of diabetic complications. Any mechanism that reduces body fat decreases insulin resistance and improves blood glucose control. Parker et al have also shown that a high protein diet decreased abdominal and total fat mass in women with type II diabetes. Other studies by Gannon et al. and Nuttall et al have verified that blood glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin (a marker of long term diabetic control) reduce after 5 weeks on a diet containing 30% of the total food energy in the form of proteins and low carbohydrate content. It is speculated that a high protein diet has a favorable effect in diabetes due to the ability of proteins and amino acids to stimulate insulin release from the pancreas. Thus, a high protein diet is not only safe in diabetes, but can also be therapeutic, resulting in improved glycemic control, and decreased risk of complications related to diabetes.
The benefits of a high protein diet do not end here. Individual protein components of such a diet, when aptly chosen, can have other advantages as well. Dietary supplements containing proteins like whey and casein come highly recommended. Casein is a milk protein and has the ability to form a gel or clot in the stomach. The ability to form this clot makes it very efficient in nutrient supply. The clot is able to provide a sustained, slow release of amino acids into the blood stream, sometimes lasting for several hours (Boirie et al. 1997). A slow sustained release of nutrients matches well with the limited amount of insulin that can be produced by the pancreas in diabetes. A protein supplement containing casein can thus increase the amount of energy assimilated from every meal and, at the same time, reduce the need for pharmacological interventions to control blood sugar.
Whey proteins and caseins also contain "casokinins" and "lactokinins', (FitzGerald) which have been found to decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive humans (Seppo). In addition, whey protein forms bioactive amine in the gut that promotes immunity. Whey protein contains an ample supply of the amino acid cysteine. Cysteine appears to enhance glutathione levels, which has been shown to have strong antioxidant properties -- antioxidants mop up free radicals that induce cell death and play a role in aging.
Thus, development of a protein supplement containing casein and whey can provide an apt high protein diet and its health benefits to individuals suffering from diabetes, obesity and hypercholesterolemia.
REFERENCES
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. Medical guidelines for the management of diabetes. AACE Diabetes Guidelines, Endocr Pract. 2002; 8(Suppl 1).
Boirie, Y., Dangin, M., Gachon, P., Vasson, M.P., Maubois, J.L. and Beaufrere, B. (1997) Slow and fast dietary proteins differently modulate postprandial protein accretion. Proclamations of National Academy of Sciences 94, 14930-14935.
Counous, G. Whey protein concentrates (WPC) and glutathione modulation in cancer treatment. Anticancer Research 2000; 20, 4785-4792
FitzGerald RJ, Murray BA, Walsh D J. Hypotensive Peptides from Milk Proteins. J. Nutr. 134: 980S–988S, 2004.
Franz MJ. Prioritizing diabetes nutrition recommendations based on evidence. Minerva Med. 2004; 95(2):115-23.
Gannon et al An increase in dietary protein improves the blood glucose response in persons with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 78:734– 41.
Gannon MC, Nuttall J A, Damberg G. Effect of protein ingestion on the glucose appearance rate in people with type II diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86: 1040–1047, 2001
Ganong W F. Review of Medical Physiology, 21st Ed. Lange Publications 2003
Ha, E. and Zemel, M.B. Functional properties of whey, whey components, and essential amino acids: mechanisms underlying health benefits for active people. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 2003; 14, 251-258.
Kent KD, Harper WJ, Bomser JA. Effect of whey protein isolate on intracellular glutathione and oxidant-induced cell death in human prostate epithelial cells. Toxicol in Vitro. 2003; 17(1):27-33.
Nuttall et al. The Metabolic Response of Subjects with Type II Diabetes to a High-Protein, Weight-Maintenance. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88: 3577–3583, 2003
Parker et al. Effect of a High-Protein, High–Monounsaturated Fat Weight Loss Diet on glycemic Control and Lipid Levels in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 25:425–430, 2002.
Seppo, L., Jauhiainen, T., Poussa, T. & Korpela, R. () A fermented milk high in bioactive peptides has a blood pressure-lowering effect in hypertensive subjects. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003; 77: 326–330.
Unger RH. Glucagon physiology and pathophysiology. N Engl J Med. 1971; 285:443– 449.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Redeeming Unsaturated Fat

