Category : Article
Posted in Article on February 20, 2012
In the past doctors thought, overweight patients had increased risks of developing heart failure due to complications from diabetes, coronary heart disease, and high blood pressure yet new studies show that obesity leads to heart failure without the other medical conditions present. The studies also show that even excess body weight tremendously increases the risks even when the person is not considered obese.
One study was based on 5881 people who volunteered for the case study at the institution. The people were either obese or overweight during the 14-year study. Those people that were considered overweight had a risk of developing heart failure 34greater than the non-overweight individuals. The ones considered obese had a risk factor of 104
The fact that obese individuals, had a higher risk rate, caused alarm for the doctors in the medical field, since this new study brought to light; a new medical condition previously never known. The fact proven by the study showed even healthy people are still at risk for heart disease by decreased amounts. Overweight and obese people, based on the results, began to be counselled to lose weight to lower the risk of possible heart failure.
Obesity leads to heart failure because the problems associated with obesity such as left ventricular hypertrophy known as LVH, which is the thickening of the walls of the left regions of the heart. Over time, LVH can lead to heart failure.
Obesity is associated with metabolic syndrome X that is a metabolic disorder causing the lipid abnormalities. Both LVH and metabolic syndrome lead to heart failure in obese and overweight individuals.
The treatments designed at improving the LVH and metabolic syndrome X can help with stopping heart failure. The theory has been tested in clinical studies, while it is still highly recommended individuals lose the excess weight to lower their risks of the medical conditions. Using a healthy low caloric diet and exercise, many individuals lower their risks as well as reducing the risks of hypertension, lipid abnormalities, metabolic syndrome X, and other heart diseases; they were previously considered at high risk to get.
Doctors used the studies to counsel patients on the importance of weight loss and weight management citing the study results as proof the patient was at high risk. Many patients, required the study as proof they were at risk, since in the past many had been informed differently.
The fact remains that obesity raises the risk levels for heart disease. Heart disease is an extremely serious condition, which must be recognized and taken seriously by both the doctor and the patient; so proper treatments can be used to lower the risks and prolong the life of the patients.
Posted in Article on February 15, 2012
How do you find the best lose weight recipes? Where do you turn to find good food to prepare on a diet? And, what ingredients should you look for – and avoid – when choosing a meal. This article will look at weight loss recipes.
First of all, let’s look at sources for lose weight recipes. The internet is full of recipes. WebMd, Epicurious, iVillage, and even BeliefNet all have low calorie recipes on them. You can also find recipes for just about any specific dish by typing “dish low calorie” into a search engine like Google.
You also have traditional sources such as low calorie cookbooks to find lose weight recipes. You can find lose weight recipes tied to specific diets such as Adkins or Mediterranean in these books.
Cooking shows on television often feature low calorie recipes. Food network provides details of their low calorie recipes online.
Another thing you can do is use a recipe you love, but swap out some of the ingredients for things that don’t change the texture or taste of the food but lower the calories. For instance, with pancakes, cut the oil and butter, switch to whole-wheat flour, use raspberry sauce instead of syrup, then add more fresh fruit on top. For pasta with red sauce, puree cauliflower and broccoli to mix into the sauce, and add whole vegetables as well to make it more filling and healthier.
But, it’s not enough to know how to make an individual recipe low calorie, you need to have a good idea of what ingredients make a dish off limits. That way, you can plan substitutes.
For instance, whole wheat bread (not reduced calorie) has 70 calories but a low fat bagel has 150. So, eating a “diet” brand isn’t necessarily a cure-all for dieting.
You should also start incorporating the so called “superfoods” into as many lose weight recipes as you can. The superfoods are: blueberries, black beans, spinach, yogurt, tomatoes, carrots, oats, and walnuts.
When a recipe for a baked product such as cake requires oil, substitute apple sauce. It will have no impact on the baking process or the taste, but save a whopping 15/16 of the calories! (1 tablespoon of oil is 120 calories. 1 tablespoon of apple sauce is 6.5 calories).
