A Couple Words On Falls by Dr. A. R. Scopelliti

A simple thing such as mis-stepping on a carpet or sliding on a slippery floor can alter your life in a heartbeat. Like the thousands of individuals who fall each year, you may suffer a fractured bone. Fractured bones are no picnic, and for older people, a fractured bone can be the start-beginning of more serious health problems.

Sometimes falls are truly accidental. Much more often however, falls can be attributable to deteriorating eyesight and hearing, muslce atrophy, reflexes not being as sharp as they used to be, and in particular, increased visual reliance, a phenomena associated with aging. Most drugs will cause a reduced reaction time. In fact meclizine, (aka Antivert), is known for this, and yet, it is the most frequently prescribed drug therapy for dizziness! Many other disorders can play a role, such as diabetes, heart disease, etc.

Now let’s consider osteoporosis, an aspect of aging which makes bones brittle and more likely to break easily. Women tend to suffer from this more than men. Having osteoporosis can mean that even a minor fall might cause considerable injury.

By all means, my motive here is not to have a fear of falling or prevent you from being active. In fact, quite contrary, having an active lifestyle is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves as we age. There are simple ways you can prevent falls. Most of the time, falls and accidents don’t “just happen.” Here are a few hints that will help you avoid falls and fractures:

* Get checked regularly for osteoporosis. Ask your doctor about a bone density test, which shows if your bones are brittle.

* Stay physically active. Plan an exercise regimen that is right for you. Regular exercise makes you stronger and improves muscle strength as well as joint integrity.

* Have your vision and hearing tested frequently. Deterioration in sight and hearing increases risk of fall. Wear your glasses when you are supposed to, and keep them clean. Dirty glasses cause illusions which can cause sudden loss of balance.

* Ask your pharmacist about the side effects of any drug that you take. The #1 side affect of most drugs, even those prescribed for dizziness, is dizziness.

* Get enough sleep. If you are sleepy, you are more likely to fall. Don’t perform high risk activities if you are overtired.

* Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Even a little can affect your reaction time and cause a fall. Keep this in mind if you are drinking alcohol of any type, and do not perform high risk activities.

* If you feel faint on standing up, tell your doctor. You may be hypotense, or, overmedicated for high blood pressure. If you take meds for your pressure, you should be monitoring your pressure yourself with a home unit daily, and at the same time. Keep a record to show your doctor.

* Perhaps the best thing you can do is getting screened for risk of fall regularly. My office performs this service free of charge as a community service.

A Day Late And A Dollar Short by Dr. A. R. Scopelliti

The only thing worse than someone who incurs with fall risk and not doing anything about it, is someone who does do something about it but waits too long and winds up suffering the consequences of a fall. This is so disheartening to observe as we help so many people with severe risk of fall to improve their quality of life, their safety and their ability to live normally again. Why I am I telling you this? Because I saw a new patient recnetly for the first time, who was referred to my clinic for dizziness and imbalance. Unfortunately for several years up to this point nothing had been done for this patient with respect to her imbalance. By the time I saw her she had already been suffering for years, and steadily deteriorating. You might say that I had my work cut out for me, however, I was confident that I could help this woman. Well, I received a telephone call earlier this week from a family member of this individual, telling me that over the weekend she had fallen, fractu!

ring her hip. She is currently in the hopital, where she will likely remain for quite some time, awaiting surgery for her fractured hip, which, may never even be done depending on whether or not she is determined to be of ample health or not to even be a surgical candidate. If she does not have the surgery, the likelihood of her waking again is not good, and if she does, it will be quite some time and effort, as well as much pain, before she may ever walk again.

Obviously the unfortunate circumstances here are that we could have prevented this fall had I seen this patient more timely. There are so many people waking around that have increased fall risk, some who realize it as their imbalance has already gotten severe, and some who have a false sense of confidence because they don’t yet know that their balance is deteriorating.

My office tests individuals for risk of fall routinely. The test takes seconds to perform and is done without charge. It is extremely accurate at predicting fall likelihood based on overall stability, and is in accordance with hospital mandates requiring front line providers to have some methodology for screening individual patients for risk of fall. For these reasons, everyone, without exception, should be evaluated. If you pass, you go on with your life. If you do not pass, wouldn’t you like to know that before you fall and break a hip?

Sugar, A Reason For Being Dizy? by Dr. A. R. Scopelliti

Diabetes is becoming more prevalent and more of a medical issue than ever before. I am specifically referring to type 2 diabetes, which is perpetually brought on entirely by ones eating habits. This is why it has coined the name “adult onset diabetes”. The “juvenile” type, or type 1, occurs at an early age for different reasons entirely. So let’s discuss type 2, as that is the big issue and since it is entirely within your control to remedy. Quite simply, type 2 diabetes occurs associated with obesity. For each pound of “extra” weight one has, risk of diabetes goes up, exponentially. As an example, someone 30 pounds overweight has a 4000% increase risk in becoming diabetic. (This is not a typo).

Heart disease and peripheral artery disease are the biggest complications which people face with uncontrolled diabetes. Approximately 65% of death from diabetes is from heart disease and stroke. Peripheral artery damage or nerve damage, also from uncontrolled diabetes, can lead to foot problems that can lead to amputations. More than 60% of leg and foot amputations unrelated to an injury are from diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the US. Other problems include glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Studies show that regular eye exams and timely treatment of diabetes-related eye problems could prevent up to 90% of diabetes-related blindness. Recent studies correlate metabolic syndrome with marked rise in total fructose intake in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, beverage and table sugar. Metabolic syndrome is a name given to a group of risk factors including heart disease. If you learn to scrutinize labels, you will find that many products now include high fructose corn syrup.

Dizziness, a common problem in and of itself, is often associated with deregulation of sugar. Sugar levels, both too high, and too low, will cause dizziness. Your body does a delicate balancing act trying to maintain as steady a level of blood sugar as possible. You can help this situation by maintaining a healthy diet that does not cause blood sugar levels to abruptly rise extraordinarily, or conversely, waiting all day to eat causing them to drop excessively. More information on healthy eating tips can be found on my website, linked below. Much of the dizziness which I see clinically is ether caused by or complicated by extreme variations in blood sugar levels.

Of equal importance is exercise. Humans were not meant to be sedentary-couch potatoes, which unfortunately, is how many Americans spend their lives. Exercise should be undertaken at the highest level of your ability. If you are unsure of your ability, you should discuss it with your doctor.

Why Do Accidents Occur? by Dr. A. R. Scopelliti

Accidents actually occur for many reasons. Accidents occur simply out of shear accident. You slide on something slippery, you are knocked over by something, etc. When you fall because you lost your balance, this is more concerning as it alludes to the fact that there is more going on, i.e., a problem.

There are many medical conditions which contribute to fall risk. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cardiac problems to name a few. In the absence of disease, fall risk occurs as an affect of normal aging. This is insidious, and most do not perceive that their balance is poor until put to the test, at which point they fall.

Some who fall will be fortunate and get a second chance to treat their poor balance, others nay not be so fortunate and suffer grave injuries that may even be fatal.

As human’s age, the spine tends to degenerate as part of the normal again process. Because of this degenerative process, the proprioceptive systems that send information to the areas of your brain that regulate balance, tend to diminish over time, so that you have less proprioceptive information reaching the balance centers of the brain. When this happens, first off, you are at increased risk of fall. Now, amplify the situation by adding poor vision, or, being in a situation that requires good balance, like at night when it is dark, or being in a dark room. Consequential balance loss will be amplified. As these two systems fail, which is markedly common in the elderly, increased reliance on the vestibular labyrinthine system becomes necessitated. If there is any problem with this system whatsoever, a fall is imminent.

We can easily check these three postural systems in our office, in fact, we do it free as a community service. Falls are endemic and a leading cause of accidental injury and accidental death. For this reason, we urge all individuals, especially those over 60 years of age, to be tested.

If you think your balance is fine because you have not yet fallen, you are simply lucky. The simple fact is that you only know your balance is good if it has been tested and you pass your test. If you already know that you have poor balance, or, you have a history of falling, do yourself a huge favor and take advantage of our offer to test you for free. It will change the course of your life.

Kegelmaster Your Treatment In Hand by Andrew Rivano

Kegelmaster is basically a resistance progressive exerciser. It helps in the progression of your resistance of the pelvic muscles of your vagina and at the same time it also helps in curing some of your women aliments for example loose vaginal muscles, not full satisfaction in a physical relation, prolapsed in the uterus, incontinency, cramp pain during menstrual cycle, rectocele and cytocele and at the same time it will also cures the bladder which has become vary overactive.

There are million of omen who suffer from these above mentioned problems along with lots more like incontinency, prolaspe, unsatisfied intercourse and a lots more other problems. And due to these problems they are forced to abandon some activities also. All these happen due to loose pelvic muscles of the vaginal floor and at the same time due to other problems of the pelvic muscles. Regarding the solution of all these problems Kegelmaster is ready solution, the idea of Kegelmaster first too birth in the mind of DR Arnold Kegel and it was he who hatches the idea of the Kegel exercises. This Kegelmaster is a ready solution for solving all the problems of your pelvic muscle.

Kegelmaster has been designed in a very special manner to make a good exercise of your pelvic muscles. Every woman has a large number of pelvic muscles which is unused and which leads to many ailments. Kegelmaster helps in the exercise of all these muscles and at the same time it also helps in building and progressing the pelvic muscles by providing the full exercise of your pelvic muscle and at the same time one thing should be always kept in mind that Kegelmaster exercise would jot effect if one does not have a resistant pelvic floor. A good Kegel exercise helps in toning and strengthening of the pelvic muscle which will further help in curing diseases without any expensive and painful surgeries.

Altadrine Stops You From Excessive Snacking by ALTA CARE Laboratoires

Many people find that consuming fewer calories is very difficult even if they need to get rid of a few pounds or kilograms. The urge to eat and snack is simply too strong!

Of course there are many 'diet' and 'light' products that can help reduce calorie intake, but they fail to make you feel full, which leads to further snacking.

One of the most effective products on the market today which can help you control your appetite is Altadrine appetite control presented in liquid capsules.

