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Showing posts with label Weight Loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weight Loss. Show all posts

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Exercise to Improve Bone Density


Dense bone that will keep a person from the risk of osteoporosis. As one of the ways to increase bone density is by doing exercise. But of course not all types of exercise can be useful to increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis. So, what are sports that can be for the mencegha osteoporosis?

According to the Sports Medicine Specialist, Dr.. Grace Tumbelaka, Sp.KO, there are several types of exercise can increase bone so much of the risk of osteoporosis and exercise it is kind of weight bearing or exercise with loading. This exercise can keep the risk of osteoporosis because of this exercise focuses on lifting the body against gravity.






Furthermore dr. Grace explained that weight bearing exercise consisted of brisk walking, aerobics, brisk, and the jump-leap. But for those who already in her 40s and jumping activities, it is advisable not to jump too high. Jump is just as natural-fair, such as quoted from page.

The other benefit of doing weight bearing is able to balance the body as one's footing strengthen bones. Related to that, so that the exercise can provide better benefits, a person is advised to always do stretching during and after exercise.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Food Combining Science

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Is there such thing as Food Combining Science? Does enough science exist to back up the theory of food combining? If that is true, then why do food combining diets like the one actress and spokesperson Suzanne Somers stole from author and activist Michel Montignac (promoted as Somersizing) leave people with saggy skin (or in her case, bad enough shape she felt the need to get liposuction and blame her obesity on a cancer she failed to prove she had)?

If you wonder where I “get off” being so brash, at least consider my background before getting into this industry first. All Suzanne Somers did was agree to promote ThighMasters when she began. But so many “suckers born every minute” bought them. That lead to her endorsers to the realization that women would probably flock to buy a diet book with Suzanne Somers name on it too.

If you happen to review the books released in her name, you will be able to note a trend of inconsistency. It is no wonder at all why her followers remain overweight as long as many have. The programs are confusing! With that said, if you 'food combine' the Somersizing way or any other method, know right now that it isn't what foods are eaten together but what foods are kept separate from one another that makes it all work.

To anyone who says otherwise, “Tsk, tsk, tsk!” It is an established scientific fact in Western medicine that in order to initiate efficient digestion of any concentrated animal protein, the stomach must secrete pepsin. But it is also a well-known fact that pepsin can function only in a highly acidic medium, which must be maintained for several hours for complete digestion of proteins.

It is an equally well established fact of science that when we chew a piece of bread or potato or any other carbohydrate/starch, ptyalin and other alkaline juices are immediately secreted into the food by the saliva in the mouth. When swallowed, the alkalized starches require an alkaline medium in the stomach in order to complete digestion. Anyone should be able to figure out what therefore happens when you ingest protein and starch together.

Acid and alkaline juices are secreted simultaneously in response to the incoming protein and starch, promptly neutralizing one another and leaving a weak, watery solution in the stomach that digests neither protein nor starch properly. Instead proteins putrefy and starches ferment owing to the constant presence of bacteria in the digestive tract.

This putrefaction and fermentation are the primary cause of all sorts of digestive stress, including gas, heartburn, cramps, bloating, constipation, foul stools, colitis, and so forth. Don Lemmon's KNOW HOW will set you straight...

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Protein Diet: Do Your Home Work

 Research has suggested that Americans may be eating too many carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates, while not getting enough exercise. With the wave of the popular low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets sweeping the nation, one may find it convincing to experiment with such a diet.

Here is the reasoning: Excess intake of carbohydrates results in fat storage. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugar and white flour, rapidly spike insulin levels, thereby accelerating the conversion of carbohydrates to fat. By restricting carbohydrate intake altogether, the body is forced to rely on its fat stores for energy and hence the weight loss process begins.


However, it is important to realize that high-protein diets are not appropriate for everyone. In fact, these diets may do more harm than good and leave your intended weight loss sabotaged.

