Why Online Stores Are Helpful For Procurement Of Medical Equipment

In overall, it's quite obvious that procuring medical supplies is like a cakewalk today and this will benefit end users in many ways. With quality products just a few clicks away, hospitals can treat patients in the best way possible and add value to their profession. This is perhaps why technology is meant to be celebrated for transforming lives.

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Women, This One Hormone Might Be Causing You to Gain Weight

Nothing can be more frustrating than packing on the pounds, but having no clue why. You haven’t changed your diet, you snooze regularly, and you’re just as active as you were 10 years ago. What gives?

Science just might have an answer for you. In fact, recent studies suggest that a single hormone called F.S.H. could be responsible for your weight gain woes. You might also want to take a look at the other things affecting your weight that aren’t food or exercise.

Using mice in the lab, researchers have tracked the hormone’s role during menopause, as women begin to gain belly fat and lose their bone density. They found that blocking F.S.H. in female mice whose ovaries have been removed increased the calories burned, reduced abdominal fat, slowed bone loss, and even encouraged physical activity in the mice, New York Times reports.

The hormone F.S.H. typically regulates the creation of eggs in women and sperm in men; however, as women’s ovaries begin to fail before menopause, blood levels of F.S.H. increase. Over time, their bones become less dense as their bone marrow fills with fat instead of bone cells.

Dr. Mone Zaidi, professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, wanted to test whether there is a connection between bone loss and F.S.H. He and his colleagues created an antibody that blocked F.S.H. in female mice whose ovaries had been removed. Like humans, the female mice should have been gaining fat and losing bone density. But rather than developing fat-filled bone marrow, their metabolic rates increased and they lost significant amounts of fat, instead.

Zaidi and his colleagues believe that a lack of F.S.H. caused the mice’s bodies to convert white fat—which stores energy—into brown fat, which burns calories. Thus, the culprit behind menopausal weight gain might have everything to do with the increase in this one hormone. (Beware: These nighttime habits could make you gain weight, too.)

Sadly, the jury is still out on whether a similar treatment could work on humans, too. But Dr. Zaidi plans to put it to the test, and he is already preparing an anti-F.S.H. antibody to try on humans. Until then, you can get a head start with these 42 fast, easy tips for major weight loss results.

[Source: New York Times]

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Health Literacy Is for the Healthy

Health Literacy is the foundation of being healthy. More than fifty percent of tha American population is not proficient in matters of health care decisions, as differentiated from medical care. Learn what you can do to live long and healthy.

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How Can High Cholesterol Affect The Body?

Cholesterol isn't necessarily harmful for us since our body requires it for making vitamin D, hormones and digestive fluids. However having too much LDL (low density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol) in the body can trigger problems of the heart and increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.

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Treating The Common Viral Infections In Children

Cold and flu are the two most common viral infections affecting children. Unfortunately there isn't any cure for common cold and influenza since most antibiotics doesn't have any effect on these viruses. As a parent the best you can do is make your baby feel comfortable by ensuring they get enough rest and drink plenty of fluids. In this article we are going to discuss a few easy ways to deal with viral infections like cold and flu.

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This Blogger Just Gave Picture Proof of Why You Shouldn’t Feel Bad About “Cheat Meals”

No matter how clean your diet is, we’re willing to bet you’ve treated yourself to a cheat meal—heck, maybe even a whole cheat day. Still, as great as our favorite junk food tastes, it’s easy to let the guilt sink in afterwards, even though there’s evidence cheat meals can actually help you lose weight. But one blogger just shared a powerful message why you shouldn’t beat yourself up over the occasional pig-out.

Fitness blogger Anna Victoria says she likes to follow the 80/20 rule: Eat healthy food 80 percent of the time and give yourself permission to indulge the other 20 percent. “The 80 percent is about long-term enjoyment and satisfaction while the 20 percent is short term. We need a bit of both,” she writes in an Instagram post. So junk food isn’t off limits, as long as you eat it in moderation.

But Victoria knows no matter how balanced you are, it’s easy to feel guilty about a cheat meal—especially if it goes a bit over that 20 percent. If your guilty pleasures leave you feeling, well, guilty, Victoria’s got picture proof that you shouldn’t let a little indulgence get you down.

During a day at Disneyland, she and her family chowed down on all kinds of not-so-healthy food, from bread bowls and churros to ice cream and caramel apple. In another post, Victoria admits she “felt like crap (physically) after but that doesn’t mean I would take it back.” Instead, she just recommitted to a healthy diet and moved on. Back at home that night, she drank “a ton” of water and had some protein. Find out what else you can do to burn off a cheat meal.

Victoria took a picture of herself before heading to the theme park, after getting home, and another from the next morning. Our jaws dropped when we saw the results.

Sugary, fatty foods can clearly leave you bloated, but the good news is it’s totally temporary. “I woke up this morning looking the EXACT same pre-cheat meal/cheat day,” Victoria writes. Watch out for these habits that cause belly bloat to help flatten your tummy.

Bottom line? No matter how bloated you feel afterwards, feeling so dang guilty, just enjoy those occasional treats. After all, what’s the point of treating yourself if you don’t even enjoy it? “In the moment of a cheat meal or shortly after when the bloat struggle is all too real, we let our minds go into a downward spiral and think we’ve just ruined weeks of hard work. No, you haven’t,” Victoria writes.

Amen to that. We’re going to eat some ice cream to prove how much we agree. And nope, we won’t feel even the teensiest bit guilty about it. If you can’t stop beating yourself up, use these tips to stop feeling so guilty.

[h/t Delish]

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Avoiding 21st Century Medical Conditions

Inactivity in retirement can instigate a number of medical conditions and consequently mar a person's quality of life when they should be enjoying premium time that they have labored throughout life to achieve. Retirement is a time when everyone should be able to fulfil their dreams without the worry of having to deal with self inflicted medical conditions.

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When My Good Companion Became Bad

This is all about the bad effect of excess adrenaline and testosterone that was not neutralized by our body. This is an important matter to our health because it leads to many illnesses.

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5 Easy Ways to Turn Off Your Fat Genes—and Keep Extra Weight Off for Good

Cut down on saturated fats and sugar

As far as how to burn fat, first thing’s first: Consuming fat and sugar are bad for you. But what’s really interesting is the new research on how they conspire with your genes to set you up for weight gain. Foods high in saturated fats seem to cause weight gain even if calorie intake stays the same. Researchers believe it’s because the wrong balance of foods causes our fat storage genes to turn on. But in a test panel for Zero Belly Diet, subjects lost up to 16 pounds in 14 days just by reducing saturated fats and sugars while increasing their levels of certain foods that deactivate fat genes.

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The One, Single Habit That Helped These 6 People Finally Lose 10 Pounds

Stop counting calories

David Isaacsen went from 240 pounds to 185, but getting those last few pounds off meant he needed to let go of his focus on calories and shift it to the type of meals and snacks he was eating. Even though he calls himself a “good ole’ boy” who loved meat and thought vegans were “weaklings,” he gave a plant-based diet a try to see if it would help him knock those final pounds. As he learned, plants can still provide healthy protein sources.

