Healthy Lifestyles

How To Lose Weight

2007-11-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

If you're on an aerobic regime you may need to add in strength training for a optimum workout.

Aerobic exercise was considered the optimal method for women attempting to lose weight, using equipment like treadmills, bikes, stair climbers and others.

Although aerobic exercise provides benefits and is excellent for your heart and lungs, too much of it could hinder yur efforts at losing body fat.

Women do not have enough of the hormone called testosterone, which is dominant in males and is responsible for muscle growth. Therefore, it is very difficult for women to bulk up.

Strength is a product of muscles. Muscle is important for fat burning. When you starve yourself, most of the weight you lose is lean muscle tissue; yur muscles produce enzymes that burn fat.

So, it follows that when you have less muscle, you are producing fewer enzymes and burning less fat. When you finally get around to eating again, your body converts the food into fat to protect you from further starvation.

Strength training is a form of exercise which is both physically and psychologically advantageious. The increase in the amount of lean muscle mass greatly improves the ability of weight loss. Besides, strength also creates an associated increase in confidence and a feeling of accomplishment, and overall well-being of women.

Advantages of weight training for women:

Losing more fat - The average woman who strength-trains two to three times a week for eight-week gains 1.75 pounds lean weight for muscle and lose 3.5 pounds of fat;
New muscle helps fight obesity - As you add more muscle from strength training, your resting metabolism will increase, so you burn more calories all day long. Muscle tissue burns 25% more calories than fat tissue;
Benefits for bone - Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density by 13% in six month. So, strength training is a powerful tool against osteoporosis and certain types of arthritis;
Reduce risks from diabetes - Research indicates that weight-training can increase glucose utilisation in the body by 23% in four months;
Maintaining a healthy mental - A study by Harvard University found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms mor successfully than standard counselling did. Women who strength trains commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their programme; and
Elimination of discomfort - Advantages of weight training also assists in the elimination of some of the discomforts associated with menstrual cycle including bloatedness, sluggishness, and a reduction of cramping.

Source: StarSpecial, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Take The Load Off Your Joints

2007-11-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

Consume time-tested Cod Liver Oil to alleviate stiffness and pain.

Our joints are more than just meeting points for our bones. They are highly important mechanisms that must carry us through the daily rigors of pounding, thrusting, twisting, turning, among others. Alas, they are also one of the most neglected parts of our body for the very reason that they are "unseen".

There are four main causes of joint pain:

Arthritis;
Joint sprains and strains;
Joint injury; and
Inflammatory conditions such as tendonitis and bursitis.

As a person ages, it is normal for the joints to undergo wear and tear. Years of repetitive usage have taken their toll. Your may feel a sour pain in the joints every now and then, and hear funny "creaking" noises coming from them as you go about tasks.

If your joint pains are frequent and affecting your mobility, seek professional advice. Your physician will carefully diagnose the problem, before prescribing you a variety of treatments in the usual order: from lifestyle changes to medications to surgery.

Remember, it takes two to tango. So, on your part, you have to start making the necessary changes to ease the pain. Here are some simple suggestions, lumped together with natural herbal remedies you can easily apply in the home:

Take a warm bath - Luxuriate in your little steaming pool of calm and let the water soothe your tired joints;
Shed those excess pounds - Excess weight is a definite no-no for they increase the pressure on your joints;
Capsicums help - They look like bell-shaped chilies and have been well researched for their favourable effect on sprains. In the form of ointment or plasters, capsicums are applied externally to relieve joint pains and have anti-inflammatory effect;
Oil rubdown - To ease the pain, mix camphor, methyl salicylate, eucalyptus oil and menthol as a rubbing mixture and massage the affected areas. You can also try making a Camphor Rub, which is a mixture of one teaspoon of camphor oil and one teaspoonful of sunflower oil. Another cheap and effective oil rub is warm olive oil. Gently massage the oil in for effective relief.

The oil of eucalyptus is traditionally known to be a natural relaxant and analgesic. In a Brazilian study, the essential oils exhibited anti-inflammatory effects and helped reduce joint swelling. In another study conducted in Germany, a blend of eucalyptus and mint oil produced muscle relaxing and analgesic effects;

Swim away the pain - Don't try to be a hero and do ten laps of butterfly stroke though. The buoyancy of water prevents jerky movements as well as supports the weight of your body. By taking the stress of stiff, painful joints, you can exercise freely without worrying about putting a load of pressure on them;
Low-impact exercises - Again, start out simple. Biking, walking and other low-impact exercises don't pound on your joints too much, and are highly recommended for those with mild arthritic pains. Don't let the pain stop you from workign out as lack of physical activity can cause the joints and muscles to weaken. It's a vicius cycle that will only end in more joint deterioration;
See a physical therapist - A professional on matters of the joints will know what kind of exercises best suits you, and how frequently you should do them. If you don't know where to begin, seek a physical therapist that will recommend specific joint exercises for you. These usually involve strength, endurance, and range of motion exercises, to help relieve the pain, and
Increase your intake of cod liver oil - Scientists today have confirmed what many people for generations have believed about cod liver oil for alleviating joint and arthritic pains.

According to a groundbreaking clinical study, it is revealed that by exposing human osteoarthritic cartilage to cod liver oil for only 24 hours, the action of the degradative enzymes and swelling affecting the joint's tissue would be reversed. Cod liver oil slows, even reverses the destruction of joint cartilage.

Cod liver oil also contains vitamin D that aids bone resorption and formation; aids in prevention of rickets (aches, pains and bones enlargements at joints), and aids in prevention of osteomalacia (widespread joint pains and muscle weakness).

The potent combination of vitamins A, D, E and omega-3 fatty acids, makes cod liver oil a truly unique 4-in-1 supplementation to keep your joints healthy naturally and effectively.

In fact, Cod Liver Oil has been consumed for generations to alleviate joint stiffness and pain even before any scientific discoveries were made. If you want healthy, limber joints, it certainly wouldn't hurt to give the time-tested oil a try.

By Merck
Source: StarSpecial, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Testosterone's Link To Earlier Death

2007-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

A new study suggests that elderly men with low levels of the male hormone may have shorter life span.

Older men with low levels of the hormone testosterone may die sooner than other men their age with normal testosterone levels, a study suggests.

Researchers found that amount 794 generally healthy older men, those with the lowest testosterone levels were 40% more likely to die within the 1985 - 2004 study period.

The findings do not mean, however, that older men should start taking testosterone supplements to achieve a longer life. The study shows only an association between low testerone and earlier death - not a cause-and-effect relationship, lead author Dr Gail A. Laughlin said.

