How can we stop the obese from becoming more obese? Pretty simple. Stop feeding them. Think about the other common self-destructive human behaviors. On a commercial airplane, in a saloon, or at a professional sports event, if the customer is deemed to be drunk, the keepers of the booze key will lock the cabinet. If a person drives a car at a dangerous speed, the driver is subject to substantial penalties. For young persons known to be at high risk for early chemical addictions, society tries to prevent exposure to the addicting drugs. Overeating with underexercising is now killing more Americans than anything else except tobacco addiction. Yet, an obese person enters an eating joint, or a supermarket, and buys and eats any and everything he or she wants, and nobody seems to care. Does that make any sense to you? Meanwhile, Big Science strives to understand why people get fat; Big Genetics searches for the obesity gene so that stem cells could correct the flaw; Big Surgery lines up the morbidly obese to shunt their stomachs; Big Pharma seeks the next weight-loss pill that will help more people than it kills; Big Nutrition hawks the newest sure-thing, weight-loss diet; Big Fast Food pushes "healthy food" lines right next to their billion dollar unhealthy food lines; Big Soda and Big School Boards share the profit from drowning kids with calories from vending machines; and Big Exercise pushes group rates for aerobics class. Money made by so many special interests. All this while the simple answer is to stop eating; stop feeding the obese until they are no longer obese. Of course, that may be hard to do, and who makes any money that way? Fat chance for this crazy idea to go anywhere.

June 22, 2009

Here's a secret: slaving away inside your body -- right this minute -- is your very own personal trainer working tirelessly to help you burn calories and shed fat. It's called your metabolism, and it's the sum of everything your body does. Each time you eat, enzymes in your body's cells break down the food and turn it into energy that keeps your heart beating, your mind thinking, and your legs churning during a grueling workout. The faster your metabolism runs, the more calories you burn. The more you burn, the easier it is to drop pounds. And get this -- you can make your metabolism work harder, a lot harder, 24 hours a day.To some degree, our bodies hum along at a preset speed determined by gender and genetics, but there's still plenty of wiggle room. "You have a huge amount of control over your metabolic rate," says John Berardi, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., author of The Metabolism Advantage. "You can't affect how many calories it takes to keep your heart beating, but you can burn an extra 500 to 600 calories a day by exercising properly and eating right." And by making a few changes to your routine.To make those changes simpler, we enlisted the help of leading experts and came up with a round-the-clock, turn-up-the-burn plan complete with new moves that will throw your metabolism into overdrive.

1. When you roll out of bedEat (a good) breakfast Every. Single. Day.If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode (it's paranoid like that), so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy, Berardi says. And the heartier your first meal is, the better. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat.What should you be having? Morning munchies that are slow to digest and leave you feeling fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, like this power breakfast, recommended by Berardi: an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel-cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega-3-loaded fish oil.Sip javaSisterhood of the traveling spill-proof mugs, rejoice! A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that the average metabolic rate of people who drank caffeinated coffee increased 16 percent over that of those who drank decaf. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system by increasing your heart rate and breathing, says Robert Kenefick, Ph.D., a research physiologist at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. Honestly, could there be a more perfect beverage?Guzzle your water coldChase your morning joe with an ice-cold glass of H2O. Researchers at the University of Utah found that volunteers who drank eight to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water per day had higher metabolic rates than those who quaffed only four glasses. Your body may burn a few calories heating the cold water to your core temperature, says Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center. Though the extra calories you burn drinking a single glass doesn't amount to much, making it a habit can add up to pounds lost with essentially zero additional effort.

2. When you're at workPick protein for lunchCramming protein into every meal helps build and maintain lean muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, even at rest, says Donald Layman, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. Aim for about 30 grams of protein -- the equivalent of about one cup of low-fat cottage cheese or a four-ounce boneless chicken breast-at each meal.Brew up some green tea"It's the closest thing to a metabolism potion," says Tammy Lakatos Shames, R.D., author of Fire Up Your Metabolism: 9 Proven Principles for Burning Fat and Losing Weight Forever. The brew contains a plant compound called ECGC, which promotes fat burning. In one study, people who consumed the equivalent of three to five cups a day for 12 weeks decreased their body weight by 4.6 percent. According to other studies, consuming two to four cups of green tea per day may torch an extra 50 calories. That translates into about five pounds per year. Not bad for a few bags of leaves, eh? For maximum effect, let your tea steep for three minutes and drink it while it's still hot.Undo damage with dairyHey, it happens. There are days when no salad on earth can possibly overcome the seductive power of French fries. But you can make up for it with a calcium-rich afternoon snack, like eight ounces of milk or six ounces of low-fat yogurt. Calcium helps your body metabolize fat more efficiently by increasing the rate at which it gets rid of fat as waste (yes, that kind), reports a study from the University of Copenhagen. Sorry, supplements don't have the same effect.

