Posts Tagged ‘advice’

PostHeaderIcon Using Laxatives For Managing Constipation

The most common form of constipation is known as idiopathic or functional constipation. This means that the cause is unclear, therefore the disease can only be defined by the symptoms that it displays. Very often, the first line treatment is high fiber therapy. However, in the cases that it doesn’t work (which is the majority), patients will often turn toward laxatives.

There seems to be widespread agreement among scientists and doctors that the judicious use of laxative constipation treatments is tolerated and safe. However, as some patients take such medications over extended periods, suspicions have surfaced about long-term side effects and problems. A result of these suspicions are some misconceptions about laxative use.

The incorrect or at least poorly conceived myths regarding laxative use can be divided into three kinds. The first kind concerns the idea that using laxatives causes nerves to become damaged in the colonic tract. THe second kind is related to the idea that laxatives are carcinogenic or mutagenic agents which give rise to cancer. THe third kind is about the idea of laxative “intolerance”, i.e. the efficacy wears off over time.

Regarding the first, evidence regarding nerve damage first came to light in studies of patients who were taking laxative constipation treatments for a long time and had discoloration in the lining of the bowel. In addition, these patients were found later to have intestinal nerve damage. However, early studies were not double-blinded and controlled, leading many researchers to believe that nerve damage and laxative use was a correlative rather than causal relationship. That is, people with constipation had a higher chance of having nerve damage already, regardless of whether they were taking laxatives.

With respect to the second, reports linking laxatives to cancer were suggested by experimentation on animals. Rats fed extreme doses of anthraquinones had higher mutations in cells, leading to cancer-like problems. But the studies were not easily translatable to the human context because the doses were very non-realistic. Similar studies with extreme concentrations of aspartame sweetener and peanut oils show a cancer link, but are rarely relevant for realistic human consumption.

Regarding the third, it seems that anecdotes from patients who were seeing decreased efficacy gave rise to the belief of laxative intolerance. However, studies both in rats and in paraplegic patients who had been on laxatives for as long as 34 years showed that the efficacy of laxatives remained more or less undiminished over these long times.

It would seem that laxatives should not be discounted for their great utility against constipation because of these misconceptions. Patients should continue to research for themselves and ally with their doctors to understand the evidence concerning laxative efficacy.

Discover the newest research and articles in regards to treatment of constipation. Additional resources provided for constipation natural remedies can be read here.

PostHeaderIcon Atkins Diet Basics

The short name for the ‘Atkins Nutritional Approach’ is the ‘Atkins Diet’, which was the brainchild of Doctor Robert Atkins. He had put on a lot of weight while in medical school and after reading about a certain diet in the medical journal, he decided to improve it and release it under his own name.

Atkins, in his Atkins Diet book, wrote that he believed that the prevailing theories about putting on weight were completely wrong. First, he dismissed the notion that saturated fats were bad; instead he said it was it was carbohydrates that caused the weight problems Americans have these days. Atkins held that our obsession with avoiding fat actually worsened the problem. He pointed out that the low-fat foods that were high in carbohydrates were not helping the nation, which probably meant that people on a diet often ate foods that were worse for them than what they had normally eaten.

The Atkins diet shifted the focus. Atkins said that by cutting out carbohydrates, people would burn stored body fats. And, of course, if you lose the fat, you lose the weight. He said it was not just a question of eating less. Atkins held that your diet could actually help you burn calories and The Atkins Diet supposedly burned more calories than were consumed everyday. But the claims were contested.

Dr. Atkins also touted the positive influence that his diet could have on people with type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a disease you get early in life, but type 2 is often closely associated with diet and excess body weight. So, it should follow that any diet that helps decrease weight, will help people with Type 2 diabetes. The Atkins diet is low in carbohydrates, which must be avoided with type 2 diabetes regardless of the caloric intake, so because of this aspect of the diet, Atkins claimed that those who suffer type 2 diabetes would no longer need medication such as insulin. In general, doctors disagree with Atkins on this point, although they do agree, however, that a lower carbohydrate intake helps control Type 2 diabetes, but there is no proof that carbohydrates cause diabetes.

