Unlike our ancestors who used their muscles for everyday activities and lived a physical lifestyle, our lifestyles are comparatively sedentary. Body fat is accumulated in unwanted places and the perfect body shape is a dream. Getting rid of the fat seems an almost impossible task. Fortunately, with the advancement in science, there are ways we can do something about that.

Just like sculpting a figure, body sculpting is the new term used to describe cosmetic surgery that is intended to change a person’s body contours to achieve a perceived perfect physique.

It is most natural for fat to deposit in specific areas of our body and can impact an otherwise perfect physique. These localized fat deposits often are hereditary, such as in the neck, chin, arms, abdomen, breasts, flanks, knees, thighs and buttocks.

There are a couple of popular methods available for us to get rid of these deposits and shape our bodies the way we want; liposuction and lipolysis.

Liposuction was first performed in 1974 and has advanced over the years. It is now considered as one of the safest body shaping and contouring surgeries that helps in removing unwanted fat from specific areas. Fat cells are taken out from under the skin using a vacuum-suction cannula (a hollow instrument that looks like a pen) or with the use of an ultrasonic probe that breaks up the fat into small pieces and removes it with the help of suction.

Lipolysis on the contrary is a procedure where there is a breakdown of fat that is stored in fat cells, which means melting down of fat in the body through injections without any procedure. It works for spot reduction of fat. The fat cells are dissolved into liquid and eliminated from the body through urine and feces. It takes about two weeks for the results to be noticed. (more…)

Obesity in childhood leads to obesity as adults. In spite of being aware of the health problems associated with obesity, the percentage of obese kids in America is increasing at an alarming rate. Studies show that one out of three kids is obese.

Most kids are not into exercising and spend most of their time watching TV, playing video games or using the computer. Today’s busy schedules and fast-paced lives give parents no time to prepare home cooked nutritious meals for the family every day.

Parents have a responsibility to prevent overweight in their kids and that means adapting the way the whole family eats and exercises. It is important to spend time together as a family and steer kids towards a healthy lifestyle. Leading by example is the only way parents can take care of their kid’s health.

The problem with obesity is not just an obese adult with fat hanging from the body, suffering from low self-esteem and getting bullied by peers. There are several other serious risk factors involved. Several health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, liver and gallbladder disease, depression, shortness of breath and restless sleep are not exclusively adult domain anymore – they affect kids too. (more…)

While we all think that Wall Street greed and the huge pay packets of “fat cat” speculators and bankers brought about the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, the actual cause is entirely different. This was said to be just the trigger of the real cause, which is US gluttony.

America has gotten used to stuffing itself. You would understand if you had seen the 2004 documentary, “Super Size Me,” by Morgan Spurlock. It conveys the consequences of gluttony.

What does supersizing mean? It refers to the American habit of “supersizing” all the fast foods and getting consumers to opt for the bigger sizes for reasons of “economy” or savings. You would have seen the pricing policy adopted by most fast food sellers. The bigger the size, the lesser you pay. This psychological trigger works wonders and consumers end up being the scapegoats opting for bigger sizes while the people selling them laugh all the way to the bank.

In fact, Morgan Spurlock, the film-maker practically tested this by surviving on a diet of three McDonald meals a day, for thirty days. The result was drastic – he ended up heavier by 11.1 kg. This weight gain was the least of his worries. He also developed all sorts of health problems; such as high blood pressure, psychological disorders and liver problems. Coming back to normal was a long and arduous task, which included a rigorous detoxification program for 14 months.

This experiment brings to light America’s insatiable appetite, not only for food but for everything, right from gas-devouring cars to climate-controlled condominiums. United States’ consumption levels far exceed its population, which is only 5% of the World population. America consumes 24 percent of the world’s energy. It is said that an average American consumes as much energy as 13 Chinese, 31 Indians, 128 Bangladeshis or 370 Ethiopians. (more…)

Obesity is a problem most adults of today face. Some give up trying to reduce weight thinking it’s hereditary and others get discouraged when nothing seems to work. There are some people who are happy with themselves and what they are.

Agreed, we do not have to bother about what others feel about us but we have to be concerned about our health. Obesity as we all know leads to all sorts of health problems. Lack of exercise only aggravates the situation.