3. When you go food shoppingChoose organic produceYou wouldn't fill your car engine with pesticides, right? Hell, no. Researchers in Canada found that dieters with the most organochlorides (chemicals found in pesticides) stored in their fat cells were the most susceptible to disruptions in mitochondrial activity and thyroid function. Translation: Their metabolism stalled. Can't afford a full organic swap? Go to foodnews.org/fulllist for the most (and the least) contaminated foods, then adjust your shopping list accordingly.Seek heatIt turns out capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their mouth-searing quality, can also fire up your metabolism. Eating about one tablespoon of chopped red or green chilies boosts your body's production of heat and the activity of your sympathetic nervous system (responsible for our fight-or-flight response), according to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology. The result: a temporary metabolism spike of about 23 percent. Stock up on chilies to add to salsas, and keep a jar of red pepper flakes on hand for topping pizzas, pastas, and stir-fries.Grab some metalWomen lose iron during their period every month. That can throw a wrench into your metabolic machine, because iron helps carry oxygen to your muscles. If your levels run low, muscles don't get enough O2, your energy tanks, and your metabolism sputters, Shames says. Stock up on iron-­fortified cereals, beans, and dark leafy greens like spinach, bok choy, and broccoli.

4. When you work outMix things up with intervalsYou're always looking for a way to shorten your workout, right? Well, step up your intensity and you'll burn the same number of calories or more in less time. In one Aus­tralian study, female volunteers either rode a stationary bike for 40 minutes at a steady pace or for 20 minutes of intervals, alternating eight seconds of sprints and 12 seconds of easy pedaling. After 15 weeks, those who incorporated the sprints into their cardio workouts had lost three times as much body fat -- including thigh and core flab -- compared with those who exercised at a steady pace. Bursts of speed may stimulate a fat-burning response within the muscles, says lead researcher Ethlyn Gail Trapp, Ph.D. Whether you ride, run, or row, try ramping things up to rev your burn: Start by doing three eight-second all-out, can't-talk sprints with 12 seconds at an easy pace between each effort. Work your way up until you can do 10 sprints over 20 minutes.Take it slowThis isn't easy, but when you strength train, count to three as you lower the weight back to the start position. Slowing things down increases the breakdown of muscle tissue -- yeah, it sounds bad, but all that damage you're incurring is actually a good thing. The repair process pumps up your metabolism for as long as 72 hours after your session, according to researchers at Wayne State University. But pass on those featherweight dumbbells -- you need to use weights that are heavy enough that you struggle to complete the final few reps.Pop pillsCombining regular exercise with fish-oil supplements increases the activity of your fat-burning enzymes, reports a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volunteers took six grams of fish oil daily and worked out three times a week. After 12 weeks, they'd lost an average of 3.4 pounds, while those who exercised exclusively saw minimal shrinkage. Look for brands containing at least 300 milligrams of the fatty acid EPA and 200 milligrams of the fatty acid DHA per capsule. Pop two of these two hours before your workout.

5. When you get homeEat Nemo's palsFatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines are loaded with hunger-quashing omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help trigger the rapid transfer of "I'm full" signals to your brain, according to the National Institutes of Health. Bonus: A 3.5-ounce serving of salmon nets you 90 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin D, which will help preserve your precious calorie-craving, metabolism-stoking muscle tissue.Skip the second mojitoAnother reason not to overimbibe: Knocking back the equivalent of just two mixed drinks (or two glasses of wine or two bottles of beer) puts the brakes on fat burning by a whopping 73 percent. That's because your liver converts the alcohol into acetate and starts using that as fuel instead of your fat stores, report researchers from the University of California, Berkeley.Hit the sack -- earlyWhen you sleep less than you should, you throw off the amounts of leptin and ghrelin -- hormones that help regulate energy use and appetite -- that your body produces. Researchers at Stanford University found that people who snoozed fewer than 7.5 hours per night experienced an increase in their body mass index. So make sure you get at least eight hours of rest.

