The Unhealthy Truth About Obesity

Health and fitness... It seems that this is something that so many people are struggling with in the world today - along with financial stress.

• The question is how can we take control of it?
• How can we reach the fitness level that we want?
• How can we become healthy and happy?

Now it's an interesting thing - a lot of people know the right and wrong foods to eat, they know that they need to do some sort of exercise every day to stay healthy and happy; they know that over consumption of anything is harmful to their health... So why do they still do it?

In March 2011, around 50,000 people were weighed, measured, interviewed and had bio-medical samples taken by the Australian Health Survey.

The results of the study have shown that obesity rates in adults are continuing to grow and grow and grow and that 63% of Australians are now in the class of overweight or obese.

It has also shown that 67% of Australians to little to no exercise.

Obesity in Australia has doubled in the last 20 years, which has left Australia ranked as one of the fattiest nations in the world.

In America, over $147 billion is spent, per year, on obesity related medical costs. It was stated in a report that by 2030, that will rise to $210 billion per year with new cases of type 2 diabetes and other obesity related diseases rising from the 1.5 million per year mark, all the way up to the 8 million mark.

There has been a massive uprise of childhood diabetes and it's thought that parents will begin to out-live their children.

Now my little sister has recently turned 13, and for her birthday she had all of her friends stay over. I went over to say happy birthday and I was shocked when I saw that most of her friends were well overweight and one friend in particular was wider then she was tall - I don't know about you, but to me, that's totally unacceptable.

As I stayed there for a few hours I watched how these young girls were eating - nothing but candy, cookies, ice cream, doughnuts, and just unhealthy foods.

The one really obese girl was eating almost the entire time I was there...

• It made me wonder what's happening in her home life?
• It made me wonder what her parents health is like?
• It made me wonder how on earth they can let that happen to their daughter?
• Did they not notice their daughters width steadily grow?
• Did they not care?
• Were they just unaware, un-educated in these matters?

As children we just do as we see and if you are overweight and don't really care, then consider the effect it will have on your children.

Do you want them to grow up to live happy, healthy and successful lives?

Because the only way that we can start to combat this epidemic is through making the decision to live healthy and sticking to it. If we start now and keep at it, then the effect will carry through the generations, like knocking over domino's.

See living a healthy lifestyle is an easy thing to do, and the catch is that it is also easy not to do. Most people think that it will be hard so they don't even begin - those that do begin, they don't stick at it, they didn't notice instant results and give up and go back to the "comfortable" lifestyle they are used to.

You didn't become obese overnight, it was the accumulation of years and years of mistreating your body and not choosing the better options that are always available.

The thing is this; if you are overweight and sick and tired of having no energy, and not liking the way you look, then just start doing something, start small, it only takes a small shift that is done consistently to move you from where you are, and to put you on a new path.

You just need to build that momentum - once you've done that you may even notice that weight-loss and a healthy lifestyle is really enjoyable.

Why do you think that there are people who just love staying fit?

It's because they don't think about it as a chore, they actually enjoy the thought of exercise and being healthy.

First change the way you think about a healthy lifestyle, then decide on some little action steps you can take and stick to, then allow the momentum to build and build and build, and as it builds, start to add more and more little steps and stick to them, before long you will be exactly how you want to be and you will look back and think "How did I actually let myself live like that?"

Secondly, have a preparation phase - the time where you are mentally building yourself up for your amazing weight-loss adventure, where you are making all the little decisions that count.

Thirdly, remove all potential hazards from your environment during the active phase - i.e. unhealthy foods, the people that want you to go out indulging in unhealthy habits etc. Clean the fridge out, get rid of all unhealthy food, no excuses like "The cookies and cake are for the kids lunch", if you are going to get healthy, then the entire household will! This isn't forever, just until you're happy with yourself.

Fourthly, the very important key to long term healthyness is this: Start eating more then you normally do. This will increase your metabolism, all you need to do is that your food intake is of the right stuff! The clean stuff!

Now what will happen is this; you will lose lots of weight and then it will just stop. Expect this, this is your plateau, just have a days rest where you indulge just a little (Many people find they don't enjoy it), that will trick your body back into fat loss mode.

(as a note: Get friends to join you, make it fun! It will be much easier)

So the question is this:

When would now be the best time to get started on transforming your life?

Living a healthy lifestyle is easy to do, and it's easy not to do - you just need to decide on what your end destination is.

Because if what you're doing now isn't taking you there, then you have to change things or you will never make it.

