Life Lost To Obesity: Not Just Quality

By: Caroline Cederquist, M.D.

With two out of three Americans overweight today, we’re learning more and more about the numerous ways that carrying excess weight can really affect our health and diminish our quality of life.

But you may not have heard the hard facts about how overweight and obesity can diminish your quantity of life.

Simply put, overweight people die younger. On average, they lose as many years to their excess weight as smokers lose to their cigarettes.

It stands to reason, doesn’t it? With all the health problems that we know are caused or worsened by excess weight, it is to be expected that those who carry an excess would die sooner than those who don’t.

Still, we don’t often hear the cost of our extra calories expressed in such stark terms. In the popular media, we’ve typically seen our weight problems discussed as a function of appearance and appeal, and feel the imperative to lose weight in order to be more attractive and more successful.

The medical establishment has been warning about the risks of obesity and overweight in terms that address their health consequences, but early death is seldom mentioned among these.

Yet Dutch researchers studying Americans found that there’s a lot to lose for those who don’t lose their extra pounds. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the data from the Dutch study were gathered from more than 3,450 subjects between the ages of 30 and 59.

The researchers categorized people according to their body mass index, or BMI. A BMI of 19 to 24 is typically considered healthy, while a BMI of 25 to 29 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is clinically obese.

Among those subjects who were overweight but not actually obese, the study showed that 40-year-old female nonsmokers lost 3.3 years of life due to their excess weight.

In this weight class, the 40-year-old male nonsmokers lost 3.1 years of life expectancy.

For non-smokers who were clinically obese, the news only got worse for women, who lost about seven years of life because of their obesity, while the men of this size lost just under six years.

That’s six Thanksgivings, six New Year’s Eves, and who knows how many grandchildren born. That’s six Superbowls they’ll miss, six World Series they won’t see.

Not surprisingly, the loss is much greater for overweight smokers. When we add the strain and damage of cigarettes to the body’s burden of obesity, the loss doubles, to around 13 years for both men and women.

That’s 13 birthdays, 13 Independence Day fireworks shows, 13 years of some special child’s school pictures that will be missed. When you think about it in such personal and specific terms, those extra calories suddenly seem so much more costly.

"Obesity and overweight in adulthood are associated with large decreases in life expectancy and increases in early mortality," the the journal reported. "Because of the increasing prevalence of obesity, more efficient prevention and treatment should become high priorities in public health."

But what “prevention and treatment” means depends on who you talk to, and it’s becoming an increasingly controversial issue, with some saying that overweight is an individual problem caused by individual actions, and therefore one that should be dealt with by the people who are personally affected.

But others say that’s a gross oversimplification. Increasingly, public health official and other researchers assert that this is a social problem that deserves all the attention it can get.

While people certainly must take responsibility for their own eating practices, and families must be responsible for the dietary habits of their children, there’s more to it than that.

In our society, we are faced with what some experts refer to as our “toxic environment,” and they’re not talking about chemical waste; they’re talking about the ubiquity of burgers, about soda machines in schools, about giant-sized snacks devoid of nutritional value.

They’re concerned about millions spent promoting essentially worthless foods, while education and promotion of good nutritional options languishes in unfunded media obscurity.

We face tremendous pressure to eat often and eat poorly, and there are consequences to that, for everyone, even those who are not personally overweight. American’s weight-related health expenses now exceed $130 billion per year, and that gets spread across everyone’s health costs.

And that says nothing of the incalculable economic cost to businesses and communities in lost human time and potential.

And it says nothing of the immeasureable loss to families and individuals, of those moments on birthdays and holidays, of those stories and photographs that end up missing someone, lost early to a preventable weight problem.

Article Source: http://yesezine.com

Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D. is a board certified Family Physician and a board certified Bariatric Physicians (the medical specialty of weight management). Dr. Cederquist is the founder of Bistro MD formerly Diet To Your Door, a home diet delivery program that specializes in low calorie gourmet food that is delivered to your home or office.