THE HOSPITAL OF THE MIND

Psychoneuro-Immunology is the term given to explain the minds capacity to overcome disease by directly influencing the immune system. If you imagine your body as a hospital, then your immune system is a resident doctor, assisted by a team of nurses, pharmacists and security guards who patrol each and every corner of the body day and night, preventing any unwelcome visitors (e.g. viruses) from gaining access to its inner sanctum.The brain, the immune system and our hormones are known to communicate with each other, and every cell can receive brain and hormonal messages. This interchange of information is the explanation for the fact that certain thoughts or sad experiences can reduce the number of lymphocytes (immune cells), in the same way that positive thoughts and happy experiences can increase immunological activity. If the immune system is unhappy it ceases to function properly and, in the case of cancer, it eventually becomes paralyzed and completely unable to destroy foreign cells. The high rate of illness amongst those who have lost a spouse, whether through death, separation or divorce, demonstrates that feelings of abandonment and depression directly affect the immune system. This negative effect can continue for up to a year after the event. Fear is also destructive for the recuperative system, as is anger. However, once we realize that we are responsible for our own lives and can influence every part of our bodies with our minds, the sense of inner strength we gain can replace those negative emotions with enthusiasm, excitement, positive thoughts and happiness. The immune system and hormones pick up on this new attitude and happiness and health prevail all round.The reason that some people experience a 'miraculous' recovery from terminal cancer is often because of a shift in attitude from negative to positive. Once these people consciously take charge, everything changes for the better and their health improves. Stress is also a powerful inhibitor of healthy immune function. When we are stressed the release of cortisol depresses the immune system, but when we are happy immune function increases.We may not be consciously aware of it, but we are constantly threatened by 'foreign invaders' who seek to compromise our health. Even a simple trip to the supermarket could see your body waging war against a multitude of viral warriors as they leap across the isles to claim new human hosts. If this makes you think twice about going on that planned shopping trip, take heart, you haven't died from a trip to the supermarket yet (though you may have occasionally felt faint on being presented with your bill at the check out!). No, the reason you have never stopped to arm yourself appropriately before setting foot outside the safety of your home is because deep within the core of your being you have a very powerful army indeed, permanently detecting invaders, informing the brain and the rest of the body of their presence, and calling for the mobilization of the resources to destroy them.The defense system functions as an intercellular sixth-sense, which is capable of recognizing the illness and restoring good health. But how can we take advantage of this self healing capacity? Well, all types of visualization involves messages passing from the brain to relevant parts of the body, and even stress releasing techniques encourage the immune system to increase activity. Everyone has experienced the positive effects that sleep, relaxation and holidays can have on health. Likewise, when we are under stress we are more likely to fall victim to colds, flu and viral invasion. Relaxation techniques and meditation increase the body's resistance to stress so that higher levels are tolerated without harming the immune or glandular systems.State of body is just as important as state of mind in this case.Another key ingredient to reducing stress (and subsequently increasing immune function) is intelligent use of specific nutritional supplements. Amongst the vast array of supplemental nutrients available the best, in terms of general relaxation and stress relief, are :-

* 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan):proven to reduce stress, improve mood and assist in sleep. Suggested dose: 50 - 100mg daily.* L-Theanine: Assists mental relaxation. Suggested dose: 200-1000mg daily.* Melatonin : Sleep aid, improves immune function, antioxidant properties. Suggested dose: 1- 5 mg at bedtime.* SAME (S-adenosyl-L-methionine): Improves mood. Also assists liver function. Suggested use : 400mg daily.* St. John's Wort : Improves mood. Reduces depression. Suggested use : 300 - 1000mg daily.* Valerian Root : Reduces stress and anxiety and aids sleep. Suggested dose : 150-300mg daily.

As always, check with your physician before embarking on any supplement plan as some supplements may conflict with existing conditions or medications you may be taken.
So there you have it, a brief look at the way your mind and mood affect your state of health and well being. There is no doubt that this is a fascinating subject whose potential for use will no doubt expand as our knowledge of the subject increases.
Leigh Penman

June 9, 2009

I was just adding thsi to my blog.... my poor shoulders.... with BOTH THE Right and the Left Labrums TORN.... this looks very promising...


(March 12) -- Scientists may have discovered a treatment that essentially cures osteoarthritis pain, according to the Daily Mail.
The debilitating condition occurs when the cartilage in bone joints wears away, leaving bones to rub painfully together. Inflammation can follow, and that inflammation can trigger the body to release a protein that battles the inflammation -- but also destroys more cartilage.

A second protein helps protect the cartilage, but too often there isn't enough. Now, reported the British paper, doctors can take blood from a patient, grow more of the defensive protein and then inject a serum with the proteins back into the patient's joints. The process is called Orthokine therapy.

Peter Wehling, a former surgeon working on the new therapy, said 75 percent of patients in a recently released study saw improved mobility and less inflammation, the Daily Mail reported.
The process is available in several European countries, including the UK as of this month.
"By the time I was 60, the pain was coming every six weeks and would often leave me struggling to walk for any distance," said one patient.

"Following the treatment, I felt almost instant relief. Within a week I could touch my toes for the first time in years and I could play golf again. I felt as if I had gone back 20 years. The full effect began to wear off about 12 months later, but I haven't needed a top-up yet."