There is no time like now to take control of your life, I discovered when I was a fitness instructor that I wasn't getting 100% results, in the gym people would being going great, but when they left - well thats when they let themselves down.

I wasn't able to create the right emotional and psychological shifts in my clients back then that would help them create a self perpetuating weight-loss and fitness change.

As a rapid results coach and now working with the mind to produce those results, I've found that I can help people make those shifts and because of that - get some amazing results that last.

Do it for yourself, do it for your family and be happy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7483741

Category › exercise , Fitness , get started on transforming your life? , Health , Obesity , Stress

Cellular Nutrition - Why The Villi In Our Small Intestine Are Important For General Wellbeing

Many of us think that just eating any food is enough for the proper nutrition of our bodies and mind. However, that is not at all true. These days, nutrient absorption is often compromised in most people because of various reasons. This includes unhealthy eating habits, persistent dieting, excessive stress, lack of proper sleep, and improper hydration among many others.

Basically, what this means is that although we may think that we are eating well, the truth is that our digestive system is not really able to absorb the necessary nutrients required by the body and mind. This is where the villi in our small intestine come to play an important role.

The small intestine and the villi

Our small intestine is responsible for the proper absorption of nutrients. Food travels from the stomach to this organ of our body, where it is broken down into nutrients so that it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Needless to say, if we want our bodies to get the required nutrition, we need a healthy small intestine.

Now, let's see what is role of the villi in healthy digestion and proper absorption of nutrients. The villi are present on the wall of the small intestine. These are millions of small projections that play an important part in the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Various digestive enzymes present on the villi surface help in digesting the food that you consume. The villi also help increase the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream. Needless to say, if you want the nutrients from the food to get digested and absorbed, you need to have healthy villi.

The role of cellular nutrition

As you probably already know, cellular nutrition is basically providing all the required nutrients to each and every cell of the body. Cellular nutrition repairs the damage caused to our system because of pollution, improper diet, excessive stress, and other lifestyle issues.

It plays an important role in rebuilding and regenerating the villi present on the wall of the small intestine. It repairs them and improves the digestion of food. It helps improve the absorption of nutrients. So, food is well-digested and the nutrients are properly absorbed into the bloodstream.

Simply said, ensuring cellular nutrition means that your body is able to get enough nutrition at the cellular level by maintaining a healthy small intestine. This ensures that your body is prevented from various lifestyle diseases and disorders including obesity. A healthy small intestine and villi are necessary for preventing obesity.

So, if you want to maintain a healthy weight as well as your general health and wellbeing, ensure that you are providing all nutrients to the cells of your body at the optimal levels.

I have lost over 17kg's in 12 weeks and can't believe how good I feel and how much enjoyment I get out of every day and I want to help you feel the same!

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Category › Health , Nutrition

Tips For Getting Fit With A Lean And Healthy Look

There are a lot of products that claim to be designed to help you "get in shape," when what these products are really doing is putting you in a position where you are going to end up packing on so much muscle you actually end up looking silly; when it comes down to it, there are very few people who actually want to be as big and ungainly as some of these products and workout regimens are going to end up making you, and so, here is a look at three things to make sure you are doing in order to stay fit in a lean and healthy, "Hollywood" type of manner.

Exercise regularly: If you are attempting to pack on muscle, you will want to only work out once every few days, as this will allow your muscles to completely repair themselves and rebuild before you start over again; if you are wanting to get that hard, lean muscle look, however, you will want to make sure you are doing more reps, on a more regular basis - working out once per day, and doing high reps with low weight to keep your muscles taut.

Eat right: Regardless of whether you are trying to build muscle or are instead going for the lean look, protein is going to be important - but you need to make sure you are not sacrificing other areas of nutrition in the meantime; in addition to making sure you are getting your protein, you will also want to get as many fruits and veggies into your body as you can, and you will want to stay away from carbs and sugars as much as possible, in order to keep your body from getting flabby.

Learn as much as you can: And of course, one of the most vital things to make sure you are keeping in mind about getting body you want to get is the simple fact that you do not know everything there is to know, and the more you learn, the better position you will put yourself in; find a resource you enjoy visiting and can learn from, and as you continue to visit this resource and continue to learn as much as you can about getting that lean body you want, you will continue to take steps toward gaining and maintaining this body.

A lot of people think of the visual side of things when they think about getting in shape - that is, they think about the fact that they want to look impressive when they go out in public - but realize that there is more to getting in shape than just looking good; when you work toward a lean, hard body, you will be able to get that body you desire - the one that looks good when you go out in public - while also keeping yourself healthy and whole!