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets are not appropriate for everyone. In fact, these diets may do more harm than good and leave your intended weight loss sabotaged. High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets trigger weight loss by inducing ketosis, a toxic state that also occurs in uncontrolled diabetes and during starvation. Ketones are by-products of the inefficient oxidation, or breakdown of fats. See also: Nutrition for a Ketogenic Diet and/or Low Carb Keytogenic Effects.

Definition of Ketosis by the Encyclopedia from NHS Direct Online:

Ketosis
Ketosis is the presence in the blood of abnormally high levels of acidic substances called ketones. The normal body fuel is glucose. Ketones are produced when there is not enough glucose in the bloodstream, and fats have to be used. When fats are used excessively as fuels, they are eventually converted to ketones. The real danger in ketosis is that ketones are acidic, and high levels of ketones make the blood abnormally acid.
Normally the blood ketone levels are low, but in starvation, untreated diabetes and when the diet is very high in fats and low in carbohydrates, the levels rise. Ironically, in diabetes, the blood contains large quantities of sugar, but because of the shortage of insulin, this glucose can't be used as fuel.
Mild ketosis may be a feature of excessive morning sickness in pregnancy and crash diets.

Ideally, fat burns in the flame of carbohydrates. When the body lacks sufficient carbohydrates to produce glucose for energy, it is forced to use stored fats for fuel. The brain and other organs are forced to rely on ketones as the primary energy source when the required carbohydrates are missing from the diet. (See also: BellyBytes.com: Carbohydrates)

Unfortunately, there are some not-so-pleasant side effects of ketosis -- among them constipation and bad breath. Short-term weight loss occurs quickly during the initial phase of the high-protein diet, partly because eliminating carbohydrates causes a loss of body fluids. The body is depleting liver and muscle glycogen (stored glucose) as well as excreting toxins via the urine.

This water loss occurs within the first seven to ten days, and many people mistakenly correlate this rapid weight loss with loss of body fat. The lost weight is really water loss caused by more frequent urination from restricting carbohydrates.

A study published last spring in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated the efficacy of short-term weight loss by means of a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. The researchers found that those people who followed such a diet lost more weight during the six-month period than those following a low-fat diet. So we now have medical evidence to support the short-term use of high-protein diets.

There is no long-term evidence showing that people maintain weight loss through the use of these diets. In the long run, the diet may contribute to the onset of chronic medical conditions such as osteoporosis, cancer, cardiovascular disease and kidney insufficiency.

The diet lacks milk and dairy products, major sources of dietary calcium, while causing people to excrete more calcium than normal through their urine, which may affect bone tissue. Conversely, high-carbohydrate diets -- containing dairy products, beans, leafy green vegetables and fortified juices -- provide adequate dietary calcium, helping to build bone tissue. See also: Keeping Your Bones Strong.

High-protein diets also promote intakes of red meat far above the six ounces per day as recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA). It is well-known that meats cooked at high temperatures, including grilling and frying, produce heterocyclic amines, chemical compounds that have been linked to breast and colon cancer.

High-protein diets also increase one's intake of fat, especially saturated fat, cholesterol and protein, to levels well above what is recommended. Fat is a concentrated source of calories in our diet, ounce for ounce providing more than double the calories consumed from protein and carbohydrates. Fat consumed from meat, eggs and cheese is not stored as muscle but instead as body fat. Saturated fat has been linked to cardiovascular disease and colon cancer and it continues to play a role in the growing obesity trend.

Burden on the Kidneys
The kidneys are responsible for clearing the body of waste products produced by protein metabolism. Eating large amounts of protein places a strain on the kidneys, which may lead to long-term consequences.

Finally, high-protein diets are generally low in fiber, as they omit all fruit within the first 14 days and restrict starchy vegetables. Dietary fiber is an essential component of the diet and offers several benefits: It helps lower cholesterol, and it facilitates the excretion of wastes from the body -- thereby maintaining a healthy colon. Therefore, the low-fiber content of the high-protein diets may contribute to cardiovascular disease and may increase one's risk of developing colon cancer.

