diane walker asked:


Most older people do not develop mental health problems, but a significant minority have dementia or experience problems such as depression.

Introduction

It is estimated that 18% of the general population in the UK are of pensionable age and that this figure will grow to 20% by 2025. As a society, we tend to assume that older people will develop mental health problems as a ‘normal’ aspect of ageing. Most older people do not develop mental health problems, although a significant minority does. For example:



about 25% of people over 85 have dementia.

between 10-15% of people over 65 have depression

between 4-23% of older adults seen by medical staff have an alcohol problem.



In addition to those older people who have an identifiable mental illness such as dementia, there are many who experience psychological or emotional distress associated with isolation, loneliness or loss. These problems are not recorded by the health or medical care system.

What problems affect people in later life?

Dementia

Dementia is a decline in mental ability which affects memory, thinking, problem solving, concentration, perception and behaviour. Some forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, are degenerative. That is, they get worse over time. Other forms of dementia, such as vascular dementia, may be non-degenerative. That is, they may not get worse over time.

People with dementia can become confused. Some people also become restless or display repetitive behaviour. They may also seem irritable, tearful or agitated. This can be very distressing for both the person with dementia and their family and friends. Some people with dementia also develop other problems such as depression, disturbed sleep, aggression, inappropriate sexual behaviour and incontinence, although the latter issues tend to be associated with more advanced dementia.

About one in 20 people over the age of 65 are affected by dementia and this figure rises to one in four people over the age of 85 (Audit Commission, 2000). People under the age of 65 can develop dementia but this is rare and is known as early onset or pre-senile dementia.

What causes dementia?

Dementia occurs as a result of the death of brain cells or damage in parts of the brain that deal with our thought processes and functioning. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. We do not know what causes Alzheimer’s disease but we do know that ageing is the biggest risk factor. The second most common type of dementia is vascular or multi-infarct dementia. This occurs as a result of a series of mini-strokes which constrict blood flow and oxygen to the brain.

Can dementia be prevented and is there a cure?

Most types of dementia cannot be cured but a number of psychological treatments and anti-dementia drugs can be very effective for those in the early stages of dementia. It is therefore very important to get a proper assessment of cognitive function from a medical practitioner as early as possible.

There are no guaranteed ways of preventing dementia, but you may find it helpful to follow a sensible diet and pursue a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical exercise and supplements like Gingko Biloba can help to ensure that there is always a good supply of blood to the brain. Please consult your GP before taking such medication. You can also help yourself by keeping your mind active, for example by doing crosswords or puzzles.

Depression

Depression describes a range of moods, from feeling a bit low to a severe problem, which interferes with everyday life and normal functioning. People with severe depression may experience a range of symptoms including low mood, loss of interest and pleasure as well as feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

Depression can affect anyone, of any culture, age or background but it affects proportionally more older people than any other age group. It is estimated that around 10-15% of elderly people in the community exhibit depressive symptoms, with this proportion rising to about 40% of care home residents. That said, you will not necessarily become depressed just because you are getting older.

What causes depression?

There are a number of risk factors that play a role in increasing older people’s vulnerability to depression including:



being widowed, divorced or retired

neurobiological changes associated with ageing

use of medication for other conditions

greater physical impairment and disease

loneliness and isolation

genetic susceptibility, which increases with age.



Can depression be prevented and is there a cure?

Depression in later life is a widely under recognised and under treated medical condition. Up until recently many health professionals – including GP’s – failed to offer the treatments and supports available to other age groups. Most forms of depression can be treated, using medication, talking treatments or other strategies.

It is can be difficult to diagnose depression in older people because it often occurs alongside other mental and physical illnesses, such as dementia, stroke, diabetes and cancer. In addition many older people do not seek help from their GP until they have a number of symptoms. As with dementia, it is important to seek help as early as possible.

Self-help strategies that can help reduce the risk of depression include:



taking regular exercise

planning for critical transitions such as retirement

seeking support from family and friends following the loss of a long-term partner

ensuring that you pursue a range of interests in later life.



