Diminished Desire - Causes of Low Libido in Male and Female

Sexual desire is, according to encyclopedic definition, libido. And Libido, in a more romantic and eloquent sense, is of a free-type of sensation or drive, such as a sort of psychic energy within an individual, in order to enhance personal developments. Another form, in a psychological type of connotation, as to a definition of libido, is of a natural instinct, energy or force of identification. According to such a theory, the consciousness portion of psychology is lost, and, in the case of immense driving libidinal forces, it can conflict with civilized behavioral conventions. So, to pull back from such drive, for whatever reasons, could be regarded towards causes of low libido.

Returning to the psychological theory, the need for individuals to conform to the demands of society deems the necessity to harness internal libidos, which results in the forms of disturbance and tension for such individuals. Thus, such scenarios erect ego defense mechanisms, in order to combat the psychic energies and drives from within individuals. Therefore, with such intense emotions being compressed, other forms of subliminal and unconscious needs evolve into other displays of action. If these combative ego forces are overly engaged, such causes of low libido can be emerged, resulting in varying neurosis. In this event, psychological therapy must be implored, in order to alleviate these battling ego forces that are the contributing enemies in the individual's causes of low libido.

Further psychological reference, from another source, suggests that libido's identity is solely of psychic energized forces from within an individual. A dueling force illuminated such energy, or the libido, of the individual, through and by the processes and displays of symbolism. This energetic power, interpreted as libido, develops and magnifies itself throughout the life process. Thus, such processing is perceived, in subjectivity, as the striving for desires. If these natural drives, possessed within individuals, are, in any way, affected by deterring elements of a variety of matters, such could lead to causes of low libido. In a defined and realistic focus, libido, amid most popular and modern regards, is identified as an individual's driving urge to become interactive in a sexual manner. To bring conclusion to these varied, though somewhat, similar theories and views, if libido is affected by a great number of possible and probable matters, the causes of low libido will be evident in individuals' respective sexual performance levels.

Impediment of libido, with libido being the driving factor towards sexual interaction, can either be impaired or reduced. The substantiating causes of either reduced or a total void in libido generally can be diagnosed under two categories - psychological or physical - as to the caused of low libido. Infertility may or may not be a contributing factor among the causes of low libido.

Psychological causes of low libido can arise due to a number of atmospheric conditions, circumstances, emotions or issues. Such causes of low libido can be traced to a host of matters, such as depression, distraction, loss of intimate time, loss of privacy or stress. In addition, environmental issues can be related to causes of low libido, to include lengthy or excessive exposure to elements, as in bright lights or increased levels of sound. An expanded and more clinical accounting of aspects can be considered relevant to the caused of low libido, to include issues of abuse, affair, assault, attraction outside of a relationship, body image perception, childhood abuse, depression, fatigue, lack of attraction in one's partner, lack of interest, performance anxiety, sexual abuse, stress or trauma.

Causes of low libido, of a physical nature, is determined among such diagnosis, to include the degrees of attractiveness of an individual's partner, biological fitness of an individual's partner, lifestyle issues and matters, and medications.

To elaborate upon lifestyle being of issues related to causes of low libido would be among such critical aspects as significantly underweight or extremely obese, or malnutrition.

Medications can also play an unfortunate role among the causes of low libido. If medications are the culprit causes of low libido, such condition is clinically labeled as iatrogenic. Antidepressants, beta-blockers and hormonal contraception prescriptions, along with certain other medicines, can lead to causes of low libido.

What Are the Causes of Excessive Sweating?

Excessive sweating is a common condition in many people. However this condition may bring a person to withdraw from society. People resort to less interaction with others to avoid embarrassing situations. Excessive sweating may lead them to have a lower self esteem. Excessive sweating normally affects a person's lifestyle. Simple actions like gripping a pen may be hindered due to hands sweating or a person may need to always bring an extra shirt to avoid further discomforting situations. These are just a number of effects of excessive sweating. People are aware of its effects but only a few realize the causes of excessive sweating. We are familiar with the results that limit our way of life.

Now, we dig deeper to have a better grasp of the causes of excessive sweating. The common areas that a person normally sweats a lot are the armpit, hands, and feet. Some say that it can be inherited although this does not mean that it can't be stoppable. Over active sweat glands is the main reason why some people sweat more than the usual. There are many other reasons behind a person's over active sweat glands. Our sweat glands play an important function in our body. It regulates the body temperature, gets rid of toxins, bacteria and excess fluids inside the body and in the skin. One of the causes of excessive sweating is an unhealthy lifestyle. People who have unfit diet with excess fat, sugar and salt causes excessive sweating.

Drinking alcohol, cigarette smoking and taking drugs is also bad for a person who wants to stop excessive sweating. Since these products clog our system and makes it harder for our heart to pump blood to be circulated in our body. Bacteria in our body are also one of the causes of excessive sweating of a person.

Feeling anxious about sweaty situations would definitely add up to the causes of excessive sweating of a person. When a person is uncomfortable about a certain situation, and feels anxious, sweating may take place. So it would be better for a person to instantly define what causes his sweating and do something about it instantly. Also, people who experience some medical conditions may also sweat a lot. Illnesses like hyperthyroidism, psychiatric disorders, menopause in women, and obesity are some of these medical situations causing excessive sweating.

If a person wants to control his sweating, a proper diet low in fat, sugar, and salt may help. Also, a regular exercise may also be another key to avoid the causes of excessive sweating. Also, avoiding the soaps and deodorants that a person uses and shifting to a more natural hygiene may lessen the bacteria in a person's skin thus making sweating a little less.

Sweating may disrupt a person's regular routine. An example would be a man who goes to the gym and has to stop early to change clothes more often. Sweating may also hinder the romance between two people and children normally feel less accepted if they aren't normal. Sweating can be cured. It is first important to do away with the things that possibly cause it.

Why are Sports Such a Great Outlet For Teenagers?

Many teenagers in high school today try out for sports because they think that it will make them popular with their friends and also provide a good vehicle for getting them dates. But there are of course many other benefits to be gained from sports in school and here are just a few to show why sport is such a great outlet for teenagers.

We live at a time when all of us are taking less and less exercise and for many kids this is largely because they have home computers, video games and TVs in their rooms and are happy to spend time sitting at these rather than going out in the fresh air and getting some exercise. It is this of course which also forms one half of the equation today which is resulting in childhood obesity sweeping across the United States.

For many years now obesity has been a problem amongst adults but it is now being seen in children at younger and younger ages and there is no question that a combination of poor eating habits and a lack of sufficient exercise are fueling this epidemic. Sport at school therefore provides an excellent vehicle for getting our kids the exercise they need and also provides the motivation to keep them in shape, which is something that is simply lacking when adults try to follow an exercise program by joining a local gym.

Another very real problem with kids spending time at home on their computers or playing video games is that this is largely a solitary activity and they are missing out on the socialization which is so necessary for their development. This too is provided not only through sport itself, but because many of their fellow sportsmen and sportswomen will also become friends with whom they will socialize off the sports field.

Sports also provides parents with a great way to bond with their children by showing up to support them at games, helping them with their practices and also joining in with fundraisers. Through sports you can not only get to spend time with your kids and talk to them, but you can also get to spend time with their friends and learn a little bit about who they are hanging out with as well.

Now at this stage you may be thinking that this is all well and good but my kid is not particularly good at sports and is never going to make it into a team. Well, fortunately, there are a lot of kids in the same boat and so if this is the case then you can always look outside the school where you will find plenty of places where sport is perhaps less demanding and a little more fun than sport.