Altadrine Appetite Control:

• can give you control over your appetite

• can stop you from excessive snacking

• can help you to eat less by promoting a feeling of 'fullness'

• is scientifically proven to increase the release of satiety hormones like CCK and GLP1

• is most effective when part of a healthy lifestyle and exercise plan

Clinical trials have confirmed the effectiveness of Altadrine appetite control with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and pine oil. Alta Care Laboratoires thoroughly tested ingredients in Altadrine appetite control in a randomised double blind cross-over trial, and the results were: Altadrine appetite control can help to suppress appetite and promote a feeling of 'fullness', thus providing satiety.

The first study clearly showed that within 30-60 minutes after taking a 3g dose of Altadrine appetite control in the form of oil or its natural metabolites, the release of the satiety hormone of cholecystokinin (CCK) was significantly increased in the blood of the test subjects compared to those who had taken a placebo. The natural metabolites of Altadrine appetite control also significantly increased the release of another satiety hormone glucagon-like peptide1 (GLP1) in the blood. Both hormones send signals of satiation to the brain, and are essential in regulating food intake.

Also prospective food intake was reduced after administration of the natural metabolites of Altadrine appetite control. In the second study participants given these also showed a significant effect on food intake (9 per cent reduction) and a trend on caloric intake (7 per cent reduction).

Q. What is Altadrine appetite control?

A. Altadrine appetite control is an appetite control supplement which promotes a satiety feeling. It contains pure oil ingredients, extracted from the nuts of the Korean pine tree. Clinical studies have shown that Altadrine appetite control liquid capsules when taken up in the body can help control your calorie intake by reducing appetite and creating a feeling of 'fullness'.

Q. How does Altadrine appetite control make me feel less hungry?

A. When you eat a meal, the food is digested in the stomach and then goes into the small intestine. As nutrients are absorbed in the small intestines, signals are sent to the brain telling you that you have eaten enough. Two of these signals, cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1), have been proven to play an important role in the process of satiety. Altadrine appetite control and its natural metabolites have been clinically tested to increase the release of these signals telling your body that you have eaten enough. By taking Altadrine appetite control 1 hour before a meal or in between meals you can help to reduce your meal size and your in between appetite.

Q. What is the recommended dose of Altadrine appetite control?

A. The beneficial effects of Altadrine appetite control liquid capsules are 1 capsule 1 hour before or between meals. It is recommended to stop 1 week before 1 box of Altadrine appetite control and another.

Q. Is Altadrine appetite control safe?

A. If Altadrine appetite control is taken at the recommended dosages no side effects or interactions have been noted. The liquid capsules are safe because of their excellent bioavailability of the liquid capsules. Other slimming products and even strong diets can damage the overall health of the body. Altadrine appetite control has ingredients to protect the body and CLA to protect the heart further when dieting to lose weight.

Q. Can Altadrine appetite control cause allergic reactions?

A. Altadrine appetite control is a fully-refined oil and refined oils hardly contain any proteins which can cause allergic reactions. However, some people prone to allergies exhibit very fierce reactions even to minute amounts of certain proteins. These individuals would consequently want to avoid products containing refined nut oil. Although not probable, traces of nut protein cannot be excluded from the realm of possibility. Although trace levels of pine nut proteins are not expected to induce allergic reactions, Alta Care Laboratoires cannot guarantee that Altadrine appetite control is allergen free.

Q. How quickly and for how long does Altadrine appetite control stay in effect?

A. In clinical studies, the levels of the appetite-suppressing hormones CCK and GLP1 were significantly increased within 30-60 minutes after taking Altadrine appetite control and its metabolites. Liquid capsules increase the bioavailability. These levels were still noticeably high after 3 hours.

Q. Is it necessary to diet and exercise to get results with Altadrine appetite control?

A. It's not just the quantity of food you eat, but also its quality and caloric content that influences weight loss - as does the amount of calories you burn. Therefore, you get the most desirable and quick results when combining Altadrine appetite control with a sensible, healthy diet and regular exercise.

Q. Can Altadrine appetite control be taken by women who are pregnant or breast-feeding?

A. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should always consult their physician before adding any kind of supplement to their regular diet. It is not ethical to do studies on pregnant women with any drug or supplement.

Q. Can Altadrine appetite control be taken in combination with prescription medicines?

A. You should consult your physician or pharmacist before using Altadrine appetite control together with prescription medicines.

Q. Are there any stimulants in Altadrine appetite control?

A. Appetite suppressants have been banned from pharmacies. Unlike other appetite suppressants and satiety ingredients, Altadrine appetite control does not contain unhealthy stimulants whatsoever.

Q. Where can I find Altadrine appetite control?

A. Altadrine appetite control is available in liquid capsules is available exclusively in pharmacies. Doctors are informed on the clinical studies.

Q. What is the role of lipids in the body?

A. In the body lipids fulfil a variety of functions, for example as an energy source, a structure component or as a hormone like factor.

Q. Who makes Altadrine appetite control?

A. Altadrine appetite control is manufactured in France by brand owner and producer Alta Care Laboratoires. Altadrine is not made up of a range of products that help weight control and are the correct answer to weight control which is a complex condition that cannot be treated by companies that have just 1 product or 1 ingredient.

Q. Where can I get Altadrine appetite control liquid capsules from?

A. Altadrine appetite control is available in all pharmacies and there is no need of a doctors’ prescription since it is classified as an over the counter product.

For more information: www.altacare.com

Altacura Vapour Patch A Sustained Remedy For Decongestion. by ALTA CARE Laboratoires

The vast majority of those visiting a pharmacy throughout the year are seeking relief from decongestion. Pharmacists need to be prepared to counsel. Obviously the first-line of therapy for the common cold includes rest, adequate fluid intake, humidification for expectoration, and then come the decongestants. Decongestants are more often than not vapour rub creams or inhalers. In its never ending endeavour to improve upon what is normally available on the market, Alta Care Laboratoires, Paris has launched its ALTACURA VAPOUR PATCH which has an indirect decongestant effect, thus being milder and more delicate because of its vapour form. Alta Care has made it a point to address the negative characteristics of most vapour creams and inhalers.

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils (EOs) and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of affecting a person’s mood or health, thus his, or her psychological and physical well-being.

What Are Essential Oils? Essential oils are the subtle, aromatic and volatile liquids extracted from the flowers, seeds, leaves, stems, bark and roots of herbs, bushes, shrubs, and trees, through distillation. According to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Chinese manuscripts, priests and physicians were using essential oils thousands of years before Christ to heal the sick. They are the oldest form of remedies and cosmetics known to man and were considered more valuable than gold. Science is only now beginning to investigate the incredible healing properties of essential oils.

The ALTACURA VAPOUR PATCH has 6 essential oils that release a vapour that produces a decongestant effect and gives a pleasant sense of freshness to the surrounding air. A normal vapour cream has only 1 essential oil.

Other advantages of Altacura Vapour Patch are the following:

• It is CAMPHOR FREE. Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), a large evergreen tree found in Asia. In large quantities, it is poisonous when ingested and can cause seizures, confusion, irritability, and neuromuscular hyperactivity.

• The ALTACURA VAPOUR PATCH does not cause skin irritation, nor is it an eye irritant.

• It can also form part of one’s allergy treatment.

• It is suitable for children.

• Every patch is a monodose thus there is no oxidization of the ingredients as in the case of creams of jars that have to be opened every now and then.

• It is not messy for the ALTACURA PATCH can be applied to ones underwear or clothes.

So the next time you catch a cold be selective when you are about to purchase an aromatherapy product. Even the quality of essential oils varies from company to company. It is not uncommon for select companies to falsely claim that their oils are undiluted or pure when they aren’t.

For more information: www.altacare.com

Altadrine Unlocks Your Body's Secret To Natural Weight Loss by ALTA CARE Laboratoires

If your body had a secret to losing weight naturally, wouldn’t you want to know about it? In fact, your life may even depend on it!

The deadliest diseases, heart disease, diabetes, circulatory disorders, hypertension, cancer, and stroke have all been linked to obesity and account for many deaths a year in Malta. Studies show that these life-threatening diseases may be prevented by achieving and maintaining an ideal body weight; however, the startling fact is that 60% of all Maltese are overweight!

Why do some people become over-weight?

When we consume more calories than we burn off, our body stores the extra calories as body fat. Genetics play a role in metabolism (the rate at which the body burns calories for fuel), but lifestyle and environment often outweigh the genetic factors involved in weight problems. Ironically, in many cases excessive dieting is a chief contributor to obesity.

How do starvation diets cause your metabolism to slow down?

When you go on a "starvation diet" you are denying your body fuel to operate. As a survival instinct to prevent tissue loss, your body conserves energy in order to operate your heart, lungs and other organs. You not only feel hungry, you feel sluggish as well. A vicious struggle ensues between your will power and your appetite.

When the diet is discontinued the calories and fat consumed are burned off slower than before the "diet" because your metabolism slowed down during what your body believed to be a "famine". In essence, dieting encourages weight-gain and makes it more difficult to lose body fat. The key to achieving and maintaining an ideal body weight is to speed up metabolism.

Thermogenesis: how your body burns fat!

In order to speed up the rate at which you burn fat, you must stimulate the process that controls it, thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is simply when the body produces heat so that fat is burned for energy. A substance that stimulates thermogenesis is called a thermogenic activator.

Citrus Aurantium: nature’s newly discovered thermogenic activator

Citrus Aurantium, a fruit commonly known as bitter orange, has been used in traditional medicine to treat chest congestion and indigestion, stimulate gastrointestinal function and improve circulation and liver function. In traditional western medicine, Citrus Aurantium has been used to treat digestive and circulatory problems.

Dennis Jones, Ph.D., a leading expert in natural weight loss, was one of the first scientists to discover the thermogenic qualities of Citrus Aurantium. With formal education in chemistry and in medical and life sciences, Dr. Jones’ interests led him to further training in nutrition, nutritional pathology, pharmacology, and food science.

Now scientists have discovered that Citrus Aurantium stimulates weight loss by increasing the production of heat to burn fat calories at a faster rate, giving the body access to greater amounts of energy – safely, effectively and dramatically.

Citrus Aurantium Burns Fat

According to research, Citrus Aurantium exclusively stimulates metabolism to increase fat breakdown and encourage growth in muscles. Simply put, Citrus Aurantium speeds up fat burn-off, provides increased energy, and promotes lean muscle tone – essential for firm hips, thighs, waist and buns.

