What Are The Causes Of Childhood Obesity?

Today, the rise in childhood obesity has several causes. The main cause of obesity is certainly children eating too much and/or not performing regular exercise or being generally inactive. The extra calories that are not able to burn up through exercises or physical activities will translate into fat, and when this fat becomes excessive and more, one will become obese. This difference results in weight gain and will vary from children to children that was due to few factors such as genes, health issues, physical inactivity as well as psychological issues also contribute to weight gain and may be what the causes of obesity are. Even though the main cause of obesity is underlying disorders, nevertheless, it is also closely related to people lifestyles as well.

Poor eating habits and food choices

Today, the way we prepare food and the no of time per day is totally different as compare with our ancestors did in the old time. During the old time, everything need to be cooked from scratch, but now with the help from modern equipments, the time and effort to prepare food became simple and faster. This is one of the reasons why now fast food restaurants dominate our diets.

By study how the children eat today; you will know what the main cause of childhood obesity is. Small changes in their daily diets can have large help enabling you to prevent childhood obesity. The best healthy choices of food include vegetables and fruits instead of sugary snacks. The most popular choices include carrot and bananas, celery sticks, apples and even salads that include a large variety of vegetables. By helping children understand and choosing the correct and better foods during the childhood time, definitely will ensure that they make the correct choices as they move into adulthood.

Bad behavior is also one of the causes. This group of children eats food that is low in nutrition and high in fat. This group of children eats fast food meals, rich desserts and drinks with a lot of sugar. They also usually overeaten, and the food that they consume has many empty calories. In other words, the food that they eat does not provide enough nutrition for a children needs. This same group of children eats lots of sweets food which in general have empty calories.

Lack of Exercise

Lack of regular exercise is a factor that has contributed to this being one of the causes of childhood obesity. Children who spend a lot of time watching TV programs will have a greater risk of child obesity than those who go outside playing or sporting. This is typically true when the children are eating fast food while watching television or playing video games.

In the pass, children like to play sports more often, enjoy outside activities as forms of entertainment and walk to school. But now a day, children are completely opposite from the pass. The sports our children like to do these days include watching television, playing computer game, surfing internet, chatting, and any game they choose while exercising only their mind, head and hands only. When you combine the poor choices in food and the lack of exercising, there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up lead to disease.

Genetics

Genetics and DNA have been found to be a contributing factor in the causes of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, some children are naturally predisposed to obesity. These children are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other children. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.

Children parents can also aid in determining your chances of dealing with childhood obesity. If children parents had a problem with overweight, chances are the children will deal with the same issues. This makes it very important that you keep an eye on your children and their action and habits. Our DNA can not be changed. We can do some small changes in other areas that can make a great deal of improve on your child obesity. Some small changes, such as walking to school, playing outdoor games rather than letting children stay at home and avoid exercise. The simple and regular exercise can help your children avoid childhood obesity.

Psychological issues and Stress

Some study say that about 10% of people that are mildly obese was cause by psychological or stress problems. Some children have a difficult time dealing with stress so they use food as a comfort when they feel, and many children are prone to eating in response to negative emotions like being bored, feeling anxious or being angry.

Each child has to contend with different factors in their lives. The causes of obesity are can also be viewed as being weakness, a lack of willpower or a lifestyle choice of overeating and not exercising enough.

Environments

The environment too plays a role in the causes of obesity. The family home is an important place to learn about proper nutrition and enough physical activity. Attitudes, Habits, and beliefs about food selection and how to spend family leisure time are critical factors to forming a healthy relationship with food. Children spend a lot of time in school, their food choices at school become important and it was influenced by the school eating environment.

Modern lifestyles have improved our quality of life but also contribute greatly to physical inactivity. Cars are used for short trips, and the number of walking trips the average American children takes each year have decreased. Today only about 10% of public school students walk to school compared to the large no of student a generation ago.

Obesity - What Is It?

The medical world describes the cause of obesity as follows: "An increase in body fat (both visceral and nonvisceral (subcutaneous) requires that energy intake be increased over energy expenditure." This short description is followed by a lengthy "however" and is destined for doctors who are trained to understand what is written.

In short, obesity has many causes, among which are included genetic disorders, gland disorders, hormonal disorders and metabolism disorders, only to name a few. Suffice it to say that if you want to find the real reason for your obesity, you will need to consult a medical doctor.

The general opinion on obesity could also be summed up as: "people who don't look that great anymore", but this is only a popular point of view, trust me I know, I used to be obese. Obesity is a real epidemic, a disease of enormous proportions that is spreading fast all over the world.

The extra mass caused by overweight has many consequences, adding a heavy risk index on the obese person's survival chances. Having to heave the extra weight, the individual is also less inclined to be physically active, which set in motion a vicious circle causing an aggravation of the problem.

The added weight also puts extra strain on the body's joints and bones, causing all sorts of discomfort and aches. Often early arthritis set in. In most cases, obesity is caused by consistently eating the wrong type of food, which leads to having much higher cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. This in turn impairs the correct functioning of heart and blood vessels, which can result in high blood pressure and heart failure.

The important layers of added fatty tissue are also the cause of another problem: apnea, or the cessation of breathing during sleep. As the muscles around the throat and neck completely relax during the first phases of deeper sleep, the weight of the fatty tissues causes the throat to collapse, blocking the flow of air. This breaks the cycle of natural recuperation, adding more problems to those already present.

Obesity is associated with many medical problems, most of which improve with weight loss. Both men and women suffering from obesity are at increased risk for the following:

Reduced life expectancy

Diabetes mellitus

Gallstones

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Osteoarthritis

Coronary heart disease

Abnormal blood lipids

Stroke

Sleep apnea

Cancer (colon and prostate cancer in men; uterine and gallbladder cancer in women)

Nowadays, most professionals will measure obesity according to Quetelet's BMI, or Body Mass Index.

It is named after the Belgian scientist, Adolphe Quetelet who invented the method. The BMI is a measurement technique producing a value which takes into consideration a person's height, gender and weight. It is compared to a chart which is obtained by applying statistics (which implies it was defined only after making a very large number of measurements) so that the results are put in evidence in relation to an average.

The BMI is calculated from a person's height and weight as follows:

BMI = body weight (in kilograms) / height (in meters) squared.

A BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 is considered overweight.

A BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 is considered to be obese.

A waist circumference greater than 35 inches (88 cm) in women and 40 inches (102 cm) in men indicates that there is an excessive amount of fat in the abdominal area.

There are many BMI calculators online, you will find one easily by doing an online search

for the "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" or by typing "BMI calculator".

Obesity is causing the world economy to lose billions of dollars every year.

Obesity Fact - 3 Causes Of Obesity

How many causes of obesity you know? If you are the one who over-weight and trying to lose weight, then you should learn the causes of obesity so that you can be aware of it.

Unhealthy eating combined with sustained lack of activity causes obesity. If food gives you more calories than you burn, your body turns on the storage program and puts on fat. This is the basic idea behind obesity.

The top 3 causes of obesity

1) Disorderly eating habit

This is one of the top reasons for people become obese. With neither the time, nor the inclination to control the meals, it's no wonder we all get fat easily. Most people nowadays live in the sedentary lifestyle, where most trips are taken by car, as well as going to cinema instead of exercise in weekend. That's why we got our health situation out of control.

2) Genetics

Obesity can also be inherited from family members who suffered from it. If your family has a history of obesity, then you would do well to watch your weight. Never blame your family for this, it's your fate and let's find a way to lose the weight.

3) Junk foods

We all are busy in this modern life, but this does not mean that we have to visit the fast food restaurant all the time. For those who like to eat burger, did you know that a single burger is worth a whole meal? Unfortunately, your body does not judge the situation this way. Your stomach will never be filled by a regular burger thus, it will keep asking for more, despite the fact that your body does not need more burgers.

What is the cause for you to become obese? You may have some ideas for it now. Changed your lifestyle if it can help you to lose your unwanted fat, you must take care of your own health.

What Are the Best Exercises For Abs?

You need to evaluate your personal situation before you can truly answer the question, "what are the best exercises for abs?". Some people have the right idea, as in they want their abs to look good, but are in an obese state and don't realize that sit-ups and crunches are in no way going to get them to where they want to be. On the other hand, you could have very little body fat yet have no tone or definition in your abs.

I think that it is safe to say that most people don't realize it but there's a good chance that once the belly fat is all gone, the abs are already most likely in great shape. Meaning that the best ab exercises for most people would be the exercises that helps them lose the belly fat. So lets focus on that.

In order to lose belly fat, of course you need to be knowledgeable about the food that you eat on a consistent basis. This is going to have the biggest impact on how fast your abs will begin to shape up. Aside from that, there are a few exercises that speed up your metabolism and burn core fat more than others. They are the squat and deadlift.

The squat primarily focuses on the lower body but also forces your core section to get a great workout because it is stabilizing and balancing the weight evenly throughout the body. The more you do it, the more core strength you will have.

The squat works two fold in shaping your abs. First as I just mentioned through the stabalizing of the weight, and second because the squat seems to work the biggest muscle groups in your body, thus being one of the most effective workouts in increasing your metabolism and helping you burn belly fat even when you are not around the gym.

The deadlift works in much the same way as the squat in that it is working large muscle groups and forcing your core to balance and stabilize your body throughout the lift. I think overall that the deadlift will give you a better core workout than the squat. This exercise alone if done consistently enough will give you that nice v-look that many athletes have.

Try to implement both of the exercises in your workout routine for maximum results. They truly are the best exercises for abs, even though they are not ab specific.

