Five Simple Steps Toward Creating The Perfect Weight Loss Plans

There are many different weight loss plans that can be used for losing unwanted body weight. But in this article you will discover how instead of using an "in-effective" weight loss approach like a low calorie diet or a fad diet, you can design your own personal weight loss program that can help you to create permanent fat loss!

By the way, permanent fat loss is when you reach your ideal body weight and then maintain it for life! I also like to call it "irreversible, long-term weight loss success" because once you reach your main target weight -- you never re-gain the unwanted body fat that you worked so hard to lose! Isn't this what you truly want to achieve when you decide to start a weight loss program?

Diets, diet pills, appetite suppressants and other "flawed" weight loss strategies and products are simply a waste of your precious time and hard-earned money! To create a lean, healthy body in the long term, a completely different approach has to b e used, and it should include only proper nutrition and exercise.

There are a few serious problems with using someone else's weight loss plan for creating permanent fat loss. The first, and most obvious, is that it wasn't custom tailored to your wants and needs. Second, it doesn't take into account your physiological characteristics. The person that designed it didn't know if you have an endomorph, ectomorph or a mesomorph dominant body type.

Without taking into account your own personal wants, needs and your body type it is impossible to design an effective nutrition and exercise program that will help you to "effectively" lose unwanted body fat and eventually create permanent fat loss.

Conventional diets, fad diets, diet pills, appetite suppressants that promise quick weight loss in reality lead to muscle loss, water loss, and slow down your metabolism. When this happens your body can't burn calories efficiently and eventually you always hi t a weight loss plateau.

In addition to this -- your organism will continue to increase your appetite because it is not getting what it needs to function properly on a daily basis -- and eventually "massive hunger" will force you to start consuming more food than your body can realistically burn during the day!

Obviously, when this happens, the little weight that you lost using in-effective weight loss approaches and products will be all gained back!

Considering that conventional diets, fad diets, diet pills, appetite suppressants have an almost 100% failure rate -- I would recommend that you avoid using them -- if you want to reach your ideal weight and then maintain it for life.

Your first step toward designing your own weight loss plans is to always start at the end!

What result do you want to create when you arrive at the end of your weight loss journey? Answering this question should be the first step that you take when you start to design your own personal weight loss plans that will help you to create permanent fat loss.

The process that you will use to create the body of your dreams should be designed taking into account the end result that you want to bring into reality. The reason for this is simple: Before you start taking your first steps you must know exactly in what direction you are heading!

If you want to go from where you are right now to reaching your ideal body weight and bringing into reality the body of your dreams I would strongly recommend that you spend some time on creating a goal chart with all the steps that you will take in your weight loss journey!

This brings us to the second part of the first step, which is to objectively observe your current circumstances. Current reality is the only place where you can begin to create the body of your dreams. So before you actually start to use proper nutrition and exercise in order to create a lean, healthy body, decide exactly where you are going and simultaneously observe where you are right now.

This means you have to honestly write down your currently total body weight, your current body fat percentage, your current nutrition strategy, and your current exercise strategy. If you don't have nutrition and exercise strategies -- simply write down what you eat on a daily basis and the exercises that you do.

When you take these two first steps, only then you are ready to start working on the process that will help you to get from where you are right now to where you want to be in the future when you create a lean, attractive body that is filled with health and vitality!

The major reason why most people can't bring into reality the body of their dreams is because they do not know how to create the drive and the non-stop motivation to keep moving toward their major health goals through the toughest parts of their weight loss program wit hout quitting, giving up and throwing in the white towel!
Before we continue, I want to mention that the process for losing unwanted body fat is very simple to describe, but it is not that easy to implement for most people. And if you were born with an endomorph dominant body type, and have a slow metabolism -- it can be very hard!

Knowing this can help you to accept this part of reality -- and can help you to keep moving toward your major health goal -- even if you fall off the wagon a few times during your weight loss journey!

Your second step toward designing your own weight loss plans is to create your own weight loss chart!

The second step that you should take toward reaching your ideal weight is to create your own weekly weight loss chart. This is actually part of tracking current reality and helps you to track your weight loss results on a weekly basis.

By simultaneously focusing on what you desire and where you are in the present moment you will create the energy that can hel p you to keep moving and moving toward reaching your ideal body weight!

The weekly weight loss chart is what will keep you on track, and at the same time it will help to fuel your movement toward your major goal. This is the approach that I used to lose over 110 pounds of unwanted body fat in 12 months. By focusing on my current reality on a daily basis I was able to adjust my weight loss approach until I found the nutrition and exercise strategies that worked especially well for me.

If you want to produce similar results in your weight loss program, I recommend that you design your own weight loss plans using the strategies in this article -- and start moving toward creating irreversible, long-term weight loss success today!

Your third step toward designing your own weight loss plans is to create a nutrition approach that works especially well for you!

Once you have designed your own goal setting chart and created your own weekly weight loss chart, your next step in the design of your weight loss plan should be to custom tailor your own nutrition unique approach that you will use to reach your ideal body weight.

To create irreversible, long-term weight loss success -- the food that you consume on a daily basis should be used mostly to maintain your current weight. You can create a small calorie deficit by using the thermic effect of food sources like lean protein and natural complex carbohydrates.

One of the biggest mistakes made by the majority of dieters is that they attempt to "diet off" their fat instead of burning it off directly using an effective exercise strategy. Trying to lose body fat using conventional diets, fad diets, diet pills, and/or appetite suppressants will always backfire, because your body requires an optimum amount of food on a daily basis to function properly.

When you do not provide your organism with what it requires on a daily basis, it will force you to consume more food through different mechanisms that produce "massive hunger." When this happens you will give up your weight loss approach and start to overeat on a daily basis. When this happens -- all the weight that you lost using these "flawed" approaches and products -- will simply be re-gained!

It is very important that your custom tailored weight loss plan includes the basics and fundamentals of proper nutrition. And one of the most important elements of proper nutrition is to consume natural, unprocessed and unrefined food sources as much as possible.

When designing your own weight loss plan there are some other very important things that you must take into account. When it comes to creating permanent fat loss your daily calorie intake plays a large role in helping you to create this result. Make sure that you calculate your optimum daily calorie intake for yourself -- taking into account your current lean body mass. This is the mo st effective way to get this number right.

Choosing the right nutrient ratios is also a part of a healthy diet plan that will help your body to efficiently burn off the calories that are consumed by you on a daily basis. Nutrient ratios are simply the percentage of the calories that come from the carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fat that you consume on a daily basis.

Last but not least, an effective weight loss plan must also include the proper meal frequency and meal timming approach. Eating four average size meals, every four hours of the day, is the best way to help your body to completely burn off the calories in these meals.

Your fourth step toward designing your own weight loss plans is to create an exercise approach that works especially well for you!

The next step after designing your own nutrition strategy, should be to design your own exercise approach. This step will help you to burn off the unwanted body fat that you currently have stored inside your fat cells more effectively than any other step in your weight loss plans.

The first part of using exercise to burn off unwanted body fat should include cardio workout routines that you use on a regular basis. Cardiovascular exercise will help you to burn off the unwanted body fat directly, and is without a doubt the major secret for creating permanent fat loss. Without making cardio part of your weight loss plan, reaching and then maintaining your ideal body weight is almost impossible!

To lose unwanted body fat you must create a calorie deficit, and cardio training is the most effective way that this can be accomplished without slowing down your metabolism.

The most important thing to know about cardio, is that you can choose to either work out with high intensity for a short period of time, work out with medium intensity for a moderate amount of time, or work out with low intensity for a long time period, and accomplish the same calorie burning result.

This is very important because there is a myth when it comes to cardio training that you must burn a lot of body fat to produce long term weight loss results using a certain intensity while working out.

And the fact is that this is simply not true. The only thing that matters when it comes to creating permanent fat loss is the number of total calories burned, and not if they come mostly from burning fat or from carbohydrates as an energy source.

When you are doing cardio, you are always burning both fat and carbohydrates, the only difference is that you are burning them in different ratios depending on the intensity you are using. But when it is all said and done, what matters is the total amount of calories that you burn, period!

Weight training is the second part of creating an effective weight loss plan and should be used for maintaining your current muscle mass. Your muscle is a m etabolically active tissue and your body must spend a lot of energy (calories) to maintain it.

This means that if you lose muscle during your weight loss program, your metabolism will slow down, and what was once your daily maintenance calorie intake will become a surplus, and eventually this can lead to long term weight gain.

When you are in your weight loss phase of your program you will always lose some muscle no matter how perfect you eat, or with what intensity you do cardio training. To maintain your muscle and avoid muscle loss, weight training is simply a must.

Weight training helps to maintain your current muscle mass -- which helps to keep your metabolism elevated. Obviously this will help your organism to keep burning as many calories as possible during the day, and will help you to keep in the direction of creating permanent fat loss.

Weight training is necessary for both men and women, and the approach to weight traini ng is similar for both sexes. The only difference is the actual weight and intensity that you work out with. An effective weight loss plan will always include both cardio and weight training as part of the strategy to reach your ideal body weight!

Your fifth step toward designing your own weight loss plans is to create a single-minded focus on hitting your main target without ever quitting or giving up!

