Are You Lactose Intolerant?
April 28, 2008
Do you know anyone who can’t consume milk or milk-based products? The condition is not uncommon and these people are classified as lactose intolerant.
Lactose is the main carbohydrate or sugar found in milk, and in varying quantities in dairy products made from milk including yoghurt, ice cream, soft cheeses and butter. Lactose (milk sugar) intolerance results from an inability to digest lactose in the small intestine.
Back in the cave-days, the only time a person would ever ingest lactose would be when they were infants getting milk from their mothers. During their adult lives milk was never consumed. Only with the invention of agriculture has milk become readily available to adults. Lactose is unique in that only in milk does it exist as a free form, unattached to other molecules.
What causes lactose intolerance?
Lactose is digested in the small intestine by an enzyme called lactase. This enzyme allows the body to break down the lactose into two simple sugars, glucose and galactose. These are quickly absorbed by the intestine and provide energy for the body. The level of the lactase enzyme varies between individuals, as does the severity of the symptoms caused by lactose intolerance.
Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Is there a Difference?
April 28, 2008
Quite often a client will come into the gym discouraged with their exercise program. The common complaint being lack of results. They give a list of activities they are doing but still do not see any changes in physical appearance. Yes this can be attributed to many variables but one of the key elements to consider is intensity.
We need to ask, what constitutes exercise? Is all physical activity considered exercise? The answer is no. Unfortunately there is not a general number or percentage that can be given to state that an activity is exercise. Exercise should be defined as an activity that is harder than what you may do on a daily basis. And this definition is going to vary for all individuals. It will be specific to an individual’s background, possible limitations and current fitness status. What may be considered an exercise for one person may not be for another. For instance if you usually go for a walk each night after dinner, then walking (at this pace) would be considered physical activity not exercise. If you ride your bike to work everyday, cycling (at this pace) is going to become physical activity for you and not exercise.
Successful WLS Patients Make Right Their Nutritional Wellness
April 27, 2008
It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow after gastric bypass surgery:
The first are the patients who realize WLS is a second chance to make right their nutritional wellness and they exchange the eating habits and poor food choices that made them obese for a smarter way of eating. These patients become champions of healthy ingredients and wholesome eating making conscious choices for how they fuel their bodies. They are non-stop learners in constant quest for information to aid in their health and wellness. They are actively engaged in their own nutrition to improve their health and make strong their bodies against disease. These patients have tremendous success in long-term weight maintenance following massive weight loss.
The second are the patients who rely solely on the restrictive and malabsorptive nature of the gastric bypass to lose weight. They half-heartedly follow the program during the phase of rapid weight loss and little by little the old habits that made them obese sneak back into their daily living. You’ll hear these patients say, "I can eat anything I want, just less of it" and they laugh. But the joke is on them because sure enough, these patients will regain weight and suffer from poor nutritional health.
Going Back to the Basics: Revival of Traditional Treatment through Herbs
April 27, 2008
Herbal medicine has its origins in ancient cultures including those of the Egyptians, American Indians and Chinese. It involves the medicinal use of plants to treat disease and enhance general health and wellbeing.
There are over 750,000 plants on earth. Relatively speaking, only a very few of the healing herbs have been studied scientifically. And because modern pharmacology looks for one active ingredient and seeks to isolate it to the exclusion of all the others, most of the research that is done on plants continues to focus on identifying and isolating active ingredients, rather than studying the medicinal properties of whole plants.
Herbalists use the leaves, flowers, stems, berries, and roots of plants to prevent, relieve, and treat illness. From a “scientific” perspective, many herbal treatments are considered experimental. The reality is, however, that herbal medicine has a long and respected history. Many familiar medications of the twentieth century were developed from ancient healing traditions that treated health problems with specific plants. Today, science has isolated the medicinal properties of a large number of botanicals, and their healing components have been extracted and analyzed. Many plant components are now synthesized in large laboratories for use in pharmaceutical preparations. For example, vincristine (an antitumor drug), digitalis (a heart regulator), and ephedrine (a bronchodilator used to decrease respiratory congestion) were all originally discovered through research on plants.
Making the Food Pyramid Work After Weight Loss Surgery
April 27, 2008
A "normal-tummy" looks at the food pyramid from the bottom up ? six to eleven servings of grains, then fruits and vegetables ? then the protein groups: meat and beans and the milk group. The fats, oils and sweets are incidental.
After gastric bypass we can read the pyramid from the top down. Scoot to the side the fats, oils and sweets ? we don’t eat those anymore. Start with the protein groups ? remember the rule ? protein first! Then have a sample from the fruits and vegetable groups. Then, only if there is room, a taste from the grains group. Fats and oils will be incidental to the diet; sweets should rarely be eaten. It is unlikely a tiny tummy will ever meet the food pyramid quantity guidelines ? six to 11 servings from the grains group is totally unrealistic for a bariatric patient. However, WLS patients can gain significant nutritional benefits and satiation from incorporating foods from every group into their small meals. The key is to create a healthy eating pattern using the Food Guide Pyramid as a reference point for making sound nutritional choices.