What's more, there was no evidence that having above-average testerone levels gave men any longevity advantage. "We cannot recommend that any man take testosterone based on these results," Laughlin stressed.

She had her colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, reported their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

In theory, low testosterone could affect older men's longevity through metabolic effects. Some past studies have found that low testosterone can precede the development of abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome - a collection of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease that includes obesity, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels.

In their study, Laughlin and her colleagues found that low testosterone was associated with abdominal obesity and aspects of the metabolic syndrome, but when these factors were excluded, low testosterone remained independently linked to earlier death.

The study included 794 men between 50 and 91 years old who were followed for an average of 11.6 years. Overall, the one-quarter with the lowest testosterone levels at study entry were 40% more likely to die over the course of the study than men with higher levels of the hormone.

There is some disagreement among experts on how to define overtestosterone deficiency, with some saying it should be diagnosed when levels fall below 300 nanograms per decilitre (ng/dL) and others advocating lower cutoffs.

There was no evidence in this study that raising older men's testosterone above 300ng/dL might boost survival, according to Laughlin's team.

This finding offers "no support for widespread testosterone therapy for ageing men", the researchers write.

Indeed, it's unclear whether raising testosterone in men with a clear deficiency can safely prolong life. Only clinical trials that test hormonal supplementation against a placebo can answer this question, Laughlin said. - Reuters

by Amy Norton

Panic Attacks Big Trouble For The Heart

2007-11-17T07:48:00.000-08:00

People who experience the anxiety, racing heartbeat and rapid breathing of a panic attack have a higher risk of a heart attack or stroke, researchers said recently.

"Our study adds panic attacks to the list of emotional states and psychiatric symptoms that have been linked to excess risk of cardiovascular disease and death." wrote study author Dr Jordan Smoller of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Previous research found people with persistent feelings of depression, anger and hostility are at a higher risk of heart attack, according to the study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

The study identified more than three-fold increased risk of a heart attack or stroke within five years in 330 women who had originally reported a panic attack in the prior six months. They were amount 3,369 women aged 51 to 83 to participate in the study.

Smoller said several factors may be at work, including that the symptoms of panic attacks inflict damage on the heart and the cardiovascular system.

Feelings of panic could induce blood platelet production that increases the risk of a blood clot, which can trigger a heart attack or stroke.

Panic attacks also may lead to a spasm of an artery feeding the heart, which can reduce or cut off blood flow, he added - Reuters

Are All Weight Loss Plans Good For Our Health?

2007-11-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

Not all weight loss plans are good for our heart health, a new study reports

There's no shortage of weigth-loss plans to choose from, but some of the most popular ones fall short in dietary quality, according to a new study.

In an analysis of eight popular diets in the US, researchers found that the Ornish plan, the Weight Watchers High-Carbohydrate diet, and the New Glucose Revolution plan came out on top in terms of nutritional quality and potential effects on heart health.

What the plans all had in common were high amounts of fruits, vegetables and fibre, and low amounts of artery-clogging types of fat, researchers found.

At the bottom of the list came the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins plan, for its more liberal view towards red meat, saturated fat and trans fats, and low amounts of fruit and fibre.

The findings are published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

For overweight and obese adults, it's important not only to shed pounds, but to do it by eating heart-healthy foods, explained Dr Yunsheng Ma, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.

"Obese people already have a higher risk of heart disease," Ma told Reuters Health. So it's particularly important that they make heart-healthy diet changes that can be kept up for the long haul, the researcher noted.

For their study, Ma and colleagues used a measure called the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) to judge the quality of eight widely-used diet plans. They picked six of the diets from the New York Times bestseller list; they also included the Weight Watchers plan, as it is the largest commercial plan in the US, as well as the federal government's 2005 Food Guide Pyramid, since it offers public diet guidelines.

The AHEI evaluates a diet's potential heart benefits based on factors such as the amount of fruits, vegetables and fibre, and the ratio of heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats to cholesterol-raising saturated fat.

The top score went to the Ornish diet, a low-fat, largely vegetarian plan that allows some non-fat dairy and egg whites. The diet, developed by Dr Dean Ornish, is intended to prevent and treat heart disease, so its high score - 64.6 out of 70 points - is not unexpected.

Also scoring well, at just over 57 points, were the Weight Watchers High-Carbohydrate and the New Glucose Revolution diets - which, like Ornish, contain high amounts of fruits, vegetables and fibre-rich grains.

The Glucose diet is based on the concept of the glycemic index; it limits simple carbohydrates that cause quick blood-sugar spikes - like potatoes and white bread - but allows complex carbohydrates higher in fibre and other nutrients.

The Atkins plan and some other low-carb, high-protein diets, including the Weight Watchers High-Protein option, were deemed less heart-healthy.

Surprisingly, Ma said, the government's Food yramid landed in the middle.

Though the Pyramid was revamped in 2005, it still falls short of the top-ranked diets as far as fruits, vegetables, fibre and limits on "bad" fats.

The researchers are not advocating any one brand of weight-loss plan. But, Ma said, people who are trying to lose weight can look to the components of the top-scoring diets to help fashion a heart-healthy eating plan. - Reuters

By Amy Norton

Broccoli Protection For The Skin

2007-11-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

Most people know eating broccoli is good for your but it also can help skin cells fend off damage from harmful ultraviolet radiation, US researchers said recently.

The extract derived from newly-sprouted broccoli sees reduced skin redness and damage by more than one-third compared with untreated skin, they said. The extract already has been shown to help skin cells fight UV damage in mice.

"This is a first demonstration that a human tissue can be protected directly against a known human carcinogen," said Dr Paul Talalay of Johns Hopkins University, whose study appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This is not a sunscreen," Talalay said in a telephone interview. Instead, the extract helped fortify skin cells to fight the effects of UV radiation.

Unlike sunscreens, which provide a physical barrier against UV rays by absorbing, blocking or scattering the light, the extract helped boost the production of protective enzymes that defend against UV-related damage, Talalay said.

He has been studying sulforaphane - a compound in broccoli sprout extract - for more than 15 years. It has been shown to prevent tumour development in a number of animals treated with cancer-causing agents.

Talalay and colleagues tried it on six people, testing different doses of the extract on several small patches of skin, which was then exposed to a short pulse of UV radiation sufficient to cause varying degrees of sunburn.

They compared the redness of the skin in the treated and untreated areas. "That redness is a measure of a series of processes that go on in the skin which are harmful, including DNA damage," Talalay said.