“I didn’t really exercise or count calories, carbs, or proteins. I just ate whole food, plant-based meals: which means nothing processed, no dairy or meat. The weight melted off me, within a week I was able to lose 10 pounds,” he shared. Now, he maintains the diet and is proud that he can do 100 push-ups daily, hold a plank pose—plus get great scores on his blood tests. His next challenge? Running a Tough Mudder race in August, and turning 50 in November.

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Treating Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopahy With Umbilical Cord Blood Cells

Stem cell therapies have been applied to treat many serious diseases successfully. One of these diseases is hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopahy is mainly caused by oxygen deprivation, which leads to brain damage in children

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9 Ways You Can Literally Lose Weight In Your Sleep

Fit protein in before bed

Prone to snacking before you snooze? Stock your fridge with protein shakes. Florida State University researchers found that men who had a shake with 30 grams of protein before bed experienced a higher resting energy expenditure (how much energy, or calories, the body burns at rest) the next morning morning compared to those who ate nothing before bed. An added bonus: Protein may also aid muscle repair overnight. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Need major weight-loss motivation? Here’s the secret weight-loss advice used by the folks on The Biggest Loser and other reality shows. Also, try these 35 ways that nutritionist sneak protein into their diet.

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10 Medical Reasons Your Child Is Overweight

Leptin resistance

When a child is overweight, it can be easy to point fingers at parents. But the true causes of weight gain and loss can be pretty subtle—for example, check out how your fat cells work to produce leptin and control weight. In some cases, a lack of daily physical activity, poor nutrition, and over-eating can be the culprit. As Eboni Hollier, MD, a board-certified pediatrician practicing in Houston, Texas, explains, “Less than 5 percent of cases of obesity are thought to be due to genetic syndromes or metabolic abnormalities.” But, that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Dr. Hollier says that leptin resistance, although especially rare in children, can be to blame. Leptin is a hormone produced in the body’s fat cells that tells the brain when you’re full and helps balance the calories you burn and fat stored in the body. In some people, the body doesn’t regulate leptin correctly, causing leptin resistance. “It is thought that when pathways including leptin (or other parts of the brain involved in this pathway) are disrupted, that obesity may be the result,” Hollier says.

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50 Health Rules Doctors Don’t Always Follow—So You Shouldn’t Either

Health rule: Get 8 hours of sleep

The health benefits of sleep are well documented, and range from energy and alertness to the ability to fight off illness. But even as your doctor extolls the virtues of a strict bedtime routine followed by at least seven hours of sleep, he or she may be seriously sleepy. According to Dr. Marisa C. Weiss, doctors are often sleep deprived because the lines between work and personal time have blurred, as a result of on-call responsibilities and email and phone messages from patients, on top of the need to keep abreast of medical advances. “Sleep is frequently shortened, disrupted and hard to protect, Dr. Weiss told The Wall Street Journal. The good news is that if you’re sleep deprived during the week, research shows that you can pay back some of your sleep debt over the weekend.

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10 Tips For A Healthy Old Age

Older does not mean you will experience many medical conditions or poor quality of life. But you can enjoy aging if you take steps to maintain health.

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16 Condiments That Are Secret Health Bombs (And What to Eat Instead)

Mayo

“With processed refined soybean oil as the main ingredient in most mayo’s, there’s nothing healthy about mayonnaise,” says registered dietitian Asvini Mashru, RD, of Wellness Nutrition Concepts in Malvern, Pennsylvania. “Tartar sauce has the same issues as mayo. If you can find a mayo made with 100 percent olive oil instead of soybean oil, this would actually be a healthy choice.” Or make your own mayonnaise for a healthier option. (Here’s another healthier version of mayo.)

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7 Essential Oils That Promote Weight Loss

Lemon oil

Just as lemon water can help with weight loss, lemon essential oil is among the best for weight loss. “Lemon essential oil supports detoxification, helping to cleanse toxins that build up inside the body,” explains Josh Axe, DNM, CNS, DC, founder of DrAxe.com, author of Eat Dirt and co-founder of Ancient Nutrition. “Detoxing will rejuvenate your body, increase your energy levels and improve fat digestion.” Plus, “it supports lymphatic drainage, ridding the body of wastes that can be leading to inflammation and other health issues that hinder your ability to lose weight.” To reap these benefits, diffuse five drops of lemon oil into the water of your humidifier. (Here’s how to choose the best humidifier for your space.)

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If You Eat This Healthy Snack, You Can Kiss Your Junk Food Cravings Goodbye

Everybody has that one junk food crutch. Maybe it’s Hot Fries. Maybe it’s Oreos (Science has discovered the perfect dunk duration, by the way). Or maybe it’s walnuts.

Actually, for the purposes of this post, it’s not walnuts. 

You do not have junk food cravings for walnuts.

Good? Good.

But walnuts are the solution! 

A new study in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, has cut to the nut of your junk food craving problem. Researchers recruited 10 obese adults for two five-day study sessions. In the first interval, participants were given a smoothie containing 48 grams of walnuts each day, in the second interval, the participants received a smoothie sans-nuts.

During the first session, participants reported feeling less hungry. Additionally, they were subjected to MRI scans while also viewing photos of desirable junk foods, and the segment of their brain which is linked to regulating hunger was particularly active during the test.

During the session with the non-nut smoothie, participants had lower brain activity in that area and reported feeling greater hunger.

(Maybe avoid the walnuts at night though, all that late-night snacking may just be leading to wrinkles.)

As with many studies, keep in mind the stakeholders—this research was backed by funding from the California Walnut Commission. So if you want to keep your ethics clean, maybe just pick up some of these nuts instead—after all, they do wonders for your cholesterol!

[Source: Men’s Health]

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Here’s Why Taking Too Much Protein Powder Can Be Seriously Dangerous

The protein supplement market is booming. Protein powder, shakes, bars, and gels offer gym-goers and health-conscious people a nutritious alternative to junk food, or even a complete meal substitute.

Some 1 in 5 men regularly replace meals with protein drinks or bars, according to a 2015 study presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention. And it’s not just men; a 2013 survey published in The FASEB Journal, reported on Shape, found that 50 percent of female recreational endurance athletes and 100 percent of female bodybuilders use protein supplements.

On balance, protein is super important for almost every function in the body. Everyone needs protein to help their body repair cells and make new ones. According to MedlinePlus, the daily recommended intake of protein (which is plentiful in eggs, quinoa, chicken, and fish) for healthy adults is 10 to 35 percent of your total calorie needs. For example, if a person on a 2,000 calorie diet ate 100 grams of protein per day, this would provide 20 percent of their total daily calories. (Here are signs you may not be eating enough protein.)

However, the recent death of bodybuilder Meegan Hefford from Australia highlights some potential dangers of consuming too much of the nutrient. According to Perth Now, Hefford increased her protein consumption (both from food and dietary supplements) leading up to a competition, and she was not aware that she had urea cycle disorder, a rare disorder that prevented her body from properly metabolizing protein. (Urea cycle disorder has no outward symptoms.) Hefford’s death certificate listed the condition as a cause of death, along with “intake of bodybuilding supplements.” Hefford’s mother revealed that she found “half a dozen containers” of protein supplements in Hefford’s kitchen, along with a detailed diet plan including protein-rich foods like lean meat and egg whites.