The final step in your own personally designed weight loss plan should be to decide that no matter what happens, that you will keep going until you bring your major health goal into reality. And once you reach your ideal weight, that you will do everything to maintain it for life!

Making this choice is very important, and will help you to get through the toughest parts of your weight loss program. When the going gets tough, this fundamental choice will tremendously help you to stay focused on your major health goal and at the same time to focu s where you are in the present moment.

If you create your goal setting chart and keep track of your results using your weekly weight loss chart, this will help you to always keep moving in the right direction. There is nothing that will produce the drive and non-stop motivation like simultaneously focusing on what you want to create and what you have in the present moment in relation to this desired result.

This is why it is so important to know what you truly desire to create in your weight loss program and to work on this on a daily basis.

Taking these five steps is what it will take for you to create permanent fat loss, and to bring into reality the body of your dreams! Now the choice is up to you, will you use these steps and create a lean, healthy body, or not?

A true choice is when you can choose to do something or choose not to do something. And I truly hope that you choose the first, and eventually will use these five simpl e steps toward creating your own weight loss plans -- to bring your health goal completely into reality!

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HCG Injections And A Low Calorie Diet For Weight Loss - A Summary Of The Research

Position Paper Regarding HCG Injections Along with a Very Low Calorie Diet for Weight Loss

by Dr. Kathryn Retzler

Portland, Oregon

The "HCG Diet" has become popular over the last few years due to the accessibility of the Internet and advertising by clinics that perform the protocol. I've read ATW Simeons protocol "Pounds and Inches: a New Approach to Obesity" several times. The paper is intriguing in terms of Simeons' theories about weight gain and the role of hypothalamic dysfunction in prevention of weight loss. It's also bold Simeons claims that the protocol is easy to follow and uniformly effective in suppressing appetite, elevating mood, and enabling "abnormal", stubborn fat to be lost. He also states that HCG resets the hypothalamus to prevent lost weight from being regained. "Pounds and Inches" is available from several sources on the Internet. If you're interested, you can order a copy of Simeons' paper describing his protocol published in 1954 from the Lancet.[1]

HCG or "human chorionic gonadotropin" is a hormone produced during pregnancy. It's also produced by tumors in women (hydatidiform mole) and men (testicular cancer). HCG injections are used medically since part of its molecular structure mimics luteinizing hormone (LH). HCG injections (in dosages ranging from 1000 to 2000 units, 2-3 times per week) are used to increase testosterone production in men with low testosterone who want to preserve fertility. HCG injections (5,000 to 10,000 units) are sometimes used in women to induce ovulation.

Simeons protocol uses minute dosages of HCG (125 units), 6-7 days per week for 23 to 40 days, along with a very low calorie (VLC) diet of 500 calories per day. Since HCG does share some of its molecular structure with LH and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), theoretically, it may increase testosterone production, ovulation and progesterone production, or release of thyroid hormone. It may also cause excess stimulation of the ovary and ovarian cysts. However, the dosage used is very small and these effects are unlikely. A VLC diet (with or without HCG) can precipitate gallstones (since it's very low in fat), and may cause symptoms of toxicity (since fat tissue stores toxins).

Research regarding HCG injections and weight loss is nearly all negative. In other words, most trials where patients received either HCG injections or placebo and followed identical VLC diets, show no difference in amount of weight lost, type of weight lost, hunger level, or mood. A summary of published studies follows this paper.

No study that I've read has looked at long-term maintenance of weight lost with the HCG protocol. Randomized controlled trials of VLC diets show a large variation in regain of initial weight loss percentage. Participants in these trial regained 7-122% of initial weight lost by one year, and 26-121% by 5 years. [2]Active follow-up weight maintenance programs that include behavior therapy, nutritional education, and exercise are more effective at improving weight maintenance.

It would be worthwhile to perform a clinical trial to see if participants following the HCG protocol are more successful at maintaining weight loss than VLC diet alone. Simeons claims patients who follow his protocol maintain weight loss 60-70% of the time, although I don't think he published data to back up this claim.

I've spoken to many patients who've followed the HCG protocol with great success they've lost significant amounts of weight, claim not to have been hungry, and had an increased sense of well-being. Many of these people have sustained their weight loss, many have not. I've personally gone through Simeons protocol, documenting all calories consumed as well as calories burned (by wearing a Bodybugg). I also measured my fat and muscle percentage before and after the diet using bioelectrical impedance analysis. I lost 12 pounds and 4% body fat during the 23 day protocol. I was extremely hungry throughout the entire protocol, although I did exercise every day. Some proponents of the protocol recommend not exercising, although this seems like bad advice given the overwhelming health benefits of regular exercise. I've also undergone a VLC diet, documenting all calories consumed and burned, without using HCG injections. I lost a similar percentage of excess weight.

My position on the HCG protocol for weight loss is that I do not think it's harmful. I also don't think it has any effect over placebo. I do not discount the power of any placebo. The placebo response is really a measure of the power of the self-healing ability. Many people are willing to follow a VLC diet if they inject themselves or take oral HCG since they believe the HCG will suppress their appetite and help them lose weight. I do believe that physicians who perform this protocol should disclose the negative research regarding HCG benefits to patients. I also believe it is ignorant of them at best, and unethical at worst, to prescribe a substance and oftentimes, charge high fees, for a product or protocol thathas shownno benefitover placebo.

Note that since 1975, the FDA requires the following information to be given with any HCG advertised or promoted for weight loss:

HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. There is no substantial evidence that it increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction, that it causes a more attractive or "normal" distribution of fat, or that it decreases the hunger and discomfort associated with calorie-restricted diets.

If you are interested in following the HCG protocol, I think you should be informed about the research regarding HCG and weight loss. You should also make sure your physician is aware of your current health status before you follow any VLC diet, and that causes of abnormal weight gain (e.g., hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, Cushing's, and other endocrine problems) have been ruled out. Before going on any VLC diet, I'd also recommend undergoing a detox program that supports Phase I and Phase II liver function. Make sure you don't have pre-existing gallstones, liver, or kidney disease. If you're using insulin for diabetes management, you must make sure your dosage is adjusted based on blood sugar levels, and that you don't develop ketoacidosis, which can be fatal.

If you do undergo a VLC diet (with our without HCG) you owe it to yourself to change the factors that caused you to become overweight in the first place: improve your overall diet and nutrition knowledge, honestly evaluate causes of emotional eating, decrease stress, and increase exercise frequency and intensityotherwise, the chance of you gaining back the weight you've lost is nearly 100%.

I welcome comments or questions regarding my position. In addition, if you're aware of any research using the HCG protocol that I have not listed here, or if you believe my conclusions are incorrect, please contact me: drretzler@hormonesynergy.com.

Kathryn Retzler, ND

www.hormonesynergy.com

Summary of Research and Articles RE: HCG Injections & VLC Diet for Weight Loss

Note: Dr. Simeons does not state that HCG alone accomplishes weight loss; rather, he states patients treated with HCG will not be hungry or tired, will lose a different kind of weight ("abnormal fat" that is difficult to lose), and will experience an increased sense of well-being. He also claims that weight lost is unlikely to be regained ("60-70%" of patients keep weight off) due to a resetting of the hypothalamus.

Positive Papers:

Asher W, Harper H. Effect of human chorionic gonadotrophin on weight loss, hunger, and feeling of well-being. Am J Clin Nutr. 1973;26(2):211-8.

This study is a well-designed, randomized, double-blind trial of 40 women receiving HCG or placebo at an HCG treatment clinic (Harold Harper, MD). All followed a 500 to 550 kcal diet; 20 received 125 IU HCG six days per week for 6 weeks (36 injections); 20 received placebo injections six days per week (36 injections). Mean age of the HCG group was 37.8 years; placebo group 38.4 years. Results: Mean weight loss (HCG: 19.96 +/- 1.63 lbs; placebo: 11.05 +/- 1.29 lbs) and percentage of starting weight lost (HCG: 11.47%; placebo: 6.77%) were greater in the HCG group than the placebo group. Fourteen patients lost 15 lbs or more in the HCG group; 5 lost 15 lbs or more in the placebo group.

Hunger was decreased (HCG: 76.6% of daily responses indicated little or no hunger; placebo group 48.7% of daily responses indicated little or no hunger). Feeling of well being was greater in the HCG group (HCG: 86.5% indicated they felt "good" to "excellent"; placebo: 70% said they felt "good" to "excellent"). Blood pressure was not significantly different between the two groups. Interestingly, Dr. Harper's patients who received placebo injections lost more weight on average than either the HCG or placebo patients of 4 other physicians. The authors concluded, "Therefore, HCG used in a casual program of weight reduction, as it is often used in a general practice, is of no value," meaning that the very low calorie diet is the critical element leading to weight loss.

Gusman H. Chorionic gonadotropin in obesity. Further clinical observations. Am J Clin Nutr. 1969;22:686.

