Weight Watchers, does it really work ?

Many popular diet programs have been established with time and have suceed to convince people to get healthier and in better shape. Weight Watchers, a popular diet created by Jen Nidetch in the early 1960’s and has helped millions of people all over the world to lose weight. Even if the program seems successful, People are wondering if it actually works and what is the science behind this diet, and this is why I looked informations about this billions-dollar-making industry.

Every aspect of the Weight Watchers program is built on a foundation of sound science. When it comes to the food plans, the concept of energy density is key. This concept is a scientifically proven method for reducing calories.

"Energy density" is best described as the number of calories in a specific weight of food. For example, a food is…

• …high in energy density if it contains a large number of calories per ounce

• …low in energy density if it contains a small number of calories per ounce

On a calorie-for-calorie basis, low-energy-density foods provide greater eating satisfaction and are more filling than high-energy-density foods. Many studies have shown that people who focus on eating foods that are low in energy density eat fewer calories. And fewer calories = weight loss. These Low Energy Density Foods can be: High in water like soups, stew, fruits and vegetables, High in fiber like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, High in air like popcorn and puffed wheat, or Low in fat like lean meats and non-fat milk.

The brain's "full" signal is triggered by eating solid food or drinking milk or milk-based beverages. Drinking water, fruit juice and diet soda will quench a person's thirst and keep them hydrated, but it won't stave off hunger pangs.

Source: http://www.weightwatchers.ca/util/art/index_art.aspx?art_id=17171&tabnum=1&sc=3002&subnav=The+Plan

A single-center randomized trial at an academic medical center in Boston, Mass, of overweight or obese adults aged 22 to 72 years with known hypertension, dyslipidemia, or fasting hyperglycemia. Participants were enrolled starting July 18, 2000, and randomized to 4 popular diet groups (Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and Ornish) until January 24, 2002. The Main Outcome Measures were a One-year changes in baseline weight and cardiac risk factors, and self-selected dietary adherence rates per self-report. Assuming no change from baseline for participants who discontinued the study, mean weight loss at 1 year was 4.8 kg for Atkins 6.0 kg for 4.9 kg for Weight Watchers and 7.3 kg for Ornish. Greater effects were observed in study completers. Each diet significantly reduced the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio by approximately 10%, with no significant effects on blood pressure or glucose at 1 year. Amount of weight loss was associated with self-reported dietary adherence level but not with diet type. For each diet, decreasing levels of total/HDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and insulin were significantly associated with weight loss with no significant difference between diets.

Source: http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/293/1/43.short

So after reading about the science behind weight watchers, it is clear that This popular diet modestly reduced body weight and several cardiac risk factors of its users after 1 year or rigorous work. Overall dietary adherence rates were low because it is such a hard program to follow, although increased adherence was associated with greater weight loss and cardiac risk factor reductions for each individual. So, Weight Watchers does work, it will make the participant lose weight and be healthier, but according to researches, considerable results will only show on a long term basis, after at least a year.

Frederique Joncas

How Do You Know When You're Hungry?

How do we know when we're hungry? I know i feel hungry when i hear a rumbling sound coming from my stomach. If i don't eat something when i hear this sound, to make the rumbling stop, I will feel embarrassed by the noise! The stomach starts to rumble, it is empty and asking you food. From personal experience, i know that my stomach will make these rumbling sounds when i am hungry. Is this the same for you? If you hear the voice of your stomach, it is because you're stomach is empty and you are hungry. Let's see what the expert's have to say about all of this!


Although most of the people think that an empty stomach creates feelings of hunger, this is not true. Hunger has nothing to do with an empty stomach. For example, a person who has fever may have an empty stomach, but he does not feel hungry. Similarly when a child is born he does not feel hungry for several days, despite having an empty stomach. Blood is depleted of nutritive materials through the consumption of energy in routine work. Whenever there is a deficiency of nutritive food substances in the blood, a massage is sent to the "hunger centre" of the brain. This center acts like a brake on the activities of the stomach and intestines. When the blood has sufficient nutritive substances, the hunger center stops the activities of the stomach rumbling when you are hungry. When we feel hungry, we do not demand any particular kind of food. The main constituents of food are: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, vitamins and water. Each component has a specific role to play. Proteins are nitrogenous compounds which are used for the growth of the body. Minerals build the bones and tissues. vitamins protect the body from some diseases. Water is the main constituent of the cells. It carries the nutritive substances, we can become ill. As a result, any deficiency in nutritive elements in the blood becomes the main cause of hunger.



