Category: Health News

Losing weight naturally seems to be an unpopular solution these days in the health news. With medical weight loss centers and medical doctors selling the benefits of surgery for weight loss, weight loss prescription medications, and the hCG diet, it’s no surprise that many consumers often go for the fast and “easy” ways to lose weight.

Unfortunately, just as traditional Western medicine often only deals with the symptoms and not the cause of an illness, medical weight loss solutions often work in much the same way.

For example, many prescription weight loss pills are stimulants that merely suppress the appetite; however, this does nothing to address the reasons why the individual is driven to overeat, or why they have such food cravings in the first place.

Natural Weight Loss vs. Medical Weight Loss Interventions

Surgical interventions often come with more risks than they eliminate. Lap band surgery is one of the most common interventions, and it is often touted as being the safest… but that’s not saying much.

According to a recent ABC news story, roughly half of patients who get lap band surgery have to have it removed due to complications. These complications can include infection, damage to the stomach, and the lap band itself slipping from the intended position.

Of course, hCG diet treatments have become all the rage, especially since Kevin Trudeau wrote about them in his book. However, calling the hCG diet a “natural weight loss method” is like calling immunizations a natural way to boost the immune system. The hCG diet is anything but a natural method of weight loss.

The hCG diet involves injecting the patient with unnaturally high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG). The problem with this is that hCG is normally only produced in a woman’s body during pregnancy in order to facilitate post-partum lactation.

In other words, in nature, its function is to help the mother’s body release fat for calories to feed her baby during breast-feeding. This is one reason why breastfeeding mothers are able to lose their “baby weight” so quickly.

Sure, this sounds great – but what about the risks? The main risk with this diet is malnourishment, which leads to rebound weight gain after the treatments stop. Patients on the hCG diet are instructed to cut their daily caloric intake to just 500 calories a day. This is a dangerously low intake level that can have serious long-term consequences on the patient’s health and metabolism, thus sabotaging their weight loss.

As anyone who has successfully lost weight permanently can attest, severe calorie-restricted diets never work in the long-term, because the metabolism crashes in order to conserve calories.

This is a natural response to the famine-like conditions these sorts of crash diets simulate, and there is nothing you can do to avoid it. And, when you get off your ultra-low calorie eating plan, you gain all that weight back quickly, and usually end up weighing more than before.

The Alternative to Medical Weight Loss

So what’s the answer? Instead of trying to take the quick and easy route (and potentially risking your health in the process), opt instead for methods of losing weight naturally. These interventions work along with the body to allow you to lose weight in a gradual, natural way that will allow you to keep the weight off for the long term.

Is losing weight naturally easy?

Of course not, because it requires permanent lifestyle changes. However, natural healthy weight loss is obviously the safest and least-invasive method of losing weight permanently.

The Truth about Six Packs Abs is an e-book by Mike Geary and has one goal – to get you ripped abs (if you’re a man) or a flat belly (if you’re a woman). It’s packed with exercise programs, dieting, and nutrition advice that will help you reach your goals.

In the opening, note author introduces the book and explains what audience it targets, which is people of all ages. The reader is warned that the theory in this book may come across as counter-intuitive and against any prior knowledge but that is to be expected and not to be worried about.

The bodybuilder also explains what equipment you would need to follow the exercises of the book. He recommends only two tools – stability ball and dumbbells. Even though there are many exercises that require this equipment, this thinking also explains that even if you don’t have them, there are alternatives you can do without any equipment.

The first thinking is an introduction that is in essence a little prelude of what the book is about, why it was written, and how it will help you.

The second thinking talks about what effect body fat has to your abs, and goes on to say that anyone who has been working out for a while has good abs only they are covered with fat. That’s why reducing fat is so important and the majority of the book is about reducing body fat.

You should talk about abdominal exercises. The bodybuilder talks about how they work and what effect they have. What exercises are correct and which are not? The majority of this chapter explains every exercise and provides photos to visually describe them.

It concludes with the training programs consisting of the aforementioned exercises. The programs are of 8 different levels. Everybody claims that once you thoroughly follow each level and once you get to level 8, you will have developed a set of abs.

The metabolisms are explained. Why it is important and what do have and don’ts are involved.

Exercise is all about workouts that boost your metabolism.

Mike Geary puts free exercises and exercise machines to the test. Which is good and which is not so good.

Mike talks about cardio exercises. He explains the biggest problem of cardio and introduces his solution.

Health is about creating your workout plans. In addition to that, the introduces more exercises with detailed descriptions and photos. Interesting to note that this chapter includes a set of exercises that the human him calls his “Advanced Secret Weapon Exercises”.

These are more complicated exercises that according to the human are the most effective albeit difficult to perform, especially for novices. In the closing of the chapter, some example workout plans are offered.

The begins the nutrition part of the book and talks about the importance of correct diets. Mike Geary calls these remaining chapters the most important.