Nutritional Benefits of each group:
Vitamin Supplements ? A Pill is Not Always the Answer
April 27, 2008
Vitamins are organic compounds that our bodies use, in very small amounts, for a variety of metabolic processes. Taking vitamins ‘just in case’ is not a habit that anyone should get into and it is always recommended that vitamins are taken through wholesome and quality food.
There are many different reasons and types of people that may want or need to take supplements, some of these may include, some vegetarians, people who drink large amounts of alcohol, drug users, athletic people, pregnant and lactating women and elderly people.
Are you using Vitamins and Minerals like medicine pills?
There seems to be a trend occurring where it is believed that taking massive or "mega-doses" of various vitamins will work like medicine to cure certain conditions.
For example, vitamin C has been thought of as a cure for the common cold for generations and in fact you were probably even told this by your mother at some stage. Despite extensive research on this it has yet to be proven
Vitamins from food are best
How Do You Know Your Nutrition is Working for You?
April 26, 2008
Please feel free to comment, so that the article may be developed.
How would you like to know what is going on in you body?
Are you healthy? How do you know? Is your lifestyle doing anything for you?
Researchers at the Huntsman Cancer Institute have developed the Biophotonic Scanner. Initially developed to look at eye health, this remarkable machine was developed to look at carotenoids in human tissue. This is a new, cutting-edge testing device that safely and easily measures a carotenoid antioxidant biomarker that provides immediate evidence of antioxidant activity.
What are Carotenoids?
Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that are found in abundance in certain fruits and vegetables. They are absorbed in human plasma and tissue and provide an excellent indicator of a person’s antioxidant health status.
By simply placing the palm of the hand in front of a low-energy blue light laser, you can obtain an immediate reading of your own antioxidant activity- your Skin Carotenoid Score.
Backed by over 30,000 papers in 30 years of research
Is this valid?
This has been subject to clinical trials comparing to blood tests, with a greater degree of accuracy
Fish! It?s What?s For Dinner After Gastric Bypass
April 26, 2008
Since gastric bypass weight loss surgery gives us a second chance of leading healthy lives it behooves us to pay attention to what we eat and incorporate things in our limited diet that can aid our health and longevity. Fortunately for us one of the healthiest things we can eat is also gastric bypass friendly: Fish.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids.
This time of year is great for including fish in the diet because it can quickly and easily be cooked outdoors on the grill. Consider these safe cooking tips when grilling fish:
Skewer small shellfish such as shrimp or scallops on metal or water-soaked wooden skewers or cook them in a grill basket.
Grill fillets over medium to medium-low heat. Fish can cook quickly and it is easier to slow down cook time and monitor to not overcook.
How to Stop Bleeding Gums
April 26, 2008
Bleeding gums can be one sign of periodontal disease, gingivitis, or other serious problems. Other symptoms like bad breath, toothache, and receding gums indicate poor dental health.
Gum disease affects the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Bacteria affect the gum, which can turn into tartar and plaque buildup, irritate your gums and lead to bleeding and receding gums. Top quality oral hygiene cures bleeding gums.
Bleeding gums are also caused by the canker sores which are caused by the herpes simplex virus. Aging is also a factor for bleeding gums. If you do not treat gums properly it may eventually lead to loss of teeth. Early diagnoses of the bleeding gums are better and you can treat them so that there are no further complications. Tooth loss is caused gum weakening. Many people are affected by gingivitis that is characterized by bleeding gums and swollen gums. This condition may also be painful for some people.
Folic acid tablets are also available in the medical stores for this purpose. Gums that bleed are not only unhealthy but are also unattractive. People who take care of their external looks should also concentrate on the bleeding gums. Consult a dentist if you have problems like toothache, canker sores, receding gums or excessive plaque.
Weight Loss Problems ? Or is it a Self Image Problem?
April 26, 2008
Some of you will not like what I have to say, even though it is the truth. And that may be where the problem of American’s health problems lies. No one wants to give you the truth. My responsibility as a high profile fitness expert lies not in if you like me, or even if you buy my e books. My responsibility lies in giving you straight talk with no sugar coating it.
You want quick fixes to your health problem that has taken years to develop. You get it by purchasing gimmicks that promise you fast results. You fall for it, and at the end of the day you are more frustrated than every. Why? Because you are denying the root of your problem. Do you have a weight problem of a self image problem? What ever it is you need to get to the bottom of it. Where down the line did you develop the idea that you do not deserve to feel better and look good? How in your life said, "You are not worthy of good health? And when did you by into the notion that someone had a right to take your self esteem away from you. No one has that right, but you do have that choice.