What are the steps one has to take to follow the Atkins diet? It is followed in four phases – Induction; On-Going Weight loss, Pre-maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance. Here is an overview of the most important phase – The Induction Phase.

The Induction phase is the most difficult of the phases in the Atkins diet. Atkins is flexible about how long it should last ” but recommends it lasts for two weeks. During this phase, carbohydrate consumption is severely limited ” you can only consume up to 20 grammes per day. The idea is to enter a fat burning metabolic phase called ‘ketosis’ wherein the body, starved of glucose, starts to convert stored fat into the fatty acids needed to run the body. Weight loss during this phase is often extreme ” some Atkins dieters reported losses of 5-10 pounds a week or more.

The purposes of the final three phases in the Atkins diet are to learn the ideal carbohydrate levels for the next two phases, which are continued weight loss and weight maintenance. Many millions of people are still losing the weight they want to on the Atkins Diet ” but beware the risks of taking in too much cholesterol and fat.

Do you want to lose that excess weight real fast? Well, take a free look at The Atkins Diet, by going to our website called The Atkins Diet Plan

PostHeaderIcon Convalescing From The Most Innovative Liposuction Alternative Surgery

Liposuction is a medical procedure that is operated on patients who plan to have body fat removed from their physique for aesthetic purposes. For many folks, liposuction can be a traumatic experience, but there is a new lipo surgery on the market, SmartLipo, or also generically called “laser liposuction”. Called a a medical miracle in some healthcare circles SmartLipo has proven itself to patients and doctors around the world. SmartLipo delivers on what it claims it will accomplish, and that is get rid of fat tissue simply.

Traditional Liposuction – Invasive and Dicey

Liposuction has been done on millions in the time right after its being released to the public in’82. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, over 300,000 individuals in the USA underwent invasive surgical treatment in 2007 to remove fat from within their bodies. The cannula, or tube, employed in old-style liposuction is in the range of 4-6 mm in diameter & takes an incision that must be stitched up. After the agonizing operation is finished, patients are expected to wear compression bandages for at a minimum of 6 weeks. Frequently there will be horrid unevenness underneath the skin where the fat was extracted unevenly, particularly in less knowledgeable doctors.

SmartLipo Benefits

SmartLipo Technology (or SMARTLIPO) utilizes the newest advancements in cosmetic operation technology, which provides physicians a safer, quicker and less costly method. For this reason, healing time is seriously diminished. Usually, it is merely a few days and the fee is about 45% lower than the old-style liposuction procedure. This is due to the fact that no general anesthesia is considered necessary.

People undergoing Smartlipo undergo a much faster recuperation time with less complications when compared to earlier liposuction methods. The laser beam creates instantaneous coagulation of the small blood vessels in the adipose tissue. The laser eliminates the drawbacks of old style liposuction surgical procedures of “cutting & tearing away” of body fat tissue with sharpened suction tools. It also involves no incisions or being put to sleep via general anesthesia.

The laser process allows your Smart Lipo doctor to operate the minimally invasive process consistently to all areas being treated, utilizing the laser as a guide. Smart Lipo accuracy makes for a more uniformly treated area, which gets better even further as the healing time comes to an end and the outer skin shrinks around the site.

Many features set SmartLipo in a class of its own above conventional liposuction such as improved healing time, pain levels, length of medical visits, as well as reduced bruising and bleeding.

Compression Garments for SmartLipo Recovery

Compression garments are not always compulsory. Considering on the size of the body that undergoes SmartLipo, the physician could prescribe compression garments be worn for a brief period of time in order to minimize swelling plus help in healing. Yet the truth remains, compression garments do not need to be worn for as long a period of time for SmartLipo as in conventional liposuction. For larger body areas treated by this cosmetic operation, a compression garment may be given to wear for two to six weeks following the operation. Compression garments are imperative because they cave in the hollow areas caused under the skin as the body fat is melted away. The consequence is a flatter more properly shaped body surface that looks good to the eye.