Read more:
http://www.medicalquestionsanswers.com/
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://amihungry.com/images


Hunger is a primary motivation. Despite strong beliefs that hunger is caused biologically, this motivation is controlled not just by your physiology, but also by your psychology. What makes human beings different from animals is that we eat not only to feed our bodies to satisfy physiological hunger, but also to feed our minds to satisfy psychological hunger as well. Although these two kinds of hunger are interchangeable and affect one another, putting some food in our mouth is not necessarily the right way to feed our psychological hunger. The problems such as eating disorders and obesity could occur because we mistakenly keep trying to satisfy our psychologicle hunger. Until we realize that we need to feed our mind with something, rather than eating, we can not feel satisfied. Until we recognize it is our mind, not our body which needs food, we cannot be satisfied with what we put in our mouth. Thus, hunger is not only about how the body changes physiologically, it is about how our body and mind together are well fed, not just by the food that one can put in their mouth, but also by the whole environment around us.


Read more:

http://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/students/hunger.htm
http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily

In conclusion, when you feel hungry it is because your blood is deficient in nutritive elements and not because your stomach is empty. However, when you hear your stomach rumbling, it is because the hunger center in the brain has sent hunger massages to the stomach and intestine. This is why your stomach rumbles when you are hungry.Psychological hunger always leads people to have bad eating habits and causes problems like eating disorders and obesity! So, FRIENDS! We should watch out about that and try to feed our body and mind well when we feel hungry!

Want to live longer? Eat or Drink Kefir!

My grandparents live in Germany and every 3-4 years, my family and I go there. When I am there, in the mornings,I go downstairs and eat breakfast. I either eat toast and jam, a bowl of cereal, a pretzel, or occasionally my favourite, pancakes (because we get to flip them). With my breakfast, I also have a glass of the BEST juice ever and some kind of fruit. As my sister and I sit at the kitchen table, still half asleep, my grandpa is eating his kefir. He eats this every morning.He practically lives by it and he always says that it makes you live longer. I never really believed him when he said this, so when this essay was assigned, I decided to find out what the real deal with this stuff is.

What is kefir? Kefir is a cultured, creamy product that has amazing health benefits when it is consumed regularly on a daily basis. It is similar to yogurt and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It is made by fermenting milk with the kefir grain. The grains contain the bacteria/yeast mixture clumped together with casein (milk products) and complex sugars. It also contains proteins. Kefir has a slightly sour taste somewhere between buttermilk and sour cream, and a mild yeasty aroma. It may have small amounts of carbonation and alcohol. It is very easy to digest and even people that are lactose intolerant can eat it.

http://www.kefir.net/intro.htm

Now that we know what kefir is, lets take a look at some of the benefits. First of all, kefir increases the production of saliva, which helps with digestion before the food gets to the stomach. This leads to better gastrointestinal health and a longer life. It can also help to prevent certain types of cancer because of the lactic acid that it produces. Some of the other benefits include: helping with sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression, relieving most intestinal disorders, preventing some infections, and reducing the risk of heart disease. It can also help with hangovers.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Kefir
http://www.articlesinaclick.com/health-and-fitness/nutrition/kefir-health-benefitsadvantages/

Kefir has all these health benefits and is considered to be the key to good health. What is the difference between kefir and yogurt? Is kefir better? Many people think that because they are both fermented dairy products they offer the same benefits. This is not the case! They are actually quite different. Kefir has different types of beneficial bacteria than yogurt does. It can colonize the intestinal tract (something that yogurt can't do), and it contains several major strains of probiotics. Some of the probiotics kefir has are: Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leucomostoc, and Acetobacter species, that are not present in yogurt. Bacteria in yogurt will last a few days in the digestive tract and you need to keep re-introducing it. Kefir repopulates the digestive tract with good organisms. Since kefir is a small and curd-like size, it is easier to digest, which makes it more edible for infants, elderly, and people with chronic fatigue and digestive disorders. Looks like kefir is more superior here!