In short, there is sufficient evidence to support the use of a high-protein diet over the long term. The AHA Nutrition Committee of the Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism recently stated in Circulation Journal:
High-protein diets are not recommended because they restrict healthful foods that provide essential nutrients and do not provide the variety of foods needed to adequately meet nutritional needs. Individuals who follow these diets are therefore at risk for compromised vitamin and mineral intake, as well as potential cardiac, renal, bone and liver abnormalities overall.

Americans, on average, consume too much protein even without attempting a high-protein diet. To achieve long-term weight loss, a diet low in fat combined with physical activity is the best strategy. The AHA guidelines urge adults who are trying to lose weight and keep it off to eat no more than 30 percent of total daily calories from fat and less than ten percent from saturated fat. On the High-protein diets, meeting these goals is impossible.

A diet with a moderate carbohydrate content, containing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non fat dairy products, is recommended. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals and of course, fiber.

Unfortunately there is no "quick fix" for losing weight and keeping it off. The weight loss equation is still a very simple one: Output must exceed input. You burn off calories by eating fewer calories and exercising more. The most successful weight loss strategies include watching portion sizes, being sensible about meals and snacks, and getting plenty of exercise.


The 3 Day DietIn truth, a diet called the "Three Day Diet" is nothing more than a very short term loss of bodily fluid. The basics of the diet: don't drink much water and eat around 600 calories a day. Lose up to 10 pounds quickly.

In short, and contrary to proponents of this diet, this is starving yourself for 3 or 4 days and is no solution to anything.

With this 3 Day Diet, you will more than likely gain the weight back quickly and probably end up adding some additional weight, to boot.


Having said that, and if you're still curious, here is what this diet is all about -- including it's own "claim to fame".
The Claim
The 3 Day Diet was developed for people who need to lose large amounts of weight.
The 3 Day Diet is chemically and enzyme balanced. If the diet is followed exactly, loss of 10 pounds in 3 days is possible.
The 3 Day Diet consists of ordinary foods found in your kitchen. No special expensive recipes or ingredients are required. No frozen diet meals to buy.
The 3 Day Diet is to be used for three days at a time. After three days of dieting you may return to your usual meals but, do not overeat. After four days of normal eating you may continue the 3 Day Diet.
This is not a starvation diet. In fact, you will be eating normal meals at normal times.
The Diet

DAY 1
Breakfast:
Black Coffee or Tea (if required, with 1-2 packets of Sweet and Low or equivalent)
1/2 a Grapefruit or Juice
1 Slice of Toast with 1 tablespoon Peanut Butter

Lunch
1/2 a Cup of Tuna
1 Slice of Toast
Black Coffee or Tea (if required, with 1-2 packets of Sweet and Low or equivalent)

Dinner
3 Oz. any lean red meat or chicken
1 cup each of:
green beans
carrots
regular vanilla ice cream
1 apple

DAY 2
Breakfast:
Black Coffee or Tea (if required, with 1-2 packets of Sweet and Low or equivalent)
1 Egg (boiled, scrambled, omlet)
1/2 a Banana
1 Slice of Toast

Lunch
1 cup of cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers

Dinner
2 beef franks
1 cup of broccoli or cabbage
1/2 a cup carrots
1/2 a banana
1/2 a cup of regular vanilla ice cream

DAY 3
Breakfast:
Black Coffee or Tea (if required, with 1-2 packets of Sweet and Low or equivalent)
5 regular saltine crackers
1 oz. cheddar cheese
1 apple

Lunch
1 boiled egg
1 slice of toast
Black Coffee or Tea (if required, with 1-2 packets of Sweet and Low or equivalent)

Dinner
1 cup each of:
tuna
carrots
cauliflower
melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream



Saturday, December 02, 2006

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D

What are some current issues and controversies about vitamin D ?