Citrus Aurantium stimulates the specific part of fat cells, called beta receptors, that initiates a series of chemical reactions responsible for increased fat breakdown.

In addition, any physical activity will increase the thermogenic effect. An appropriate exercise program, as well as a moderately low-fat diet with lots of water in-take, will further enhance the thermogenic effect of Citrus Aurantium towards permanent and healthy weight loss.

Citrus Aurantium works safely without jittery side effects.

Some thermogenic herbs, such as Ma Huang, easily cross the blood-brain barrier, reportedly causing central-nervous-system and cardiovascular side effects. One of the unique aspects of Citrus Aurantium is that it does not stimulate the central nervous system in the brain. Citrus Aurantium exclusively triggers the increase of metabolic rate so the negative central-nervous-system side effects are not experienced.

Citrus Aurantium was tested by Sprauge-Dawley Laboratories to determine if there is any toxicity associated with its use. Tests concluded that even in amounts far exceeding the normal dose for weight loss, Citrus Aurantium was a very safe substance causing no toxicity at all in the body.

Altadrine Fat Burner Tablets, by Alta Care Laboratoires, Paris; contain Citrus Aurantium to help release stored fat and give you access to it for immediate energy, while helping you burn fat calories that would otherwise be stored in your body. A relatively low-fat diet and/or moderate exercise further increases the fat burning and revs up the thermogenic activity of Citrus Aurantium.

Altadrine Fat Burner Tablets are to be taken in this manner: Simply take one tablet mid-morning and one tablet mid-afternoon. One box of Altadrine Tablets is equivalent to one month’s course. After the one month course respect a one week break and restart the course to continue benefiting from natural weight loss.

For more information: www.altacare.com

Can Poor Sleep Affect Your Weight? - Altadrine night burner. by ALTA CARE Laboratoires

Are you avoiding the bathroom scale? Is it a struggle to pull on last year's clothes? If the answer is "yes," you probably need to take off some extra kilos. But what you might not know is that a little extra sleep could be the answer.

Studies show that the body responds to sleep restriction by craving more fuel, a reduced energy balance, and this is communicated by the fat cells, actually. Leptin is a molecule secreted by fat cells and conveys a satiety signal: "There's enough fuel on board." And with sleep restriction, keeping the level of activity and the amount of calories constant, the body says, "I need more food." And this is inappropriate and may lead to overeating and potentially obesity in the long term.

Not only might you be eating more, you're probably going to crave just the wrong foods. When you're sleep-deprived, you want to go for an empty calorie energy boost and usually those are carbohydrates that are very low in nutrients and very high in calories.

But even making wise food choices might not work if you suffer from restricted sleep. This kind of poor sleep can actually change your metabolism. Not sleeping enough seems to be associated with metabolic changes that can lead to overeating and obesity, so in studies where sleep restriction in the laboratory was done, subjects tended to have metabolic changes and alterations of glucose metabolism that might lead to their becoming obese in the future.

Sleeping too little can also contribute to weight gain by putting undue stress on the body. The body sees sleep deprivation as a state of stress; Cortisol is the stress hormone. Cortisol causes, in turn, the release of insulin and insulin is a storage hormone that promotes fat storage.

Alta Care Laboratoires – Paris have recently launched Altadrine Day Burner and Night Burner. Altadrine Day and Night Burner are ampoules composed of fresh extracts designed to help one lose weight.

The excellent thing about the Altadrine ampoules is that besides from being pure body fat burners, the Altadrine Night Burner Ampoules contain extracts to help one go to sleep, and so avoid poor sleep affecting their weight!

Altadrine Day Burner is taken once daily mainly to promote fat burning, draining and detoxifying but it also has tanning supplements. One ampoule of Altadrine Night Burner before one goes to sleep reduces bloating, promotes fat burning – working on cellulite, and also helps one get a refreshing sleep. Some specialists also recommend to administer Altadrine Ampoules in a pulse therapy course: 10 consecutive days with Altadrine Day Burner, and alternating with Altadrine Night Burner.

Since intensive action is needed for effective weight loss, Alta Care Laboratoires – Paris, have ensured the highest efficacy possible by manufacturing their body fat burners in ampoule form. Since the extracts in Altadrine Day and Night Burner Ampoules are fresh and have not undergone a manufacturing process(i.e. drying, mixing compressing etc), the extracts remain unaltered and are highly active; as opposed to a tablet where the chemical structure of the extracts have been slightly altered due to manufacturing procedures such as drying, mixing, compressing and adding preservatives. The pharmacokinetics of an ampoule are better than those of a tablet so the active ingredient is liberated faster and more effectively.

Altadrine Day and Night Burner Ampoules have no side effects if taken at the recommended dosage and are non-addictive.

So if you think that poor sleep is affecting your weight start taking Altadrine Day and Night Burner and hit two birds with one stone: ensure better quality sleep with the Altadrine Night Burner, and at the same time lose that body fat!

For more inforamtion: www.altacare.com

Drain Water Away Safely With Altadrine Aquadrain by ALTA CARE Laboratoires

Green tea has been consumed throughout the ages in India, China, Japan, and Thailand. In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, green tea has been used as a stimulant and diuretic (to promote the excretion of urine), to help expel water retention.

Recent studies resulted in good news for dieters: green tea appears to speed up calorie burning, including fat calorie burning.

There are lots of cases of water retention but it is very important that one drains the water away safely. Use of diuretics have to be strictly monitored by doctors.

The natural alternative is green tea but natural does not mean safe. When one drains water one loses also the electrolytes Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium that have to be replaced immediately.

Green Tea is excellent for water retention cases and when combined with Potassium, Magnesium and Sodium the electrolytes that are lost are immediately replaced. The combination of 50mg of Potassium, 50mg Magnesium, 50mg Sodium and 250mg of Green Tea per capsule is the optimum to lose water safely.

Such a supplement containing the above is Altadrine Aquadrain, by Alta Care Laboratoires – Paris. Altadrine Aquadrain is a supplement that is made in France and it promotes the liquids elimination and thermogenesis.

1 to 2 Altadrine Aquadrain capsules are to be taken daily with a large glass of water or as directed by your doctor or pharmacist. Altadrine Aquadrain capsules can be also taken in combination with other products of the Altadrine weight control range.

For more information: www.altacare.com

The Blackhead Removal Method That You Don't Want To Be Without by George Hutton

For those of you suffering from acne, (and you likely know exactly what I'm talking about since you are reading this article), then you can appreciate how absolutely horrible it can be to wake up in the morning and find those terrible looking things on your face. What's worse, you may have something called a blackhead, which will send you scrambling for the best blackhead removal method you can find.

While there are plenty of effective and decent blackhead removal methods out there, some of them take a while, and you need to buy special equipment, such as facial waxing kits, or special tape kits or pens. But what do you do when you find a blackhead, and you've someplace to go, and no time to stop by the drugstore or the beauty salon? Well, you're in luck, as I will show you a quick and dirty (figuratively, of course) trick to get the blackhead gone for good.

First, you need to keep in mind that there are several aspects and component of a blackhead. Blackheads aren't all that different, from a structural standpoint, from your everyday run of the mill pimple. The "black" part of the blackhead will be gone using this method, but you'll need to address the underlying issue at some point in the future. This method is purely cosmetic, meaning it will only take the black part of the blackhead away.

OK, here's what you do. Get any ballpoint pen, and take it apart. Inside there will be that plastic tube that contains the ink. Use the empty end, the end that is near the "clicker" portion of the pen (not the writing end) and clean it thoroughly. Then gently place the open end over your blackhead, and twist it back and forth, while applying a small amount of pressure. You should have the blackhead out and gone in no time.

As soon as you are done, you will need to apply something cold to the area where you just performed blackhead surgery on yourself. This is so the hole will close up, and not get infected. Obviously, a bag of ice is ideal, but anything cold will do. A bag of frozen vegetables will be fine. Make sure to keep it where you just took away the blackhead for a couple minutes, in order to close the recently opened pore.

Of course, at your first possible opportunity, scrub and clean the area as much as possible, and use some antibiotics to keep the area from getting infected. Some people prefer to buy a special tool, but it's really the same thing. Just be sure whatever tool you use is clean, and you take precautions to keep the area clean afterwards. And, of course, you should wash the area that has blackheads as often as possible.

If You Are A Veteran You May Have Been Exposed To Cancer Causing Elements by Wendy Moyer

More people die of lung cancer in the United States than die of colon, prostate, breast, and kidney cancers combined. What surprises many people is that lung cancer is not necessarily caused by smoking. Many at risk groups and nonsmokers are also likely to develop the disease.

Some of the people who are the most at risk are United States veterans who served in the military between the Second World War and the Persian Gulf War. Recent studies indicate that this group has a 25% to 75% greater probability of developing lung cancer than people who didn't serve in the military during that time frame.

There's a very simple reason why this is true. Many of the people who risked their lives while serving in the U.S. military were exposed to Agent Orange, asbestos, DU (depleted uranium), as well as other radioactive materials during their tenure in the military.

The groups of veterans who are at the most risk are all of those who served during the Vietnam era as well as those who were in the Navy during the Second World War.

Asbestos was used extensively throughout naval ships during the 1940s. It was present in sleeping quarters, mess halls, boiler rooms, engine rooms - just about everywhere aboard the ships.

Anyone who was on one of the ships was constantly inhaling asbestos fibers. And, when they went home, they carried the fibers on their clothes. Subsequently their families were exposed to asbestos secondhand.

Asbestos-related lung cancer, or mesothelioma, has a very long latency period. Since the mid 1980s a significant number of Navy veterans have died from these diseases. Some World War II veterans are only now developing these illnesses.

However, because the Veterans Administration doesn't recognize these diseases as being service-connected it is difficult for the vets to realize any Veterans Affairs benefits.

Close to 2.6 million Americans served in Viet Nam. Most of them were exposed to Agent Orange.

Between 1965 and 1971, during the Viet Nam War, more than 100 million pounds of Agent Orange was used. It was used to destroy plant life and clear the brush in order to remove the Viet Cong cover. The herbicide has since proven to cause serious medical ailments, including lung cancer, in Viet Nam era vets.

Much like asbestos related diseases, there seems to be a latency period before the adverse effects caused by Agent Orange develop. So, many of these veterans are just starting to develop symptoms.