Category › Health

Lose Weight Not Your Mind - Here Are A Few Weight Loss Tips

For some people losing weight is very difficult. Many have lost weight only to gain it back again. The crux of the problem is that losing weight is easy.For some people losing weight is very difficult. Here we look at ways for effective and permanent weight loss.

The truth

Let us face the bitter reality. There are no short cuts to lose weight. Lots of people have been duped by innumerable individuals or organizations who make tall claims of losing weight fast. Whether they are pills, ingenious exercise machines or fad diets they are all bound to fail. To put it simply there is nothing more potent than a combination of controlled diet and regular exercise to get rid of the flab.

Burn out the excess fat

If you have not yet embarked on an exercise regimen, start now. To be on the safe side, consult a physician before exercising. Some folk are self motivated. They can exercise at home. Equipment such as treadmill or exercise bike can be used for them. If one lacks motivation, it is a good idea to join a gym. For some people who have been advised not to undertake vigorous exercise, yoga is a good option. Exercise should be done at the same time each day so that it becomes a habit. Start with light exercise and gradually built it up. If you are lucky enough to have hillocks in your vicinity, climb them regularly. If you like listening to music while exercising, feel free to do so. Paste the picture of people who have great and fit bodies. Participate in public walk and runs. If affordable hire a personal trainer who will unflinchingly goad you to exercise everyday.

Diet Rules

Diet is more important than exercise in losing weight. If you don't have a controlled diet, weight loss will prove elusive. It is important to maintain a food journal. That you will know when and why you are binging. Plan your diet. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Include lots of vegetables and fruits in your regular diet. Red meat is a no-no. Reduce on sweets and fried food items. Avoid aerated water and packaged fruit juices. Both of them contain loads of sugar. Eat whole fruits instead. Reduce on dairy products such as butter and cheese. Cottage cheese is healthy and can be consumed. However avoid overdoing anything. There is a plethora of foods which will help you lose weight. You can look them over using the Internet.

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Category › Diet , Health , Weight Loss

2 Basic Tips for Men's Fitness

Fitness is preached in today's society to every age bracket. But who needs fitness? I sure didn't so.

That's what I told myself until I fell at work and hurt my back. That's when I couldn't ignore my highly prized and very expensive beer belly. That belly was making my back a living hell. All that extra weight was putting more strain on my back and knees than I could ever imagine.

Even without my fall, as I go through all the physiotherapy and doctors, I've learned as I get older I would have had the same problems eventually because of the extra weight. Fall or no fall, my prized belly would have caught up to me one way or another.

Here are some tips for basic men's fitness.

1. Fitness is for every age and the younger you start the more rewards for the future - and that doesn't mean it's a lost cause if you're fifty or better. I'm 53 and have the energy of a 40 yr old which is a huge improvement from not being able to get out of bed without a fork lift. My back was not being kind to me at all and certain days still reminds me it's there.

This brings us to my first tip FLEXIBILITY Your muscles have been dormant and if you jump into lifting weights or jogging, for example, you'll cramp up like a woman's monthly (sorry ladies) but it's true. I have personally bought enough muscle pain relief creams to own shares in several companies.

2. Get into the habit of STRETCHING before you exercise (warm up) and even after (cool down).

If you are just starting to get into lifting weights here's a couple of tips for you. Start small and keep it simple. Pick a weight that you can comfortably lift 8-12 times for 3 sets. Also remember to give each muscle group a day off between work outs. Let your muscles recover and build.

Remember, too, that if you're losing weight your muscles are the first to go. They're easier for your body to burn than your fat. Make sure you're taking vitamins and protein supplements (whey).

Cardio is a great way to become fit. If you decide to be a jogger remember to stay off the tarmac and concrete because it will protect damaging your knees. My choice was a bike. I can sit my lazy butt in front of the TV and pedal away. Plus in the summer it's nice to go for a ride.Walking is a great option to jogging for us unable to run.

Cardio is the best way to burn fat and give you a healthy heart. A healthy heart will benefit you all through your life. It will make you feel better than you can imagine. Helps you keep up with the kids or grandkids as well.

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Category › Fitness , Health , healthy heart

The Importance of a Healthy Self-Image

"The oft repeated phrase Be yourself. Just be the person you are" means, or should mean, "Begin with your own soul-searching and take it forward from there."

This is the initiation of an ongoing process for finding your own strengths, shoring up your own weakness and building your own version of a person worthy of your own self-esteem.

