Arthritis--A Friendly Chat 2013

Arthritis- Definitions and Types
Before we delve into the remedies for arthritis, it is important to understand the two
main types of arthritis. There are over one hundred types of arthritis but they all go
under the heading of these two main branches:
1.
This is my burden in life, the main type and the one most often suffered.
Osteoarthritis means basically the degeneration of joints. Your knees and hips and
lower back are giving out on you and the loss of mobility in these joints causes
untold pain. If you are an athlete or an older person you most likely suffer from
some degree of osteoarthritis. You find that your lower back aches, your knees
hurt when you climb stairs and your hips ache if you stand or sit too long. You are
not alone. Over 33 million people in the United States suffer from this type of
arthritis. This condition can and does result from obesity because the wear and
tear also results from the weight- bearing joints start to break down.
Osteoarthritis
With Osteoarthritis, the cartilage or soft bone in the joint begins to wear down. It
had been serving as your shock absorber for many years, and protecting the joints
from damage. As more damage to your joints occurs over time, the cartilage on the
bones of the joint starts to wear away more and more and soon it does not work at
all.
The cushioning effect of the cartilage is gone and also the gel-like fluid in the
joints. The end result is pain when you run, walk or stand for a long time. You might










t
each other. Bone spurs can develop at they end of the bones and they are very
painful.
If one area, such as your lower back is affected, there are several vertebrae
affected. An x-ray of your lower back and knees will be able to detect the damage
and to what degree each is suffering. The diagnostician will be able to pinpoint
which S joints or Spinal joints and L joints or Lumbar will need attention, or to what
degree you knee joints are affected. After that determination you are responsible
for whichever treatment you opt to take, and you need to be informed. Many people
continue to live athletic and demanding lives, you will not be compromised by
osteoarthritis, but you will need help. And that you have to judge for yourself!
The Second Type of Arthritis
The second most debilitating type of arthritis is called Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is
characterized as an enduring disease that affects joints in any part of the body but most
especially the hands, wrists and knees. You may remember your grandmother or aunt with
gnarled up hands, enlarged knuckles and closed up fists. She was hardly able to lift a spoon
or a pot, but she could still cook. The only trouble is she could no longer knit, crochet or do
any fine-motor skills. The looks of the hand is the signal that rheumatism has taken over.
In this type of arthritis, the body is attacking itself, called auto-immune disease. There
were no damages or accidents to the wrist or knuckles or knees. The body is simply ganging
up on itself and causing the joints to swell up and gnarl up. The inflammation in the joints
then spreads to any surrounding tissues and can damage the cartilage or bone. In very
severe cases rheumatism can spread and do damage to the skin, eyes and nerves.
Lupus, gout and fibromyalgia are also classed under the rheumatoid arthritis branch in
which the body is attacking itself and is an auto-immune disease.
The first symptoms of any sort of arthritis are:
Pain in the joint areas of the body
Fatigue due to lack of beneficial sleep
Aches which seem to come and go with changes in the weather
Diminished capacity of active life
Joints react with severe stabs of pain
Lower back aches which start with early morning stiffness and reappear all day
Pain reappears throughout the day with normal activity
Lupus is an agonizing auto-immune systemic disease in which the antibodies start to attack









become involved and slowly fill the patient with agonizing pain. Gout occurs when crystals
gather in the joint, as in the knees, and make movement of any sort painful and difficult.
The knees, knuckles and toes are the most susceptible to gout. Fibromyalgia is another
type of arthritis in which the muscles surrounding the joints are affected with pain and
aches. There are 11 points that a rheumatologist checks and at least 8 of them have to
react in order to be determined as Fibromyalgia. It is often grouped together with Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome but I find that not to be the case. Pain and discomfort is the only
characteristic for me with bouts of fatigue on certain days.
Medical Treatment for Arthritis
Now that we have defined what arthritis is, we can discuss what the medical field will
offer you in one form or another. The doctors and rheumatologists have diagnosed the
arthritis so it their duty to follow through with a medical plan.
You might be offered an anti-inflammatory in pill form. An anti-inflammatory or NSAID is
usually very safe to take and does not interfere with any other medication you might be
taking. It is used for arthritis pain, sports injuries and headaches. It will relieve the
constant pain or ache if taken on schedule, daily and with food. The only side effects that
I am familiar with are stomach problems, so take them with food to reduce the risk of an
ulcer,
Names of NSAIDs that you might recognize are Naproxen, Celebrex and aspirin. In fact,
ordinary baby aspirin of 81 mg is also recommended for heart patients to prevent blood
clots. So in addition to relieving pain, aspirin is good for the heart in a small dose every
day. An NSAID is fine to relieve the inflammation but the pain is a different matter.
Pain relievers that can be prescribed or sold over the counter are Tylenol, Advil, Motrin,
and many others too many of which to include. These pain relievers in addition to the
NSAIDs as above would be an adequate combination to help out with the pain and aches of
arthritis.
If, however, your arthritis, or disc degeneration is so severe, and the pain unbearable, the
doctor may give you a prescription for Tylenol #3 or #4, Oxycocet or Percocet which are