SmartLipo is a surgical therapy where fatty tissue is removed by lasers and drained out by a tube like device called a cannula. The process itself is dubbed laser lipolysis. It is one of the original laser lipolysis treatments to be approved by the FDA. In the operation, doctors by means of SmartLipo put in a tiny cannula (or tube) with a laser underneath the skin, above fat pockets to be liquefied. In actuality, the incisions of the laser’s insertion points are not very perceptible and don’t require stitches. It is common in the long-established liposuction to notice a lot of bruising and tissue injury from the sharp action of the surgical cannula.

Beneficial “Side Effect of SmartLipo Laser Treatment

Collagen is the fibrous connective tissue that is used to hold bones, muscle, and other bodily tissues together and is found in abundance under the epidermis. As we age, collagen degrades in the in the lower layer of skin then the epidermis becomes increasingly furrowed.

In addition to melting the body fat, Smartlipo surgery has been verified to tighten the deeper tissue, consequently inducing collagen synthesis in the skin. The wavelengths aimed by the laser to the area beneath the exterior of the body stimulates the growth of collagen as almost like a “side effect” of the primary treatment, but in this instance, it is a useful side effect. The result is a tighter, more toned exterior after complete healing.

Smartlipo laser lipolysis is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a laser to liquefy unwanted fat swiftly, whether located on the face, neck, back, thighs, arms or breasts. In contrast to conventional liposuction, laser lipolysis exclusively targets fat tissue, immediately liquefying it so it can be either drained with no trouble by a cannula device or or else absorbed by the body’s lymphatic system.

The lasting effects of the laser lipo procedure are marvelous. From the laser used to melt the fat cells in place, to the sealing off of blood vessels to decrease blood loss, and finally to the non-traumatizing of connective tissue is beneficial. SmartLipo is named with the term “smart” for a reason. It is smart lipo that is way ahead of conventional liposuction practices.

Read more about this at Smart Lipo Recovery. Also visit Weight Loss Band

PostHeaderIcon Dr Atkins Diet Products

Following a diet is never easy, especially when you are just starting, and frankly just because you’re going to do the Atkins Diet, it doesn’t mean that it will get any easier either. Sure, you can eat virtually unlimited quantity of high fat and high protein foods, but you’re still on a diet and you still need to limit your food consumption.

For a start off, you will need to limit your carbohydrate intake especially in the initial stage of your diet, and although you get to increase that bit by bit later on in the diet, you can still be missing your favourite carbs, like bread or chocolate, and might still be prone to these cravings. And that’s where some of the Atkins products can help.

After having tasted some of the Atkins products myself, I have to mention that I consider them to be worth the money. They are not cheap, not by any means, however, nor are they so expensive that you’ll only be able to afford one item and go hungry for the rest of the time, although that might, in its own way ensure that you would lose weight those extra pounds!

However, you’ll be glad to know that there’s a range of Atkins products for you to choose from which can help satisfy even your strongest food cravings and as an added benefit, as I said before, they taste good as well. But if that isn’t enough for you, you’ll be happy to hear that they can also satisfy your sugar cravings as well as being good for you and filling you up!

So, which Atkins products are available? Well, they cover a wide range of foodstuffs, so it just depends on what stage of the diet you’re on and what you miss. If it’s breakfast bars, you’ve got the ‘Morning Start Breakfast Bars’ which is high in protein and fiber and which also has the necessary amount of calcium you’ll require too. Then you’ll come across my own personal favourite, the ‘Peanut Butter Granola Bar’, made with crunchy goodness and peanut butter.

Then again if you really crave something from your diet, you could always try one of the Atkins products which feature different flavours, say the milk shakes. For example, if you miss peaches, you could try an Atkins Peach Milk Shake. Seriously, where would you be without your milk shakes? Probably the same place you’d be without your Chocolate Peanut Butter bars.

Have I said enough to whet your appetite? Now, do you believe that can stick to your diet with any of these Atkins products lining your shelves with only a minimum of groaning?

