Top Weight Loss Guide

How does this wonderful new natural plant work to suppress the appetite? It is the p57 molecule that is extracted from the Hoodia gordonii plant that suppresses appetite and allows you to remain active and full of energy. The Bushmen of South Africa did not need a scientific explanation for them to continue eating the Hoodia gordonii plant before they left on a journey or hunting trip. They were able to go on trips without carrying large amounts of food and water on their journey. They knew also they would keep their energy level up while eating the Hoodia gordonii plant. Stripping off the spines and the skin they would eat the heart of the plant.

Now science has identified how this South African plant works to control appetite. The one molecule that has been identified and named p57 is the one ingredient that does not appear in any other species of the Hoodia plant. The p57 molecule affects the hypothalamus gland the same way glucose affects it. In fact, the p57 molecule is 10,000 times stronger than glucose in getting the nerve cells to fire up and make you feel full. After you consume Hoodia gordonii extract your hypothalamus kicks into high gear and you do not want to eat.

The British company who performed the first laboratory tests used rats. Why choose rats? Rats will eat anything because they are scavengers, but when fed Hoodia they stopped eating completely. This was remarkable because rats will eat anything they come across.

The company did a clinical trial was performed on a group of morbidly obese group of volunteers. They conducted the Phase 1 testing in a controlled environment where the volunteer subjects did nothing but read, watch television, and eat. Half of this group, the one that was given Hoodia gordonii extracts consumed 1000 calories less each day than the group given the placebo. Putting this into perspective, the adult male normally consumes about 2600 calories a day. Without changing their physical exercise routine the average male can lose weight because they are taking in fewer calories than is needed to fuel the body.

Another positive for the group was they felt no side effects from the Hoodia supplement. Of course that was just one test and there will be others to confirm the results of this trial. You can control your appetite but it does not solve the problem of what kinds of food you choose to eat. If the person normally would eat fast-food regularly they will probably still eat fast-food, but will not eat as much as before. They would need to be counseled in good nutrition and taught to eat correctly. They will need to retrain their body to have healthy eating habits.

The first tests were positive but many more trials and research will be conducted before the extract of the Hoodia gordonii is put on the market as a diet supplement. Unilever plans to introduce Hoodia Slim-Fast by the end of 2008.

Folic Acid Facts

• Folic acid is a type of B vitamin
• Another name for it is Vitamin B9
• It is water-soluble
• Cannot be stored in the body
• Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water
• Excessive amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine
• You need a continuous supply of the vitamin in your diet
• Folate occurs naturally in food
• Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate
• Folate gets its name from the Latin word “folium” for leaf.
• Folate was identified as the corrective substance in yeast extract in the late 1930s
• Extracted from spinach leaves in 1941

Functions

• Folic acid is used to treat or prevent folic acid deficiency.
• Formation of red blood cells
• Protein metabolism
• Cell growth and division

How to store and take Vitamin B9

• You take folic acid normally in tablet form and once a day. Never take more or less that what it says to do unless you talk to your doctor first.
• If you take folic acid to treat a deficiency, it is more than likely that within 24 hours you will be feeling better. But remember even when you feel better keep taking your medication until your doctor tells you differently.
• Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture, this means do not store it in your bathroom. Make sure kids cannot get it and keep the bottle closed tightly.

Food Sources

• Beans and legumes
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Wheat bran and other whole grains
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Poultry, pork, shellfish
• Liver
• Side effects
• skin rash
• stomach upset
• itching
• redness
• difficulty breathing

Now you have some basic folic acid facts. It is your turn to take control and responsibility for your nutritional health and give your body what it needs.

Biotin function is very important to our bodies. Biotin is one of the vitamins in the B grouping of Vitamins and is an important player in energy metabolism and the production of various enzymes.

This Vitamin also known as Vitamin H and Vitamin B7 is named after the Greek root word “bios” which signifies life; biotin is produced by the bacteria that live in the lower parts of our guts, known as the colon. It is still uncertain whether the body can absorb and use this form of biotin.

Biotin is water soluble and any excess is excreted from the body and not stored. It is easily found in our food supply and deficiency is rare, although certain medications and other nutrients can interfere with cellular uptake.

A healthy intake of this important B vitamin helps prevent birth defects, and may be extremely important for people with diabetes by helping to break down carbohydrates and lower blood sugar levels. It is possible that biotin benefits hair by keeping it shiny and helping it maintain color.

Another one of biotin benefits include its crucial role in energy metabolism. Biotin acts as a coenzyme and carries carbon dioxide. It also plays a role in fat synthesis, amino acid metabolism and glycogen synthesis.

Because of the conversion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins to energy, weight loss may be a benefit.

