Monday, March 31, 2008

Laser therapy.

Laser trabeculoplasty. Laser trabeculoplasty helps fluid drain out of the eye. Your doctor may suggest this step at any time. In many cases, you need to keep taking glaucoma drugs after this procedure. Laser trabeculoplasty is performed in your doctor's office or eye clinic. Before the surgery, numbing drops will be applied to your eye. As you sit facing the laser machine, your doctor will hold a special lens to your eye. A high-intensity beam of light is aimed at the lens and reflected onto the meshwork inside your eye. You may see flashes of bright green or red light. The laser makes several evenly spaced burns that stretch the drainage holes in the meshwork. This allows the fluid to drain better. Like any surgery, laser surgery can cause side effects, such as inflammation. Your doctor may give you some drops to take home for any soreness or inflammation inside the eye. You need to make several followup visits to have your eye pressure monitored. If you have glaucoma in both eyes, only one eye will be treated at a time. Laser treatments for each eye will be scheduled several days to several weeks apart. Studies show that laser surgery is very good at reducing the pressure in some patients. However, its effects can wear off over time. Your doctor may suggest further treatment. kaufen levitra
kaufen cialis
kaufen viagra

Diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a skin disorder driven by the immune system, especially involving a type of white blood cell called a T cell. Normally, T cells help protect the body against infection and disease. In the case of psoriasis, T cells are put into action by mistake and become so active that they trigger other immune responses, which lead to inflammation and to rapid turnover of skin cells. In about one-third of the cases, there is a family history of psoriasis. Researchers have studied a large number of families affected by psoriasis and identified genes linked to the disease. (Genes govern every bodily function and determine the inherited traits passed from parent to child.) People with psoriasis may notice that there are times when their skin worsens, then improves. Conditions that may cause flareups include infections, stress, and changes in climate that dry the skin. Also, certain medicines, including lithium and betablockers, which are prescribed for high blood pressure, may trigger an outbreak or worsen the disease.Doctors generally treat psoriasis in steps based on the severity of the disease, size of the areas involved, type of psoriasis, and the patient's response to initial treatments. This is sometimes called the "1-2-3" approach. In step 1, medicines are applied to the skin (topical treatment). Step 2 uses light treatments (phototherapy). Step 3 involves taking medicines by mouth or injection that treat the whole immune system (called systemic therapy).
acheter levitra
acheter viagra
acheter cialis

We live not to eat, but we eat to live!

Fruit and vegetables should make up about a third of the food you eat each day - it is important that you eat a variety in order to benefit from different nutrients. Five portions of about 80grams a day is a good, attainable target - this could be a handful of grapes, half a pepper or 2 medium plums for example. Try counting your portions of fruit and vegetables every day and find ways to add fruit and vegetables to every meal. Mashed carrot, swede and sweet potato are full of nutrients and make a tasty alternative to traditional mashed potato - steam first and season with black pepper and a little butter. You could even serve with vegetarian sausages for a meat free twist to Bangers and Mash! Avocados contain more fat than most fruit and veg but can be eaten in moderation as they contain monounsaturated fatty acids which may help to lower cholesterol levels in the blood. Avocados also contain lots of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E and vitamin B6. Add sliced avocado to salads and mix with reduced fat mozzarella, toasted pine nuts, tomato and basil. Spinach is another great source of vitamin C and also contains iron and folic acid - good for healthy blood and circulation - fill tortilla wraps with spinach, peppers and a little ricotta cheese for a delicious snack.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

The Atkins diet

The Atkins has been around for awhile now. Atkins first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown very popular these recent years in response to the low-fat diet fad. As people on a diet had trouble with low-fat diets, they searched for a new solution and Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.

A lot of people have turned to the Atkins diet and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?

The Atkins diet is guided around the question "why we get fat". According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body burns the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waist than the amount of fat or calories that you eat. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called "insulin resistance." He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly.

When you consume excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices your sugar levels are raised. The body produces insulin from the pancreas in order to retain sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only retain so much glycogen at once. AWhen your body reaches this limit, this causes the body to store the excess as fat. This will happen to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates.

However,people who are insulin resistant have an even harder time of storing and burning of Carbohydrates. The more insulin you produce your body starts to become resistant to the insulin. Overtime, the pancreas pumps more insulin and cells become resistant to insulin. The body does this to protect itself from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.

As a result, people who are insulin resistant gain lots more weight. The carbohydrates that we consume get stored as fat instead of being stored as energy. Some of the side effects are fatigue, the inability to focus, lack of memory, loss of creativity, very low blood sugar (which could turn into hypoglycemia),bloating of the intestins, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. When you are insulin resistant you have more worries than just extra weight.