Redeeming Unsaturated Fat
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

The most dreaded word in many dieter's vocabulary is 'fat'. It is not uncommon to hear a dieter discuss their avoidance of eating fat as if it were something thoroughly unwholesome, or even life-threatening, like an allergen, or a contagious disease.
In one way, this impassioned hatred of fat is positive. It reflects a generally understood medical truth that overindulging in fat-rich foods often causes unwanted, and unhealthy, weight gain.
However, in another way, this fat-phobia is potentially dangerous, because awareness of fat is not enough; an understanding of how fat influences weight gain and overall health is required. Unfortunately, those who dread and avoid all fat "as a rule" are overlooking an important difference between saturated fat and unsaturated fat.
Saturated fat is often the real culprit when it comes to unwanted, and potentially unhealthy, weight gain. These types of fats, which are solid at room temperature, initiate the production of LDL cholesterol, or "bad cholesterol". In addition to weight gain, as cholesterol increases, so does the risk of heart disease. In fact, saturated fats increase LDL cholesterol disproportionately more than dietary cholesterol itself; that is how powerfully bad it is to the human body[i]. Dreading and avoiding this kind of fat is therefore quite intelligent.
Some dieters, however, are motivated less by concerns about high cholesterol and heart disease than they are about cosmetic weight gain. This is not a criticism; the adverse health effects of excess weight are well documented, as are the emotional traumas and social stigmas that tragically affect tens of millions of overweight people, especially children[ii].
Unquestionably, an excess intake of saturated fat is linked to weight gain. This is because a fat gram contains more than twice the amount of calories as a protein gram – 9 calories versus 4 calories[iii]. As a result, dieters can eat more than twice as many protein grams as fat grams to achieve the same amount of caloric intake. For dieters who are steadfastly watching every calorie, this 125% calorie difference between protein and fat can have an enormous impact.
Fat cells, once created, cannot be removed[1]; they can only be made smaller through the body's metabolic calorie-burning process[iv]. Since an individual's rate of metabolism is determined largely by genetics, a dieter with a slower than average metabolism will spend months, perhaps even years longer struggling to shrink fat cells then would his or her metabolically-gifted counterpart[v].
It is quite easy to understand, based on the above discussion, why the very idea of fat is dreaded by dieters; both because of the health hazards it poses, and its capacity to create excess fat cells. And it is just as easy to understand why many people are so afraid of consuming this kind of fat that they strive to remove all fat from their diet. This, however, is a large nutritional oversight.
Fat is a macronutrient that the body requires for a number of important functions. Fat is a source of energy. It helps keep the body warm, it aids in the absorption of some vitamins, and helps regulate the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system[vi]. This appears, however, to be a contradiction.
On the one hand there are health and weight gain hazards associated with fat, and on the other hand, there are proven health benefits associated with fat. How can this be? The answer is easily understood when we differentiate between the two types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. The kind of fat associated with health hazards is the former; the kind that the body needs and uses effectively is the latter.
There are two sub-types of unsaturated fat: polysaturated fat, and monosaturated fat. Popular foods that contain polysaturated fat include safflower oil and corn oil, while monosaturated fats are found in such foods as olive oil and peanut oil. These unsaturated fats are those that provide the body with the most useful and efficient sources of fat that lead to the health benefits noted above.
However, though there is a clear benefit to eating unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats, both types continue to offer eaters the standard 9 calories per gram. As such, no eater should consume an excess amount of fat.
Equipped with the awareness and understanding that avoiding saturated fat is hazardous to health, and that there is such a thing as "good" (unsaturated) fat, it would be expected that most nutritional supplements on the market have created foods that reflect this understanding. This is, regrettably, not the case.
Most nutritional supplements contain some fat content; many even contain saturated fat for some inexplicable reason[2]. Tragically – and there is no other word – many dieters are deceived into eating self-described nutritionally intelligent foods that may be "low calorie", and may even have some vitamins and nutrients, but they but they are adding to the individual's limited capacity to ingest fat grams. Many people who seek to lose weight by eating nutritional supplements often gain weight. They erroneously believe it is the result of a slow metabolism, when the culprit is the amount of fat grams ingested.
Fortunately, there are several fat-free food supplements on the market today. There are several important benefits of this strategy that benefit dieters of all sizes.
The obvious benefit is that a dieter does not have to count fat calories when eating these nutritional supplements; they are 100% fat free, and do not add to their daily fat-intake limit.
Less obviously, however, is that a zero-fat nutritional supplement that contains protein can stimulate the digestive system and minimize fat storage. This is because the protein content can help regulate the body's ability to effectively absorb the calories that it derives from carbohydrates and fats. For example, a dieter who eats a sugary, fat-filled cupcake can mitigate fat storage and increase nutrient utilization by eating it with a protein-rich nutritional supplement.
The world of nutrition has long since known the link between dietary fat and weight gain. Unsaturated fat can be a trusted ally in the fight against weight loss. Understanding how it differs from saturated fat helps demystify the stigma of unsaturated fats – a stigma that should be reserved for its unhealthy cousin, saturated fats.