Also do not be too rigid in your definition of sports and remember that what you are really looking for is something that is going to give your kids a reasonable amount of exercise but also get them out so that they can meet other kids and develop their social skills. Just take a look around your area and you will almost certainly find many sporting activities which your kids would be happy to try if you just point them in the right direction.

Abs Surgery - What Can I Expect?

With modern cosmetic surgery techniques it is entirely possible to obtain 6 pack abs through liposuction technology. We'll examine how the technique works in getting a six pack and you can find out whether you qualify for this type of surgery.

Overview of Abdominoplasty or Abdominal Etching:

This is the main liposuction technique also known as abdominoplasty where pockets of unwanted fat are removed from the abdomen using ultrasound revealing the muscle definition underneath. Only fatty tissue is removed while nerves and blood vessels are left undamaged. This encourages smooth contours and faster healing. The procedure normally takes an hour to complete and a 3 to 5 week recovery time should be expected. You would expect to wear a compression bandage for the first two weeks after the operation.

Do I Qualify for Abs Surgery?

To qualify for abdominal etching you will already need to be fit and healthy with a low body fat percentage. Doctors stress that this is not a debulking procedure but a sculpting one. This technique is best suited to patients who exercise regularly but have a stubborn layer of fat preventing their abdominal muscles from showing through.

What Sort of Results Should I Expect?

If you qualify for the ab surgery you should have reasonably high expectations. Most before and after photos show considerable improvement in six pack definition post operation. You should take care to look at pictures taken by the doctor you are considering to ensure the best results.

What if I don't Qualify for Abdominoplasty Surgery?

The reason for being rejected for abs surgery is typically that you are carrying too much fat or don't have strong enough muscular development in your abdomen. Fortunately this can be rectified using natural methods.

What is The Prostate And What Does it Do?

Men and women, though human, have biology that is gender specific. Women have breasts, men don't, women have a uterus, men don't and men have prostate and women don't. Each gender has its own unique biological parts with a reason for each. But what is the prostate in a man and what is its function?

Though all men have a prostate, if differs greatly between species. Males of various species have differences in prostate that include physiological, chemical and anatomic varieties.

What Is The Prostate Function?

The foremost function of a man's prostate is a blend of clear liquid that includes a slight alkaline fluid that makes up between ten and thirty percent of the seminal fluid volume. When spermatozoa are introduced into the mix, this is what constitutes as semen. The prostate of a man also has a few smooth muscles that aid in the ejaculation process.

The Secretions of The Prostate

In order for the males prostate to work correctly it needs androgens, otherwise known as male hormones that are responsible for the characteristics in a sexual male. The most well known and most abundant hormone for males is testosterone. The testicles are in charge of this function and not the prostate. The male's adrenal glands are also responsible for producing hormones in small amounts. The male hormone that is responsible for the regulation of the prostate is called dihydrotestosterone.

Disorders of The Prostate

There are many things that can go wrong with a man's prostate. When men reach a certain age it is very important that their prostate is checked on a regular basis. Prostate problems when discovered in the early stages are usually treated with much success, but only when you are ready to have an exam can you be diagnosed.

You can do much research on the regularity of a prostate exam depending upon your age. There is information that is flying all over the internet on so many subjects and prostate is just one of them. If you are a male and you have concerns, go online and look up prostate and find out the proper exam schedule you should have.

How Does BPA Affect Me? The Affects of BPA on Your Body

Last week, Canada  declared BPA a toxic substance, both to the environment and to public health (TIME Magazine, October 14). This recent announcement by Canada has raised questions as to when the United States would do the same.

However, don't the affects of BPA on the body can be extremely dangerous. So why wait for the United States to make legislation to ban this toxic substance - instead make your own decision -- it is YOUR life -- and to help you make this decision I have given you some very important information on BPA and its affects on the human body.

What is BPA?

BPA also known as Bisphenol A, is found in many plastic containers such as food containers and water bottles. Recent studies have shown that BPA has been seen to seep into the food or drink that these containers are holding. Even in low amounts of exposure, BPA can cause numerous harmful effects in humans.

How am I exposed to BPA?

BPA is found in plastic food or drink containers. Researchers have found that when a container is holding a food high in acidity the BPA from the container will leach into the food. Our food is also more susceptible to being exposed to BPA when the plastic container has been exposed to strong detergents or high temperatures.

How does BPA affect Humans?

Recent studies have shown BPA to affect humans in numerous ways. When BPA enters the body it hides itself as  estrogen - also mimicking the function of estrogen in the body -- affecting the reproductive system and brain development. They have also found that BPA can lead to obesity, reproductive issues, and breast cancer.

Don't wait for the US to follow in Canada's footsteps and publicly label BPA a toxic substance. Make a personal decision as to whether or not this substance is toxic and needs to be a part of your everyday life.

How to avoid BPA?

The BEST way to avoid the affects of BPA is to use non- plastic products -- so use metal water bottles or glass containers for your food. If it is absolutely necessary to use plastic -- make sure you use BPA-Free plastic products -- try not to heat food in the plastic and don't reuse them for an extended period of time.

7 Dangerous Health Facts About High Fructose Corn Syrup

The high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) industry has recently suffered a severe blow from the health industry because of its' detrimental health effects on the body. Yet, many people are still unaware of the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and how it's increased consumption poses a significantly higher health risk than regular sugar.

Here are the facts:

1. HFCS is metabolized in the body differently than regular table sugar.

Regular sugar is converted into glucose in the mouth and stomach. High fructose corn syrup is converted to fat in the liver. This fact alone has massive health implications which will be discussed in points #3 and #4.

2. HFCS is manufactured from genetically modified corn in a factory.

It's "made from corn" alright, but so is ethanol. That doesn't mean it's natural or good for you.

3.HFCS causes liver scarring and fibrosis.

A Duke University Medical Research team, led by Manal Abdelmalek, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, analyzed 427 adults with a fatty liver and found an unmistakable correlation between an increased consumption of HFCS and liver scarring and fibrosis. The study was published in 2008 in the Journal of Hepatology.

4. According to a study at University of California-Berkeley, HFCS causes visceral fat (belly fat), significantly raises triglycerides, small-ldl cholesterol and apo-B concentrations, while sugar does not .

5. According to a study conducted by Dr. Chi-Tang Ho, Ph.D, high fructose corn syrup contains an "astonishingly high amount" of highly reactive chemical compounds that cause cell and tissue damage (reactive carbonyls).

5. High fructose corn syrup consumption is strongly linked to a obesity, fatty liver and insulin resistance (pre-diabetes).

Gerald Shulman of Yale University School of Medicine discovered through testing and research that high fructose corn syrup "is much more readily metabolized to fat in the liver than glucose is and in the process can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease...NAFLD in turn leads to hepatic insulin resistance and type II diabetes."

6. HFCS is chemically manufactured via a reaction with genetically modified cornstarch and an enzyme derived from the Aspergillus fungus.

Bottom line: Don't be fooled: sugar and high fructose corn syrup are two completely different things. Avoid consuming products that contain HFCS and you will be much healthier. Soda, artificially sweetened juice and tea are the primary sources of high fructose corn syrup. They are loaded with it. If you eliminate these drinks alone, you will dramatically lower you intake of high fructose corn syrup and improve your health. I assure you, if you are a "soda addict," you are most likely overweight, have high triglycerides, visceral fat, a compromised immune system and at risk of more health problems down the road.