Biotin deficiency causes such symptoms as: hair loss, a red scaly rash, depression, lethargy, and numbness and tingling in extremities.

Biotin side effects rarely occur when taking the right dosage. If they do occur simply decrease the amount or take it with food.

Its time to take control of your nutritional well being and your first step may be in simply knowing biotin function and what it does for your body. Use this knowledge to apply it to your life.

Asthma can flare up if any one of three factors becomes aggravated. These three factors which, singly or in combination, can wreak such havoc in asthmatic patients are infection, allergy, and emotional upset.

The outstanding difficulty of asthma lies in exhaling, because the bronchial passageways partially block the air as it leaves the lungs. The obstruction comes from secretions in the passageways and swelling of the tissues lining their walls.

Sometimes the muscles in the walls of the bronchi contract. Asthma sufferers find that breathing is hard work and noisy. Their struggling expirations are prolonged and marked by various types of wheezes, groans, and whistles. Rarely may the wheezing be due to some other kind of obstruction, but nearly always it is due to the effects of infection, allergy, or emotions in a person with asthmatic tendencies.

All asthmatic patients sound alike when in the throes of an attack, but there are many variations in the individual responses to what might bring on an asthmatic episode.
Many youngsters have attacks only during or after an infection—whether it be a cold or a throat, ear, or lung infection. Such cases are usually called asthmatic bronchitis. When the attacks are provoked by virus or bacterial infection, the prognosis is much better; that is, there is more chance that the child will grow out of such attacks. These infection-linked asthmatic attacks usually stop during adolescence or early adulthood.

When allergy is an important factor, there is less of a chance of outgrowing the tendency, though this happens in quite a few cases. Allergy to pollens, house dust, animals or their products, foods, types of clothing, weeds, or just about anything can cause asthma. If the troublesome allergens can be discovered, there is a good chance that environmental control and/or a program of desensitization can improve and then completely cure an asthmatic patient. Read the rest of this entry »

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is one of the eight vitamins in B complex; it is a water-soluble vitamin and has many important benefits.

Pantothenic acid benefits

• It is involved in the cycle of energy production in our body
• Needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
• Essential in producing, transporting, and releasing energy from fats
• Synthesis of cholesterol is needed to manufacture vitamin D and steroid hormones
• Activates the adrenal glands
• Pantethine, a byproduct of Pantothenic acid, has been reported to lower blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Vitamin B5 forms part of two substances, co-enzyme A and the acyl carrier protein, both of which play key roles in the release of energy from the food you eat.
• Vitamin B5 is also needed for healthy growth and the production of antibodies to help fight infection.
• Critical to the manufacture of red blood cells as well as sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands
• Vitamin B5 is also important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract and it helps your body use other vitamins (particularly B2 [riboflavin]) more effectively.
• It is sometimes called the “anti-stress” vitamin because it is believed to enhance the activity of the immune system and improve your body’s ability to withstand stressful conditions.
• Research studies suggest that vitamin B5 supplements may speed wound healing, especially following surgery.

Signs of Vitamin B5 deficiency

• Poor muscle co-ordination
• Muscle cramps
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Painful burning feet
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Headache
• Loss of appetite

Vitamins are at the foundation of health and nutrition. Vitamin B5, Pantothenic acid has some amazing benefits that you should be aware of. Always before taking something into your body, be sure to talk it over with your doctor.

Do our bodies have certain reactions to Niacin? Niacin (nicotinic acid) is a water soluble vitamin. You should not take this if you are allergic to niacin, or have liver disease, stomach ulcers or any active bleeding. Before you start a new nutrient it is advisable to talk to your doctor first.

The most obvious known reaction to Niacin is in the side effect known as flushing. Flushing is identified with a rush of warmth, itching, redness, tingling and numbness just under the skin. These reactions can be quite startling but they are quite common and over time they will lessen as you keep taking your medication.

There are several ways to reduce the side effect of flushing. Your doctor may advice you to take an aspirin 30 minutes before you take the Niacin dose. He may also suggest taking a NSAID (non steroidal anti inflammatory drug), these include naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and ketoprofen (Orudis). It is important that you do not take either NSAID or aspirin unless your doctor tells you to.

This uncomfortable side effect of taking niacin, known as the “niacin flush,” frequently appears on a person’s face and neck when doses above 50 milligrams are consumed. It’s the result of the release of histamine, a protein substance released by the cells in allergy reactions, which causes vasodilatation (widening of the blood vessels). This reaction is completely harmless and usually lasts only 10 to 20 minutes.