Dementia and depression

The relationship between dementia and depression is complex. The symptoms of dementia and depression – including withdrawal from social activities and general apathy – are very similar. An elderly person with severe depression may occasionally be misdiagnosed as having dementia. A person with dementia may also become depressed.

Alcohol abuse

It is estimated that between 4%-23% of older adults seen by medical staff experience problems with alcohol. Figures also show that older men are currently between two and six times more likely than older women to be at risk of abusing alcohol.

Although alcohol abuse is a problem for people of all ages, it is more likely to go unrecognised among older people. Many older people use alcohol to deal with loss or loneliness. Approximately 10-30% of older people who abuse alcohol become depressed. They are also at greater risk of *******.

Medication

Prescribed medications can cause mental health difficulties among older people. A 2001 Department of Health survey found that 79% of older people take prescribed medicines. Many older people take four or more medications at the same time. There are risks associated with taking multiple medications, including confusion.

More detailed information about medication and mental health problems can be found at the following sites:

Other mental health problems

There are a number of rarer mental health problems that affect older people, including delirium, anxiety and late-onset schizophrenia. The prevalence, nature, and course of these disorders are different in older people, as are the treatments that may be offered.

Capacity and older people with mental illness

People with dementia or severe mental illness may have difficulty in making and communicating decisions. Very few people are unable to be involved in making choices at all but some may have partial or fluctuating mental capacity and may need help with communication. Different approaches are also required to engage a person with dementia. They often need longer to make decisions, may need an advocate to speak on their behalf and their mental functioning may also vary by day, and time of day. Family members or carers are often useful sources of information but it is important to take account of the views of the person with dementia alongside those of their carer.

Help for carers

Caring for an older person with mental health problems can be very stressful, time consuming and emotionally and physically challenging. Caring for an older person with dementia is associated with higher levels of stress, with a third of carers suffering from depression.

For free advice on depression or a free consultation visit www.clairehegarty.co.uk or ring 0151 678 3358 or 07714853524

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Nick Mutt asked:


Sprouts retain vitamins and minerals, even after cooking. Where as grains, fenugreek, mung (mung bean, green bean, moong, green gram), ground nut will lose a substantial amount of their vitamin and minerals on boiling.

Sprouts contain an amazing increased amount of nutrients in comparison to dried seeds. Sprouting increases the vitamins, minerals and protein and decreases the calories and carbohydrate contents. The water content of the sprouts also increases as compared to dried seeds, grains, and legumes. Sprouts are a great, cheap source of obtaining a concentration of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Alfalfa seeds contain manganese, calcium, vitamins as A, B, C, E, K and amino acids.

The following are used for sprouting.

1. Legumes- Peas, ground nut, mung

2. Seeds- Radish seeds, carrot seeds

3. Grains- Wheat, barley, ragi,

Method of Sprouting

The seeds must be washed well in pure water and soaked in water for 24 hours, after closing the vessel with a clean cloth. The next morning seeds are cleaned and water is removed. To one fourth of the vessel the seeds are put and they require more space for their sprouting, bulky, and pulpy and with full of water. The sprouting will happen within three days. One can notice the green leaves at their tips. They must be preserved in a refrigerator and used whenever necessary. These will contain all the nutrients and minerals after boiling. The vitamins are not lost after boiling. So the sprouts are safe and useful to the body. They aid in the maintenance of good health. So, one must use sprouts daily in their meals either in breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Get powerful herbal Fat Loss Supplements to lose weight naturally. Learn about Fat Loss Diet – diet plan that help you to get rid of excess weight. Checkout the most comprehensive health guide on Natural Fat Loss and discover the most efficient diet and workout programs to burn fat.

Tracie Johanson asked:

Considering that about 65% of our population is either overweight or obese, it should come as no surprise that most Americans are actively seeking sound advice on how to choose a diet plan that’s right for them. Unfortunately, the sheer number of weight loss tips and diet tips available have made finding the right weight loss program confusing at best.