http://www.probiotic.org/Kefir.htm

In conclusion, kefir is a great food and is very beneficial for our bodies. It helps nurture your hair, prevents acne and wrinkles, and even helps the brain! I remember one morning in Germany I decided to try kefir. I didn't like it. In fact, it made me feel like throwing up, mainly because of the texture though, not the taste. However because of all the benefits, next time you are at the grocery store, say goodbye to yogurt and hello to kefir! Be bold and give it a try! After all, the effects are only positive.. who knows, maybe you will be one of those lucky folks who live past 100!

Why is Nutritional Science So Bad?

Why is nutritional science so bad? In nutritional science the main focus is on healthy foods preventing disease rather than on bad nutrients causing disease. There is also way too much emphasis on the fast food industry being ok and using cancerous chemicals in their food they create, there advertising is much like tobacco companies in that way. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Nutrition Science was a major theme in Chapter 9 “Bad Science” of Michael Pollan’s book, In Defence of Food. Pollan discusses whether or not the nutritional science we use today has any influence on gaining knowledge of nutrients and how the lack of certain foods might trigger disease. There were also many questions that arose as to the correct methods that the scientists should use to determine what is good and not good for your body. Pollan took many examples of “bad science” to illustrate that our nutritional understanding of foods is very weak and the methods that scientists use are for all of the wrong reasons. He suggests that scientists should avert their focus on how “bad nutrients might cause disease rather than on how the absence of food, like plant foods or fish, might figure in the aetiology of the disease.”

http://instructors.dwrl.utexas.edu/smith/node/787

These results indicate there's a great deal of similarity between the food companies that market unhealthy foods and Big Tobacco. Both industries rely in misinformation, burying negative data, and confusing the public with conflicting evidence. And just as Big Tobacco has long insisted that nicotine is not addictive and there is nothing unhealthy about smoking cigarettes, the food industry and soft drink companies continue to insist there is no such thing as an unhealthy food. They say that any food, no matter what ingredients are in it, can be part of a healthy diet. They also tend to blame lack of exercise, rather than their foods, for causing obesity. The position of the U.S. food industry is, of course, nothing short of outlandish. To suggest that there's no such thing as an unhealthy food strains the credibility of logic and common sense. Clearly, there are some foods that promote obesity, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases. At the same time, there are other foods that even prevent those diseases.

http://www.naturalnews.com/001693_good_science_food_politics.html

In study after study, that nutrient-based nutrition is bad science. It relies on medical oversimplifications and faulty longitudinal studies. It has helped to create a food industry that is making us fatter, sicker and less satisfied with dinner. So what's the alternative? Pollan argues for the de-medicalization of food. He begins the essay with the secret of healthy eating: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2007/01/why_is_nutritional_science_so.php

In conclusion nutritional science is bad science. It has helped to create a food industry that is making us fatter, sicker and less satisfied with our food. We need to start eating real food and not too much of it. If we were to cut out the bad crap completely from society we would have a much more nutritious, healthier, happy nation. Remember this: Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

do multivitamins work?

My mother is a strong believer in “You are what you eat” and “You take a vitamin when you overwork”. Every family member is an easy target of her practice, among whom my 16-year-old brother is included, who weighs more than a small elephant and often stays the night playing games on the Internet. When he shows up at the breakfast table with an exhausted look, my caring mother makes a face and goes for a multivitamin even though he looks like a basement-dwelling creature to my eyes that only emerges from his room for food. It is the time when I snatch the vitamin pill from my mother, saying “The monster does not deserve one.” Wishing a multivitamin could change my brother’s brain, I have decided to search what it is and how it affects the body. This research will be used to let my mother realize a multivitamin is not a cure-it-all.