So, what are you waiting for? Go and get your Atkins products now. There’s only so much will power a person has and the better prepared you are the easier it will be to stick to your diet and the quicker you can lose that unwanted weight.

Do you want to lose those excess pounds rapidly? Well, take a free look at Atkins Products, by visiting our website called The Atkins Diet Plan

PostHeaderIcon The Three Ways to Treat Acne

Acne is horrible. However, it’s not something that cannot be dealt with. There are lots of acne skin care items around. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories:

1] Deterrent or all-purpose acne skin care items; 2] Over-the-counter, specialised acne skin care products; 3] Prescription acne skin care items.

The all-purpose acne skin care items are the ones that are used as an acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar items that help prevent acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care items are those that should be part of your daily routine anyway. However, some of these are more orientated to work like a general acne skin care item.

These acne skin care items work against the reasons for acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and avoiding the clogging of skin pores. Essentially, these acne skin care items inhibit the oil from getting trapped in pores and hence impede the growth of the bacteria that lead to acne. Broad-spectrum acne skin care products also take in exfoliation products like skin peels. These work by removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria increase.

Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available over-the-counter i.e. without the requirement of a prescription. These include products like vanishing creams which remove the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care items are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and therefore acne). You should start with a product that has a lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin reacts to it.

Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also common as acne skin care items. You may have to test a few, before you find the acne skin care product that is most effective for you. If nothing seems to work, you should contact a skincare specialist.

Prescription acne skin care items are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. These include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical medication. A dermatologist may also suggest a minor surgical process to do away with the contents of pustules. However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, as it can lead to the permanent damage of your skin.

Your physician could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care items are known to be very efficacious in many circumstances. So, with all those acne skin care items, tackling acne is really not all that difficult.

Are you experiencing trouble treating acne scars? If you are or you’d like to find out more about acne, please go to our website entitled http://treating-acne-scars.com

PostHeaderIcon Allergy Diets

Food allergies are quite common in adults and children, perhaps more so in children but there are plenty of adults with allergies. An allergy in the broadest sense refers to a bad reaction that the body might have to anything; however food allergies are (obviously) bad reactions to foodstuffs. The most common food allergies in children are milk, peanuts and eggs and in adults it is fish, eggs, peanuts, shellfish and fish.

People can have all kinds of reactions to foods that they are allergic to, ranging from nausea and sickness to swelling throats and rashes and everything in between. However, there are some cases where if left untreated for too long, nothing can be done, and the allergy results in death.

There are a few allergies that are extremely common, and these are to dairy products, eggs, peanuts, tree nut, seafood, shellfish, wheat and soy. These are referred to as the “big 8″. The allergens in each of these foods (as with all foods) vary from country to country because of the differing environments that the food is grown in.

The most common test that is done on people to see if they have an allergy to a particular type of food that they have eaten is a skin-prick test. Another common test that allergists use to determine this is a full blood test.

Epinephrine is the most commonly used medicine to combat serious allergic reactions and it is best given through an auto-injector to overcome the systemic reaction. As far as treatment and permanent cure to food allergies are concerned, there is no long term solution. The only way to avoid having the bad reaction is to restrict your diet and avoid the food itself. People already suffering with some other diseases are found to be more prone to picking up these food allergies. They have to be identified at the right time in order to avoid further complications.

Allergydiet.co.uk offer a wide variety of the best quality gluten free bread online, as well as hints and tips regarding everything to do with gluten free rolls

PostHeaderIcon Eat Nuts!

Nuts are tasty, loaded with good fat, protein, fiber, nutrients and phytochemicals that are heart healthy and potentially good for the waistline. Barring allergies, there aren’t many reasons not to include nuts in your diet. Let’s take a look at some interesting studies, tips and tidbits about nuts.