Importance of Sleep in Children

Sleep is a critical factor in the growth of a child. I've did some research online to yield the following sleeping hours guidelines: Newborns should have sleep time of between 16 and 18 hours a day and preschool children should sleep between 10 and 12 hours. Older children and teens need at least nine hours to be well rested. For most adults, seven to eight hours a night appears to the best amount of sleep.

Needless to say, a lack of sleep can caused a myriad of problems: poor memory, irritability, short temper, a lack of concentration, fatigue, lowered body immune system, depression and anxiety. In short, health is affected and the performance of the child in every aspect is drastically reduced.

Prolonged lack of sleep will cause a retardation in his mental and physical development. Let us take a detailed look why sleep is important:

Recharging mentally and physically. The human body is no robot, and we need the sleeping hours to re-energize us by keeping us mentally agile and physically robust. Even machines cannot be productive for 24 hours a day, not to mention our human bodies.

Weight problems. Studies revealed that if we are awake for longer periods of time, our brain will interpret: lack of sleep = lack of food. Hence, we will consume more food, and leading to obesity of our children in the long run.

Emotions. Reduced sleep time leads to depression, anxiety, mood swings. In other words, it is a roller coaster ride as far as the emotions of the children are concerned

Academic success. Sufficient sleep is directly related to the learning ability of the children. No doubt about it, all those kids who are performing well academically have ample sleeping hours.

Enjoy this short video clip, it is only 4 minutes long, but full of statistics about the importance of sleep for your child!

Easy Healthy Recipes - Organic Foods Explained

Redux

The organic food is not new. It is more of a new realization in 1990s. We came to a better knowledge of how conventional food differs. It all start in 1940s during the World War II period when the armed force used the chemical such as ammonium nitrate use for explosive has found that it help fertilize the crops. The variety chemicals using by armed force shift to the use for agricultural. The conventional food transform our life because of wonderful discover that chemicals increase the production capability. It elevate our ability to do more than what traditional life has offer over slow, manual, and the timing of seasonal replace with fast, automatic and demand on time.

Definition

By definition, organic food is category as produced without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetic engineering, growth hormones, irradiations, and antibiotics. In groceries, the organic food can be misleading by the brand packing. The "100% organic" on the package means that the produces and meats use all organic ingredients. "Made with organic ingredients" use 70% of organic ingredients. The "organic" on the package mean there are 95% of organic ingredients. Seldom, you will see a package with word, transitional, is the business that communicate that the organization and the farmer has a 3 years planning of going from conventional to organic in farming. It is always good to follow "USDA Organic" on the package. The government has a role in organic produces and meat also impose the standard for the farmer to abide in develop an organic food.

Changes

The conventional food has raise our knowledge of potential risks it may cause by synthetic fertilizer and pesticide thus the organic farmer has take a closer look and reinvent the better way to grow their produces through innovation biology. The farmers have replaced the conventional method by using natural fertilizer to feed the soil. Bring in the insect predator such as bee to prevent the other insects attacking the crops and promote pollinating. The farmer invests more energy to understand the science of cropping. With better knowledge of farming, the farmer use crop rotation, mechanical tillage, and management is more manual by hand pulling the weeds.

The assets of organic farming has contribution to restore an ecological balance that help conserve energy and protect the environment as result of prevent soil fertility or pest problems. Through ecological conscious, it improves biodiversity by having better genetic pool to increase the plants and animal species. The reduce of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides usage, the agriculture is up-bring naturally that it help prevent the nutrient losses and it also reduce the greenhouse effect that cause the global warming.

Drawbacks

We acknowledge that organic produces and meat has play a great health role in assisting our body by provide quality nutrients that is free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides which is known cause cancer risks. On other side of coin, organic produce and meats have its own drawback. Since the organic farmer has decide to use natural fertilizer. One of natural fertilizer is using the manure. The use of manure may spread the contaminants if mishandled. Fungicides are not allowed since it is chemical treatment approach and we may risk getting mycotoxins from molds in foods. The meat may have E. coli bacteria since the animal are to be free of antibiotic.

Bioengineering such as genetic manipulation in produces and meats are considered conventional. The bioengineering aims to solve world hunger problems and be able to grow anytime and anywhere with higher quality of nutrients packed in food. The resist of conventional method may affect the demand for food. Also by not allowing the chemical treatment to be used and the chance of shelf life of food life shortens. Organic food is expensive since the supply is small that create higher demand. The labor for organic food is greater thus it increase the production costs.

Changing and Growing

The increase of obesity and the knowledge of healthy responsible has drive us to take care of ourselves better by exercise and proper eating. The countries are already facing the threats of global warming that force us to change the way we do with our daily living such as recycling, reduce the transportation that use fuel, and conserve the water. Our knowledge are better than ever and the procedure of organic farming has got better and is oversee under strict standard. This has reduce the downside of organic farming and put the conventional farming to a shame.

Closing

In order to create a easy healthy recipes, the quality of nutrients we get are important in create a gourmet and healthy meal. The advance of knowledge and technological has make our cooking easy. Healthy recipes has grown daily due to the demand to living a higher and better quality of life. The preparation of meal has got better because it is free of synthetic chemical that may has damage the natural flavoring. We are shift to natural living and to live to its simple ingredients at its finest.

The Truth About Macro Patterning

There are all kinds of ideas and theories out there about how you should be eating to lose weight. Diets ranging from Weight Watchers, to the Whole Food Diet, to the Paleo Diet, and everything in between all have their own guidelines for how you should be eating to lose those unwanted pounds.

One of the latest ideas on the market today is a concept called 'macro-patterning.'

Macro-patterning is simply the idea of pairing macronutrients in each of your meals. This theory has only three meal possibilities to help you lose weight.

The first macronutrient pair that this theory suggests eating is protein and carbohydrates. Protein is the building block for nearly every function in your body, and you can never have enough of it. It helps you build muscle and it speeds your metabolism. Carbohydrates on the other hand can make or break your diet. If you eat too many of them you could start storing them as fat. If you eat too few of them then you could send your body into starvation mode where you store everything as fat. This combination is recommended because your body can break down this pair adequately.

The next suggested macronutrient pair is combining protein and fat. Here again, your body can break down each one adequately, but when it comes to the last possible macronutrient pair in this theory it is believed that you will start to store fat.

This macronutrient pattern of combining fat and carbohydrates is believed that you will store one of them as fat as your body cannot break down each one simultaneously.

That is false, your body can utilize each fuel source for energy, one is just more efficient than the other.

Carbohydrates is the one group of foods that start breaking down as soon as they hit your mouth. Fats on the other hand, take twice as long to break down.

Where this idea of combining carbohydrates and fats as a means of gaining weight comes into play depends on the type of fats and carbohydrates that you consume.

You will not get fat eating fruits and nuts for a snack, however, if you eat pasta and trans-fats then you will undoubtedly gain weight.

The bottom line, macronutrient patterning is only a viable theory when it comes to pairing foods that are manufactured or non-whole foods. It is incredibly difficult to eat yourself to obesity off of meat, nuts, fruits, and vegetables as those were foods that our bodies were meant to eat.

If you enjoyed this article then check out Eating To Lose for more free information on dieting, nutrition, fitness, and how your lifestyle effects reaching your physical goals. There is also a plan available to help you get started reaching those goals.

HGH and Fibromyalgia

Is there a relationship between HGH and fibromyalgia (FMS)? HGH, or human growth hormone, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. Though blood levels of the hormone decline naturally as we age, particularly after full growth is attained, both children and adults can suffer from a deficiency of this hormone. In recent years, it has been widely suggested that artificially increasing adult blood levels of human growth hormone can ward off both visible effects of aging and the onset of chronic health problems associated with being older.

Naturally, these claims lead to disagreements about what constitutes an HGH deficiency. Are all adults, by definition, deficient in human growth hormone simply because their HGH levels have dropped? Some HGH treatment proponents suggest that many chronic diseases, such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, even obesity, are linked to low levels of growth hormone and can be treated with HGH injections. This is where there is a proposed link between HGH and fibromyalgia - the symptoms of FMS are intriguingly similar to those of documented growth hormone deficiency.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic (long term) illness characterized by fatigue, muscle pain, and sleep disturbance. It is more common in women than in men, and usually begins after the age of 20. Scientific study does indicate that there is some relationship between HGH and fibromyalgia: in 1999, Leal-Cerro et al showed that fibromyalgia patients produced less human growth hormone than normal subjects (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, "The Growth Hormone (GH)-Releasing Hormone - GH - Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Axis in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome"), and other work published in the same journal (Landis et al, 2001: "Decreased Nocturnal Levels of Prolactin and Growth Hormone in Women with Fibromyalgia") reports that the release of HGH from the pituitary is decreased in women with fibromyalgia during sleep. This last finding is significant because the natural release of HGH is highest during sleep at all ages.

Despite the documented correlations between HGH and fibromyalgia, the medical community remains firmly adamant that there is insufficient evidence to support HGH treatment for fibromyalgia sufferers. The weight of medical evidence to date simply doesn't support it. In fact, although growth hormone therapy has been proposed for more two dozen medical conditions, it is approved for only five: clinically proven growth hormone deficiency of childhood or adulthood (and here, deficiency is defined by established normal levels in healthy adults), AIDS wasting, chronic renal failure, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Turner syndrome.

A publication by the American Journal of Managed Care (Cook and Owens, Oct 2004: "Developing a Rational Approach for the Use of Growth Hormone in Nonpediatric Patients") stressed the importance of limiting HGH therapy to those conditions for which there is solid medical evidence backed up by clinical trials, and the necessity of using reliable and accurate medical tests to diagnose growth hormone deficiency. Though future medical research may clarify the relationship between HGH and fibromyalgia, for now, the pieces of the puzzle just aren't there.