Each of us has one's own identity. Our task is much like mining: to dig into ourselves and reach for those cells of insight rich with our own mettle and to bring this inner worth to the surface.

In the process, we are also bound to churn up a lot of emotional debris which must be isolated and aside.

Beginning with yourself, then, is the best way for being yourself which, in the final analysis, is the only way that we can in Socrates's parlance really "know thyself." This is not an easy thing to do.

Knowing oneself deeply and fully also means facing oneself, squarely and honestly.

This entails looking beyond and through the emotional costuming, the artificiality and the pretense ingrained in us, in order to see ourselves as we actually are. It means reconciling in a realistic way the discordance between our hopes and our accomplishments and making our peace with the inescapable conflict.

Becoming an emotionally healthy and happy person or a self actuated, fully functioning individual is neither a quirk of fate nor is it coded in the genes. Rather, it is an intellectual conditioning founded over time by balding rational, achievable goals with hard work, some sacrifice, and a willingness to take some necessary and calculated risks now and then.

The existence of the voluminous literature concerning the self-concept leaves little doubt that mental health and personal adjustment depend deeply on each individual's basic feeling or personal adequacy. The growth of an adequate self-concept, free from such encumbrances as phobic and misplaced ego o r unrealistic misgivings, is a critically important first step in creating a healthy self image.

To cope successfully with the objective reality of everyday living we must have a firm grip on our own unwavering self-identity.

Attaining a healthy self-image, with its attendant feeling of adequacy, personal worth, and confidence, is not some lofty goal beyond mortal reach, standing aloof as kind of figurative ideal. It is an attitude or cluster of attitudes that are acquired, which instinctively replaces negative destructive or self-defeating reactions by healthier ones. Past experiences can have a vast influence on current behavior.

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Category › Health

The Worst 5 Foods to Avoid to Lose Weight and Elude Disease

The biggest problem that this author sees, in the US today, when it comes to what foods are optimal for weight loss and health, is the confusion over the subject. One expert says one thing, while another expert completely contradicts the first one and says something totally different.

I feel that a little bit of thinking and common sense goes a long way towards solving the dilemma of what foods are beneficial for weight loss and our declining health statistics.

If we lose the weight, but in the process, ruin our health, it is all for nothing as we will soon gain it all back plus some and our health will be closer to the brink of serious, possibly debilitating disease. This is the situation I was faced with about 2 years ago, and it caused me to get really serious about my health. I did a lot of research on the subject.

What I found when I started looking at the data and the conclusions I reached were really common sense, and I think if you will do the same, you will most likely come to the same commonsensical conclusion.

When you look at the graphs of escalating levels of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, celiac disease, cancer, autism, ADD, IBS and many other "modern" diseases that are far too numerous to mention here with the increasing consumption of refined foods, High Fructose Corn Syrup, sugar, genetically modified crops, feedlot animal products, dairy where the cattle are injected with growth hormones for increased production, meat that is treated with antibiotics to offset the diseases caused by unnatural grain diets and vegetables that are treated with pesticides the graphs are almost identical in their rise from 100 years ago to today.

What is going on here?

Medical Science has progressed by millennia with the advent of super computers that can do in minutes now, what used to take years. So why, with all of this "progress" are we regressing when it comes to our health as a whole?

Why is obesity and diabetes increasing, why is heart disease progressing, why are cancers more commonplace? Why are ADD, Celiac Disease, autism and countless other maladies going through the roof, when only 50 years ago many were almost unheard of or at least extremely rare?

What is different? When you do a little research, it is overwhelmingly obvious. Our food is different. What we eat on a regular basis as normal American food has undergone monumental changes for the worse in the past 50 years.

We are a society that values and embraces progress. I propose to you that we are regressing, not progressing as far as weight gain and health matters are concerned.

So, what do you do about it and how does this concern weight loss?

The answer is, you rewind the clock about two hundred years when it comes to making food choices. It really is as simple as that. The wheat we eat today is far different from the wheat our grandparents ate and that applies to soy products, corn products and many others. It also applies to mass production feedlot animal and their products, refined oils that are touted as "good for you" because they are easy and cheap to produce, and vegetables that have pesticides sprayed on them to increase production.

Many, extensively researched books could be written concerning this subject, but that is beyond the scope of this article and my only goal here is to bring to your attention, what I have found to be the worst offenders of abnormal weight gain and worse, diseases caused by diet in the western world.

When I changed my diet to line up with this, the weight fell off and all of my biomarkers of health improved drastically. It is up to you to further research what I am proposing as a fit and healthy lifestyle. A lifestyle change that has done wonders for me, my family and many friends.