if you are
taking these on a regular basis. I take mine at night to give me a deep sleep along with
Naproxen to reduce the swelling. Also keep in mind that these are narcotics and they are
very potent. Do not leave any pills or medication within reach of a baby or youngster,
Opiates are also very habit- forming and can become a problem if you take them for a long
period of time.
In addition to medication, the doctor may request that you have sports therapy which is a
special athletic gym with equipment to reduce the weight bearing on your joints and give
your muscles a work out. Physiotherapists are trained to put you on a routine of special
equipment to take the pressure off of the joints and to reduce the inflammation. It is
wonderful to take part in the facilities and to gain some strength and agility back.
Alternative Methods for Arthritis
For every country, culture and ethnicity there is a cure for arthritis. We are now learning
to trust and use the alternative methods which have proven tried and true for centuries
for many races. Modern society has the majority of us run to the university trained
doctors but we do not necessarily need to choose their suggestions for a cure. I will offer
home remedies first because some of them can be made from the garden or from
household items. Bear in mind that these are for your perusal and do not promise to cure.
Once again, make sure your doctor knows what you are trying.
1. Teas made of just about any herb or root, steeped for two minutes, drunk three
times daily
2. Heat apple cider vinegar, pour on a cloth and rub into the sore joints before bed
time. Repeat through the night if necessary and once in the morning
3. Drink hot apple cider vinegar mixed with a table spoon of liquid or solid honey, in a
tea cup.
4. Thinly -sliced root vegetables such as potato, beets or carrots soaked in wine. After
one month of soaking drink the wine twice a day
5. Put a cup of raisins in one cup of gin. When all the liquid has soaked in, take 6-8
raisins a day.
6. Make a hot poultice of flour, hot water, cayenne pepper and mustard powder. Mix all
ingredients into a paste and put directly onto sore joints or onto hot, soaked
flannelette. Place the cloth or tie around the joint.
7. Take a colon cleansing and a liver cleansing to rid the body of all toxins which is said
to cause arthritis
8. Avoid all purified foods such as white sugar, flour, bread and cakes or pies
9. Eat only whole wheat and brown sugar, entire grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Nothing canned or frozen. As much fresh -caught fish as possible.
10. Use home-
rgic and make cookies and use on
toast with honey. Rub peanut butter onto joints for a few minutes
11. If you are not allergic take a bee and sting the inflamed joint which is introducing a
toxin into the system. It is like taking snake venom to counteract a snake bite.
Catching the bee might be tricky
12. Hot baths with all joints immersed is an excellent end to the day. It should have
Epsom salts or vinegar in the water.
Arthritis and Heat Remedies
I highly recommend heat- applied treatment for arthritis, no matter where the arthritis is
located. In this article I am going to talk about heat, its application and saunas.
When the weather changes and the barometer rises or lowers my body seizes up. I rely on
a hot water bottle or two placed directly on my lower back or shoulders. Some people like
to use both the hot water bottle alternated with an ice bag to relieve the inflammation
and pain. The other heat application is a heating pad which is electrical and is very flat so
it can be placed under or over the body without interrupting sleep. Try to find the brand
of pad which turns off after a few minutes automatically.
Try using an electric blanket for the first few minutes of bed time. The blanket warms up
the bed and then I can turn it off. In days gone by the servants would warm the beds of
their masters with hot water- filled pans and remove them before they retired for the
night. One night I left the blanket turned on all night and I slept like a baby. There is a
new contraption that you can put on your chair or flat on your bed which both vibrates at
different intervals and heats up as well. I wore mine out.
Saunas are wonderful to release the tension, toxins and pain in your joints. The true
Finnish or Swedish method is best, not a dry heat. In the Finnish method, a wood stove
heats up the rocks beside it and the building gets very hot. Your body becomes used to the
heat gradually. Then you take a cup or a ladle and splash water on the rocks. The steam or
humidity fills the room with healing heat and you sit for 10-12 minutes with a towel on.
Then you run out and jump into the snow or lake and cool off in the most exhilarating way.



the lake or snow. Just enjoy the heat and humidity.
However, please check with your physician, because people who have high blood pressure
may not be able to use the sauna. I can only go in a sauna for 5 minutes tops before I can
feel my condition worsening. Hot tubs are the same. Swirling water in a hot tub is great,
but I can only do that for a few minutes. Newer style bathtubs, called jet whirlpool

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a good soak. So heat does do wonders for the arthritic patient but, like everything else, do
it in moderation.
Topical Skin Treatments for Arthritis
Now that we have covered the home remedies for arthritis and its varied
applications, I would like to talk about the application to the body of treatment via





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health and arthritis will follow. I cannot possibly describe all the points of entry








body which can be treated by the needles. Once the needles are inserted, the
doctor will let you rest and then he re-enters to touch the tops of them to add
stimulus and minutes later you are done.
Before he starts, the traditional acupuncturist will study your mouth and teeth,





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breath and body odor. Then he knows what to do. Acupuncture treatment takes






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used in other diseases and conditions. I tried acupuncture but the cost was not

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TENS or
transcutaneous electrical neuron stimulator is a compact unit with wires which
attach to the skin with pads. The pads are placed around the tender or painful area
and then the unit is turned on. With dials and various intensities, the wires
stimulate the nerves and much like acupuncture are supposed to reduce the pain
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on me is temporary. You can carry the TENS
around in your pocket or attach it to your belt and use it while you


Ultrasound and Infrasound Therapy
We have all heard in the past 40 years that we can have a picture or sonogram taken of a
fetus in vitro, still in the womb. This picture of the baby is taken using ultra high sound
waves which are conducted into the womb via a transducer and some conduction gel. It
helps to gather data about the baby, anything from due date, gender, possible birth
defects, size and if it is a multiple birth. I had one when I was two months along and the
size of a barn. I had full- term full- weight twin girls some 7 months later.
So how does this relate to arthritis and joint pain? Well in much lower doses a
physiotherapist can conduct the sound waves with a wand onto the area of pain or joints
which are in pain. Joints such as knees, ankles, wrists, elbows and shoulders can be treated
over time with the sound waves, ultrasound. Once set up on a chair or bed, the client can
give himself the ultrasound over the area while the physiotherapist works with others. I
had a bone spur in my foot which hurt very badly. I thought my foot was broken but I