[1] Fat cells can be removed externally, through such methods as liposuction and stapling, but these so-called solutions carry their own brand of risks and consequences.
[2] Actually, the reason is usually because of taste.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Fat Dictionary". Dietsite.com.
http://www.dietsite.com/dt/diets/HeartHealthy/fatdictionary.asp#SATURATED%20FATS:
[ii] Source: "The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity". US Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
[iii] Source: "Reducing Dietary Fat". WebMD.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/46/2731_1679
[iv] Source: "Can Diabetics Benefit from the Removal of Fat?". Washington University Physicians.
http://wuphysicians.wustl.edu/newsArchive.asp?navID=1&category=home&ID=288
[v] Source: "Weight Loss Understanding Why Diet's Don't Work – and what DOES Work". Healthynewage.com.
http://www.healthynewage.com/losing-weight.htm
[vi] ibid.

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Food Selection for Gastric Bypass Patients

Food Selection for Gastric Bypass Patients
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Dieters who dejectedly complain they are figuratively "stuck" with their excess fat may be surprised to learn there is a scientifically-accurate truth to their statement. Fat cells -- which are created when the body is unable to convert excess calories to energy -- are permanent. Fat cells cannot be removed by any diet known to humanity [1]. They can, however, be reduced in size. This is the experience enjoyed by people who lose weight [i].
There is, however, an increasingly popular – and controversial – method to eliminate fat cells permanently via an external, non-diet method. Scientifically referred to as a Gastric Bypass Operation, but more popularly known as "stomach stapling", this procedure literally staples part of the stomach together. The result is that food intake becomes severely restricted, and the body begins the process of malabsorption, or a decreased ability to absorb nutrients. In addition, the duodenum [2] is bypassed to prevent the absorption of nutrients that could cause excess calories, and as such, the creation of additional fat cells [ii].
In addition to this, a more complex and less frequent procedure called Extensive Gastric Bypass or "biliopancreatic diversion" involves the removal stomach parts, and the circumvention of the duodenum and jejunum – or in laypersons terms, the circumvention of the first part of the small intestine, and the middle portion the small intestine. The result is an even greater malabsorption capacity.
The bulk of concern surrounding stomach-stamping procedures is emanating from the medical community. Some experts are worried that individuals opting for this rather dramatic surgery are not prepared to make post-procedure lifestyle changes. They point out that since stomach stapling reduces the size of the stomach, and therefore the amount of food that a person can digest is severely reduced, an individual must be fully equipped to eat wisely after the procedure. This "wise eating" must include both the volume of post-procedure food that is eaten, and the number of calories that are eaten on a daily basis [iii].
These experts are also quick to point out that the failure to adequately prepare people for post-procedure wise eating habits often leads to various forms of malnutrition. These include anemia due to Iron and B12 deficiencies, hair loss, calcium deficiencies, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, diarrhea, and the loss of water-soluble essential vitamins such as C, Niacin, and B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Biotin, and Folic Acid [iv].