Hoodia Hoopla: Promising You Definite Weight Loss

By: John Porter

By now you must have heard of Hoodia. Also you have come to know about this sure shot breakthrough in the weight loss formulas being used all around the world.

Hoodia Gordonii is the real name and this actually belongs to the cactus family. So basically it is a plant product that has been found out to be crazily supporting life with healthy weight and low appetite. Interesting, isn't it?

Magic of P57

What makes Hoodia such a wonderful weight loss product? Where is Hoodia actually found? In the African southwestern region Hoodia, the 3 feet tall plants with prickly spikes are found in abundant. The spikes are removed to get the fleshy body and that carries the secret of weight loss formula. It is scientifically known as the P57 molecule.

Originally the native Africans used this Hoodia in the dry days to meet their thirst and hunger cravings. Specifically during long travels in the deserts Hoodia is the best alternative to sustain life with more energy just through very less consumption. This very feature was ultimately transformed into the weight loss criteria served by the Hoodia Gordonii.

Easy burning of calories

How does the Hoodia actually work? You know it very well that one-pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories. Those who have taken Hoodia on a regular basis have found that at least a thousand calorie can be reduced in a single day. Hence the easy calculation can be derived that around three thousand calories in three days. Hence a reduction of one pound in three days can be attained. Thus in thirty days you can shed off 9 to 10 pounds at ease if you choose Hoodia Gordonii as your weight loss partner.

Forms of Hoodia

Definitely you won't pick up the plant and start chewing. Among different ways of having Hoodia, the pills form is very convenient and you can take it with tea or coffee. You can also go for the candy item and chew Hoodia as you like it.

Depending on Hoodia for weight loss purpose won't be a very expensive matter for you. You can highly bear the cost of the Hoodia products and moreover rely on them because they have no side effects. Especially the weight loss pills troubles you with problems like nausea, drowsiness etc and also bigger disease like heart and blood pressure ailments. Believe it Hoodia is completely safe. You can churn your calories yet remain cent percent healthy with the Hoodia diet.

Article Source: http://yesezine.com

Find more Exercise and fitness info online. For Online education related articles: www.onlineeducation-fyi.info

Healthy Cholesterol Levels

Before you start eating your favorite, you might want to know whether you’re having too much cholesterol. Few years ago, many were not aware what cholesterol level is but with all the information everywhere people are becoming aware how their cholesterol levels affect their lives. You have to remember that you are what you eat and what you eat has something to do with your cholesterol. What is cholesterol? How will you know if you have a healthy cholesterol level?

Cholesterol Is…

Cholesterol is a type of lipid needed in all the vital functions of the body. Every single one of our cells is surrounded by cholesterol and its job is to insulate our nerve fibers. By insulating the nerve fibers, the cholesterol ensures that the nerve signals are traveling properly which is extremely important. Cholesterol also produces hormones which are used to carry specific signals around the body.
Too much cholesterol in the body would increase your chances of heart disease. If you have a high cholesterol level, you should bring it down. Even though cholesterol is essential for our bodies to function properly, still it should be controlled properly.

What Is Your Cholesterol Level?

How do you know if your cholesterol levels are high? You have to consult your doctor let you know exactly what your cholesterol level is. Knowing your levels is not really enough to tell whether or not you have a risk of heart disease, you need to find out what your Lipoprotein levels is.

Lipoproteins are molecules which are especially designed to carry cholesterol around the body. They are important because they control exactly how much cholesterol is in your body. Now, there are two main types of Lipoproteins:

- High Density Lipoproteins
- Low Density Lipoproteins

The one which you really need to be aware of is Low Density Lipoproteins. A high level of Low Density Lipoproteins means that you have a bad cholesterol that here is too much of it to build up. High Density Lipoproteins means good cholesterol that they are used to carry cholesterol away from cells and to the liver.