This thinking goes on about the right foods, food balancing and its importance, the importance of infrequent overfeeding, and a lot more about foods and nutrition. It also includes some calorie charts. An interesting part of the chapter is revealing of the two hidden evils in our food supply. This thinking concludes with some example diets.

Finally, it is a final word from the peoples which has a motivational value more than anything, as well as Mike, who offers his support via e-mail.

To sum up, I can really see why “The Truth about Six Packs Abs” by Mike Geary is the most popular and best-selling fitness e-book on the internet. It is content-rich, full of valuable information that will lead you through to your goal – get six-pack abs.

Such information can save you a lot of money you’d spend on the gym or for tons of fitness books. If you’re serious about your training or just want to know a thing or two about correct training, this book is definitely worth a look.

The weight loss diet plan involves drops of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone with a limited calorie diet in today’s health news. The hormone is found in both sexes, but prominent in pregnant women.

During the pregnancy period of women, there is an increase in the production wherein it provides ATP or energy to the developing fetus. Since it is given with a limited calorie diet, it gives out identical body responses and facilitates weight loss.

The instructions in starting a weight loss diet should be clear to every dieter before undertaking the program. Professional advice is a very significant factor to consider before you start the diet plan. One requirement needed to be performed by the dieter before undertaking the program- the person must undergo first some physical examination.

In fact, the weight loss diet plan consists of three phases. If you want to gain some information about diet to lose weight, read on the following phases below.

The Loading Phase

This is the initial period of the weight loss program that lasts for two days. This is the only phase in which the dieter needs to eat a lot. This is because the dieter must store as much energy from the food they consume; it is essential for the body to be strong during this phase of very low caloric intake.

The Maintenance Phase

This phase is not limited to 21 days protocol but can be extended to forty days, depending on the weight goal of the dieter. This phase obliges the dieter to have a 500 calorie/day diet which is considered to be the main purpose of the therapy. For three weeks, the body would acquire a very low caloric diet with 10 to 15 drops three times a day.

The primary purpose of therapy in this phase is to burn the fats and give energy to the bloodstream which can range from 1,500 -4,000 calories. This will help in breaking down fats and change the metabolism rate of the person if the energy is combined with the 500 calorie intake per day. For several days, the dieter may feel excess pounds are actually shed.

The Stabilization Phase

This the stage where the dieter can stop taking drops. It is strongly suggested to make a slow transition from a very low caloric diet to a restricted diet with moderate caloric restriction. However, in order for the dieter to maintain the ideal weight, that person must not eat sugar-rich and starchy food. The needed intake of daily fat must be 800 calories for women and 1,000 calories for men.

As a result of the weight loss diet plan completion, the dieter may take any type of food except those that are rich in sugar and starch to control their weight.

Caring for seniors properly includes planning for emergencies, making living modifications, encouraging social interaction, organizing finances, and providing companionship.

Practical concerns involve arranging adequate medical care, making sure seniors have transportation, and preventing safety risks so that parents or loved ones can enjoy their lives.

Caring for parents or relatives often falls primarily on one person or couple, but other relatives can contribute by taking charge of some duties to give caregivers breaks from the emotionally challenging and time-consuming responsibilities.

For example, one sibling could contribute financially, arrange for medical or legal care, take seniors on regular outings, or offer emotional support to the elderly patient, caregiver, or both.

Medical Care and Safety Take Center Stage

The most important responsibility when caring for seniors involves taking care of medical issues. Seniors need to keep their medical appointments, follow recommended diets, take their medicines as scheduled and report health issues and illnesses promptly.

Senior medical alert systems help caregivers by monitoring health and transmitting warnings when vital signs change or seniors sustain injuries or debilitating conditions.

Safety for elderly people often requires making home and accessibility modifications to prevent slips and allow seniors to bathe and perform many routine tasks. Most people benefit from limited exercise and activity, so ask the patient’s physician about possible activities.

Find out if patients can reach storage areas and medicine cabinets, unlock doors, and operate common household devices and equipment. Seniors might require walkers, ant slip mats, grab bars, railings, and other adaptations to navigate around their homes safely.

Finances and Legal Problems

Seniors often have trouble managing their finances, paying bills and meeting other obligations, so make a list of vital information, important dates, medical appointments, and where deeds, bank account information, stock certificates, and other documents are kept.

Seniors might qualify for assistance programs but have trouble applying for them, so caregivers could help with the paperwork to make seniors’ lives richer and more comfortable.

Activity, Food, and Companionship

Some seniors could benefit by sharing their homes with other senior citizens, helping to cut expenses, pool duties, and encourage social activity while giving caregivers some relief from demanding round-the-clock supervision.

Seniors often have trouble preparing their own meals, so shopping and stocking the refrigerator and pantry become very important. Having food available is not enough, however. Caregivers need to make sure that seniors eat balanced diets and avoid foods that they aren’t allowed to have.