For more helpful information on the latest health news, research, and nutritional science visit my blog at http://www.healthquestblog.net

What is NutriSystem?

NutriSystem is a company native to the United States that provides weight loss products and services. At first the company only provided weight loss counseling to people who have trouble losing weight and some weight losing products. Since then, the company has grown a lot. The company soon developed the Nutrisystem weight loss program. From its humble roots in Pennsylvania, people from al over the world are now trying to acquire their weight loss program.

The NutriSystem weight loss program is a food based diet program. The program includes providing a balanced meal that will be conveniently delivered to you. A starter program can be acquired at the pharmacy area of your local store. The program follows a card system. After one acquires a starter program, the card system shall then be activated. From here onwards, your meals shall be delivered to you. But what is NutriSystem food like?

NutriSystem food comes in the form of pouches that are microwave ready. As soon as your food is delivered to you, simply place it in the microwave to turn it into an instant meal. Every meal is carefully studied to ensure a well balanced diet. Nutrisystem food is low in fats and high in carbohydrates that are used up in daily activities. There are actually various programs to choose from. NutriSystem offers many entrees in their menu that are definitely mouthwatering.

Although the NutriSystem weight loss program started back in 1972, it has went through several changes to come up with the best program that would work best with the current condition of the society. And as of 2008, the NutriSystem Advanced Plan was launched. This improved weight loss program takes advantage of the glycemic index. That is why this program uses low fat, high protein, and good carbohydrate rich foods. These ready to eat meals are also rich in soluble fibers and omega 3 fat. Thus, aside from promoting weight loss, it also helps in maintaining a healthy body.

The glycemic index is a powerful weight loss tool. This index is based on the concept of the glycemic scale. Food items that rank low in the scale tend to have blood glucose stabilizing properties. This enables the food to control hunger; eventually, reducing the incidences of having cravings. By eating a high protein and low fat diet, you will be able to suppress hunger by taking in lower amounts of calories.

In order to make the most out of the NutriSystem diet program, one must exercise regularly. Dieters must also change their eating behavior. The program comes with manual that would help the dieters overcome problems that they might encounter while under the weight loss program. This manual was written by Gary Foster- an expert in obesity from the Temple University. While under the program, you gain free access to an online community of dieters who are using the same diet program. There, you can read NutriSystem reviews made by past and current dieters. These Nutrisystem reviews can definitely help you in maximizing the effects of the program. You can also share diet tips and learn from one another.

Diabetes Complications - Is There A Link Between Diabetes And Hypertension?

You are maintaining a healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise. You are checking your blood sugar levels and they are within target range. Your A1C is less than 7%.

You are scheduled to see your healthcare provider for your routine visit. You're feeling good.

"Everything looks good, it's just that your blood pressure has risen over the last few months", you're healthcare provider reports, "We are going to have to start you on blood pressure medications."

You're bewildered. How can this be? Everything seemed to be going well. Why have you just been diagnosed with hypertension?

Is there a link between diabetes and hypertension?

The short answer to this question for people living with type 2 diabetes is YES. The link is explained by what clinicians call metabolic syndrome.

I know that this word may mean very little to you. But this information is very important for anyone living with type 2 diabetes. I am going to explain what this means in as simple terms as possible.

It is my intention that the knowledge is presented in an easy to understand format. That way you are better able to take action. It is only by taking action that you can live powerfully with diabetes.

So let's dive right back into what is metabolic syndrome and how it links diabetes and hypertension.

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is a group of characteristics. It is not really medical illness. The important thing is that these characteristics put you at an increased risk for developing certain diseases.

These diseases include type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome is also called metabolic X syndrome, syndrome X and also insulin resistance syndrome.

Most clinical experts define metabolic syndrome as having three or more of any of the following:

• Obesity in the abdomen. Greater than 32 inches in women and 38 inches in men.


• High fasting blood sugar levels more than 100-125 mg/dl


• A high blood pressure of more than 130/85 mm hg or if you are taking blood pressure medication.


• A high triglyceride level of more than 150 mg/dl or a low HDL level of less than 40 mg/dl.

The prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome.

More than 2/3rd of the adult American population is either overweight or obese. The number of people with metabolic syndrome has risen just as the obesity epidemic in this country. Currently that rate is at 34% of the adult population.

The following factors put you at risk for developing metabolic syndrome:

• Being overweight. In other words a BMI of more than 25.


• Smoking


• Eating a diet that is high in carbohydrates


• Smoking


• Lack of exercise


• Menopause


• Family history of diabetes or metabolic syndrome.


• Increasing age.

What health risks are associated with Metabolic Syndrome?

• People with metabolic syndrome are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.


• They are also at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease consists of several diseases. I like to compare the cardiovascular system to the plumbing system in your house. Your symptoms depend on what part of the arteries gets clogged up. Cholesterol gets deposited in the arteries as fatty plaques. When the arteries in the heart get clogged up with plaque, this is called coronary artery disease. If the plaque collects in the blood vessels in the brain, it is called cerebrovascular disease and can cause a stroke.

How is Metabolic Syndrome diagnosed?

Schedule an annual physical exam with your healthcare provider. Your doctor will check your weight and calculate your BMI.

If you are overweight or obese, be sure to get your waist measurement taken. Most healthcare offices should have a tape measure, if not you can easily check your waist measurement at home.

You will get also get blood tests done. These will include your fasting lipid profile and also your blood sugar.

It's always a good idea to schedule an appointment for your annual physical first thing in the morning. That way, you can go in fasting- without having eaten anything.

Please do not to take your medications if you do not eat. This will reduce your risk for hypoglycemia.

Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome:

The goal of the treatment for metabolic syndrome is to reduce the complications that it can lead to - such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The primary goal is weight loss. Become more physically active. And eat a healthy diet. This is what a wellness way of life is all about.

This will help to reduce your cholesterol and also keep your blood sugars in target range.

If you smoke, make a commitment to quit smoking.

High blood pressure is when your blood pressure is more than 140/90 mmhg. It is diagnosed after your healthcare provider has obtained more than 3 readings of an elevated blood pressure.

When diet and exercise fail to bring the blood pressure down to normal range, your healthcare provider will opt to start you on medications.

So there you have it. The link between diabetes and hypertension is metabolic syndrome. And it is because of this link that a lot of people with type 2 diabetes inevitably end up on blood pressure medications also.

The goal is to control or reduce your risk for metabolic syndrome and reduce your risk of complications of diabetes.

Body Composition and Its Effects on Health

There is a correlation between body composition and health ranging from mortality and morbidity to immunity, longevity, high function and athletic performance. Body composition analysis is one of the tools used in preventative, therapeutic and research applications. In the human body, body composition analysis is the clinical assessment of tissue and fluid compartments. Fat Mass is the total amount of stored lipids (fat) in the body and consists of the following types of fat:

Subcutaneous fat located directly beneath the skin. This type of fat serves as an energy reserve and serves as insulation against environmental cold.

Visceral fat lies deeper within the body. It serves as an energy reserve and as cushion between the organs.

Fat Free Mass (FFM) also called Lean Body Mass (LBM) is the total amount of non-fat (Lean) part of the body. Fat free mass is approximately 73 per cent water, 20 per cent protein and 6 per cent mineral and 1 percent ash

Body Cell Mass (BC M) is the metabolically active tissues and is the living cells of the body including muscle cells, organ cells blood cells and immune cells. It is also includes the "living" portions of fat cells but not the stored fat lipids. The intracellular water (ICW) inside the living cells is also included in BCM. Potassium is the electrolyte of the intracellular water.