The complicated thing about cholesterol is the right level you should belong. The doctor has the ability to tell you how low your cholesterol levels should be. The average person usually should have around 4.0mmol/l but if you have a low density lipoprotein count, then you should have around 2.0mmol/l. As mentioned, however, each person is different so you need to get your levels checked to see exactly what you should be aiming for.

Cholesterol is important and you should know what levels you have for you to know what you can do about it. More and more people are developing heart disease due to high levels of cholesterol so it is advisable to go to your doctors to know your cholesterol level.

There are many ways to improve your cholesterol level. Eat healthy food that can help lower your LDL cholesterol level. With a healthy diet, your body is protected from the damaging effect of cholesterol. You should quit smoking, lose weight and exercise to raise your HDL cholesterol level.

Following a healthy low fat diet can lower cholesterol levels. If healthy eating and exercising don't work after about six months, consult your family doctor of the medicine to lower your cholesterol level.

If you really want to lower your cholesterol or manage your weight, Proactol™, can help you achieve this more easily.

Proactol™ can help you trim down your dietary fat intake by up to 28%. It is a clinically proven fat binder that helps you to lower your blood cholesterol level by slowing down your glucose absorption.

Health experts recommend people to have healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and a balanced diet. Proactol™ is here to provide you the healthy life you want to achieve.

Clinically Proven Fat Binder Proactol™ helps you reduce your cholesterol level

Healthy Weight Loss Advice - Understanding Body Composition

By: Malton A. Schexneider

It doesn't matter what you weigh. Height and weight charts are meaningless. What really matters is the composition of your body - how much of your body is muscle and how much is fat. An understanding of body composition is one of the ways you'll escape the gravitational pull of the diet mentality. Body composition is a much more sophisticated way to see your body. Forget the scales and the height and weight charts. Concentrate on body composition.

Body composition testing measures how lean your body is. Remember, getting lean means to enhance your lean body mass - your muscles, your bones, your organs and the fluids of your body. Body composition is the only accurate way to measure how lean you are.

We have a real challenge in this country. We live in the fattest nation on earth. The average American male is 26% body fat. The average American female is 36% body fat. Let's put that in perspective. If this average male with 26% body fat weighs 200 pounds, it means he's carrying around 52 pounds of fat. Fat is dead weight. Every pound of fat adds 7 miles to your circulatory system. Your body stores your toxins in your fat cells. The more fat you have on your body, the more toxic your body is.

Example. A person who is 50 pounds over his or her ideal body weight has a risk of cancer that is 18 times higher than the average. According to cutting edge research performed at Tufts University Medical School, the best single indicator of whether you're aging successfully is your body fat percentage. The leaner you are, the more successfully you age. You can't be too lean.

According to exercise physiology research what should your body composition be? Men should be 15% body fat or less regardless of age. Women should be 22% body fat or less regardless of age.

Fifteen percent body fat for men and 22% body fat for women will put you into good to very good health. What if you want excellent health? What if you want to be as healthy as you could possibly be? For male athletes or men who want excellent health, the range is 6 to 12% - regardless of age. For women it's 12 to 18%.

How do you measure body composition? There are various methods. Hydrostatic weighing is the gold standard of body composition testing. It's the most accurate, but not very practical. Skin fold calipers are nearly as accurate, a lot more practical, and a lot more comfortable for you.

Fat is stored in 3 different areas of our body. Subcutaneously - which is between the skin and the muscle. Intramuscularly - which is within the muscle (otherwise known as marbeling in steak). And, between your organs.

To obtain your body composition, it will be necessary to measure the thickness of your skin fold in 7 different locations on your body using a skin fold caliper. It will very accurately measure the thickness of your skin fold in millimeters. These numbers will be entered into a very complex mathematical formula that has been developed by exercise physiology research.