Unlike WW II veterans, though, lung cancer in Vietnam era vets is considered to be a service related disease. Hence the Veterans Administration will provide disability compensation to anyone who is diagnosed with lung cancer that was caused by Agent Orange.

Gulf War veterans are now becoming concerned with the dangerous after effects of being exposed to depleted uranium while they were overseas. The residue from DU munitions floats through the air and ultimately infiltrates such water sources as lakes, oceans, and rivers.

US military personnel were also exposed to DU when they came into contact with bunkers and vehicles that were hit by these munitions.

DU has been linked to causing lung cancer, as well as kidney and bone ailments. Although tumors can form in 2 to 5 years, they are often not diagnosed until several years after the fact.

These Two Blackhead Removal Methods May Be All That You Need by George Hutton

Acne is a serious problem. It's not serious because it will kill you, or leave you permanently disabled, but it can have huge effect on your self-esteem, and your happiness. In what is commonly the most horribly dreaded form of acne, the blackhead can really make you feel lousy. This is exactly why so many people are always searching for a good blackhead removal method.

Blackheads are really not that different from regular pimples, or whiteheads. They both begin the same way, but as they grow they end up differently based on the internal dynamics of what is really going on under the surface, pimples end up looking like pimples, like blackheads end up looking even more horrible. Of course, it's always better to try a few different methods and see what works best. This article is about just that, demonstrating to you a pair of very useful methods that may just be all you need.

The primary technique uses both a steam bath, and a good facial scrub. First clean your face with regular soap and water. Then fill up your sink with hot water, and lean over it, so your face is a few inches from the water. Then put a big towel over the back of your head, making a little steam bath for your face. Once your face has been steamed for a few minutes, your pores should be nice and open.

Once your pores are open, you can scrub your face with a good micro pore based cleanser. These are a kind of soap that feels like there are tiny bits of sand inside, and they are really good at removing dead skin and opening your pores. Be careful not to scrub too hard, as you don't to remove too much dead skin. For best results, do this every couple days or so to get your face clean and clear.

The other method is to use an enzymatic cleanser. These are filled with enzymes, that can break down the oil that is causing your pores to be clogged. Begin with cleaning your face with normal soap and water, and afterward, use a good enzyme based cleanser. You can also find these in creams, so that you can apply them and leave them there to do their magic.

Naturally, these will work best when used together. First clean your face, then steam your face, then use the special abrasive cleanser. Then when you are finished, apply the enzymatic moisturizer. Your face should be clean and clear of all acne in no time. And if you do this on a regular basis, you can keep acne from coming back.

How Do You Know You Have Lung Cancer? by Charlene J Nuble

There are two ways in order to know if you have lung cancer. One is through the identification of the different early signs and symptoms and through diagnostic examination. Lung cancer is a killer disease that is prevalent all over the world and chooses no status or gender.

Therefore it is of utmost importance that you determine the signs and symptoms of the disease so that further evaluation can be ordered.

Some of the most common signs and symptoms that are experienced by a lung cancer patient are:

• Chest pain which is constant and is evident during coughing or breathing

• Dyspnea or difficulty in breathing which may be due to nagging cough and constriction of the bronchioles

• Wheezing most likely heard upon exhalation

• Cough out of bloody sputum or hemoptysis

• Swelling of the face and neck which can be caused by a tumor which presses on the large blood vessels just near the lung

• Muscle weakness which may be caused by a pressing tumor on the different muscle sites

• Fever which has an unknown cause

Once these signs and symptoms are now present, the person may then experience weight loss, fatigue, headache, fracture to the bones, distant pains, anorexia, confusion which can further lead to coma.

Though definite, none of these symptoms are positive signs of having lung cancer unless a doctor has made diagnostic findings on it. That is why, it is of top priority that when a person experiences two or more of the above mentioned signs and symptoms, one must seek the advice of a doctor.

In diagnosis, the doctor explores the different areas of possibility that the patient may or may not have lung cancer. Some of the diagnostic procedures which can determine the possibility of the disease are:

1. Chest x-ray – this is usually the first test that is ordered by the physician. Chest x-ray has the capacity to detect tumors of the lung and to what extent it has reached, although this test may miss out on the smaller ones and can only detect the more visual ones.

2. CT scan – known as computed tomography, CT scans has the capacity to show the different characteristics and patterns of a lung cancer cells which can help doctors come up with a possible diagnosis. CT scans also have the capability to show the tiniest tumors which are not shown on x-rays. These small tumors may reveal if the cancer cell has already reached the nearby lymph nodes and if it has grown.

3. Bronchoscopy – using a scope to view the inside of the lungs. The microscopic examination of tissues inside the lungs is enough to confirm the possible existence of cancer cells inside the lungs. Here the doctor would do an invasive procedure which will help him view the inside of the lungs for further visualization of the tumor and at the same time take samples of the specimen.

4. Needle biopsy – this is done when the sample is too far away for the bronchoscope to reach. Specimen is obtained through insertion of a needle inside the chest skin and uses a CT to serve as a guide in maneuvering the needle to the affected part.

Together with the signs and symptoms and diagnostic procedures interpreted by the doctor, you will now know if you have lung cancer or not.

Famous People With Lung Cancer by Charlene J Nuble

Lung cancer has the highest growing mortality rate in both men and women who have the same lifestyle or is exposed to lung irritants for their entire life. And this kind of disease is not a choosy one, there are many famous people with lung cancer who are now six feet under the ground.

Lung cancer is committed to anyone who is qualified therefore even if you’re just the average Joe or a really famous person, you are not excluded in the list of probable affectations.

Here are some famous people who died of lung cancer just to name a few:

Walt Disney

Creator of the fictional cartoon characters which is still growing in popularity for the young and old, Walt Disney is the man of genius as he was responsible for building the Walt Disney Studio and the Walt Disney Theme Park known as Disneyland. Walt Disney died out of lung cancer complications on December 15, 1966 inside St. Joseph’s Hospital which is located right across the street from where his studio stands. He died at the age of 65 years old. It is said that his body was cremated and the remains were put inside their family crypt in Glendale, California at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

Nat “King” Cole

A famous jazz musician, Nat “King” Cole is considered to be a chain smoker during his time, consuming more than three cigarette packs everyday. He died of lung cancer a day after Valentine’s Day which is February 15, 1965. Before the day of his death, an interview was made talking about Cole’s way of perceiving his cancer as something making him feel better; looking at the condition more of a blessing than a situation.

Steve McQueen

Died on November 7, 1980, Steve McQueen was known as the super-cool guy back in the 60s who rose to popularity from being a troubled juvenile to being one of the top loved actors of his time. Even after his death, McQueen is still admired by many as one of the coolest icons of all time. McQueen died from a lung cancer type that is related to being exposed to too much asbestos known as mesothelioma. This resulted to him having an enormous tumor affecting his right lung.

Clay Shaw

A controversial persona, Clay Laverne Shaw lived in New Orleans, Louisiana as a successful businessman. Through the success lies the prosecution of having been connected with the assassination of the late John F. Kennedy. He was the only person accused of plotting the assassination although was not found guilty at any offense. On August 15, 1974, Shaw died at the age of 61 because of lung cancer which has metastasized.

Robert Mitchum

Robert Charles Mitchum, an Academy Award nominee and an American composer, singer, actor and author. Mitchum died on July 1, 1997 after his 80th birthday out of complications caused by emphysema and lung cancer. Dying, Mitchum was regarded by critics as one of the finest actors during the Golden Age.

These famous people with lung cancer died out of the different complications even with extensive treatment modalities that were used. Still, there are a lot of musicians, actors and even personalities outside Hollywood who died and are currently experiencing signs and symptoms of lung cancer.

Gout Diets by Charlene J Nuble

Overweight individuals and the elderly are at risk of developing gout. According to some studies, elderly men are more susceptible to such condition as compared to women. Aside from that, unhealthy diets also play a significant role. Gout diets are therefore important and need to be monitored to control or prevent the condition from becoming worse.

Many years of study has been dedicated by some researchers to establish the connection between gout and diet. Studies revealed that individuals who love seafood and fatty meat diets are the ones most susceptible because these foods contribute to the overproduction of uric acid. However, other studies also revealed that not all individuals with unhealthy diet are suffering from this condition. This leads to the conclusion that gout is triggered among individuals who have a family history of gout and at the same time, have unhealthy eating habits, inactive lifestyle, and weight problems.

Low fat diet can prevent and overcome the adverse effects. This was based on the recent findings which also revealed that the milk proteins can help in eliminating excess uric acid. Uric acid is the primary culprit which causes gout and its production should be controlled. You need to maintain a dietary regimen that is low in dairy fat and according to some nutritionists you can drink skim milk at least two times a day for gout prevention.

People who have a history of gout in their family are at risk and so they need to limit their meat intake. You may eat duck, lamb, beef, and pork but in limited proportions. Purines are contained in seafood products and so you must eat this kind of food sparingly. Aside from these food products, people who drink too much alcohol are also prone to developing gout. If you can abstain from alcoholic drinks, that would be best, but if you can’t, just try to limit your alcohol intake.

Some vegetables also contain purines which can cause gout. Always keep in mind that too much of anything is bad and that applies to the foods you eat everyday. Since you need these foods to maintain a healthy body, you must consume only the right amounts. Consult a nutritionist or a dietician so that you will be educated about the healthy food choices; not only that, they can also guide you in eating the right kinds of food at the right amount.

Drinking enough water everyday and regular exercise can boost the body’s overall health. Try to drink about 8-10 glasses of water to eliminate the harmful toxins in your body. This will also help in eliminating the excess uric acid which builds up around the joint areas.

Gout diets are strongly recommended for those who are at risk of developing gout. If you’re over forty years of age, overweight, and you have a family history of the condition, it’s time that you take the necessary precautionary measures because you might be the next victim. Although it’s not a deadly disease, it can have long term undesirable effects and complications. Live healthy and eat healthy because these are the keys to preventing gout.

Do I Need To Stop Drinking For The Gout To Go Away? by Charlene J Nuble

What exactly is gout? According to medical experts, it’s a rheumatic disease and a form of arthritis. Seventy percent of gout sufferers experience joint pains on their big toe. Elderly men are also prone to this disease but that doesn’t mean that women are exempted. The gout attacks are extremely painful and acute; aside from the ankle and big toe joints, gout can also occur on the elbow, hands, wrist, and knees.