The Problem Is Too Many Choices:

There is a staggering number of diet products on the market today, from the Atkins Diet to the Zone Diet. Compounding the confusion is the vast array of weight loss pills, patches and creams available.

With so many diet and nutrition weight loss products on the market, consumers looking for health advice find themselves overwhelmed by too much information.

Sometimes, Expert Advice Poses An Even Bigger Problem:

In February 2006 a news story muddied the waters even more. The Women’s Health Initiative reported that low fat diets may not offer the health benefits we had previously thought. They researched the connection between a low-fat diet and a woman’s risk of heart disease and cancer.

Limited in the space and time they have to report on health tips and news, the media failed to report the full story. Unfortunately, the result was that most major media outlets reported the ‘Death Of The Low Fat Diet’. The average person, perhaps thinking they were getting a tip on losing weight or maintaining a healthy diet, was misled.

Reading the full study, however, revealed that the researchers did not intend to steer the public away from low fat foods or low fat recipes. Indeed, entire volumes have been written about the benefits of a low fat diet, and one narrowly focused study will not change that fact. “Despite the virtues of this study — particularly its size and its design — it is a single study, and leaves some unanswered questions. Therefore, it does not constitute the final word on the subject of nutrition in older women” (Source: Harvard Health Publications; Harvard Medical School).

Sometimes even the free medical advice from our government only serves to confuse the public. For example, consider the recent news about trans fat and saturated fat regarding food labeling requirements. For the first time in our nation’s history, food labels will now have to disclose how much trans fat is contained in the product. Added to the aforementioned research on low fat diets, these two facts bewilder and baffle the average consumer who may not understand the different types of fat in foods.

Another fine example of expert advice perplexing the public can be seen by the fact that our government has periodically changed the ideal weight chart and the recommended body fat percentage for both men and women.

So How Do Choose The Best Diet Product For You?

The first step in selecting the best diet plan for you is to find free diet information and free advice about weight control. Many reputable and reliable resources are available, one of the best being health clubs. Gyms that are focused on truly helping people achieve weight loss success will feature informative and free articles on their website. The federal government also sponsors and hosts some excellent sites that are packed with free diet information.

When seeking the best diet product for you, keep in mind that every person is unique, with separate and distinct tastes and preferences. In other words, the weight loss plan that works for you may not work for me. Some people claim that the Maker’s Diet is the best weight loss diet on the market today. Others favor the diet foods offered by the South Beach Diet. Even the best weight loss program in the world is worthless if it’s not a good match for you personally. For easy weight loss to be realized, then, it’s critical to examine many different diet products to find one that fits your individual personality.

Personalize Your Diet Plan For Optimum Results:

If you absolutely love bread, then the Atkins diet recipes will not work for you. In the same way, Weight Watcher recipes won’t help you much if you’re not an active participant in the Weight Watcher Point program. Attempting to force yourself into diet program that doesn’t fit your personality or tastes will inevitably lead to failure.

A much better approach is to find a diet system that parallels your individual preferences. Whichever diet program you select, it is important that it be a diet you can stick with for life. Forcing yourself into a diet plan that’s not right for you will only make you disappointed and discouraged.

To Lose Weight Fast, Don’t Forget Weight Loss Exercise!

As we’ve seen, the experts argue about which diet is best. It seems that every weight control system has doctors and research to back up their claims. However, it cannot be disputed that the path to healthy weight loss will always include a combination of diet and exercise. It is only when you exercise to lose weight, combined with a healthy diet and sound nutritional practices, that you can achieve true fat loss and solve your weight issue once and for all. It’s not an exaggeration to say that attempting weight management without exercise is like trying to build a house without a hammer – when you’re trying to lose fat, why leave out the most effective tool?

That being said, our sound advice on how to choose a quick weight loss diet is to remember these diet tips from Pick Up The Pace: 1) If a diet has gained national exposure, it has probably worked for someone. 2) Just because a diet has worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. 3) Any given diet program can probably help somebody, but no diet program will help everybody. 4) Any fast weight loss diet must include regular exercise to be effective.