Blood Flow and Erections - Get Harder Erections by Increasing Blood Circulation

Getting hard and firm erections is all about having good blood flow to the penis. It is the most important factor that determines sexual health in men. Reduced blood flow to the penis is one of the major causes of impotence and there are a lot of causes and factors that can disrupt blood flow to the penis.

Some of such factors are listed below:

Obesity

Being overweight is not just bad for your heart but is bad for your penis as well. Clogging of arteries reduces blood flow throughout the arteries and leads to various health problem. It is no different when it comes to your sexual health.

Lack of Physical Activity

Our current lifestyle spares little time for most of us to be physically active. There is so much of work pressure that most people are not able to devote time to exercise or regular workouts. Sedentary lifestyle is a major cause of impotence in men.

Excessive Smoking

Excessive smoking can lead to reduced blood flow to the penis. Nicotine builds plaque in the arteries and restricts blood circulation to the genitals. Not only this, it also damages sperm and reduces sperm leading to fertility issues.

There are a lot of other factors that can impair your ability to get hard and firm erections. Alcohol abuse, use of recreational drugs, stress, depression, performance anxiety can all lead to impotence.

How to get rock hard erections

Increasing blood flow to the penis is the most important aspect that needs to be worked upon.

The first and the foremost remedy begins with your diet.

There are certain foods that can help boost blood circulation throughout the body. For instance foods that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids help unclog the arteries and boost blood circulation. Some of the best examples of such foods are oily fish like salmons and sardines.

Omega 3 fatty acids are also great for the production of the male sex hormone testosterone. This is because all anabolic steroid hormone are produced in cholesterol.

Increase Physical Activity

Regular exercise is the best way to increase blood circulation. Not only this, it also helps reduce stress and boosts testosterone production. Men who are physically active have higher testosterone levels as compared to those who are not.

It is highly recommended that you workout for at least 5 days a week for about 45-60 minutes a day.

Herbal Supplements

Though there are some prescribed medications that are highly effective, popularity of herbal supplements is mounting high these days.

Viagra has been dominating impotence treatment for quite some time. It contains sildenafil citrate whose main function is to help dilate blood vessels so that blood inflow to the penis can be increased resulting in hard and firm erections.

This is exactly, what certain herbs can do and that too without any side effects.

Herbs not only increase blood circulation to the penis but also help increase the secretion of nitric oxide that helps muscles in Corpora Cavernosa relax so that blood vessels can widen up and more blood can be allowed into the erectile tissue.

Some of the common herbs used in such herbal supplements include ginseng, ginkgo, muira pauma, horny goat weed etc.,

Finest extracts of such herbs are used to formulate supplements in pill form so that they can be ingested easily.

These pills are 100% natural and not only hard and powerful erections but also enhance libido and improve ejaculatory control so that you can last for hours.

Find out more on the most effective and popular Natural Male Enhancement Pills that can help you get erections as hard and steel without any side effects.

Barrett's Esophagitis - What is Barrett's Esophagitis?

When researching the term Barrett's Esophagitis, you'll discover something interesting: such an exact condition doesn't exist. Well, it isn't that simple, but that's the gist. Barrett's Esophagitis has become a kind of colloquialism for Barrett's Esophagus. The term esophagitis is actually incorrect. So what is Barrett's Esophagus?

Barrett's Esophagus is usually the result of chronic GERD, or Gastroesophageal reflux disease, which you may know more simply as acid reflux or even more simply as heartburn. It represents either a temporary or permanent change to the lining of the barrier between the stomach and the esophagus (the muscular passage of your digestive tract connecting your mouth and your stomach).

The cells that line your stomach and intestines are actually quite a bit different than the cells that line your esophagus. When Barrett's esophagus occurs, your body starts to produce the equivalent of intestinal cells along the lining of your esophagus. This is an abnormal cell growth and thus Barrett's Esophagus has been indicated as a common precursor to esophageal cancer. A little bit of heartburn can lead to so much more of a dire circumstance if you are not careful.

In most cases, this abnormal cell growth is believed to result from either chronic GERD or a hiatal hernia (where part of your stomach protrudes out into your thorax). Both can result in the acids and biles of your stomach leaking upwards into your esophagus. Over time, your body responds by producing cells along your esophagus which are more accustomed to exposure to these acids and biles.

Another way Barrett's can occur is through the development of a weakened lower esophageal sphincter. This sphincter is basically the doorway between your stomach and your esophagus. If it weakens, it may not close off and seal your esophagus from your stomach as well as it should.

A weakened lower esophageal sphincter can result from GERD, a hiatal hernia or as a side-effect of stress, physical exertion or obesity. If you have this condition or esophageal cancer in your family, you should be vigilant in your handling of stress and obesity. If you are diagnosed with any of these ailments, I strongly encourage you to take measures to reduce both your stress and your body fat percentage.

You should note that as these cells change along your esophagus, you may actually experience less pain in some cases. Don't be fooled; this does not mean you are healing. Instead it forms an argument for why you should be examined for Barrett's Esophagitis if you experience GERD.

Lap-Band Success Story - Achieving Results Not Typical (Part 1)

Are you someone who is seriously overweight? Have you failed to lose weight and maintain that weight loss over and over again with diet and exercise, even under a medically supervised program? Are you thinking about weight loss surgery? Do you cringe when you read the fine print -"RESULTS NOT TYPICAL" on the latest weight loss ad?

I was someone who struggled with obesity. But now I am someone who has successfully used a Lap-Band to attain my desired weight. So the truth is my results are not typical for gastric banding patients either. But what is typical?

Here is my understanding of the facts for average weight loss, or "typical results," for people with serious weight issues (I hate the term morbid obesity) from the research I've done:

· For diet and exercise/medical therapy:

- 25% of excess weight lost (EWL) in ONLY 10 - 40% of patients

- 95% of patients regain (can you say yo-yo)

· For Gastric Banding:

- 50% of excess weight lost (EWL) in the average patient at 2 - 3 years

- Results are enduring and similar to those of gastric bypass patients at 3 years and beyond according to published studies

If you are following my story it is important to know that, typical results for me would have been to lose and maintain half of my excess weight. That is far better than the results I ever achieved with diet, exercise, drugs and diet doctors. Depending on your situation and your goals (that I hope you set while you are exploring gastric banding), achieving and maintaining 50% EWL can resolve your health issues, and dramatically improve the quality of your life.

I started my gastric banding journey at 232 lbs. Early in my transformation my doctor, Dr. Helmuth T. Billy, of Ventura, CA told me that I should expect my weight loss to stall in the 170's. (I think he assumed that I would achieve better than average results based on what he saw in his practice, given my level of commitment and the strength of his practice's after-care program). I could live with maintaining in the 170's - it was a sort of a "Happy Weight" for me. I remembered when I had dieted to the 170's before; I felt good about the way I looked. I was in normal size clothing, I felt healthy, I wouldn't be the fat mom, and if I could just stop yo-yo dieting in the 170's, yes I would be good with that...but I'd always want more, because that is just who I am.

Needless to say, as Dr. Billy had warned, I sailed pretty easily to the 170's and then my weight loss stopped. I had a decision to make. Was I happy with where I was, or was I willing to put in the work to get "results not typical"? I decided to go for it. Below is my list of strategies to that helped me achieve "RESULTS NOT TYPICAL" with my band:

• Journal periodically even after you reach your goal weight.


• Always have a plan, and be prepared.


• A good support structure is critically important.


• Once you decide to have a Lap-Band or Realize band, come to terms that this time your weight loss is really permanent.


• Stay in your "sweet spot" - a properly adjusted band


• Check in with your surgeon's office.


• Pay it forward.


• Work on your body image.


• Admit when you're struggling.


• Step up your exercise.


• Reward yourself and take care of your body.


• Live your life.

So, my results are not typical, but I strongly believe that if you define your goals, and IF you want "RESULTS NOT TYPICAL," you can apply the lessons learned by others in the Banded Living™ community to achieve your goals for weight loss, health, and quality of life.

How to Wage War and Win Against Bulimia and Anorexia

Our society has given too much importance on being thin that some people have made the conclusion that thinness is a measure of success, beauty, and power. Today, crash diets, miracle diet pills, and compulsive exercises have become so popular in helping people achieve what they deem is the ideal weight without them realizing that these things would take a toll on their physical health.

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia, serious illnesses that pertain to eating disorders and distorted views on weight and eating, are also very rampant these days. Many people have grown concerned over the fact that a large number of the youth today are developing obsessions on body shape and weight because of different factors such as peer pressure, societal dictates, media influence, and low self-esteem.

But while many people are alarmed over this fact, not many know how to actually wage war and win against these eating disorders. Below are some practical insights about these conditions and helpful tips on how to treat it.

Definition Anorexia and bulimia are both eating disorders but they are not the same. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder accompanied by distorted views on body image and extreme fear in gaining weight. This condition can lead to death in severe cases left untreated. Bulimia, on the other hand, is characterized by periodic binge eating followed by vomiting, purging, fasting, use of laxatives, enemas, and over exercising.

Ways to Fights against these Conditions Encourage healthy relationships among the family - As they say, "home is where the heart is." If a family has healthy relationships and the parents are able to teach their children proper values, there are lesser chances for family members to be at risk of these kinds of illnesses. If parents are able to give guidance, support, love and care to children, they would not long for perfection and they would not have low self-esteem. Low self esteem and perfectionism can trigger the onset of eating disorders.

Detect signs and symptoms - Another way to fights against anorexia and bulimia is to know and recognize signs and symptoms so that you can take the steps necessary to combat these conditions.