Researchers have time and again drilled it into us that exercise helps burn fat. Results of another recent study reveal that just a single bout of exercise helps obese people boost their fat-burning rate and improve their metabolism.

This is great news and should motivate all those obese individuals who have given up taking care of their health. According to a researcher from the University of Michigan, “This means that exercising, even without losing weight, can benefit individuals in terms of metabolic health. By exercising to increase their ability to burn fat and store fat as triglycerides in muscle, which is beneficial, people reduce their insulin resistance and their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.”

They also found that obese women’s fat burning rate had reduced when they overate and did not exercise. (more…)

Death begins in the colon! That may sound a little extreme but it is a fact that a troubled colon leads to all sorts of diseases, some more serious than the others. Colon cleansing is one of the best ways of cleaning an unhealthy colon that is severely out of balance. While it is necessary to learn about different methods of cleansing, it is of utmost importance to understand that several mishaps can occur if colon cleansing is not performed properly.

Do not believe anyone that says colon cleansing is free from any reactions. It is common to have physical reactions to the colon cleansing process. These reactions may include headaches, vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea or dizziness. For all the discomfort, this is actually a sign that the process is working and that you are actually eliminating toxins from the body. Although, these symptoms may not be considered as serious, if they do occur, you may need to temporarily cut back on your cleansing procedure.

You must learn not to confuse cleansing supplements with laxatives. Laxatives are not considered to be a good alternative, despite the fact that many health professionals recommend them. According to colon hydrotherapists, laxatives only stimulate the muscular movement of the colon. They can also cause dehydration and do nothing to loosen and remove the colon’s false lining. Laxatives may also weaken the colon by irritating and over-stimulating it, and it is best to stay away from them. (more…)

By now you know that it is not possible to “live” with a toxic colon because it will not let you live. Yes, it can get very bad if neglected and lead to a host of debilitating health issues, including obesity, severe gastrointestinal dysfunction, gum disease, food allergies as well as recurring depression. But, how do you know if you are a victim?

You will certainly know when you cannot see your knees anymore – due to overweight. That sounds scary but it is a fact.

There are other ways of finding out the condition of the colon. One obvious sign is difficult and painful bowel movements. According to Robert Gray, a nutritional counselor, “Few people have any inkling as to how much old, hardened feces are chronically present within their bodies.”

Transit time can also be used to measure the health of a bowel, with the optimal transit time being 18-20 hours. Other symptoms of a toxic bowel are bloating and gas, weight gain, lower back pain, headaches, fatigue, depression, dark circles under the eyes, sallow complexion, abnormal body odor, tender abdomen and bad breath.

While observing the symptoms is essential, nutritionists also advise undergoing tests to get more detailed information about the colon condition. These tests may also help determine the treatment that is needed. (more…)

It is said that hundreds of years ago, the intestinal “transit time” was much shorter than it is now, which is the interval from the time the food entered the mouth until it was excreted as feces. In those days, this was believed to be between 15 and 20 hours; whereas now it is anywhere from 50 to 70 hours.

The reason for this drastic increase is that our diets now consist of less fiber from fruits and vegetables. Since fiber is indigestible, it gives the stools bulk, making them soft and flexible. Another factor that determines the transit time is the modern lifestyles, antibiotics, stress, and certain foods that form acid, such as eggs, meat, sugar etc. These things cause a thick and sticky mucus formation in the intestinal tract.

Food remains longer in the intestinal tract, putrefying the stool, letting harmful microorganisms flourish and toxins develop and poison the body. The perfect transit time should be about 18 to 20 hours, with 24 to 48 hours being acceptable. Ideally, just like babies do, even adults should have unforced bowel movements about 20 minutes after every meal.

The sign of a healthy colon is stool that is soft but formed, and consists of 70% water but has enough bulk to respond to the muscular contractions of the bowel.

Unhealthy intestinal functions have a major impact on the body weight. People who have a toxic colon tend to overeat, since they cannot absorb the nutrients they are consuming. Human body goes into a nutritional crisis and metabolic shock waves travel to every cell in the body, when the bowel fails.

Nutritionists say that more than 90% of the people metabolize less than 55% of what they eat. Many even happen to consider it normal to have a bowel movement once a day or even every few days. It is easy to understand how all this works, if we question what is happening to all the food that is eaten, where is it all going, if there is only one bowel movement everyday or every other day.