This paper is not a study but rather an article regarding Dr. Gusman's personal success treating "well over 2,500 patients of both sexes, aged 15 to 75" with Simeons' HCG protocol. Gusman studied with A.T.W. Simeons at his clinic in Rome. In this article, Gusman discusses Simeons' concept of obesity, namely, that it is a "definite metabolic disorder, much as is diabetes, caused by a breakdown of a regulating mechanism located in the...hypothalamus." He call this "the fat-regulating center."

Gusman explains that fat cells in the obese differ from normal fat cells in that they're more numerous and larger. These "overstuffed" fat cells metabolize glucose less efficiently than normal fat cells. Normal fat tissue serves two functions: structural material (to protect organs and blood vessels) and fuel storage. Abnormal fat tissue is also a potential reserve for fuel, but is not immediately available in nutritional emergencies. Only after the normal fat reserves are exhausted will the body use abnormal fat. Severe calorie restriction leads to exhaustion of normal fat reserves before abnormal fat is used, and the patient will be weak and hungry "while the ugly fat deposits of which he originally wished to rid himself have hardly been reduced. At this point, the patient often becomes depressed and frustrated, and the diet is abandoned."

The only type of "nutritional emergency" where all types of fat cells are immediately useable is during pregnancy. Simeons suggests it's HCG that brings about changes in the hypothalamus preventing obesity during pregnancy.

Gusman compiled records from 450 of his patients receiving either 3 or 6 week treatment. He makes the following observations: 1) 90% of patients were able to reduce their weight, 2) 60-70% reached their desired normal weight, 3) "a majority" claimed this regiment was the easiest and most successful to follow, 4) "many" who regained some or all of their weight claimed they kept their weight off longer than previously, and didn't mind returning for treatment, 5)"nearly all patients" experienced "euphoria" in spite of marked low intake of food, and 6) the markedly obese had the most satisfying results.

Lebon P. Treatment of overweight patients with chorionic gonadotropin. J Am Geriat Soc. 1966;14:116.

Lebon P. Action of chorionic gonadotrophin in the obese. Lancet. 1961;2:268.

Simeons AT. The action of chorionic gonadotrophin in the obese. Lancet. 1954 Nov 6;267(6845):946-7.

Stuart C. The action of chorionic gonadotophin in the obese. Lancet. 1961;278(7196):268-9.

Negative studies:

Bosch B, Venter I, Stewart RI, et al. Human chorionic gonadotrophin and weight loss. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. S Afr Med J. 1990;77(4):185-9.

This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing HCG injections with placebo for weight loss. 40 obese women (body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2) were placed on the same diet supplying 5,000 kJ per day and received daily injections of saline or HCG, 6 days a week for 6 weeks. A psychological profile, hunger level, body circumferences, fasting blood sample, and food records were obtained at the start and end of the study, while body weight was measured weekly. Results: Subjects receiving HCG injections showed no advantages over those on placebo in respect to any of the variables recorded. Furthermore, weight loss on the diet was similar to that on severely restricted intake. The authors conclude, "There is no rationale for the use of HCG injections in the treatment of obesity."

Craig L, Ray R, Waxler S, et al. Chorionic gonadotropin in the treatment of obese women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1963;12:230-234.

This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the Simeon method using HCG vs. placebo, and a 550 calorie per day diet. 20 obese women were treated for forty days. Results: all subjects but one lost weight, but the losses were small and not uniform, suggesting varied adherence to the diet. The basal metabolic rate was increased in four HCG subjects and two control subjects.

Greenway FL, Bray GA. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity: a critical assessment of the Simeons method. West J Med. 1977;127(6);461-3.

This study was a double-blind, placebo control trial using HCG injections or placebo to test weight loss, hunger level, mood, and localized (spot) reduction while adhering to a VLC diet. Results: Weight loss was identical between the two groups, and there was no evidence for differential effects on hunger, mood or localized body measurements. The authors conclude, "Placebo injections, therefore, appear to be as effective as HCG in the treatment of obesity."

Lijesen S, Theeuwen I, Assendelft W, et al. The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1995;40:237-243.

This paper was a meta-analysis of eight uncontrolled and 16 controlled trials measuring the effect of HCG in the treatment of obesity. The trials were scored for quality and methods (based on four main categories: study population, interventions, measurement of effect, and data presentation and analysis) and the main conclusion of author(s) with regard to weight-loss, fat-redistribution, hunger, and feeling of well-being. Methodological scores ranged from 16 to 73 points (maximum score 100), suggesting that most studies were of poor methodological quality. Of the 12 studies scoring 50 or more points, one reported that HCG was a useful adjunct. The studies scoring 50 or more points were all controlled. The authors concluded, "that there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss or fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being."

Miller R, Schneiderman LJ. A clinical study of the use of human chorionic gonadotrophin in weight reduction. J Fam Pract 1977 Mar;4(3):554-8.

This study was a double-blind, crossover trial using saline or HCG injections, along with a VLC diet. There was also no significant difference in mood, hunger, or missed injections, and no apparent difference in adherence to diet when the two agents were compared. In contrast, a significant difference was found in the ability of subjects to lose weight in the first four weeks of the study in contrast with the second four weeks, no matter which agent was used. Thus, the initiation of a new therapeutic program, even using an inert agent, has a temporary benefit--a manifestation both of placebo effect and the Hawthorne effect.

Rabe T, Richter S, Kiesel L, Runnebaum B. [Risk-benefit analysis of a hCG-500 kcal reducing diet (cura romana) in females]. Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 1987 May;47(5):297-307.

The British physician A.T.W. Simeons described in 1954 a new method for dieting. He combined a reduction diet (500 kcal per day) with daily injections of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (125 IU i.m.). According to Simeons the patient should not lose more weight during a 4-to-6 weeks' diet than without hCG, but the injections should facilitate to maintain the diet and to lose body weight at specific parts of the body (e.g. hip, belly, thigh). After the first publication various studies conducted with male and female patients analyzed the efficacy of the "Cura romana". 10 of these studies showed positive and another 10 studies negative results with regard to hCG-related weight reduction. Two of these studies with positive results were double-blind studies (hCG vs. placebo). Most of them were reports on therapeutical experiences and were not controlled studies. According to these reports the body proportions normalized and the feeling of hunger was to lerable. Four out of 10 studies with negative results were controlled studies (hCG vs. control without hCG), whereas 6 were double-blind studies. These studies showed a significant weight reduction during dieting, but no differences between treatment groups in respect to body weight, body proportions and feeling of hunger. One of them is the only German study conducted by Rabe et al. in 1981 in which 82 randomised premenopausal volunteers had been dieting either with hCG or without hCG injections. In recent publications describing mostly well-documented double-blind studies, authors largely reject hCG administration in dieting. Supporters of the hCG diet must prove the efficacy of this method in controlled studies according to the German Drug Law. Until then the opinion of the German steroid toxicology panel is still valid, that hCG is ineffective in dieting and should not be used.

Shetty KR, Kalkhoff RK. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) treatment of obesity. Arch Intern Med. 1977 Feb;137(2):151-5.

This study compared six hospitalized obese women given 125 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) intramuscularly daily for 30 days with five obese women who received injections of dilutent only (placebo). Patients consumed identical, 500-calorie per day diets for the same period. Although the number of patients was small, the study is significant since patient diets and all injections were monitored closely in a hospital setting. Results: Mean weight loss in the HCG-treated group was nearly identical to that achieved by women given the placebo. Reduction of triceps skinfold thickness or circumferential body measurements of the chest, waist, hips, and thighs were not different. Patterns of change of a variety of plasma and urine substrates, electrolytes, and hormones were similar in the two groups and consistent with semistarvation and weight loss. The authors concluded," These results indicate that HCG has no effects on chemical and hormonal parameters measured and offe rs no advantage over calorie restriction in promoting weight loss."

Stein MR, Julis RE, Peck CC, et al. Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotrophin in weight reduction: a double blind study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1976;29(0):940-8.

This study was a well-designed, randomized, double-blind trial of 51 women receiving HCG or placebo for 32 days (28 injections), along with a 500 to 550 kcal/day diet. The study was designed to duplicate the Asher-Harper study (above). Each patient was given the same diet (the one prescribed in the Asher-Harper study), was weighed daily Monday through Saturday and was counseled by one of the investigators who administered the injections. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the means of the two groups in number of injections received, weight loss (HCG: 15.79 lbs; placebo: 15.52 lbs), percent of weight loss (HCG: 9.48%; placebo: 9.25%), hip and waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or in hunger ratings. The authors concluded, "HCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness of a rigidly imposed regimen for weight reduction."

Young RL, Fuchs RJ, Woltjen MJ. Chorionic gonadotrophin in weight control. A double-blind crossover study. JAMA. 1976;236(22):2495.

202 patients participated in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over study of the effectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) vs. placebo in a weight reduction program. Serial measurements were made of weight, skin-fold thickness, dropout rates, reasons for dropping out, and patient subjective response. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs. placebo during any phase of this study.

An additional interesting study:

Sohar E. A forty-day-550 calorie diet in the treatment of obese outpatients. Am J Clin Nutr. 1959;7:514-518.