At the highest doses, the extract reduced redness and swelling by an average of 37%.

The effect was long-lasting, Talalay said. "Two days after we stopped treatment, there was still an effect," he said.

The effect varied widely among the volunteers, ranging from 8% to 78% protection, due to genetic differences.

"What we have shown is important because it works in humans," Talalay said. "How it should be applied to humans - that requires further work."

The extract might be useful as a means of protecting against exposure to UV radiation, especially in people with suppressed immune systems who are most at risk for skin cancer, such as transplant patients, Talalay said.

But it is no substitute for sunscreen. "It does not prevent the radiation from penetrating into skin cells," he said.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, affecting more than one million Americans every year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

It kills more than 10,000 people each year, representing about 4% of all cancer death. - Reuters

By Julie Steenhuysen
Source: The Sun, October 29, 2007 (Monday)

Ways To A Healthier Heart

2007-11-16T07:13:00.000-08:00

Your Seven Easy Ways To Keep Your Heart Jumping For Joy

Know Thyself
You are at higher risk for heart disease if you are diabetic. If someone in your family has had a heart attack or stroke, you are also at a higher risk. You cannot do much to change history, but you can take preventive steps from being a victim.
Know Your Numbers
High blood pressure (BP) and high cholesterol can lead to heart attacks and stroke. Keep your BP low - normal range 120/80. Check your fasting lipoprotein profile and keep it within the desired range - total cholesterol <200mg/dl,>60mg/dl, LDL <100mg/dl, triglycerides <150mg/dl.
Keep Weight Down
Keep your Body Mass Index (BMI) below 25. Obesity is another major risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Balanced Diet
Eat smaller portions of a balanced diet. Enjoy fruits and vegetables more - your best allies for a healthy heart. Avoid foods high in fat and cholesterol.
Get Moving
Exercising for 30 minutes a day will do tremendous good for your heart. Engage in a physical activity at least three times a week - brisk walking, jogging, cycling, dancing, etc. If your office is on a higher floor, take the stairs instead of using the elevator.
Take Time To De-Stress
Stress can cause a lot of damage to your health, especially the heart. Make time to de-stress. Take a deep breath - and smile. Learn to unwind and relax.
Say "No" To Smoking
Smoking is another serious risk factor for heart disease and other related illness. This is a habit that can be changed. Take control now and say "NO" - for the sake of your heart and your loved ones.

By Nutritionist Grace Kang
Source: Health Today, September 2007

Clogging Cholesterol

2007-11-16T06:43:00.000-08:00

Confused about cholesterol?

Too much cholesterol causes plaque to form in arteries. This narrows the blood vessels and restricts blood flow, which eventually may cause atherosclerosis.

If the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood, pain results. This is known as angina. If blood supply is totally cut off, you get a heart attack.

Cholesterol is not all bad. We do need some in order to function. However, only a small amount is needed. Too much can mean big trouble.

Types of cholesterol
Cholesterol cannot travel in the body alone. It is attached to a protein and forms a package - lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are classified under high-density (HDL), low-density (LDL) or very low-density (VLDL).

HDL: known as "good cholesterol", it also helps lower LDL.

LDL: also called "bad cholesterol", it causes build-up of plaque.

VLDL: another "bad cholesterol" that carries more triglycerides than protein. Acts as precursor to be converted to LDL.

Triglycerides: fat, carried by VLDL. Excess calories in the body is converted into triglycerides.

How Much Is Too Much?
The measurement of cholesterol is abbreviated as "mg/dL". If your cholesterol level is 200mg/dL, it means you have 200 miligrams of cholesterol in every deciliter of blood.

Doctors recommend your cholesterol level stays below 200.
Less than 200 - desirable.
200 - 239 -border-line high.
240 and above - high.

What Affects Your Cholesterol Level?

Diet: saturated fat and cholesterol in food increases cholesterol levels.
Weight: being overweight increases your cholesterol.
Exercise: regular exercise helps lower LDL and increase HDL.
Age and gender: as we age, cholesterol levels increase. Before menopause, women have lower LDL than men, but after menopause it is higher.
Diabetes: Poor control of diabetes increases cholesterol levels.
Heredity: your genes determine how much cholesterol your body makes.
Other causes: some medications and medical conditions may increase cholesterol levels.

How To Manage Your Cholesterol

Eat Low-cholesterol food.
Quit Smoking
Exercise regularly
Take the medication prescribed
Lower alcohol intake

To reduce the risk of getting heart disease, it is important to consult your doctor about your cholesterol levels. Do not self-diagnose or self-medicate. Your doctor is trained to evaluate and interpret your cholesterol levels, so check with him or her.

By Shamala S. Palaniappan
Source: Health Today, September 2007

Healthy EyeSight

2007-11-13T06:10:00.000-08:00

Herbal Remedies Can Keep Your Eyes Stay Bright and Healthy.

When faced with poor or blurred vision, most of us opt to get correctinal lenses or even resort to the latest optical advancement of laser surgery to remedy the situation of near or far-sightedness. But not surprisingly, after such measures have been taken, things still have not quite cleared up as well as expected.

Many of us would have noticed that while overall vision does improve after getting a pair of glasses or contact lenses, it still takes a while to get our vision properly focused on a particular object when the need arises. Getting fully and immediately focused therefore requires correcting not just one's eyesight from the outside, but from within as well.

Exercise your eyes
The trouble is many people tend to look straight ahead at nothing in particular when they are walking from one place to the other. This is hard on the eyes, as eye muscles require a variety of activities to focus near as well as far. Your eyes can feel wonderfully revitalised when you use the following simple techniques:

Notice the apparent motion - As we walk, stationary objects around us appear to move. Near objects such as parked cars or trees seem to move past you while further objects like buildings or hills seem to move towards the same direction as you. Let yourself notice this out of the corners of your eyes. It will remind your visual system to see the big picture and not to over-focus;
Swinging - Keep your eyes mobile. Stand up and focus on a distant point, while keeping your body relaxed. Let it sway gently from side to side. It's important to also clean and lubricate the eyes by blinking. Blinking is especially important if you spend a lot of time facing the screen of a computer; and
Give yourself a colour day - Play a "colour"game with yourself and look out for one particular colour throughout the day.

Alternatively, you might want to try a more natural way through herbal remedies. Herbal remedies have been in use for hundreds of years. Long renowned for their preventive and curative powers, there are also some herbs that are used as a means of keeping the eyes bright and healthy.