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/-rays and there it was, a tiny piece of bone at
the end of another bone and it grated on other bones when I tried to walk. So I took
ultrasound treatments for five sessions and it was gone. The spur broke apart and was
blasted into smithereens. No problems since.
Infrasound is based on the other end of the spectrum. Much lower frequencies of sound,
so low we cannot hear them but animals can, are conducted into the area of pain. Muscles




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had been denied. Joint pain can be reduced by also introducing the infrasound. Vitality,
improved wellness and recuperation after an operation have been attributed to infrasound.
In fact, both ultrasound and infrasound have been used in equine medicine. Horses love it!
Their joint pain and muscle rigidity are lessened and they are in much better shape. Now
small pet owners are asking to have infrasound administered to their animals.
These two types of sound therapy are very useful in actually attacking the cause of the
pain and muscle problems. Wellness is a state of mind and, of course, everyone has
different opinions and beliefs about pain, the threshold of pain, the use of alternative
methods versus medical treatment. Choose what you like and how you want to be treated.
Hot Stone Massage
A relatively new method of massage is based on the use of smooth, small, stones placed on
your body. It has come into favor lately as a method of soft massage which does not have
to be as intrusive as deep tissue massage. Some people find that deep tissue massage is
very wrenching on an already sore and painful body.
The stones are gathered from a rapid running river and are small, the size of an egg and no
bigger than the palm of your hand. They are gathered from the river bed as they are
smoothed from the rushing water. Then they are placed into a heating oven which heats
them throughout. They can also be boiled. The stones are then removed and used by the
therapist.
He puts them in his own hands first to make sure they are not too hot. He then puts them
on various parts of the back and legs and arms where the joints and muscles are found to
be sore, tender and tight. First the body may be oiled to allow the rocks to slide from one
spot to another. After a few minutes, the stones are removed and put back in the heater.
The therapist then uses his hands and the oil to do a soft massage. The muscles and
tendons are already relaxed so the deep tissue massage is not necessary.
He can remove the stones once again and place them on the body or use the stones to help
with the massage. They glide over the body due to the oil which also sinks into the skin.
The patient is left with the stones on his/her back for a few minutes before being
excused.
In my younger day, I remember my osteopath using hot steamed towels in heavy amounts
to relax the back and the muscles. I would lie on my stomach and he would come in and
place these heavy hot steaming towels all over my back, let me lie there for a while and
then come in and remove them. His job was much easier to manipulate my sore joints after
a firm massage. I would walk out of there as though I had no spine left and it lasted a good
long time.
Massage has its place in the manipulation of the muscles and the spine. It is meant to be a
relaxing time with soft music and warm sheets. No one should walk out of a massage

Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy has been practiced in all societies since the earliest of time. The laying
of hands or manipulation of the soft tissue of the body is a well known and respected form
of therapy to assist with the lessening of pain. There are close to one hundred different
styles of massage but in all types the therapist may use his/her hands, fingers, knuckles,
elbows, forearms and even the feet.
The main intent of massage is to relax the client, apply oils and creams to the back, arms
and legs, cover him with towels and warm sheets and to lightly rub and manipulate the
body. He will relax the soft tissue, increase the blood flow and the delivery of oxygen to
the necessary areas, keep the body warm and help to decrease pain. The main concept is to
deliver blood and oxygen to the starved muscle groups, joints and tendons in order to
relieve the pain of arthritis and other conditions.
There are so many different types of massage that I cannot do justice to any one method.
The Swedish style uses long, hard strokes on the back while twisting the body, the arms
and legs to get muscles to move and start to work again. North Americans are probably
more familiar with the deep tissue massage where the therapist uses a combination of
strokes and deep finger pressure where he can feel the knotted muscle groups that need
to be relaxed deep under the skin.
I have had the deep tissue massage and I have felt discomfort because my arthritis is
right throughout my body. I cannot relax because I know that every movement is going to
mean more pain to my body. Then you have to get up after your treatment and get dressed
to leave. I do not find full measure relief in any massage unless I am at home, in bed and I
just get a regular back rub. That does me the world of good.
Massage is not just for arthritis pain but is found to be useful in lowering the levels of
blood pressure, anxiety and stress. The clinical practice itself is often housed in the same
office as a chiropractor as they work co-operatively with each other. One week you might
need a chiropractic treatment followed the following week by a massage. Be sure to find a
registered massage therapist RMT rather than someone who hangs out a shingle offering
massages by the hour.

