Karen Croninn nurse at Indiana Heart Hospital, lost 100 pounds

In January 2006, my New Year's resolution was to lose weight and get in shape. I was quite heavy. Every year, this is my resolution. But this time, I was really determined to do something.

As a nurse, I was taking care of patients who were as heavy as I was, and I saw them struggling. I have heart disease in my family, so I knew I needed to make changes or I would be headed that way.

I decided to start with exercise. If I didn't, the diet wouldn't matter. I got a treadmill and started walking. I gradually increased my time and was walk- ing about an hour at a time after two months. I stuck with that every day until I had a groin injury in the spring.

I had belonged to a gym for years, but never went and decided it was time to start going to New Lady Fitness. Because of my injury, I switched to swimming. I knew it would burn calories, and I enjoy it a lot. After work, I swam laps for an hour at least five days a week.

Last October, I started making use of the whole gym, including weight machines. Now, I lift weights three times a week and work on cardio machines -- elliptical trainer, treadmill and bicycle. A couple days, I still swim.

Last December, I got a personal trainer. I was bound and determined last Christmas I would not gain any weight back. I needed her to keep me on target. At first, my weight dropped fairly quickly. I lost 3 pounds per week. Now, it's more like a pound or pound and a half per week. I've already lost about 100 pounds. But I still have 50 pounds I would like to lose.

Last year, I also started a low-fat diet. I try to keep my calories from 1,200 to 1,300 a day. I don't restrict foods, but I try to leave food on my plates and only eat half-portions when I go out. I keep a food diary, which helps me keep track of what I eat.

Everybody always says how much better they feel when they lose weight. But it is unbelievable. At first when I came home from work and exercised, it seemed like I was tired. Not anymore.

It also has helped that two other women at work are changing their diets and exercise routines, too. We get together a couple times a week and go on long bike rides on trails in Indianapolis, which is wonderful. We keep each other in line at work, especially when someone brings in birthday cake.

Once I hit my goal weight, I'll keep the same diet. I try to exercise an hour to 90 minutes a day, but I may cut down to an hour a day then. I know I have to keep this up.

Weight loss surgeries on the rise amongst US adolescents

The number of obese adolescents seeking surgery to lose weight has seen a significant increase in the first three years of the current decade. Weight loss surgery is usually a strategy of last resort for adults and is quite uncommon in young people (The Money Times).

A report published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine this month, stated the number of morbidly obese teenagers who had weight loss surgery, was more than three times in 2003 compared to 2000. For the previous block of four years between 1996 and 2000, there was little variation. For the whole period from 1996 to 2003, the analysis of hospital inpatient data revealed 2744 adolescents had surgery for weight loss out of which 771 surgeries were performed on adolescents in 2003.

Dr Randall Burd of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in New Brunswick is the lead author of the study. He said weight loss surgeries on adolescents represent less than one percent of the ‘bariatric’ procedures performed nationwide and there was little data available to judge the risks and benefits of surgical weight loss in adolescents.

He added single-center and multi-center studies are increasingly revealing the potential health benefits of weight loss surgery in teenagers, but accurate information about complications and death are not yet available. No early deaths have been reported thus far.

Dr Thomas Inge, co-author of the study noted the early complications that occur immediately after surgery are relatively low in teens and they also spend less time in the hospital following the procedure. But, Dr Inge added, teenagers have different psychological responses after surgery and some are quite unanticipated. Rapid weight loss after surgery might just as well trigger more confusion in the identity-seeking teenager.

Gastric bypass or the method of shrinking the size of the stomach was the preferred procedure in adolescents. Most had private health insurance cover and significantly more boys than girls opted for surgery. But the authors also noted the low number of weight loss surgeries on adolescents reported could mean many are being performed at health centers that do not have adequate experience to handle this group.

The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center has announced a large-scale five-year study on how children respond to various types of weight loss surgery from medical and psychological standpoints.

Children are usually advised surgery only when conventional methods applied for at least six months do not show results. For weight loss, exercise as an option could be dicey as the physical strain would be too much for the obese children with their weak hearts.

Childhood obesity is a precursor to adult obesity and has severe psychosomatic consequences. Fat people have low self-esteem, are depressed and often complain of sleep disorders. Moreover, obesity is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoarthritis, hernia and urinary incontinence. Information on the short-term and long-term impact of weight loss surgery on morbidly obese adolescents could help align these programs with those for adults.