Extra cellular Mass (ECM) contains all of the metabolically inactive (non-living) parts of the body such as bone, minerals and blood plasma. Water contained outside of living cells is included in the extra cellular water. The main electrolyte in this compartment is sodium.

As mentioned before, body composition is used in preventative, therapeutic and research applications. The following can be determined through the use of body composition analysis:

Nutritional Assessment

Anti-aging Therapy

Physical performance Assessment

Weight management

Obesity

Fluid and Nutritional Assessment

Geriatrics

Lifestyles Assessment

Athletic performance

Clinical trials

Research Initiatives

What is body composition Analysis? Body composition analysis utilizes the mass and fluid compartments of the body when measurements are taken and the results are analyzed. The Bioimpedance (BIA) body composition analyzers measures body composition electronically. A qualified healthcare professional uses the result to diagnose disease, recommend treatment requirements or give treatment requirements.

The purpose of body composition analysis is to monitor and improve function. For healthy people the analysis of the Fat Free Mass and Body Cell Mass compartments can help maintain function, productivity, immunity, physical performance and longevity.

Patients/clients who are obese, the evidence has shown overwhelmingly, that obesity (excess storage of fat) has adverse effects on health and longevity.

The obesity epidemic continues to grow in the United States and has become a problem in other countries of the world. The diagnostic criteria for obesity is having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater or Fat Mass greater than 25 percent for males or greater than 30 percent for females.

Obesity has always been associated with health risks. Although the link to how it affects health are not fully known, recent research shows genes expression in fat tissue shown promise. The genes code for hormones is associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular plaques.

How to treat obesity for healthy body composition

The first step is weight reduction to relieve mechanical stress on body systems.

• Prescribe a healthy diet


• Measure Basal Metabolic Rate


• Estimate total daily caloric expenditure


• Set dietary intake to equal caloric expenditure and subtract 700 calories per day


• Continue diet until BMI = 30


• Hormonal Reduction

The second step is to decrease the ratio of fat mass to fat-free mass to reduce the incidence of fat related hormones.

• Continue with a healthy diet


• Add exercise


• Measure basal metabolic rate and fat-free mass


• Estimate caloric expenditure= BMR


• Set dietary intake=caloric expenditure - 500 calories per day


• Continue until percentage fat mass reaches optimal level.

What we can do to achieve healthy body composition? It is a known fact that a healthy diet and physical activity play a pivotal role in living healthy through out our life's span. The task of maintaining healthy body weight appears to be a complex task involving many important lifestyle choices. Patients are bombarded with conflicting messages about what to eat, how much to eat, which diet is the right one, and the right exercises to do or which exercise machine to buy. In summary, you have the power to be informed and do what works best for you in achieving healthy body composition.

The Truth About Stage 4 Cancer Life Expectancy

There's no doubt that stage 4 cancer is one of the most horrible things that can happen to anyone, however, there have been contradictory articles regarding the life expectancy of a cancer at such an advanced stage. As a result, this article has been written to spell out, for once and for all, the facts about this issue.

Before I begin, let's get one thing straight. People who are suffering from any type of stage 4 cancer have very low 5-year survival rates. This is unfortunately a fact of life as the human race has still not come up with a cure for cancer. Despite this, you should never lose hope as there have been people who survived a stage 4 cancer and lived to tell the tale. It is highly recommended that you read their tales and draw strength and inspiration from them.

I will now go through a concise analysis of the life expectancy of 3 types of cancer.

Lung Cancer

Statistics show that people with stage 4 lung cancer have a 32% chance of living for one year while only 2% live longer than 5 years. This shouldn't be a cause for concern as that 2% means that there is still hope that you can enjoy many more years with your loved ones.

Colon Cancer

Unfortunately, there have been very few cases of people who have lived more than 5 years with stage 4 of this disease. However, with improvements in chemotherapy you can control the symptoms and prolong the life of a sufferer which could mean so much for them and their loved ones.

Bone Cancer

The good news about stage 4 bone cancer is that the 5-year survival rate is between 19 and 49 percent. That may seem encouraging but keep in mind that it depends on whether the cancer is benign or malignant.

Don't ever forget that your chances of beating cancer or increasing stage 4 cancer life expectancy is strongly dependent on your determination and attitude throughout.

The 3 Major Types of Diabetes

There are three main types of diabetes: Type I, Type II and Gestational Diabetes.

Diabetes Type I

It is a disease caused by allergy or an autoimmune ailment. This is the outcome when the immune system of the body turns against any part of the human body. When there is diabetes, the immune system of the body attacks and also ruins the beta cell in the pancreas which produces insulin; when this occurs, the pancreas produces a little insulin or non at all. Persons who have diabetes type I should take insulin every day in order to live.

Nowadays, scientists have no knowledge of the exact causes why the immune system of the body destroy the cells of the pancreas, however, they consider that hereditary and environmental factors, probably viruses are implicated. Diabetes type I develops mostly in children as well as young adults.

Signs of this type of diabetes normally develop within a short duration, although the destruction of beta cells may start in earlier years. Symptoms might include too much thirst and urination, continues hunger, blurred vision, extreme fatigue and weight loss. If nor detected and given insulin, any person having diabetes type I may drop into diabetic coma or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Type 2 Diabetes

This is generally the most regular type of diabetes. This type is frequently associated with obesity, old age, family history, physical inactivity, previous history of diabetes in pregnancy and definite ethnicity. Almost eighty percent of patients with diabetes type II are overweight. This ailment is increasing detected among children and young adults especially in African American, youths of Pacific Islands and Mexican American.

If this disease is diagnosed, there is sufficient amount of insulin produced by the pancreas, but due to unidentified causes the human body is not able to use insulin effectively, and the condition is called insulin resistance. The symptoms of this disease develop slowly. Their occurrence is not like diabetes type 1 which is sudden, type II diabetes develops gradually. Signs may include frequent urination, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, too much thirst and hunger and sluggish cure of soars and wounds. Some persons do not feel any symptoms.

Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women develop this kind of diabetes in the later period of their pregnancy. Though this disease normally disappears after delivery of the infant, women who have developed gestational diabetes will have forty to sixty percent possibility of developing diabetes type 2 in the duration of five to ten years. Maintaining a standard body weight and becoming physically vigorous can help to avoid the development of diabetes type 2.

Gestational diabetes happens more frequent in several ethnic groups as well as women having a history of diabetes in the family. Gestational diabetes generally is caused by shortage of insulin or by hormones during pregnancy. Women having gestational diabetes might not suffer any symptoms.

Sleep Apnea and Weight Loss

Often we may watch a movie about a loud snorer and laugh about all the crazy antics that can go along with that, but if your snoring is due to sleep apnea it is certainly no laughing matter.

The word apnea derives from New Latin and Greek and means 'breathless.' The modern definition is "The temporary absence or cessation of breathing."

Sometimes a newborn baby may suffer from infant apnea while some adults suffer from sleep apnea.

There are two kinds of this adult sleep disorder that are recognized by the medical community today. The first one is called central and the second one is called obstructive.

Central is a very rare condition and is not the topic of this article. Obstructive can be a life threatening disorder that needs to be taken care of right away.

People who suffer from sleep apnea may wake up as many as 15 times per hour during the night. In very severe cases that number jumps to 40. Their breathing gets blocked and thus they awaken in a sudden gasp for air. If left untreated it can cause high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and even death.