The Quickest Way to Lose Weight: 100 Top Tips 2013

1. "What is the Healthiest Way to Lose Weight?"
   This is a question weight conscious people ask time and again!
   So here is a short report featuring 100 top tips to help you lose weight
   naturally and fast.
   At first glance, this list may appear a little daunting.
   However the important thing to remember is that to make big changes in your
   weight, you only have to make a few small changes at a time, until your ideal
   weight is achieved and maintained.
   Never forget successful weight loss is about LIFESTYLE CHANGE not crash
   dieting, which all of us know, never works in the long run.
   So work through the suggestions, one at a time and try to pick just a couple of
   ideas that you can TAKE ACTION on now, and then come back in a couple of
   days and pick a few more.
   OK … So you want to know how to lose weight naturally and fast?
   …. well here goes:.
   1. Drink Plenty of Water.
   Our body needs lots of water … so give it water! Water is not just a way to
   flush out toxins and impurities. If you have more water in your system you will
   generally feel healthier, and less hungry. Dehydration is also a major cause of
   headaches and migraine. And of coarse, water has no calories at all!
   As soon as you wake up, have a glass of water. It’s a wonderful way to start
   your day and you only need a small glass with your breakfast after that.
   Drinking lots of water cleanses your stomach and digestive system. You may
   have your morning cup of tea but stick to water after that.
   2. Stay away from sweetened bottled drinks...
   especially sodas. All those colas and fizzy drinks are sweetened with tons of
   sugar and sugar means calories! They are also full of chemicals … flavour
   enhancer's, colouring, preservatives etc. The more you can cut out sweetened
   bottled and canned drinks and the more water you drink, the better you will
   feel.
   3. Include in your diet fresh food that contains more water
   (eg tomatoes and watermelons). Some foods contain 90 to 95 % water so
   you can feast on them without adding pounds to your waistline!
   4. Eat fresh fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
   Juice is often sweetened either with sugar or artificial sweeteners, whereas
   fresh fruit only contains natural sugar (sucrose). When you eat fruit, you are
   also taking in a lot of fibre and vitamins, essential for a healthy body.
   5. Increase your fibre intake.
   Your body needs fibre (sometimes called roughage) to assist digestion.
   Soluble fibre is found in varying quantities in all plant foods, including:
   ·peas, soybeans and beans
   · oats, rye, chia and barley
   · prune juice, plums, berries, bananas, apples and pears
   · broccoli, carrots and antichokes, sweet potatoes and onions.
   Sources of insoluble fibre include:
   · whole grain foods
   · wheat and corn bran
   · nuts and seeds
   · potato skins
   · flax and hemp seed
   · lignans
   · green beans, cauliflower courgette's, celery and nopal.
   · avocado and bananas
   · kiwifruit and tomatoes.
   6. Go crazy on vegetables.
   Vegetables (like water) are another “secret weapon” when it comes to losing
   weight fast. Leafy green vegetables are your best bet. Try to eat, as much
   salad in your diet as you can … you will feel so much healthier if you do!
   7. Eat intelligently.
   The difference between man and beast is that we are driven by intelligence
   while beasts are driven by instinct. Don’t just eat something because you feel
   like eating it. Ask yourself whether your body really needs this piece of food at
   this time … discipline and will power are your keys to long term success.
   8. Control that sweet tooth.
   Remember, sweet things nearly always mean more calories. It is natural that
   we have cravings for sweet things especially chocolates and other
   confectionary. However, take this weight loss tip seriously … go easy on
   sugary things and each time you consume something sweet understand that
   there will be a price to pay!
   9. Set Fixed Times to have meals and stick to it.
   Try to have food at fixed times of the day. You can stretch these times by half
   an hour, but anything more than that is going to affect your eating pattern.
   The result will be that famished feeling that puts your diet under pressure and
   could result in you “breaking” and stuffing yourself with loads of “bad food”!
   10. Avoid snacking between meals.
   Do not fall into the trap of constantly snacking between meals. This is
   especially true for those of us who have to travel a lot. We may feel that the
   only way we can get a bite to eat is to use café snacks and junk food. The
   main problem here is that most snacks and junk food are full of fat, sugar, salt
   and saturated oils. Just think … those French fries may look tempting but they
   are terrible nutritionally speaking.
   11. Snack on vegetables.
   You will get pangs of hunger in between meals. However this is something
   that you can control very well. Carry with you a good supply of “snack –
   vegetables”! Try munching on carrots. They are an excellent way to satisfy
   hunger pangs and are also very good for your eyes and teeth. True, you might
   end up being called Bugs Bunny, but its miles better than being called fatso!
   12. Go easy on tea and coffee.
   Tea and coffee are pretty harmless in themselves but when you add the
   milk/cream and the sugar … thats when they become fattening. Did you know
   that having a cup of tea or coffee with cream and two cubes of sugar is as bad
   as having a big piece of rich chocolate cake!
   13. Try to stick to black tea or coffee.
   Black tea or coffee is good for you. But personally I would recommend tea
   rather than coffee. The excess caffeine in coffee is potentially harmful, (esp if
   you drink a lot of it) because it is an alkaloid that affects other functions of
   your body and metabolism.
   14. Count the calories as you eat.
   This is a basic but frequently forgotten tip. These days you can get a good
   idea of what calories are in most food items, as packaged foods tend to have
   the calorie content printed on them.
   15. Burn out those extra calories by the end of the week.
   If you feel that you have consumed more calories than you should have
   during the week, then make sure that you work off those extra calories by the
   end of the week. A momentary lapse is not the end of the world. Remember,
   this is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE not a rigid crash diet.
   16. Stay away from fried things.