The Worst Offenders

1) Wheat, Corn and Soy Products. (Read "Wheat Belly" by Dr. William Davis M.D.)

2) Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup and the many products where these are hidden.

3) Refined Foods (Read "Samurai Diet" by Nate Miyaki)

4) Processed Foods (Read "The Fat Burning Kitchen" by Mike Geary and Catherine Ebeling)

5) Feedlot Produced Animals and their Products. (Chose instead grass fed, free range, cage free and wild caught)

I encourage you to research what I propose as a fit and healthy lifestyle. If you do, I'm sure it will all start to make sense to you too, and hopefully spare you the agony of unnecessary diseases brought on by our diet in today's world.

  ©ezinearticles

Category › Health , Weight Loss

Soda More Closely Related to Obesity, New Studies Suggest

New research shows that soda and other sugary drinks are some of the main culprits for obesity. A study of more than 33,000 Americans was carried out over a period of more than 10 years and looked at how much their weight changed based on what they drank. The researchers found that there is now proof that soda and other sugary drinks greatly increased the risk of a person becoming obese.

 The results also suggested that soda was especially harmful to people with genes that are pre-disposed to weight gain. The main message which came out of the study is for overweight or obese people to reduce their soda intake. Similarly, findings from three studies which were published online in the New England Journal of Medicine suggest that reducing children's access to soda and other sugary drinks can help in successfully controlling weight gain. 

Collectively, these results suggest that drinking sugar drinks makes you pile on the pounds, this is not including other unhealthy habits such as overeating or not exercising enough. Consumption of sugary drinks and obesity has more than doubled since the 1970s in the US.

The gene research in particular provides a major breakthrough as to what was originally known about obesity and the results show how consumption behaviour combines with our genes to determine how fat we become. Having many genes which are more likely to make you gain weight does not guarantee that a person will become obese, but if they then drink large amounts of sugary drinks, becoming obese can become much more probable. "The sweet drinking and the fatness are going together, and it's more evident in the genetic predisposition people." says Jules Hirsh of Rockefeller University in New York who has looked at evidence from other studies.

Soda and sugary drinks are one of the most calorific sources in the American diet and they are becoming increasingly blamed for being responsible for obesity in children. In contrast to these findings, the beverage industry has hit back on these claims. The American Beverage Association states "Studies and opinion pieces that focus solely on sugar sweetened beverages, or any other single source of calories, do nothing meaningful to help address this serious issue. The fact remains: sugar-sweetened beverages are not driving obesity."

A growing number of countries worldwide are considering increasing taxes on products which contain a lot of saturated fat or sugar. David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the UK, said that his government would consider following the example set by other European countries such as Denmark which have introduced a "fat tax" scheme on foods containing 2.3% saturated fat or more, as a way of minimising the huge social and financial implications to healthcare that are caused by increasing obesity levels within the country.

The soft drinks industry branded the idea "ineffective, intrusive and unfair". Richard Laming, media director of the British Soft Drinks Association, states "A tax on soft drinks is not the way to fight obesity. The cause of obesity is an excess of calories in the diet over calories expended in exercise, and not the overall amount of calories consumed, still less the calories from any individual source. Many people enjoy soft drinks within a balanced diet: those people should not be targeted for additional taxes. Balanced diets and active lifestyles can only be achieved through information and education and not regulation or compulsion."

However, in contrast to this, genetic research have been part of a much larger set of health studies which have gone on for many yeas and are led by the Harvard School of Public Health in the USA. The results obtained from the study indicate that for every 10 risk genes someone had, the obesity rose in proportion to the amount of sugary drinks the person consumed on a regular basis. Dr Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard University added "Two bad things can act together and their combined effects are even greater than either effect alone," Hu said. "The flip side of this is everyone has some genetic risk of obesity, but the genetic effects can be offset by healthier beverage choices. It's certainly not our destiny" to be fat, even if we carry genes that raise this risk.

After evaluating the evidence from studies it is clear that soda and sugary drinks have an impact on weight gain, but in order to see a long term decrease of obesity, people would also be advised eat a calorie controlled diet as well as exercising regularly.

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Category › Diet , Health , Obesity , soda

Bad Side Effects of Weight Loss Surgery

Bariatric (weight loss) surgery is an effective weight loss procedure performed on people who are dangerously obese and have failed to lose pounds with a healthy diet and exercise.

