Friday, November 30, 2007

Alternative Therapies for Acid Reflux Disease

Acid Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common disease which affects approximately 5-7% of the population. It occurs when acid from the stomach backs up into the esophagus, a long, thin, muscular tube, which connects the mouth and the stomach. This often causes a constant burning sensation behind the breastbone, which is commonly known as heartburn. Long-term or persistent heartburn should be evaluated by a doctor, as heartburn can imitate the symptoms of heart disease.

Once you have been properly diagnosed as having Acid Reflux Disease, there are a variety of treatment options available to you. Many doctors recommend over the counter medications, developed to reduce stomach acid, such as antacids or prokinetic agents. Some patients who are unable to control their symptoms with non-prescription medication may either choose prescription antacids or surgery, or opt for a combination of the two.

There are other options available, however, to help you manage your symptoms. Many patients are able to control their disease by simply by making lifestyle changes. Here are a few tips, to get you started.

Probably the most important lifestyle change that you could make to help you manage your GERD symptoms is the simplest- avoid the foods and drinks that make you uncomfortable! While this may sound like common sense, many sufferers find it difficult to make dietary changes. Try replacing fatty, deep-fried foods with healthier options, such as tasty summer salads and steamed vegetables. You should also try to limit your intake of caffeinated beverages, as caffeine is a known contributor to GERD, so opt for decaf teas and coffees instead.

Stress reduction is also key to the management of acid reflux disease. The body manufactures more stomach acid when under stress, so it is important to learn to relax. Meditation is a very useful tool for effectively reducing stress levels, so incorporating one or two short meditation sessions into each day can help you to relax. Likewise, yoga is also recommended as being an effective way to manage stress, so try to find a class near you.

By incorporating simple changes into your life, you can not only better manage your GERD symptoms, but also enhance the overall quality of your life.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Acid Reflux Causes a website that allows consumers
to quickly and easily get acid reflux
information.
Metabolism drug induced Weight Loss Can Be Effective.Terje Brooks EllingsenA metabolism drug like ephedrine, has shown many people how to burn fat fast. These drugs however, are associated with a certain degree of risk. What about their effectiveness compared to these risks? And what should you do to minimize the probability of side effects.

What Is an Ephedrine-based metabolism drug?


Ephedrine is derived from the plant ephedra. This is a perennial shrub with several different species growing in certain regions of Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Many of these varities, especially the Asian and European ones, contain the active substance ephedrine alkaloids or EAs where Ephedrine is the major EA.

In China ephedrine has been used for more than 5,000 years to treat diseases like asthma, fever, colds, and even malaria.

Ephedrine products are sold in pill, liquid and even bar form.

Ephedrine products are often combined with caffeine, aspirin, and a variety of other herbs considered to aid a fat burning process.

Caffeine is added because it has been proven to enhance and prolong the effects of ephedrine. Especially for weight loss, u


always purchase from reliable companies with extensive label information rather than buying a no-name brand off the Internet.

check the label carefully.


When you know the exact milligram amount of the active alkaloid


Start up with 10 mg per day (24 hours)

gradually and slowly increase the dosage up to 90 mg a day

within this limit, keep to the highest dosage that doesnt have you experiencing negative side effects.
Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website http://www.11-weight-loss.netTerje enjoys to give advice and help people with weight loss, exercise programs, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/workout.htmand fitness issues, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/fitness_diet.htm

Nutrition and metabolism disorder.Terje Brooks EllingsenWhat is the relationship between intake of nutrition and metabolism disorder? Is slow metabolism the cause of my overweight? Are there any types of nutrition that can speed it up? Could a pill speed it up?

There are many myths and misconceptions about metabolism. The idea that a low metabolic rate is always responsible for excess weight is one of them.
Another is that a slower-than-average metabolism, means you're destined to be obese.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is the rate at which your body breaks down the nutrients in food to produce energy. A person with a "fast" metabolism, for example, utilizes calories more quickly, in some cases making it easier to stave off excess pounds.