   Fried things are an absolute no-no. The more you stay away from the frying
   pan, the more weight you will lose! Fried food is generally bad because it is
   fried in oil or fat. And even if the external oil is drained away, there is still a lot
   of oil and fat absorbed by the food itself. So stay away from it.
   17. Do not skip meals.
   One of the worst things that you can do while watching your diet is skip meals.
   Contrary to what you might think, missing meals is bad as it disrupts your
   metabolism, creates terrible hunger pangs (increasing the likelihood that you
   will “break” and start snacking) and if repeated over a long period of time, will
   send your body into “starvation mode”. Try to have at least three regular
   healthy meals every day.
   18. Fresh vegetables are better than cooked or canned vegetables.
   Try to eat your vegetables raw. When you cook them, you are in fact taking
   much of the goodness and vitamins out of them. And canned vegetables are
   processed which means that the food industry will have added all the usual
   “food demons” (sugar, salt, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavourings etc). When
   you buy your vegetables its also good to see if the label says “pesticide free”.
   19. Not more than one egg a day.
   Depending on your metabolism type, too many eggs may not be such a bright
   idea. For most people, it’s best to reduce your intake of eggs to maybe three
   or four a week. But for those of you die hard egg fans, you may have up to
   one egg a day but nothing more than that.
   20. Make chocolate a luxury and not a routine.
   Chocolate is not a part of your new healthy diet! Even bitter (black) chocolates
   are not particularly good for you because even though the sugar is less, there
   is still cream in them. Milk chocolate is full of sugar and cream. So avoid.
   21. If you can say no to alcoholic beverages please do.
   Alcoholic beverages are not good for you. Beer is definitely fattening and most
   other alcoholic drinks are full of sugar and adversely affect your liver if not
   drunk in moderation. The other issue of course, is the fact that the most
   important ingredient in your achieving your target weight is WILL POWER.
   You have done a fantastic job walking past your favourite Chinese takeaway
   all week, but will you still be able to do so after a few drinks with your pals …
   who are all of coarse piling in there to order huge curries!
   22. Try to have breakfast within one hour of waking.
   It’s always best to have a good breakfast within an hour of waking so that your
   body can charge itself with the energy it needs for the day. The idea is not to
   wait until you get really hungry and then end up snacking. Breakfast is
   acknowledged as the most important meal of the day but it is often the meal
   many people neglect the most.
   23. 50 to 55% of your diet should be carbohydrates.
   It is a myth that you should try and avoid carbohydrates when you are on a
   diet. Rather the other way round I say. Carbohydrates are a ready source of
   energy and so 50 to 55% of your diet should be carbohydrates.
   24. 25 to 30% of your diet should be proteins.
   Various processes and activities are continually going on in our bodies.
   Things are broken down and being built back up again. Resistance to disease
   has to be built up, recovery from illness too is needed and for all this the body
   needs plenty of proteins. So see to it that 25 to 30 % of your diet consists of
   proteins.
   25. Fats should only be 10 to 15 % of your diet.
   You need only this much of fat so keep it at that.
   26. Try and adopt a vegetarian diet.
   A vegetarian diet is undoubtedly better for those of us watching our weight ...
   even if it is only temporary. There are a lot of big advantages in keeping to a
   vegetarian diet but this is a subject outside the scope of this report. If you
   can’t go totally “veggie”, make a non- vegetarian diet a weekend event or
   something special rather than the norm.
   27. Choose white meat rather than red.
   If you must have your meat, white meat, which includes fish and fowl, is miles
   better than red meat, which includes beef and pork for those of us trying to
   lose weight.
   28. High Fibre multigrain breads are better than white breads.
   Remember how important it is to increase the fibre content of your food; well
   this is one way that you can. Multigrain breads are not only far superior in
   terms of fibre but also have much better protein content as well.
   29. Reduce your intake of pork.
   Pork is not something that can help you to lose weight. The fattiness of pork is
   the reason. So the less pork you eat the better. And remember that pork
   includes pork products, things like bacon, ham and sausages.
   30. Limit your sugar intake.
   Sugar is public enemy number one for people trying to lose weight, and part
   of the “unholy trinity” of sugar, salt and hydrogenated oils. These three
   demons wreck havoc with our healthy eating strategies. Avoid all three as
   much as possible.
   31. Graze 5 to 6 times a day.
   Instead of sticking to just three meals a day, try grazing. Grazing means
   having 5 or 6 smaller meals instead of three king sized meals. It is an
   excellent way of getting your stomach used to smaller quantities of food and
   should mainly consist of fresh fruit and vegetables.
   32. Go ahead cheat … but only occasionally!
   There are many things, which you should avoid when sticking to your new
   healthy lifestyle. However we all suffer from the “fallen flesh” from time to
   time, and one piece of Grandma’s chocolate cake won’t kill you! But make
   these occasional indulgences the exception rather than the rule and try to
   make up for it by eating fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.
   32. Watch your fat intake.
   This is so important. Each fat gram contains 9 calories so by reading the total
   calories on a food and knowing the quantity of fat, you can estimate the % of
   fat, which should in no way exceed 30% of your total food intake.
   33. Go easy on Salt.
   As mentioned (in 30) too much salt is very harmful and one of the major
   causes of obesity. Make a point of really cutting down on salt. Read the labels
   for cans and other processed food, and restrict the amount you use in
   cooking.
   34. Change from Margarine to reduced fat or cholesterol free butter.
   Margarine is arguably one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat and is full of
   chemicals. Modest portions of reduced fat natural butter are much better than
   margarine and other artificial butter substitutes.