One of the primary causes of gout is drinking. ‘Do I need to stop drinking for the gout to go away?’ Perhaps this question is also lingering inside your mind.

To answer that question for you, you should know about some helpful gout facts. Alcoholics usually don’t exhibit any signs or symptoms of gout at the beginning. Some studies revealed that gout attacks happened many years of being an alcoholic; the development of gout is dependent on the amount of alcohol intake over the years.

Studies determined the relative risks (RR) of drinking alcohol as follows:

- Less than 1 drink per day gives an RR of 1.322.

- 1-2 drinks is equal to 1.49 RR3.

- 2-3.7 drinks yielded an RR of 1.964.

- More than 3.7 drinks per day gives you an RR of 2.53

Drinking beer can also cause gout. If you drink 12 ounces of beer every day, the RR is 1.49. The risk of developing gout was also significant among people who drink spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, brandy, etc. The RR was 1.15 for multivariate drinks. Four ounces of wine consumption yielded an RR of 1.04. Studies also showed that wine contains oxypurines or purines. The purine is converted to uric acid when it enters the body and as you already know - high levels of purine causes gout.

Why is it that alcoholic drinks cause gout?

When you consume alcohol, it is broken down to lactate and this contributes to urate retention. Purine load can come from stouts, certain red wines, and port; if you drink too much alcohol (containing purine), you will surely become prone to gout. Researches also showed that drinking is associated with obesity. People with weight problems are also susceptible to gout.

If you stop drinking beer and other alcoholic drinks, you can avoid purine. However, aside from abstaining from alcohol, people who are at high risk of developing gout should also avoid foods which contain purine like seafoods and organ meats. Drinking and feasting can definitely cause gout attacks but the greater factor which leads to the disease is drinking.

For those who want to prevent gout attacks, you can start introducing gradual changes in your lifestyle. It would be impossible to stop drinking alcohol completely. You can abstain by drinking little by little.

Dietary changes also prove effective in gout prevention. Try to limit your consumption of mackerel, herrings, fish roe, anchovies, shrimps, sardines, sprats, heart, kidney, meat liver, and sweetbreads. Some veggies also contain purine and you should limit yourself in eating mushrooms, asparagus, peas, and beans.

If gout runs in you family, you must be extra careful.

So, for your question, 'Do I Need to Stop Drinking for the Gout to Go Away?’ Drinking alcohol can have some benefits but if you want to manage or control gout attacks, it would be wise to stop drinking but drink plenty of water instead.

If Your Physician Assure You You Only Have A Fibroid Cyst, You May Not Discover You Have Breast Cancer Until It Is Too Late by Joseph Hernandez

Women trust that their physicians will know the difference between a significant health problem and something that fails to pose any danger to their health. A particular issue to which this apples is with breast cancer. Women trust in doctors to run all appropriate tests to discover any cancer that might be present as early as feasible. The existence of a lump in a breast heightens concern right away. And here is where the doctor can take the steps required to make a correct diagnosis. The majority of physicians acknowledge that the right thing is to do tests to determine whether that lump is cancerous. The reason most physicians acknowledge that this is the proper course of action is due to the fact that a doctor cannot establish if the lump is cancerous or benign based merely on a physical examination.

There are 2 statistical facts physicians are aware of. Most changes that arise in the breast are benign. Women oyunger than fifty are far less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer than women above that age. Considering these two statistics some doctors have a tendency to discount a lump as just a benign cyst in case it happens in a woman under the age of fifty. It is merely a matter of statistics. The likelihood is that such a patient does not have breast cancer.

Unfortunately, this is not the end of the story. In the event breast cancer is detected before it can reach a late stage (for example, stage 0, stage I or stage II), the five-year survival rate is generally at least 80%. The 5-year survival rate is a statistical measure used by cancer specialists to discern the percentage of patients who outlive the cancer for beyond five years following detection. Hencel insurance company, a five-year survival rate higher than eighty percent means that, statistically, more than eighty out of every one hundred patients with a less advanced stage breast cancer will, given appropriate treatment, survive the disease for at least five years beyond diagnosis.

If the breast cancer is not detected until it gets to a stage III (typically involving larger tumors in the breast or a spread of the cancer to lymph nodes), the 5-year survival rate drops to approximately 54%. With regard to stage IV (generally associated with a tumor that is larger that five cm or the spread of the cancer to the bone or other organs, such as the lungs), the 5-year survival rate is around 20%.

It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. It is the second prevalent cancer in females. Over one hundred ninety thousand females are expected to be newly diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year. Additionally over forty nine thousand females are predicted to pass away of breast cancer this year. Considering the fact that women whose breast cancer is diagnosed while still in the early stages have a greater than eighty percent chance of outliving the cancer for over 5 years after diagnosis, a question that follows is how many of those forty thousand or more women who will die of from advanced breast cancer this year would instead survive if their cancer had been no delay in diagnosing their cancer.

By performing a clinical breast examination a doctor just cannot correctly differentiate between a benign cyst and a cancerous growth. Given this a doctor ought to typically advocate that diagnostic testing be done without delay if a lump is found in a woman's breast. Among the tests can should be performed are an imaging study such as a mammogram or an ultrasound, or a sampling, such as by biopsy or aspiration. Each can fail to diagnose a cancer thus it might be important to do more than one test before cancer can be eliminated as the cause of the lump.

If a doctor diagnoses a lump in a woman's breast as simply a benign fibroid cyst based only on a clinical breast examination, that physician puts the patient in danger of not knowing she has breast cancer until it metastasizes. The failure to conduct proper diagnostic testing, like an imaging study such as a mammogram or ultrasound, or a sampling, such as a biopsy or aspiration, might constitute a departure from the accepted standard of medical care and might bring about a malpractice lawsuit.

What Is A Papule, And How Can You Get Rid Of It? by George Hutton

If you are reading this, that means you are a human being. And that, of course, means you've suffered from something that has effected hundreds of millions of people in the United States. Of course, since you likely have read the title of this article, you're aware that this is about acne, that horribly distressing skin condition from which there seems to be no escape. In this particular article, I'll be talking about a specific form of acne that is quite common.

When acne forms, it is due to a malfunctioning of something called a comedone, which is when a pore becomes plugged. This pore is part of a small unit called a sebaceous unit, which is comprised of a hair follicle, a couple of sebaceous glands, which produce sebum or oil. This oil is necessary for keeping your skin clean and clear. When the top portion of the pore becomes plugged, this little unit is now called a comedone and you have the makings of a pimple.

When puss builds up inside, then a whitehead will from. A blackhead is made when the underside becomes oxidized, and turns black. But what happens when you get those painful red bumps that simply won't let you forget about them? Those are called papules, and are a very common form of acne. They can be extremely bothersome when they appear where the skin is relatively thing, as on your nose.

They are different from whiteheads in that they don't contain any puss. If you have a whitehead, most people will simply "pop" them, and release the pressure, and often times the pimple is gone. Papules don't have any puss on the inside, so popping them will do more harm than good. In fact, popping will likely do much more damage as it can spread the bacteria that is trapped inside that particular papule, which can in turn lead to more papules.

Another reason to avoid popping these (despite how tempting it is) is that you can increase your risk of permanent scarring. By popping this, you aren't actually releasing any puss, you are merely damaging your skin, which of course can lead to scarring, and will likely only make the condition a little bit worse.

The best course of action? Maintain skin as clean as possible, using creams or any over the counter astringent. Of course, contact your physician if you have any questions or concerns about these painful red bumps. Naturally the best way to fight these is to keep from getting them in the first place. This entails making sure that your skin is clean, and you avoid foods that can lead to acne, as well as keeping stress at low levels.

How To Quickly Add A Fantastic Exercise Program To Your Life by George Hutton

If you would like to lose a few pounds, then you are in good company. Most of us today could easily stand to lose a few pounds, some of us more than others. One of the easiest ways to consistently lose weight, is to embark on an exercise program that you view as part of your daily life, rather than some chore you have to do and get over with. With such an exercise, many have found that it adds a whole new dimension of health of their lives. In this article I'll be talking about this miracle exercise.

What is this miracle workout plan? Walking. Yes, you read that right. One foot in front of the other. Even though you may go for a walk now and then for various reasons, don't underestimate the amazing life changing power of the daily walk. Walking has been known to reduce weight amongst the most stubborn weight gainers.

The beauty in walking comes with it's persistence. By making the commitment to walk on a daily basis, you will be tapping into an amazing source of power much bigger than you realize. Walking is capable of getting rid of stress, increasing your fat burning metabolism, and putting you in touch with the super conscious mind. Many people are surprised at the the wonderful snowball effect that walking can have on their daily lives.

Many people who have pets know this. Once they discover the need to take the dog for a walk every morning, they notice that they magically lose ten or twenty pounds over the course of only a few months. It also has an added effect of bringing a soothing period of respite from an otherwise stressful day. Walking has long been known for it's calming effects on the mind and spirit.

Many great thinkers throughout history have had their greatest moments of inspiration while walking. Many brilliant artists get their inspiration while out pounding the pavement. Many inventors, who were completely stumped when trying to come up with new ideas found them flowing into their minds like water when they were out on walks. You see, walking is not merely for weight loss. Walking has a host of side benefits that you'll just have to discover for yourself.

So what exactly do you need to do to begin an exercise program based on walking? A pair of shoes, some sorts and a T-shirt, perhaps a hat if you live in a particularly sunny climate, and you are all set. After you start your daily walking habit, you'll be happily flabbergasted with the wonderful benefits that will start showing up in your life. Why not get started today? For once you start, the only thing you'll wonder is why you didn't begin this miracle activity sooner.