It has been found that almost all of the people who suffer from sleep apnea are overweight. For many years doctors have been advising their patients to lose weight if they have sleep apnea. In almost all cases if they did indeed lose weight their condition would subside.

More recently there was a study conducted and the results seem to prove this advise to be correct. If you consider the new study and the advise from doctors over the years it would seem that weight loss could be a good first step towards eliminating a case of obstructive sleep apnea.

The study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers studied 264 obese adults that had both type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. They were separated into 2 groups.

Group 1 was put on a weight loss management program including exercise and portion controlled meals.

Group 2 was put on a diabetes management program that included exercise and support and encouragement from peers.

After one year people in group 1 lost an average of 24 pounds and 13.6 percent of them had their symptoms disappear.

People in group 2 only lost an average of a little more than 1 pound and their symptoms got worse.

Best Way to Measure Body Composition

Exercise Programs

As people begin an exercise program, they will want a way to measure progress. Many times weighing oneself on the scale simply does not do it. The problem with scales is that they do not measure body composition. A person's body composition is the percentages of fat, muscle, bone, cartilage, and organs that make up your body. For most practical purposes, people want to decrease their fat weight while increasing muscle weight. Therefore, many times exercisers will combine a cardiovascular program with a strength training program. As the person loses fat, they will hopefully gain muscle which might make the scale read just about the same all the time. You need a good way to measure how much fat you have lost.

BMI

This is your weight in Kg divided by your height in meters squared. While its a good overall indicator of health, it does not measure body composition because it simply applies a formula to your weight and height. It's good for classifying people based on levels of obesity.

Bioelectrical Impedance

This is a great way to measure body composition because it will tell your percent fat relative to the rest of your body weight. It passes electrical current through your body, and fat is a very poor conductor of electricity. It is able to measure the difference. I'm not sure if obese people are less likely to die from accidental electrical shock than thin people, but it's a thought.

Bod Pod

If you have enough money to buy a bod pod, it is a great device. It is expensive, but it accurately measures your percent body fat. It is probably the best and most simple system available, and most large gyms own one. It looks a lot like an egg, and you get inside it. The device calculates and then displays its calculation of your percent body fat.

Underwater Weighing

This is referred to as the gold standard by exercise physiologists because it's the most accurate way we know to measure body composition. You get inside a big pool deep enough to be fully submerged, expire all your air, and sit on a scale. Fat floats and muscle sinks, therefore, people who are obese will weigh less in water than thin people.

DXA

The DXA is the newest way to measure percent body fat, and it is basically an X-ray machine that calculates body composition. It is very accurate, but it does expose people to radiation.

An Effective Weight Loss through Phentermine

A perfect and healthy body is the ultimate desire of all. Experts define a healthy body as a structure having a proper body mass index, which is usually the ratio of height & weight of a body. Similarly a BMI of more then 30 lbs is termed as obesity. A healthy body not only increases the resistance against other diseases but also improves our self-confidence.

It is not a hidden fact now that people love to boast about their bodies and similarly get very disappointed if a comment is made against their structures. To keep body fit and healthy is something, which is a part of personality development. One, who cannot keep his body fit, is not expected to keep his work and knowledge intact. As it is said 'charity begins at home', so personality development, future successes and career enhancement, all begins through a healthy body.

Even being aware of all this, there are very few people who start working on their bodies at a right time. It is always observed that 'A stitch at time saves nine', so a balanced diet plan support by daily exercises for 15-30 minutes can keep us fit and healthy. But as people say 'A busy bee has no time for sorrow' people work indigenously and do not take care of their bodies, and when fat accumulation start on their bodies they start showing concerns.

Now to overcome obesity doctors have always been suggesting the best remedies as diet control & exercises. But due to lack of will power and patience people are unable to follow them. Due to which weight reducing pills have come up in the market. These weight reducing pills like Phentermine, Adipex etc act as a diet suppressant which eventually helps in diet control and weight loss without even following a strict diet plan or exercises. One of the best appetite suppressant pills available in the market is Phentermine. Phentermine is an FDA approved diet weight reducing pills, which is used as a short term used medicines. It shows quick and amazing results which help in reducing weight in a very short duration of time Phentermine helps in obtaining a better metabolic rate and a balanced ratio of calorie intake and burnt.

Phentermine is known to be the wonder pill to combat against obesity. Phentermine pills are helping all the obese people fulfill their dream of being fit and healthy. In fact the cheap prices of Phentermine prove yet another reason of it being so popular.

Philippine - Filipino Values

Values may be defined as those standards of which a group or society judges the desirability and importance of persons, ideas, actions and goals. Values are shared convictions or beliefs in what are considered contributory to the welfare of the group. From these definitions, we can clearly see how values are affected by society and, in turn, how society can be affected by the values held by its members.

Two of these traits are positive traits and show the strengths of the Filipino character: Katapatan and Pakikipagkapwa-tao. The other two seem to hinder the advancement of the Filipinos. These are the "Bahala na" attitude and the "Kanya-kanya" syndrome.

Pakikipagkapwa-tao and Family Orientation: This indigenous Filipino trait is the regard for the dignity of others and being with them. It consists of all levels of interaction with one's fellowman in times of crisis, like illness and death. This is embodied in the concept of neighbourliness like mutual visiting and exchange of food. Pleasant attitudes are also exhibited towards relatives and friends such as extending moral and emotional support. This is also evidenced in the insertion of many light scenes wherein there is light-hearted bantering, jokes among friends and kin.

Because of the Filipino's collective nature, they have a deep sense of concern for one's dignity and respect. This pakikipagkapwa-tao is manifested in their sensitivity to other people's feelings. This is often evidenced in the relations among the characters. Polite language, soft pleasing voices and meek manners are employed to avoid open disagreement with others. Personal relationships are likewise almost always important in any transaction among the characters.

Katapatan: The Filipino virtue of righteousness in thought and deed. In a person, this virtue strengthens him against cheating and lying. It results in the cooperation and trust among neighbors, friends and co-workers. This positive character trait is dominantly displayed in Philippine movies and television by its leading characters. Viewers are attracted to the character and story because righteousness is considered a rare trait nowadays and the expression of this in the leading protagonist gives them hope in siding with the good.

Bahala na: Extreme reliance on higher force or fate. Bahala na is a common expression among Filipinos which rests on the fatalistic outlook and strong dependence on spirits. It literally, the Bahala na means "Leave it to God." The abundance of superstition can further encourage the superstitiousness of the Filipinos. This can promote the lack of initiative among Filipinos. Rather than relying on one's own effort and industry to solve problems, one leaves his fate to gods or "spirits". This trait also encourages the Filipino to be matiisin or being too patient for long suffering.

Kanya-kanya: A negative Filipino trait is a selfish and self-serving attitude. This is often elicited when one's peer has gained honor or prestige. Most if not all of the conflicts in the Filipino stories are a result of envy and jealousy. This "crab mentality" that characterizes many Filipinos is counter-productive.

Certain negative behaviors may be picked up by the youth if they are consistently exhibited and are not shown in the end to have negative consequences. At the same time, an understanding of the strengths of the Filipino character would help in recognizing the traditional and positive Filipino values that should be perpetuated.

What is Insulin? Function of Insulin

Insulin is a natural hormone controlling the level of sugar glucose in the blood. Insulin helps cell use glucose for energy. Cells cannot utilize glucose without insulin. When excess glucose produces in the bloodstream, it increases the risk of diabetes. The primary source of the fuel is insulin. Insulin let body cells take glucose from the bloodstreams. The cells may use glucose for energy production if it is required. Alternatively, the glucose is sent to the liver for preservation in the form of glycogen.