Some of the general symptoms of anorexia include intense fear of obesity, distorted body image (some see themselves as fat even though they are already underweight), hair loss, amenorrhea (lack of menstruation), dry and flaky skin, hypertension, hypothermia, eating very slowly and for a long time, habitual cutting of food into very small pieces, habitual spitting out, throwing away or hiding of food, obsession on calorie counting, hyperactivity, social isolation, strange food rituals, irritability, mood swings, depression, perfectionism, and use of loose clothing to hide the body.

The bulimic, on the other hand, are known to have recurrent episodes of binge eating, weight fluctuations, deterioration or loss of teeth, purging, abuse of laxatives, intake of too much liquid, fasting, hyperactivity, habit of cutting food in large pieces and eating very quickly, lack of energy or will power, swelling of parotid glands (as a result of induced vomiting), guilt feelings, irritability, obsession about shape and weight, and alternation between depression and extreme happiness.

Engage in psychotherapy - Psychotherapy is a crucial step in treating bulimia and anorexia. Some people suffering from these disorders may not be aware or may not be willing to undergo this procedure but with proper push and motivation, you can make them. Some of the different kinds of therapy include cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy.

Have medical treatment - Along with the psychotherapy, it is also a must to undergo a physical treatment of these conditions so that a medical doctor can monitor the patient's vital signs, hydration level, and cure the negative effects of anorexia or bulimia to the body.

Formulate a healthy diet and eating plan - With the help of a licensed dietitian, a patient would be able to acquire the proper number of calories of diet to attain a healthy state. Anorexia and bulimia are complex problems plaguing our society nowadays. Raising awareness about these conditions is the first step in waging war and winning against this.

Questionnaire Context, Order, and Meaning

When designing questionnaires, the order of items on the questionnaire creates a context, or meaning, for the entire questionnaire. Items placed early on in the questionnaire effect the way in which people respond to later questions.

"Each item will be interpreted by respondents within the context of the questionnaire, previous questions and the wording of each item," notes Gregory G. Holyk, University of Illinois at Chicago, in the Encyclopedia of Survey Research Methods.

To ensure positive use of context in questionnaires, it is important that you clearly define the purpose of the questionnaire. Start writing drafts of items to be included on the questionnaire - items that directly relate to the purpose of the questionnaire. The next step is to put items into a meaningful format (e.g. open-ended, multiple choice, etc.) and order. The order in which items appear can bias people's thinking and, thus, their responses to your questions.

After introducing the survey's general purpose and content, the first question should be easy and nonthreatening; it sets the tone. Difficult or sensitive questions are best asked later, once rapport is established.

Items should flow in a logical order, with similar content grouped together. Providing brief directions or a transition statement between sections of the questionnaire helps prepare respondents for a change of pace and lets them know that a different mindset is necessary. It also helps retain interest and attention.

In what order should general/specific questions asked? Some researchers contend that if specific questions are asked first, the attention given to them will influence the responses to general questions. Starting with more specific questions about various aspects of the issues can give respondents some background on which to base their replies to subsequent, general question(s).

Research suggests that context effects are most noticeable in attitudinal surveys. A between-question context effect occurs when the questionnaire contains items about a particular subject, like health care, and then suddenly changes to a totally different subject, like the outcome of a presidential election. A within-question context effect occurs when words frame an issue from an unusual perspective. Example: Holyk proposes that the use of anti-abortion instead of pro-choice affects attitudes toward abortion. The way in which questionnaire items are worded affects responses and ultimately survey findings.

Response alternatives are the 'multiple choice answers' from which respondents make their selection. In crafting the questionnaire, you must decide whether or not it's important that respondents search their memory and recall a response or simply be able to recognize a response from a list. If you provide a list of these choices, or response alternatives, know that you are making assumptions about the range of opinions or behaviors held by the population being researched or introducing your own bias.

The technique of using skip directions (i.e., if yes, go to question 6; if no, go to question 7) can become confusing and time consuming, so should be used sparingly, but when necessary. Enough white space must be left to record answers to open-ended questions, usually about three lines worth of space. The page must not be cluttered, since clutter can lead to errors in responding.

Having taken context effects into account in designing the questionnaire, the questionnaire must be pre-tested. Item wording, format, and order must be revised, as necessary before pre-testing the questionnaire again. A successful questionnaire is one that flows smoothly without leading questions or bias.

Numerology's Life Path (6); the Path of the Teacher

Ever meet someone who is utterly loyal, takes responsibility for any task they take on in life, and worries too mush about trivial things? Chances are, they are part of the 11% percent of the population living on Life Path (6) the Path of the Teacher. These individuals have birthdays which when summed, and then reduced by Fadic addition give us a (6) result.

(For example George W Bush, born July 6th, 1946 ; 7 + 6 + 1946 = 1959 = 24 = 6)

Note that your Life Path is Numerology's equivalent to your Sun Sign in Astrology; telling us what the primary factors are in shaping your Destiny.

Talents and Abilities

Teachers primary goal in life is to teach responsibility and order to people, usually by the example of how they live their lives. These people require harmony and balance in their lives, and will literally flee from chaos and aggressive behavior. They appreciate beauty in all its forms, particularly in their own surroundings. They feel at ease working with a partner or in teams. They are also trustworthy, loyal, and maintain friendships for life.

Teachers tend to have more than their fair share of responsibilities in their life. They love justice and fair play, and are likely to root for the underdog in every situation. Their home life is very important to them, particularly their personal living space. They crave peace in their homes, and feel frustrated and unbalanced when deprived of this peace. They have a strong spirit of creativity, and a love of arts of all kinds. Words, both spoken and written, come easily to them as a rule.

Problem Areas for Teachers

Teachers have a tendency to meddle in their friends lives that gets them in trouble. Obesity and over-eating tends to plague their lives. They often lack empathy for others who don't share their traits. They also tend to worry too much over trivial matters.

Famous Life Path (6) Teachers

Famous people with this Life Path include: Ben Affleck, Jessica Alba, Victoria Beckham, Jason Biggs, Clint Black, Matthew Broderick, Mel Brooks, George W Bush, Michael Caine, Neve Campbell, Drew Carey, Paula Cole, Francis Ford Coppola, Claire Danes, Robert DeNiro, Melissa Etheridge, Calista Flockhart, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kathie Lee Gifford, Geri Halliwell, Goldie Hawn, Salma Hayek, Jon Heder, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Stephen King, Greg Kinnear, Ted Koppel, Heather Locklear, Lindsay Lohan, Elle Macpherson, Bill Maher, Frances McDormand, Reba McEntire, Eddie Murphy, Edward Norton, Rosie ODonnell, Bill Paxton, Bonnie Raitt, Jane Seymour, Sinbad, Christian Slater, Mira Sorvino, Sylvester Stallone, Meryl Streep, John Tesh, Ted Turner, Steven Tyler, and Bruce Willis.

How The Pancreas Produces Insulin

The pancreas is an organ located below the breastbone, close to the stomach and duodenum. It's principle responsibility is to create digestive enzymes and hormones, one of which is insulin. This article will describe how insulin is created in the pancreas and the other hormones that help to modify the blood sugar levels of the body.

The pancreas is made up of exocrine and endocrine cells. Exocrine cells create the digestive enzymes that are passed into the stomach to help break down food.

Endocrine cells are responsible for creating and secreting insulin and it's counterpart glucagon. These hormones are responsible for controlling the level of glucose in the blood at any one time.

Glucose is effectively the energy that keeps the cells in the body functioning. Without glucose the body would starve. Glucose is absorbed from food via the stomach. The bloodstream passes glucose to all the cells in the body.

Endocrine cells are made up of pancreatic islets or Islets of Langerhans (after Paul Langerhans, who discovered them in 1869). Within the pancreatic islets are many smaller cells. Two of these cells produce the hormones insulin and glucagon.

The beta cells create and secrete insulin.

The alpha cells create and secrete glucagon.

These two hormones are responsible for maintaining the glucose level in blood at a constant rate so that all the cells have the required energy to perform their functions. They tend to work in an on/off relationship. When insulin is being secreted, glucagon is absent and vice versa.

The process starts when someone has eaten food. As the food is digested, glucose is passed into the bloodstream and distributed throughout the body. This glucose is used by the body to function normally but if there is any glucose left over or too much glucose in the bloodstream, the pancreas secretes insulin.

Insulin has the effect of acting on many cells in the body to create glycogen. Glycogen is a form of storage for glucose in cells. It is an emergency reserve of glucose in cellular form should the body need it. The principal cells that insulin works on are the liver, fat and muscle cells. Thus glycogen is stored in these cells. This has the effect of keeping the glucose level in the blood to a constant and normal level.

As the food has been absorbed and energy is used by the cells there will come a time when the blood sugar levels get low. This means the cells could be starved of energy and not work effectively. This might occur when somebody is sleeping or dieting.

When the blood sugar level is low, glucagon is created and secreted. It acts on the same cells that insulin works on, notably the liver, fat and muscle cells but instead of creating glycogen it converts glycogen into glucose. The glucose can then by used by the body's cells to continue functioning via the bloodstream. In this way the blood sugar level can always remain constant whether the body is processing food or not.

The pancreas is responsible for ensuring this delicate process continues seamlessly. It is only when the pancreas starts to malfunction that people become aware of the vital role it plays in providing energy to the body and keeping blood sugar levels normal.

How To Grab And Keep Audience Attention During A Presentation

One of the most important challenges for a presenter is first grabbing and then keeping the attention of an audience. If the presenter is unable to do this, the presentation might not succeed, no matter how valuable the content might be. When a presenter is waiting for his turn and slyly looks over the crowd before having to step in, panic tends to overwhelm. This is a familiar feeling for many.