The purpose of this paper was to present a method of producing rapid weight reduction in obese patients. This study looked at forty-five patients who started fifty-three courses of 550-calorie diet, consisting of two meals prescribed in detail. Patients were told what to eat (Simeon diet) and were not told calorie content. 39 patients were given HCG injections (125 units), 14 others received daily injections of saline. Patients were told that weight reduction would be due to the diet but that injections would help curb appetite. The authors assumed from the start that HCG was ineffective in terms of weight reduction. Injections were given for "psychological reasons only" since patients were assured they would curb appetite.

The authors state that the diet Simeon prescribed is successful because average daily weight loss is high due to the very low calories consumed. Patients are more likely to stick to the diet due to time limitation i.e., they know the diet will only last 40 days. They state that "the vast majority of patients are willing to suffer for forty days for the reward of losing the predicted and attainable amount of 20 pounds." The author also surmises that success is due to the fact that food is prescribed, not calories. This eliminates the estimating that usually goes on with calorie counting. In other words, most patients do not weigh or measure food and do not record calories properly. Sohar recommends not advising patients in terms of calories, but to prescribe meals in detail.

Another reason Sohar gives for success of the diet is that only two meals per day are prescribed; therefore, contact with food is minimized. Lastly, activity level is unrestricted, "enabling all obese people, most of whom are housewives, to reduce." Sohar points out that his paper, as well as Simeon's work, proves that obese patients can lead a normal life performing moderate work on 500 to 600 calories per day.

1] Simeons AT. The action of chorionic gonadotrophin in the obese. Lancet. 1954 Nov 6;267(6845):946-7.

[2] Saris W. Very-low-calorie diets and sustained weight loss. Obesity Research. 2001;Suppl 4:295S-301S.

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The Postures of Meditation: The Daily Guide to Success

During the ancient times until now, people practice meditation because of its provided advantages. Incorporating meditation as part of your daily life can make a big difference regarding your attitude and outlook in life. But because meditation is a procedure, it involves several steps as well as postures when doing it.

1. Cross legged posture. Various spiritual traditions and meditation teachers suggest or prescribe various meditation physical postures. One of the most popular postures is the cross legged position which includes the lotus position. It is taught in most meditative traditions that the spinal cord must be kept straight. So, slouching is not a good idea. This is because, when you sit straight, it encourages good circulation of what they call as spiritual energy, which is the life force and vital breath.

2. Seated posture. A meditator can sit on the chair with his or her bare feet, as what the New Thought is teaching. In Orthodox Christi anity, a meditator can sit on the stool. While in Theravada Buddhism, a meditator is walking in mindfulness. In Sukhothai, Thailand, walking meditation of the monks is called bas-relief. The meditator sits up keeping his or her back straight holding the spine and head in alignment without leaning and thighs parallel to the floor. The hands are rested comfortably on the arm's chair or on the knees.

3. Kneeling posture. The meditator kneels with both knees on the floor keeping his or her buttocks resting on his or her toes and heels which are almost touching. The hands rest on his or his thighs.

4. Lying down posture also known as corpse posture or savasna in yoga. The meditator rests on the carpet keeping his or her legs straight and relaxed. Nevertheless, this is not used more often since it mimics the natural posture of sleeping. The meditator can sometimes fall asleep. This is effective in reducing stress rather than a meditation process.

5. Incorporating mudras or hand gestures. There is a theological meaning behind these gestures. Based on Yogic philosophy, these can affect consciousness. One example is the common hand-position of the Buddhist. The right hand rests on the top of the left hand with touching thumbs similar to the begging bowl of Buddha.

6. Incorporating various repetitive activities in stillness such as humming, chanting, or deep breathing to help in inducing a state of meditation. The Soto Zen practitioners do their meditation in front of a wall with open eyes. However, most mediation schools are assuming that the eyes are half-open or closed.
The duration and frequency of meditation also vary. There are nuns and monks who bow for a lifetime meditation. However, the broadly accepted duration is 20 or 30 minutes. This length may increase as the process goes on as what experienced meditators revealed. To obtain the benefits of meditation, it is advisable to follow the advices and instructions of the spiritual teacher. Most traditions require daily practice. But some may experience frustration or guilt when they failed to do it. Sometimes, meditators may complain about meditators knee especially during long hours of kneeling on one's knees or sitting on cross legs.

Keep in mind that perseverance and acceptance are needed to become successful. This can help you during prolonged hours of meditation and increase focus on your everyday lives.The Postures of Meditation: The Daily Guide to Success

During the ancient times until now, people practice meditation because of its provided advantages. Incorporating meditation as part of your daily life can make a big difference regarding your attitude and outlook in life. But because meditation is a procedure, it involves several steps as well as postures when doing it.

1. Cross legged posture. Various spiritual traditions and meditation teachers suggest or prescribe various meditation physical postures. One of the most popular postures is the cross legged position which includes the lotus position. It is taught in most meditative traditions that the spinal cord must be kept straight. So, slouching is not a good idea. This is because, when you sit straight, it encourages good circulation of what they call as spiritual energy, which is the life force and vital breath.

2. Seated posture. A meditator can sit on the chair with his or her bare feet, as what the New Thought is teaching. In Orthodox Christianity, a meditator can sit on the stool. While in Theravada Buddhism, a meditator is walking in mind fulness. In Sukhothai, Thailand, walking meditation of the monks is called bas-relief. The meditator sits up keeping his or her back straight holding the spine and head in alignment without leaning and thighs parallel to the floor. The hands are rested comfortably on the arm's chair or on the knees.

3. Kneeling posture. The meditator kneels with both knees on the floor keeping his or her buttocks resting on his or her toes and heels which are almost touching. The hands rest on his or his thighs.

4. Lying down posture also known as corpse posture or savasna in yoga. The meditator rests on the carpet keeping his or her legs straight and relaxed. Nevertheless, this is not used more often since it mimics the natural posture of sleeping. The meditator can sometimes fall asleep. This is effective in reducing stress rather than a meditation process.

5. Incorporating mudras or hand gestures. There is a theological meaning behind these gestures. Ba sed on Yogic philosophy, these can affect consciousness. One example is the common hand-position of the Buddhist. The right hand rests on the top of the left hand with touching thumbs similar to the begging bowl of Buddha.

6. Incorporating various repetitive activities in stillness such as humming, chanting, or deep breathing to help in inducing a state of meditation. The Soto Zen practitioners do their meditation in front of a wall with open eyes. However, most mediation schools are assuming that the eyes are half-open or closed.

The duration and frequency of meditation also vary. There are nuns and monks who bow for a lifetime meditation. However, the broadly accepted duration is 20 or 30 minutes. This length may increase as the process goes on as what experienced meditators revealed. To obtain the benefits of meditation, it is advisable to follow the advices and instructions of the spiritual teacher. Most traditions require daily practice. But some may experience frustration or guilt when they failed to do it. Sometimes, meditators may complain about meditators knee especially during long hours of kneeling on one's knees or sitting on cross legs.

Keep in mind that perseverance and acceptance are needed to become successful. This can help you during prolonged hours of meditation and increase focus on your everyday lives.

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The Benefits of Stress Management

This article has been modified and was written by Elizabeth Scott and discusses the benefits of stress management in our contemporary culture. The feeling of stress most often is in our control but often we dont appreciate how important it is to manage our stress and how it impacts our physical and mental wellbeing.

The following are the benefits that stress management has in the different areas of our lives:

Your Health: Excessive stress really can lead to poor health outcomes, from relatively minor things like headaches and digestion problems in the short run to major conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke after years of unmanaged stress.

Your Looks: Many stress management techniques can also make you healthier and even more attractive. For example, taking care of your body by getting enough sleep can make you more productive and healthier, and can help you better manage stress, as well as stav ing off dark circles under the eyes and a poor complexion. Also, eating right can keep your blood sugar levels even, keeping your emotions in check and making you more resilient to stress, as well as helping you stay in your skinny jeans or favourite tee-shirts from college. Getting regular exercise can help you blow off steam when youre frustrated and keep your body fit and toned.

Increased Productivity: Simply put, when youre not stressed, you can be more productive because youre more focused. Therefore, it really pays to keep stress to a minimum and become better in stress management. Certain stress relief habits naturally make you more productive. Power napping, for example, can help you catch up on sleep and be more focused and productive, making less sleep stretch further. Being organized can also help you save time and money in the long run, reducing stress and helping you to be more productive in virtually every area of your life. Another constructive stress management habit is to limit your caffeine intake as it can help to improve your sleep feeling less stressed at the end of the day. Finally, having the right attitude is actually a habit that can be learned. Being an optimist can benefit you in many areas of your life, helping you let failures roll off your back and actually enabling you to achieve more!

Yo ur Happiness: Some stress management practices just bring more joy. If you want to enjoy life more, youll want to adopt some of these stress relievers, and the fun will come more easily. Caring for pets, enjoying music, dancing while you clean, working more laughter into your life, maintaining a supportive circle of friends, and even having sex are all fun activities and double as great stress management actions. Remind yourself that youre never too busy to include these activities in your lifestyletheyre great stress management techniques!

Your Stress LevelsOf Course! The desire to avoid walking around feeling stressed-out is, in itself, a good reason to bone up on stress management. Certain general techniques that primarily just relieve stress (rather than serving some secondary function) are more than worth adopting because, when youre less stressed, you enjoy life more.