Not only do most of us fail to eat a varied and well-balanced diet on a regular basis, at certain times in their lives, many people may require more of certain nutrients than their diets can provide. Also, there are some nutrients that may be difficult to get in food in adequate amounts. For such problems, multivitamins are used. A multivitamin is a preparation intended to supplement a human diet with vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids and injectable formulations. Besides, multivitamin supplements are commonly provided in combination with minerals. By supplementing the diet with additional vitamins and minerals, multivitamins can be a valuable tool for those with dietary imbalances or different nutritional needs. People with dietary imbalances may include those on restrictive diets and those who can't or won't eat a nutritious diet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multivitamin

Long-term regular consumption of a multivitamin may reduce the risk of dying from heart disease by 16% and many people report a feeling of general well being when they are taking their daily multivitamins regularly. The individual vitamins and nutrients in a quality daily multivitamin dose delivers to you their specific benefits of each individual vitamin. Vitamin E, for example, a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin helps to neutralize potentially damaging free radicals in the body and it is particularly important for the protection of cell membranes as well as maintaining healthy skin, heart and circulation, nerves, muscles, and red blood cells. Vitamin C on the other hand is water soluble, but like Vitamin E, it is an antioxidant. It helps white blood cells combat infection, is essential for wound healing, for the formation of collagen, for healthy skin, and for the formation of other important structural materials in bones, teeth and capillaries. It also helps with the absorption of iron from plant sources. Vitamins D, K, A, and other nutrients in a multivitamin supplement all have specific beneficial effects on our bodies ranging from minimizing the risks of heart problems to helping to ward off Alzeheimer's disease.

http://www.stopagingnow.com/liveinthenow/article/multivitamins-lower-risk-of-death-from-heart-disease
http://www.vitamins-nutrition.org/vitamins/daily-multivitamin.html

While multivitamins can be a valuable tool to correct dietary imbalances, it is worth exercising basic caution before taking them, especially if any medical conditions exist. Some analyses have suggested that long-term use of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E supplements may shorten life rather than extend it, with the additional risk being particularly large in smokers. Moreover, if a person overuses vitamins by taking too many dietary supplements, his body will be strained as it tries to filter out the excess. Eventually, if vitamin overuse continues for long periods of time, an individual can suffer from serious health problems. For the several serious side effects, taking excessive amount of metals like zinc may cause, gastric bleeding, cardiac rhythm abnormalities, muscle weakness, staining of the teeth, increased urinary frequency. Excess intake of vitamin Calcium can lead kidney stones or gall stones. Besides, when vitamin C is taken in excess, it can cause the same problem of stone formation which in turn can lead to renal failure. Along with the potential for overdosing, other precautions people need to be aware of as they take vitamins include the potential for allergies to supplements, health problems due to vitamins' negative effects on existing conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and interaction with other medications.


http://natural-supplements-tips.com/index.php/2010/08/24/multivitamin-dangerous-effects-3-side-effects-to-avoid-when-you-need-to-choose-a-multivitamin-product/

http://www.healthtree.com/articles/supplements/multivitamin-precautions/


Generally speaking, I found that a good daily multivitamin or mineral supplement improves our overall bodily functioning and boosts both our physical and mental health and well-being. Multivitamins are used to provide vitamins that are not taken in through the diet, offering us adequate nutrients. If we use them properly under the recommended dose of a multivitamin, they are beneficial tools in maintaining our health. However, when people take or overdose them without consideration of their own body conditions, there may be side effects which can seriously damage health. It will be beneficial when we take a natural multivitamin, which has a fewer side effects even with excessive intakes, instead of typical synthetic multivitamin sold at drug stores. Overall, obtaining enough nutrients from consuming various food is the best way to maintain our well-being rather than relying on nutrients made of pills.

Diet Pills: Safe or Unsafe?

“Fast and Easy!”, “Guaranteed Weight-Loss!” These are the frequent ads that one can encounter easily everywhere. They all targets and tempts millions of people out in the world who is suffering from obesity. Who would want to lose weight by tough exercise which requires strong determination and will if there is the easier way – simply swallowing a pill -- to lose weight? Of course most people, including myself, would be attracted to choice number two. But is it that trustworthy? Some say that diet pill benefits health, but there are claims that it brings side effects to our body. To look for reliability, I have researched about this issue.