To define insulin broadly, it can be added that Insulin is a hormone, a central regulating and glucose metabolism in the body. Insulin helps cells in the liver; muscle and fat tissue take glucose from blood. It is stored in the liver and muscle as glycogen.

Insulin prevents to use fat as an energy source. When insulin is absent, body cell does not take glucose, and body resumes utilizing fat as an energy source. When Adipose Tissue transfers Lipids to the liver, it mobilizes as an energy source.

When control level of insulin fails, this failure will result diabetes mellitus. Thus, insulin is used to treat some forms of diabetes mellitus medically.

Type 1 diabetics depend on external insulin injecting subcutaneously to survive as because the system is not producing hormone no longer.

Type 2 diabetics are insulin resistant, this resistant perhaps suffer from insulin deficiency. It appears patients with Type 2 diabetes may eventually require insulin if other medications fail to control blood glucose levels at a certain extent although this is somewhat uncommon.

Insulin also influences other body functions including vascular compliance and cognition. Once insulin enters the human brain, it strengthens learning, memory and it particularly benefits verbal memory.

The functions of Insulin: Insulin regulates glucose metabolism and deals with stimulates lipogenesis, diminishes lipolysis, increasing amino acid transport into cells, modulation of transcription, altering the cell content of numerous mRNAs, growth stimulation, DNA synthesis and cell replication.

Therefore, the elaborated function of Insulin can be countering the concerted action of a number hyperglycemia generating hormones and maintaining low blood glucose levels. Because there are many hyperglycemia hormones, untreated disorders associated with insulin leading to severe hyperglycemia and shortened life span.

Moreover, the function of insulin is critical for having a healthy body. Pancreas produces insulin. Islet cells usually produce it. The pancreas behind the stomach is a vital organ. The pancreas produces all types of digestive enzymes and hormones that are designed to breakdown the food.

Insulin is considered for both a protein and a hormone. It is the regulating body to distribute the necessary amount of blood sugar requiring in each cell. When we eat, the food is converting into glucose. This is simply sugar. In addition, it is widely known as "blood sugar level".

Insulin regulates glucose metabolism, it also stimulates lipogenesis, diminishes lipolysis, and increases amino acid transportation into cells.

Fat Loss For Impatient People

When it comes to our body the truth of the matter is that most of us want fast results. And the truth of the matter is that in 90 days you can reach your goal or be very near it with only 3 workouts a week. So in just 36 workouts you can be showing off a toned stomach at the beach.

Super Sets

In order for you to get a lean athletic look you will need to do super set training. The benefits of super set training is that you burn fat and build muscle fast. The reason for building muscle is that you want your body to burn as many calories as possible when you are not working out. That is the beauty of muscle; you burn fat even while your body is at rest. Another reason that you want to build muscle is that you want your body to have definition once you burn off all of your belly fat.

Interval Training

Interval Training is the best cardio method for shedding fat from your belly area. Intervals can be done several different ways; the most common are running and cycling. Interval training helps your body burn calories long after your workout is done. So if you workout in the morning you can be sure that you will be burning calories throughout the day. The cool thing about intervals is that you can literally be done with your workout in 20 minutes.

Nutrition

This is by far the most important factor to the weight loss equation. What you eat will determine how fast you see results. Eating healthy can be easier than you think. It all starts with planning ahead. Preparing your meals a night before will make this task a whole lot easier. Also, making smarter choices at fast food restaurants will be of great benefit to you. Even if you make a couple of small changes at a time you can be sure that your results will be great.

How to Make Your Metabolism Work For You in the War on Fat

Do you really want to finally take control of your body and how it looks? Do you want to decide how much muscle you have, and conversely, how much body fat you carry? Do you want to be able to control your body composition in order to look and feel your best, all the time?

If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, then there is a critically important concept you simply must understand. That concept is how your metabolism works, and how you can effect it and make it work for you instead of against you!

You can make your metabolism work for you, rather than against you! Age is relatively unimportant, and it doesn't matter where you live or what kind of "genes" you have.

Let's use a simplified definition of metabolism. Metabolism means the rate at which your body burns through the energy you put into it. This energy comes from the food you eat. Simple enough, right?

So, to speed up the metabolism (which will cause you to burn more calories throughout your day) it is important to fuel your body with food frequently throughout the day. Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day (say, 5 or 6 meals instead of the 2 or 3 most people eat each day) will increase your metabolism, or the rate at which your body burns calories (energy.)

Here's an example I often use with my clients. If we got on a coal burning train here in New Jersey and wanted to go to Los Angeles in say, 24 hours, how often would we throw coal into the engine's furnace? Once? Twice? How about non-stop in order to keep it burning really hot and the engine running at top speed? Right!

Well, your body is kind of like that. Feed it more often and it burns hotter, burning through body fat and calories more quickly and efficiently.

Now, here's the best part. Feed your body like this and it will begin to burn more calories, even at rest! As long as you are getting some sort of regular exercise (even just walking will help), your body will begin to burn calories, including body fat, at a much higher rate!

"Getting" this will mean the difference between winning and losing the battle against fat and obesity! Getting this will allow you achieve the body you want and deserve without struggling on diets!

Even if you are trying to reduce body fat and reach your ideal weight and body shape,you are going to want to eat 5 to 6 meals a day. In fact, you're going to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day especially if you are trying to lose fat and reach your ideal body weight!

It might not seem to make sense to you at first, but as you begin to understand metabolism and how it works, and as you begin to get the results that you want, your comfort level with eating frequent, small meals will increase. From there, your results will begin to multiply and you'll wonder what took you so long to "get it!"

For now, just focus on eating supportively every 3 to 3 1/2 hours. "Supportively" means making sure each meal consists of lean protein, fibrous carbohydrates and starchy carbohydrates that are lower in glycemic impact, or sugar content. No pre-processed "diet food" made of make believe ingredients or "pseudo-foods!"

Here's a short list of some examples to get you started:

Lean Protein: tuna in water, egg whites, chicken breast, fat free dairy, flaky fish, tofu, lean beef, turkey breast

Starchy Carbohydrates: potato, sweet potato, whole grains, oatmeal, tomato, brown rice

Fibroous Carbohydrates: broccoli, cauliflower, onion, celery, peppers, cucumbers, leafy greens

Here's a bold statement: You don't need "diets" to reach your ideal weight and body shape! Nor will you have to eliminate carbohydrates or eat fat-free. This is all ridiculous information that has muddied up the fitness and health picture for too long now!

Stick to these basic metabolism boosting ideas and you will see results sooner than you could imagine!

Type 2 Diabetes - What Do These Blood Sugar Levels Mean?

Firstly everyone has blood sugar levels but we're really not that interested in them until we are told our levels are high and we have pre-diabetes or maybe even type 2 diabetes.  Then all of a sudden our lives seem to run around this process.

Glucose is the sugar that has the leading role in our body providing instant energy so that our muscles move and essential chemical reactions can take place.  It is one the three sources of energy in our body: the others are protein and fat. 

In an individual without diabetes, very little glucose is actually maintained in the body and body fluids.  A fasting blood sugar test would reveal a result between 4 to 5.5 mg/dl (70 to 100 mmol/l).  Without fasting, normal blood sugar levels would be between 4 to 8 mg/dl (70 to 140 mmol/l).