Bariatric surgery is billed as the life-changing procedure that improves an individual's physical and mental health as well as appearance. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), major developments in the field of bariatric surgery, particularly laparoscopy, has made it the most effective treatment for morbidly obese patients.

There are a variety of weight loss surgeries, including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve and gastric banding, that aim to reduce the amount of food you can consume at a given time by reducing the stomach size or/and bypassing some of the small intestine so that fewer calories are absorbed into the bloodstream.

These weight loss surgeries have been seen as an increasingly attractive option for obese patients in recent years. But people who have had any kind of bariatric surgery could experience side effects that can be dangerous and even life-threatening.

Common Side Effects

Nausea, Vomiting and Abdominal Discomfort 

Eating too quickly, taking large bites, not chewing well enough, eating foods that are too dry or tough or consuming food in large quantity at one time can bring on abdominal discomfort in many people after weight loss surgery. Eating less than 'mindfully' can cause nausea, vomiting and other complications.

Dehydration, Constipation 

Ingesting water inappropriately after bariatric surgery can lead to dehydration. It is essential to drink about 2 liters of liquid a day during the first few weeks after weight loss surgery. Consuming fluid in larger quantity could create complications as well. Constipation is another bariatric surgery complication that may occur due to lack of water consumption. So, be sure to maintain adequate fluid intake after bariatric surgery.

Dairy Food Intolerance 

There is also a possibility that you may develop intolerance to some foods, mainly to dairy food items like milk and milk products. Some patients struggle to digest cheese or ice cream, or any other gummy foods like bread, pasta, and rice as well as steak and pizza.

Hair loss or hair thinning, fatigue, dry skin, abdominal pain and mood swings are other bariatric surgery side effects.

Dangerous Side Effects

Dumping Syndrome 

Many bariatric surgery patients can experience "dumping syndrome," which occurs as the result of rapid emptying of undigested stomach contents into the small intestine. This complication mostly happens following gastric bypass surgery. Although the condition itself is not considered a serious health concern, the associated symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. They include nausea, shaking, weakness, sweating, faintness, tiredness, nightmares, rapid heart rate, excessive hunger and stomach cramping after meals.

Malabsorption and Malnutrition 

The potentially severe complications can include malabsorption, where body fails to absorb nutrients from the gastrointestinal tract effectively. The deficiency of calcium and iron in the body can cause anemia, diarrhea, and even bone disease. Nutritional deficiencies after the surgery can have an everlasting effect on your life. The NIH statistic shows that nearly 30% of bariatric surgery patients develop nutritional deficiencies like anemia or osteoporosis.

NIPHS 

Although rare, but some patients may deal with a serious complication called Non-Insulinoma Pancreatogenous Hypoglycemia Syndrome or very low blood sugar levels. Bariatric patients with this complication may experience severe neurologic symptoms, including frequent episodes of confusion throughout the day, visual disturbances and seizures.

Suicide 

A review of nearly 17,000 bariatric operations performed from 1995 to 2004 in Pennsylvania suggested that weight loss surgery patients can also be at greater risk of suicide.

Risk of Death 

Some studies have associated the weight loss surgery with a higher-than-expected risk of death. According to the study results, not only the older patients, even the younger patients may die after the surgery.

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Category › Bariatric Surgery , Dangerous Side Effects , Health , NIPHS , Risk of Death , Weight Loss

The Health Risks of Sedentary Living

One of the most troubling statistics related to current health trends in the United States is the fact that 25% of all Americans live a sedentary lifestyle. This means that one out of every four people in the United States get zero exercise or physical activity. What makes this even worse is recent studies have demonstrated that living a sedentary life is just as detrimental to the body as smoking 1 ½ packs of cigarettes a day. 

While most people are aware of the health risks of smoking, many people do not link lack of physical activity to potential serious health concerns.

Obesity is becoming an epidemic in the United States with estimates that 1/3 of the adult population is currently obese. What's worse in this case is the fact that more and more children and young people are within the obese category. Studies have demonstrated that children that are obese have a substantially higher risk of heart disease as an adult. Poor dietary choices, lack of education, and lack of exercise are what I see as the main causes of obesity in our country. In my opinion I feel that while genetics can play a small part in a "predisposition" to being overweight, it has more to do with the choices the individual makes. My entire family is overweight, with most members falling into the obese range and at one point in my adult life, I too battled with obesity. 

That experience demonstrated to me that if I could lose weight, then so could the rest of my family if they made the commitment to do so. I made the choice to do something about my weight by eating a clean diet and adding exercise to my daily routine.