Vitamin D and osteoporosis:It is estimated that over 25 million adults in the United States have, or are at risk of developing, osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by fragile bones, and it significantly increases the risk of bone fractures. Osteoporosis is most often associated with inadequate calcium intake. 

However, a deficiency of vitamin D also contributes to osteoporosis by reducing calcium absorption. While rickets and osteomalacia are extreme examples of vitamin D deficiency, osteopororsis is an example of a long-term effect of vitamin D insufficiency. Adequate storage levels of vitamin D help keep bones strong and may help prevent osteoporosis in older adults, in non-ambulatory individuals (those who have difficulty walking and exercising), in post-menopausal women, and in individuals on chronic steroid therapy. 

Researchers know that normal bone is constantly being remodeled, a process that describes the breakdown and rebuilding of bone. During menopause, the balance between these two systems changes, resulting in more bone being broken down or resorbed than rebuilt. Hormone therapy (HT) with sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone may delay the onset of osteoporosis. 

However, some medical groups and professional societies such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The North American Menopause Society, and The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research recommend that postmenopausal women consider using other agents to slow or stop bone-resorption because of the potential adverse health effects of HT.

Vitamin D deficiency, which is often seen in post-menopausal women and older Americans, has been associated with greater incidence of hip fractures. In a review of women with osteoporosis hospitalized for hip fractures, 50 percent were found to have signs of vitamin D deficiency. Daily supplementation with 20 μg (800 IU) of vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures in elderly populations with low blood levels of vitamin D. 

The Decalyos II study examined the effect of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation in a group of elderly women who were able to walk indoors with a cane or walker. The women were studied for two years, and results suggested that such supplementation could reduce the risk of hip fractures in this population. All women are encouraged to consult with a physician about their need for vitamin D supplementation as part of an overall plan to prevent and/or treat osteoporosis.

Vitamin D and cancer :
Laboratory, animal, and epidemiologic evidence suggests that vitamin D may be protective against some cancers. Epidemiologic studies suggest that a higher dietary intake of calcium and vitamin D, and/or sunlight-induced vitamin D synthesis, correlates with lower incidence of cancer 

In fact, for over 60 years researchers have observed an inverse association between sun exposure and cancer mortality. The inverse relationship between higher vitamin D levels in blood and lower cancer risk in humans is best documented for colon and colorectal cancers. Vitamin D emerged as a protective factor in a study of over 3,000 adults (96% of whom were men) who underwent a colonoscopy between 1994 and 1997 to look for polyps or lesions in the colon. 

About 10% of the group was found to have at least one advanced neoplastic (cancerous) lesion in the colon. There was a significantly lower risk of advanced cancerous lesions among those with the highest vitamin D intake. Additional well-designed clinical trials need to be conducted to determine whether vitamin D deficiency increases cancer risk, or if an increased intake of vitamin D is protective against some cancers. Until such trials are conducted, it is premature to advise anyone to take vitamin D supplements for cancer prevention.

Vitamin D and steroids :
Corticosteroid medications such as prednisone are often prescribed to reduce inflammation from a variety of medical problems. These medicines may be essential for medical treatment, but they have potential side effects, including decreased calcium absorption. 

There is some evidence that steroids may also impair vitamin D metabolism, further contributing to the loss of bone and development of osteoporosis associated with long term use of steroid medications. One study demonstrated that patients who received 0.25 μg of active vitamin D and 1000 mg calcium per day in addition to corticosteroid therapy after a kidney transplant avoided rapid bone loss commonly associated with post-transplant therapy. For these reasons, individuals on chronic steroid therapy should consult with a qualified health care professional about the need to increase vitamin D intake through diet and/or dietary supplements.

Vitamin D and Alzheimer's disease :
Alzheimer's disease is associated with an increased risk of hip fractures. This may be because many Alzheimer's patients are homebound, frequently sunlight deprived, and older. With aging, less vitamin D is converted to its active form. 