“Consuming too much protein powder can be dangerous for your health, particularly if there are underlying medical conditions,” says Vinh Nguyen, MD, family medicine physician at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “People who have disorders where protein cannot be properly metabolized can become very ill or die, as the incompletely processed protein metabolites can build up to toxic levels in the body. Studies show that excess protein consumption can lead to kidney disease, as well as kidney stones. Excessive protein intake can also cause dry mouth, constipation, and hair loss.”

When it comes to recommended daily amounts of protein, there are no hard and fast recommendations. “You must factor in a person’s dietary protein intake and wheather he or she has a medical condition that needs to be factored in,” explains Renato Roxas Jr., MD, Chief of Medicine at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital. “Some reputable sources suggest that 1.2 grams of whey protein supplementation per kilogram of body weight as a good guide. It is best for people to work with their doctor to determine the safe amounts for them. [In Hefford’s case], she unknowingly had a fairly rare congenital condition that hindered her ability to properly metabolize protein, leading to the accumulation of toxic byproducts.”

Here are great sources of lean protein from foods, so you can lean less on supplements. But if you are going to dabble in supplements, here’s how to choose the best protein powder for you.

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How One Dad Lost 25 Pounds By Having Balloons Put in His Stomach—Seriously!

In many ways, Eric Wilson of Dallas is your typical guy. Content with life, he’s got a great job, a great wife, and adorable kids, who often speak the truth that others are too polite to mention. It was Wilson’s kids (and a less-than-flattering photograph) that finally convinced the dad of three to trade in contented for ecstatic, by doing something about the spare tire he was sporting around his middle.

Like lots of us, Wilson would commit to an exercise routine for a couple of weeks, and then find himself in a workout plateau, falling off his routine, and into the arms of a large container of fries (here’s why you probably have hit your own workout plateau). He knew he was overweight, but not morbidly obese. (Morbid obesity is defined as being 100 pounds over your ideal body weight, or having a body mass index (BMI) of either 40, or 35, with health-related issues). Wilson’s BMI at 30.12 was higher than it should have been, but not to the point where his doctor was crying code red. (Here’s a quick explainer on your BMI.) “I kept eating junk food, and promising myself that tomorrow would be the day,” he says. Wilson found himself approaching the Big Four-0, and was starting to realize that his nasty habits were catching up with him. At the same time, his kids started in on a teasing campaign about his protruding belly and he also caught sight of himself sideways in a photo, and was aghast at what he saw. Coupled with those less-than-subtle knocks on the head was the realization that, at this weight, he wouldn’t pass the physical required for him to remain on active duty with the Air National Guard. For Wilson, that was it. It was time for a change.

Wilson’s wife works for Obalon, and she clued him in about a new FDA-approved process for weight loss, which uses inserted, expandable balloons, lowered into the stomach, through the mouth. The buoyant balloons take up room in the stomach, reducing appetite, and creating a feeling of fullness. They are inserted one at a time, over a three-month period. “When I heard about the technology, I thought it sounded neat. I qualified for it because of my BMI, but thought, I can probably not do this, and get away with it, what am I doing? And then I looked at that photo of myself again, and realized, I’ve said this a thousand times.” Wilson realized he was powerless over changing his eating habits on his own, and was just kidding himself. So he committed to the procedure.

The Obalon Balloon System is designed for people who are 30 to 100 pounds overweight, and is not currently covered by health insurance plans. (The Obalon cost is around $6,000 to $9,000, based on individual factors). Unlike more radical forms of gastric bypass surgery, this non-surgical system is designed to be a temporary fix, by providing a six-month window during which people can lose weight safely, while receiving counseling and guidance are provided about weight loss and healthy eating (like these 50 best healthy eating tips of all time), and lifestyle habits. After six months, the balloons are deflated, and removed, under general anesthesia. Wilson took full advantage of his six-month window, by working with a dietitian, and listening to her advice. But first, he had to have the balloons put in.

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The Obalon Procedure

The night before the procedure, Wilson was given a placebo pill. “That’s just to make sure you can swallow the Obalon pill. I did not like that part, and found it difficult. I thought to myself, what am I doing? But I had committed to doing it, and was committed to seeing it through. Between the time I had first heard about the procedure and the night before it was scheduled, I had seen my BMI climb, a huge red flag.” Wilson went in the next day to have the first balloon inserted. “The deflated balloon is tethered to a catheter. They give you some water, and some apple sauce, if you need it. The catheter goes down your throat for around three to eight minutes. The balloon is then opened. If I had been able to laugh I would have, when the doctor said he was waiting for my balloon to hatch.” Once the balloon is open, a proprietary blend of gases is sent down through the catheter, to inflate it. The balloon is then set for the altitude of the user. (Scuba diving and skydiving are not allowed while the balloons are in your stomach, but flying, and most other activities, are OK). The catheter is then disconnected, and pulled out through the mouth. “The uncomfortable part for me was not being able to talk, and having the catheter tickle the back of my throat.”

The Results

Wilson found the first week with the balloon a bit uncomfortable, but has adjusted since then. “That first week I thought to myself, what have I done? I was uncomfortable, and had cramping. But I knew those feelings would only last a week, because that’s what my doctor told me to expect.” Wilson has also lost a significant amount of weight, much to the delight of his kids, who keep asking him where his tire went. “I did it for me. My wife urged me to do it for me,” he says. Most importantly, the balloons have motivated him to exercise. Two months later, with all three balloons inserted, he is now running almost daily, and is committed to making better decisions about food. He keeps a food journal, which has proven to be a powerful tool, and has lost a total of 27 pounds, plus six full inches, off his waistline. He has another four months left on the program, and a goal of losing an additional 10 pounds. Wilson says he can feel the balloons a little bit when he is lying down, and when he is hungry, but has adjusted to the feeling. He has also adjusted to the congratulations, and his new, improved health.

Ready to lose weight? Here are 13 quick, nutritionist- and- doctor approved weight loss tips.

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What It’s Really Like to Follow the Ketogenic Diet (Hint: It’s Crazy Easy)

What is a ketogenic diet?

It’s actually really simple: The diet is high fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrates. I decided to give it a try because I wanted to lose fat and had already started transitioning to a lower carb diet. Ketogenic was the next logical move to target the extra fat on my body. (It’s also its way to becoming one of the more popular diet styles to try.)

According to nutritionist Vanessa Rissetto, RD, “The ketogenic diet forces the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. When you go through periods of following a carbohydrate-restricted diet, you deplete glycogen stores from the muscles.” The result is that the body is forced to convert fat stores to glucose to provide energy for your muscles.

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Your Body Has a “Brain Switch” to Burn Fat after Eating—Here’s How It Works

More than two-thirds of adults in the United States are obese, and that can leave many at risk for serious health consequences, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports. Now, research suggests a switch in the brain could be to blame for out-of-control weight gain.

The new findings, from scientists at Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute and published in Cell Metabolism, indicate that an important process occurs in the brain after we eat—and in obese people it’s possible this function is impaired. The researchers explain that, after we eat a meal, our brains begin the process of circulating insulin thanks to the increase in our blood sugars. The brain should send a signal to the body to begin burning some of that energy—a process that’s referred to as browning the fat. The name comes from adipocytes, cells that store our body fat and change from white to brown and back again. Brown fat is desirable because of the positive effects it has on your metabolism.