Resolve

Resolve + Enthusiasm = Power
Think for a moment about the highest mountain you ever climbed, the deepest valley you ever crossed, or the longest river you ever had to swim. Perhaps it was healing a relationship with an estranged loved one, closing a big deal at work, overcoming an addiction, surviving an illness, succeeding against the odds or making what seemed like an impossible dream come true. I imagine that there were moments in the process when you felt weak, became convinced you could go no further, and wanted to turn back and give up.
A few years ago I decided to walk in an 18-mile marathon. At about the 10-milke mark, I hit the proverbial wall. Every muscle in my body ached, and I hurt in places that doctor's don't even have names for. I was tempted to sit down in the middle of the road and ask the medics to carry me away on a stretcher. I thought there was no way I could make it to the finish line. But I didn't give in to my negative thoughts. What kept me going? How was I able to summon the strength I needed to forge ahead? I focused my mind on how good I was going to feel when I finished what I started. And I reflected on the other times in my life when I thought I had reached the end of my rope, only to find the strength to "tie a knot" and move on. I finished the marathon – and the experience of almost giving up taught me that the deeper we have to reach inside ourselves to succeed, the greater our sense of accomplishment.
Losing weight or living a healthy life is not easy. It may very well be the hardest thing you ever attempt to do. And it may require you to bring for every ounce of your inner strength and personal power. The same wall we encounter during other challenges in life will invariably rear its ugly head in our journey to lose or manage our weight. There will be days when it will seem as if the universe is conspiring to ensure our failure, to force us to give up on the goals we set in January by throwing cold water on our enthusiasm.
But don't fall into the enticing trap of negativity. You have the capacity to face the invariable challenges that lie ahead. You have the strength to endure setbacks and disappointments. You have the energy to persevere. You have succeeded in other areas of your life, and you can reach the goal you have set to live a healthier life.

Natural, Safe Pro-Hormone Banned by the FDA

Androstenediol, which is an important precursor to testosterone, will be banned by the Fda on January 15th.
Scientifically proven, Androgens, which many men and women rely on to safely maintain testosterone levels and muscle mass as they grow older.
Supplementation with Androstenediol or Androstenedione safely elevates blood testosterone levels in both men and women for better health.
To quote Dr. Al Sears from his Newsletter – "Health Confidential for Men",
" The fda used these studies to support their ban. But they used the old "bait and switch". Their argument: these studies prove androstenediol boosts testosterone but boosting testosterone is dangerous. Yet their evidence that boosting testosterone is dangerous all comes from studies of testosterone injections. None used androsten- ediol. Testosterone injections are not what the fda banned!"
You read that right - Testosterone injections are dangerous – according to the fda and their studies, Not androstenediol or Androstenedione. Which, by the way is found in Scotch pine tree bark – hardly a deadly substance.
I'm not sure if you're going to be able to trust the fda anymore.
This is a ban against a man being a man and a ban against a woman maintaining proper hormone levels. Women do need some testosterone for proper balance of hormones and Men do need some estrogen.
Naturally and safely maintain testosterone levels.
Even though Androgens will be banned, there are other alternatives to maintain testosterone levels and muscle mass.
It's best to boost testosterone indirectly - by using precursors to help your body produce more testosterone on its own. This way your body excepts and uses them over the long term. Giving the body testosterone directly loses its effectiveness and you can avoid injections and patches which are expensive.
Nettle Root - A rainforest plant.
Tribulus Terrestris - an herb used by eastern healers.
Muira Puama - from the bark of a shrub found in the Amazon river area.
Yoshimbine - Another bark from a tree in the forests of Africa.
Saw Palmetto - Usually associated with Prostate health this berry also boosts testosterone.
Zinc - Helps to boost testosterone production in the testes and also prolongs the life of testosterone in the bloodstream for women and men.
Grass Fed meat - A great source of protein to help build muscle and indirectly stimulate testosterone levels.
Fish , Pork, Chicken, Turkey and eggs are also great sources of lean protein to increase production of growth hormone - Which also tells your body to produce more testosterone.
What NOT to consume:
Prescription Drugs
Processed, refined carbohydrates
Don't overdo the alcohol
Maintaining muscle mass is so important because it supports the most important muscle in your body - Your Heart.
Sources:
Dr. Al Sears – Health Buzz, The fda has done it again! January 5, 2005
Dr. Al Sears Health Confidential for Men – July, 2004

When it comes to Menopause- You Are What You Eat

This Article May be Reprinted in it's entirety provided the resource box is left intact with an active "clickable" link.
Did you know that Japanese women tend to suffer hot flashes only about 1/3 as often as American women? Or that those following a vegetarian diet also complain of hot flashes far less than the rest of us? Of course, you don't have to give up the steaks just yet – but doctors and nutritional professionals suspect that the difference is largely due to the use of soy products in the diets of these women, and several women have now realized that by incorporating some soy in their diets, their symptoms of menopause have abated considerably.
In fact, altering your diet in small ways can have the greatest positive effect on your body as it transitions to menopause and beyond. For instance, by staying away from hot drinks, you're not giving your body reason to "heat up" and produce a hot flash. At the same time, reducing your caffeine intake (which often comes in the form of hot drinks, including coffee and tea) will naturally help you sleep better at night, which will keep your mood and mental state healthy.
Lastly, replacing these drinks with water and juice will keep your bones and muscles well-lubricated, prevent osteoporosis from settling in, and temper your general aches and pains. We know it's no easy task to give up coffee, but think of the endless benefits of this one relatively minor change to your diet.
In fact, one of the most commonly complained about symptoms of menopause these days is the weight gain that seems to come along with it. Put simply, your body isn't burning calories in the same way it once was, so if you don't change your diet – even if it's already a healthy one – you're bound to gain a few pounds around the waist.
Changing your diet now, simply by avoiding a few foods that are bound to make other symptoms worse, while increasing the foods high in certain vitamins while remaining low in calories, will help you to maintain your figure while giving your body the nutrients it needs to fight off some of the worst symptoms of menopause.
We'll tell you which foods to add to your diet if you're suffering hot flashes, vaginal thinning, aches and pains, or emotional symptoms of menopause. In addition, of course, we'll share the secrets of which vitamins and herbs have been proven to keep your mind sharp and your bones strong as you age through menopause and beyond.
For instance, foods high in potassium, including most fruits, will help you keep your mind sharp while promoting healthy water flushing throughout your body (which will reduce cramps and bloating), while keeping your muscles and bones lubricated and strong – including your needy joints and your thinning vaginal walls. In short, this is the time in your life when "an apple a day" couldn't ring more true!
Also, oily fish, including salmon and tuna, and vegetable oils, are often recommended by nutritionists for anyone wanting to keep their minds sharp. But these oils are also useful in helping keep your muscles from drying, while helping your digestive system.
In fact, everything from Vitamins C and E to herbal remedies such as Dong Quai and Wild Yam Root are discussed in this book; remember, not only American women suffer menopause – you're far from alone. Every woman in the world goes through menopause sooner or later, and we all have our own ways of treating the symptoms unique to us.
We'll explore the countless ways in which these small changes or additions to your diet will not only combat the unique symptoms you're going through, but the ways in which you can identify these symptoms quickly to lead a healthy, long life far after menopause.
But let's talk about soy again, briefly. It's been in the news, and for good reason, but where do you start? Many of us would buy a chunk of tofu, which, let's face it, can be tasteless, but it doesn't end there, and again, you don't need to move to Japan to figure out how to add it to your diet. You don't need to give up eating cheeseburgers to enjoy the occasional veggie burger, but adding some soy to your diet has made the symptoms of menopause much more tolerable for millions of women. If you've not eaten many soy products, don't hold your nose just yet – in addition to helping your symptoms, you may find that you actually like it!

Tsunami Tsupport

In the wake of what can be arguably called the world's greatest act of God in the new millenium, we have also been witness to what can be equally argued as the world's greatest act of charity as the United Nations have received over 4 Billion dollars of aid meant for Southeast Asia. With so much money to counter in even greater need, one thing we must learn from this is what to do next time. The tragedy continues to escalate, and what can be more tragic now, with aid so close away, it can't even get to most of the people that need it.
Canada must be commended for it's deployment of the DART team. DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) is comprised of 43 person medical team, and has a water purification equipment. While they are not equiped to handle major trauma or surgical needs, they can treat secondary ailments relating to unsanitary conditions.
However, the DART team, like most of the assistance sent by the world's nations, cannot even reach to the people since the roads are still blocked. The idea behind the DART team is what is important. There is no reason why other countries work together and create other DART teams, that can both enhance the one Canada has, or focus on other potential problem areas. Measures must be taken that are common for most disasters. Getting a secure location, making a path to reach the affected areas for both containment, and pulling out survivors, treating the wounded, and feeding the people. It has been over 2 weeks since the incident, and still people have no help. Groups impersonating relief organisations seemed to have profited the most, and they have made an unestimated amount of money from unsuspecting samaritans.
What can you do? Simple. If you haven't donated yet, and are afraid of getting scammed, go directly to the relief organisation. Do not give money to people that call you, or that you see in the street. To find a more extensive list, check http://www.google.com/tsunami_relief.html
But that along is not enough. If the United Nations cannot properly manage the assistance, write to your government and have them follow Canada's lead. Get them to work on another DART type team or program. What happened in Southeast Asia can happen to you, either around your home, or while you are on vacation. Do you want to know that people have sent provisions that cannot get to you,but there was something they could do about it?

5 Great Ways to Burn More Fat Today!

"If you're trying to lose weight, give these 5 techniques a try. You'll melt off the pounds and feel great to boot."
Do not eat poor quality carbohydrates before bed. Poor quality carbohydrates are those that contain sugar or are highly processed. These would include most breakfast cereals, breads, snack foods, candies, and even fruits and juices. Eating these foods immediately prior to bedtime will likely result in increased fat deposit and will prevent your body from maintaining a successful fat-burning mode.
Increase your muscle mass! The more lean muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn even at rest. Muscle is extremely active metabolically. Do some resistance training, add some muscle, and crank up that metabolism.
Never let yourself get too hungry, or too stuffed. It really is all about moderation. Time your meals so that you eat before you are starving . . . doing this one simple thing will cause you to almost always eat less. When you do eat, stop when your satisfied not when you are so stuffed you cannot even get down another bite.
Double up on your cardio training. From time to time it may be beneficial to the fat-burning process for you to split your cardio training into two short sessions rather than one longer one. Studies suggest that people who do 30 minutes of morning cardio and then 30 minutes of evening cardio lose more fat than those doing just one 60 minute session.
Eat more high fiber foods. Most of us do not get enough fiber in our daily diets, and that's just a shame. Fiber not only promotes overall general health, but also can significantly aid in your fat-burning efforts. Leafy greens and salads are ideal sources of fiber.

Curb Your Cravings!