Audiences might seem intimidating or too chaotic at first but there are ways to grab and keep their attention. We must remember here that grabbing their attention is not enough. We must hold their attention during the entire length of our presentation. Many speakers try to grab attention in numerous ways, e.g. by telling the latest joke or by making a flamboyant entry. This can grab attention but does not establish relevance, so after some time people might wander away or fall off.

This kind of attention grabbing trick, which is not actually relevant to the topic or theme of the presentation, may be effective in grabbing attention for the presenter momentarily, but then people see these as tricks and seldom remember the actual presentation or the message it had for them. Jumping on the table or landing on the stage from a helicopter would definitely catch the audience, but if your presentation is not as flamboyant and gripping the effect wears off quickly.

Here are some of the most commonly used methods for successfully getting and keeping audience attention.

1. Asking a question.

You can ask a rhetorical question or something that involves everyone by getting him or her to think about the topic.

• How many of you in this room have hated filling up tax returns?


• How many of you drive a German car?


• Are our competitors driving us out of the market?

You can wait a short time after the question to get some information about your audience, but don't wait too long as members of the audience feel stupid if no one knows the answer. Avoid open-ended questions and ask only questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no unless you are confident in skilfully using such questions. If you ask too general questions like "What is the purpose of life?" people might form an impression that your presentation is very general.

2.State an impressive fact.

Begin with a shocking, unusual or impressive fact connected to the theme of your presentation.

• We are going to be out of business in six months if we allow our competitors to outrun us like this.


• The demand in the market has doubled in the last three years and our market share has risen by only 1%.

3. Tell a story.

Telling a personal story closely connected to the theme of your presentation is a great way to begin. People usually like to hear personal stories, which are not too long or try to glorify the narrator too much.

Example:

"Dear colleagues, before I begin I would like to tell you a short story about how our service got its name. Don't worry, it's not too long".

A Tale from India

Three fish lived in a pond. One was named Plan Ahead, another was Think Fast, and the third was named Wait and See. One day they heard a fisherman say that he was going to cast his net in their pond the next day. Plan Ahead said, "I'm swimming down the river tonight! Think Fast said, "I'm sure I'll come up with a plan." Wait and See lazily said, "I just can't think about it now!" When the fisherman cast his nets, Plan Ahead was long gone. But Think Fast and Wait and See were caught! Think Fast quickly rolled his belly up and pretended to be dead. "Oh, this fish is no good!" said the fisherman, and threw him safely back into the water. But, Wait and See ended up in the fish market. That is why they say, "In times of danger, when the net is cast, plan ahead or plan to think fast!"

4. Cite a quotation.

Quotations are much used for presentations and they add a colourful touch to your personal style.

"A short saying often contains much wisdom." Sophocles (496 BC - 406 BC)

"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive."

Mahatma Gandhi

Though they may be impressive, quotations do not have much shock-value and could be forgotten quickly. So they should be augmented by other methods of gaining audience attention. Remember also that use quotations sparingly. If you use too many quotations, people start to think that you have nothing original to say as you're always borrowing other people's sayings.

5. Narrate a joke.

Jokes are wonderful for relaxing the audience and setting a cheerful mood. Relaxed audiences tend to be more interactive. This might make the presenters work somewhat easier.

The joke must be appropriate. People have very different senses of humor and you have to be very careful with jokes. What might produce rolls of laughter from one audience might cause stunned silence in another.

Experiment with the joke first with people you know to check how it works and if poor language skills hinder understanding of the joke. It is very embarrassing if you are the only one who gets the joke and no one can laugh for the right reason. Some jokes to avoid are sexual, religious, ethnic and political issues as people are very sensitive in these areas.

One thing to be careful about is the cultural relativity of humor. In many cultures the locals crack jokes about many things and everybody rolls in laughter, but the moment a person from another culture or overseas head office makes the same joke, it can cease to be a joke and become a cultural affront.

6. Go among the audience.

Presenters usually keep to the area in front, near the laptop or the transparency projector. This creates a comfort zone for many people in the audience. Some courageous presenters disturb this comfort zone of the audience by walking closer or going absolutely to one side. Then the primitive instincts of the people in their comfort zone start waking them up. "The presenter is so close and next he'll even ask me something, so I better be alert".

Attention-grabbing skills are important for establishing relevance to your audience. Most of the people in the audience are often not mentally present or with you when you begin to speak. Even if they are physically present there and are trying to look interested, in reality, they are in their own worlds. They are thinking about work matters, planning the rest of their day, thinking about a problem of their own or just daydreaming. You have to bring them into your world and get them interested in your subject.

Attention-grabbing skills are your tool for helping the audience tune in to your subject. These skills for grabbing audience attention is not about your ego, you're just helping them to tune in. When you have something worthwhile saying, and your audience feel that you're actually guiding them and helping them focus on your topic, they will appreciate this and reward you with eager attention and active participation. Then at the end you will feel elated as they clap to show their appreciation.

The best place to keep a presentation is a prison; they already have a captive audience.

Enjoy your presentations!

Top Ten Diseases Leading to Death in the United States

The top 10 diseases (leading to death) in the United States per the center for disease control are listed below (most recent CDC info is from end of year 2006):

1) Heart disease: Heart disease was the number one cause of death from disease and accounted for 631,636 deaths. Ways to prevent heart disease per the Mayo clinic are

A) don't smoke. Smoking is deemed as one of the most significant factors in developing heart disease. Mayo adds smokeless tobacco and low-nicotine products as risky as well as exposure to second hand smoke.

B) Exercise. Adopting an exercise program that includes 30-60 minutes of cardio can be helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. Mayo is careful to point out the fact that ANY exercise is better than none at all. So if you are unable to get 30-60 minutes in daily then do what you can. Things like Gardening, taking the stairs vs elevator and fun things like walking the dog can help to reduce risk.

C) Obviously, a health diet also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.

D) Maintaining a health weight.

E) Regular health screenings.

2) Cancer: Cancer was the second leading cause of death by disease with a total of 559,888 deaths. A few things that you can do to help reduce risk are as follows:

A) Don't smoke,

B) Eat a variety of healthy foods including plant based foods.

C) Stay active and ultimately maintain a healthy weight.

D) Protect yourself from the sun. This is a difficult one for many who love to tan. Actually, exposure to the sun is directly associated with and the most common cause of skin cancer.

3) Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): Accounted for 137,119. Ways to avoid a stroke are as follows:

A) control high blood pressure. Test blood pressure regularly as it is known as the "silent killer".

B) lower you cholesterol and fat intake.

C) Don't smoke

D) Maintain a healthy weight

E) Exrcise regulary

F) Manage your stress.

4) Chronic lower respiratory diseases: Accounted for 124,583 deaths in 2006.

5) Accidents (unintentional injuries): Accounted for 121,599 deaths in 2006. Although this is not a disease, I found it interesting to see where accidents rank in regard to deaths.

6) Diabetes: Accounted for 72,449 deaths. Ways to control or avoid diabetes are as follows:

A) Controllling your weight.

B) Maintain an exercise program.

C) High blood pressure has also been linked with diabetes. When High blood pressure is paired with obesity it has been associated with resistance to insulin.

7) Alzheimer's disease: Accounted for 72,432 deaths.

8) Influenza and Pneumonia: Accounted for 56,326 deaths. Prevention includes:

A) annual flu shots.

B) washing your hands

C) eat right and sleep well. Eating poorly and lack of sleep can lower your immune system which opens the door to sickness.

D) Exercise (are you noticing a pattern?)

9) Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: Accounted for 45,344 deaths. Prevention includes: A) not using alcohol or drugs and B) closely following doctors recommendations in regard to managing chronicconditions that increase risk of kidney failure.

10) Septicemia: Accounted for 34,234 deaths. I must admit that I had no idea of what Septicmia was. So I am sure that there are others who don't. The definition is a systemic disease caused by the multiplication of microorganisms in the blood. Over simplified, it is blood poisoning.

The Pros and Cons of Gaming

Are you amongst those people who love playing video games more than anything? More than being in school? Or playing basketball with your friends? Or hanging out with friends? The truth is that everyone loves games whether you are old or young; there is no age limit in whether you can play a particular game or not, right? Gaming has become a source of entertainment for everyone including adults. Let's talk about the pros and cons of gaming, how gaming is beneficial in certain situations and not so much in some.

The Pros of Gaming:

1) Great source of entertainment and Good stress reliever: Mostly all groups of ages are vulnerable to stress; whether it's from working long hours, being in school all day, or encountering stressful situations at home. The most effective way to avoid stress is to stay away from stressful situations and embrace positive views in life. And this can be done by doing what you enjoy to do. If playing games is what makes you happy, then it's worth playing video or online games for awhile to ease your stress.

2) Fine socializing gadget: With modern day technologies, what made gaming even more popular now is the fact that people can play games with other random people online. Moreover, by playing with random people and communicating with them allows making new friends and a means of socializing with other people who tend to have the same interest which makes playing a game even more fun. So, in a way gaming is a teenagers or anyone's friend because it entertains there young brains as long as they are playing good games.

The Cons of Gaming:

1) Bridging apart from Real World: some people are so involved in the world of gaming that they can't see through pass that. They lose interest in outdoor activities; lag behind in school as they don't find education and doing homework as much fun as playing video games; like being in home all day to play their games.