Eyebright, an effective traditional herbal remedy
Herbal Euphrasis Officinalis, or more commonly known as Eyebright, has long been known for its usefulness in relieving overtired eyes from redness, swelling and irritations caused by conditions such as conjunctivitis.

Bilberry - More than just a berry
Containing biologically active substances called anthocyanosides, Bilberry has been found to strenghten the walls of the blood vessels in the eye and subsequently benefit the retina, reduce inflammation, and stabilise tissues containing cartilage. Its efficacy has been shown most prominently among sufferers of poor night vision.

Grape Seed - The quintessential antioxidant
Grape seed extract is a rich source of potent antioxidant bioflavonoids known as proanthocyanidins. Providing up to 95% potency levels, its antioxidant and nutritional properties have proven to be far superior to the next richest source of antioxidants.

Caring for the eyesight in more ways than one, its potency in combating free radicals is sourced from the powerful gallic esters it contains.

Isn't it enlightening to know how simple it is to bring a renewed twinkle to those peepers?

By Pharmaniaga Marketing Sdn Bhd
Source: StarSpecial, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Daily Stress Management

2007-11-13T05:48:00.000-08:00

If you think stress only happens to professionals who work indecent hours, think again. Stress is in fact, part and parcel of everyone's response to the increasingly fast pace of daily life. A daily routine can be as ordinary as getting the kids ready for school, taking Daddy for his regular medical check-up, driving to work, searching for the right home loan financing....wel, you get the picture.

Stress can be what enables you to achieve more in your typical day, or it can work against you and hinder you from accomplishing normal everyday tasks.

The right amount of stress is a positive force. It helps us to do work to the best of our ability and keeps us alert, energetic, focused, and engaged with others around us. Too much stress, on the other hand, can leave us tense, anxious, distracted and uncomfortable. The key is to maintain an optimum level of stress - and not to the level where we become overwhelmed.

Stress affects us in many ways emotionally, physically, and also directly impacts on our behaviour. As stress cannot be avoided; you need to manage it as part of daily life if you want to look after your health and sense of well-being.

Here are five basic ways to manage your daily stress:

Social Support - Social support is the single most important buffer against stress. Spend time with your family and friends. It's important to share your problems and seek advice from people you trust and who care about you;
Relaxation - Everyone also needs to develop methods for invoking relaxation response. Relaxation lowers blood pressure, respiration, and pulse rates, releases muscle tension, and eases emotional strain;
Thought management - What we think, how we think, what we expect and what we tell ourselves often determine how we feel and how well we manage rising stress levels. Stop your thoughts as and when you catch yourself leaning towards negativity;
Exercise, diet and sleep - Regular exercise is an excellent way to burn off the accumulated effects of stress. As for your diet, limit sugar, caffeine, and alcohol intake. Junk food and refined sugar low in nutritional value and high in calories leave us feeling sluggish. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Do not engage in exercise of strenuous activity immediately before bedtime; and
Increase quality time - Quality time is when you engage in special events to connect to and share feelings of closeness with others. Although you need to have quality time with your family, it is also essential to set aside quality time for yourself.

Source: StarSpecial on October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Too Sweet for Comfort

2007-11-12T09:13:00.000-08:00

Moderate Your Intake of Sweet Foods to Control Blood Sugar Levels

We use sugar as fuel and need to maintain a certain level to ensure constant energy supplies, brain fuction, mood and weight. The level is regulated by hormones and controls our appetite to ensure that our body receives ample fuel. Eating too much sweet foods can lead to an imbalance of these hormones.

Eating the right foods cn help avoid the need to have "quick fixes" of sugar-laden foods. Ideally, we should have constant and sustained energy release to avoid "highs and lows" and to break the cycle of sweet cravings. If levels of blood glucose are too high, the body releases the hormone insulin to capture excess glucose from the bloodstream. If it is not used for energy, this excess glucose is stored as fat.

Too avoid this problem, it's important to choose your foods carefully. Here are some pointers:

Highly refined and processed food such as bread, pasta, rice and cereals - these have the outer shell of the grain removed and are low in fibre that helps to balance blood sugar.
Cakes, biscuits, pastries and confectionery - if you need a treat, try sugar-free food choices or fruit for the sweetness.
Be aware of high sugar content - sugar content on the food label could appear as dextrose, maltose, syrups, sugars, mannitol and sorbitol.
Fizzy drinks and drinks marketed to appear healthy - these often have high sugar content so it is better to buy water, natural smoothies or fresh juices when dining out.
Coffee and tea - choose decaffeinated versions, and reduce sugar content.

Increase your Intake of:

Whole, unrefined foods containing slow-releasing carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans and plenty of vegetables.
Small, frequent meals preferably containing some protein, such as eggs, beans, lean, white meat, fish, tofu, nuts and seeds.
Complex carbohydrates that also offer good protein - these include tofu, lentils, sesame seeds, beans, brown rice, whole grains.
Fresh Fruit Juice - Avoid adding in sugar and dilute at least 50% with bottled/filtered water to keep the sugar level stimulant at minimum.

Meal replacement products can be helpful in reducing calory intake for weight loss.

For faster results and for better health, modify your eating habits. Avoid junk food and soft drinks. To maintain your energy, have light meals such as fresh fruit or use a meal replacement product.

It is also a good idea to embark on some forms of physical activity. Increase your daily physical activities as much as you can by making some simple lifestyle modifications.

With the dietary and lifestyle modifications that you have made and using a good meal replacement product, you are on your way to a slimmer and healthier you!

By Groway (M) Sdn Bhd
Source: The Sun, November 05, 2007 (Monday)

Combat Stress With Good Nutrition

2007-11-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Do you have trouble falling asleep, or wake up early with racing thoughts?
Do you find difficult focusing on your task, or feel a lack of energy, making you irritable or short-tempered? If you answer yes to any of the questions, you may be suffering from stress.

Stress is an abnormal condition and can disrupt normal physical and mental functions.
While physical stress is unavoidable, especially in today's lifestyle, prolonged stress can have adverse effects on health.

Examples of physical stress include exertion, extreme temperatures, upset stomach, headaches, back pains and sleeping disorders.

How Stress Affects Your Body
In reacting to stress, the body's adrenal glands release "cortisol" and free radicals that trigger the "flight-or-fight" responses. Free radicals are highly reactive particles in the environment that damage body cells.

Free radicals can also be produced by our body during normal metabolic processes. They also accelerate heart rates, increases blood flow, cause heavy breathing and tense muscles.