What will you learn? You'll learn your body fat percentage which is a relationship between the amount of fat you have compared with your lean body mass. You'll learn how many pounds of your total body weight are fat. And how many pounds are lean body mass. And you'll learn your true ideal body weight. How is that calculated? The computer will take your lean body mass (your fat free weight) and add to that the optimal amount of body fat 15% if you're a guy. 22% if you're a gal. Now you have your true ideal body weight based on your body and not some height and weight chart.

Remember, you won't always lose weight every week. But this is where the measurements really help. If you don't lose weight, but your measurements get smaller, you've gotten leaner. Research reported on ABC-TV NEWS showed that adding just 5 pounds of muscle and maintaining it for one year automatically burns 91,250 calories! And burning 91,000 calories translates to losing as much as 26 pounds!

Remember, if you gain one pound of muscle and lose one pound of fat, your weight hasn't changed, but you're leaner.

Article Source: http://yesezine.com

Malton Schexneider is a practicing physical therapist, nationally known speaker, former university professor, author, orthopedic specialist, & personal success coach to people seeking lifestyle transformation. For more on healthy weight loss programs go to www.metamorphicweightloss.com

The Top Ten Myths About Fat Burning

By: Josh Stone

Ah, you chefs! You tempt us with your delicacies, engross us with your artistic mastery, and seduce our senses into submission. That's what you hear a lot of, isn't it? The subject of weight gain and loss seems to come up a lot whenever there's a chef in the room. But if you really want a response or two, here's some myths about weight loss that the general public just keeps hanging on to. Put them to rest, and maybe your diners will start a fitness program that works - and quit blaming it all on your raspberry truffles.

#1. It is possible to lose fat in one location on your body, often called "spot reduction".

Spot reducing simply and plainly does not work. When the body burns fat, it is lost throughout every area of the body at the same time. Focusing on one area of the body for exercise may develop better muscle tone in that area, which will make that part of the body appear tighter and more fit, but it will not remove fat from that area. It is important to exercise the whole body, in a well-balanced fashion; this is the best method of reducing weight.

This myth is popularized by those late-night commercials for cream that you rub on that area - which is simply ridiculous. Turn it around logically - have you ever seen someone gain weight by suddenly getting fat arms, while their legs stayed skinny?

#2. Doing aerobic exercise is the best way to burn fat.

Of course doing aerobics, like doing any exercise, is a good way to stay fit and burn fat. But, there is no particular benefit of aerobics that is substantially better at fat-reducing than any other type of exercise. In fact, weight-training and resistance-training builds more muscle, which may help the body to burn fat more quickly, because it is more work.

#3. Weight training will make my muscles bulk up.

Ew! Women don't want to go around looking like a muscled freak! Well, actually, normal resistance exercise tones the body and improves overall fitness. Normal weight training does not build huge, bulky muscles. The weight trainers who look like a pile of boulders are actually doing that more with steroids, anaboloids, and protein powders, plus heavy strenuous lifting which can actually damage muscles with scar tissue in the long run.

#4. There is a pill that will make you lose fat, no matter how much you exercise or what you eat.

This is such complete and utter fraud, that the FDA is constantly shutting down these companies as soon as they pop up. There is no pill that will do anything to make you loose weight at all. The "best" weight loss pills will only be effective when combined with sensible eating and healthy exercise. And, surprise! Sensible eating and healthy exercise is effective without any kind of pills at all!

And most diet pills are made with ephedrine. Ephedrine is a naturally occurring stimulant very similar to the illegal street drug methamphetamine, whose effects are not as strong and are spread out over a longer time. Ephedrine is in fact the chief ingredient used to make methamphetamine! In other words, it's like being hopped up on speed, with about the same short-term effects - temporary decreased appetite and increased activity - and the same long-term consequences: risk of heart attack, run-down immune system, relapse to former state as soon as the drug is no longer taken, etc.

#5. After 20 minutes of exercise, your body is burning mostly fat.