2) Damage to Eyesight and increased risk of Obesity: As much amusing and enjoyable gaming is doesn't it make oneself a couch potato? When people love gaming so much and find it so pleasurable they tend to lag behind on other important things. Their life is just limited to that one room in which they can just sit and play games all day, and that's what comforts them and makes them happy. This can become a long term health issue as if you stay home all day in a couch playing games you tend to eat lot of junk food and in lot more quantity compared to going out and playing ball with friends which takes up some energy. Moreover, by sitting all day and being not involved any physical work can also extend the risk of obesity. Furthermore, let's not forget starring at the computer screen or TV for a long period of time playing games is very damaging to eyes and can weaken eyesight in long term.

The bottom line is that everyone should enjoy doing what they love; in this case playing games, but also be proactive and take care of your own health. Play games but for a short period of time and get more involved in outdoor activities and focus on your education as well.

Self-Gratification (Loving the Skin You're In!)

"For bodily exercise profiteth little..." 1 Timothy 4:8a [NKJV]

Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Price, Kirstie Alley, Star Jones, Mary-Kate Olsen, Nicole Richie, and Karen Carpenter---each of these ladies share a common denominator-weight issues. Most of us could add our names to the list, whether we feel that we are too fat or too thin; it is still a grave issue. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest contributors to low self-esteem. Many of us spend too much time trying to change our looks. Very few of us embrace and love the skin we are in!

At the start of a new year, countless women and men flood to the local gymnasiums to fulfill that annual "New Year's Resolution"--to shed those unwanted pounds. Women of all shapes and sizes stand in long lines for their opportunity to walk briskly on treadmills, bounce on oversized balls, exercise to upbeat music in aerobics classes, and firm their physique in the weight training zone. We usually continue this routine for a few weeks or so, and then we are back to business as usual, until the next New Year's Resolution. Wasted time and wasted money and why? The answer is simple-conformity to society's standard. According to the National Health Statistics, the average height for a woman is 5'5", and the average weight is from 117 to 130 pounds. I believe these standards are based on a specific race and are not universal. The body composition for a Caucasian woman with no hips is quite different from an African American woman with much hip. Therefore, who is to say what is "standard"?

At one point in my writings, I questioned the significance of this chapter on weight and self-gratification; however, two television shows that I viewed this week, changed my opinion. The first was an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, which dealt with how other countries defined beauty. "Thin is definitely in" in Brazil! The ladies there spend a vast amount of money on plastic surgery and Botox. According to a guest on the show, Iranian women have an obsession with their noses and spend a considerable amount of money on plastic surgery, also. The most diverse definition of beauty was found in a country in West Africa called, Mauritania. In Mauritania, "plump is sexy". In fact they practice gavage, better known as "forced feeding", to make the young ladies fatter and more desirable. They stuff these young ladies with couscous and milk until their stomachs are so full that they vomit. After the vomiting, the women start the "force feeding" again. Thin women are classified as "sick" in Mauritania and are not suitable for marriage. In Mauritania, thin women are probably the ones with low self-esteem. My point being, beauty is defined differently depending on the region in which you live. I guess we can reiterate that, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"

Focusing on weight can truly affect one's confidence level. The second show that I viewed this week was a reality show found on the CW network entitled, Stylista. Stylista follows the competition of a group of fashion lovers seeking the opportunity to work for the fashion magazine, Elle. The contestants are divided into teams. Each week the teams are given a challenge to impress the fashion news director of Elle, Anne Slowey. The least favorable team stands in jeopardy of one member of the team being eliminated. On the first show the contestants were introduced. One of the contestants was a full-figured brunette named Danielle; who had a great flair for fashion; and seemed to be very self-confident. Due to other commitments, I missed about three or so episodes and decided to tune in last night. The editorial task was to select clothing from Elle's closet in preparation for a party where the contestants would host a "meet and greet". This posed a problem for Danielle because there was no plus size clothing in the closet. The once seemingly-confident Danielle, who stood tall in the first episode, now cowered on the floor crying, four episodes later, because there were no clothes to fit her. On top of that, she asked two of the smaller contestants what they thought about her size. Bad idea! One of the women said that high fashioned clothes looked better on "tall, thin women", and that she thought that they (thin women) were more attractive. Poor Danielle! The insecurity concerning her weight, which she tried so hard to mask, became transparent. She also fell for the oldest trick in the book; she asked her competitor/dragon to validate her fear. The object of the show was to eliminate the competition so that the last person standing would receive the position as editorial assistant for Elle magazine. This woman did what any rival would do-she went for the Achilles' heel of her opponent. Since Danielle verbalized her insecurity about her weight by asking this self-destructing question, she opened up "Pandora's box", succumbed to the attack, and was sent home.

This is a cruel, cruel world when it comes to prejudices on weight. In the United States, we are "brainwashed" to believe that "thin is better". Very thin supermodels parade the runways projecting the image of the acceptable size. Even the label "plus size" indicates some type of abnormality. Plus what? The same "so-called abnormality" is seen as the standard of beauty in Mauritania! Wow, what a mix up! That is why I say, "Love the skin that you're in!" Let me interject; however, if the skin you're in is causing you some health issues, then perhaps you have over- or under- managed your weight. Obesity can cause serious health risks! According to WIN (Weight-control Information Network), "Many serious medical conditions have been linked to obesity, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Obesity is also linked to higher rates of certain types of cancer." In contrast, anorexia nervosa is just as risky and could be deadly! "Anorexia nervosa is a complex psychological illness that can have devastating physical consequences. Twenty percent of anorexics die of their illness, many from heart attacks and starvation."

Ladies, I understand the overbearing need of conformity to weight standards. I was married to a man who told me that if I gained weight; he would divorce me--and he was serious. I ate so many grapefruits to maintain my "size 10" dress size that I experienced acid reflux. Sisters, it is manipulation and control when someone threatens you to maintain your weight; you have to be in control of your own body. The Apostle Paul instructs us to be content in whatever state we are in:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." [Philippians 4: 11-13 NIV]

Ladies, learn to love the body that God gave you! Whether tall, short, fat or thin; love the skin you're in! Remember that you are "fearfully" and "wonderfully" made (Psalm 139:14). You are beautiful inside and out! Do not let the media, magazines, and music moguls box you into a standard of beauty. Beauty comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes! See yourself beautiful! Face the journey...!

Adapt Your Bodybuilding Routines for Your Body Type

It's fairly obvious that no two humans beings are exactly the same, thus it should come as no surprise that different people need to train in different ways and have different bodybuilding routines. One of the primary factors that will help you become a successful bodybuilder is to understand your own body, to realize what your limits are and to appreciate how your body will react under stress. Therefore in order to make the most of your bodybuilding routines and workouts you must know your body type and understand how it will affect your training.

Scientists have developed a body type classification system based on a number of factors and everybody falls into one of the following three categories (you may fall in-between, as these are quite generalized): endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Once you have established your body type, you can them adjust your bodybuilding routine, training program and lifestyle accordingly. You should also speak to your doctor to get their advice before you start training and to get a check up.

The first category we shall look at is the endomorph body type. Endomorphs usually find it really quite easy to gain muscle mass, but also they find it very easy to put on weight. Thus having a great deal of self discipline is required to control your diet if you're to be a successful bodybuilder. A great tip for endomorphs is to eat 6 small meals at regular intervals throughout the day to ward off hunger and snacking on junk food. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and don't eat anything for at least a few hours before going to bed to facilitate fat loss. Endomorphs tend not to have too much difficultly putting on muscle mass, however if you want good definition in your muscles you'll need to do plenty of cardiovascular training such as running. Doing this should increase your muscular definition by burning off excess fat. If you can, do your cardio training after your weights to burn off even more fat.

The next category we shall look at is the ectomorph body type. These are people who are generally tall, thin and have long arms and legs; they naturally have virtually no fat. Most ectomorphs often find themselves in endurance sports such as x-country running or athletics (high jump), however they can and do also become professional bodybuilders. The main thing that ectomorphs need to do is to start eating more of the right healthy foods, thus increasing the calorie intake to put on weight and build muscle. They should focus on weight training as opposed to cardio vascular training and train to failure so you can't lift the last weight of a set. Make sure that you're lifting weights at least 3-4 days a week, with a rest day between sessions to allow optimum recovery and muscle growth.

The final category are the mesomorphs, which fall in between the other two categories and are often the envy of the other two body types, as mesomorphs find it easy to build muscle and keep off fat. However, this can often lead to a false sense of security as having this mindset leads to missed training sessions, which eventually catches up with them. If you are a mesomorph just starting bodybuilding, don't change the amount you eat, but eat healthier and make sure you are eating enough protein to facilitate muscle growth. Mix up your training sessions to incorporate both full body work out sessions and those to target specific muscle groups to improve definition.

It doesn't matter what your body type is if you want to be a successful bodybuilder, just adjust your training routines and your eating habits accordingly. Be dedicated and passionate and you will achieve your goals.

Steps for Good Physical Fitness

Have you ever wondered why some people can't get enough physical fitness while others couldn't be bothered to get off the couch? Physical fitness is the performance of some activity that helps keep you fit and overall healthy.

Physical fitness helps keep you in a shape. You'll be more toned, your heart will be in much better shape, you'll have a lower risk of getting diabetes, and you'll actually come to look forward to it because it relaxes the mind. And shouldn't all of us have a little fun?

There are three different types of physical fitness activities. Flexible exercises help improve your muscles, joints, and it also improves the range of motion you have. Aerobic exercises which include walking increase your endurance and your cardiovascular health. Anaerobic exercises which include weight training increase your short term muscle strength. Participate in one or all.

Physical exercise is important to your over all physical fitness which includes strong and healthy muscles and joints, strengthening of the overall frame, reducing risks for accidents that might lead to surgery. It's also good for your physiological well being and your sense of well being.