Nick Mutt asked:


Exercise is necessary for good health. It makes you active and alert in your day to day activities. Exercise promotes digestion, lightness of the body, sturdiness of the body, reduces fat in the body and increases capability to do work. It increases the tone of the muscles, balance of autonomic, voluntary and involuntary muscles, increases the metabolic rate. Exercise makes lungs to function properly and also the decrease of gastrointestinal accumulations.

Exercise makes the body to sweat, and indirectly the function of the kidney is reduced. It helps eliminate toxins out of the body. Daily exercise will increase hemoglobin and alkalinity of blood and total protein is increased and also red blood corpuscles. Exercise promotes the physical and mental strength and will power and self-control and thereby the entire development of body will take place.

Exercise increases resistance of the body. It also increases caloric value in the body. It plays prominent role in the treatment of depression. It increases the hormones of beta, endorphins which promote and regulate the mood. In diseases also some sort of physical exercise is advised. Doctors advocate a sort of mild exercise in arthritis. Even in accident cases and fracture of bones and paralysis of body some types of exercise are used.

Exercise should be done early in the morning on an empty stomach. As soon as you feel tired then it is better to stop it. Exercises must be done only to get refreshed and relaxed. First start exercise lightly and increase it gradually and slowly in stages, so that your body must be adjusted to the changes in the body environment.

Exercise must be regularly and systematically practiced. Yoga, walking, swimming, cycling, horse riding and tennis etc are also a type of exercises. Exercise makes the person to live long in health and happiness.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Get powerful herbal Fat Loss Supplements to lose weight naturally. Learn about Fat Loss Diet – diet plan that help you to get rid of excess weight. Checkout the most comprehensive health guide on Natural Fat Loss and discover the most efficient diet and workout programs to burn fat.

Nick Mutt asked:


Massage is a widely used naturopathy with several health benefits. Massage unites the fractured of bones. It relieves sprains and brushes. It is beneficial in muscle wasting. It regenerates the muscle tissue. The contractile power of muscles is increased by sticking and tapping. Effleurage, kneading and tapotement massage are used for relieving muscle pain.

Normally dry palms are used for massaging but if the skin is too dry or if the body is very weak, oil may be used. Til (sesame) oil is widely used for massage as it is specific for removing pain which is produced by vata. There are three humors which control the body viz-vata, a more or less a nervous activity, pitta – enzymes, digestive juice and bile. Kapha – a growth factor and material present in joint spaces lungs, throat, head, joints and stomach.

There are several herbal oils widely used in massage, they are maha masha taila of black gram used in wasting of muscles, marichadi oil of pepperused in phlegmatic diseases, karpasas thyadi taila of cotton seed oil used in nervous diseases, chandnadi taila of sandal wood used in bilious disorders. The massage is usually done for 30 minutes and for local massage 15 minutes. After massage, the oil is removed by a dry cloth and if needed warm water bath is given.

Avoid massage in tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and diphtheria. In fever, no massage is advised. Pregnant women should avoid abdominal massage. Massage is also not advisable in case of skin diseases. Abdominal massages should be avoided in appendicitis or tumors in the abdominal, gastric or duodenal ulcers and diarrhea.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Get powerful herbal Fat Loss Supplements to lose weight naturally. Learn about Fat Loss Diet – diet plan that help you to get rid of excess weight. Checkout the most comprehensive health guide on Natural Fat Loss and discover the most efficient diet and workout programs to burn fat.

Tim Amherst asked:


One of the most devastating parasites which may threaten your Pit Bull is the heartworm. These nasty creatures can linger in your pet for years before dealing a death blow to your Pit Bull. Heartworms are treatable, but it is best to use a protective stance rather than wait for infection to occur.

This disease is not spread from pet to pet via contact, but by another nasty creature we all know as the mosquito. The mosquito is a necessary link in the transfer of the disease. The number of dogs infected with heartworms always increases during the height of mosquito season. Long mosquito seasons will increase the rate of infections rapidly.

Once heartworms are transmitted by the mosquito into the dog’s blood stream, they travel through the blood into the heart and the major pulmonary blood vessels. The heartworms are in the immature stage and are called microfilaria.

Upon arriving in the heart, the microfilaria will set up residence and grow into adult heartworms. These fully grown parasites cause heart blockage and damage to surrounding tissues by clogging the heart and the major blood vessels leading from the heart. Adult heartworms will also interfere with the valve action within the heart.

When the heart and main blood vessels get clogged, the blood flow to other critical organs is reduced, which can cause problems for the liver, kidneys and lungs, resulting in organ failure.

Most dogs which are infected with heartworms will not show any outward signs of disease for as long as up to two years. Sadly, by the time the disease starts to show signs in the dog, it is in the advanced stage. These signs depend on several factors, such as the number of adult worms and microfilariae present, as well as their location. The length of time the infection has been present, and the amount of damage already done to the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys are all essential factors.

Signs of Heartworm Infestation

The most obvious outward signs of heartworms are:

Unexplained weight loss.

A dry almost constant cough with labored breathing.

Shortness of breath.

Sudden weakness.

A sudden show of nervousness or listlessness, accompanied by a loss of stamina.

The signs of heartworms are most noticeable after the dog has been engaged in exercise or play. Some dogs with heartworms may even faint or drop dead suddenly right after engaging in rigorous play or exercise.

Treatment for heartworms is available but it is costly and in some cases may prove fatal to the dog itself. To prevent this horrible disease in your Pit Bull, be sure to keep your dog’s regular vet appointments. Heartworms can be prevented easily by administering heartworm medication to your pet each month.

As always, talk to your vet if you have any concerns that your dog may have heartworms, and never try to treat the disease on your own. Always consult a properly qualified professional before starting any type of treatments on your dog.

Dorianne Schwaiger asked:


, unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise are the three major contributing factors to the diseases that plague most Americans today. If people would focus their attention on the list of right things to do that I have included in this article, they would enjoy good health and lose unwanted pounds naturally.

Hypertension ( stress), Bad Cholesterol, Obesity, High Blood Pressure.

Do these words sounds all too familiar?

These are the buzz words of our time…listen to the news or read a magazine, its all that we hear these days. This is the legacy we pass on to our future generation. These are the words that describe poor health.

Unfortunately, all of our focus these days is on Diet and body image when it should stress the importance of good health. Society dictates that thin is in! The advertising industry invests billions of dollars in the marketing of miracle fat burners and quick loss schemes that promise amazing overnight results. The fact is that most fad diets are developed by people with little to no scientific or health background.Most quick weight loss diets may produce short term results that in turn prove harmful with long term side effects for the very people who suffer from the health problems I have listed above

Your body weight and clothes size is not a reliable indication of a healthy person. No two people have the same body composition. Ask any doctor or nutritionist and they will likely state that the true measure of health and longevity has mainly to do with proper diet,healthy eating habits, a high degree of exercise and most of all a sound mental outlook on life.

Good health is not hard to achieve. Below is a complete list of healthy habits to practice throughout your life and I can almost guarantee that when you focus on your health, the excess weight will naturally take care of itself

Check List For A Healthy Lifestyle

1. Eat a well rounded diet each day consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and calcium rich foods.

2. Replace large meals with 5 small low fat, high fiber meals.

3. Drink plenty of water. Make sure to drink at least 15 oz. of water in the morning to start your day. This will hydrate your organs and body and get your system off to a good start.

4. Cut back on your alcohol intake.

5. Limit caffeine intake and all other beverages that contain fat or high amounts of sugar.

6. Practice deep breathing exercises. When you breathe deep through your diaphragm and exhale slowly, this will reduce daily stress and stimulate your lymph nodes to help cleans and flush toxins from your body

7. Do at least 30-45 minutof strenuous exercise per day. This will burn calories, rev up your metabolism, tone your muscles and also reduce stress levels.