The body uses both carbohydrates and fat for energy all the time; walking, jogging, sitting, sleeping. Over the course of exercise, the body will use more fat. Burning reserved fat exercises the whole purpose of why nature has mammals build up fat in the first place. But there is no specific time, whether twenty minutes or two hours, when the body starts burning only fat.

#6. Eating late at night causes you to gain more fat than eating at different times of the day.

A calorie is a calorie, regardless of the time of day. However, the sense behind this one is that eating the biggest meal of the day just before bedtime, as most Westerners do, is almost guaranteed to turn more calories into fat than the same meal eaten at the start of the day just before beginning your activities. Add to this that the average dinner for a Westerner involves huge slabs of meat and piles of starch, with perhaps some high-fat dessert and snacks. Trying to sleep with a freshly full stomach is never good for the digestive system anyway. So this one isn't as much of a myth as the others - but then, a huge breakfast followed by eight hours of virtual inactivity at a desk isn't exactly the cure either.

#7. Cellulite is the hardest fat to burn.

Cellulite is simply a combination of fatty tissue and fluid, closer to the upper layers of the skin. Its dimply appearance may be unsightly, but the fat in cellulite is no different from any other body fat. Reducing calories and exercising is the best method to get rid of cellulite, just like it's the best way to get rid of any other fat.

#8. If you eat no fat, you cannot get fat.

Any fuel that the body takes in which does not get burned as energy gets stored as fat. Absolutely, positively, regardless of whether that came from a chocolate cake, a slice of ham, a bowl of rice, or a stalk of celery. That's right: there are no "negative calorie" foods; if you consumed enough lettuce and did nothing but eat all day, you'd get fat off of lettuce! However, we're talking about more lettuce than the average person could wolf down... but if we have the same serving of calories from two kinds of foods, the weight-gain potential from each one is the same.

#9. Genes and hormones control your fat burning ability rather than diet and exercise.

While it is true that genes have some role in determining who is fat and who is thin, there is no reason that diet and exercise cannot control your weight. To this day, there has not been a single laboratory test confirming that a person had genes such that they would continue to have a weight issue in the face of a perfect balance of diet and exercise.

#10. Liposuction is one way of permanently removing excess fat cells.

Well, yes, liposuction will remove fat cells. But fat cells can just as easily be made by the body, whenever it wants to! Which is to say, there is no fixed number of fat cells that you were born with.

Article Source: http://yesezine.com

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Healthy Weight Loss Advice - The Power of Goals

by Malton A. Schexneider

Have you ever known someone whose life appeared to be literally all over the map? One day they are learning to play golf only to turn around the very next day and take up tennis. This person might decide one day to get in better physical shape. So they purchase a piece of home exercise equipment and jump right in fast and furious. Three weeks later the exercise equipment is collecting dust and our friend is watching TV, drinking beer, and eating their weight in Polish sausages.



On the other hand, have you ever known someone who was completely committed to what they were doing? Their entire life was a laser focus on a particular accomplishment. Nothing seemed to distract them or interfere with their mission. They knew where they were going and they usually got there.



What do you think the difference is between these two people? Heredity? Maybe. Motivation? Possibly. Intelligence? Not necessarily.



The real difference between the first and second person is that person 2 knew what he or she wanted and person 1 did not. Person 2 knew what his or her outcome was going to be and person 1 did not. Person 2 had a goal with the actions steps to meet that goal. Person 1 did not.



As a result, person 2 will experience all of the richness and fulfillment life has to offer while person 1 struggles to get to the refrigerator between commercials.



Can goals make that much of a difference? You bet they can.



In 1953, the graduating seniors of Yale University were polled to determine which had written goals complete with the action steps to complete those goals. Only 3% of the graduating class had such goals. Twenty years later, the researchers interviewed the surviving members of the 1953 class and made a startling discovery. Of the members polled, the 3% that had the specific written goals had a higher quality of life and were worth more in financial terms that the entire other 97% combined!



This study clearly demonstrates the power of goal setting and focus.