Physical fitness isn't stand alone. Proper nutrition is also an important ingredient to overall good health. When you combine fitness and nutrition you get health with a capital H. And when you are healthy you are sick less, you feel great, and you stay younger much longer.

Proper rest, combined with physical fitness, and a healthy nutritious diet is the secret to longevity - not really a secret at all is it? Wouldn't it be wonderful if jumped on the bandwagon and became more concerned with our health?

Schools around the country are encouraging physical fitness which has fallen by the way side for many years. It's where it needs to start. For physical fitness when started at a young age becomes as regular as reading and writing. By teaching our children at such a young age we are working towards a generation that is less obese, and much more active kids. After all isn't it time we returned to a healthier lifestyle.

Physical Fitness is wonderful but if you want all that exercise to be beneficial you need to make sure that you are getting your proper rest so that your muscles can rest and recover from the exercise. If the rest is not adequate you can land up injuring yourself.

When you begin to consider what benefits there are to you once you decide to get involved with physical fitness you will quickly realize that you should have gone this direction much earlier. And if you have kids you should be getting them involved at the youngest age possible.

It wasn't that many years ago physical fitness was mandatory in our schools but for many schools that's no longer so unless parents step up to the plate and make sure their kids are getting enough physical activity they could be working only their thumbs on the game machine.

Physical fitness is a great way to keep yourself toned, in shape, and feeling great about yourself. Those that exercise look younger and they also tend to get sick a lot less. So what are you waiting for?

Warning: Lack of Exercise Is Detrimental To Your Health

You just put in a good 10 hour day in front of your computer screen, and the last thing you want to do is exercise. Let's see, exercise, and improve your fitness level, or sit down with a glass of wine and watch your favorite evening television show. What would you do?

Seventy percent of individuals know they should exercise, but

choose the wine and the television program instead.

Do you know this simple daily decision can end up being detrimental to your health? According to the USCDC, 54.1% of adults don't do the minimum level of exercise or physical activity recommended for wellness. The slogan "use it or lose it" has never been more true.

The simple innocent choice of not exercising has shown, in studies, to promote 10 serious health conditions you don't ever want to develop. The bottom line is physical inactivity has a lot of unhealthy implications even at our bodies cellular level. At the cellular level, inactivity decreases

the ability to transfer oxygen from your blood stream to your cells, and also decreases the number of power activating mitochondria. However, the worst cost of not exercising or being physically active can result in the following 10 devastating conditions:

1. CANCER - Studies have shown that fitness enthusiastic men and women who are physically active have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of colon cancer compared to individuals who are inactive.

2. DIABETES - Studies show lack of regular physical exercise increases insulin sensitivity. Diabetes is considered the "sedentary disease" which is striking people at an alarming rate. If it is not controlled, it can destroy the body's organs.

3. HEART - Lack of consistent physical activity, over time, decreases the function of the heart muscle, affects the blood vessels, including the large aortic artery to the veins and small capillaries. According to many studies, scientists have good reason to believe that regular exercise protects the

heart.

4. STROKE - Regular exercisers are 25% less likely to have a stroke than their sedentary counterparts. Being fit lowers blood pressure, raises HDL cholesterol, and reduces the risk of blood clots.

5. BRAIN - People who are physically active, according to solid evidence, are at lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

6. MUSCLES - If you don't exercise on a regular basis, you are at risk of losing some 6 percent of your muscles mass every decade of life from the age of 30 on. This also translates into a 10 - 15 percent loss of strength per decade. Once again, if you don't use the muscle, you will lose the muscle quickly.

7. OSTEOPOROSIS - Fragile bones cause more than 1.5 million fractures each year in the U.S. Bone is like muscle, if you stress it, it responds. If you don't, you gradually lose its strength, and increase your chances of breaking them. Regular weekly strength training can help prevent osteoporosis, and decrease your chances of breaking a bone.

8. MENTAL HEALTH - People who don't exercise on a regular basis are more prone to develop depression. According to a recent study, people who were more active were nearly 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with depression over the next five years than less active people. Fitness conscious individuals also generally display an improved self esteem, or self image.

9. WEIGHT - If you are inactive, year in and year out, you will eventually gain weight and lose fitness which increases the chance of a heart attacks, and diabetes.

10. IMMUNE SYSTEM - Moderate amounts of exercise reduces the

risk of upper respiratory infection. Regular exercise may boost

immune function.

Now I would like to ask that same question I asked above. What

would you do? Wine and television, or physical activity?

Now for the good news! In as little as 30 minutes of exercise or

fitness work each day, you can significantly decrease your chances of developing any of these horrible conditions mentioned above. This is the best "medicine" any doctor can possibly prescribe!

I hope I have encouraged you to become more physically

active today, and beyond. Your quality of life depends upon

it. Consider these the most important words you will hear

today!

Remember, you have a choice. Make the fitness choice.

_______________________________________________

For information on how to develop a fitness program

which delivers twice the results in half the time, visit

Wellness Word Multimedia Newsletter at http://www.WellnessWord.com

________________________________________________

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How Does Phentermine Work? Learn How To Stop Neurotransmitter Depletion

Why has Phentermine stopped helping me lose weight?

Many people are experiencing the same problem you face right now. We’re all in the same boat when it comes to being frustrated about Phentermine tolerance. For some of us, the appetite suppression diminishes within a few weeks of beginning treatment. Others enjoy the effects for a longer time, but we all seem develop tolerance eventually. So, I decided to step up to the plate and help you continue toward your weight loss goals.

Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called neurotransmitters in your brain. It actually stimulates your neuron bundles to release a particular group of neurotransmitters known as catecholamines, these include dopamine, epinephrine (formally known as adrenalin), and norepinephrine (noradrenalin). They signal a fight or flight response in your body which, in turn, puts a halt to the hunger signal. As a result, you lose your appetite because your brain doesn’t receive the hunger message. This is perhaps due to phentermine’s affects on leptin levels in the brain. It is theorized that phentermine can raise levels of leptin which signal satiety. It is also theorized that increased levels of the catecholamines are partially responsible for halting another chemical messenger know as neuropeptide Y. This chemical initiates eating, decreases energy expenditure, and increases fat storage.

What are Neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemicals in your nervous system and brain. They act as messengers, relaying electrical messages between the cells (neurons) of the nervous system or brain. Some people have naturally low levels of neurotransmitters. This condition may lead to diseases such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and obesity, and others.

How do prescription appetite suppresants work?

Prescription drugs work by moving neurotransmitters from one place to another, but do nothing to increase the supply of neurotransmitters in the nervous system or brain. These drugs trick your brain into thinking there are more neurotransmitters than there actually are. Because of this, your brain slows down the production of neurotransmitters.

Has Phentermine permanently depleted my supply of neurotransmitters?

We know of no studies which have shown that Phentermine can cause permanent depletion of your body’s supply of neurotransmitters in the brain and nervous system. After thorough research on the depletion of neurotransmitters by prescription drugs, we’ve concluded that it is possible to reverse the negative effects of Phentermine usage.

An independent team of researchers has developed a solution called amino acid therapy. This method of replenishing the supply of neurotransmitters is discussed below.

What steps can I take to make Phentermine effective again?

Section 1: Amino Acid Therapy

You can do a number of things that will help to reverse the depletion of neurotransmitters by Phentermine. The first is, as mentioned in Section 2, therapy using the basic amino acids that promote production of neurotransmitters. To undergo therapy, you can take two supplements which are currently known to improve the situation.

The first supplement you can use is called D5. Developed by a company called Neuroreplete, it is designed to be used in combination with another supplement, CysReplete. It is also crucial to take a multivitamin in conjunction with these supplements to ensure adequate amounts of B vitamins which are essential to maintaining proper metabolism of nutrients in the body. If there are insufficient B vitamins ready for controlling bodily functions, they might be taken from the supplements. B vitamins are co-factors for the production of neurotransmitters from amino acids, if your body borrows them from the supplements, the production of neurotransmitters is compromised.

NOTE: Neuroreplete states that in order to use D5 safely and effectively, patients must use proper dosing of Cysreplete. Prolonged use of D5 without proper CysReplete dosage has been proven to result in irreversible dyskinesias. Dyskinesias are neurological conditions characterized by sudden episodes of abnormal involuntary muscle movements. For your safety, you need to read more about this warning.

Visit D5 page on the NeuroReplete website below:

[http://www.neuroreplete.com/D5.htm]

Dosing and safety testing instructions for using Neuroreplete’s supplements

may be found at this web page:

[http://www.neuroreplete.com/rx.htm]

You can purchase the D5 and CysReplete supplements at the Longevity Medical Center website, operated by Hans D. Gruenn, MD. Do not proceed with a purchase until you have talked with your physician about treatment. Your physician is the only one who can decide what dosage you should take, or if you can take these supplements at all. Proper dosage may differ between different people.

Section 2: Less Complicated Forms Of Therapy

Studies from the Wayne Diet Clinic Nutrition Guide show that lemon water can help prevent or slow tolerance to Phentermine. The formula for lemon water contains:

2-3 ounces of lemon juice

1 quart of water

The Wayne Diet Clinic has also found that avoiding drinking sodas and other caffeinated beverages can help slow or prevent Phentermine tolerance. This is because caffeine speeds up metabolism, which has a diuretic effect and in turn causes you to excrete Phentermine from your body much more quickly through urine.