The jury on whether stomach stapling is a "fair" choice, or one that is driven by unhealthy body-image stereotypes propagated by the media and elsewhere, is hotly debated and will continue to dominate conversations about this controversial procedure. Yet what cannot be lost in this debate is that, everyday, real human beings are facing an uphill battle after their stomach stapling surgery. For these people, whether they chose to have the surgery due to body image issues or not, the rationale is rather academic once the surgery is over. What they clearly need at this point are nutritional supplement solutions that cater to their new eating limits and framework.
Profect, which is a nutritional supplement created by Protica Research, does not support the proliferation of unhealthy body image expectations that people are inundated with each day; especially impressionable youth. Yet with this being said, Profect has been engineered to provide those who have opted for this dramatic weight-loss surgery with an ideal source of post-procedure food.
Each serving of Profect is contained in 2.7 fluid ounces, which is significantly smaller than most other nutritional supplements. It is therefore aptly suited for those who must limit their volume of food intake. At the same time, each serving of Profect contains only 100-calories – none of which are from fat -- and as such will not lead to runaway caloric intake.
What is clearly the most appreciated medical quality, however, is Profect's protein configuration. Each 2.7 fluid ounce serving of Profect contains 25 grams of protein. This is the densest protein available on the market. As such, individuals who are obliged to eat very small food portions can easily ingest 100% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Intake of protein in less than six fluid ounces.
In addition, each serving of Profect contains 50% to 100% of all nine water-soluble vitamins. These vitamins help consumers replenish the vitamin stores that they may be losing due to the post-procedure side effects noted above, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and sweating. In the long-term, daily usage of Profect provides the body with the critically important constant flow of water-soluble vitamins.
Indeed, the controversy surrounding stomach stapling, which also includes its hefty price tag, will continue; and it is important to hear all views. Yet what must also continue is quality education and awareness. People must be adequately informed that while their weight may seemingly "disappear" overnight thanks to stomach stapling, there is still a challenging road ahead. This road includes an eating regimen that will require conscientious food selections, much smaller portions, and careful monitoring of protein and vitamin intake.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Is the Number of Fat Cells you Have Predetermined?". iVillage.
http://www.ivillage.com/diet/experts/wlcoach/qas/0,,222000_36838,00.html?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=1&pba=adid=13185251
[ii] Source: "Weight Loss: Gastric Bypass Operations". WebMD.
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/46/2731_1654.htm
[iii] Source: "What You Need to Know About: Gastric Bypass". About.com.
http://weightloss.about.com/cs/gastricbypass/l/blgastby1.htm
[iv] Source: "Gastric Bypass". MedlinePlus.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007199.htm

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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Why Many Fat Free Diets Do Not Work