Putting in the effort to learn effective strategies for stress relief and low-stress living will pay off in the long run. Because of this, stress management is among the most important subjects to learn! So be kind to yourself and commit to improving the quality of your life.

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Stress Management through Goal Setting

Stress is an ever-present part of life for everyone. Its perfectly normal and even healthy in moderation. But in excess it can be emotionally and physically problematic. Too much stress can increase the risk of health problems, like heart disease, depression, or autoimmune disorders. Excessive stress can cause irritability and mood swings, erode productivity at work and in the home, and damage interpersonal relationships with family, friends, and co-workers. Thats why its important to deal with stress early to prevent it from spiraling out of control. While its impossible to get rid of it entirely, you can set goals for yourself to manage stress effectively.

Pinpointing Stress Triggers

The very first step in this process is to identify all of the stressors in your life. Start by listing everything that causes you stress, no matter how small it may be. For instance, its easy to identify the loud-talking co-worker in the next cubicle, the long line at the banks drive-thru window, or the screaming of a baby as stressors. But you should also look for more subtle stress triggers such as inadequate lighting or heating, or the annoying printer sounds in your workspace. In addition, you should take note of any stress associated with your goals or objectives, such as office politics, bureaucratic delays, pay freezes, or a lack of recognition for your successes. When listing these stressors, you should physically write them down so you can refer back to them when assembling your stress management plan.

Establishing Stress Management Goals

Next, you should look at these stressors and formulate goals to deal with each of them. When making these goals, you must be sure to set realistic expectations for achieving them. So if you are disturbed by your co-worker talking too loudly on the phone, dont make just ignore it your goal (because if you were able to do that, it wouldnt be on your list). Instead, consider goals like use my iPod or ask co-worker to speak more quietly, because these are more likely to address the root problem.

When making goals to achieve bigger stress triggers, try to work in small, manageable steps. For example, if you are stressing about getting a promotion at work, you shouldnt simply pledge to get promoted by years end, because every week in which you dont get promoted is likely to discourage you and set you up for failure. Instead, try to achieve your goal in steps, such as list accomplishments and qualifications needed for the promotion, check with human resources to identify potential openings, or have lunch with someone in management. Achieving each one of these sub-goals not only allows you to make progress toward your ultimate goal, but also reduces your stress levels and gives you a sense of accomplishment along the way.

Many stressors might require long-term and short-term goal-setting. For instance, if one of your stressors is getting criticized by the boss, it may not be enough to simply plan to focus on your accomplishments to balance out the negatives. W hile that may be a laudable long-term goal, it may not be very effective in the moments right after you receive criticism when you are besieged by stress.

Instead, establish feasible short term goals, like performing breathing exercises or visualizing yourself relaxing on a beach right after a stressful situation occurs.

The presence of a long-term goal in and of itself may not be enough to keep you from stressing out, which again could result in a sense of failure. In addition, you might want to consider framing your goal into a weekly or even daily timeframe. If your goal is to wake up earlier, you might be more successful in accomplishing it if you write down wake up 15 minutes early tomorrow.

Its not realistic to believe you will wake up earlier every day for the rest of your life, especially if you enjoy sleeping in. But challenging yourself to rise earlier for the next day, and repeating this process frequently, will make the goal more attainable and build your confidence as you achieve it each day.

Remaining Realistic about Stress Management Goals

After you complete your stress management goals, be sure to recognize that there will likely be setbacks. Aside from the fact that no one is perfect, there are life events which will naturally increase your overall stress levels from end-of-year business duties and holiday shopping to personal illness or the death of a loved one. Forgiving yourself for straying from your stress management plan is an important factor in its ultimate success.

Also, dont be afraid to enlist support for your stress management objectives. Not only will friends and family give you encouragement, but co-workers might be able to give you direct assistance in achieving your goals, such as lobbying management for better lighting or more comfortable chairs. Most importantly, be sure to congratulate yourself when you experience succes s, even for taking a small step.

Giving yourself a well deserved pat on the back will boost your overall confidence level and increase the chances of you achieving your long-term stress management objectives. And definitely celebrate the realization of a stress management goal! This will not only supply you with added confidence on your quest for total stress management, but will also reinforce the idea that you can control stress instead of letting stress control you.

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Job Stress Management - Methods Of Managing Stress In The Workplace

For many of us, our jobs are a major cause of the stress in our lives. The sources of stress at the workplace can be long hours and physical exertion, a demanding boss, coworkers that we don't get along with, or countless other things. Whatever your specific situation may be, it is of little doubt that learning how to reduce and manage job stress is an important part of your overall stress reduction and relaxation strategy.

The causes of job stress can be loosely divided into categories such as interpersonal relationships, the nature of the job itself, and unmet expectations. This article will be a first in a series that will provide the solutions to these various sources of job stress. We will also discuss general strategies how to manage stress and relax during work. This first article in the installment will focus on job stress that stems from relationships in the workplace.

Workplace Stress Management - Conflict & Interpersonal Relationships

Communication and relationships with others are a significant part of most people's jobs and can also be major causes of stress. Whether it is with coworkers, management, or clients, most of us deal with others in the workplace on a daily basis. As a result, we often find ourselves in conflicts with the people that we work with. These conflicts can be out in the open where all sides are aware of the conflict, or they can be something that we suffer from in silence. For example, an open conflict is one where you and one of your coworkers dislike each other and both of you are aware of that fact. A silent conflict could be your personal negative feelings towards your boss that you cannot directly express to him or her.

A key element in job stress management and solving both types of conflict is to find the middle ground and the balance between assertiveness and com promise with the other party. For instance, let's take the case of Dave who is a software engineer working as part of a project team. One of Dave's team members never completes his work on time, which means that Dave and the rest of the team have to work overtime to finish within the deadline. This, naturally, generates much workplace stress among the rest of the project team. Also, for various reasons, the project team members would prefer not to involve upper management in the conflict, which means that they have to sort it out among each other. Some of Dave's other team members have already tried pointing out the issue to the person who's always behind, but they have done it in a highly uncompromising manner with threats and raised voices.
After the team has lashed out at the always-late team member, a fact that has only alienated the person even more from the rest of the team, Dave decided to try a different approach. Dave calmly explained to the coworker that no one has anything personal against him, but that it isn't fair to everyone else to be working overtime because one person cannot complete the tasks assigned to him or her. Dave asked his coworker what exactly is the issue that is always holding him back, and assured him that the team will help him resolve the issue if it's within their power.

In this environment of openness and genuine concern, the coworker shared with Dave that what always makes him late is his inability to efficiently work a certain piece of software that the team is using. Apparently, with all the daily rush, no one has properly trained the coworker how to use that tool. The coworker promised that he will do everything possible to complete his part on time, but it w ould greatly help him if someone could finally teach him how to use the tool properly once and for all.

This one patient conversation has resolved the issue and saved countless hours of overtime, stress, and aggravation for the whole team. As a result, the source of workplace stress for this team was successfully eliminated.

The point here is that quite often, the party who is causing the job stress is not even aware of it, and once confronted in a calm and understanding manner will most likely accommodate the request. The key is to remain calm and to be assertive and yet to seem accommodating at the same time.

Another important tip for job stress management has got to do with negotiation and communication within the workplace, or any place else where you are making a request, for that matter. The tip is that it is always best to give a concrete reason for your request. In the example with Dave, he noted to the coworker that the reason that t hey are having this conversation is because the rest of the team suffers from the problem at hand, and the whole team risks looking bad with the management.

For example, if you are about to ask your manager for a raise in pay, make sure to address why you think that you deserve the raise. Bring up any of your achievements and contributions to the organization, and mention why a fair increase in pay to recognize your contribution is appropriate at this time. Providing a concrete reason for your request of an increase in pay makes it seem for what it is - a valid recognition of your good service, instead of just an arbitrary demand for more money.

Although interpersonal relationships in the workplace can be a major source of workplace stress, this source can often be easily managed with the right approach. The most important element of workplace stress management with regards to relationships in the workplace is to stay calm and maintain a level of compro mise as well as assertiveness where appropriate.

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How To Improve Your Digestive Health

Digestive health is an important part of a healthy body. When we are in a poor diet our digestive system is weakened. When our digestive system becomes weak, our immune system is weakened too. A weak immune system can lead to many diseases, therefore, it is important to take good care of our digestive health. With a healthy digestive system, nutrients are absorbed and sent to nourish the body. When the food we eat becomes properly digested, our bodies absorb nutrients and eliminate wastes and toxins.

A derivative of fermented milk helps maintain healthy blood pressure and protects the arterial wall. Potassium and sodium are necessary for a healthy heart and blood vessels. Pomegranate helps promote healthy blood flow. All these can be found in a supplement to maintain healthy blood pressure.

Another way to improve your digestion is to increase your fiber intake. Fiber can be found in most foods such as dried fruits, beans, legumes, apples, and certain dairy products. Fiber is also beneficial for those individuals trying to lose weight. The reason why fiber is beneficial for rapid weight loss is that you still feel full longer and improves digestion. And last but not least, you should try to add more good bacteria in your daily diet.
Develop the habit of drinking water often and regularly is important because it is easy to become dehydrated between meals that can negatively affect your digestive system. If you normally do not drink much water, make a conscious effort to drink a glass of water in the morning and change your soda / energy drink coffee and a glass or bottle of water during the day.

Eat when hungry and not necessarily at times in "package" will help your ability to digest food. When you're hungry, your body will be able to release more enzymes in the stomach that aide in digestion. When a person eats when not hungry, the stomach can not secrete as many digestive enzymes.

Basically, this extra work saps energy from other parts of your body. Your body has to work harder to keep up. Think of an assembly line than a minute. If all goes well, a number of units produced. Now if you stop the assembly line, requiring more manual processes, reduce total production.

Most of us do not like change. We would like to stay within our comfort zone and keep the old customs and family. Healthy eating and weight loss are no different. But small changes are often less trouble than we think it will be and also the new regime can only add some unexpected variety in their diet. Why not give it a try? Who knows weight loss and improved health may actually be easier than you think.

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Digestive health can be prevented

Health is wealth!! To keep yourself healthy you need to eat lots of healthy foods. Healthy foods help in keeping the good immune system within your body and for that purpose your digestive system should be in a perfect working condition. To remain healthy is not a very big deal as any body can remain fit and healthy by systematically following a healthy diet. In most people the main reason behind all digestive problems is caused due to their overweight which may in future lead them in different types of complications. So, it is advisable for you to reduce your weight by performing some light exercises and keep the digestive system in a proper working condition. Thus, the primary requirement for your digestive health is a proper diet.

Proper diet is a must for everybody to keep your body healthy. A proper diet does not mean that you can eat anything anytime. There are some food items and vegetable which can easily get digested but the main concern rises with those food items which does not get digested properly. To keep a proper digestive health you should eat those fruits and vegetables which contain vitamins, minerals. You can eat lots of fibers to maintain the normal bowel system, intake lots of water to flush out toxins from your body etc. Their should be a proper time gap between your two meals and also you can go for a morning or an evening walk or both as they help you to maintain proper body weight and also reduces any kind of digestive disorders inside your body.

Inside our body there are many friendly bacteria present which helps in keeping a good digestive health system, but when some of these bacteria become harmful for your body, microbial infection occurs. The immediate effect that this microbial infections causes your body is that you feel drowsy, lethargy towards your daily routine and if your skin gets affected then you can see unwanted boils in your face or in arms. Your digestive system gets badly affected resulting in vomiting and other symptoms. Sometimes microbial infections spread inside your body when you intake some contaminated food or water. There is nothing to worry about. These microbial infections are easily curable by taking different antibiotics as suggested by your physician which keeps a check in the growth of these harmful bacteria. Therefore, you should take good care of your health, eat a balanced diet to keep your digestive health intact and can easily stay away from these harmful micro bial infections.

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Good Digestive Health is a Cornerstone of Overall Health

It is a well-known fact that people who take good care of themselves enjoy a healthier overall life. Unfortunately, many people tend to overlook some of the more important parts about their health and although they may have increased energy and stamina, they may still succumb from time to time to illness. If that is true in your case, what can be done to make sure that you are taking care of all of your health needs?

Although it certainly is good to eat a good diet and to make sure that you exercise regularly, the way that your body handles the food that you eat is also something for you to consider. Digestive health is just as important as any other part of your health regime and in many cases, it is even more important. As a matter of fact, many leading health professionals consider your digestive health to be paramount to keeping free from diseases such as cancer. What can you do to make sure that your digestive health is at its prime and to give your immune system the boost that it needs to keep you going?

Like any part of your body, your digestion can be affected according to various lifestyle changes that you may make. For example, if you were to eat an all raw diet of fruits and vegetables, breathe absolutely clean air and drink the best water in the world, you probably would not need to be concerned about your digestive health. Unfortunately, there are so many things in the world around us that can affect our health and decrease our body's ability to maintain a clean gastrointestinal tract. That is why supplementation with immune system boosters may be necessary, and provided it is done properly, it can not only help to improve your digestion, it can keep your body from getting sick in many cases.

Being able to recognize some of the problems that can occur which will affect your digestion can also help you to avoid these difficulties. Some of them, such as traveling may be a part of our lifestyle that cannot be changed. Other problems, such as having too much stress, not getting enough sleep, smoking, excessive drinking and even just the fact that we are getting older can cause our digestion to slow down. This can cause a variety of different symptoms, such as exhaustion, agitation and even depression. As a matter of fact, one of the first things that are usually looked into when somebody enters in to a mental facility is if they are having problems with constipation. It really is that serious of a matter.

At first, it may be necessary for you to supplement more fully in order to boost your immune system and help you to get beyond your current medical status. Eventually, however, you're just going to be able to go into a maintenance program and, along with leading a healthier life, it can really help to reduce the amount of illness that you experience. Any effort that you put into it is certainly going to be well worth it.

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Probiotic Supplement Review – Improving Your Digestive Health

In a time when irritable bowels syndrome, acid reflux and many other digestive disorders are on the rise this probiotic supplement review will come in very handy indeed. The fact is that probiotics were once considered to be the provenance of a fringe group of holistic health devotees.

Now some doctors are even venturing to remark that these supplements may be as important to overall health as any multivitamin. Today, after much more research has been done, we are seeing the medical profession get behind this call for better digestive health. Yes, it has gone mainstream and with good reason.

To start this probiotic supplement review without telling you what it is and what it does would be doing you a disservice. What the majority of the people mean when they talk about probiotics is simply a supplement that has the opposite effect as an antibiotic.

There are more than 400 different types of bacteria. Each species has its own function in the human digestive tract. Some are benign and others are kept in check by still a different species of bacteria.

Let something happen to one species and the one they were meant to keep in check will start to multiply rapidly and this is what causes the disruptions in the orderly functioning of our systems.

Probiotics can be food in foods we eat such as yogurt and other cultured milk products. They are also in Sauer Kraut and other foods that are fermented. Although these natural sources of probiotics are good, rarely does anyone eat enough of them to be beneficial. This is why taking it in the form of a supplement is most crucial. It seems that these probiotics is the key to fighting a few of the food borne ailments plaguing society today.

This healthy bacteria helps to keep the immune system working at its peak, this is the system that is charged with fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses. Just recently there was a huge egg recall due to cases of salmonella. There were many health officials alerting the general public that probiotics may help them to conquer the effects of such food poisoning.

While studying other probiotic supplement reviews and various studies we found that even though people are eating healthier this is still not good enough to stop a lot of the digestive ailments that are becoming so widespread. It seems that vegetables are becoming contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. This result in what we call food poisoning. The numbers stated by the CDC for deaths due to these types of illnesses are staggering.

There is one key component that is completely overlooked when it comes to a healthy digestive system is prebiotics.

While probiotic foods do a brilliant job in providing the digestive system with healthy bacteria, their benefits are not as efficient without prebiotics. Prebiotics are essential for digestive health and provide a wide range of spectacular health benefits and increased protection against disease.

While most people partake of the right prebiotic foods, few consume the right quantity of prebitiocs for a healthier digestive tract.

Take heart, you do not have to be one of the people who are constantly plagued with digestive maladies. You can take a prebiotic supplement on a daily basis to ensure good digestive health.

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Ways to Improve Your Digestive Health

Digestive health is a very crucial part of a healthy body. When we are on a poor diet our digestive system becomes weak. When our digestive system becomes weak, our immune system weakens as well. A weak immune system can lead to countless number of illnesses; therefore, it is important to take great care of our digestive health. With a healthy digestive tract, nutrients are absorbed and sent off to nourish the whole body. When the food that we eat becomes properly digested; our bodies absorb nutrients and get rid of waste and toxins. When our digestive tract is not properly functioning, we might eventually suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or even colon cancer. So what are some of the ways that we can take care of our digestive system?

One way that we can improve our digestive health is through a healthy diet. For instance, we can eliminate our fried food and processed food intake. We can increase our intake of fruit, vegetables, and fiber rich foods. We can also increase our intake of water and our intake of probiotic foods (such as yogurt). After we have taken these steps toward a healthier diet, we can also incorporate exercise into our healthy routine. Regular exercise is not only good for your overall health, but it may also reduce your stress levels (which also have a negative effect on your digestive health).

There are also several natural supplements available out there today which aid in improving the health of your digestive system. These supplements tend to treat bloating, indigestion, chronic fatigue, intestinal problems, colon problems, and many other digestive troubles. So remember to take good care of your digestive system because it is one of the most important factors of a healthy lifestyle.

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Health care insurance is available for you - Other

Many people in the USA are looking for more affordable health care owing to the continued increase in premiums. Workers are being hit hard by employers anxious to save money on their premiums by reducing cover or passing on the rises in cost. I am one of those people affected by these rises because a couple of years ago my companys health care plan was changed, resulting in fewer benefits. Last fall, out of the blue, we were informed that our health care provider was going to be switched to a cheaper alternative.

They said that to have a low cost health care scheme for everyone meant we would have to change companies. I do not doubt that many people will say that I am still doing alright and should not complain. To some extent I do agree, but their search for another provider now costs me double the money from my paychecks to have my husband and daughter on my policy. Ok, so many other people benefit, including my company, but my paycheck is considerably lighter now that the premium has doubled to keep my family on the policy.

I suppose my health care plan is still good but this new company is not as good as the old one. As far as I and some of my co-workers are concerned, the only real person to benefit form this new *affordable* health care arrangement is my company. I am sure of this because just over 2 years ago when I had my little boy, the stay in hospital was completely covered by my insurance policy. Whereas if I were to have that same stay in hospital today it would cost over 4,000 dollars.

However, that amount is just for the hospital and delivery because I would also have other expenses and that just doesn't seem fair to the majority that are involved. Luckily there are more and more affordable health care programs being created to help those that do not have any coverage. Some people are even able to get free health care, also single mothers or families where an employment scheme is not available are having the opportunity to join low cost plans. In principle, these plans are a good thing but there are always those that misuse it making the situation difficult for genuine cases.

Those less well off are in need of these affordable health care schemes but they are also used by those who are intent on living of the state and do not actually contribute to society. Although I say they can be a burden to the state, I really mean a burden to its citizens because it is the tax payer who foots the bill. It is true to say that my employer is very happy because he found distinct benefits to finding a different health plan program. Many of the workers found themselves subsidizing the companys desire to save money yet still provide a scheme by ensuring that they paid in their paychecks. We have a responsibility here in America to providing some sort of affordable health care for those that need it most.

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Resolving to Care: Integrative Health Care Reform - Health - Alternative Medicine

As a twisted Christmas present to Americans who care about health, the Wall Street Journal recently published an article knocking integrative physicians, Deepak Chopra, MD, and Andrew Weil, MD.

Why? Why would the Wall Street Journal bother to devote space to this jibe? (For the doctors' reply to this attack, see Chopra's HuffPost blog here: /deepak-chopra/leave-the-sinking-ship-an_b_154538.html

For the simple reason that if these two famous doctors (and the legions of integrative physicians and practitioners who follow them) have their way, the coming health care reform under the Obama administration will improve quality and lower costs by accessing a wide range of integrative health care modalities.

Why is that a problem? Because when integrative methods are adopted for wellness maintenance, for disease prevention, and/or for treatment of chronic diseases and anti-aging, it will signal one thing:

An end to the long gravy train ride for pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and conventional practices based more on the profit motive than on caring.

"Between 1998 and 2006, pharmaceutical companies and other manufacturers of health-care products spent over a billion dollars on lobbying, more than anybody else... Insurance companies, including health insurers, ranked second." This insight into the behind the scene forces in the health care debate comes from Obama's choice to lead health care reform, former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, writing in his recent book, "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crises.

Keep Daschle's assessment in mind that when you hear the media deriding integrative health. The same folks paying big bucks to lobby Congress are also big media buyers (of those commercials for pills that fix your every problem.) This shrinks the likelihood that media reportage on health (in the Wall Street Journal or elsewhere) will be objective, well-researched, open-minded, or in the public interest.

Meanwhile, the integrative health community is organizing to strategize how best to incorporate their offerings to improve American health care delivery and results. In just the last week, I attended a think tank and later interviewed key participants in the coming integrative health reform.

James S. Gordon, MD, Director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine hosted twenty-five participants (ranging from top Congressional health policy advisors, to high ranking military health policy personnel, to integrative practitioners, to parents of special needs children) to dialogue and build consensus.

The group unanimously supported a single payer insurance model so long as prevention, self-care, and a wellness orientation are covered and integral.

Gordon, who served as Chairman of the White House Commission of Complementary and Alternative Health Care Policy, spent two years touring the country to solicit the needs and offerings in this field. Having worked extensively with a wide range of sizeable populations in dire need, including the traumatized survivors of Kosovo, Gordon strongly supports self-care but has found that incentives adopted to induce compliance are ineffective.

"Nothing you can use to coerce or bribe people to follow a program will make a difference. On the other hand, when you help people to see the connection between what they are doing and how they feel, the vast majority will do what's necessary. Self care begins with caring--and that's where any health system worth its name must begin."

The Samueli Institute, which explores the science of healing through research and other initiatives, hosted a meeting of 25 leading physicians, researchers, and scientists. (An additional 150 participated by phone.) This group assessed and offered input to a proposal to create a wellness office in the Executive branch to act as a driver for the inclusion of prevention and integrative health treatments.

Participants agreed that self-care (including nutrition, exercise, stress management, and a wide range of emotional and social supports) should be offered in health care, education, workplace, medical education, and other venues.

Wayne Jonas, MD, Samueli's CEO told the group that with its emphasis on training and education, innovation, and knowledge transfer, integrative health care aligns well with other key initiatives of the next administration.

Howard Federoff, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President of the Georgetown University Medical Center, called attention to a crucial need for a preventive approach to health care and disease management. "There's been an artificial distinction between wellness and disease, but in reality they exist in a continuum. The earlier we can intervene in every major class of human disease, the better off we will be."

"Those planning health care need to better understand the human organism in health and disease," counseled Gregory Fricchione, MD, Director of the Benson Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

"Let's not let caring become an afterthought. As a society, how can we continue to permit individuals to fall through the cracks and go without security and solace? This leads downstream to health problems of all kinds. We can't afford it."

Take action to include integrative health care in health reform at: For regular reports on integrative health reform, go to:

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Single Payer Gains New Ground In The Battle For Healthcare Reform In Pennsylvania - Society - Politics

Our grassroots organizing campaign to get an economic impact study to pass HB 1660, a Single Payer, guaranteed healthcare program for all Pennsylvanians, also called "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act" has reached higher groundas three separate events converge that bode extremely well for the eventual passage of the bill.

Here is a summery of these three events:

1) Independence Blue Cross of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh based Highmark Blue Shield were poised to merge and take over health insurance coverage here in Pennsylvania.

But both companies withdrew the merger for reasons that had to do with the fact that the merger would reduce competition for the health care dollar plus an unwillingness on the part of both companies to give up the "Blue Cross-Blue Shield" brand each company spend seventy years developing.

Bottom line, the merger was not going to be approved very likely because of activist opposition by groups such as Healthcare for All Pa.

The merger got lost in the squabble over all of these details.

Single Payer activists are confident that the failure of this merger will dramatically boost the prospects that the Pennsylvania State legislature will pass HB 1660/SB 300, Universal Healthcare, the "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act" that Governor Rendell repeatedly said he will sign.

Executive Director of Healthcare For All Pennsylvania, Chuck Pennacchio, responded to the January 22, 2009 news by saying," The dramatic defeat of the previously "untouchable" health insurance giants signals a power shift in Harrisburg that nobody saw coming., Added Pennacchio, "Healthcare for All Pennsylvania's 8,000 members have spent much of the last year fighting thismonopoly merger, while advocating for the proven Single Payer Solution--both on the basis of economics, human decency and simple common sense. Today we are victorious in blocking the expansion of an industry that causes the loss of 31 cents out of every healthcare dollar: an industry that profits off our suffering, and puts 95% of us at risk for medical bankruptcy should we experience a medical catastrophe. Having achieved the first of our two goals, we are now poised to enact the law called "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act."

The "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act " will establish a healthcare policy in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by the following terms: publicly-funded, privately provided, guaranteed, comprehensive, quality, affordable healthcare for all temporary and legal Pennsylvanian citizens, plus migrant farm workers and out of state students.

Every body In. Nobody out.

2) Philadelphia City Council unanimously voted to support HB 1660 and SB 300.

Passage of HB 1660/SB 300 would give the City of Philadelphia a estimated $500 million surplus, more than enough to cover Mayor Nutter's projected budget shortfall of 2 billion dollars over the next 5 years,

Additionally, HB 1660/SB 300 would guarantee access to comprehensive health care at much less cost than what average families are now paying, generate thousands of new healthcare delivery jobs, save an average business that provides healthcare, an estimated 25%-60% on health care costs a year, reduce property tax, (in theory) cut auto-insurance rates, (in theory) reduce worker's compensation costs, retainexisting businesses and encourage the development of new businesses, and reverse the physician and nursing shortages facing cities and rural areas all across the State.

3) Healthcare For All Pennsylvania are now organizing a state wide blitz to pass HB 1660/SB 300 legislation.

Eighteen local and regional organizers met last weekend at the Council of Churches Building in Harrisburg for training on how to pass theHB 1660 and SB 300.

We learned proven organizing stradegies and tactics at the meeting for enacting Pennsylvania's "Family and Business HealthcareSecurity Act."

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 300 and House Bill 1660 will soon be reintroduced in the legislature and enjoy unique political advantages, placing the legislation on the inside track among universal healthcare proposals across the nation.

Pennacchio said at the meeting, " Pennsylvania led the charge that established the nation's independence from British tyranny in the eighteenth century. Today we declare our independence from profit-centured health insurance company tyrants who systematically highjack health care decisions and funding to maximize profits, perks, and CEO salaries."

Workshops included education, organization, media and social media outreach, internal and external communication and fund raising.

Unique public advantages include: promised signature by Governor Rendell upon passage of the bill; funding authority contained within the legislation itself; bi-partisan co-sponsorship of the bill; overwhelming bi-partison support for an economic impact study on HB 1660/ SB 300; public opinion support of legislative goals (68%, 5/1/08, Quinnipaic Survey of Pa).

Thanks to Chuck Pennacchio for providing me the information to write this article! And thanks to Chuck for his never-ending persistence in achieving healthcare to all Pennsylvania citizens.

Thanks also to all members of Healthcare For All Pa, and a special thanks to Jerry Policoff, who with Chuck, pioneers this crucial and important work.

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Rural Republican Caucus Public Hearing About Guaranteed healthcare For All/Single Payer In PA - Business

Healthcare for All Pennsylvania held a public hearing on HB 1660: the Family and Business Healthcare Security Act on 3/18/09 at the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA.

Our audience was the Pennsylvania Rural Republican Healthcare Caucus, per invitation of caucus chair Representative Kerry Benninghoff, Republican of Centre County, Northern Pennsylvania.

The testifiers were Dr. Bill Davidson, (cardiologist), Alan Jacobs, (business leader), Janice Horn, (League Of Women Voters), Wes Fisher, (medical student), Chuch Pennacchio (Executive Director Of Healthcare PA), and me, Kate Loving Shenk, (Nurse Healer).

Everyone gave eloquent testimony and the Caucus was intensely interested, leaning forward, and listening and nodding.

Dr. Davidson said, "The American people need to send a clear message to our legislators. In order for people to speak with a clear voice, they must grow wise to the propaganda that has distracted and divided them in the past.

"For instance, is providing healthcare to everyone a Communist Plot or simply a good idea that appeals to everyone of good will?

"Do we understand that as in Canada, where most of the care is delivered by private physician, a single payer system here would give everyone their choice of privately practicing physicians in hospitals? "Do we allow the pharmaceutical industry to hold us hostage with exorbitant prices or do we group negotiate with them like the Veteran's Administration, who get medicines for 40% less?

"Do we accept the mantra that raising taxes is always a negative, or do we look at the bottom line that shows that after eliminating premiums, co-pays, deductibles etc, most of us will pay less that we do now?

"Do we accept the lies about waiting lines causing premature deaths in other countries or examine the facts that show that the medical outcomes in these countries are no worse than ours while their elderly live longer and their infants are healthier?

"Do we accept that the loss of a job means you lose your medical insurance and go bankrupt, and that often, we lose a job when we are sick and most in need of health insurance? Or do we provide a system like the rest of the industrialized world where employment is not connected to health insurance, and being stuck in a dead end job because of "health benefits" is not a reality nor was it ever considered a necessity?

"Do we accept the notion that the government can't do anything right including Medicare with a 3% overhead or stay with Blue Cross and Aetna with their 20% overhead, multimillion CEO's and pre-existing conditions?"

Dr. Davidson finished by saying that the medical insurance industry is hard at work to control the dialogue regarding healthcare reform in this country. Any discussion that leaves out Single Payer will also be leaving out middle America.

The choice is ours but the longer we delay, the more we suffer.

Medical student Wes Fisher is the regional director of AMSA, American Medical Association, which is an independent association for medical students in this country.

Amsa stands behind Guaranteed Healthcare For All. It has specifically supported a publicly funded, privately delivered healthcare delivery system.

A large number of medical students commuted to the State Pennsylvania Legislature twice in 2008 to rally and lobby for HB 1660 and SB 400.

Wes said he has accumulated a $300,000 debt. This debt combined with the infamous malpractice suit reputation in PA makes it easy for many if not most of our medical students to leave PA and take jobs elsewhere. The retention rate of medical students is quite low, around 7%.

Wes said he would happily stay in Pennsylvania with passage of HB 1660/SB 400, as would many if not all of his student colleagues, due to real tort reform already spelled out in the bill(s) and a system which provides healthcare including dental care to all.

My testimony included the many scenarios I have encountered over the years as a practicing RN and CRNP (Certified Nurse Practitioner).

One night I was working in a Trauma Unit, when a recently retired man came in after suffering from a major stroke when he stopped taking his blood pressure medicine.

He stopped taking it because his health insurance inexplicably dropped him due to a glitch in the system right after he retired.

I said to the nurses there, "Is this a rare event, people getting cut off health insurance after they retire?"

And they said, "It happens all the time."

I told this story to the caucus, as well as many other shockers.

I also told the caucus that this is not a political issue.

It is good for business.

It is good for the economy.

And it is the right thing to do.

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The Health Care We Deserve - Health

The Health Care We Deserve

The givens: our country over decades has jerry-built a health care "system" that is unfair and inefficient. We pay far more for far less care than any other industrialized nation. And we have forty million people uninsured for whom a major illness can mean mortgaging a home, not sending a kid to college, or worse.

Now the country is finally beginning to address health care reform in a meaningful way, in what could well be the most important domestic policy debate since the New Deal.

Key elements in this debate are competition, costs-and courage.

Competition. A huge point of contention is defining what additional role, if any, government should play in health care. As we see, this argument quickly descends from policy to ideology, which is why it is so difficult.

Many Americans favor a "single-payer" national health care system run by the Federal government-a huge shift from the current system managed by private insurance companies whose primary goal is to turn a profit. Statistics show that the single-payer systems used by most other industrialized countries are more equitable and efficient than the hodge-podge we now have here.

But single-payer is not on the table in 2009, shelved by strategists in the White House and in Congress who fear the power of the health insurance lobbies to scuttle any reforms that contain it. Single-payer could put health insurance companies out of business and they will fight to keep that from happening.

There's a compromise afloat-the so-called "government option" in which a government-run health care plan would be just one option for consumers, competing with private plans to enroll members. The plan or plans that worked best for lowest costs would gain customers, forcing others to either improve or leave the market. Sounds like classic capitalism, right?

But even this thoroughly sensible idea is in under attack because the insurance companies are afraid that they would lose such a competition, forcing them to either better meet peoples' needs-or lose business. They are already arguing that the playing field would be tilted against them. Unlike the government, for example, health insurance companies find it difficult to pressure themselves to use their leverage to contain costs-because those costs add to their own profits. They also argue that they have expenses that the government doesn't-like the billions they spend on advertising and inflated CEO salaries.

The arguments against a government option would collapse of their own weight were it not for the support of lawmakers eating at the trough filled by the health insurance lobby. As President Obama put it last week to Republican lawmakers: "Why is it that the government, which private insurers say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical...they should be able to compete."

Cost-containment. Three of the best new ideas:

- Focus more attention and dollars on prevention, which costs far less than treatment, especially treatment in ERs.

- Put more attention and dollars on expanding primary care, which is a low-cost way to keep people healthy and reduce the number of higher-cost interventions.

- Create a national electronic database of medical records, which would drastically cut administrative costs while reducing medical accidents.

But that's the "easy" stuff. There can be no serious effort to cut health care costs in this country until we as a people accept that we can't have it all. We can't have an MRI machine in every clinic and we can't provide unlimited options for treatment and at the same time complain that our health care costs are too high.

Medicare paid for expensive exploratory surgery for my dying 94-year old mother that, even had it succeeded, would have given her only a few more months. Her case is hardly unique. Studies show that, overall, adding expensive high-tech options does little or nothing to improve health care outcomes.

But do I want a government bureaucrat telling me whether or not I can have a certain medical procedure? No, I do not, but even more I don't want an accountant in an insurance company making that decision. I want a doctor helping me and my family choose options. And if those options are limited, at least I want them limited by some sensible parameters created by experts who have no economic stake in the outcome.

Means testing is another difficult cost-containment option. My mother left an estate of $250,000. Her final illness cost $35,000, yet her estate paid not a dime of it. In my view, Medicare should have taken all or part of that $35,000 from her estate.

Courage. No health care reform will succeed until the White House and the Congress are finally willing to stand up to the health care lobby. The shameful hold on Congress by that industry must end; the names of legislators beholden to it must be widely publicized, so voters can assess who's listening to the money, not the needs of the people.

Government must use its enormous bargaining power to lower the costs of the health care it pays for, such as Medicare and Medicaid. It was outrageous for Congress in 2003 to forbid Medicare from negotiating lower drug costs with pharmaceutical companies.

But our leaders need our support if we expect them to make tough decisions like these. There won't be meaningful health care reform if citizens remain frightened, insular and uninformed. All of us need to:

Accept that health care reform must happen, even though it may mean changes we think might be risky or that reduce treatment options the nation can no longer afford.

Accept that covering all Americans is going to cost a lot of money upfront; many of the best cost-containment measures may take years to implement.

Wake up. Giving for-profit companies the primary power to manage our national health care pleases libertarian and rightwing ideologues, but it's not a policy that can ever lead to efficient and equitable outcomes. If for-profit companies are to continue to play a role, it must be tightly regulated, as it is now in the popular plan enjoyed by Federal employees.

Be prepared to stand up to Harry and Louise. The more capable we are of making informed decisions, the less vulnerable we are to the simplistic scare tactics sure to be thrown at us by the protectors of this woeful status quo.

We deserve better than what we have. We deserve better than what the health care industry is willing to give us. We deserve better than a weak compromise from Congress described as victory.

We will have to fight for it.

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