"Keep you level of EFA's at a respectable level, so that your mind and body will work together to accomplish the mission at hand - lose the unwanted bodyfat through a strict, disciplined eating program."
You've been on that diet all week. Salad, rice, baked chicken, oatmeal, fish, fruits, veggies. You monitored the fat grams as if they were poisonous. Then, at the end of the week, your stomach is scolding you, demanding you to treat it to a whopper-sized indulgence.
Pizza, burgers, calzones, french fries, ice cream, everything and anything that is bad for you and your diet. When this happens, it is more likely that your body is deficient in EFA's (Essential Fatty Acids). When your body is low on these good fats, your temptation to devour all the fattening goodies, the ones rich in the "bad" fats, will become overwhelming. More often than not, dieters will submit to this whim.
The solution is simple. Keep you level of EFA's at a respectable level, so that your mind and body will work together to accomplish the mission at hand - lose the unwanted bodyfat through a strict, disciplined eating program. Fish, particularly of the cold-water variety (salmon, mackerel, sardines), are high in EFA's, while supplements like flaxseed oil and/or fish oil should be consumed in the amounts of 2,000 mg per day.

Dangers of Scales

"The scale can be like a lousy personal trainer. It can be giving you bad information. In other words, do not become too dependent on this devilish, little device sitting on your bathroom floor. "
It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed, somewhere between the time you take off that robe and the instant you step into the shower. For others, it happens immediately after a workout, as soon as you peel off those sweaty clothes and stand aimlessly in your birthday suit.
Then, the big moment arrives. The excitement, the tension, it all forms a giant knot in your throat. This experience is a lot like playing the roulette wheel and you know you have plenty riding on this one. Hence, the numbers that come up can spree a variety of reactions.
You step onto the scale in your bathroom and peek through your fingers at the fate staring back at you.
To some, you jump up and down like you just hit the jackpot. Others shriek as if they'd just crapped out.
Well, the scale is indeed a useful tool to monitor your weight-loss developments. What other method is there to track specifically how much you've progressed in your endeavors to lose weight?
Yet, the scale can be like a lousy personal trainer. It can be giving you bad information. In other words, do not become too dependent on this devilish, little device sitting on your bathroom floor. Here are two reasons why:
Scales are not perfect. At any given moment, it can go from being your best friend to your worst enemy. If the scale isn't tipping your way, it can throw your entire mental state off the mark. Scales can often deceive you into thinking you're heavier – or lighter – than you actually are. In more case, it's the latter. And by thinking that you're that far ahead of the game, the only one you'll be fooling is yourself. Instead, try going by how your clothes fit on your body or how you feel internally than relying on some imperfect machine. Take a picture of yourself at the beginning of the month and then at the end of the month to evaluate the progress. Obsession with the scale is not unlike other fixations – it's certainly not healthy.
Scales tend to dictate. Too many people are consumed with the numbers on the scale. It's not unlike the scenario of a baseball player who is completely engrossed in his batters' average. The average is just a number. He should be more concerned with winning the game. The same goes with the battle against weight loss. The goal should never be a number. If you become too concerned with reaching a specific number, by a certain time, it can lead to starvation, bulimia, malnutrition, many conditions that are not beneficial to your body or you're health. * Remember, the best scale you can have is your mind. If it's telling you that the unwanted fat is disappearing from your figure like a dress on prom night, chances are that you're right.
Brought to you by http://www.hsfvitamins.com

Fast Food

"Hey, Not So Fast!"
"Well, they don't call it fast food for nothing. Fast business for fast people equals fast bucks in the pocket for these whopping franchises. Believe me, they know the scenario all to well. "
It is a safe assumption that Ronald McDonald is too busy tallying up how many trillion hamburgers he's served up. The Wendy's guy, Dave what's-his-name, would rather help the old lady at the drive-thru find the beef. And the short, chubby guy with the apron? He's somewhere out back, no doubt, making the early-morning doughnuts, the dark circles forming under his eyes.
Well, they don't call it fast food for nothing. Fast business for fast people equals fast bucks in the pocket for these whopping franchises. Believe me, they know the scenario all to well.
You're whipping down that busy highway, late for an appointment or in a hurry to get to work. Or maybe you're on your way home, knowing well that your refrigerator is as empty as your stomach. Maybe you just don't have the energy to even twist the oven knob.
Nonetheless, you can't help but become drawn to that sign like a horseshoe magnet. Your car dips over the break in the road and your eyes are instantly mesmerized by the golden arches that seem to stretch halfway toward heaven.
You know that Ronald and Grimace and the Hamburgler and those fuzzy, little creatures could care less about the diet your on or the aspirations you hold to deflate the spare tire around your waist.
No, they could give a McNugget. But at times like these, neither do we, as we sharply cut the wheel and screech into the parking lot.
Sometimes theres just no other choice.
But before you go making Big Macs out of doughnut holes, remember, not everything you take out of these tiled establishments has to turn out as a Whopper-sized indulgence. Here's what we mean:
McDONALD'S: The home of the Big Mac and the Filet of Fish has flown the coop. The chicken coop, that is. That's because the relatively new Grilled Chicken Deluxe, without the fattening mayonnaise, stores only – get this – five grams of fat! And it's delicious!
Other wise choices on the menu would be the Grilled Chicken Salad Deluxe with Red French Dressing and an 8-ounce container of Low Fat Milk (12 grams of total fat). Or maybe a four-piece order of Chicken McNuggets, a garden salad with fat-free vinaigrette dressing, and an iced tea (11 grams of total fat). For the breakfast crowd, the low-fat apple bran muffin or the hotcakes (without butter, obviously) are wise choices.
BURGER KING: "Have it your way."
Fine, then gimme a BK Broiler with no mayo (just 9 grams of fat), a BK Side Salad (3 grams of fat) and a strawberry shake (6 grams of fat). Next time, I'll give the BK Broiled Chicken Salad (10 grams of fat) a shot or maybe the BK Garden Salad (5 grams of fat).
WENDY'S: What other fast-food joint sells baked potatoes? 'Nuff said. Hold the butter and the sour cream and you have yourself a wonderful, fat-free source for carbohydrates. Wendy's also has a grilled chicken sandwich that is healthy if you specify the "no mayo, please."
Also, if you have time to unfasten the seatbelt and take a stroll inside, many Wendy's establishments offer a fabulous salad bar, where you can put your healthy diet into your own hands.
DUNKIN' DONUTS: Slam dunk the jelly doughnuts and try some of DD's new low-fat muffins. The low-fat version of Blueberry, Cherry, Apple & Spice, Banana, and Cranberry Orange pack only a gram and a half of fat each, while the Bran Low-fat Muffin holds just one. Even the Low-fat Chocolate Muffin stores a mere 2.5 grams of the fatty stuff. If muffins aren't your thing, most bagels served at DD's range between a gram or two per fat for each bagel. Dunkin's also offers low-fat cream cheese if you can't bear to eat it plain.
DOMINO'S PIZZA: Okay. So maybe you're home now from a brutal day at the office and into the company of your fridge, your stove, and your oven. But really, the last thing you feel like hearing is the clanging of pots and pans. You just slipped off that heavy coat or out of those uncomfortable heels and now you've sunk into the sofa. The telephone is an arm's length away. Your mind says 'no' but you're tummy is definitely saying 'yes'.
Well, Domino's isn't that bad. It could be worse.
Two slices from a large cheese pizza total 9.88 grams of fat. Not the end of the world. Two average pieces of their delicious buffalo wings combine for 4.78 grams of fat. Not the end of the world. Two of their crispy, delicious breadsticks total 6.68 grams of fat. Not the end of the world.
As for a large, thick-pan, four-topping pizza? Well, that's the end of this story.
Brought to you by http://www.hsfvitamins.com

Intelligent Weight Loss is as Simple as 1, 2, 3

"Forget the complex diets, weight loss is about intelligent and committed effort."
Focus your meals around lean sources of protein such as: white chicken and turkey meat, lean cuts of beef, egg whites, tuna and other fish, etc.
Don't be afraid of all fats. We've been brainwashed into thinking that all forms of fat in the diet are unhealthy and can lead to excess bodyfat. This simply isn't true. In fact, your body needs fat in order to burn fat, otherwise it will shift into preservation mode and attempt to maintain existing fat stores. It's true that you should watch your intake of saturated fat, but taking in so-called "good" fats (ie: those found in nuts, olive oil, flax seed, fish oils, etc.) can have a very positive effect on weightloss and overall health.
Move your carbohydrate intake away from foods that spike a high insulin response in the body to foods that offer more quality fuel for long-lasting energy. To simplify, try to limit your intake of processed carbs like breads, pastas, refined sugar products, etc.; instead, eat more unprocessed carbs like fruits and vegetables. If it comes in a box (crackers, cereal, pasta, cookies), forget it or at least only eat it in moderation. In fact, if there's one thing you can do that will have a significant, positive, and lasting effect on your health and bodyfat percentages, it's shifting your carbohydrate intake away from processed foods and towards natural fruits and vegetables.
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Weight Loss Magic Pills

"While there are no real magic pills, shortcuts or hidden-secrets to dropping excess fat, I've found that there are a few simple things you should remember that can help a lot."
While there are no real magic pills, shortcuts or hidden-secrets to dropping excess fat, I've found that there are a few simple things you should remember that can help a lot.
Make the time to train, eat, and supplement properly. If this is a priority in your life, then treat it as one. Leave the excuses to someone else.
Use variation in all aspects of your program (training, diet, and supplementation) both to keep things fresh for you mentally and to prevent your body from adjusting and plateauing.
Set realistic long-term and short-term goals for yourself. Make them concrete by writing them down and reminding yourself of them daily.
Chart your course in detail. It's not enough to say I want to lose 20 lbs. in the next 12 weeks. You need to address what you need to do each month, each week, each day to help you get there.
Remember that on a very basic level dropping fat and staying healthy is a relatively simple proposition. It's not about taking pills. Those that are successful at it are those who want it more than they want to eat poorly or live an inactive lifestyle. It may sound harsh but there's a lot of truth there.
Do it for yourself and no one else. Being unselfish in life is a wonderful thing, but getting your body fit and healthy is a gift you can and should give yourself.
Check out the strongest FAT BURNERS available at www.hsfvitamins.com.