Why Many Fat Free Diets Do Not Work
 by: Protica Nutritional Research

Most people understand that it is wise to limit the amount of fat grams in their daily diet. The dietary reference intake amount for an adult ranges from 20% to 35%[i] of daily calories; or about 44 to 55 grams per day[1]. Since a single slice of pecan pie carries with it 27 grams of fat, and a mere tablespoon of thousand island salad dressing contains 8 grams of fat[ii], it is not surprising to see more and more people checking food labels and "passing over" an order of onion rings[2] as they try to lose, or maintain, inches and pounds.
However, the relentless avoidance of fat – even of healthy unsaturated fat – is creating a troubling scenario for many individuals. Instead of losing weight when they go "fat free", they are actually gaining weight.
Many people on the road to weight loss forget – or simply do not know – that the words "fat free" do not also mean "calorie free". As a result, many people ingest far too much "fat free" food, believing that it will not add weight, since, alas, it is dubbed "fat free". Yet it is the calories in these fat-free foods that cause the weight gain; not the fat grams themselves[iii].
A single gram of fat contain nine calories, which is more than double the amount of calories in a gram protein or carbohydrate. Therefore, mathematically speaking, an eater can consume twice as many protein or carbohydrate grams than fat grams, and achieve the same caloric intake. Since many high-fat foods contain an excessive amount of fat grams – such as onion rings – it has become a staple of dieting wisdom to reduce fat intake and avoid such oily, greasy foods[3].
Yet it bears repeating that the reason to avoid fat-rich foods is not because of the word "fat"; it is because each fat gram contains a scale-tipping 9 calories. In other words: the weight-conscious reason for avoiding excess fat grams is because it leads to a higher caloric intake.
Dieters who neglect to realize this basic nutritional fact – that weight gain is about calories and not about fat grams themselves – fail to realize, and often at their eventual dismay, how the body actually gains and loses weight.
The typical adult male American diet calls for 2000 calories per day because this is how many calories are collectively use and burned (i.e. converted into energy) by the body each day. As an example, an average male dieter who consumes 1800 calories a day will "save" 200 calories per day. As there are 3,500 calories in a pound, the dieter in this scenario will "save" 3,600 calories over the course of 18 days (18 x 200 calories). This translates into a loss of one pound. Similarly, if this dieter consumes an excess 200 calories per day, a pound of weight will be gained in 18 days.
A dieter who is not aware of this mathematical formula may indeed avoid fat altogether and consume, for example, 6 tablespoons of "fat free" caramel topping per day; believing that this is not a part of the weight gain equation, because it is labeled as "fat free". This is not false advertising, as fat free caramel topping contains no fat grams. However, fat free caramel topping delivers 103 calories per two tablespoon serving[iv].
If this dieter is adhering to a diet regimen of 44 fat grams per day -- and does not count calories -- then he will simply not know that in these 6 mere tablespoons are a substantial 309 calories; or 15% of the total daily caloric intake for a 2000 calorie/day diet.
In fact, a dieter could subsist entirely on "fat free" foods, and easily exceed their target daily caloric intake by their second meal of the day. These excess calories are obviously not deriving from fat grams; but they are coming from another source, most probably carbohydrates.
Again, the message here that many dieters do not receive from the advertising and marketing media is that fat grams in and of themselves do not necessarily "cause" weight gain. Rather, fat grams contribute to the total caloric intake, and they should be counted alongside carbohydrates and proteins.
Adding an unnecessary layer of complexity here is that many "healthy foods", such as energy bars, contain an excessive amount of calories. A chocolate chip Energy Bar™, for example, contains 230 calories; which is actually only 40 calories less than a Butterfinger™ candy bar[v]. Unfortunately, because the Energy Bar contains 2 grams of fat and is therefore "low fat", some dieters eat several per day; and pack on 230 calories each time, despite the fact that virtually none of those calories come from fat. It does not matter; the dieter will still gain weight if his or her daily caloric intake threshold is surpassed. Dieters who expect yogurt-covered bars to be "healthier" are also misled; the yogurt-berry Balance BarФ contains 200 calories per serving, despite the fact that only 25% of the calories come from its 6 grams of fat.
However, there are some responsible nutritional supplement products on the market that are engineered to be both low fat/fat-free and low-calorie. These foods are of benefit to dieters when they are losing weight, and also in the vulnerable period after the weight has been lost. Regrettably, many very well intentioned dieters who have made tremendous strides and sacrifices to lose weight regain it within the first few "post-diet" months. While a number of factors influence whether a dieter will regain weight, including environment and genetics, one major culprit is that dieters are not provided with low-fat, low-calorie, and palatable food sources once they have achieved their weight loss goals. They consequently return to previous eating habits, and the unwanted weight returns within weeks.
However, as mentioned, there are intelligent nutritional supplements on the market that do fill this void, and ethically serve dieters – and post-dieters – with foods that they need to stay healthy, and fend off weight gain. For the sake of current and future dieters who are going to struggle with misleading "fat free" marketing, it is hoped that such intelligent companies, and their products, quickly become the norm of the future, rather than the exception of today.