Making an overall improvement in your eating habits might play a large role in improving your production of neurotransmitters as well as other vital chemicals in the body. Since amino acids are the building blocks of neurotransmitters it is essential to ensure adequate protein in the diet. I am in no way a licensed doctor, dietician, or nutritionist; but if there was any diet I would recommend, it would be the Zone Diet. I used to have to try hard to follow the diet, balancing protein and carbohydrates, but in no time, my body was used to the diet and I was almost disgusted by unhealthy foods or unhealthy amounts of food in general. My brain power and energy shot up, as well as my overall physical condition. So, I must recommend that you try the Zone Diet in combination with taking Phentermine. Trust me, it will probably be the 2nd best decision you’ve ever made in your life!

You may look over the Zone Diet website here:

http://www.zonediet.com

What substances should I avoid to help enable Phentermine?

You should avoid caffeinated foods and drinks as much as possible. Caffeine is a naturally-occurring substance found in the leaves, seeds or fruits of over 63 plant species worldwide and is part of a group of compounds known as methylxanthines.

The most commonly known sources of caffeine are coffee and cocoa beans, cola nuts and tea leaves. Caffeine is a pharmacologically active substance and, depending on the dose, can be a mild central nervous system stimulant. Caffeine does not accumulate in the body over the course of time and is normally excreted within several hours of consumption. It is toxic in large doses.

Caffeine speeds up the excretion of Phentermine from your body. Because of this, Phentermine has less time to suppress your appetite.

In the human brain, the centers which tell your body whether you’re hungry or full are controlled by neurotransmitters. Increased levels of the neurotransmitters called norepinephrine and dopamine suppress the feeding center. Increased levels of norepinephrine in the satiety center stimulate eating, while increased levels of serotonin in the satiety center suppress the appetite.

Some researchers theorize that tolerance to Phentermine 37.5 and other doses is due to the fact that there is a limited amount of norepinephrine in the human system, and that those limited stores are depleted by repeated administration of phentermine. Others believe that the cells that respond to phentermine or norepinephrine become exhausted after repeated stimulation. Another theory is that the body is able to metabolize and excrete phentermine more and more efficiently as time passes. Eventually, the drug is metabolized so rapidly that effective blood levels are not maintained long enough for the drug to exert the desired therapeutic effect.

General Phentermine Facts:

The following non-bold, bulleted text was taken and adapted (into bullet points) from the Wayne Diet Clinic web site:

• Phentermine is available in several dosages and forms. The form produced and distributed by Medeva Pharmaceuticals is a 30 milligram capsule known as Ionamin. The active drug is bound to a resin complex that releases the drug over time.

• Fastin was a form of Phentermine produced by SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals. It supplied as a 30 milligram capsule. This brand name is no longer sold, but is available in its generic counter-part, the blue-white capsules.

• The form of the drug produced and distributed by Gate Pharmaceuticals is a 37.5 milligram pill known as Adipex-P.

• Neither Fastin or Adipex-P has timed-release characteristics.

• Adipex-P reaches a higher level in the bloodstream than any other form, but it is cleared from the bloodstream faster than the timed-release form. (7)

• There are generic forms of Fastin and Adipex-P, but there is not a generic form of Ionamin available.

• There is also a generic phentermine hydrochloride (the form of the drug used in Fastin and Adipex-P) that is available in a 15 milligram dose.

• One of the most frequently asked questions at the clinic by patients is whether they should use the brand name or the generic form of the drug. Most patients believe that brand name and generic drugs are identical. In reality, generic drugs can be compared to generic foods or other generic products, in that there are appreciable and measurable differences between brand name and generic products. Also, one company’s generic product can differ from the generic product of another company, and there are several companies that produce generic phentermine in pill and capsule form.

• A brand name product has to be within a five percent tolerance of the ideal, with the ideal being defined as 100% bioavailability of the drug.

• Bioavailability is defined as the percentage of the drug dose ingested that actually enters the system and reaches its target organ or action site.

• Generic brands can meet the lower standard of being within 25% of the ideal, and still be marketed under the name of the parent compound.

• Because of the wide variation in patient response to phentermine, there is no hard and fast rule that can be adhered to in regard to the brand versus generic issue.

• Each patient must try all forms and brands of the drug to ascertain which is the most effective and well-tolerated form for their particular circumstances.

• In our experience, the main reason to prescribe Fastin rather than Adipex-P is in those patients who experience side effects such as insomnia, jitteriness, irritability, or palpitations, with the higher dose of phentermine that is present in Adipex-P. Ionamin would also be an appropriate drug in those circumstances, since the resinated (timed-release) form of phentermine is associated with lower peak blood levels of the drug. Higher peak blood levels of phentermine are associated with more undesirable side effects in some individuals. Most patients at our clinic (88%) prefer brand or generic Adipex-P, as they perceive that the higher dose gives them greater appetite control.

You may find the full Wayne Diet Clinic text at their official website:

http://www.waynedietclinic.com/csb/csb9.html

For extra information from the Wayne Diet Clinic, visit their homepage:

http://www.waynedietclinic.com/

Now it’s your turn to educate me!

I would appreciate it very much if you could contribute more information to be added to this report. I am not a nutritionist, doctor, or research scientist. I am just trying to help remove some of the fog in the world of Phentermine tolerance. I am no expert, and this report is the result of non-professional research. I know many Phentermine users who are much more educated than I am in this field, so if you happen to be one of those people, please let me know if I’ve provided incorrect information, or if you would like to add something to the report.

I do hope my Phentermine tolerance report has been beneficial to you in some way. If it has, please let me know at your convenience, as I always love to hear your opinions and questions.

The contents of this document and the Shoppe.MD web site (referred to in this disclaimer as the Web Site), such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from Shoppe.MD’s licensors, and other material contained on the Web Site ("Content") are for informational purposes only and does not render medical advice or professional services. The information provided in this document and on the Web Site should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this document or on the Web Site.

Shoppe.MD disclaims any liability whatsoever for any documentation, information, programs, software, or other material which is or may become a part of this document and the Web site. Shoppe.MD does not warrant or guarantee that the information will not be offensive to any user. User is hereby put on notice that by accessing and using the Web Site, user (you) assumes the risk that the information and documentation contained in the Web Site may be offensive and/or may not meet the needs and requirements of the user.

The main point is as follows: Consult your medical doctor or physician before taking any actions based on the information provided in this document, the Phentermine Report.

Your Sacral Chakra & Your Health - Fertility, Desire, Creativity & Your Hips

Quick question.

Do you always have tight hips or hamstrings?  Can you touch your toes?

Yes on the tightness and no on the toe-touching?

Did you know that these two things are directly related to an imbalance in your Sacral Chakra?

Tightness or stiffness in a joint can be correlated to an energy blockage in the chakra, or power center, that presides over it.  In this case, your second chakra is in charge.

Svadhishthana- your sacral energy center-  is one of the most common chakras to see an energy block.

Case in point, tight hips and leg muscles.

The tightness is literally holding the energy back, or holding it in as the case may be.  While you may attribute this tightness to some other physical stressor, I believe that by becoming more mindful of what is going on with you body, then you can begin to see patterns or habits that are quite possibly directly related to you sacral or sexual chakra.

In some instances, the word "sacral" can be substituted for the word "sexual",  however, I believe that this energy center is really so much more.

It is directly related to your reproductive system- hence, sexual chakra- but also to your creativity as well as desire, relationships and change.

How are you doing when it comes to your reproductive system, creativity, desire and relationships?  How well do you adapt to change?

Just as in other chakra power centers, an imbalance in this one can result in your body sending subtle or not so subtle signals to your brain.

Are you listening to what it has to say?

And if you are truly listening, what are you doing about it?

An imbalance here can physically manifest as infertility, bladder problems, allergies, internal power struggles and, as mentioned above,  tightness in the hips and muscles around the hips.

Interestingly enough, an imbalance here could also result in obesity.  I say this with a little trepidation because I don't want you to think that you now have something to blame.

Let's take a step back.

What did I mean when I included internal power struggles above?

My intention was to draw a picture for you in terms of a concrete concept for a non-concrete idea.

You can imagine power struggles to be between "good" and "bad", in essence, a fight for the creation of either dominance or  balance between the two.

What if this power struggle was more of a process that had to do with the balancing of giving and receiving?

If I may draw a very loose parallel, reproduction- a huge part of the sacral chakra- is a balance of giving and receiving between a man and a woman.

Why could we not also relate that balance between giving and receiving to everything else this chakra governs?

Obesity or being overweight is an imbalance between giving and receiving.  You are "taking" more calories into your body than you are "giving" back.

The same could be said for your relationships.  Is there a balance between both giving and receiving?

Is there a balance with your desire or with your creative expression?

Where do you freely express yourself and where do you hold yourself back?

Along the same line, are you over-expressing yourself?  Is there a line where you cross over into overindulgence?

This is a most interesting chakra because it really does have a huge impact on the way we could all potentially live our lives.

So how do we incorporate all of this into our path towards greater health?

Or can we?

This balancing act between giving and receiving is a huge issue.  You are forced to decide where you stand- either to the point of overindulgence, extravagance, flamboyance or on the other end, vulnerability, tightness and chronic holding back or withdrawal.

The good news is that it's never a black or white issue like you may imagine it to be.  The bad news is that we are already so caught up in the need to define ourselves that our emotions are so intertwined withe our definition of good or bad.

So what can we do?

If you find that you are blocked here, if you find that you are holding yourself back emotionally, that you feel "tight" or restricted, then the only choice you have is to find out what the cause or causes are.

Approach this from a gentle point of view because this can be a long-term or long-standing issue.

My personal suggestions run the gamut of gentle, restorative yoga to massage.  to any type of creative expression like dancing, drawing or singing.

But the most important step is that of acceptance.

Accept who you are, what you are and what you are capable of.

This is where true freedom exists and where you can find a stronger, more in balance sacral chakra.