How to Protect Your Family Against the Coming Pandemic

Most dictionaries define pandemic as "an epidemic that is geographically widespread; occurring throughout a region or even throughout the world."
Recently, Klaus Stohr, the coordinator of the global infuenza program at the World Health Organization predicted a bird flu pandemic that would take more lives than the Spanish Flu of 1918 wherein 20-to-40 million perished.
He wasn't the only expert who pressed the panic button.
United States Health and Human Secretary, Tommy Thompson, said "This is a bomb that could impact the world."
Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, issued a warning to physicians to be on the lookout for symptoms of the avian influenza virus known as H5N1.
Even CIDRAP, the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota is alarmed. They have this statement posted on their webiste: "If the next pandemic strain is highly virulent (such as the 1918 strain) the global death toll could be dramatic."
The current fatality rate in Southeast Asia is 73%.
Now for the really bad news.
There is no vaccine available. And there won't be for months. Probably six-to-twelve months. Maybe longer. Clinical trials take time. Usually a year. Then once it's available, the vaccine must be distributed worldwide. A logistical nightmare.
So what can you do to protect yourself and your family?
Three steps. And they should be done now, while the winds of pandemic are blowing in Southeast Asia.
Buy a supply of oseltamivir, the only antiviral available that seems to reduce the impact of the virus. It doesn't kill it, but it does give your body time to build immunity.
Buy the only filter mask that will block H5N1 and kill it dead -- no that mask is not the N95 series. You'd be wasting your money on a N95. Nanomask is the one I strongly recommend.
Buy a supply of immunolin, the only blood protein on the market that will strengthen your immune system against horrific challenges like H5N1.
You can wait for your government to come up with a solution to protect you, or you can become proactive. My family has already taken the three steps outlined above, I hope you will too.

Acupuncture Weight Loss - Fact or Fantasy?

I remember back in my senior year of high school - my best friend since 5th grade was living in France. He wrote that they didn't like Americans much. "They think we're all fat," he said. With his own skinny frame, of course, he confounded their belief.
But, he added a funny, or perhaps ironic capstone to the issue. "I went to a store, and they were selling statues of these fat people, and, at the base of each one was written, 'American.'"
Obesity is not only an American problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it's a global problem. They call it globesity. Parodoxically, their understanding of this problem began with their original mission to eliminate hunger and malnutrition. We live in a world where many have nothing to eat, and many eat too much. From 1995 to 2000, the number of obese adults worldwide mushroomed from 200 million to 300 million. That's a 50% increase in just 5 years!
What is Obesity, and What is Overweight?
Overweight means an excess of body weight. This excess weight may be muscle, bone, fat, and/or body water. Obesity refers specifically to an abnormally high proportion of body fat. You can be overweight without being obese - for example, a bodybuilder or other highly-muscled athlete. But many people who are overweight are also obese.The main way to determine whether you are overweight or obese is with the body mass index (BMI). It doesn't directly measure body fat, and it's not gender specific, but it does give you a pretty reliable estimation.
To find your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height in meters squared. Yep, for the math-challenged, that's complex, so I'll give you a website that will figure it out for you, the National Institute's of Health BMI calculator (http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/). This will very quickly tell you if you are normal, overweight, or obese, and it does all the calculating and metric conversions for you!
Overweight is defined as a BMI above 25 (including those above 30 BMI, too), and obese is a BMI above 30. So, all obese people are overweight, but not all overweight people are obese.
The Obesity Epidemic
Obesity isn't just about not feeling good or having trouble getting dates…
It leads to more than 300,000 premature deaths each year in the United States. 90,000 are preventable cancer deaths. (CDC)
Severely obese men die 13 years sooner than men of normal weight (JAMA).
As a killer in America, obesity is second only to tobacco. (CDC)
The Weight Loss Industry
Spending: Americans spend between $40-50 billion per year to lose weight.
Results: I haven't seen any recent news that Americans are getting any thinner - have you?
Conclusion: What people are doing isn't working. If we want different results, we have to try a different solution.
Acupuncture Weight Loss: Fantasy, or Fact?
Fantasy or Fact? As a well-trained and fairly conservative Chinese medicine practitioner, I had assumed that acupuncture for weight loss was a marketing fad and a patient fantasy.
Evidence: But while researching my upcoming book Chinese Medicine: A Practical Guide to Optimal Healing, I found some surprisingly positive information that changed my mind.
Chinese Medicine's Collective Clinical Data on Acupuncture Weight Loss
Chinese Medicine has thousands of years of clinical experience. This collective data not as convincing as randomized controlled trials are, but it does contain truth - it's imperfect but still valid and important.
A U.S. government study in the 80's concluded that 85% of western medicine is based on clinical experience, not on research. (Office of Technology Assessment of the Congress of the United States, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, Background Paper OTA-BP-H-22. Also see Michael Millenson's book, Demanding Medical Excellence)
There is good Chinese Medicine research in Taiwan, Australia, and Europe that gets ignored by American scientists and media. Much research in Chinese has not even been translated into English.
Seven Studies of Acupuncture for Weight Loss
How it works: By enhancing the function of two neuroendocrine pathways that regulate many bodily processes, including metabolism.
What it does:
Lowers body weight, body fat, insulin levels, and lipid levels in the blood
Decreases excessive appetite and makes it easier to satisfy your hunger with less food.
Decreases menopausal weight gain
In one study, acupuncture took off 10 pounds in 2 months - that translates to 60 lbs in a year!
Combined with diet control, and aerobic counseling it not only takes off the pounds and body fat, but keeps them off, especially if you're diligent with their exercise.
(See references at end of article for the research)
Ephedra misuse and mislegislation
Ephedra is a Chinese herb for colds and coughs. It has been misused to increase metabolism, and this misuse has caused numerous deaths. As a result, the FDA is considering a total ban on ephedra products. We can blame two major things:
Supplement companies that care more about your money than your health (no, not all of them are that way, but some of them are, especially the ones that market weight loss formulations).
The idea that you can medicate yourself safely with herbs - self-medication of any kind is risky. Self-medication with herbs is off the radar, and people generally think they can do it safely. The ephedra debacle is an example of how dangerous it can be.
Traditionally, Chinese herbs are given in formulas (not singly), which is safer and more personalized. They're prescribed by a Chinese medicine practitioner who diagnoses your specific imbalances first. Ephedra would never be given for weight loss, but only for certain kinds of colds and coughs, and only to people whose body's can handle it.
No traditional Chinese herbs should be outlawed without allowing Chinese medical practitioners to continue to use them traditionally.
Food Cravings
Problem #1 (Enzyme Deficiency): The foods you crave depending on your personal imbalances. Modern digestive science explains that when your body can't digest a food, you crave more of it - you're not getting what you need from it. This lead to a cycle of craving and overeating the exact food you can't digest.
Problem #2 (Low Blood Sugar): Another vicious cycle happens when you can't digest complex carbs, so your blood sugar is low, so you eat simple carbs that raise your blood sugar which raises insulin, which lowers your blood sugar again, and your stuck eating donuts and feeling horrible.
Solution: Enzymes (I recommend various enzyme formulations from a company called Transformations) and Chinese herbal formulas can help you digest your food and break both of these cycles
Weight can be lost safely if done slowly and naturally.
You can lose up to 2 lbs per week without gaining it back. That means you could lose 104 lbs this year and keep it off!
Positive change is like stretching a rubber band- if you stretch too far too fast, it breaks or snaps back on you.
So avoid the temptation to take an easy solution like ephedra or citrus aurantium (both misused Chinese herbs), because you'll gain the weight back, and you're risking heart problems and stroke.
5 Things to Do Right Now
To Lose 10 Pounds Within 2 Months
And Keep Them Off:
Avoid heavily marketed supplements - instead, see a professional trained herbalist (acupuncturist) - it's safer and more effective - my preference would be a Chinese medicine practitioner, but some very well-educated western herbalists are good too.
Acupuncture Weight Loss: See an acupuncturist/chinese herbalist - Get acupuncture (once to three times per week) to SAFELY regulate your metabolism and hunger-satisfaction. Your acupuncturist can also get you the herbs that will balance your digestion and cravings - and based on your Chinese pattern diagnosis, they can also give you personalized diet advice. Herbs and enzymes (specific formulations from the enzyme company, Transformations) can eliminate your food cravings.
Develop a plan and goals with your acupuncturist and aerobics instructor- make it realistic, and stick to it. If you mess up, don't beat yourself up, just get back on track as soon as you can. Any progress is better than none at all.
Eat less, exercise more - Eat a low fat diet, and don't miss breakfast! Weigh yourself regularly, and exercise an hour a day. Start by walking a few minutes each day, or take the stairs at work. Don't overdo it! Remember the rubber band. In fact, you may want to wear a rubber band on your wrist to remind yourself to make changes slowly. Get some aerobic exercise help- a public class, or private aerobic counseling.
Join a support group like Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous. There's nothing like positive friends to encourage you and keep you on track. OA members say that this spiritual program of action has changed the way they relate to food.
References and Resources
Office of Technology Assessment of the Congress of the United States, The Impact of Randomized Controlled Trials on Health Policy and Medical Practice, Background Paper OTA-BP-H-22.
Michael Millenson's book, Demanding Medical Excellence
Effect of acupuncture on weight loss evaluated by adrenal function. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1993 Sep, 13(3):169-73.
Wozniak, P., Oszukowski, P., Stachowiak, G., and Szyllo, K. [The effectiveness of low-calorie diet or diet with acupuncture treatment in obese peri- and postmenopausal women] (in Polish). Ginekol.Pol. Vol.74 Issue 2 pp. 102-107. 2003
Acupuncture on Spleen, Stomach, and Ren Mai Channel Points for the Treatment of Stomach & Intestinal Replete Heat Pattern Simple Obesity. Abstracted & translated by Bob Flaws, Dipl. Ac. & C.H, Lic. Ac., FNAAOM, FRCHM
Richards D, Marley J. Stimulation of auricular acupuncture points in weight loss. Aust Fam Physician. 1998 Jul;27 Suppl 2:S73-7.
Zhao, M., Liu, Z., and Su, J. The time-effect relationship of central action in acupuncture treatment for weight reduction. J Tradit Chin Med Vol.20 Issue 1 pp. 26-29. 2000
Liu, Z. Mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture moxibustion on simple obesity complicated by hypertension. Inter J Clin Acup 371-378, 1995.
Studies of the Weight Loss Industry
Obesity prevalence and effect
Overeaters Anonymous