[1] Fat grams contain 9 calories each.
[2] 3 grams of fat per onion ring!
[3] As briefly noted above, many dieters fail to realize that there are healthy unsaturated fats that the body requires; the body cannot produce fat on its own, it must receive it through diet. Yet even unsaturated fat grams contain 9 calories each, and so the understanding the fats should be severely limited holds true.
REFERENCES
[i] Source: "Unsaturated Fat". Discoveryhealth.com.
http://health.discovery.com/encyclopedias/1946.html
[ii] Source: "Fat Content of Foods". Weight Control Infocenter.
http://holisticonline.com/Remedies/weight/weight_table-fat-content-of-foods2.htm
[iii] : "Watching Fat vs. Calories". Good Housekeeping/iVillage.
http://magazines.ivillage.com/goodhousekeeping/diet/nutrition/qas/0,,284558_291893,00.html?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=1&pba=adid=13272851
[iv] Source: "Fat Free vs. Regular Calorie Comparison". US Food and Drug Administration.
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/chrt_calcomp.html
[v] Source: "Fueling Up with Energy Bars". Healthcentral.com
http://www.healthcentral.com/FitorFat/FitorFatFullText.cfm?ID=34334&storytype=CBTips

About The Author

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - www.protica.com

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at http://www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at http://www.profect.com

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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How To Jump Rope For Health and Fitness

How To Jump Rope For Health and Fitness
 by: Marilyn Pokorney

Rope skipping is an excellent cardiovascular exercise according to the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Council. It is far less hard on the muscles and bones than jogging.
While running or jogging, each foot absorbs up to 5 times the body weight from the force of the impact as the foot hits the ground. This force of hitting the ground can cause damage to the feet, ankles, hips and knees. But in rope skipping, the shock of hitting the ground is absorbed by both feet allowing the calf muscles to control and absorb the impact.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, skipping rope is among the activities it recommends for aerobic conditioning. In order to improve heart and lung health, it must be performed 3 to 5 times per week for 12 to 20 minutes an hour, and at an intensity that will get the heart rate into training range.
To find your training range subtract your age from 220. Multiply that figure by .9 to get the high range. Multiply by .6 to get low range. With this formula a person 25 years old must keep their aerobic heart pulse between 117 and 176 to be gaining benefit. Aerobic benefits do not diminish or decline with training as in other aerobic activities.
>From an energy standpoint, jumping rope at about 130 revolutions per minute is similar to running at 6 miles per hour or cycling 12 miles per hour. Just 10 minutes of rope skipping is equivalent to a one-mile run.
When choosing a rope, hold the rope and stand with your feet on the middle. If the length is correct, the handles should just reach your armpits. Handles should be thick and comfortable.
Look for a cushioned surface to jump on. A large rectangular carpet remnant is ideal. Hard surfaces like concrete should be avoided.
Choose well-cushioned athletic footwear just as you would for walking or running.
Start slow by gradually increasing session time over 2 to 3 weeks to let your leg muscles get accustomed to the extra exercise.
Many adults give up rope jumping because they are uncoordinated and miss too many steps. But this improves with time and practice.
More information on jump ropes may be found at:
http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/fitnessequipment.htm
REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter, ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam).
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Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney
Please leave the resource box intact with an active link, and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net

About The Author

Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
marilynp@nctc.net

This article was posted on January 30, 2005

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Who Is At Increased Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?

Who Is At Increased Risk For Developing Mesothelioma?
 by: Linda Woodhouse

Since the late 1800's Asbestos has been mined and used commercially. The use of Asbestos dramatically increased during World War II and since the early 1940's millions of Americans have been exposed to asbestos dust working within industries where initally the risks were not known. There has been widespread exposure to Asbestos by workers within shipyards, mines and mills, producers of asbestos products, workers in the heating and construction industries, and other tradespeople and an increase risk of deveolping mesothelioma has been the result. .
Today, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets limits for acceptable levels of asbestos exposure in the workplace. By contrast, the British Government's Health and Safety executive (HSE) states formally that any threshold for mesothelioma must be at a very low level and it is widely agreed that if any such threshold does exists at all, then it cannot currently be quantified. For practical purposes, therefore, HSE does not assume that any such threshold exists. People who work with asbestos wear personal protective equipment to lower their risk of exposure.
The risk of asbestos-related disease increases with heavier exposure to asbestos and longer exposure time. However, some individuals with only brief exposures have developed mesothelioma. On the other hand, not all workers who are heavily exposed develop asbestos-related diseases. Family members and others living with asbestos workers have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, and possibly other asbestos-related diseases. This risk may be the result of exposure to asbestos dust brought home on the clothing and hair of asbestos workers.
To reduce the chance of exposing family members to asbestos fibers, asbestos workers are usually required to shower and change their clothing before leaving the workplace.
The combination of smoking and asbestos exposure significantly increases a person's risk of developing cancer of the air passageways in the lung. The Kent brand of cigarettes used asbestos in its filters for the first few years of production in the 1950s and some cases of mesothelioma have resulted. Smoking current cigarettes does not appear to increase the risk of mesothelioma.
There is no curative treatment. Close monitoring (routine X-rays or even pleural biopsy) for mesothelioma is mandated. Oxygen therapy at home is often necessary to relieve the shortness of breath. Supportive treatment of symptoms includes respiratory treatments to remove secretions from the lungs by postural drainage, chest percussion, and vibration. Aerosol medications to thin secretions may be prescribed