If you have any of the following disorders or diseases you may not be able to take Niacin

• Liver
• Kidney disease
• Heart disease
• Angina (chest pain)
• Stomach ulcer
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Myasthenia gravis

Your reaction to Niacin will most likely not be a good one if you have any of the above so please consult your doctor.
Reactions to Niacin can vary depending on the health of your body and what you are trying to achieve. It is good to research and know what to expect before you take anything life changing into your body.

Many consumers are eagerly buying millions of dollars worth of Hoodia based products. They are looking for something magical to happen and they will lose weight without any effort on their part. If that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. All you need to do is look for Hoodia on any search engine. Pages and pages will follow, many of them companies advertising the “real” or “pure” Hoodia. The average consumer just does not take the time to research the product before they buy it. So, many consumers have been duped into buying Hoodia products that were not Hoodia at all, or filled with material other than Hoodia.

There are a few websites that give you guidelines on telling pure Hoodia from a product filled with imitation substances. Consumers should know that only one of the more than thirteen known Hoodia species only the Hoodia gordonii plant from the Kalahari Desert has the p57 molecule for suppressing appetite. There are many variations but they are not the same even though that is what they claim.

Buyers should request certificates of authenticity or other recognized credentials accompany the product they are buying. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or (CITES) recognize only Kalahari Desert Hoodia gordonii as having the essential molecule to suppress hunger.

Lab assay reports should also be recorded on the packages to verify they have gone through proper tests. The assay number should be the same both on the package and the bottle label. The websites of those companies that are selling Hoodia gordonii for weight loss should display the information about lab reports and certified genuine.

Consumers should know that some of the Hoodia supplements advertised as being pure Hoodia do not contain any Hoodia at all! If they did contain Hoodia they didn’t have the quantity amount it was said to have on the label. Consumers should know there are four types of Hoodia. There is Hoodia gordonii harvested wild from the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. This is reportedly the only true Hoodia for suppressing appetite. You will find cultivated Hoodia. This Hoodia is being grown on special farms and is being altered to mature faster for quicker harvest. Most Hoodia farms cannot match the growing conditions the Hoodia gordonii plant from South Africa needs.

There are Hoodia extracts such as the Chinese 20:1 product and there are pure Hoodia extracts that are certified and authenticated. Also there are products that claim to be pure Hoodia that are made of fillers. In one case investigators found sawdust in the product to make up for the lack of actual Hoodia!

Hoodia may indeed be the miracle pill of the future to help those who are overweight or obese. It can work by helping people reduce their calorie intake but is this really the cure for obesity? The consumer should know that an exercise program that includes cardiovascular routines must accompany a decrease of calories.

Let’s talk about Vitamin B2 (also known as Riboflavin) health benefits. It helps prevent and is used to treat migraine headaches, cataracts, rheumatoid arthritis, and a number of skin disorders such as acne (acne rosacea), dermatitis, and eczema. In the treatment of anemia, adding Vitamin B2 to iron supplements has shown to increase its effectiveness.

Additionally, Riboflavin aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It plays an important role in the growth and repair of joints, skin, hair, and nails. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may benefit from a treatment program including this vitamin when combined with Vitamin B6 (Riboflavin activates Vitamin B6). The body needs Vitamin B2 for reproduction and it also enhances the immune system’s ability to fight disease.

Dosage of Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is available in multi- and B-complex vitamin products. If you are going to take it for a particular problem or disorder make sure to first contact your doctor.

The RDA allowances for adults are as follows:

• Men – age 14 years or older 1.3 mg per day
• Women – age 14 to 19 years 1.0 mg per day

Sources

Good sources of Vitamin B2 foods: calves liver cheese, egg yolks, almonds, spinach, whole grains, wild rice, soybeans, milk, spinach, mushrooms, almonds, and poultry. Vitamin B2 is usually added to cereals and flour products.

Cautions

Some drugs can interfere with the effectiveness of Vitamin B2: estrogen, sulfa, anti-malaria medications, and bowel cleansers.

Deficiency

• Sensitivity to light
• Loss of good vision
• Tearing, burning and itching in and around the eyes
• Soreness around the lips, mouth, and tongue
• Cracking of the skin at the corners of the mouth
• Dry peeling skin about a mans scrotum
• Peeling of the skin, particularly around the nose

Vitamin B2 health benefits are many and should be taken as a stepping stone to better nutritional health and well being.

Of recent interest is the rash of various mechanical slenderizers advertised seductively in leading women’s magazines. Rolling pins wrapped in rubber will purportedly roll off the weight. Electrical vibrating devices can “literally melt away the pounds while you relax in your home.” This abrogation of intellectual honesty is at best suspect.

The federal government, fortunately, is slow to curtail free enterprise. But the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare warns us in frank talk that we are being “fleeced” to the tune of $500,-000,000 a year. “No enduring pill, gadget, cigarette, or chewing gum will help you safely lose weight,” he says.
While any feeling human being naturally hopes for an easy panacea, many thinking human beings will go the route by themselves on their own, without risky crutches, and enjoy their just rewards.