When we fast, our brain tells the body to take the browned cells and convert them into white cells—the long-term energy storage system for the body. This new research indicates that for the obese, the switch to convert brown cells to white flipped on all the time—and it doesn’t turn off even while eating. (Here are ways to tell if your weight could be a problem.) This in turn, causes less energy usage and leads to weight gain, Tony Tiganis, PhD and study author explained to Science Daily. “As a consequence, browning is turned off all the time and energy expenditure is decreased all the time, so when you eat, you don’t see a commensurate increase in energy expenditure—and that promotes weight gain,” Dr. Tiganis said.

Dr. Tiganis hopes that with further research it might be possible to inhibit the switch mechanism in some way and cause our bodies to lose weight instead of gaining it. “Obesity is a major and leading factor in overall disease burden worldwide and is poised, for the first time in modern history, to lead to falls in overall life expectancy,” he said. “What our studies have shown is that there is a fundamental mechanism at play that normally ensures that energy expenditure is matched with energy intake. When this is defective, you put on more weight. Potentially we may be able to rewire this mechanism to promote energy expenditure and weight loss in obese individuals. But any potential therapy is a long way off.” Here’s how to burn fat by tackling the genes that store it.

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9 Mind-Blowing Lessons I Learned When I Hired a Health Coach

 I was eating poorly

Well, technically I was eating healthy, but I wasn’t eating for weight loss. I hired a health coach, Alex Salzberg, a certified yoga instructor who specializes in both fitness and nutrition: A year after having a baby, I knew my body wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I still had one size left to lose and I was determined to fit back into all the clothes hanging in my closet.

We took a look at my diet together and saw that I was focusing on high protein, low carb, but a lot of my carbs were still coming from grains that weren’t helping me shed fat. So instead, we decided to switch things up by introducing a ketogenic diet (high fat, low carb, moderate protein) that would help my body burn fat.

I ended up loving the diet so much—I dropped a size during the first 2 weeks—that I’ll probably stick with it in the long run, and shift to a maintenance version once I’ve reached my goal weight.

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This Dietary Restriction Doubles Your Chance of Depression

As of 2006, 14.6 percent of Americans don’t eat seafood, 7.6 percent don’t eat dairy, 23.4 percent don’t eat honey, and 6.3 percent don’t eat poultry. (Now, this poll was taken by the FDA before the release of Bee Movie, so who’s to say how Americans feel about bees now. )

And of all Americans, 6.7 percent abstain from eating meat. That’s a sizeable portion of the population. And although there are inherent physical health benefits to dropping meat from the menu, a new study has shown that this might be at the price of vegetarians’ mental health.

A new study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom found that vegetarians and vegans are more likely to develop depression due to a lower intake of vitamin B12 and other minerals commonly found in red meat (here are some other nutrients vegetarians and vegans are likely to missing as well). B12 plays a key role in keeping an individual’s mood in balance. 

The study analyzed the mental health of 10,000 participants and found that the 350 vegetarians who participated in the study had a depression score twice as high as their meat-eating counterparts .

Outside of the B12 deficient diet, vegetarians also tend to have diets which contain higher intake of nuts containing omega-6 fatty acids, which have also been linked to greater risk of mental health issues, according to CBS New York.

If you’re thinking of going vegetarian, here are some helpful ways to get there—just be sure you actively find ways to add protein to your diet, and look for ways to incorporate all of the nutrients you need.

 

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I Dropped 5 Sizes in 7 Months—Here’s How I Did It

Fifteen days after my 39th birthday, a number flashed on my bathroom scale, the likes of which I hadn’t seen since a third trimester of pregnancy.

It confirmed what a family picture from that morning had told me already: I was the largest I’d ever been—obese by body fat standards—and that one go-to outfit I wore to try to hide the excess? I was only fooling myself.

Forget that I couldn’t climb stairs without feeling winded. Or that I’d become so self-conscious that I was turning down social invitations. Something had to give.

So I ate (better)

Hell hath no fury like a hungry gastronome. For this lifestyle change to have any staying power, food had to come first. While I thought I already made healthy choices (most of the time), an honest inventory of the kitchen left much to be desired. Obvious changes aside (goodbye confectioner’s sugar, hello Chia seeds), I didn’t stop there.

Around my midsection, I was sporting the very problem that happens when one estimates portion size. So I bought an extra set of measuring cups, and every day, I work them harder than I do the percolator. When I’m not where I can measure, I use these portion control tricks.

As for what to put in them, there was legit glee when I learned that dairy isn’t off limits. Hello comfort food! That helped me to brave new recipes centered on superfoods, and jump started my weight loss. With these fat-releasing foods rounding out my menus, I shed the first 10 pounds in 30 days.

I also exercised (often)

Fitness and fun are not mutually exclusive. I just needed to mix it up.

Leaving my long favored elliptical behind, I gave Body Pump a try. As intimidating as it first seemed, I found myself looking forward to the next class. A few weeks in and I wondered why I’d waited so long.

I began prioritizing exercise around work and family commitments. Instead of resenting it, I craved it—still do. With instructors that keep my form on point, contagiously upbeat music mixes, and familiar folks to high five after a grueling set, these 60-minute segments routinely shatter my inner “I can’t.”

By early March, I could see baby biceps in the bathroom mirror. Once the initial weight loss went from 10 to 20 pounds, I could shop my closet, and I wanted more. So I kept showing up. I was the new kid in kickboxing, then Zumba, and eventually spin—all exercise classes known to torch calories. More often than not, I was the slowest, least coordinated person in the room. But at 25 pounds down and counting, I didn’t care.

Vacation was no excuse to slouch. Instead of treating spring break as license to eat and drink my way through the entire week, I consumed as I would at home, save one splurge evening. And for that, I worked, sneaking in mountain climbers and other zero-equipment exercises that can transform your body.

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And I tracked (honestly)

For the fourth time in as many years, I downloaded My Fitness Pal and learned how to use it correctly. Food and exercise journaling has demystified so much about how to lose weight. It remains a favorite tool now that I’m learning how to maintain weight loss.

From the beginning, I also kept my weekly weight loss goal to a realistic 1 pound per week.

With every food or beverage entry, I estimated calories liberally. For exercise, I did the reverse. An unnecessary step to some, but my journey was different. This wasn’t just an effort to lose weight. For long-term success, I needed to make the mental leap away from dieting as a means to an end and instead, embrace this as a lifestyle change for good.

Throughout the process and still now, these margins of error keep me on track.

By mid-April, I’d lost 30-plus pounds, and logged enough entries to create trend data. The stats blew away every dietary bias I’d ever believed. When I upped my protein game, stopped fearing carbs, and started embracing healthy fats, good things happened, and fast.

I’m now 219 days in, four months shy of my 40^th birthday, and in the best physical shape of my adult life.

I found powerful motivation

You know that saying mind over matter? It can make the difference between loathing and loving your workout. There are times when I’m tired or distracted, and not particularly in the mood to slog through any given sweat session—days when the 10-pound weight might as well weigh 100. Blame it on the endorphins, but in those moments I come up with a goal—a feat just this side of ridiculous to work towards—and it helps me finish the set with all I have left.

When I first saw real progress (and stepped into smaller clothing), I was reluctant to trust it. Nothing more than vanity sizing run amok. How much could my body possibly have changed? Only one way to know for sure, and it was buried deep in the Once Upon a Time part of my closet. A textile truth serum in an unforgiving cut. Yes, I’m talking about my wedding dress.