Frequent exposure to high stress levels will exhaust the body's physical resources and deplete important nutrients such as vitamins A, B-complex, E and C. Deficiency in these nutrients can have a significant impact on one's health, from weakened immune system, to vulnerability to illnesses. Therefore, it is critical to replenish these nutrients.

Reducing Physical Stress
Antioxidants have been found to play an important role in scavenging free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals, if left unchecked, can cause damage to our cells and have been implicated in cancer, heart diseases, cataracts, macular degeneration, strokes and even aging.

The antioxidant properties of vitamin A, B-Complex, C and E are believed to help relieve stress by neutralising the free radicals. Other antioxidant nutrients include copper, selenium, maganese and zinc which provide further protection against free radicals and oxidative stress 3.

Minerals
Heightened stress hormones trigger the excretion of calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc from the body, jeopardising the immune system and aggravating stress response. These minerals are crucial in avoiding mood swings while helping muscles relax, reducing cramps and pain which lower serotonin levels.

Our busy and stressful schedules result in poor nutritional choices that may actually increase stress levels and cause other problems. As good nutrition is the foundation of good health, here are some tips for good nutritional habits:

Healthy, balanced meal - This is essential for good health, and enhances the capacity to cope with stress.
Nutritional supplement - Vitamin and mineral supplements can fill the nutritional gaps for those who cannot always eat a well-balanced diet or boost the nutrients they consume from adequate to optimal.
Exercise - Regular exercise helps reduce stress by lowering blood pressure. Physically fit people can handle stress better.
Drink a minimum of eight glasses water a day - Almost every cell in the body needs water to function properly, hence the need for constant replenishment.

Supplementation
While choosing a multivitamin supplements, it is recommended that one focuses on the following:

Completeness - An ideal supplement should contain a complete range of essential vitamins and minerals.
Safety - Ideally you should be taking one tablet daily. Always follow the instructions on the label or consult your doctor.
Manufacturing standards - Ensure the product is from a reliable Company and of sound quality.

Source: The Sun, November 05, 2007 (Monday)

Male Menopause or Andropause

2007-11-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

The proper term for this medical condition is Late Onset Hypogonadism (LOH).

When men hit the age of 50 and above, they may experience a condition that most men suffer from, called LOH.

Hypogonadism is basically a clinical situation when the male's testosterone level is below physiological levels. There are two stages of hypogonadism.

Primary hypogonadism occurs when there is testicular failure with the testes not producing enough testosterone. Secondary hypogonadism happens when hormones from the brain fail to stimulate the testes to produce enough testosterone.

LOH is a very specific type of hypogonadism where it onsets late in life. The older men get, they more likely they will get both primary and secondary hypogonadism. In other words, as men age, their testosterone levels decrease and they start to have symptoms of LOH. LOH is exclusive to men. The term "male menopause" is inaccurate because it implies that men go through a menstrual cycle which they don't. Andropause also implies that men go through something similar to women's menopause, which again is not true.

LOH is not something that happens suddenly. The symptoms set in gradually and may not be prominent. Not many may be aware they are suffering from it.

LOH is a significant problem and men should be more aware of its existences so that they will seek treatment from a professional.

Among the effects of LOH are infertility, erectile dysfunction, osteoporosis, lack of concentration, slight loss of memory, increase of body fat, diminished work performance, depression and even hot flushes for some.

Other than medical treatment provided by the doctor, LOH sufferers should also maintain a healthy diet, cut down on alcohol, reduce smoking (or stop entirely) and undergo stress management.

As for alternative or complementary medicine to combat the problem, medical practitioner feels that more trials and tests should be done, especially in a hospital setting. Medical practitioner also assures men that there's no truth to the old Chinese saying that states when they are over 60, they should stop having sex and save their testosterone for other things. They believe the body will use up whatever testosterone it has, whether or not a man engages in sexual activity.

By S. Indra Sathiabalan

Source: The Sun, October 29, 2007 (Monday)

Beating Constipation

2007-11-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

Constipation is a common - and frustrating - complaint in which stools are too dry and too firm to be passed out or bowel movement is less frequent than normal.

Depending on your diet, age and daily activity, "normal" can be anywhere from three bowel movements a day to three a week.

Most of the time, constipation is harmless and can be easily treated by eating more fibre and drinking more water.

Constipation that does not go away can signal a serious problem, especially in an older person. It can be a sign or irrtable bowel syndrome, colon cancer, diabetes, depression or an illness affecting the nervous system, such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. But such causes are usually rare.

Be sure to see your doctor if your constipation lasts for two weeks or more - or if you notice a major change in your bowel habits.

HOW YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF

Most incidences of constipation respond well to home treatment by changes in your diet and exercise habits. The simple steps below will help ease constipation and prevent it recurring.

EAT THE RIGHT STUFF
Diet plays a big role in the health of your intestines. The right foods can prevent problems, or ease symptoms when they do occur.

Eat more fibre
Eat less processed foods
Drink enough water

EXERCISE
Include exercise in your daily routine. A brisk 30 minute walk should be enough to promote regular bowel movements. Better still, exercise also helps prevent cadiovascular diseases by working your heart and lowering blood pressure - not to mention diabetes. It also keeps your immune system in tip-top shape to fight infections.

MAKE TOILET VISITS A ROUTINE
Go to the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge, rather than putting it off. Make enough time to pass stools, especially after breakfast and dinner. Get into the habits of having bowel movements around the same time everyday.

SEEK DOCTOR ADVICE
Always speak to your doctor if you are suffering from constipation before taking any pills without any professional advice.

Source: Health Today (September 2007)

Healthy Eating Habits

2007-11-06T05:31:00.000-08:00

Eating healthy does not mean giving up all your favourite foods. It's about small, constant changes.

To incorporate healthy eating habits into your current lifestyle you don't have to turn your life upside down, and give up all your favourite foods. On the contrary, people who make drastic changes, rarely maintain them for long. Small, constant changes have a more lasting effect.

Here are 10 healthy eating habits. Try them. If you adopt even just a few, you'll make a positive impact on your overall health.

Want to score higher on a test or be more competent at a presentation - eat breakfast.

An AM meal, which "breaks" the overnight "fast," can improve math skills, memory, and verbal fluency by providing energy (calories) and nutrients (vitamin and minerals) needed to help your brain work best. And, if that's not enough to convince you, breakfast eaters have more energy, are thinner, and have lower blood pressure.

Eating 100 less calories a day will help you lose or maintain weight.