Another area of concern in the United States is the ever rising healthcare costs. Being overweight and non-active almost certainly doubles the need for medical care as we age, and more and more insurance companies are denying coverage or increasing premiums for those people that are obese.
I too have some experience with this being that prior to losing weight, I was faced with being put on both cholesterol and blood pressure medications, for what the doctor said could potentially be for the rest of my life. It was amazing that within 60 days of exercising and losing weight, both my blood pressure and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels were within the healthy range. All it took to avoid being put on medications for the rest of my life was losing weight and making the commitment to live a healthy lifestyle. 

So that being said, I became a huge advocate for health and fitness and I hope that we all can become passionate about taking our health and wellness seriously. Even if you are fit and eat a well balanced diet, go out and inspire others to join the wellness movement. We can all use a little motivation to push ourselves to be more active and improve our nutritional intake and our quality of life depends on it!

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Category › Health , Obesity , Weight Loss

A Heart Health Secret That Will Make You Want To Laugh

Would you like to take an approach to heart health care that requires fewer medical office visits, no special dietary or medication requirements and with no arduous daily exercise regimen? Would you also like a health care approach that costs zero dollars? If these questions make you smile, laugh you're on the right track according to the medical experts.

 The saying that laughter is the best medicine is more than just an old adage. 

Experts have rediscovered a secret found in the ancient text of Proverbs compiled by Solomon around 950 b.c. It says "a joyful heart is good medicine." A smile and laughter help you relax and recharge. They reduce stress and increase energy, and allow you to stay focused and accomplish more. Smiles and laughter can chase away distressing emotions. 

Behavioral scientists tell us that you can't feel anxious, angry, or sad when you're smiling and laughing. Researchers also tell us that a smile is contagious, and that laughter is infectious. Smiling and laughing helps your immune system to work better. There is evidence that suggests you can prevent the flu and colds by smiling. Since laughter and smiles protect you from the damaging cardiovascular effects of stress. The old saying that 'laughter is the best medicine,' definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart.

This medicine offers unlimited possibilities, and has the potential to save several millions of dollars annually in health care costs. Many medical experts endorse this as good medicine and have supportive data that confirms a mind-body connection. 

These published articles show that there is an absolute link between anger and hostility and their resultant hypertensive and coronary artery disease effects. Anger seems to increase blood pressure, raise cholesterol, and increase the risk of coronary heart disease. However, a smile and laughter can counter the negative effects of anger and hostility on your heart's health. When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure.

Amazingly, a smile does nothing for anybody until it is given away. It is one of the best things in life and it's free. It is God's gift to his image bearers.
Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good.

These endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being. Both smiles and laughter help to protect your hearts against a heart attack by improving the function of blood vessels and increasing blood flow. 

The mind-body connection is real. Smiling is a natural drug, and joyful heart is not only good medicine, but offers everyone affordable health care. Remember you can't overdose or become addicted to this medicine and it's free. Try it and prove it your for yourself. Your heart will thank you.

Source: EzineArticles

Category › Health , motivation

Proven Fitness Tips and Tricks

Are you tired of huffing and puffing when you climb a flight of stairs? Is it time for you to finally get in shape? If so, you've come to the right place. The following article has some great tips and tricks that will help you reach your fitness goals.

So long as your ready to put in the work and keep yourself motivated, there is no reason why you can't get in the best shape of your life, no matter how old or out of shape you currently are.

The first thing you're going to want to do is create a diet that will help you reach your fitness goals. This doesn't mean you have to count calories or starve yourself. Quite the opposite actually. As you start your fitness routine, you are going to be building a lot of muscle, which will require you to consume a great deal of food. The important thing is that you make healthy food choices. Get rid of refined sugars and consume lots of protein. In general just try to eat healthier.

Once you've established your diet, you are ready to create an exercise routine. To reach your fitness potential, you are going to have to incorporate both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. This means that you are going to have to couple strength training with cardio. When it comes to strength training, strive to target each muscle group 1 or 2 times a week and no more.

 This will give your body adequate time to recover and build muscle. As far as cardio goes, you have two different avenues to follow. If you need to lose a lot of weight, you are better suited training for longer periods of time at a moderate pace. If you are looking to improve endurance and overall cardiovascular health, stick to shorter more intense workouts.

Now that the planning stages are done, you are ready to set your fitness goals. It is important that you work towards something so that you can monitor your progress and see how much you have improved. Make sure that these goals are realistic so that they are attainable. Having goals that are too hard will just discourage you and cause you to abandon your fitness plan altogether.