Did I dare?

Right through every last kettle bell swing and lunge squat, every power press and dead lift, and every morning when I felt like chucking the alarm into the wall instead of getting up and after it. Right up to the day last week when I was able to twirl around in a certain gown and celebrate the goal achieved. Wedding dress challenge done and won.

Irreverent focus on fitness aside, I’ve finally come to understand two things. There is no finish line. And a little levity keeps things interesting. With that in mind, I’m now drawing inspiration from the black pants made iconic by Olivia Newton John. Halloween is less than three months out, and tight pants aren’t just for Jimmy Fallon.

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If You Eat This Healthy Snack, You Can Kiss Your Junk Food Cravings Goodbye

Everybody has that one junk food crutch. Maybe it’s Hot Fries. Maybe it’s Oreos (Science has discovered the perfect dunk duration, by the way). Or maybe it’s walnuts.

Actually, for the purposes of this post, it’s not walnuts. 

You do not have junk food cravings for walnuts.

Good? Good.

But walnuts are the solution! 

A new study in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, has cut to the nut of your junk food craving problem. Researchers recruited 10 obese adults for two five-day study sessions. In the first interval, participants were given a smoothie containing 48 grams of walnuts each day, in the second interval, the participants received a smoothie sans-nuts.

During the first session, participants reported feeling less hungry. Additionally, they were subjected to MRI scans while also viewing photos of desirable junk foods, and the segment of their brain which is linked to regulating hunger was particularly active during the test.

During the session with the non-nut smoothie, participants had lower brain activity in that area and reported feeling greater hunger.

(Maybe avoid the walnuts at night though, all that late-night snacking may just be leading to wrinkles.)

As with many studies, keep in mind the stakeholders—this research was backed by funding from the California Walnut Commission. So if you want to keep your ethics clean, maybe just pick up some of these nuts instead—after all, they do wonders for your cholesterol!

[Source: Men’s Health]

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Here’s Why Taking Too Much Protein Powder Can Be Seriously Dangerous

The protein supplement market is booming. Protein powder, shakes, bars, and gels offer gym-goers and health-conscious people a nutritious alternative to junk food, or even a complete meal substitute.

Some 1 in 5 men regularly replace meals with protein drinks or bars, according to a 2015 study presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention. And it’s not just men; a 2013 survey published in The FASEB Journal, reported on Shape, found that 50 percent of female recreational endurance athletes and 100 percent of female bodybuilders use protein supplements.

On balance, protein is super important for almost every function in the body. Everyone needs protein to help their body repair cells and make new ones. According to MedlinePlus, the daily recommended intake of protein (which is plentiful in eggs, quinoa, chicken, and fish) for healthy adults is 10 to 35 percent of your total calorie needs. For example, if a person on a 2,000 calorie diet ate 100 grams of protein per day, this would provide 20 percent of their total daily calories. (Here are signs you may not be eating enough protein.)

However, the recent death of bodybuilder Meegan Hefford from Australia highlights some potential dangers of consuming too much of the nutrient. According to Perth Now, Hefford increased her protein consumption (both from food and dietary supplements) leading up to a competition, and she was not aware that she had urea cycle disorder, a rare disorder that prevented her body from properly metabolizing protein. (Urea cycle disorder has no outward symptoms.) Hefford’s death certificate listed the condition as a cause of death, along with “intake of bodybuilding supplements.” Hefford’s mother revealed that she found “half a dozen containers” of protein supplements in Hefford’s kitchen, along with a detailed diet plan including protein-rich foods like lean meat and egg whites.

“Consuming too much protein powder can be dangerous for your health, particularly if there are underlying medical conditions,” says Vinh Nguyen, MD, family medicine physician at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA. “People who have disorders where protein cannot be properly metabolized can become very ill or die, as the incompletely processed protein metabolites can build up to toxic levels in the body. Studies show that excess protein consumption can lead to kidney disease, as well as kidney stones. Excessive protein intake can also cause dry mouth, constipation, and hair loss.”

When it comes to recommended daily amounts of protein, there are no hard and fast recommendations. “You must factor in a person’s dietary protein intake and wheather he or she has a medical condition that needs to be factored in,” explains Renato Roxas Jr., MD, Chief of Medicine at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital. “Some reputable sources suggest that 1.2 grams of whey protein supplementation per kilogram of body weight as a good guide. It is best for people to work with their doctor to determine the safe amounts for them. [In Hefford’s case], she unknowingly had a fairly rare congenital condition that hindered her ability to properly metabolize protein, leading to the accumulation of toxic byproducts.”

Here are great sources of lean protein from foods, so you can lean less on supplements. But if you are going to dabble in supplements, here’s how to choose the best protein powder for you.

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How One Dad Lost 25 Pounds By Having Balloons Put in His Stomach—Seriously!

In many ways, Eric Wilson of Dallas is your typical guy. Content with life, he’s got a great job, a great wife, and adorable kids, who often speak the truth that others are too polite to mention. It was Wilson’s kids (and a less-than-flattering photograph) that finally convinced the dad of three to trade in contented for ecstatic, by doing something about the spare tire he was sporting around his middle.

Like lots of us, Wilson would commit to an exercise routine for a couple of weeks, and then find himself in a workout plateau, falling off his routine, and into the arms of a large container of fries (here’s why you probably have hit your own workout plateau). He knew he was overweight, but not morbidly obese. (Morbid obesity is defined as being 100 pounds over your ideal body weight, or having a body mass index (BMI) of either 40, or 35, with health-related issues). Wilson’s BMI at 30.12 was higher than it should have been, but not to the point where his doctor was crying code red. (Here’s a quick explainer on your BMI.) “I kept eating junk food, and promising myself that tomorrow would be the day,” he says. Wilson found himself approaching the Big Four-0, and was starting to realize that his nasty habits were catching up with him. At the same time, his kids started in on a teasing campaign about his protruding belly and he also caught sight of himself sideways in a photo, and was aghast at what he saw. Coupled with those less-than-subtle knocks on the head was the realization that, at this weight, he wouldn’t pass the physical required for him to remain on active duty with the Air National Guard. For Wilson, that was it. It was time for a change.

Wilson’s wife works for Obalon, and she clued him in about a new FDA-approved process for weight loss, which uses inserted, expandable balloons, lowered into the stomach, through the mouth. The buoyant balloons take up room in the stomach, reducing appetite, and creating a feeling of fullness. They are inserted one at a time, over a three-month period. “When I heard about the technology, I thought it sounded neat. I qualified for it because of my BMI, but thought, I can probably not do this, and get away with it, what am I doing? And then I looked at that photo of myself again, and realized, I’ve said this a thousand times.” Wilson realized he was powerless over changing his eating habits on his own, and was just kidding himself. So he committed to the procedure.

The Obalon Balloon System is designed for people who are 30 to 100 pounds overweight, and is not currently covered by health insurance plans. (The Obalon cost is around $6,000 to $9,000, based on individual factors). Unlike more radical forms of gastric bypass surgery, this non-surgical system is designed to be a temporary fix, by providing a six-month window during which people can lose weight safely, while receiving counseling and guidance are provided about weight loss and healthy eating (like these 50 best healthy eating tips of all time), and lifestyle habits. After six months, the balloons are deflated, and removed, under general anesthesia. Wilson took full advantage of his six-month window, by working with a dietitian, and listening to her advice. But first, he had to have the balloons put in.