Most of us eat too much. Cutting a little as 100 calories a day, can help you lose 10 pounds in a year. Swap salsa or mustard for 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise; eat a baked potato minus sour cream; order a cup of soup not a bowl; swap diet soda for regular; enjoy a chocolate kiss not a chocolate bar.

Be more adventurous when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

Citrus fruits, apples, and bananas account for 52% of all the fruit we eat, and white potatoes, iceberg lettuce, and canned tomatoes make up 53% of all our vegetables. Try something new for a change.

A clove or two of garlic a day may keep the doctor away.

Garlic has potent antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-stimulating properties. Add a clove or two to meals each day, but stick with the fresh herb. Garlic supplements don't always offer the same health benefits.

Go nutty. Many of us avoid nuts because they are high in fat. But, nuts are high in healthy monounsaturated fat, like olive oil, rich in vitamin E, B vitamins, and minerals, and a good source of fibre.

Almonds are a very good non-dairy source of calcium. As long as you keep it to a handful not a canful, nuts are a healthy choice.

Drink tea. A chinese proverb says, "Better to be without food for 3 days, than tea for one." Tea is rich in antioxidants and fluoride. Heart attack survivors, who drank two or more cups of tea a day, reduced their risk of death over the next four years by 44%.

The benefits held with black, green, hot, iced, bagged and loose tea - the stronger the brew the better.

Try sparkling water to reduce indigestion and constipation.

Researchers are not sure if it's the bubbles or the extra minerals, but it works. As an added bonus, sparkling water is a no calorie drink which can help you save those 100 calories a day.

Eating fish won't make you smart but it can help you retain your wits.

Besides lowering your risk for heart disease, eating fish, at least once a week, can significantly lower the risk of dementia.

Eat tomatoes. Researchers have found that men who eat more tomatoes, especially processed tomatoes, like ketchup and tomato sauce, have a lower risk for prostate cancer. The red pigment in tomatoes is actually the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which seems to protect the prostate tissue from damage. Watermelon and pink grapefruit are other lycopene-rich foods.

Go easy on animal fats. In addition to being heart unhealthy, saturated (animal)fats are more likely to be stored in the body, whereas unsaturated fats (like olive oil) are more likely to be burned as energy.

By Jo-Ann Heslin

Source: Staryum.my on September 16, 2007 (Sunday)

How To Prevent Ageing Vision

2007-11-05T07:02:00.000-08:00

AGE-RELATED macular degeneration (ARMD) is a debilitating condition that affects the quality of life of those who suffer from the disease. This progressive eye disorder causes the loss of central vision and the person becomes steadily unable to distinguish faces, read a newspaper or book, drive a car, watch television or even walk safely.

The affected area, the macula, lies at the back of the retina and is the part that produces the sharpest vision. The most serious visual impairment occurs when abnormal blood vessels form and leak serous fluid or bleed into the tissue of the macula, ultimately producing scar tissue.

A simple diagnostic tool that eye care professionals use to detect ARMD is the Amsler grid. This grid is a pattern that resembles a checkerboard. The patient covers one eye and stares at a black dot in the centre of the grid. While staring at the dot, the patient may notice that the straight lines in the pattern appear wavy/distorted or missing/blur.

This test is simple enough to be done at home. The Amsler Grid offers a simple yet convenient way of monitoring your ageing vision for detecting central visual fields distortions or defects. Simply hold the Amsler grid 30cm from your eye. Cover one eye (wear glasses if required). Look at the dot at the centre of the grid and focus for 10 - 15 seconds. Repeat the test with your other eye.

Signs of ageing vision include:

Difficulty in doing things that require you to see well up close such as reading, cooking, sewing or fixing things around the house
Difficulty in picking out and matching the colour of your clothes
Distorted vision
Blur vision
Difficulty in reading street and bus signs or the names of shops.

The risk factors for developing ARMD are gender (some studies reported that women may be at a higher risk), age, family history of the disease, high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol and simply not protecting the eyes from over-exposure to sunlight.

Even if you do not have any problems with your vision now, it is worthwhile to supplement your diet with carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin as there is no cure. Found naturally in vegetables, fruits, marigold flower and egg yolks, these beneficial carotenoids help to filter phototoxic blue light and radiation and help protect the macula of the eyes from degeneration.

These two carotenoids are selectively accumulated by the body in the retina and macula of the eye. Researchers also noted that people with ARMD have a very thin layer of these carotenoids in the macula compared to healthy individuals.

These carotenoids are especially useful to those who travel under the sun a lot and those who enjoy outdoor activities. Lutein and zeaxanthin in combination with anti-free radical nutrients such as beta carotene, vitamin C, E and minerals such as zinc and selenium may reduce the risk of getting age-related mucular degeneration.

A study presented in 1994 in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that these carotenoids may decrease your risk of developing ARMD by 43%. The article also stated that antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E can protect the macula from deteriorating.

By Yam Cher Seng
Source: New Straits Times, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Natural Cure

2007-10-25T07:18:00.000-07:00

Proteolytic enzymes work with the body's innate mechanisms to promote healing.

The use of proteolytic enzymes (enzymes that break down protein), such as bromelain from pineapple stems and papain from unripe papaya, has been documented for over half a century. Ancient civilisations wrapped papaya leaves around wounds to promote healing. Supported by the American Naturopathic Medical Association (ANMA), proteolytic enzyme supplementation may help reduce inflammation, which range from tissue damage due to an injury, a twisted ankle or cut, an invasion by a foreign attacker like bacteria, virus or undigested food leaking from the digestive tract into the bloodstream.

Painkiller or a healing enzyme?
Painkillers relieve symptoms of inflammation and pain but very few help in the healing process. In most cases, they cause side effects. On the contrary, proteolytic enzymes support the natural healing ability of the body and reduce symptoms of an inflammatory condition.

How do proteolytic enzymes function?
When taken on an empty stomach (at least one hour before or two hours after a meal), enzymes work with the body's innate mechanisms to promote healing, allow inflammation to progress naturally and slow the clotting mechanism.

Are Proteolytic enzymes actually absorbed?
Yes. Absorption studies with various proteolytic enzymes, cited in the Clinical Pharmacology Therapeutics (1967), have confirmed that they can be absorbed intact. In fact, they appear to be actively transported across the gut wall. It has been shown that proteolytic enzymes ingested on an empty stomach can retain up to 40% of their activity and that they have an affinity to accumulate at sites of inflammation.