One study of women with Alzheimer's disease found that decreased bone mineral density was associated with a low intake of vitamin D and inadequate sunlight exposure. Physicians should evaluate the need for vitamin D supplementation as part of an overall treatment plan for adults with Alzheimer's disease.Vitamin D and caffeine:High caffeine intake may accelerate bone loss. 

Caffeine may inhibit vitamin D receptors, thus limiting absorption of vitamin D and decreasing bone mineral density. A study found that elderly postmenopausal women who consumed more than 300 milligrams per day of caffeine (which is equivalent to approximately 18 oz of caffeinated coffee) lost more bone in the spine than women who consumed less than 300 milligrams per day. However, there is also evidence that increasing calcium intake (by, for example, adding milk to coffee) can counteract any potential negative effect that caffeine may have on bone loss. More evidence is needed before health professionals can confidently advise adults to decrease caffeine intake as a means of preventing osteoporosis.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium

 


What is selenium? Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals.  

Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Other selenoproteins help regulate thyroid function and play a role in the immune system.

What foods provide selenium? Plant foods are the major dietary sources of selenium in most countries throughout the world. The content of selenium in food depends on the selenium content of the soil where plants are grown or animals are raised. For example, researchers know that soils in the high plains of northern Nebraska and the Dakotas have very high levels of selenium. People living in those regions generally have the highest selenium intakes in the United States (U.S.).  

In the U.S., food distribution patterns across the country help prevent people living in low-selenium geographic areas from having low dietary selenium intakes. Soils in some parts of China and Russia have very low amounts of selenium. Selenium deficiency is often reported in those regions because most food in those areas is grown and eaten locally. Selenium also can be found in some meats and seafood.  

Animals that eat grains or plants that were grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. In the U.S., meats and bread are common sources of dietary selenium. Some nuts are also sources of selenium. Selenium content of foods can vary. For example, Brazil nuts may contain as much as 544 micrograms of selenium per ounce. They also may contain far less selenium. It is wise to eat Brazil nuts only occasionally because of their unusually high intake of selenium. Selected food sources of selenium are provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Selected food sources of selenium

Food

Micrograms (μg)

Percent DV*

Brazil nuts, dried, unblanched, 1 ounce

544

780

Tuna, light, canned in oil, drained, 3 ounces

63

95

Beef, cooked, 3½ ounces

35

50

Spaghetti w/ meat sauce, frozen entrée, 1 serving

34

50

Turkey, light meat, roasted, 3½ ounces

32

45

Beef chuck roast, lean only, roasted, 3 ounces

23

35

Chicken Breast, meat only, roasted, 3½ ounces

20

30

Noodles, enriched, boiled, 1/2 cup

17

25

Macaroni, elbow, enriched, boiled, 1/2 cup

15

20

Egg, whole, 1 medium

14

20

Cottage cheese, low fat 2%, 1/2 cup

12

15

Oatmeal, instant, fortified, cooked, 1 cup

12

15

Rice, white, enriched, long grain, cooked, 1/2 cup

12

15

Rice, brown, long-grained, cooked, 1/2 cup

10

15

Bread, enriched, whole wheat, commercially prepared, 1 slice

10

15

Walnuts, black, dried, 1 ounce

5

8

Bread, enriched, white, commercially prepared, 1 slice

4

6

Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce

4

6

*DV = Daily Value.

DVs are reference numbers developed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help consumers determine if a food contains a lot or a little of a specific nutrient. 

The DV for selenium is 70 micrograms (ug). Most food labels do not list a food's selenium content. The percent DV (%DV) listed on the table indicates the percentage of the DV provided in one serving.  

A food providing 5% of the DV or less is a low source while a food that provides 10-19% of the DV is a good source. A food that provides 20% or more of the DV is high in that nutrient. It is important to remember that foods that provide lower percentages of the DV also contribute to a healthful diet. For foods not listed in this table, please refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Nutrient Database.