I am going to provide you with a vehicle to get you to a particular destination. What and where that destination is depends on you. Stated differently, the tools I provide you will be of little use to you if you don't know what you're going to be using them for.



So let me ask you a question. If you knew that it would be impossible to fail and you were assured of ultimate success, what life-changing action would you take right now?



With that ultimate success mindset, take a minute and answer these questions?

1. When you look in the mirror, what would you like your body to look like?

2. In 3 months, what would you like your dress size or pant size to be?

3. How much energy would you like to have in 3 months?

4. Three months from now, what would you like your physiologic age to be?

5. In 3 months what would you like your body fat to be?

6. What would you like your body weight to be in 3 months?



Your answers to these questions (and any others you can think of) will form the basis of your goals.



How do you write goals? For goals to be effective, they must address the following components:

1. They must be specific.

2. They must be measurable.

3. They must be achievable.

4. They must be realistic

5. They must have a timetable.

6. They must have a factor of accountability.

7. They must have purpose



In addition to these elements, major obstacles to achieving your goals and ways of overcoming the obstacles should be explored. Your brain will automatically create a barrier to your goals and this is where most people get stuck. But, if you will get into the habit of listing the objections your brain raises and assigning a specific strategy to overcome each objection, you will break through any and all barriers to realizing your goals.



A well-written healthy weight loss goal may look something like this:



By January 1st, 2007 I want to decrease my dress size from a size 12 to a size 8, reduce my body fat from 25% to 17%, and lose 15 pounds so that I can attend my 25th high school reunion in the Bahamas.



For the next few minutes, decide what you really want and write your specific healthy weight loss goals down.



Remember that making a true decision means committing to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility. If you know what you want, develop the specific strategy to get you there.



So go for it right now!!!



Malton Schexneider is a practicing physical therapist, nationally known speaker, former university professor, author, orthopedic specialist, & personal success coach to people seeking lifestyle transformation.

For more on healthy weight loss programs go to http://www.metamorphicweightloss.com



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Hoodia For Weight Loss

By Gary Stephens

Hoodia is a powerful appetite suppressant that has received lots of media
attention lately. Here we've compiled a list of some of the most frequently
asked questions and answers regarding hoodia for weight loss.

What is hoodia?

Hoodia is a plant called a succulent. Resembling a cactus, hoodia grows
over a foot tall and features large blossoms that are unpleasant in odor.
There are many different types of hoodia, however only hoodia gordonii has
been proven to assist in weight loss.

How can hoodia cause weight loss?

Hoodia gordonii works by affecting the hypothalamus, which is located at the
base of the brain and regulates certain bodily functions, such as hunger.
Hoodia gordonnii makes your brain think you're full, even if you aren't.
Glucose works in much the same way, but hoodia has been discovered to be
thousands of times more effective than glucose in controlling the hunger
signal.

Where is hoodia found?

Authentic hoodia gordonii is produced in the Western Cape of South America
in the Kalahari desert. If the hoodia you choose to take for weight loss
comes from another country, it is considered “counterfeit” hoodia and should
be avoided.

Who holds the patent for hoodia?
Currently the Phytopharm corporation holds the patent for P57, the
ingredient in hoodia gordonii that causes weight loss. They acquired from
the South African laboratory, who spent 30 years studying and isolating it.

Are there different kinds of hoodia?

There are different kinds of hoodia, however hoodia gordonii is the only
type that possesses weight loss properties.

Are there different forms of hoodia available?

You can purchase hoodia gordonii products in several different forms,
including pill, liquid, spray, and patch.

What are the side effects of taking hoodia for weight loss?
There are no harmful side effects associated with taking hoodia gordonii for
weight loss. If you are taking a supplement containing hoodia and
experience negative side effects, they are being caused by one or more of
the other ingredients of the supplement.

Gary Stephens is a writer on weight loss supplements and runs an informational website dedicated to the discussion of the new weight loss solution Hoodithin.

For more information please see http://www.hoodithinreview.com

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