Which types are best and why?
Plant-based enzymes, such as Bromelain and Papain, and fungus-based enzymes, such as amylase from Aspergillus oryzae, work better because they can tolerte the gastric environment better, even if they are not enterically coated. So, more of the enzymes are able to make their way into the circulatory system. Animal-based enzymes, in contrast, are less tolerant to the acidity of the stomach.

Are proteolytic enzymes safe?
Yes. However, bromelain and papain should not be used in anyone who is allergic to pineapple and papaya respectively. Individuals, who will be undergoing surgery in less than two weeks, are on blood thinning prescription and have known ulcers of the stomach have to be cautious. Other than that, proteolytic enzymes have no risks are deemed safe.

Article by Nuvanta
Source: The Star, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)

Technology Illness

2007-10-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

With the advent of information and communications technology (ICT), today's workforce is more efficient and productive. But there is a downside to this so-called improved work environment: Despite all the convenience associated with the use of ICT, there seems to be increasingly more work-related illnesses due to prolonged use of the PC.

Before one begins attributing eye fatigue or that pain in the back, neck or shoulder, ICT experts in occupational, safety and health claim that PC users should first examine the way they work with the machine. It is believed that working on the PC is in itself not hazardous, but the way the user works with the machine can at times be risky.

In this ICT world, computers have become a necessity in the workplace. This evolution in the office workstyle has changed the working population to the point that they are becoming a generation thay simply cannot live without a computer.

Not surprisingly, the prolonged utilisatin of the computer as well as exposure to the various ergonomic risks will lead workiers to numerious health problems. Ergonomic risk factors related to PC usage include repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, contact stress, static posture and awkward postures.

The risk of repetitive tasks in doing similar movements can give a major impact on joints, muscles and tendons. The same can be said with forceful exertions such as hitting the keyboard too hard, and contact stress where the human body comes in contact with hard and sharp surfaces.

The risk of static posture, which is common among workers who go through their daily routine of sitting in front of their PCs all day long, affects blood circulation.

On the other hand, awkward postures arising from computer users using non-neutral postures when operating their PCs will put stress on internal organs. These include bending of the wrist when typing, manipulating and over-reaching the mouse, twisting the neck when reading documents to be typed, and bending over when doing minor maintenance work such as attaching and removing cabling.

There are guidelines on occupational safety and health and prevention of stress. But there are no specific regulations on computer work, or ergonomics for that matter. Couple that with low level of awareness leading to wrong ideas about ergonomics - that it is not important, too expensive, all about common sense, or all about chairs and tables.

Employers have an important role to play under the occupational safety and health legislation. It states that one of the objectives of the legislation is to promote an occupational environment that is adapted to the physiological and psychological needs of workers. Moreover, the authorities will use the section of the legislation which states that it is the duty of employers to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all workers.

By Foo Eu Jin

Source: New Straits Times, October 22, 2007 (Monday)

Allergy-Fighting Foods

2007-10-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

Allergies plague many of us and cause sneezing, itchy eyes, and congestion, or asthma. So what do we do? We resort to popping prescription and over-the-counter drugs which suppress the allergy symptoms but don't actually prevent them.

Some people may take more extreme action: they rip up their carpeting, install expensive air-filtration systems. Some even move to a different climate in a desperate and often futile attempt to "run away" from their allergies.

However, experts say that a simple strategy to alleviate and prevent allergies/asthma is to eat a nutritious diet (along with proper exercise and rest, of course).

They say proper nutrition can alleviate or prevent allergies and asthma in four ways:

Help control underlying inflammation of air passages.
Dilate air passages.
Thin mucus in the lungs.
Prevent food-allergy reactions that trigger asthma attacks.

So include the following foods in your diet to try and get allergy relief the natural way:

Cold-Water Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids from cold-water fish, such as salmon, sardines and tuna, may protect against the overproduction of certain antibodies that can trigger allergies. To get the most benefit, either bake or poach the fish. Eat two or three servings per week.

Yogurt
Yogurt - or at least the active cultures it contains - is not only good for your gut, but it can also help skin allergies. But check the container for the words "live active cultures" to be assured of a bacterial boost.

Green Tea
According to Japanese reserchers, the green tea compound methylated epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), may be anti-allergenic. "Green tea appears to be a promising source for effective anti-allergenic agents" said the study's chief investigator. "If you have allergies, you should consider drinking it."

Canola Oil
Canola oil is a source of allergy-fighting omega-3 fatty acids. Other sources include soybean oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts and wheatgerm. Virgin olive oil is another great cooking ingredient as it is monosaturated fat.

Magnesium-Rich Foods
Some studies have demonstrated that people with asthma are magnesium deficient. Magnesium-rich foods include spinach, navy beans, pinto beans, sunflower seeds, tofu, halibut, cashews, artichokes and black-eyed peas.

Fruit and Juices
Vitamin C acts as a natural antihistamine so consume plenty of citrus fruits. Or drink juice to get a powerful boost of antioxidants. Be sure you're purchasing 100% fruit juice, and not a cocktail that includes a bulk of corn syrup.

Also an apple a day will keep the allergies at bay. A British study of 2,512 middle-aged men sowed that those who ate five apples a week had significantly higher lung function than those who ate no apples. Experts believe apples contain healthy compounds, including antioxidants that improve lung health.

Zinc-Rich Foods
Some Studies have demonstrated that people with asthma are zinc-deficient. Zinc-rich foods include tofu, lean ground beef, lean ham, oysters, crab, and the dark meat of turkey and chicken.

Source: New Straits Times, October 16, 2007 (Tuesday)
By Manveet Kaur

Never Too Late

2007-10-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Late-starters can still benefit from healthy habits.

EVEN in middle age, adopting a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk of heart disease and premature death within years of changing habits, researchers report.

Middle-aged adults who began eating five or more fruits and vegetables every day, exercising for at least two-and-a-half hours a week, keeping weight down and not smoking decreased their risk of heart disease by 35% and risk of death by 40% in the four years after they started.
“The adopters of a healthy lifestyle basically caught up. Within four years, their mortality rate and rate of heart attacks matched the people who had been doing these behaviours all along,” said Dr Dana King at the Medical University of South Carolina, the United States, who led the research.

That is not to say people should wait until their 40s or 50s to get on track, he added.
“But even if you have not had a healthy lifestyle previously, it’s not too late to adopt those healthy lifestyle habits and gain almost immediate benefits.”
Dr King and his team set out to find if late-starters could reap the rewards of habits like eating vegetables and walking 30 minutes a day.

When they began tracking nearly 16,000 Americans between the ages of 45 and 64 in the late 80s, only 8.5% were following all four of the habits they were studying, they reported in the American Journal of Medicine.