Other recipe substitutes include:
- Turkey bacon for bacon
- Cooking spray for butter
- Rolled oats for bread crumbs
- Ground turkey breast for ground beef
- Wine or fruit juice for oil based marinades
If you are looking for lose weight recipes, the good news is that you are not alone. There is a wealth of information out there for people wanting to cook healthy at home.
Posted in Article on February 9, 2012
Exercising doesn’t have to be expensive and being short on funds shouldn’t be an excuse for not getting enough daily exercise. With a little thought and determination it is possible to exercise almost for free every day!
Walking – This is of course one of the cheapest and easiest exercises to do. All that you really require is a pair of walking shoes, which you probably have anyway. All that is left is to put on your shoes and walk for 20 to 30 minutes each day.
Crunches – Crunches are a great way to strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Aim to perform one to two sets a day of about 10 to 20 crunches in each set. As you improve you can either increase the number of sets or increase the number of repetitions.
Cycling – Most people have access to a bike and cycling is a wonderful exercise. It improves and strengthens your muscles and your cardiovascular system. Going on a bike ride is a great way to de-stress yourself after a hard day at work. It is also enjoyable by yourself or with a group of people.
Dancing – What’s to stop you from putting on your favourite music and dancing? This is a great form of exercise that requires no new clothing or shoes. You can dance around the house with your kids or alone while doing your housework.
Playing Ball – Get outside with your spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend or kids and play some type of ball game. This could be soccer, baseball, volleyball or just having a good old game of catch. This is a great way to have fun and brings back memories of your childhood.
Swimming – If you are lucky enough to live near a lake or river you can enjoy going for a swim all summer long. This normally costs nothing unless you have to pay for parking at a beach area. Memberships at local swimming pools can be relatively inexpensive and a good way for a family to spend some quality time together.
Hiking – Grab your hiking boots and head out to a local walking trail. This is a fantastic way to visit local scenic areas and get some fresh air into your lungs. It also makes for a wonderful day out with the family. Why not take a picnic lunch and really enjoy your outing.
So there you have some inexpensive ideas on how to fit exercise into your lifestyle. You really have no excuses left anymore, it’s time to start exercising and living healthier.
Posted in Article on February 7, 2012
It really is important for women to approach exercise differently than men. Of course it is possible to exercise with your spouse or boyfriend but as a woman you have certain things to be cautious about. This will depend upon your age as well.
Women are more prone to developing osteoporosis as they age. So if you are over 40 you want to pay attention to your joints. If you feel any sudden or sharp pain that doesn?t go away quickly you should visit your doctor for a check up.
Women over 50 will be experiencing plenty of hormonal changes and this can affect how your body reacts to certain activities. The best thing you can do for your body is to listen to what your body is telling you and heed any warning signs.
For example if you wanted to take up a new sport after not exercising for a while you are not going to suddenly start running 5 miles a day. You have to get your body adjusted to this new regimen by starting out slowly and working your way up to increasing your distance.
Low impact exercises are really your best bet. This can include simple things like going for a walk, swimming or even playing a round of golf. It is always advisable to warm up and stretch your body before you begin exercising. About five to ten minutes of warm up time is advisable.
The same goes for your cooling down period. Ensure that you slow your heart rate down during the last ten minutes of your workout and then make time to gently stretch your muscles and tendons. This way you are less likely to risk injury and be put out of action before your exercise routine even becomes a habit.
One of the best activities for women of all ages is water aerobics. These classes are popping up at more and more fitness facilities everywhere. Classes can last anywhere from 30 minutes to a full hour. There are normally classes for beginners, advanced and seniors. Participating in a water aerobics class is fun, gentle on your joints and a great way to meet new people.
If you are an overweight woman then low impact exercises are strongly recommended. Depending on how much weight you need to lose you can start off by walking to the end of your street each day. Each day try to increase the distance and within two weeks you should notice a huge improvement in your endurance and stamina.