The standard definition of diabetes mellitus is excessive glucose in the blood and is diagnosed using any one of the following:

1.  Random plasma glucose greater than or equal to 198 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) accompanied by the symptoms of diabetes

2.  Fasting plasma glucose greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl (7 mmol/l) and is usually carried out after fasting for eight hours overnight. 

3.  Blood glucose of greater than or equal to 198 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l) when tested after swallowing 75 grams of oral glucose (following overnight fasting).  This test is known as an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and is one of the definitive test for diabetes.  Although it may not be necessary in diabetics whose random plasma glucose test was greater than or equal to 198 mg/dl (11.1 mmol/l).

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include:

1.  Fatigue occurs because your body's cells aren't receiving enough glucose, which is the fuel they need

2.  Frequent urination and thirst.  Your kidneys attempt to flush out the excessive amounts of sugar and this dehydrates your body and makes you feel thirsty

3.  Blurred vision.  As your blood sugar levels rise and fall your lenses swell and shrink.  Your sight blurs because your eyes cannot adjust quickly enough to these changes.

If you have any of these symptoms do not hesitate to contact your health care provider so he can order one or more of the above tests to determine if your blood sugar levels are within normal ranges, or to screen for type 2 diabetes.

Once you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, blood glucose monitoring is the main tool you have to check your diabetes control.  By keeping a log you can tell your body's response to your diet, exercise and medication plan.  Blood sugar levels show you what works and what doesn't. 

Best Weight Lifting Program For Weight Loss

To lose body fat fast and to keep it off for good, using the best weight lifting programs designed for weight loss will help immensely. Let me give you the exact weight lifting program style I personally used to shed body fat and get ripped six pack abs.

Weight lifting burns a staggering amount of calories, but not just while you are lifting heavy stuff. Up to 48 hours after the fact, your body is still burning off calories at a higher rate.

If this isn't a good reason to pump a bit of weight in your workout, nothing is.

There are two main options here, the first is for somebody relatively untrained in lifting weights and if you are quite out of shape or you haven't lifted weights for more than 3 months straight - this one is for you:

Best Weight Lifting Programs For Weight Loss - Option 1:

• Deadlifts


• Squats


• Clean and press (or military press)


• Bench press


• Calf raises


• Bent over rows

Even if you are just starting off, especially if you are a female, use really light weights for the first few sessions, you will still get amazing results - no muscle bulk, just toning the lean muscle and burning fat. Do 3 repetitions of 10 for each one.

Best Weight Lifting Programs For Weight Loss - Option 2:

• Work your body in splits e.g,


• Monday Chest and triceps


• Tuesday Back and calves


• Wednesday off


• Thursday Legs


• Friday off


• Saturday start again

This way of working out means you can maintain muscle mass you have put on over the years, by still challenging the muscle even though you are losing fat.

If you are tired of just grabbing bits of information here and there, let me help you out, big time. No strings, just a good old fashioned helping hand.

The Sedentary Lifestyle Vs The Active Lifestyle - An Endomorph's Perspective

Why is it so easy to be a couch potato and just lounge around doing nothing? Let me rephrase that: Why is physical activity, especially intense physical activity perceived as painful? Is perception the main issue? What if we could rewire our brain's neural pathways to associate pleasure with intense physical activity, (I'm not necessarily talking about hard labour), and pain to being idle, and physically lazy?

There are many reasons why I bring up such a topic. Firstly, body type. It has been documented that human beings can be categorized physically, according to the metabolic rate, among other significant factors. These categories are: Ectomorph- hyper metabolism; usually of a skinny disposition; finds it hard to put on muscle; Endomorph- the opposite of the ectomorph, having a sluggish metabolism; has a predisposition to storage of body fat; looks round in appearance; can put on muscle fairly easily. The Mesomorph- this body-type lies between the ectomorph and the endomorph. The mesomorph has the optimal metabolism; can add weight easily, unlike the ectomorph, or lose weight quite easily, unlike the endomorph.

With regards to body type, an endomorph doesn't have the luxury of living a sedentary lifestyle. The endomorph needs to be physically and mentally active. Also, the endomorph has to be very careful with his/her diet, unlike his/her counterparts of the ectomorph and mesomorph. I talk primarily from personal experience, as I have experimented with different fitness regimes and diets.

I followed the passive, vegetarian lifestyle, practicing yoga and pilates; nothing intense. Sure I became flexible, and could do headstands, but there was no improvement to my physique with regards to cardiovascular fitness. I don't quite know how to explain it, but it's as if practicing passive, and slow-movement exercises diminishes one's 'personal fire'. More on that later. On the lacto-vegetarian lifestyle, I ate plenty of carbohydrates, but no animal sources of protein, with the exception of eggs and milk. My main source of protein then, was soya chunks, soya burgers, soya links, and tofu. In hindsight, I would only stick to tofu, as the Japanese have used tofu throughout their history, it being a fermented soy product, as compared to the other commercial soy meat alternatives.

Having no significant results from that, except boosting my body's supply of estrogen (which is definitely no good for a guy, who considers himself a man), I switched to a more active regime, both in diet, and physical activity. I started practicing karate; shotokan karate to be exact. It was twice a week, but boy did that vigorous activity get the oxygen flowing to my body and brain. My diet did include meat then, but was limited to fish and chicken; absolutely no pork nor beef (that was strictly because of preference). Imagine, just two days of two to three hours worth of vigorous intense activity, and my metabolism had already started to kick in.

So being ambitious, the next step was to increase the physical activity, which would result in increased caloric expenditure. This was done, with some interesting results.

Eventually, it all boils down to choice. We all know the advantages of exercising regularly. (We're not talking about making an appearance in the gym and pretending to be exercising; no we're talking about the type of exercise to raise your heart rate, which would increase your cardiovascular fitness). But it' s so easy to get distracted and put it off. I used to make excuses. For over 4 years I made excuses, saying I would go to the gym the following month. 1 month turned into 2, then 2 turned to 4 and so on. Each month I delayed, I got even more de-motivated. I ate more crap. It's a vicious cycle, because, you don't make the decision to go, and you see people who are physically fit at the gym, and you use that as a reason for not going.

That's where willpower comes in. You make the decision, and pull through. You don't have to do it alone. You can always get motivation from a friend or relative who wants to go workout and shed some extra body fat. Additionally, you can cut out pictures from magazines, or print pictures from the internet of a person (athlete, celebrity etc) who's body is the definition of fitness for you. I use pictures of the Universal Animal supplement bodybuilders. I also have a poster of this 27 year old bodybuilder called Brandon Curry. Also, I have a picture of sexy fitness models in bikinis, who I would love to date. Believe me, as a guy, a photo of a sexy gal in a bikini, with a flat stomach, and toned midsection makes you want to automatically suck in your gut.

Genetic (DNA) Basis For Insulin Resistance, Diabetes - Treated With Specific Nutrition?

Insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus type 2 develop when there is an imbalance between conditions that promote excessive fatty acid synthesis combined with deficient fatty acid oxidation. The conditions mentioned are such things as dietary, genetic, hormonal, and exercise related areas. Of most concern in this paper, is the influence that genetic modifications may have on fatty acid metabolism. Much research has been done in this area, especially on the mouse, whose genome is considerably similar to the human genome. Through the study of the mouse genome, advances in human health, in the way of better insulin sensitivity, can be realized.