8. Take a good multi-vitamin along with certain natural supplements that will enhance your energy level and replace important nutrients not absorbed with your meals. * Note: Consult with your doctor or a licensed nutritionist before setting up your dietary plan.

9. Be good to yourself! Do something each day that brings you personal joy. Read a good book, travel, meditate, garden, enjoy your pets,spend quality time with your spouse, get together with friends. All of these are good suggestions that will relieve stress and create a healthy & positive state of mind.

To Your Good Health & Healthy Weight!

Tracie Johanson asked:

At any given moment, millions of people in this country are on a diet. From Weight Watchers to the South Beach Diet to the newest diet pill, folks are trying anything and everything in an effort to write their own weight loss success story. Unfortunately for those seeking fast weight loss, the vast majority of weight loss programs on the market today simply do not work.

Diet plans and diet products that offer quick weight loss without exercise are especially prone to failure. “In fact, nearly 95 percent of those who go on low calorie diets regain their lost weight, plus some, within five years. Not a resounding endorsement for low calorie dieting” (Source: Performance Press; April 2006).

That’s not to say that all the weight loss tips and diet tips are without merit, however. Tips on losing weight can have a powerful effect when they’re combined with regular exercise. That’s why we’ve created this list of the top 10 health tips for easy weight loss.

Is weight loss easy? Not usually, and the reason is that most people try to make huge changes all at once. Pumped up with commitment and willpower, they jump into the latest weight loss product or diet program with both feet. They make too many changes in too short a time period. Drastic lifestyle modifications are rarely sustainable, and all too often lead to failure. If you’ve been living on junk food for years, trying to switch to a healthy diet overnight will only make you feel frustrated and deprived.

A much better approach is to make small changes that you can stick with for life. So check out the sound advice you’ll find in our top ten list, and you’ll get the weight loss information you need for success.

** 1) Our first bit of health advice is to skip the super size option. In this tip we’ve assumed that you visit McDonald’s once per week. That may a low average for some of you, so keep in mind that if you’re eating fast food more than once per week the results you’ll achieve by following this tip will be even greater than the example shows. We’re not asking you to give up fast food completely (small, sustainable changes, remember?). Instead, we’re asking you to say no to the SuperSize portion. Just by ordering a ‘regular’ McDonald’s meal instead of the SuperSize option, you will lose almost 6 pounds of fat this year! Want even more good news? This example only factors in the french fries. Add in the calorie savings you’ll get by drinking a regular soda vs. a SuperSize soda and the results are truly amazing.

** 2) The second recommendation in this fitness advice guide is to eat 5 – 6 smaller meals per day. “Eating small meals causes a lower blood sugar response than large meals. A high blood sugar response provides you with quick energy, but it is associated with a large insulin release that tends to cause a blood sugar ‘crash’ soon thereafter. Many small meals taken throughout the day will normalize blood sugar and insulin levels, providing a sustained and consistent energy supply to the cells. A meal every three hours or so is recommended.” (source: Fitness, The Complete Guide; 2001; page 8.4)

A note of caution here, however: This health tip does not mean that you eat 6 big meals per day. Instead, you should take the amount of food you’d normally consume and spread it out over six meals instead of the usual three. For someone on a 2,000 calorie per day diet, that would translate into 333 calories per meal x 6 meals.

** 3) The next tidbit of expert advice is to know the numbers. Everyone on a weight loss plan should know, at a minimum, how many calories they should be consuming every day. This number is known as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), also commonly referred to as the Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) or simply the Burn Rate. Although your doctor can help you calculate your BMR most accurately, there are some resources that can assist you in estimating your number.

Your BMR is your ‘calorie target’, assuming that you wish to maintain your current size and weight. For the best fat loss results, cut calorie consumption moderately…..say, 500 below your caloric target.

If you’re seeking fat loss, then it’s important to also understand that body fat percentage is one of the most important measurements of fitness. All the medical advice agrees that reaching your ideal body weight is best achieved through permanent fat loss (as opposed to muscle loss). With this in mind, this health tip for easy weight loss is to know your BMR and your body fat percentage, along with the corresponding goals.

** 4) It’s good advice to know the difference between cheat food and junk food. Cheat foods are those foods that don’t belong in your everyday diet, but still have some redeeming qualities. Junk foods are those foods that don’t belong in your diet at all, ever.

This tip is really a critical one: Understand the difference between ‘cheat’ foods and ‘junk’ foods. Cheat foods have some nutritional value, so although we shouldn’t eat them every day it’s not the end of the world if we enjoy them from time to time. Junk foods, on the other hand, give us absolutely no benefit whatsoever. Again, we want you to make small changes that you can stick with for life. You don’t have to give up the occasional ‘cheat food’ treat – just try to eliminate all the ‘junk food’.

For example, compare a slice of Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza with a Hershey’s chocolate bar. Neither are what you’d consider healthy, and both have roughly the same number of calories. But with the pizza, at least you’re getting some nutritional value because that delicious slice contains 11 grams of protein compared to just 3 grams in the candy bar. Cheat foods are not health foods, but at least they’re not junk foods. Choose wisely.

** 5) When you’re trying to lose weight fast, some sound advice is to chart your progress. What gets measured gets done, so charting your fat loss progress is a simple step that will help you get motivated and stay motivated. Create a chart for each challenge you face, whether it be working out or dietary habits. The important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to chart your progress – what works for you may not work for anyone else. So come up with your own system, create a tracking chart, and post it where you will see it several times each day.

** 6) Do not decrease your caloric intake far below what is required of your BMR, or you risk forcing your body into starvation mode. “Do not under-eat by too much. If you consistently eat way too little, your body will start to think it’s in a starvation state and for the initial period, weight loss and fat loss may become harder than anticipated. After a while of severe underfeeding, instead of preferentially burning fat for energy, your hard-earned muscle will be burned for energy” (source: Fitness Rx; February 2004; page 93). So if healthy weight loss is your goal, and you only want to burn fat while you preserve your valuable muscle, then take great care to not starve yourself.

** 7) Don’t shop when you’re hungry. Shopping when you’re hungry is asking for double-trouble, and eliminating this bad habit will help you lose fat by removing temptation from your home. Shopping while full greatly reduces your chances of impulsively buying sweets and treats. This allows you to shop with your brain and not your stomach. Skipping all the extra fattening foods will make one thing fatter, however…..your wallet.

** Take (at least) 20 minutes to eat. Once you start eating, it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that you’re full. The problem is, many of us eat so quickly that by the time our stomach has had the chance to send that message we’ve already put down more calories than we needed.

Here are a few ways to solve this problem: a) Drink a large (8 or 12 oz.) glass of water 20 minutes before each meal. b) Physically put your fork down between each bite. c) Enjoy your family. Have a discussion that stretches out the length of the meal. d) Serve the meal in courses, starting with a large salad.

** 9) Have a treat once a week. If you deprive yourself of all treats, then you’re just setting yourself up for failure. “Being too stringent on a diet can beget a downfall. To prevent this, once a week, for one meal, have your favorite foods” (source: Fitness Rx; February 2004; page 96).

One of the major reasons people fail in their fat loss efforts is that they adopt the all-or-none mentality. When the attempts to stay away from all treats fail, it’s easy to think ‘Oh well, I’ve already blown my diet. Might as well eat another slice’. Planning a weekly treat will help curb those cravings, making a binge less likely.

** 10) Be inefficient. Make extra work for yourself. Take two trips to bring in all the groceries from the car, even if you can do it in one. When running errands, park as far away from each business as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, even if you’re carrying something. In short, be inefficient. “Being inefficient in this way can easily double your activity level and you’ll be burning calories without even trying” (source: Fitness Rx; February 2004; page 96).

Remember that walking burns about 108 calories in 30 minutes. Small walks count too. Even if you don’t have time to walk 30 minutes in one session each day, shorter walks that add up to 30 minutes will still burn that same 108 calories.

If you’re looking for the best weight loss program available, give these health tips a try. With a little effort, you may just put that weight issue to rest once and for all.