Diet pills are a natural and herbal way to loose weight easily and quickly. They increase energy production by increasing metabolism rate thus allow consistent burning of calories 24 hours. These diet pills contain perfect amount of soluble fiber. They also help to improve the body's insulin levels and thus these diet pills are very beneficial in any problems related to diabetes.
http://www.sueshealthcenter.com/diet_pills_benefits.html

Moreover, diet pills work more variety of good ways for obese people; they can suppress appetite, increase metabolism, or disable the body from absorbing fats that are in diet. For instance, Qnexa, a combination of the appetite suppressant phentermine, and an epilepsy drug makes the patient feel fuller. Another drug in development, Contrave, combines an appetite suppressant and a second drug that speeds weight loss. It is the new medicine designed to switch off appetite in the brain and maintain metabolism.
http://www.suite101.com/content/natural-diet-pills-a35187#ixzz1FVsv3jMN

However, Ephedra, which is frequent component of diet pills, was banned by the Food and Drug Administration after several deaths were linked to its usage. Steve Bechler, Major League baseball pitcher, took Ephedra before a game, after he realized that he needed to drop some weight to have a healthy start to the season. One heart attack later and he passed away. As shocking as it is, this healthy 23 year old man didn’t know the dangers of diet supplements. Ephedra, along with other diet pills that increase metabolism, increases a person's heart rate significantly. Shockingly, the side effects to this can be death, anxiety, an elevated resting heart rate, insomnia, and addiction. It's the same idea as caffeine, and to a more severe degree, crack. In addition, Orlistat or Alli, blocks the absorption of fat by inhibiting the action of an enzyme called lipase. Lipase breaks down dietary fat so the body can absorb it. Orlistat blocks the absorption of up to 30% of dietary fat, and the unabsorbed fat is eliminated through the stool [as] oily rectal seepage, and gas with discharge, and in extreme cases [the user] may need adult diapers," wrote Dr. Heather Bauer in an article in World Now.
http://falcononline.spu.edu/article.php?id=6397
http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/blog/the-dangers-of-diet-pills/

In conclusion, it is sure that diet pills are good for short-term weight loss for people who suffer serious obesity. It restrains the hunger and speeds weight loss. However, it seems that there are dangerous truths behind the flashy ads. It brings severe side effects such as heart attack, high blood pressure and addiction to our body which is very unhealthy. Therefore, it seems that it is not a very good idea to buy the diet pills. Rather, people should choose to exercise and stay active to lose weight.

Diet Pills

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of your fats could "melt away" instantly? I'd honestly love to lose a few pounds myself, but losing weight is not as simple as it sounds. That is why many of us tend to buy diet pills. There are variety of ways to lose weight such as eating a healthy diet, excercising, and some of us even choosing to throw up what we ate. Out of all these choices, diet pills seem to be the fastest and easiest way to be slim again. However, people should consider carefully about these drugs as nothing good can be gained that easily. This is why I chose to do my research on diet pills, how effective they are, and the side effects they bring on us.

Diet pills contain powerful laxatives, stimulants, and appetite suppressants which help to lose weight. However, these may not be the healthiest way to burn off your calories. Powerful laxatives “flush” or “melt” fat, and “cleanse” your body as you'll be spending a lot of time on the toilet. They tend to contain natural laxatives such as psyllium, rhubarb powder, cascara, fennel powder, senna, goldenseal and others, and natural diuretics such as ginger, fennel, vinegars and teas. They come with warnings to drink lots
of water and avoid taking other medication within two hours (because the desired effect of the other medicine may be reduced—something to consider if you’re taking anything from blood pressure meds to the pill), and also that overuse can create a dependence on laxatives to move your bowels. Stimulants in diet pills claim that they burn calories, fat and increase metabolism. Common ingredients include caffeine, sometimes two to three cups of coffee worth in a single pill, and often green tea extract (listed as Camellia sinensis). Appetite suppressants are also present in diet pills and they claim to kill hunger pangs and make you feel full. The common ingredient is hoodia, an African plant that some claim quells hunger (so far no research studies prove it’s safe and effective), green tea extract and psyllium are also commonly found in suppressants.