Exercise

Yes it is true, we all need to exercise. Nothing is as beneficial as getting your heart
going and toning your muscles. The benefits of exercise touch all parts of your
body and life so make sure to schedule time for a workout. I know that life is
hectic but all you need to do is 20 minutes three times a week to begin to help your
body. Remember, you don't need to run a marathon or climb Mt. Everest, all you
need to do is elevate your heart rate and keep it elevated for 20 minutes. Start out
easy and work up to more strenuous activates. Never over exert and never begin
any exercise program without checking with your doctor.
Let's just summarize the benefits of exercise:
 You will feel great: That alone should be enough to get all of us out and
exercising. Isn’t that a good start? Exercise changes you inside and out,
nothing else has such a dramatic systemic effect.
 Muscles: Exercise builds and tones your muscles. As a result your
metabolism is increased which makes it easier to lose weight. The more
muscles you have working for you the more fat you will burn.
 Stress: Exercise is great for lowering the stress levels in your life and in
your body. According to many studies not only will exercising for 20
minutes three times week be beneficial for your metabolism but it will also
lower your stress levels.
 Calories burned: Exercise demolishes calories. Later in this article I will
discuss the process of successful long term weight loss and at that point you
will have a better understanding of the importance of burning calories. The
simple concept is when you burn more calories than you eat you lose weight.
Always remember that exercise is any physical activity, you can walk, ride a bike,
swim, or anything that gets you moving. Don't get hung up on not being able to do
a lot at the start. The most important thing is to start and stick with it.
Not exercising is a guarantee to gaining weight. If you continue to eat as usual and
continue the 'couch potato' mentality then you are setting yourself up for a difficult
life of illness and disease.

Genetics

What you family has given you to work with: It is true that genetics play a role in
a person's ability to gain or lose weight but genetics are not the entire story. By
taking the right approach you can make sure your body is nourished and healthy
and not gain weight despite what your parents and grandparents look like. Your
genetics play a role in determining your metabolism and your tendency to gain
weight but do not let this stop you from taking the steps you need to live as healthy
a life as possible. Remember, this is your life so you are responsible for taking care
of yourself.

How You Eat ?

What does a typical meal look like? Is your plate filled with fatty foods that
are high in calories? These foods are difficult for your body to utilize and
you put yourself at a greater risk of the FATAL FOUR if this type of food is
on you plate. Examples would be deep fried foods, fast food French fries,
rich creamy sauces.
 Are you a fast eater? The rate at which you eat your dinner is important. If
you eat too fast your brain does not get the signal that you are full until you
have over eaten. The easiest method to slow yourself down at a meal is to
put your fork down between bites. Take the time to taste your food and
enjoy what you are eating before you pick up your fork for more.
 When you take your time to chew your food that allows the saliva in your
mouth longer to break down the food. Give your body every chance it has to
break down the food and extract all the nutrients it can.
 Portion size: Eat smaller but more often. We discussed this earlier; you can
increase your metabolism by giving it a constant source of fuel to break
down. It is also easier on your stomach and digestive system to have smaller
amounts of food to break down. Be nice to your body and it will pay you
huge dividends.

To Increase Your Metabolism:

 Start out with an exercise routine that lasts 20 minutes and repeat the
routine 3 times a week. This will begin to raise your metabolism and get you
on the right path to lose weight.
 Portion control. We have developed a distorted concept of the amount of
food that we should consume at each meal. To make it easy always think
smaller. Begin to plan for 5-6 small meals a day. The plan would include a
healthy breakfast, then a small healthy snack, lunch, another small snack and
then a healthy dinner. The healthy snacks will keep your metabolism at a
good rate and will also prevent you from having a craving to go get
something sweet and unhealthy.
 EAT!!!! Never starve yourself because you will force your body to go into
‘starvation mode’. We spoke briefly about this but it bears repeating, if your
body senses that it is not receiving adequate nourishment it will begin to
store fat. This is a recipe for disaster if you are trying to lose weight. Your
body will win and the pounds will not come off.
 Walk. At every opportunity find a reason to walk. It can be as simple as
parking your car far away from the building you work in so your walk is
long or you can walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Be creative
and find opportunities to walk. If you can schedule the time a 30 minute
walk at least three times a week will work wonders for your health and
metabolism.
 Never and I mean NEVER skip breakfast. Your body has been resting
and repairing for the last 8 hours and now it needs fuel to get you going for
the day. Take the time to plan a healthy breakfast and don't settle for the
easy route of grabbing a donut or other pastry.
 Understand your eating habits. How and what you eat will determine, to a
large extent, your ability to lose weight. Do you sit down for a huge dinner
loaded with carbs, fats and sweets? At meal time do you have a smaller
portion of lean meats, veggies and carbs? Do you take your time enjoying
your meal or do you eat as fast as you can? Examine your patterns of eating
and see which patterns you can alter the easiest and then begin making the
necessary changes.

4 Reasons For Weight Gain: (1) Low Metabolism

Whether you have a slow, normal or fast metabolism can be attributed partly to
genetics. However we can increase our metabolism by taking some simple steps.
When you can't remember why you exercise just think about this, muscles burn fat
and they continue to burn fat after you have finished your exercise. That's right our
muscles are like having a fat burning furnace inside our bodies. When you sit all
night in front of the TV or computer your muscles are not burning any fat which
also means that your body isn't burning any calories. The result is that the calories
our muscles should be burning, but aren't because we are sitting around, are now
turned into fat by our bodies. This is exactly what we don't want.
If you exercise the following occurs:
 You build and/or tone your muscles.
 The muscles in your body need fuel so they burn the stored fat.
 As you exercise you raise your heart rate which is beneficial to your entire
body.
 You finish your exercise but your muscles continue to require fuel so they
continue to burn the stored fat. When you are active your entire body
benefits, heart, lungs, muscles, joints, and mind, and all this will increase
your metabolism which makes it easier for you to lose weight.

Calories We Consume: Don't Eat More Than You Can Burn

The simplest reason why we gain weight is that we consume more food, giving us
more calories, than we can use in one day. Anytime you eat anything your body
converts the food into sugars. This is something our bodies have learned to do over
the millions of years the human species has existed. Your body knows that it must
store excess 'energy' so if food is scarce the body can keep functioning. If, for
some reason, food is no longer available the body draws upon the resources of
sugar to provide fuel for our bodies. This meant that if a human had to continue to
hunt and forage for food their body would be able to perform everything they
asked of it.
The advantage our predecessors had over us is that they had to work very hard to
find food so that excess fat was burned off very rapidly. That meant that they didn't
experience the same problems with obesity that we do
Today, for most of us, food is readily available, so we can over eat and indulge
ourselves. This means that now we must find ways to burn off the extra calories to
allow us to maintain our weight. When we understand how the body stores and
burns fat we then have the tools to understand how not to gain weight. Our society
and our standard of living has made it too easy to eat too much, too often.

Why We Gain Weight

There are endless reasons why people gain weight. The reasons can range from
simply overeating and not getting enough exercise to burn off the calories from the
food to as complicated as being passed from one generation to the next genetically.
To have a true understanding of how a person will lose weight, you first have to
understand why you gain weight. Next I am going to describe some of the reasons
why people gain weight.

Overweight Versus Obese

I have been using the terms 'overweight' and 'obese' but I have not defined either
term. To clarify exactly the difference between the two here are the definitions I
will use:
Obese: doctors consider you obese if you are 20 to 30 percent over your 'ideal'
body weight
Overweight: doctors consider you overweight if your body mass index (BMI) is 25
or over. (Just to give you a point of reference that would mean you were 5 to 15
percent over your ideal body weight. OUCH!!)
If you would like to find out what your 'ideal' weight is here is a link that you will
find helpful:
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
Never lose sight of the fact that you are at a much higher risk of experiencing the
FATAL FOUR if you are just overweight. That fact alone should convince you
want to make the changes in your life to avoid that type of misery.
It is now time to take control of your life, to make the changes that allow you to
live a longer and healthier life.

Medical Fact:

In one study a group of people, 5881 to be exact, were monitored over a 14-year
period. The doctors were looking for a link between people being overweight and
heart failure. What the doctors discovered was if a person is just 'overweight', not
obese that person will have a 34% greater chance of experiencing heart failure.
The report was even more startling for an obese person. For those people who
were categorized as obese the risk of heart failure jumped to 104% versus someone
whose weight was in the 'normal' range.
Did that get your attention? I hope so.

Health Concerns

Most likely you are aware of the numerous problems to your health if you are
obese. If you are 20 lbs. overweight you can really begin to experience the ill
effects of being overweight.
The problems from being overweight can present themselves in many ways. That
nagging lower back pain is it from last night's pick-up basketball game or is your
back sore because your body is struggling to function with that additional 20 lbs.
Twenty pounds might not sound like much but grab four 5 lb. bags of potatoes and
carry them around for a few hours. I think at the end of that experiment you will
have a much greater appreciation for what your body has to deal with when you
gain weight.
When your weight reaches a certain level, when you pass being overweight and
become obese, you put enormous strain on all the parts of your body such as your
heart, your joints, your feet, your lungs.
Once you are overweight, you set yourself up for life threatening health problems
and diseases. You are now a candidate for the FATAL FOUR......stroke, heart
attack, high blood pressure, and diabetes. I'm sure you don’t want any of those in
your life, so commit right now that you will make the changes you need to make to
live a healthier and longer life.

Take a second to answer these questions, be honest so that the answers will help you.

 Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought you looked ugly?
 Are you comfortable with the body you see in the mirror?
 Are you worried about your partner’s opinion of your body?
 Do you find yourself thinking about what other people think about you when
they look at you?
If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions then it is very possible that your
weight is affecting how you perceive yourself and how you believe others may
perceive you. Life is very difficult when your physical appearance can exert such a
powerful influence. So, you have two choices:
1) Change
2) Live with it
If you picked #2 then you must also be prepared to live with the emotional
consequences of being overweight.
It is my hope that you chose the first option, that you want to change and in
another section of the article I will lay the ground work for you to do just that.

Physical Appearance

If people are honest they will tell you that they don't want to be fat. In our society
our appearance is a determining factor as to how we will be accepted by others,
which opportunities we will be offered and, most importantly, our self-esteem.
Self-esteem is a powerful force in our lives and it plays out in every aspect of our
day. If you believe that your body is not desirable then you can become depressed,
sad, and even develop depression. This depression or sadness can lead to the
development of binge or emotional eating. If that happens you enter a vicious cycle
of being depressed, eating to feel a sense of emotional contentment then getting
more depressed because of what you ate.
Doctors have been documenting the emotional toll of being obese. It has been
established that a person's sense of self-worth and emotional stability can be
destroyed when becoming obese. The emotional consequences of being obese over
a long period of time can be crushing and may require intense therapy from a
primary care physician and therapist.

Let’s Get Started! In

In the morning when you get dressed are you frustrated with the image you see in
the mirror? What’s happened to your body, your tummy is getting flabby, your
waist is getting wider and your hips are getting heavier. If that wasn't enough you
look at your face and see a few wrinkles starting and a little extra jiggle under your
chin.
What can you do to stop this from getting worse and what is happening to your
body when you gain weight. These are the questions that I will answer in this
article. I will show you how to lose weight and keep it off.
It is a national 'sport' to 'people watch' at the beach. But when you do this you find
yourself comparing your body to every slim, tanned and toned body you see. It is a
cruel fact of nature that there are some people who never have to watch what they
eat, who don't have to exercise much, and who just are blessed with a metabolism
that burns fast. These people never think about how much they are eating, when
they are eating, or how many calories they are consuming.
We place so much importance on our weight, why is our weight so important? The
simple truth is two reasons - how we look and how we feel.