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The Obalon Procedure

The night before the procedure, Wilson was given a placebo pill. “That’s just to make sure you can swallow the Obalon pill. I did not like that part, and found it difficult. I thought to myself, what am I doing? But I had committed to doing it, and was committed to seeing it through. Between the time I had first heard about the procedure and the night before it was scheduled, I had seen my BMI climb, a huge red flag.” Wilson went in the next day to have the first balloon inserted. “The deflated balloon is tethered to a catheter. They give you some water, and some apple sauce, if you need it. The catheter goes down your throat for around three to eight minutes. The balloon is then opened. If I had been able to laugh I would have, when the doctor said he was waiting for my balloon to hatch.” Once the balloon is open, a proprietary blend of gases is sent down through the catheter, to inflate it. The balloon is then set for the altitude of the user. (Scuba diving and skydiving are not allowed while the balloons are in your stomach, but flying, and most other activities, are OK). The catheter is then disconnected, and pulled out through the mouth. “The uncomfortable part for me was not being able to talk, and having the catheter tickle the back of my throat.”

The Results

Wilson found the first week with the balloon a bit uncomfortable, but has adjusted since then. “That first week I thought to myself, what have I done? I was uncomfortable, and had cramping. But I knew those feelings would only last a week, because that’s what my doctor told me to expect.” Wilson has also lost a significant amount of weight, much to the delight of his kids, who keep asking him where his tire went. “I did it for me. My wife urged me to do it for me,” he says. Most importantly, the balloons have motivated him to exercise. Two months later, with all three balloons inserted, he is now running almost daily, and is committed to making better decisions about food. He keeps a food journal, which has proven to be a powerful tool, and has lost a total of 27 pounds, plus six full inches, off his waistline. He has another four months left on the program, and a goal of losing an additional 10 pounds. Wilson says he can feel the balloons a little bit when he is lying down, and when he is hungry, but has adjusted to the feeling. He has also adjusted to the congratulations, and his new, improved health.

Ready to lose weight? Here are 13 quick, nutritionist- and- doctor approved weight loss tips.

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What It’s Really Like to Follow the Ketogenic Diet (Hint: It’s Crazy Easy)

What is a ketogenic diet?

It’s actually really simple: The diet is high fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrates. I decided to give it a try because I wanted to lose fat and had already started transitioning to a lower carb diet. Ketogenic was the next logical move to target the extra fat on my body. (It’s also its way to becoming one of the more popular diet styles to try.)

According to nutritionist Vanessa Rissetto, RD, “The ketogenic diet forces the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. When you go through periods of following a carbohydrate-restricted diet, you deplete glycogen stores from the muscles.” The result is that the body is forced to convert fat stores to glucose to provide energy for your muscles.

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Is Physical Education Still Important Today?

In today's tensed schedule of life people sometimes forget that movements are a part of their lives. They prefer taking cars and metro instead of making an extra walk on the way to the office. There are plenty of items being advertised on TV and the Internet but most from a practical point of view aimed to bring income to the companies.

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Looking for the Safest Cookware? Keep These 4 Tips on Your Checklist

On the lookout for the safest cookware? Keep these 4 tips on your checklist. 1. What is your cookware composed of? 2. How safely does it cook your food? 3. Does it lock steam naturally? 4.How was your pot made (the environmental aspect)?

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Your Body Has a “Brain Switch” to Burn Fat after Eating—Here’s How It Works

More than two-thirds of adults in the United States are obese, and that can leave many at risk for serious health consequences, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases reports. Now, research suggests a switch in the brain could be to blame for out-of-control weight gain.

The new findings, from scientists at Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute and published in Cell Metabolism, indicate that an important process occurs in the brain after we eat—and in obese people it’s possible this function is impaired. The researchers explain that, after we eat a meal, our brains begin the process of circulating insulin thanks to the increase in our blood sugars. The brain should send a signal to the body to begin burning some of that energy—a process that’s referred to as browning the fat. The name comes from adipocytes, cells that store our body fat and change from white to brown and back again. Brown fat is desirable because of the positive effects it has on your metabolism.

When we fast, our brain tells the body to take the browned cells and convert them into white cells—the long-term energy storage system for the body. This new research indicates that for the obese, the switch to convert brown cells to white flipped on all the time—and it doesn’t turn off even while eating. (Here are ways to tell if your weight could be a problem.) This in turn, causes less energy usage and leads to weight gain, Tony Tiganis, PhD and study author explained to Science Daily. “As a consequence, browning is turned off all the time and energy expenditure is decreased all the time, so when you eat, you don’t see a commensurate increase in energy expenditure—and that promotes weight gain,” Dr. Tiganis said.

Dr. Tiganis hopes that with further research it might be possible to inhibit the switch mechanism in some way and cause our bodies to lose weight instead of gaining it. “Obesity is a major and leading factor in overall disease burden worldwide and is poised, for the first time in modern history, to lead to falls in overall life expectancy,” he said. “What our studies have shown is that there is a fundamental mechanism at play that normally ensures that energy expenditure is matched with energy intake. When this is defective, you put on more weight. Potentially we may be able to rewire this mechanism to promote energy expenditure and weight loss in obese individuals. But any potential therapy is a long way off.”

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9 Mind-Blowing Lessons I Learned When I Hired a Health Coach

 I was eating poorly

Well, technically I was eating healthy, but I wasn’t eating for weight loss. I hired a health coach, Alex Salzberg, a certified yoga instructor who specializes in both fitness and nutrition: A year after having a baby, I knew my body wasn’t where I wanted it to be. I still had one size left to lose and I was determined to fit back into all the clothes hanging in my closet.

We took a look at my diet together and saw that I was focusing on high protein, low carb, but a lot of my carbs were still coming from grains that weren’t helping me shed fat. So instead, we decided to switch things up by introducing a ketogenic diet (high fat, low carb, moderate protein) that would help my body burn fat.

I ended up loving the diet so much—I dropped a size during the first 2 weeks—that I’ll probably stick with it in the long run, and shift to a maintenance version once I’ve reached my goal weight.

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5 Things You Should Definitely Know About Lactose-Free Milk

Milk is the primary source of many nutrients. People who suffer from lactose intolerance cannot consume milk or milk products as they cause many problems, and thus miss the daily nutrient dose. Milk products contain a sugar called lactose which, when consumed by people who suffer from intolerance can cause problems like vomiting, swelling, diarrhoea, etc. To counter this problem, reputed brands have come up with a variant- the lactose-free milk. Lactose-free milk basically helps lactose intolerants to consume the primary source of nutrients. the procedure of preparing this variant is such that it cuts down on the lactose content in milk. thus, if you suffer from lactose intolerance, there is no need to just ditch milk, you can still consume it if you take all the right precautions. So, here are the 5 things which you should know about the lactose-free milk.

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Is Your Olive Oil Real? Discover How to Find Out

Is your Olive Oil Real? Some olive oils are actually blends of sub standard oils, seed oils or even soy oil. Discover how to tell if your olive oil is real!