A factual but depressing record of weight loss will reveal occasional plateaus. For days or weeks, even though caloric consumption remains steady so does the weight. No satisfactory medical explanation for this phenomenon is known, although a curtailment in activity is often suspected. Ride out the plateaus. You will again be on the downward path.

Obesity and over nutrition are more common among premature deaths than is lack of fitness. While physical immortality is unattainable, lean and fit individuals beat the odds!

Calorie Requirements For Various Activities
Calories per Hour*

1. Domestic and Artistic Occupations
Standing relaxed 20
Writing 20
Reading aloud 20
Sewing 25
Dressing and undressing 33
Singing 37
Violin playing 46
Ironing (with 5-lb. iron) 59
Dishwashing 59
Declaiming (without gestures) 85
Sweeping the floor 100
Dusting 100
Polishing 174

2. Industrial Occupations
Mental work 7
Typing 30
Shoemaking 80
Bookbinding 85
Painting 145
Carpentering 155
Laundry washing 230
Riveting 276
Stonemasonry 315
Coal mining 320
Sawing wood 400

3. Physical Exercise
Sitting at lectures 13
Drill without arms 83
* Caloric utilization beyond the needs required for sitting
motionless.

Obesity and Fitness 105

Walking slowly (2.6 mph) 150
Walking moderately (3.75 mph) 215
Marching 250
Bicycling 180-300
Rowing moderately 300-600
Swimming 300-700
Skating 300-700
Climbing 400-900
Walking very fast (5.3 mph) 565
Skiing 500-900
Rowing vigorously 1,240
Running 1,242

The nutrition of exercise is remarkably simple. So common and plentiful are the essential amino acids, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins that a balanced diet can scarcely be avoided. The athlete at constant ideal weight who consumes three meals a day can be confident he is receiving an ample supply of calories, and he need not fear nutritional deficiencies. While malnutrition is the rule rather than the exception in this country, the problem is over nutrition, not under nutrition.

A wide variety of foods capable of assuring a balanced diet is almost inescapable. Remember that athletes of all nationalities, from differing climates, and from varying dietary patterns win medals in the Olympics. The extremes of their eating habits attest unequivocally to the universality of good food. The first lesson in good nutrition is that no magic formula is available—or necessary. Good food is good food no matter where you find it.

This is not to say, however, that athletes have not inherited fantastic and incredible nutritional notions. Perhaps the diet of an athlete has received more comment than any other area of his fitness program. The serious athlete is involved in a twenty-four-hour-a-day curriculum. He watches his diet, plans his workouts, gets enough sleep, practices good hygiene habits, avoids excesses, and provides for his wife and children. What is true for the competing athlete is usually true for the serious non competitor, the fun and fitness enthusiast.

Competitor and non competitor alike are in constant search for methods to improve performance. Newer and better training systems are constantly being evolved. With these techniques, increasingly strenuous amounts of work can be compressed into shorter periods of exercise.

What is Thiamine and heat? Thiamine also known as Vitamin B1, to some is considered the most important of the B vitamins because of the support it gives to the nervous system and mental attitude. Its odor and flavor are similar to those of yeast.

Like most other B vitamins, you need to have a steady intake of thiamine. It is a water soluble vitamin, though after its absorption from the upper and lower small intestine, some B1 is stored in the liver, heart, and kidneys. Most excess thiamine is eliminated in the urine; some seems to be excreted in the sweat as well.

Thiamine can be destroyed by the cooking process, especially by boiling or moist heat, but less by dry heat, such as baking.

Since thiamine is lost in the heat of cooking and is depleted by use of sugar, coffee, tannin from black teas, nicotine, and alcohol, it is necessary to insure that intake of thiamine is optimal. There are a number of food sources for thiamine, but unfortunately for most people the food that contains thiamine is not in use by most everyday. Good sources of vitamin B1 include what germ brand, rice husks and some outer portions of other grains. Unfortunately with the processing of grains and rice, thiamine is no longer obtainable in quantities worthwhile.

Other sources of thiamine include brown rice, oat, spinach, cauliflower, peanuts, beans, dried fruits and peas.
Vitamin B1 is, of course, used to treat any of the symptoms of its deficiency and in the treatment of fatigue, irritability, low morale, depression and to prevent air and seasickness. It helps the nerves, heart, and muscular system function. Thiamine helps digestion and reduces nausea.

Is there a connection between Thiamine and heat? The one thing that needs to be remembered is not only is Thiamine a bit more of a challenge to take into your body in the natural way through foods, but it can also be destroyed by heat.