Entries from July 2008 ↓

It may be possible to lower blood pressure by using a drug called Orlistat that blocks fat uptake in the gut. That is the conclusion drawn from a meta-analysis of previously published studies reported in the March 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and is responsible for approximately 7 million deaths around the globe each year. Lowering blood pressure levels has been shown to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular related illnesses.

Researchers based at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, reviewed 48 articles that were published before March 2007, and analyzed weight-loss interventions for patients with hypertension.

Patients assigned to weight loss diets, or Orlistat reduced their body weight more effectively than did patients in the placebo/control groups states the report. Reduction of blood pressure was greater in patients treated with weight loss diets or Orlistat, than in the placebo/control groups. A reduction in body weight of approximately 8.8 pounds was necessary to achieve a drop of approximately 6 milligrams of mercury in systolic blood pressure with dietary treatment, and of approximately 2.5 milligrams of mercury with Orlistat.

A fat burner is a dietary supplement that can contain herbs, plant extracts and/ or chemicals that may stimulate metabolism, and/or suppress appetite. Finding the ‘right’ fat burner is often difficult.

A key thing to bear in mind when using fat burning supplements is that they are just that – Supplements! Supplements are used to supplement or assist your diet and exercise program.

There are many postings on the internet from people who have been disappointed in their fat burner. It may be that the ingredients in the pills that they were taking were not up to the job. But often the problem can lay with the people taking the pills. Without an exercise routine and a healthy diet most fat burners will have little effect.

If a good fat burner is used correctly you will see results. Here are some tips to help you get more out of your fat burner.

• Persevere. Do not expect instant results.

• If you are tempted by after meal deserts, make them low fat.

• Do not use your fat burner as an excuse for eating bigger portions.

• Do not exceed the recommended dose.

• Do not take the fat burner indefinitely.

A research report published in the January 2008 issue of The FASEB Journal suggests that the food industry could reduce health risks associated with fatty foods by using additives.

One of these additives could be based on research which has discovered that consuming polyphenols (natural compounds in red wine, fruits, and vegetables) simultaneously with high-fat foods might reduce the health risks associated with these foods. Results from the study indicated that the polyphenols were demonstrated to prevent significantly the appearance of toxic food derivative compounds in human blood.

For the study, volunteers were fed three different meals consisting of dark meat turkey cutlets. The control meal consisted of turkey meat and water. The second meal consisted of turkey meat with polyphenols added after cooking (one tablespoon of concentrated wine) followed by a glass of red wine. The third meal consisted of turkey meat with polyphenols added before cooking and then followed by a glass of red wine.

At various time points, researchers took blood and urine samples to measure levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a natural metabolite of fat digestion known to increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.

The study found that MDA levels almost quintupled after the control meal, while levels of the compound dropped to almost zero after subjects ate the meals with polyphenols.

So this is yet another study which points to the health benefits of red wine – in moderation of course!

An effective way to begin losing weight is to make small, rather than big changes in the way that you go about achieving it.

Here are some of the things that you may want to consider doing a little differently:

• Shopping. Buy more low fat products.
  
• Food preparation. Steamed vegetables are healthier than fried vegetables and less fattening.
  
• Smaller portion sizes. Even if your diet is healthy, eating too much of it is not. Try reducing the portion sizes a little.
  
• Eat a little slower and chew well. Chew your food a bit longer. This will aid digestion and help you get more flavor from the food. It will also reduce the impact of eating smaller portions.
  
• Dining out. Try more vegetarian dishes, particularly in Tai and Chinese restaurants. Or why not have a salad as a starter and something lighter for the main course.
  
• Move your body. Any movement and exercise is better than none. Try walking more often.
  
• Turn off the TV and computer - and get outside more often.

With the escalating obesity problem, it was inevitable that fraudsters would devise all manner of bogus weight loss schemes, in an effort to separate the overweight from their hard earned cash. In 2007 there was a profusion of scams.

For example, author and advertising expert Kevin Trudeau, and marketers of his book, “The Weight Loss Cure They Don’t Want You to Know About,” was accused by the FTC of misrepresenting the book’s contents. The marketers claimed that the weight-loss plan outlined in the book was easy to carry out, could be done at home, and ultimately allowed readers to eat whatever they wanted. In reality, the book detailed a complex, demanding plan that required intense dieting, daily injections of a prescription drug, and permanent dietary restrictions. The FTC sued the same defendants in 2004, alleging that they made deceptive advertising claims for two dietary supplements and billed consumers’ credit cards without authorization.

Transdermal Products International marketed a patch that was supposed to make the wearer lose weight. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the company provided over twenty domestic and foreign retailers with sample deceptive advertising and bogus supporting materials, including claimed expert endorsements and made-up clinical studies. Among the fraudulent claims, the FTC reported, was that sea kelp contained in the patch had been approved for weight loss by the Food and Drug Administration.

The FTC also took legal action against the marketers of various Hoodia products, including companies in Canada, and Australia. The companies claimed their pills would not only help consumers lose weight, but reverse the ageing process.

Related articles

• Pink Diet Patch Scam
• ls Lipovox a scam?

tips to lose weight

• go cycling
• eat less

More tips for losing weight