http://www.blogger.com/goog_438709550

Do diet pills work? Some say yes, and some say no. Technically, diet pills do work as many diet pills are basically designed as a way to increase your energy. Other diet pills tell your brain you are full (thus reducing your appetite), and others work internally to alter your metabolism. People should be aware that consuming only diet pills won't have much effect, proper dieting and routine exercise are definitely needed in order to make it work. On the other hand, medical experts and pharmacists roundly say no. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a family doctor and the founder of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute, says “If weight loss came in a bottle, the world would be slim.”  When Freedhoff opened his clinic six years ago, he scoured the medical literature looking for a good herbal supplement. To date, he notes, no herbal preparations have been conclusively shown in well-designed, randomized, peer-reviewed trials to be both safe and effective for long-term weight loss. Dr. Arya Sharma, scientific director of the Canadian Obesity Network, agrees. “Laxatives and stimulants are not a healthy, safe approach to long-term weight management.”

http://getdietsolutions.com/do-diet-pills-work/

Now, let's consider the side effects of diet pills. Different diet pills contain different ingredients, so their side effects vary. As fat blockers like orlistat (Xenical) remove excess fats via the intestines, they may cause uncomfortable cramping, gas and diarrhea. Sibutramine (Meridia) and other similar appetite suppressants stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which can raise blood pressure and heart rate. This increases the risk of heart attack and cardiac arrest, especially among people who already suffer from high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat or heart disease. In fact, between February 1998 and March 2003, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) received reports of 49 deaths related to sibutramine. Another report on diet pills was the popular Hydroxycut in May 2009, which in the U.S. led to 23 cases of liver toxicity and one death. The FDA told the company that since it was unknown what ingredient or combination of ingredients created the problem and who was at risk, any new formulation should get “a rigorous safety review” by the firm that markets it. A reformulated product was back on shelves in months, and the company sent the FDA its new formulations and safety information. Many other side effects include nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, dry mouth, vomitting and diarrhea or constipation, intestinal disturbances, tightness in chest, fever, and urinary tract problems. Overdoses can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure, heart attack and convulsions.

http://www.diet-i.com/diet_pills/side-effects-diet-pills.htm

http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/medication/diet-pill3.htm

Diet pills may sound tempting to many women, especially to those who are obese. Sarah Dean, at size 18, was desperate to regain her curvy size 14. Determined, she turned to diet pills, but the outcome was horrible. She was tempted into a health and beauty salon by a billboard advert that promised to help shed the pounds and was given a powerful diet drug called phenphedrine. Within four hours of taking the first tablets she began suffering bad headaches and extreme thirst. The next day she blacked out for three minutes and when the 31-year-old came round, she discovered she was paralysed. "I couldn't move my left arm or leg," Sarah recalls. Her husband took her to their GP who examined her and said that she needed to go to hospital to have an emergency CT scan. After their visit to the hospital, the couple learned that the tablets were amphetamine-based and GPs had stopped prescribing them years ago because of the dangerous side-effects. Fortunately Sarah, of Warrington, Cheshire, suffered no long-term damage and within a week she had recovered the feeling in her left side.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/health/health/3443316/Diet-pills-left-me-unable-to-move-arm-or-leg.html

There is no easy way out of this terrible and harsh thing called diet. Yes, diet pills do help us to lose weight, but many of the pills out there have not undergone proper testing and exmination. The laxatives, stimulants, and appetite suppressants in diet pills have their own way of helping us to lose weight, but one must do their own part by exercising and eating a healthy diet in order to maintain one's weight and remain healthy. Relying only on pills would have no long term effect. Whenever we are dealing with drugs, we should always be careful with the dangers and side effects it carries. Too much will lead to serious health damages such as heart attacks and even deaths. We must always keep in mind that diet pills are supplements, and the effectiveness of it will depend on your efforts.