Archive for February, 2010

“Start obesity prevention in the cradle” study urges

A team of US doctors has revealed that obesity starts in the cradle for some infants.

When weight gain exceeds average patterns of growth in the first three months of age it may lead to infant obesity. The causes can be start before birth itself. Excessive weight gain, untreated gestational diabetes or smoking during pregnancy are some of the risk factors for infant obesity. Therefore it is essential to monitor weight of both mother and child during prenatal check ups.

Some quick tips to keep the infant weight under control:

1)Breast feed: Breast fed infants usually weigh less than formula fed infants by the time they reach late infancy. Formula is more sweeter than breast milk and so it leads to weight gain. Formula milk may lead to unnecessary sweet cravings for the baby at a later stage

2)An infant should be fed no more than once in every 2 hours depending on its weight.

3)Do not force the infant to continue feeding even when she is full.

These are some general tips to prevent infant obesity. But one needs to check up with a pediatrician to know the ideal feeding pattern for your baby which solely depends upon your babies growth and weight.

“Thatcher went to work on an egg — and little else” archive reveals -Times Online

According to a study, a diet rich in protein improves body composition, enhances weight loss, and improves glucose and insulin levels. This reveals that by increasing the proportion of protein against carbohydrates in meals, gives positive effects on body composition , blood lipids and satiety during weight loss. Although it is difficult to say that a particular diet has a different effect on different individuals, the results carried out on a group of individuals indicate that a higher protein diet can be effective in the control of body weight.

Gluconeogenesis is a process wherein a high protein diet and low in carbohydrates, helps burn more calories when the body converts protein to glucose. Another advantage of eating high protein diet is that when there is less variety of foods in you palette, it restricts you from eating more and keeps a check on unnecessary weight gain.

The famous saying goes, ‘Eat to live’ throws light on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Healthcare professionals are doing a great deal in bringing awareness about a healthy lifestyle and developing diet plans for those in the weight loss regime. The focus has been on food for life. A healthy diet can go a long way to improve your chances of a long and healthy life.

Following are some guidelines on a balanced diet plan.

1) Eat a variety of foods:

Including a variety of food choices in your meals ensure that you get all the nutrients needed for a healthy growth. Plan your diet on major food groupings like grain products, vegetables, fruits, milk products and meat.

2) Avoid too much fat:

Fats are essential as they provide us with energy. There are two types of fats, saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fat is found in animal product and milk products and raises cholesterol in blood and blocks arteries and hence should be eaten in moderation. Unsaturated fat is derived from vegetable sources and helps protect our heart. It is important that we eat the right kind of fat.

3) Fast foods is the major cause of weight gain. It has high calorific value and you tend to overeat.

4) Eat fibrous food: Including fibrous food in your regular diet slows down the speed at which sugar enters your bloodstream hence reducing blood sugar levels which is a major health benefit.

Considering the health risks that overweight can bring to you, weight loss has become the priority of people today. A lot of slimming aids and medications are available which claim to lose weight in no time. There are many techniques to losing weight, like gym workouts, regular physical exercises like aerobics, yoga, crash diets, and other weight loss supplements like slimming pills which is widely adopted these days.

Many prefer natural weight loss supplements for safe and long term results. Researchers are untiringly working towards new inventions to natural weight loss. Hoodia Gordonii is one such natural slimming pill that helps in weight loss by reducing  your calorie intake.

The main ingredient in this fantastic weight loss pill is hoodia, a plant which bears resemblance to the cactus family of plants. Several species are grown as garden plants and one of these species called Hoodia Gordonii is known as appetite suppressant. It acts as an excellent dietary supplement and reduces appetite and aids in weight loss.

Hoodia Gordonii is 100% organically grown herbal supplement, which is clinically proven to be safe for long term consumption and can reduce your calorie intake by up to 2000 calories. It has a history of over hundred years when the African tribes called the nomadic sans tribe consumed it to suppress their appetite during days when they experienced shortage of food. The good news is that it has been receiving popularity today in leading news channels of the world as a wonderful weight loss supplement.