A Sensible Approach For Natural Weight Loss 2013

Every year millions of people make a promise to lose weight, yet most of those
people struggle to keep those promises. The result is the weight stays on and more
damage is done to their health for another year.
There are so many weight loss and dieting options available it is almost impossible
to understand the differences between the plans. If that wasn’t enough, how do you
know which plans are truly effective. If so many people fail at weight loss what
works? In theory all of the options can work but you will have to make huge
changes in every aspect of your life to be successful.
Whatever weight loss approach you decide to take there will be work to be done
and obstacles to be overcome. The answer is really the same for everyone; you
need to change the amount of food you eat and change the foods you eat. When
you couple those two changes with an increase in exercise you will lose weight.
Exercise is important so that you have a daily calorie deficiency. A daily calorie
deficiency, what in the world is that? You will need to be patient because I will
explain that later.
In this article I have put together as much information as possible given that this is
an article and not a novel. So here we go:
I’ve tried to include as much information as I can about weight loss, so you won’t
leave this book with too many left questions to ask.
IMPORTANT: This article is intended to provide information and ideas
pertaining to weight loss. It is NOT a substitute for professional advice from a
dietician, nutritionist or your family practitioner. You should consult your
physician before undertaking any sort of diet or extended physical exertion.
I have made every effort to ensure the information in this book is accurate
and up to date.

Other Reasons Why You May Want To Lose Weight

One of the most common reasons people want to lose weight is
because their personal appearance. This is a very difficult issue for
people to face but our society places enormous value and status to a
person's appearance. If someone is over-weight they experience, on a
daily basis, discrimination and social obstacles.
Knowing how our society views people who are overweight can cause
an over-weight person to have poor self-esteem. Excess weight can
impact your self-esteem. To be obese is to experience many negative
connotations in our society.
If you believe that you are not attractive or appealing the belief that
you have less self-worth and value than someone else will creep into

Why Do You Want To Lose Weight?

Seems like an obvious question doesn’t it? Scratch beneath the surface
and you will find your true motivation that will keep you dedicated
until you achieve your goal.
What do you hope to get out of this program?
Why do you want to lose weight?
Is it simply because it was on your New Year's resolution list of goals
to achieve?
Is it for a reunion you’ll be attending?
Is it for a holiday?
Is it to fit into last summer's jeans or maybe your favorite little black
dress?
I know it’s difficult, we are bombarded by images of all the 'beautiful
people'. These images set, what the advertising media, the 'ideal'
image. What is that? For women it is begin a size 2, perfect hair and
impeccable makeup. For the men it is ripped abs, a 28 inch waist and
a muscular body.
The media manipulates us into believing that these images are what
we need but that is not how most of us look or will ever look.
We are all different and the world is a richer place for it. Just because
we may not be 100 pounds, leggy and 5 feet 11 doesn’t mean that we
are not beautiful.
The vast majority of us will never meet those 'goals' but so many
people try. If you are over-weight, you know that the weight is not
who you are but you are being judged on the extra weight. You know
that the person inside you is so much more than the weight and you
need to lose the weight for other people to see that.
Just remember, you are a unique and wonderful person and with the
correct plan and action you will look great and be healthier.
9
So why do you want to lose weight? Everyone wants to look their best
but is that the only reason? Are there deeper and more meaningful
reasons to lose weight?
To lose weight you need a truly compelling reason to be successful.
You will need a reason that you can hold onto and work towards.
You need a more compelling reason so you can to stick with your
program over the long haul because sometime along the way you will
confront obstacles and roadblocks and your reason to lose weight must
be compelling enough to push you through and over these temporary
setbacks.
You need to be completely committed to your goal so that when you
have a bad day you can resist the chocolate cake, a bowl of ice cream
or whatever your food of 'pleasure' is. When your mind is screaming at
you to eat something it is because you are looking for comfort and
relief, will your reason to lose weight be strong enough to resist these
moments?
Hopefully it will but for many these moments will derail their weight
loss efforts and many will never get back on track. Your reason to lose
weight must be more powerful than a piece of chocolate cake, ice
cream or anything else.
The chocolate cake is so difficult to resist because it is staring you
right in the face. It is there right in front of you and your reason to
lose weight seems very far away. Your reaction to the emotions is a
reaction that has been present in your life for years. It is a learned
response to stress and your emotions. When you confront these
emotions it is very difficult to see past them but to be successful you
must understand that you have to take control of your emotions and
never lose sight of your goals. your goals will change your life, a piece
of chocolate cake will not.
Having said that, if you haven’t done so before, think of a worthwhile
purpose to lose the weight.
There are so many reasons to lose weight maybe you want to lose
weight because you want:
 A healthy body.
 To have a long and healthy life.
10
 To be able to go out and have fun and not be limited by my
weight.
 To be proud of my appearance.
 To be strong enough and have the energy to live my lifeand
enjoy my grandkids.
The key to your success with weight loss adn life is to create a goal
that is so compelling and has such a deeper meaning for you that
nothing can deter you from achieving this goal. A New Year's Eve
resolution will not work. Take the time to create a goal that has true
meaning in your life. If you take the time to do this you will find that
the chocolate cake, the ice cream or anything else will not have any
power over you and then you will be well on your way to successful
weight loss.
So why should you lose weight? Quite simply, because you are worth it
and you deserve to have a full and truly wonderful life. You will have
the energy to fulfill the promise of that life and the desire to live that
life.
So get to it, think of your compelling purpose. Think of a dozen, the
more the better. Create a dynamic, life-altering list of reasons and
goals. Start today so that tomorrow you will be one day closer to your
dream weight.