Of the other adults, 8.4% started practising all four habits within six years after the study began. Those 970 lifestyle converts were most likely to pick up the fruit-and-vegetable habit at that late stage. Losing weight to fall within the healthy to overweight range – which the researchers counted as one of the healthy habits – was the least popular change.

When they had picked up all four habits, they enjoyed a sharp decline in heart disease risk and in death from any cause. It took all four; having just three of the healthy habits yielded no heart benefits and a more modest decrease in overall risk of death.

Still, said Dr Nichola Davis at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine: “These benefits are on a continuum. The more of the healthy habits that you can adapt, the better. These are modest changes that they’re talking about.”

Dr King’s team took age, gender, race, and other risk categories for cardiovascular disease into account, although he said the converts likely took up other healthy life changes – such as cutting down on salt or upping their calcium intake – that might have contributed to their health benefits.

In particular, men, blacks, people with less education and lower incomes, and people with high blood pressure or diabetes were less likely to follow the health guidelines from the beginning or adopt them later in life. – Reuters

Source: The Star, on October 17, 2007

Which Is The "Best" Supplement?

2007-10-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

With so many brands of the same supplement on the market (for example, fish oil, multivitamins, etc), what should a consumer look out for to decide on which is the best to purchase?

Vitamins and minerals are substances your body needs in small amounts for normal growth, function and health. Most vitamins and minerals cannot be synthesized by your body, so it must be obtained via the food you eat or in some cases dietary supplements.

It's not a good idea to use supplements to substitute a good diet and healthy eating habits.

Most Malaysians do not eat ideal diets. According to a random survey, only 40% eat three to five servings of vegetables daily, the recommended amount. Only 20% eat the recommended two to four servings of fruit each day. For those not eating properly, supplementation is better than nothing.

Whole foods are your best sources of vitamins and minerals. They offer three main benefits over dietary supplements:

Greater nutrition. Whole foods are complex, containing a variety of the micronutrients your body needs - not just one.

Essential fibre. Whole foods provide dietary fibre.

Protective substances. Whole foods contain other substances recognized as important for good health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, contain naturally occuring food substances called phytochemicals, which may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Many are also good sources of antioxidants.

In that case, who needs supplements?

Many people do not get all the nutrients they need from their diet because of poor eating habits. For some people, including those on restrictive diets, dietary supplements can provide vitamins and minerals that their diets often don't. Pregnant women and older adults have altered nutrient needs and may also benefit from a supplement.

If you decide to take a vitamin or mineral supplement, consider these important factors:

Read labels carefully. Product labels can tell you what the active ingredient or ingredients are, which nutrients are included, the dosage form - for example, capsule, vegicaps, tablets and the strength of nutrients in each serving.

Avoid supplements that provide "megadoses". In general, choose a multivitamin-mineral supplement that provides about 100% of RDA of all the vitamins and minerals, rather than one which has, for example, 500% of the RDA for one vitamin and only 20% of RDA for another.

Beware of gimmicks. Synthetic vitamins are usually the same as so -called "natural" vitamins, but "natural" vitamins usually cost more. Look for expiration dates. Dietary supplements can lose potency over time, especially in hot and humid climates. If your supplements have expired, discard them.

Assess your needs and choose the brand which provides the dosage required for your needs.

The Fastest and Safest Way To Reduce Your Excess Body Weight!!!

2007-10-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

I am sure most of you living in this world are facing the most common yet preventable disease - overweight or obesity!!!

I was also one of them who are looking for an effective way to reduce body weight! I have tried so many methods, from exercises, many types of weight loss pills, and even signed up for a weight loss programme which cost me about few thousands, but at the end it seems that I only lost 2 kg in 4 months.

Until one day, I came across this simplest yet safest way of reducing my weight using Proactol, a 100% natural and 100% organic product. I finally succeed reduce my body weight from 55 kg to 50 kg in just 2 months time. What an amazing result!!!

So I would like to share with you the simplest, fastest, and clinically proven way of reducing your excess body weight without having to suffer from tiring exercises and stop eating your favourite food – Proactol.

Proactol™ is a 100% natural and 100% organic product, therefore it is safe for long-term use and has no clinically known side effects.

___________________________________________________

WHY PROACTOL?

Proactol™ is a patented fibre complex that is a 100% natural, 100% organic fat binder made from the nutritious cactus "Opuntia ficus-indica". It is endorsed world wide by widely respected doctors, herbalists, nutritionists and health and fitness experts who carefully choose clinically proven products.

Click here to learn more about what the Professionals have to say about Proactol

Proactol works because its clinically proven:

Help Reduce Excess Body Weight - No longer will you look in the mirror before a night out and wish you looked different. Slim & sexy is possible

Bind Up To 28% of Your Fat Intake - Instead of checking product labels, just enjoy the food no matter how "wrong" its supposed to be

Helps Reduce Food Cravings - Constantly tempted by chocolate or burger and fries? It will be easier to say no with Proactol™

180 Days Money Back Guarantee - What have you got to lose? If our system does not work for you then you are safe in the knowledge that you will get a full refund.

That is one of the most comprehensive refund guarantees in the industry, but after studies on our customers and from the success stories that we receive everyday, we know we can offer our customers this amazing refund policy because we are so confident that it is going to work for you.

Free Bonuses - If you order Proactol™ today, then you will receive a free toning belt worth $79.99 and amazing weightloss management bonuses which are designed to work with Proactol™ to help you easily lose weight quickly and effectively. Toning up isn't so hard after all!

___________________________________________________

HOW PROACTOL WORKS – THE SCIENCE

Proactol™ is made from a 100% natural and organic plant extract and is therefore suitable for vegetarians and vegans. It is also free from allergens, artificial colouring, flavours, salt and preservatives.

Recommended Usage:

Take your Proactol™ supplements immediately after a meal with a liquid

You must not exceed 9 supplements daily when taking Proactol™

Click here to learn more about how Proactol natural fibre works in reducing fat intake in our body system

Summary

There is no other weight loss supplements better than this, and we haven’t even mentioned that every purchase is covered by a 6 month money-back guarantee and you also get 24 hour trained customer support.

This means you can buy in complete confidence (ordering is easy and secure) knowing that you are getting a safe, fast, and effective weight loss product.
This is the product you have been searching for and now it is time to start taking your first step towards a better, more confident future. Putting it off until tomorrow will only prolong your inconfidence in carrying out your normal day lives….

CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW!