Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

Celebrity Detox Drink Recipe
Try arranging an aromatherapy or reflexology session as a special treat, or indulge in a facial. If you can persuade the therapist to treat you in your own home, you will derive the greatest benefit from this and also avoid having to drive. A detox takes away the primary causes of overload and gives these systems a chance to work at optimum levels, and diet with Master Cleanse. A detoxification program should be tailor made to suite your specific requirements based on clinical tests and symptoms. Master Cleanse program is highly popular with celebrities in Hollywood. The main idea of a detox diet is to eliminate nearly all foods and restrict the body to only water and veggetables for a few days usually around 5 or 6 days is adequate, which is the reason why you must be on the Master Cleanse

Why Use Master Cleanse Program
The human body is more than able to do a complete detoxification of itself. The detoxification process is a continuous process that takes place in the lungs, kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and the skin. Our immune system plays a major role in the elimination of the toxins from the body, too. See more on Master Cleanse at Master Cleanse Diet The procedure works by attracting charged toxic substances in the body and then drawing them out into the water. Apparently this method might only be effective in getting rid of charged toxins in the body which are mostly metals.

Master Cleanse Benefits:
Master Cleanse is the world most popular diet program. To relax take 300 to 400 mg of calcium and 250 mg of magnesium once a day. As well as doing a fast, it would be very helpful in speeding up the healing and cleansing process by doing enemas. Getting rid of old or impacted feces will greatly aid in your health and well being. A coffee enema works great. Before you put the coffee grounds in the pot, open up a capsule of slippery elm bark and aloe vera and add it to the grounds. Make sure you use purified water, not tap water. Then follow with a lemon cleanse. So, do start your master cleanse diet today. Some toxins can even fit into hormone receptor sites on cell surfaces.

Over the last 2 years, the link between weight gain and the stress hormone Cortisol has taken center stage. The concept was introduced, capitalized upon, and basically challenged in the legal system all within the last 2 years. The FTC filed a lawsuit against a maker of a Cortisol product claiming false advertising and unsubstantiated claims, yet you still see and hear of products claiming to control Cortisol. The public still seems to hold onto hope regarding the possibility of the science and potential effectiveness of these products.

Two years later, is there a product, or products, that have actually helped people reach their weight goals? It seems to be a subjective question. Some products work for certain people and others don’t. There is one thing that will remain true through all of this controversy regarding Cortisol, if you don’t include proper diet and exercise, the majority of supplements will fail you. The makers of CortiSlim were very effective at bringing the topic of Cortisol to the people.

How effective their product is remains debatable. CortiSlim may have helped many people, but when weighed with the outrageous claims they made, it is clear to see that there has been significant public backlash. If you take the time to review the ingredients in comparable products, you will see that the formula may seem outdated. Relacore has been around even longer than CortiSlim and now can be seen on TV making the same claims about “belly fat” and the connection with Cortisol. CortiDrene is another product offering a Stress-related weight-control formula. Unlike the previous 2 products, CortiDrene has not done any national advertising and has seemed to ride the wave of publicity and focused solely on actual experiences from consumers. CortiDrene has changed their formula in an effort to provide more quality ingredients and fight the effects of stress from several angles.

As the author of this opinionated editorial, I can speak to you from my experience fighting the battle of the bulge and honestly tell you over the last 2 years, I have tried all 3 products. I can also offer this; I believe that you have to commit to a lifestyle change in order for any supplement to provide quality support. For my money and expectations, I was left expecting more from Cortislim and Relacore. I enjoyed the feeling I had with CortiDrene and actually felt more comfortable while using it. I agree with CortiSlim when they say it is a “Lifestyle”. I just wished they had said that in the first place.

Amber Johnson is a traveling contributor to many nutritional forums and focuses on “popular” weight-loss and diet supplements. She is working on the release of her first book, a comprehensive review of “Fad” supplements since the year 2000.

It would seem that very soon the old adage of “An apple a day will keep the doctor away” can be replaced with the common tomato. Why? Tomatoes are rich in a powerful antioxidant called lycopene. Antioxidants are extremely important because they prevent and even repair damaged cells in your body. There have been recent studies that have convincing results that lycopene also can prevent prostate cancer and heart disease. One such study, conducted by the University of North Carolina, compared the fat samples of 1,379 men who had suffered from heart attacks with those of healthy men. This study concluded that those men with high levels of lycopene were half as likely to have a heart attack as those with lower levels. Another Harvard study of over 47,000 men found that as levels of lycopene in their blood stream rose, their risks of prostate cancer were considerably reduced. Preliminary research has also suggested that lycopene may be linked to preventing macular degenerative disease which strikes nearly 1.75 million people in the United States.

With such supportive research as a backbone, it indeed seems a good reason to change the slogan. Do your family members have a history of prostate cancer or heart disease? Then perhaps it is time to take a good look at your diet and incorporate foods that are rich in antioxidants such as lycopene.

Although lycopene is most prevalent in tomatoes, it can also be found in rosehip, guava, pink grapefruit and watermelon. However, the tomato is the most common source but only in certain forms. For example, a plain tomato fresh off the vine has very little actual lycopene per serving (only approximately 8mg). The process of cooking a tomato and subsequently raising its temperature actually makes the lycopene easier to absorb into your liver, lungs, prostate gland and skin. The most efficient absorption rates come from drinking tomato juice at 22.9mg per serving with a close second found in spaghetti sauce at 20mg per serving.

Our diet is an essential factor for the formation of our body. It is clearly mentioned in an Ayurvedic classic ‘Charak Samhita’ that consuming improper diet in improper way is the main cause of ‘Disease’.

According to ‘Charak Samhita -”An appropriate and suitable diet in a disease is equivalent to hundred drugs and any quantity of drug hardly compares to good results in disease without following proper dietetic regimen”

Ayurvedic has mentioned following principles for living full span of life with perfect health.

Diet should be regulated taking into account the ‘Desha’(territory), ‘Kala’ (Season as well as time of the day) etc. On should be in a habit of taking all six ‘Rasa’ (tastes) in order to prevent nutritional deficiency disorders.

Time of consuming food : A person should take meal only when he feels hungry. Lunch should be taken early between 12 and 1P.M. this coincides with the peak Pitta period, Pitta is responsible for the digestion. Ayurveda recommends that the lunch should be the largest meal of the day. The supper should be lesser and lighter than lunch

Quantity of food : Generally half of the capacity of stomach should be filled with solids, th with liquids and rest kept empty for the free movements of body humors.

Sequence of consuming food :Madhur (sweet) rasa food like fruits are advisable to take in the bigining of meal, food with Amla and Lavana (sour and salty) rasa in the middle and Katu,Tikta,Kashay (bitter ,astringent and pungent) foods should be taken at the end of meal

Method of consuming food :

* Wash the face hands and feet before meal. Dine in an isolated neat and clean place in pleasant environment with the affectionate persons in sitting position.

* Food should be taken after complete digestion of previous one.

* Hard items should be consumed in the beginning followed by soft and liquids subsequently.

* Few sips of water is advised now and then while taking meal.

* Heavy substances are contraindicated after meals and should be avoided

* Consumption of excessive hot food leads to weakness. Cold and dry food leads to delayed digestion. Intake of food prepared by giving extra

heat leads to ‘Glani’. Hence consumption of such food should be avoided

Incompatible Food (Viruddha ahara):

Milk followed by fruits and vice versa.

Soar substance along with milk.

Milk with salt, horse gram, green gram & cow gram

Wheat preparations in gingelly oil(Tila taila)

Hot drinks after alcohol, curd or honey.

Cold and hot substances together

Banana with curd and butter milk

Chicken with curd

Ghee kept in bronze vessel

Radish with jaggery

Fish with jaggery or sugar

Jingelly seeds with kanjika.

Use of incompatible food leads to skin disorders, Gastro intestinal .Disorders , anaemia, leucoderma hyperacidity impotence etc. hence should be avoided.

General Rules about food consumption :

Walk a while after meal to help digestion

No travelling, exercise or sexual intercourse within one hour after meal.

Avoid meals when thirsty and water while hungry.

Avoid meals after exertion

Avoid meals when you are having no appetite.

Don’t suppress the appetite as it leads to body pain, anorexia, lassitude, vertigo and general debility

Don’t suppress the thirst as it leads to general debility, giddiness and heart diseases.

Consumption of the fresh, acceptable, easily available and compatible food with various nutrients is a key to lead a healthy life.

About The Author

Dr. Shashikant Patwardhan is practicing as ‘Ayurvedic Consultant’ for last 25 years at the city -Sangli , Maharashtra -India.

He has done his graduation in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery [B.A.M&S] and post graduate Fellowship of Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicine [F.F.A.M.] From Tilak Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Pune University , India, during the years 1970-1976.

He is a chief editor and Ayurvedic Consultant of a ‘Comprehensive website on Ayurveda - http://www.ayurveda-foryou.com

He is an author of many books on Ayurveda and is first to publish them in ebook format. He has written ebooks like - Ayurvedic Cure of Diabetes , Home Remedies in Ayurveda , Treat Common Diseases with Ayurveda & Yoga , Ayurvedic Principles Revealed.

He regularly writes articles on various topics in Ayurveda in Ayurvedic health magazines and alternative medicine sites.

editor@ayurveda-foryou.com

Many people use sugar as medicine. Sugar tends to change the way our metabolism uses specific amino acids to make the neurotransmitters needed for proper brain function. Eating refined carbohydrates increase the level of the amino acid tryptophan, which helps to create the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is the calming neurotransmitter. So when we need to relax we will crave sugar so that we can create more serotonin. This is one of the main reasons sugar is so addictive.

Refined sugars are added to many foods to improve the taste. Sugar consumption has increase dramatically since the 1950’s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated in 1993 that the average American ate 130 pounds of sugar per year, in 1998 it went to 147 pounds of sugar, and now this number is around 170 pounds of sugar per year. This includes whole sugar and many forms of processed sugars, including high fructose corn syrup.
If you are tired all the time, look at your level of sugar consumption and foods that turn to sugar quickly in your system.

Sugars and other sweeteners are used in most processed foods today. Sugar can be hidden as many different names such as sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, maltose, lactose, and high fructose corn syrup. All of these are names of refined sugars. If a food you are buying has any of these names on the label as the first ingredient, or a combination of them as one of the first four ingredients, do not buy it! It will cause blood sugar imbalances over time, and affect your immune system.

High fructose corn syrup was developed in 1966 as a sweetener to blend into processed foods. It is made from cornstarch and turns into fructose and glucose. This type of processed fructose is metabolized differently than glucose and can contribute to high triglycerides and insulin resistance. Fructose found in whole fruits does not have the adverse affect of processed fructose, and should not contribute to higher blood fats. But we are getting more processed fructose as an additive in foods. The consumption of high fructose corn syrup increased to an average of 62.6 pounds per person in 2001.

Our body, especially our brain, uses glucose for energy. Glucose is found in fruits and vegetables, and is used in the metabolism of all plants and animals. Yet, overuse of sugar, especially processed sugars in adults and children causes the adrenals to work harder, putting out more adrenaline than is necessary. With excess adrenaline there is a feeling of constant stress and anxiety in adults. In children it is seen as hyperactivity, concentration difficulties, and irritability. Concentration is affected because brain wave activity increases and focusing on one subject becomes more difficult. Over time, when the brain cells have been stressed too long, symptoms of depression will begin to occur. At this stage the whole system becomes overwhelmed, causing symptoms of fatigue and indifference, signaling that we need a rest. If depression is caused by excess refined sugar intake, no matter what medication is taken, the symptoms will not be alleviated properly.

Eating sugar is worse than eating nothing. Do not eat sugar-based foods just to try to get food into your system. Soft drinks are one of the worst drinks to consume on a regular basis. The average can of soda pop contains eight to nine teaspoons of sugar. This amount of sugar that is usually consumed in a very short period of time creates havoc with sugar metabolism in the liver. In response, the body must mobilize large amounts of adrenalin and insulin to clear the sugar from the bloodstream. Fruit juices are not much better. Juices contain about the same amount of sugar as soft drinks. They are basically sugar water with very few nutrients. Drinking juices or soft drinks regularly can lead to significant health problems as well as blood sugar disorders.

Recent studies show that 30% of our foods are basically high sugar, high carbohydrate junk foods, and children are some of the worst offenders. Too much sugar does affect our brain function. B-complex vitamins are used to process glutamic acid, which is needed by the brain. B-complex vitamins are used to metabolize excessive sugars. If you get sleepy after eating, or cannot think clearly, look at the level of processed sugars in your meals, especially the hidden ones, to see what may be causing these problems to occur. Avoiding processed sugars in our diet can prevent many potential chronic health issues.

Dr. Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in Southwest Michigan. She is the author of “Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia” and “Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder”. She is a professional speaker on a variety of natural health topics, and can be reached at DoctorOelke@aol.com and http://www.NaturalChoicesforyou.com

You are what you eat is a simple, time tested adage that still holds true today. There are non-medical remedies that can help with many of today’s most common illnesses and conditions. In fact, making simple changes to your food diet to cure your common cold, acne or constipation problems is a much better choice than resorting to drugs. For one, natural food and diet remedies most often do not give you harmful side-effects that western allopathic medicine can bring.

Here are some health ailments that can be easily treated with a simple food and diet remedy:

Allergies. More Americans suffer from allergies than ever before. Perhaps the best remedy for allergies is drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. Garlic and cayenne pepper have been used for years, and a good intestinal cleansing has been shown to provide relief. Almonds and walnuts, as well as sunflower seeds, reduce symptoms, and make sure that you are taking a multi-vitamin with the recommended doses of vitamins C, A, E and zinc.

Acne. Acne in both teens and adults is also becoming more and more common. There are many natural dietary changes that you can make to help clear up your skin. First, drink water. It flushes out the impurities. Soy protein helps, as does increasing your consumption of whole grains, fresh fruits and root vegetables. Have three servings of oily fish weekly and add some cold pressed seed oil daily.

Constipation. To help constipation, increase your intake of folic acid. Apple pectin can help relieve constipation and add fiber to your diet. Try drinking some ginger tea or yerba mate in tea form. Cod liver oil is a tried and true, but hard to swallow, remedy. Warm dandelion tea also helps.

Stress. Holy basil, also known as Tulsi, has been used to relieve stress and normalize cortical levels. Limiting caffeine can help the body to reduce the level of adrenaline. When you’re particularly stressed out, eat carbohydrates and fresh vegetables. They help the body release serotonin which produce a feeling of well-being.

Cancer. Consuming the trace elements that are plentiful in seafood has been shown to help cancer patients. Broccoli, mustard greens, cabbage and turnips have been recently touted as not only preventative maintenance but perhaps even cures for different types of cancers. Limit your fats.

Help your body cure itself by trying some of these simple food and diet changes. By also including them in your regular diet, you also help in the prevention of these health problems and to build a strong immune system.

Sandra Kim Leong believes in the use of natural food diet remedies for common health ailments. For more articles, tips and resources, please visit www.food-diet-remedy.com.

LIQUID NUTRITION

Americans have one of the “Worst health pictures in the world today”, and are in the “Worst epidemic of chronic degenerative diseases that mankind has ever known!” World Health Organization
We are led to believe that eating 3 meals a day consisting of the proper amounts of each of the 4 foods groups will give us ‘good health’ and ‘long life’. Many of the foods we eat are lacking in vitamins and minerals. Some fruits and vegetables are cultivated using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and waste contaminants, in soil depleted of minerals.

Have you ever wondered about the signs above the vending machines at the zoo that warn you sternly not to feed this “food” to the animals because it will kill them? Think about it. Even when we shop for the real food in the grocery store like meat, produce, and dairy products, we still have a problem at the cellular level liquid vitamins are needed more than ever before because much of our food has been chemicalized with preservatives, growth hormones, dyes, pollution, and even antibiotics. They are then Harvested prematurely and artificially ripened, they are sprayed, processed, radiated and coated with toxic chemicals to improve their appearance and prolong their shelf life. Even if we shop for organic food today in an effort to avoid the many chemicals used in American food processing, we still have to deal with the fact that some or much of our soil is depleted of minerals.
The US Senate Document #264 and the 1992 Earth Summit Report document an 85% mineral depletion of our farm and range soils, over the past 100 years in North America.

Americans need to supplement their diets with minerals to make up for this deficiency. Imagine how much worse the depletion must be now, 10 years later. Today farmers only add a tiny fraction of the minerals back to the soil (normally only 3). Our bodies are literally starving for nutrients. No wonder we’re tired, irritable, and stressed out. When you look at our nation as a whole, you see a society that is getting sicker and sicker, fatter and fatter, more and more tired. It is important that you take a good liquid vitamin supplement.

Body Balance is rich in phytonutrients and free of pollution. People who hate pills, especially children and senior citizens, find that Via Viente is the best way to get quality nutrition on a daily basis.

COOKED FOOD: Healthy OR Not?
First, understand the Problem: Cooking kills enzymes. Enzymes are needed in EVERY bodily function.

In the early 1900s, Dr. Pottenger wanted to see what affect eating cooked foods had. As an experiment, he took several hundred cats, and put them in primarily two groups. One group he fed uncooked, raw foods, and the second group he fed only cooked foods. This was the outcome: Throughout the entire experiment, the raw food cats were strong, healthy and potent. The cooked food cats, however, did not fare so well. The first generation of the cooked foods cats lived a normal life, and developed diseases near the end of their lives. The second generation developed diseases during the middle of their lives. And the third generation was either born with diseases, or developed diseases shortly after birth. When dropped, the kittens could not right themselves (i.e., dysfunctional). They would not play, had emotional problems, and fought a lot. Those that grew to maturity were impotent, barren, or sterile. The experiment had to be ended because the cooked foods cats could not produce a forth generation!

So, how does this relate to us, as human beings? We’re pretty much in the same situation. You see, in the early 1900s, Americans ate a great deal of homegrown foods from their gardens. Much of it was raw and rich in nutritional value and life components. Today, we eat mostly cooked, highly processed foods. Until recently, the average family spent $1.74 a week on raw foods. It was not unusual for the average person to go a week or two without eating any raw foods at all. And, just like the third generation cats, children are being born with diseases or developing diseases shortly after birth. Many Americans can’t conceive, are infertile, or impotent. Miscarriages and emotional problems are on the rise. According to the World Health Organization, we have one of the “worst health pictures in the world today”, and are in the “worst epidemic of chronic degenerative diseases that mankind has ever known!”
Our bodies are starving.

All of us need a good nutritional supplement program.

Nicolee Castiglione
http://www.idrinkvia.com
viafirefly@hotmail.com
406-682-3202 Home/Office
406-581-0165 Cell

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin like A and E. This vitamin is hard to
obtain from food. Luckily, sunshine is a significant source of this vitamin because UV rays from the sun trigger Vitamin D synthesis in the skin.

Vitamin D is tasked with the crucial role of maintaining normal blood levels
of calcium and phosphorus. By promoting calcium absorption, the vitamin
helps to form and maintain strong bones. It also has to work efficiently
with other vitamins, minerals, and hormones in order to promote bone
mineralization.

Because it acts as an overall guardian of the human skeletal system,
Vitamin D helps maintain a healthy immune system and regulate cellular
growth and activity.

Vitamin D Sources

One cup of Vitamin D fortified milk supplies one-half of the recommended
daily intakes for adults between the ages of 19 and 50 and one-fourth
for adults between the ages of 51 and 70.

Although milk is typically fortified with Vitamin D, this is not the case with
dairy products made from milk, such as cheese and ice creams. Some
ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, though, may be fortified with the vitamin.

Unfortunately, there are only a few commonly consumed foods that are
good sources of the vitamin and these are cod liver oil, salmon, mackerel,
tuna fish, sardines, margarine, egg, liver, and beef.

The classic Vitamin D deficiency diseases are rickets among the young
and osteomalacia among adults. Deficiency in this vitamin indirectly
causes osteoporosis since the vitamin is required to promote calcium
absorption in the body.

Lorna Mclaren has more information regarding vitamins at http://www.123-nutrition.com. There are informative articles regarding Herbal Alternatives and Health Food Supplements.

For years we’ve heard that to protect yourself from heart disease you should follow a “low fat” diet. Even many hospitals and health professionals still stick to this rule of low fat diets at the risk of omitting heart healthy foods. New research from the Women’s Health Initiative dietary modification trial published in the February 8th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reported their findings of an 8-year follow up study. One of the reports showed that postmenopausal women who followed a low fat (20% of calories from fat) diet did not have a lower risk of heart disease. This makes things confusing since we have been taught for years that low fat equals better heart health. The two go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly. Before we all ditch the low fat model and rush to eat our favorite high fat fare there are a few more pieces to this puzzle to know.

This study did have some limitations. First of all, they were depending on self-reporting from the participants for an 8 year process. This of course leads room for discrepancies since we all eat on auto pilot most of the time. It would be hard to say you followed a strict low fat diet for 8 years without writing down what you ate every day. Also they didn’t take into account other lifestyle factors such as exercise or stress management. All can contribute to the risk level of heart disease. Not only that, some of the authors disclosed they had their hands in the pharmaceutical cookie jar…another article for another time.

Limitations or no limitations the study still shows that postmenopausal women who likely were following a fairly low fat diet still were shown not to improve their heart health. This actually doesn’t surprise me in the least. The old general low fat diet is no longer the most effective heart healthy diet. A matter of fact, some fats are shown to protect our heart.

So let’s get down to the details. There are fats that are protective and fats that are shown to increase risk. Decreasing certain fats is still a good rule of thumb. These fats are saturated fats which are found in animal products, coconut and palm kernel oil. So sticking with lean meats such as poultry and fish, and choosing low fat dairy products is still a good choice. The second fat to decrease is Trans Fats which are found in many packaged convenience foods including certain margarines, crackers, and chips. Trans Fats are now located on the nutrition label under “Fats”.

Now, just because a food is high in fat or all fat doesn’t mean it will put us at risk of heart disease. For example fats found in nuts, olive oil, canola oil, avocados, flax seeds, and fish oils have been found to be protective for the heart by helping to lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation. This wouldn’t go along with the old rule of the low fat diet. In fact, just last year one of the hospitals in my local area was still telling people they couldn’t have natural peanut butter or avocados on their heart healthy diet. It’s time to update those handouts with new research. This doesn’t mean more is better either. There is a proper balance of adding healthy fats to the diet, around 30% of calories from fat.

A Heart Healthy diet is not just about the fats. There are all kinds of foods that you can add that help lower cholesterol and protect your heart by providing powerful antioxidants. For example, blueberries are one power player for heart health by providing antioxidants and research supports that it can lower cholesterol. All from a tiny, little, round fruit. Simply adding oatmeal every day or adding a little honey to your tea can help lower cholesterol. There are many foods we can add for heart health and they pack a serious punch.

The last thing to note on this study is that we are looking at a very general look into low fat diets. Unfortunately, one size doesn’t fit all. One person may have family history of heart disease which may put them at greater risk. Another person may want to lose some weight along with lowering cholesterol. This person may need to follow a little lower fat than the other since fat does carry a lot of calories. Everyone is different and while general health guidelines are important, if you are someone who needs more detailed information then seek some help from a professional that can give you an individualized plan.

(c) 2006 Meri Raffetto

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She specializes in weight management and offers online programs to help people reach their weight loss and health goals. Sign up for her free e-newsletter at http://www.reallivingnutrition.com

Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary to a very outdated perception, this harm is not limited to those who suffer from obesity[1]. In reality, according to the Directors of Health Promotion and Education, the majority of Americans exhibit unhealthy eating habits, with just over one in four women and only one in five men claiming to eat the minimum five daily servings of vegetables and fruits[i].

In response to this growing wave of American malnutrition, a number of nutrition-based solutions have been proposed. This has been both a positive, an ironically, a negative, development.

This has been positive in light of the simple fact that it has helped increase basic “nutrition IQ”. The fact that most urban centers are home to dozens of diet and weight loss centers, and that many malls now have at least one health store has advanced awareness of America’s unhealthy eating problem.

So, too, have the numerous television shows and news reports that have covered the popular diets that dominate current weight loss discussions, such as: the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, and more. The fact that a vending machine may actually contain a piece of fruit these days is further positive expressions of this growing nutritional awareness.

However, there is a downside as well. This increasing information has created a dizzying health and nutrition marketplace within which some irresponsible products are being offered. Among these products – and arguably the worst kind — are those that artificially suppress appetite.

There are two equally important reasons why appetite suppressants are dangerous and irresponsible nutrition ideas.

The first reason is that they delude dieters into thinking that real weight is being lost. For example, an unfortunately popular choice for some dieters is to take diet pills. These pills are often diuretics that promote weight-loss through water loss. As such, while a dieter will feel less hungry and lose weight while taking the diet pills, both of these effects will cease when taking the pills cease. Weight gain will return rapidly, as will appetite[ii].

This leads to the other reason why these appetite suppressant products are irresponsible and harmful. The human body is home to a vastly intelligent network of systems, cells, chemicals, and neurotransmitters. Regardless of one’s personal view of evolution of how the human body came to be this way, it is agreed by both creationists, evolutionists, and everyone else that the human body is a remarkable example of comprehensive intelligence.

For example, the human body is able to synthetically produce – without any conscious help from the owner of that body – 12 of the 20 amino acids that comprise protein[2]. Or consider the blood, whose plasma carries platelets that enable minor wound blot clotting. Both of these examples reflect a special kind of intelligence that the human body humbly and quietly exhibits throughout life.

When hunger is artificially suppressed it interferes with this intelligence. The body and its intricate network of problem-solving mechanisms become confused. Basically, the body is still hungry, but it does not feel hungry. The body is still craving the basic nutrition it requires to survive: proteins, essential fats, nutrients, vitamins, and calories. Yet because the hunger signal is not being effectively transmitted from these systems to the brain – due to the appetite suppressant – the individual dieter is not responding. In the short-term, a dieter may lose some pounds[3]. In the long-term the dieter will suffer from some form of malnutrition.

Clearly, appetite suppression “solutions” are not solutions at all. They are irresponsible and potentially damaging – even fatal – biological short cuts that undermine the innate intelligence of the human body. They also often render the dieter weaker and in worse shape than before, particularly if the inevitable post-pill weight gain leads to a bout of emotional eating and subsequent additional weight gain.

What is required is a rather dated staple of healthy weight loss: a healthy diet[iii][4]. This is, however, easier said than done particularly since, as noted above, in America only about 25% of women and 20% eat enough fruit and vegetable servings per day.

Within this rather complex scenario or problems and limitations, however, there are some pioneering companies that are enjoying critical acclaim from both the medical and the weight loss fields.

These companies – and admittedly there are extremely few of them — offer dieters a balanced meal supplement that can also be used as a meal replacement. This is of particular value to dieting business executives, university students, and other frenetically busy people who do not have the time to prepare balanced, diet-conscious meals.

Of greater importance is that these advanced solutions do not suppress hunger at all, nor recklessly deny the body the nutrients and vitamins required for healthy survival. Instead, the body is given the fuel that it needs via vitamin fortified, low-calorie, fat-free food that is well-balanced and nutritionally sound.

It will remain unacceptable, offensive, and disturbing to see so-called “diet solutions” that are little more than appetite suppressants that can — and often do — create much more harm than superficial, temporary good. It is expected that, eventually, such products will be exposed for the irresponsible items that they are, and banned from the marketplace.

However, until that happens, it will be up to the responsible nutrition companies in America to continue developing solutions that truly help dieters help themselves in the long term.

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at www.protica.com. You can also learn about Profect at www.profect.com.

[1] Obesity, which is caused mainly by unhealthy eating, is responsible for an estimated 300,000 deaths per year and all of them preventable.

[2] The remaining 8 amino acids are called the “essential amino acids” and must be obtained through diet.

[3] This kind of diuretic weight loss, however, will come at the expense of muscle and not fat.

[4] In addition to diet, customized exercise plans are also proposed to aid and maintain healthy long-term weight loss.

References

[i] Source: “Physical Activity and Unhealthy Eating”. The Directors of Health Promotion and Education. http://www.astdhpphe.org/pubs_facts_physicalfactsheet3.asp

[ii] Source: “Potentially Dangerous Diet Strategies”. PDR.Net. http://health.yahoo.com/centers/weight_loss/30004

[iii] Source: “Weight Loss: What Really Works?”. WebMD. http://my.webmd.com/content/article/49/40236.htm

Copyright 2004 - Protica Research - http://www.protica.com