It is not only the weight of the fecal material that contributes to weight gain. Even toxic byproducts from the colon can lower metabolism and drain the body of energy. They also put a lot of burden on the liver and kidneys. The main reason why toxins from the colon need to be cleansed is to remove those byproducts from getting back into other parts of the body. Once the colon is clean, the metabolism should work as it has to, and with that the main obstacle to weight loss is eliminated. (more…)

Years of abusing our bodies with poor diet, stress, medications, and other factors can cause chaos in our intestines and throw everything out of balance, causing several illnesses as well as weight gain. All those colas and burgers we so enthusiastically reach out to, are no good.

Alternative medicine provides gentle and effective methods that restore the intestinal health and at the same time facilitate weight loss. All health problems, such as depression, fatigue, obesity, chronic constipation, acne, gas and lower back pain are also alleviated with cleansing and healing the intestinal system.

The idea of cleansing a colon may seem weird to some, but people should understand that most of the illnesses arise from problems with the intestines. Most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients takes place in the small and large intestines and keeping them clean is vital to maintaining good health.

At birth, the inner lining of the intestines is clean and supple; however, over a period of time, toxins cause the intestines to become swollen, caked with debris and stagnant. While the stomach and small intestine also are impacted with food debris, the colon is where the most severe buildup occurs. This accumulated debris often contributes several pounds to the weight of the colon. There are people who lose about seven pounds as well as their tummy bulge with colon cleansing.

Fecal material stored in the colon can cause a lot of health issues. There are several colon cleansing programs available to help scrub the hardened fecal matter and other toxic materials from the intestines. However, it is never good to rush into a colon cleansing (detoxification) program right away. A person must be prepared for cleansing in stages. The body as well as the mind of a person is deeply buried in a ruinous lifestyle and they need to wean themselves off all the harmful dietary habits, such as cola or diet soda addiction etc. (more…)

Do you want to hear the good news first? There has been yet another breakthrough in the battle of the flab. Your fat cells or at least 10% of your fat cells die every year, irrespective of how your body behaved during the whole year, losing weight or gaining weight. This happens in individuals who are thin as well as those that are fat. That must make obese people happy. However, now comes the next bit of news.

Researchers have discovered that new fat cells take the place of the cells that die almost immediately. People eventually, end up having the same number of fat cells in the body all through the adulthood. When a person gains weight or loses weight, the fat in the cells dies and not the number of cells. That means that every person has a fixed number of fat cells in the body.

Researchers always knew that fat cells in humans die and are replaced, but they never know how long it took and they never expected it to be this fast.

This finding was revealed in the Nature journal. Researchers are perplexed with the number of questions this study raises, such as what determines the number of fat cells in a person’s body and if there is a way to reduce the number of cells by the time people reached adulthood. Another question is, if obesity can be treated by making these fat cells die faster than the new ones are born.

Obesity researchers say that this finding changes the way obesity is looked at. For now, although they have no answers to these questions, they are working on it, to reach the system that is waiting to be discovered.

Their study raises another most important question, why do some people who have always been thin, gain a lot of weight when they reach adulthood? (more…)

It’s ironic really that New Years and subsequent resolutions fall during the time when people struggle most with weight. Heavy winter clothes, lack of sunshine and warmth and hot comfort foods make it challenging to lose weight. Those same foods can actually bulk on a few pounds that are easily lost under layers of sweaters only to be found again when you remove layers for spring. This year, skip the extra five pounds by avoiding some of the fattiest winter comfort foods.

The average adult needs only 2000 calories or less to maintain their weight. It’s no wonder that Americans have trouble controlling their weight as many of their favorite foods supply all the calories they need in a single meal plus a few extra to store on the stomach, hips or thighs.

Creamy Soups and Chowders
There is nothing warmer than a thick bowl of soup or chowder on a snowy day, but that warm soup may be thickening your waistline despite your intentions of eating light. Chili’s clam chowder, for example, has over 900 calories. And that’s before you add the crackers.

Macaroni and Cheese
The absolute pinnacle of comfort foods, macaroni and cheese is loaded with delicious flavors, warm comfort and fattening calories. A single serving of mac & cheese can have well over 500 calories. Considering it is often a side dish as part of a full meal, those calories can add up very quickly indeed. (more…)