Nuts and the Heart

A study of 31000 Seventh Day Adventists that ate nuts more than 4 times per week were half as likely to die of a heart attack than those who ate nuts less than once a week. The Iowa Women’s Health Study came to a similar conclusion: Women who ate nuts or seeds 4 times per week were 40% less likely to die from heart disease than similar women who didn’t eat nuts. The Nurses’ Health Study showed that those who ate at least 140g/week of nuts were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease than those who ate less than 30g/month. Nuts and Weight

Most studies have shown that adding nuts to the diet does not cause people to gain much weight, if any at all. As an example, researchers gave participants 45-70g of almonds every day (320 calories worth) and gave them no further instructions about food intake. After 6 months, participants gained a very miniscule amount of weight (.2 lbs in women, 1.4 lbs in men). This study was funded by the almond industry.

There aren’t many studies that show nut consumption to help people lose weight, but one study showed that a low calorie diet that included almonds led to greater weight loss than an equal calorie diet that did not include almonds.

The Seventh Day Adventist and Nurses Health Study showed that those who regularly ate nuts weighed less than those who did not.

The Best Nuts

Are some nuts better than others when it comes to health benefits? All nuts contain good fats, fiber and proteins, but different kinds of nuts have different nutrient profiles.

Almonds are richest in vitamin E (35% recommended daily intake) and calcium (8%) per 1 oz. (30g) serving. Brazil nuts are highest in selenium with just 1 supplying a days worth. Cashews are richest in copper and zinc Peanuts (technically a legume) contain the antioxidant resveratrol, and are highest in protein and arginine content Walnuts have the most alpha linolenic acids (plant-based omega-3’s) How much?

Nuts are healthy but are a dense source of calories. 1oz/30g of nuts supply about 170-180 calories. Here is a chart that shows how many nuts are in 30g.

Number of Nuts in 30 grams (1oz)

Almonds: 20-24 Brazil nuts: 6-8 Pecans: 18-20 (halves) Cashews: 16-18 Pine Nuts: 150-157 Pistachios: 45-47 Walnuts: 8-11 Hazelnuts: 18-20

Stephen Trenen is trainer in a sport club and he runs his own informative website about Best Diet Plans, check it out to learn more really working Diet Plans.

PostHeaderIcon Quick Weight Loss Plan for Faster Weight Reduction

1. Take less amount of sodium in your daily diet. High sodium content can lead to water retention and thus weight gain. Decreasing sodium intake is a simple tip for quick weight loss.

Too much salt will make your body retain water contributing to weight gain. So patients who suffer from water retention are advised to decrease their sodium intake.

It is preferable to follow a diet of not more than 1000 milligrams of sodium per day until water retention subsides.

2. Here is the second tip to include in your quick weight loss plan – make a habit of drinking plenty of water. It will fill up your stomach quickly. Also try to avoid eating till you are really very hungry. If you are just a little bit hungry, gulp down a glass of water instead.

You can enjoy numerous benefits of drinking water. First and foremost, your body will store less water when you drink more of it. It may sound strange, but that is how the body works.

Your body will become bloated when too much water is stored in it. To avoid such a situation, drink more water so that the body does not feel the need to store it.

Drinking lot of water will make you run frequently to the washroom. Do not worry, as this is normal and good. Your body is flushing out toxins through urine.

Your metabolism rate will improve by drinking plenty of water. Metabolism rate refers to the speed with which your body burns excess calories.

Faster metabolism usually means faster burning of calories and hence good for quick weight loss. You can improve your metabolism rate quite easily by drinking plenty of water.

3. Here is another tip for your quick weight loss plan – consume a lot of fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables contain many essential nutrients and have less amount of calories. So, you will be getting excellent nutrition without taking in too many calories.

It is best to eat them raw and uncooked. You can eat a lot of salad with all your meals. Or you can make fruit and vegetable juices (with very little to no sugar) for consumption.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent to include in your weight loss plan. They provide quality nutrition and contain very few calories.

If you follow the above tips, you can notice some quick improvements in your weight reduction. There are a lot of other things you might want to do in order to ensure quickest and permanent weight loss.

Follow a proven program for rapid weight loss. Read more about quick weight loss plan now.