There are two main mouse models that illustrate which genes are involved most in fatty acid metabolism. The first model deals with mouse mutants used to study excessive and deficient fatty acid synthesis and oxidation. In regards to fatty acid/triacylgylcerol synthesis, sterol-response element binding protein over-expression can cause trigger an excess in these compounds. If one carries the diacylglycerol transferase -/- gene or the short-chain acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase -/- gene, deficient level of fatty acid synthesis will occur. In regards to fatty acid oxidation, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase 2 -/- gene or peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gene over-expression can result in a very high oxidation rate of fatty acids from the blood stream. If very longchain coenzyme A dehydrogenase -/- gene or long-chain acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase -/- gene are part of one's genome, fatty acid oxidation in the body will be deficient.

The second model deals with genetic manipulation of fatty acid metabolism. A wide range of manipulations have been performed and studied with varied phenotypic changes inflicted upon the mouses' body. For instance, targeting the null allele of Dgat or Acc-2 will result in the mouse being lean and resistant to obesity. This means that no matter what the mouse is fed, it will not gain a considerable amount of adipose tissue. On the other hand, targeting the null allele of Ppar will result in hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, decreased expression of fatty acid oxidation genes, and cold intolerance. These negative phenotypic changes in the mouse genetically predestine it to become obese.

Through the use of such models described above, researchers have been able to key in on the exact genes which can cause someone to have a propensity for insulin resistance, diabetes type 2, and obesity. But how can one relate nutritional considerations to genetic makeup? If someone has a certain defect/variant of one of the known causes for a negative phenotype, how can individualized nutrition help to blunt the effects of one's genotype.

It has been found that diets high in simple carbohydrates and low in fat are a huge risk factor in priming the body to make more fatty acids and not oxidize enough of them. The reasoning behind this is that this type of diet will drive insulin levels through the roof, causing the body to produce excess fatty acids. An even worse diet, which would be catastrophic for someone with an already unfavorable genotype, is the high carbohydrate and high fat diet. This diet not only spikes insulin levels up, it also provides excess fat to be stored by the body. So, if a person's genetic makeup favors fatty acid synthesis, then a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet would increase the risk of developing insulin-resistance and diabetes mellitus type 2.

The control of insulin, through diet-mediated considerations, is paramount in protecting an already flawed genetic makeup. Insulin can be controlled by eating a diet that consists of higher protein and fat levels and lower carbohydrate levels. The carbohydrates consumed should not be high on the glycemic index, for this will drive insulin levels up.

Overall, the article keys in on the genetic factors that affect insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the first step in a whole host of other problems, such as diabetes type 2 and obesity. Through the study of specific gene loci, genetic variations in such, and nutrigenomics, researchers have been able to acquire advanced knowledge about the prevention of insulin resistance. It was found that diets lower in carbohydrates and higher in fat/protein, for individuals with unfavorable genetic makeups are best for keeping insulin in an acceptable range. It is important to note that there are genetic variants in certain genes, such as the DGAT-1 -/-, which promote better health and give these people an advantage. When discussing such matters as personalized medicine, it will be interesting to see what certain people will do when they find out that they have a genetic makeup that allows them to eat anything they want, without having to worry about future medical conditions due to their poor choices of food.

-Wood, Philip. "Genetically modified mouse models for disorders of fatty acid metabolism: pursuing the nutrigenomics of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes." Nutrition. Volume 20, Jan 2004, pgs. 121-126.

Speed Up the Metabolic Process - Lose Fast Weight

The amount of energy that is required by the body is referred as the metabolic rate. In some other definition metabolic rate tells how rapid the carbohydrates can be burned. It had been proved that the people who are not active and don't perform physical activities have low rate of metabolism. So here are some of the ways to boost up the metabolic rate: -

Stay active all the time: - a person must always indulge in the exercise programs like aerobic programs and training sessions. If a person stay active then the amount of the muscle that a person is having gets increased which further helps in speeding up the metabolic process. It is advised to stay active all the time to improve the lifestyle.

Have meal is small portions: - a person must always has a habit of eating the less food but in continuous portions. So it is advised to eat often but not too much in quantity. It is preferred to have small meals instead of having large one or two meals. This activity can be performed daily. This helps in ticking up the metabolic rate.

Take foods which are protein based: - the amount of calories which are present in the rich diet of proteins, around 25% can be burnt off easily. One thing a person must notice is that the rich food consisting of proteins must have a low fat which can include diet like meat, chicken and also the dairy products which are low in fat.

Go for the consumption of the green tea: - green tea will help in speeding up the metabolic process as it contains the antioxidants like Lida Meizi Slimming Tea and Healthin Organic Tea for Weight Loss.

Determine the intake of the daily calories: - a person always calculates the ideal quantity of calories which can be consumed daily by a person. The simple method to calculate the amount of the calories is to multiply the weight of the body by factor of 11. This factor can be changed to 12 if the level of the activity is above average. This can result the calculation of the amount of calories. Therefore the amount of food must contain the appropriate amount of calories which is calculated on the above basis. This diet can be followed till 7 days and can be extended further for a period of 2 weeks. In few time there will be a significant effect noticed in the health of person. This will help a person in losing the weight in correct manner and also the muscles of the body will remain intact.

Heart Attack Statistics in the United States

Heart attacks and heart disease are among the leading causes of preventable deaths every year, and millions of Americans are affected either directly or indirectly by them. As the United States continues to struggle with problems such as obesity and over-rich diet, more and more Americans find themselves developing the health problems that will eventually lead to heart attacks and angina.

The problem shows no signs of going away quickly, as the following statistics seem to indicate:

• Approximately 426,000 Americans died in 2006 as the result of heart attacks or angina. This accounts for roughly one-sixth of the entire mortality rate.


• Every year, 1.26 million people suffer a heart attack, either for the first time or a recurrent time. About a third of the people who experience an episode die.


• 50% of deaths occur within one hour of an episode, usually outside of a hospital.


• Approximately 17.6 million people in the US are living with some form of heart disease. About 60% of these are male.


• A further 10 million suffer from angina. About 500,000 new cases are discovered every year.


• The most common time for a person to suffer an episode is in the morning, when blood palettes are stickier.


• Both men and women are advised to monitor their health, as both are almost equally likely to suffer the effects of heart disease.


• Women tend to take longer to respond to the effects of an attack, putting them at higher risk of dying after an episode.

Heart health is an increasingly important issue in the American public consciousness.

What Does Percent Body Fat Mean? Breaking Down the Mystery

You may have heard the term "body fat percentage" as a measurement of your health and fitness level. Still, if you haven't heard a good definition, you may be wondering "What does percent body fat mean?"

Simply put, percent of fat means the percent of your body weight that is made up of fat. The fatter you are, the higher your percent body weight will be.

There are many different things that make up the number that we see on the scale. Your bones, organs, blood, skin, fat, muscle and hair all play a part in what your weight measures. There is also water weight, which is the amount of weight caused by the water that your body holds on to. This is why you might see your body weight change throughout the day or why women may weight a bit more right before they get their period.

Your fat percentage gives a more complete picture of your overall fitness level. For example, in America the average woman is 5'4" and weighs 140lbs. But this does not mean that they have the same percent body fat. If you were to compare two women side-by-side, both with the same height and weight, you will probably see very different body types. If one of these women is an athlete, she will have a lower fat percentage and appear slimmer, even though the two women technically weight the same.

Likewise, a man that does bodybuilding may weigh well over 200 pounds, but his body shape will be much different than a couch potato that weighs over 200 pounds. The bodybuilder has a lower body fat percentage.

That's why you should focus more on your percent body fat when trying to lose weight. Ultimately, your reason for wanting to lose weight is to look slimmer. Your body fat percentage is more indicative of this than the number on the scale.