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This Dietary Restriction Doubles Your Chance of Depression

As of 2006, 14.6 percent of Americans don’t eat seafood, 7.6 percent don’t eat dairy, 23.4 percent don’t eat honey, and 6.3 percent don’t eat poultry. (Now, this poll was taken by the FDA before the release of Bee Movie, so who’s to say how Americans feel about bees now. )

And of all Americans, 6.7 percent abstain from eating meat. That’s a sizeable portion of the population. And although there are inherent physical health benefits to dropping meat from the menu, a new study has shown that this might be at the price of vegetarians’ mental health.

A new study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom found that vegetarians and vegans are more likely to develop depression due to a lower intake of vitamin B12 and other minerals commonly found in red meat (here are some other nutrients vegetarians and vegans are likely to missing as well). B12 plays a key role in keeping an individual’s mood in balance. 

The study analyzed the mental health of 10,000 participants and found that the 350 vegetarians who participated in the study had a depression score twice as high as their meat-eating counterparts .

Outside of the B12 deficient diet, vegetarians also tend to have diets which contain higher intake of nuts containing omega-6 fatty acids, which have also been linked to greater risk of mental health issues, according to CBS New York.

If you’re thinking of going vegetarian, here are some helpful ways to get there—just be sure you actively find ways to add protein to your diet, and look for ways to incorporate all of the nutrients you need.

 

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I Dropped 5 Sizes in 7 Months—Here’s How I Did It

Fifteen days after my 39th birthday, a number flashed on my bathroom scale, the likes of which I hadn’t seen since a third trimester of pregnancy.

It confirmed what a family picture from that morning had told me already: I was the largest I’d ever been—obese by body fat standards—and that one go-to outfit I wore to try to hide the excess? I was only fooling myself.

Forget that I couldn’t climb stairs without feeling winded. Or that I’d become so self-conscious that I was turning down social invitations. Something had to give.

So I ate (better)

Hell hath no fury like a hungry gastronome. For this lifestyle change to have any staying power, food had to come first. While I thought I already made healthy choices (most of the time), an honest inventory of the kitchen left much to be desired. Obvious changes aside (goodbye confectioner’s sugar, hello Chia seeds), I didn’t stop there.

Around my midsection, I was sporting the very problem that happens when one estimates portion size. So I bought an extra set of measuring cups, and every day, I work them harder than I do the percolator. When I’m not where I can measure, I use these portion control tricks.

As for what to put in them, there was legit glee when I learned that dairy isn’t off limits. Hello comfort food! That helped me to brave new recipes centered on superfoods, and jump started my weight loss. With these fat-releasing foods rounding out my menus, I shed the first 10 pounds in 30 days.

I also exercised (often)

Fitness and fun are not mutually exclusive. I just needed to mix it up.

Leaving my long favored elliptical behind, I gave Body Pump a try. As intimidating as it first seemed, I found myself looking forward to the next class. A few weeks in and I wondered why I’d waited so long.

I began prioritizing exercise around work and family commitments. Instead of resenting it, I craved it—still do. With instructors that keep my form on point, contagiously upbeat music mixes, and familiar folks to high five after a grueling set, these 60-minute segments routinely shatter my inner “I can’t.”

By early March, I could see baby biceps in the bathroom mirror. Once the initial weight loss went from 10 to 20 pounds, I could shop my closet, and I wanted more. So I kept showing up. I was the new kid in kickboxing, then Zumba, and eventually spin—all exercise classes known to torch calories. More often than not, I was the slowest, least coordinated person in the room. But at 25 pounds down and counting, I didn’t care.

Vacation was no excuse to slouch. Instead of treating spring break as license to eat and drink my way through the entire week, I consumed as I would at home, save one splurge evening. And for that, I worked, sneaking in mountain climbers and other zero-equipment exercises that can transform your body.

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And I tracked (honestly)

For the fourth time in as many years, I downloaded My Fitness Pal and learned how to use it correctly. Food and exercise journaling has demystified so much about how to lose weight. It remains a favorite tool now that I’m learning how to maintain weight loss.

From the beginning, I also kept my weekly weight loss goal to a realistic 1 pound per week.

With every food or beverage entry, I estimated calories liberally. For exercise, I did the reverse. An unnecessary step to some, but my journey was different. This wasn’t just an effort to lose weight. For long-term success, I needed to make the mental leap away from dieting as a means to an end and instead, embrace this as a lifestyle change for good.

Throughout the process and still now, these margins of error keep me on track.

By mid-April, I’d lost 30-plus pounds, and logged enough entries to create trend data. The stats blew away every dietary bias I’d ever believed. When I upped my protein game, stopped fearing carbs, and started embracing healthy fats, good things happened, and fast.

I’m now 219 days in, four months shy of my 40^th birthday, and in the best physical shape of my adult life.

I found powerful motivation

You know that saying mind over matter? It can make the difference between loathing and loving your workout. There are times when I’m tired or distracted, and not particularly in the mood to slog through any given sweat session—days when the 10-pound weight might as well weigh 100. Blame it on the endorphins, but in those moments I come up with a goal—a feat just this side of ridiculous to work towards—and it helps me finish the set with all I have left.

When I first saw real progress (and stepped into smaller clothing), I was reluctant to trust it. Nothing more than vanity sizing run amok. How much could my body possibly have changed? Only one way to know for sure, and it was buried deep in the Once Upon a Time part of my closet. A textile truth serum in an unforgiving cut. Yes, I’m talking about my wedding dress.

Did I dare?

Right through every last kettle bell swing and lunge squat, every power press and dead lift, and every morning when I felt like chucking the alarm into the wall instead of getting up and after it. Right up to the day last week when I was able to twirl around in a certain gown and celebrate the goal achieved. Wedding dress challenge done and won.

Irreverent focus on fitness aside, I’ve finally come to understand two things. There is no finish line. And a little levity keeps things interesting. With that in mind, I’m now drawing inspiration from the black pants made iconic by Olivia Newton John. Halloween is less than three months out, and tight pants aren’t just for Jimmy Fallon.

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This Equation Shows You Exactly How Many Calories You Should Be Eating a Day

Everyone has been told that calorie-counting is the most effective way of lowering the scale and cutting the pounds. An average woman is said to require about 2000 calories per day to maintain a certain weight, and 1500 calories to lose one pound of weight per week. The average male is similar, but slightly raised: he needs 2500 calories to maintain, and 2000 to lose one pound of weight per week. The general rule of thumb deemed by society is to exercise more and eat less.

However, the math is not quite that simple. These rough estimations don’t consider numerous factors that would significantly sway the numbers: age, height, weight, or activity levels. While you may think that frequent exercise is the best way to lose weight, it is not a transmutable technique for eating smart. (These are other weight-losing myths you need to stop believing).

Fortunately, calorie counting doesn’t have to be a total guessing game. Instead of using exercise as a mere safety net for your eating habits, use this elementary equation to pinpoint exactly how many calories you need per day.

The calculation is called the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, a formula that has been shown to be the most accurate way of estimating calorie needs in numerous studies by the ADA (American Dietetic Association).

Begin by getting an idea of your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your body must breathe, blink, grow cells, and keep your heart beating on a daily basis. Staying alive isn’t an easy task, and it needs calories to do so. This number reflects an estimate of how many calories you would burn if you were to be hypothetically resting in a sedentary state for 24 hours. In other words, it represents the minimum amount of energy mandated to keep your body barely functioning, i.e. breathing and pumping blood.