PostHeaderIcon The New Diet Revolution

We live in a society where looking slim is the ideal. We are encouraged to think that this is what we all ought to look like too. We see the proof of this in the slim models in fashion magazines, in beauty contests on television, in adverts and in many other places. There are books that are devoted to helping us get this new look. One book that tries to help you achieve this modern look is Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution.

In Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, we are introduced to a new life style – low carb living. In this new method, we are instructed what kinds of low carb foods we can eat. Naturally, we will have to follow strict rules for Dr Atkins diet to start working and helping us to lose those ugly pounds.

There are four stages to the Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution that must be followed by anyone who wants to lose weight the Atkins diet way. These stages are: stage 1 the Induction; stage 2 Ongoing Weight Loss; stage 3 Pre-maintenance and stage 4 Maintenance. In addition to the dietary rules of these stages Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution book recommends taking daily exercise and taking nutritional supplements as part of his low carb diet.

During the induction stage of the diet it is possible to lose about 15 pounds in weight. This is done by controlling your carb consumption to 20 grammes a day. You can, however, eat lots of low carb vegetables in your diet like lettuce, broccoli and tomatoes. Consuming yoghurt, fruits, rice, bread and starchy vegetables like potatoes is out while you are on the Atkins diet. Furthermore, caffeine and alcohol drinks are not recommended.

Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution states that it is in the induction stage, that you will control your blood sugar level, thereby curing various health issues that arise from unstable blood sugar levels, like fatigue and diabetes. It is also during this induction phase of the Atkins New Diet Revolution diet that you break your food addictions and your cravings for different foods such as sugar and alcohol.

When you enter the 3rd and 4th stages in Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, the book tells you that you have reached your ideal weight. From these stages on, you get to increase your daily carb intake to up to 60 grams per day. From here on. if you want to stay at your ideal weight then you must stick to the Atkins diet for the remainder of your life.

Honestly, there does not seem to be a more scientific way to shed excess weight and keep it off permanently. The Atkins diet really does work, and by reading Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution for yourself, you will be taking a giant leap towards a slimmer, healthier future.

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PostHeaderIcon Quick Natural Slimming – Clarified

Are you aware that our behaviour patterns very often reflect those of our friends? The theory is that we turn out to be very much like the individuals we hang around with. For the most part this is interpreted as we hold the same belief structure or values; we quite often support the same sports clubs and political parties as our friends, for instance.

However, it now seems that we also have weight challenges in common with those we associate with. The amount we eat is closely related to how much our best friends eat. An interesting study looking at how young people eat found that oversized children eat more when in the company of other oversized friends.

Everyone in the group actually devoured more when they were in the company of friends, regardless of their size. But pairing up overweight friends led to the biggest consumption of all. The study was undertaken by researchers from the State University of New York at Buffalo. It highlighted the role friends play in influencing how much youngsters eat.

Frankly, having more relaxed habits when with friends is not a big surprise. Adults would no doubt have demonstrated the same characteristics. It’s possible however that in addition, we assume friends will give their consent. We’re inclined to unconsciously monitor our behaviour in relation to their reaction to it.

The researchers observed a whole mix of young people for this study. They were split into groups of two friends, or groups of two strangers. All were furnished with nibbles, fruit and vegetables. They also had various games to keep them occupied.

All the ones who teamed up with a friend ate a larger amount than the rest. However it was the pairs who were both overweight who consumed the most in total. And the variations were considerable, as shown below.

The overweight pals who were paired up ate 738 calories each on average. And yet 300 cals less were consumed by the larger guys when they teamed up with a pal of normal weight. Interestingly the normal weight guys stabilized at around 500 cals irrespective of what their pal’s weight was. Comparable evidence of strong influence from friends is evident in attitudes to alcohol consumption by teens.

The research team looking at food consumption had to conclude that peers played an influential role in a young person’s dietary habits. This sounds very negative, but of course it means that if youngsters were to associate more with friends who eat a balanced diet, then they too are likely to adjust their habits over time. A good argument for teaching sound nutrition!

(C) Scott Edwards. Navigate to WeightLossDietWar.com for in-depth ideas on slimming recipes and healthy weight management.