The cure for people who have an insulin resistant body is a low-carb diet. The focus of the Atkins diet is a reduction of carbohydrates. The foods that are not allowed on the Atkins diet include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even the Carbohydrates that we are taught will make us healthy are restricted in the Atkins diet such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on this diet.

On this diet you must reduce your carbohydrate consumption to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. Ketosis allows your body to burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins' research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will stop more fat from being formed. You begin to use stored fat as fuel and in return begin to lose weight.One of the major benefits of ketosis is that your body will not crave carbohydrates as it did before. If you've been consuming lots of carbs, you may have found that you can never have enough carbs. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for long period of time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did.


arthritis treatment

Friday, March 28, 2008

A Fat Loss Plan May Change Your Lifes Direction

Most doctors will tell you that fat loss supplements are not required and that only a good calorie controlled diet along with daily work out is the only thing one needs to lose fat. Converse to what many skeptics and misinformed persons may report or say, even if your body sheds water during the first few days of a calorie controlled carbohydrate diet plan like the South Beach Diet or Atkins, the body's water balance soon will return to normal and the fat loss that follows is the depletion of fat pounds.

Work in consultation with your natural health care giver if you decide to try an over the counter fat loss pill to help you lose fat. If you insist on knowing your progress by fat loss and want to use a scale, try to weigh yourself at the same time everyday. Whatever fat loss work out you choose, try to get your heart rate up to about 65 % of your safe upper limit.

Any fat loss or diet plan, together with low-carb plans like the induction phase of the Atkins Diet will result in water loss during the first week or two. If you're on a fat loss system you're under regular attack - attack from the food robbers all around you. It seems everyone is looking for that magic bullet like that rapid fat loss secret that will instantly lose excess fat and turn you into a supermodel. Not likely

The fact is, there are healthy, useful and simple techniques you can use to achieve fat loss - and keep it off over the long term. A fat loss coach will help you each and every step of the way giving you support, motivation, and will show you the secrets that all slim people know, so that you can lose fat in a healthy way and allow you to maintain your fat and get back to your Body Perfect Fitness and Health for life.

Some types of fat loss surgeries reduce the body's ability to absorb important vitamins and minerals. Many people begin a fat loss system with their basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses in a resting state, For many people, the improvement in their overall health, following fat loss surgery, is just as important as the fat loss itself.

Ok, these are a few of the things I used in the past to get through a fat loss plateau. If you have been frustrated with past fat loss attempts, give the 3 W's of fat loss a try. Discuss the options with your doctor and take his advice in planning your work out and fat loss system.

So you sweat and strain with your chosen fat loss system, perhaps ecstatically so at the start. So although I don't think you can use fasting as a diet or fat loss system, I do feel that it can be a great start to a proper fat loss diet and work out system. Therefore, creating a one-for-all fat loss or work out system simply would not work.

Not just any work out system will do for fat loss. If you have any health problems you should consult a physician before starting any fat loss system. Keep in mind, too, that your fat loss system will most likely include some physical work out.


quit smoking tips

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Diet Don'ts for Weight Loss

There is no simple way to lose weight, and certainly not a single diet that will work for everyone. The best, and ultimately the simplest, way to lose weight and keep it off is to understand what works, what doesn't, and why, and then put that knowledge into practice. To put it simply, you need to educate yourself. Sadly, there are a lot of dangerous diets out there, and many others that simply don't work. This chapter is a consumer's guide to fad diets and other weight-loss schemes.

What's wrong with this diet?

If you spend ant time perusing the diet shelves of bookstores, or watching daytime television, or surfing the Internet, you are undoubtedly aware of an avalanche of diets: celebrity diets, low-carbohydrate diets, 3-day diets; diets designed to fit your blood type, astrological sign, age, gender, what have you. Most promise some sort of miracle, something quick and easy. And you may be tempted to give them a try.

Yo-do dieting

Most likely, you have dieted before. Maybe you lost a few pounds, maybe you lost many. But the reason you bought this book is that you gained them back again. This is the familiar diet yo-yo.

Although some people say that yo-yo dieting messes up your metabolism and does lasting harm to your health, this is actually not true.

Medical experts call it weight cycling, and this is what they have to say about it:

Weight cycling does not increase the amount of your fat tissue.

Weight cycling will not turn you into an "apple," causing you to regain lost weight as fat deposits in your abdominal area.

The main thing wrong with yo-yo dieting is that it is discouraging.

And the main cause of yo-yoing is diets that result in temporary weight loss rather than encouraging permanent changes in your eating and exercise habits.