About The Author

Linda Woodhouse
Looking for information about Mesothelioma?
Go to: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com
'Mesothelioma Legal Review' is published by Linda Woodhouse -
The complete resource directory for Mesothelioma related information, legal services, and products
Check out more Mesothelioma articles at: http://www.mesotheliomalegalreview.com/archive

This article was posted on January 30, 2005

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Personal Wellness Program

Personal Wellness Program
 by: Libby Gossman

Having a personal wellness program has become a concern for more and more people. The problem is many people do not know where to begin a wellness program. Here are a few keys to maintaining a personal wellness program:
Know and understand your current health situation. Do you have a proper assessment of your current state of health? Do you have a bad cholesterol problem? Or maybe you have good cholesterol? Do you gain weight easily? Or do you have a hard time keeping weight on? Has your overall health been getting worse, stayed the same or has it been getting better?
Taking time out for yourself is important to your (and your family's) well being. Do you take out personal time for yourself everyday? If you fail to support your personal wellness program with alone time you may experience burnout. Burnout can affect your personal wellness and that of your family. The results of this can have a lasting residual effect on your families' health and wellness.
Getting proper rest and sleep should be a part of your personal wellness program. Do you know how many hours of sleep you need a night? Can your body function on four hours of sleep a night? Or maybe you need eight hours? Make sure you're getting the proper amount for your personal wellness. Not having enough rest can make you susceptible to illness, irritability and lack of concentration. There are many more problems that can arise if you neglect sleep.
Managing stress affectively in your life will help you maintain your personal wellness program. Do you know what stresses you out? How can you avoid that stress? If you can't avoid certain stresses how can you better cope with stress? Find healthy ways to channel your stress so you don't internalize it. Internalizing stress is what affects your health negatively.
Getting proper exercise is a big part of your personal wellness program. What kind of exercise and fitness do you currently get on a weekly basis? Did you know walking just 10 minutes a day is beneficial for your health? You don't have to spend hours in the gym a day. You can ride a bike, walk a round of golf, walk the dogs around the block and you can even go to the gym. The key is making exercise a regular part of your personal wellness program. You will feel better and stronger, reduce stress and function at a higher level of energy.
Supporting your body with proper foods and nutritional supplementation are essentials to your personal wellness program. What kinds of foods do you eat on a daily basis? Stay away from fried foods, sweets, sodium and salts, fatty foods and empty carbs. Empty carbs are foods like white potatoes, white rolls and bread, cookies and cakes and foods that lack density and fiber. Support your diet with dense carbs like peanuts or almonds, corn tortillas and green vegetables. Another important aspect of making sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs is finding good nutritional supplements. Unfortunately eating a good balanced diet in this day and age does not get your body all the nutrients that it needs. Do your research and find out about supplements that will increase your optimal health and fit your personal wellness program.
Copyright 2005 Libby.

About The Author

Libby Gossman
Helping people get back the nutrition their bodies need through Glyconutrients http://www.1-a-glyconutrients.com and Discover The "Top 10 Deadly Health Myths of the 21st Century" Click here for more information and Wellness Tips: http://www.optimalhealth.myglycostore.com.

This article was posted on January 29, 2005

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