For men, the equation is as follows: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5. The equation is slightly different for women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161.

For example, if you were a 140-pound, 30-year-old, 5-foot-6 woman, your BMR calculation would look like this: 10 x (54.4) + 6.25 x (167.6) – 5 x (30) – 161 = 1373.

Use this BMR number as the foundational reference point for safe weight loss. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, your calories should never dip below 1,200. Doing so could mean your muscle mass starts decreasing, which means you won’t have enough energy to fuel daily activities.

Now that we’ve figured out the bare minimum of calories your body demands, we can’t forget to account for the actual things you do throughout the day that burn these calories; walking to work, playing sports, doing yoga, or even watching TV all strip away those units of energy you consume. An easy way to do so is via this interactive calculator from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that incorporates your activity level and BMR to give you an estimate of how much you should eat in order to maintain your current weight.

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However, if you want to do it yourself, here is a general map to follow. The final number is the recommended calorie consumption per day—tailored just for you:

BMR x 1.2 for low intensity activities and leisure activities (primarily sedentary)

BMR x 1.375 for light exercise (leisurely walking for 30-50 minutes 3-4 days/week, golfing, house chores)

BMR x 1.55 for moderate exercise 3-5 days per week (60-70% MHR for 30-60 minutes/session)

BMR x 1.725 for active individuals (exercising 6-7 days/week at moderate to high intensity (70-85% MHR) for 45-60 minutes/session)

BMR x 1.9 for the extremely active individuals (engaged in heavy/intense exercise like heavy manual labor, heavy lifting, endurance athletes, and competitive team sports athletes 6-7 days/week for 90 + minutes/session)

After all that, it’s important to note that this number isn’t necessarily something you should streamline your collective focus into. Although this does stand as the ideal formula to use as a guideline, weight loss boils down to more than just a number. Living your healthiest life doesn’t equate to shedding pounds, and obsessively counting calories can spiral one into an overly compulsive diet with dangerous downfalls. The induced stress can actually raise your cortisol levels, making it even harder for you to lose weight.

In essence, be conscious of your healthy caloric intake, but it’s wiser to concentrate on what you’re eating than how much. Your body knows best what it wants, so if it’s asking for fuel, indulge it, don’t spoil it. (Here are 8 other reasons why you aren’t able to lose weight).

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Chiropractor - A Health Care Invention

A chiropractor is defined as a health care device with a professional touch for the diagnosis and intensive treatment of neuromuscular disorders. Their emphasis is on neuromuscular disorders, especially spine. Most of the chiropractors are used as a pain reliever for the patients.

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Drinking Diet Soda Will Ruin Your Metabolism—and Could Make You Gain Weight

Diet soda once ruled the weight loss kingdom… but unfortunately, that time has swiftly passed. At this point, these sweet beverages should come with a warning label. Not only are they one of the worst drinks for diabetics, but diet sodas can also take a serious toll on your brain—and the health hazards don’t stop there.

A new study published in Current Biology may convince you to finally drop the pop. According to the researchers, there could be a “sweet spot” (haha) when it comes to those artificial sweeteners in diet soda.

For the experiment, Yale neuroscientist Dana Small designed five beverages, all of which were sweetened using the identical amount of sucralose, an artificial sweetener. Although each tasted about as sweet as a drink containing about 75 calories of sugar, Small varied the calories using a tasteless carbohydrate called maltodextrin. Each drink contained zero, 37.5, 75, 112.5, 150 calories.

Participants consumed each drink six times over a period of several weeks, twice in the lab and four times at home. Small then evaluated their brain scans to determine how each drink affected the brain’s reward mechanisms.

Logically, higher calorie counts should yield higher rewards in the brain. But contrary to expectations, the participants’ brains signaled the highest rewards for the 75-calorie drink—higher than the 0-calorie drink and the 150-calorie drink. What’s more, their metabolic responses to the high-calorie drink were lower than for the medium-calorie drink. What gives?

As it turns out, sweetness—not calories—determines the body’s response to food. When sweetness and calories are matched, as with the 75-calorie drink, the body’s reward mechanism and metabolic rate act normally. But the body becomes confused when it tries to digest something that has higher or lower calorie count relative to its sweetness.

“It’s like the system threw up its hands and didn’t know what to do,” Small told Vox.

With your metabolism thrown for a loop, it’s likely that the extra calories are stored in muscle, fat, or the liver—all of which is pretty bad news. (And if you want to lose weight, avoid this one food at all costs.)

Equally worrisome is that more and more companies are creating foods that contain blends of sweeteners and carbohydrates, Vox reports. That goes for diet sodas as well as sports drinks like Powerade, which, as Small notes in her paper, contains both sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Yep, you’ll definitely want to toss out those soda cans ASAP. Your body will thank you.

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19 Easy Ways You Can Torch 200 Calories In a Blink of an Eye

Cut a rug

No, not literally. Invite some pals over, turn on some tunes, and have an impromptu dance party. We know you haven’t forgotten the Macarena, and just a half-hour of dancing meets your calories-burned goal. If you feel inspired by the music, turn it into a weekly dance-inspired workout session.

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50 So-Called “Healthy” Snacks That Are Secretly Destroying Your Body

Frozen yogurt

While fro yo itself is a good treat, it’s easy to eat it the wrong way. “People go to a frozen yogurt place and think ‘Hooray, I’m being so good by having yogurt instead of ice cream, I can pile peanut butter cups and chocolate syrup on top.’ What was initially a good choice is now 600 to 900 calories,” says Angel Planells, MS, RDN, Seattle-based founder of ACP Nutrition, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Your best bet instead is to go light on the extras, he suggests: “Two or three toppings max—think fruit, nuts, maybe a small drizzle of chocolate syrup—otherwise you may as well just eat some ice cream.” For more frozen snack variety, try one of these summer treats.

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Eat This, and You’ll Burn Over 100 Extra Calories a Day

Looking for some wacky ways to burn extra calories—no gym time required? Look no further than your own dinner plate.

Thanks to a new study published in the journal Obesity Open Access, spicy foods might soon replace your daily run. Forty men and women took one two-milligram capsule of capsaicinoids—the spice found in chili peppers—or a placebo each day. Once participants popped the pill, the research team measured their metabolic rate every hour for three hours. The data showed that those who took the capsaicinoids capsule burned 116 calories more per day than the people who just swallowed the placebo.

Researchers say this perk is due to “the thermogenic effect of capsaicinoids,” according to Men’s Health. In other words, your body creates heat as it digests spicy foods, which burns more calories.

Full disclosure: The study received funding from the producers of Capsimax (the same capsaicinoids supplement used in the study) which might raise some eyebrows. Still, this isn’t the first time science has made this claim. In a six-week study at Purdue University, cayenne pepper increased the participants’ body temperatures and the amount of calories they burned.

Plus, that’s not the only perk of eating spicy foods, either. Cayenne pepper has a plethora of health benefits, such as reducing blood sugar, boosting circulation, and improving psoriasis symptoms—all helpful for fending off cardiovascular disease and early death.

Our conclusion? Bring on the heat! But if you really want to shrink your waistline, try these 40 fast, easy tips for weight loss.

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