High-protein, high-fat diets

The most popular diets today are based on the premise that being overweight is caused primarily by carbohydrates. These diets call for eating a lot of protein and little or no carbohydrates. Most of them also permit you to eat as much fat as you want. Their promoters claim this is a healthier way of eating.

You undoubtedly know some people who have lost a great deal of weight, and quite quickly, on these diets. And it is hard to argue with success. But I'm going to do it anyway. High protein, low-carbohydrate diets are extremely unhealthy. The reasons for this are:

They violate every known fact about nutritionally balanced eating.

They ignore the established health risks of diets high in cholesterol and saturated fats.

They overload you with protein, which results in loss of calcium from your bones, which may lead to osteoporosis. Protein overload also puts stress on your kidneys as they try to eliminate large amounts of urea, a by-product of protein metabolism.

They forbid foods known to lower the risk of heart disease and many cancers.

They deprive you of carbohydrates, the nutrient group most readily converted to energy. Even moderately active people will notice this lack during exercise.

They deprive your brain of glucose, which it needs for normal functioning. The result is a slowdown in thinking and reaction time.

They deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is found in carbohydrate-rich foods.

They are deficient in essential vitamins.

They cause potentially dangerous changes in your body chemistry.

They deliver temporary weight loss. Weight gain is rapid once you go off the diet.

Some "carbs are the enemy" diets are based on pseudo-scientific theories about insulin. Carbohydrates do not overstimulate insulin production in people whose insulin-secreting cells function normally. The best way to ensure that you do not have an "Insulin problem" is to have a blood glucose test as part of an annual preventive health examination. If your blood sugar level is abnormal, your doctor will investigate the cause and discuss dietary changes with you. If your blood sugar is normal, the healthiest thing you can do is to ensure that 55 to 60 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrates, primarily complex carbohydrates.

The rapid weight loss seen in people on low-carb diets is mostly due to water loss.

Protein metabolism produces urea, a toxin eliminated in urine through the kidneys. Every gram of urea requires 50 ml of water to flush it from the body. That's a little more than an ounce of water, and remember: A fluid ounce of water weighs an ounce. In addition, fat metabolism produces ketone bodies, another toxin that increases water loss.


lowering cholesterol meds

Pitfalls in Weight Loss

Losing weight can be one of the hardest things to do in life. No matter how hard you try or how well you try to stick to the plan, sometimes it is not possible to lose weight. Usually there are several pitfalls that cause you to gain weight and thus by avoiding these pitfalls, you can lose the weight that you desire.

One definite pitfall is sleep deprivation or sleeping less than you are supposed to. A healthy person should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day and if you are getting less sleep, then you may be pushing yourself to weight gain. Throughout various studies, it has been shown that if you sleep less than the required amount, your body will lower its metabolism rate to counteract the effects of the sleep deprivation. Thus, you should sleep the required amount every day for losing weight and for general health purposes.

Another pitfall that you will need to avoid is dehydration. It is important for you to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Just like the sleep studies, it has been shown that by drinking water your metabolism rate will be increased. (Also as a side effect you will dilute the toxins and flush them out from your body by drinking lots of water) Another thing that you can do to increase your metabolism is by eating small amounts frequently. As contrary as it may sound, eating more will actually help you lose weight. The reason for that arises from the fact that your body will increase its metabolic rate and burn calories in order to digest the foods that you eat. So by eating frequently, you will be able to keep your metabolic rate up and your body will be burning calories while being busy for digesting your food.

Of course, eating frequently does not mean eating lots of nighttime snacks in front of the TV on the couch. On the contrary that is a major pitfall that you want to avoid. If you want to lose weight, than you will have to stay away from all kinds of night snacks. Also just as importantly, another thing that you want to avoid is definitely drinking alcohol. Consuming alcohol is one of the worst damages that you can do to your body in your quest for weight loss. First of all, alcohol contains lots of calories and it is practically a liquid meal. Since most alcoholic drinks are fermented from sugar, you will end up gaining more calories than even eating a full meal when you consume alcoholic beverages. Also as another negative attribute, your liver will be too busy trying to digest alcohol and thus your liver won't be able to metabolize fats properly and these fats will be deposited in your body as dead weight.

As you can see, there are several pitfalls that you need to avoid in order to be able to lose weight. However, the greatest mistake that you can make is not having a realistic goal about your weight loss. If you are dreaming of miraculous cure to lose ten or thirty pounds in a week then you will not succeed. You should be realistic and you should always focus yourself on your weight loss goals.


Source: http://www.articleclick.com/Article/Pitfalls-in-Weight-Loss/983481