Your metabolism is primary determined by your body composition: the more total fat-free mass you have the higher your resting metabolic rate will be.

Other factors that determine your metabolism is


heredity

hormones such as thyroid and insulin

stress

calorie intake

exercise

medications

Your baseline metabolism is determined at birth.

When youve passed the age of 30 and without exercising, the metabolism decreases with the age.

However, you can increase your metabolism to a certain extent by exercising and building lean muscle.

Each time you significantly reduce calories to lose weight youll experience a temporary decrease of 5-10 percent in metabolism.


Workouts for increasing your metabolism


A high-intensity cardio workout that really increases your heart rate will make you lose the most calories and represent the most significant short-term metabolic booster; between 20 and 30 percent. However, it won't have a permanent effect on your metabolism. After your workout, your metabolism will return to its previous level over several hours--but you'll continue burning extra calories in the meantime.

Though weight training is the most effective way to build and preserve your lean muscles, the muscle influence on metabolism is pretty slight. Each pound of muscle gained, can raise your metabolism up to 15 calories per day.


Can certain foods affect your metabolism?


Most of the scientific research reports that the type of food you eat has no significant impact on your long term metabolism rate. So fats, proteins and carbs seem to affect metabolism similarly.

Scientific data also tells that protein can slightly increase metabolic rate, but only temporarly.

The more calories you cut, the lower your metabolism rate will drop. An extremely low-calorie diet with fewer than 800 calories a day could cause your metabolic rate to decrease by more than 10 percent.

It is not what you eat but how much you eat what really matters. For a safe,sustainable weight loss, the average person shouldn't eat less than 1,200 calories a day.

Spicy foods, such as chili peppers and curry can increase metabolism, but not enough to have a weight loss effect. Its too small and short-lived.


Pills and Supplements


No pills or supplements have proven to increase metabolism enough to help you lose weight.

Some pills, have been shown to lower metabolism, and thus cause a weight gain. Examples of such pills are those used to treat depression and bipolar disorder.


Find out your daily calorie need

For losing one pound of body fat a week, you must create a deficit of 500 calories a day. The most reasonable way to do that, and thus avoid a big metabolic decrease, is through a combination of exercise and diet. You could for example eliminate 2.50 calories from your diet, and add enough activity to burn an extra 250.

Here is how you do it:

1. Determine your basic metabolism rate or RMR
RMR = 655 + (9.6 X your weight in kilograms*)
+ (1.8 X your height in centimetres**)
- (4.7 X your age in years)

2. Factor in your daily activity
Multiply your RMR by the appropriate activity factor:
If you have little or no activity:RMR X 1.2
If you are performing light exercise 1-3 days a week:RMR X 1.375
If you are performing moderate exercise 3-5 days a week: RMR X 1.55
If you are performing strenuous exercise 6-7 days a week: RMR X
1.725
If you perform very strenuous daily exercise, sports or physical
job or training twice a day: RMR X 1.9

3. Your final figure represents the minimum number of daily calories that you need to maintain your current weight.

Notes:
(*) Your weight in kilograms = your weight in pounds divided by 2.2.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website http://www.11-weight-loss.net
Terje enjoys to give advice and help people to burn fat. see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/high_protein_food.htmwith weight loss products and workout, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/workout.htm

Why You Should Burn Body Fat.Terje Brooks EllingsenAre you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some weight. It is obvious that youll burn body fat by increasing your metabolism. But be sure that what you burn is fat, not muscles.

Some statistics

After age 25, the average person in America gains one pound or more a year, which means at the age of 50 an average person is 25 pounds or more heavier than he or she was 25 years ago.

As you age your metabolism is slowing down, causing your body to burn less fat.

Without exercising regularly, the average American loses a pound of muscle each year.

A minority of Americans exercise in a significant way, which means less than 50 minutes of exercise per week. Two out of five Americans do not exercise at all.

Motivations for weight loss

Most people's primary motivation for weight loss is to improve their appearance.

Other motivational factors are the many health benefits of proper nutrition and regular exercise.