With a good diet plan and exercise routine, you are ready to start your fitness program; however, you will make life a whole lot easier if you enlist the help of a buddy. Having someone along for the ride with you is going to make the entire fitness process much more enjoyable. When you have a workout buddy, you will motivate each other to work harder, therefore you will reach your goals much quicker. It also increases the likelihood that you will stick with whatever program you create.

Source: EzineArticles

Category › Diet , exercise , Fitness , Health

Health and Fitness Tips - Staying Motivated

At the start of every new year many people start a new campaign to get in the best shape of their lives and although the intention is real enough, in reality many give up before the first month has even passed. So why is this the case? Maybe you can relate to this yourself.

 It seems that the more times you try and then give up, this somehow becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. So here are some health and fitness tips to keep you on track.

Health And Fitness Tips - Have a Definite Goal

Many of the great books on self motivation have a very common theme when it comes to success. Successful people seem to have a very definite purpose to their lives and this especially relates to top sportsmen and athletes. The idea of setting a goal is nothing new. However it is the way these are set that often can lead to your downfall. For instance, if you just say I would like to get fit or I am going to try a new exercise regime, this is not sending a strong message to your subconscious mind. In fact, it really is saying that you are not really serious in making the change. So try to be specific. Set timescales and definite goals such as, how much weight you will lose and by when.

Health And Fitness Tips - Keep A Journal

The technique of writing down your goals and then keeping a record of your progress is very powerful. It is a way of reinforcing your intentions and programming your mind to a new way of life. Try to attach an emotion of excitement to keeping these records. In this way you will not think of this as a chore but as a way of feeling good about the changes you are making. Emotion linked to a definite purpose is a powerful combination.

Health And Fitness Tips - Creative Visualization Techniques

I referred to the example of top sportsman and athletes. They seem to naturally use these techniques in taking them to the top. Many a gold medallist will tell you that they visualized over and over again, that moment when they hit the tape first and stepped up to the winners podium. Taking time to visualize your fitness goals and becoming emotionally attached to the outcomes will make your motivation come naturally. You will start to wake up energized with a sense of anticipation. Suddenly the thought of giving up will never enter your head as your new way of being has become part of you.



Source: EzineArticles

Category › Fitness , Health , motivation , Techniques

First Steps to Healing Your Body From Within Always Starts With Knowledge

Firstly, acknowledging that you no longer wish to be a part of the 'charade of being' - but having compassion for those who know no different - for they know not what they do. Many are just plain crooked. They have yet to come face to face with themselves where the grimace they will see and the illusion they labour under is soon to drag them to their knees. Believe me, ultimately each and every one of us sees the error of our ways. It is only a matter of time.

You have heard Mahatma Gandhi's words, "You become what you eat". He was right - you become dead because much of the food people eat is dead - it follows. But you also become what you think - if you think fear and impending death coupled with an inability to change what you eat - your body dies and you cease to exist on this plane!

Changing thoughts and the approach to nutritional intake is the first step to a long and disease-free life.The 'old way' is no longer the way. Seeing the light is the release mechanism. Seeing the world in a different light is just a matter of changing the mind. Realisation is just this - seeing the planet through 'real-eyes'. Seeing the food on the plate before you through new eyes knowing that you have chosen to forsake the senses and allow the body to reveal its nutritional needs to you.

Live and natural foods which are known to make a major difference to one's health let me ponder a few thoughts around the subject of 'knowledge'. There is no such thing as 'finite knowledge'. No one person, group, political, religious or even sporting persuasion that has an exclusive franchise over 'knowledge'.

'Knowledge is' what it means to each of us as an individual and we choose to make decisions based on threads of information we already have within us or have learnt along the way. We have the power to discern - you must start using it more and question, question. This is why I find it remarkably arrogant of self-help gurus, doctors and specialists who proclaim that their knowledge is finite and the be all and end all. It is not! This article is a viewpoint - an opinion of fact relevant to me and made relevant, or otherwise, by those of you who read these words.

This is why these words are about proffering choices and options NOT postulation or grandstanding. It's about down to earth OPTIONS. So called traditional (allopathic), which I actually refer to as non-traditional medicine, actually has a legitimate place. A lot of amazing things have come from this area of healthcare BUT a lot of well-intended findings have bound up society in a consensual belief system hailed as being the truth, when in fact it is not. Under the guise of science we have been led to believe that certain information is finite. Take a moment to ponder that even some of Einstein's theories, and that's all they were in the first place - theories, are now being disproved

Source: EzineArticles

Category › Food Nutrition , Health