Companionship and regularly scheduled activities give seniors things to occupy their time and keep them happier. Investigate recreational activities and include seniors in family celebrations. Senior centers and community organizations provide special programs, and many seniors enjoy pursuing their favorite hobbies, taking classes, and going to plays, movies, and concerts.

Caring for seniors effectively means showing an interest in their welfare, ensuring their health and safety, and helping to make them independent and financially secure. Look for clues about the patient’s health, mental state and environment to help the senior patient live as independently and happily as possible.

Careful planning makes these goals possible, but failing to address the issues could cause caregiver frustration and generate overwhelming feelings of facing too many responsibilities.

Each century tends to have its own specific mental disorders as a point of interest, last century we had hysteria, depression, now we have everything and anything in all news. Take look at the most bizarre mental disorders around. Some seem so strange you might think we made it up…we didn’t.

The Paris syndrome seems to only affect Japanese tourists that visit the city of lights and it causes them to have mental break-downs at the sight of the city. It happens only to about a dozen people a year, but they still have a hotline at the embassy for tourists that are afflicted.

What happens? We all know the stereotypes about Japan and the politeness of its people. They are all true. Being raised to show respect for the others and having an idyllic view of Europe’s most famous city, means they are subjected to a huge shock at seeing rude people running around treating others like they are not worth the time of day. The culture shock is so great they have to be sent back to Japan to recover.

It doesn’t seem to affect any other nations; I suppose rudeness has its advantages in this case.

The most utilized mental disorders on television. At least once per show, you will hear a mention of the Stockholm syndrome. More often than not it is used in an improper way, but hey, it’s fiction so who’s keeping tabs?

The syndrome manifests itself as sympathy towards a tormentor – it can appear in cases of spousal abuse, child abuse, kidnappings, and so on. It was first documented in Stockholm when after being held hostage by bank robbers for six days, the victims began sympathizing with their aggressors and ended up defending their criminal actions. Some even refused to testify against them.

The Lima syndrome after taking a large number of hostages at the Japanese Embassy in Lima, Peru, the hostage-takers have become so sympathetic towards the hostages they ended up releasing them altogether. It did take a long time, months even, but they didn’t harm them.

One hostage did die, but not at the hands of the hostage-takers.

This syndrome is presented with less frequency or accuracy in the media, but it has been known to happen, particularly when the hostages or the victims are children or women.

Let’s step away from city named disorders and look at the Factitious disorder. It might be confused with hypochondria because they both focus on the fact that the person is fixated on the idea of illness, but in fact, the factitious disorder is an obsession with being sick.

Unlike hypochondria when the person believes to be ill, in this disorder people will make them sick by ingesting the wrong medication or hurting themselves deliberately to get attention.

The Diogenes Syndrome is a dirty one, no pun intended. It is characterized by the compulsive need of the person to gather various items – anything from clothes to old tv sets. Self-neglect and lack of personal hygiene are also encountered frequently.

If you are sitting there thinking you have never met someone with any of these syndromes just think again. Remember that cat lady down the street that had more than 100 cats in a small flat? Yeah? Congratulations, you’ve met someone with this particular syndrome.

Trichotillomania is quite a mouthful and since it’s also quite rare most of us will probably never learn its name. Care to take a guess what it might entail?
People with this disorder feel the compulsive need to rip the hair of their bodies – facial hair, scalp hair, body hair. Unless they comply with the compulsion they feel a huge pressure that they feel can’t be relieved.

They usually have a strange appearance with bald spots or missing hair on other body parts, things that they try to hide from the people that surround them.

We’re back to city named syndromes with the Jerusalem Syndrome. It affects people that visit the Holy City, regardless of their denomination. At the sight of the city, they are taken over completely by ideas of religious mysticism, religious psychosis, and delusions with a similar theme.

Most of those affected have had a history of mental illness before, but they can usually surpass this event after a few weeks of leaving Jerusalem.

Stendhal Syndrome isn’t restricted to a certain city or a certain ethnic group, it affects individuals that are exposed to art, usually one that is considered beautiful or if they find themselves in a museum for example where they are surrounded by a lot of art in a single place.

People get excited, experience sudden dizziness, and sometimes even hallucinations. Better think again when you plan to visit an art gallery!

The Fergoli Delusion is as much disturbing as it is strange – people with this affliction believe that certain people are following them by taking the form of those closest to them – such as family members or friends.

Think again when you watch a movie that makes you paranoid.

The opposite of the Fergoli delusion, it manifests itself as the conviction that a spouse or a close family member or friend has been replaced by an impostor. The impostor looks the same, acts the same, does everything the same, but it just isn’t the right person.

Remember the pod people theory from sci-fi horror films? Yeah? Well, experiencing this as a reality is most definitely worse. However many times the person receives information about the truth of that person being him/herself, they are never truly convinced.

It is quite common in schizophrenia, but it can appear in other mental disorders as well.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our small list, have no fear; there are stranger mental disorders out there stay safe and try not to get any of them if you can.