Why obesity is dangerous

Reduction of excess body fat plays a vital role in maintaining good health and avoiding disease.

Medical evidence shows that obesity poses a significant threat to health as well as to longevity:. Excess body fat is connected to

heart disease

cancer

diabetes

gall bladder disease

gastro-intestinal disease

sexual dysfunction

osteoarthritis

stroke

Why is excess body fat linked to heart disease?

About 4/5s of deaths caused by heart disease and cancer, are linked to life-style factors, inactivity included.

Your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs and to the extra fat throughout your body. Therefore it takes more energy for you to breathe. This extra workload might cause your heart to become enlarged and high blood pressure and life-threatening erratic heartbeats might be the consequences.

Overweight people often also have high cholesterol levels, making them more likely to develop arteriosclerosis. When blood vessels are so narrow that vital organs like the heart, kidneys or brain dont get enough blood, this becomes life-threatening.

It might go without saying, but the narrower the blood vessels become, the harder your heart has to pump, which results in increased blood pressure. . High blood pressure itself poses several health risks, like heart attack, stroke and kidney problems.

Does excess body fat cause cancer?

In general, research has linked cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) to excess, actually as a storage place for these.

Excess fat has been linked to a higher rate of breast and uterine cancer for women

Excess fat has been linked to colon and prostate cancer for men.

How is excess body fat related to diabetes?

There is a delicate balance between the relative amount of body fat, the level of blood sugar and the hormone we call insulin.

Excess blood sugar is stored in the liver and other vital organs, and converted to fat as soon as these organs have got what they need of it.

The pancreas of overweight people often produces more and more insulin. The problem is however, that the body is not able to utilize this to regulate its blood sugar levels.

This poor regulation of blood sugar and insulin causes an inbalance in the system, which results in diabetes. This disease may in its turn cause heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputation, and death.


How Reducing Body Fat Reduces Disease Risk

At an American University, researchers studied a sample of people following a certain weight management program. This study showed

decreased HDL cholesterol levels

decreased triglyceride levels,

decreased blood pressure.

increased waist-to-hip ratio,

an active lifestyle can slow or stop the disease process for most people, even those with a history of heart disease in the family.


Other studies have shown that programs that includes

regular physical activity,

low-fat diets

stress reduction

reverse heart disease processes.

while other studies shows that reducing body fat through an active lifestyle and low fat diets mean reduced risk for

prostate cancers for men,

breast and uterine cancers for women

non-insulin dependent diabetes for both genders.


So, what shall I do?

You have to change to a new lifestyle, by committing yourself to a long term process that gradually will lead you to a healthier life. This process requires persistence and patience, especially in the beginning. If you stay persistent, your new lifestyle will automatically take over, and it will become natural for you. This process will contain

moderate, long term fat loss

aerobic exercise

strength exercise

Here is the benefits 90 percent of overweight people following this advice has gained:

improved heart function,

improved blood pressure,

improved glucose tolerance,

improved cholesterol levels,

lowering requirements for medication,

eight times less likely to die from cancer than the unfit,

53 percent less likely to die from other diseases than the unfit

eight times less likely to die from heart disease than the unfit people.


But, how can I get started?

The first phase in such a process has shown to be the hardest it is here most people drop out. The longer you stay in the process, the more likely you are to succeed. And trust me; after you - by means of persistency and patience - have passed this critical start phase, the fun and excitement you gradually will experience will make the change well worth the effort.

You must make the decision to commit to this lifestyle changing process.

If you ever feel tempted to skip it for a day or even give up, confront yourself with your commitment, and go on.

How to stay motivated?

Allow plenty of time for the changes. You should give yourself several years for the changes to take place. If you do so, your body will adjust comfortably and the probability of maintaining this healthy lifestyle permanently, will be higher.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the
website http://www.11-weight-loss.net
Terje enjoys to give advice and help people with rapid weight loss, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/rapid_weight_loss.htmwith negative calorie food, see http://www.11-weight-loss.net/negative_calorie_food.htmas well as low carb diet.

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