Local bariatric patients share weight-loss stories

It has been called everything from "dangerous" to "the easy way out," but only someone who has gone through bariatric surgery can honestly tell you what it's really all about. Gastric bypass, lap band and other bariatric procedures are a booming business for some hospitals, but before you make that leap, you should talk to people who've been through the process (ABC12.com).

"Pick up 130 pounds and put it on your back and carry it around for a day," said Barb Wilson, who had the surgery.

"That's what we were carrying before. That's what I was carrying before. It's not a choice. Nobody chooses to be fat."

"Food's an addiction, too, just like everything else," said Dennis Eastman, who also had the surgery.

"Just like the cigarettes and everything else, it really is an addiction. You don't like to admit it. You think you can control it, but but obviously you couldn't -- or I couldn't, anyway."

"You don't even realize it's there," said Candis Waltz. "I mean, you get to the point where you are as large as you are and you don't have any idea that you've even gotten there and then it's too late."

Their war stories are different, but they are fighting the same uphill battle against obesity -- a disease that wasn't just taking over their lives; it threatened to take them away.

"I had to have a stress test because I had too many heartbeats," said Marie Trotz. "It was called do or die. What do you want to do? Do you want to live or do you want to end your life now?"

"I had doctors telling me for years I needed to consider this surgery and do something because I was just on a downward spiral," Eastman said. "And you finally have to come to grips that you can't handle it."

And in each moment of truth, these five people made the life-changing decision to have some form of bariatric surgery. Risky, perhaps, but no more so in their eyes than the lives they were living.

"With all the medication everyone was on -- the sleep apneas, the diabetes -- there is only so much time you have living that way," said Jim Lanning. "When you are 375 pounds, it's going to take its toll on you."

Once past risk, each still fights the stigma -- that because bariatric surgery limits the amount of food you can eat and calories absorbed, it is somehow the easy way out.

"It's not, 'Just go in, cut my stomach and make me a beautiful person,"' Waltz said.

"I mean, they are going to go in and cut your stomach and you are going to come out the same fat person you were when you went in and now you are going to have to work at it for however long it takes to get you where you need to be."

Both Waltz and Lanning have run the Crim since their surgeries. Exercise as a lifelong habit is critical to keeping the weight off. And food? Well, that battle hardly ends with surgery.

"When you quit smoking, you never have a cigarette again for the rest of your life," Eastman said. "We still have to eat. If you have a food addiction, you still have to eat every day."

"You have a period of about 18 months from the time you have the surgery," Wilson said.

"For the 18 months, they call it your honeymoon period where you get used to not wanting food. Well, there comes a time when you can eat more, but you have to take the tools that you've learned and put it back in use."

And key to surviving bariatric surgery and all that comes with it, these people have each other and their twice-monthly support group meetings.

"I think it should be mandatory that people have to come to these before they even are even considered for the surgery," Lanning said.

"All it is is a tool," Trotz said. "Unless it's in your mind, unless you are ready to make a change in your life, nothing is going to happen. Nothing."

Most patients have to undergo extensive psychological exams before bariatric surgery. For more information on weight loss, you can click here. To get in touch with the support group, you can send an e-mail to flint bariatricssupport@gmail.com.

Obese boy allowed to remain with his mother

Overweight boy Connor McCreaddie has been allowed by North Tyneside social services to remain with his mother.

Health experts met to decide the future of the eight-year-old, who weighs more than 14 stone (89kg). Connor, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, who lost some weight but still prefers processed food to fruit and vegetables, could have been taken into care. His mother, Nicola McKeown, had been called to a child protection conference with the local authority (BBC NEWS).

'Formal agreement'

A statement issued on behalf of the council's Local Safeguarding Children Board said it had a "useful discussion" with all agencies and the family concerned.

It continued: "The Local Safeguarding Children Board was able to confirm that its hope and ambition is to enable this child to remain with his family.

"In order to move this matter forward we have made a formal agreement with the family to safeguard and promote the child's welfare."

The hearing was held under Section 47 of the Children Act.

Minister concerned

Connor has slimmed down from 15st 8lbs since Christmas thanks to an exercise programme and eating healthier foods.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has expressed concern about the case, and backed the involvement of local services.

Ms McKeown, 35, earlier told the BBC: "He refuses to eat fruit, vegetables and salads - he has processed foods. When Connor won't eat anything else, I've got to give him the foods he likes.

"I can't starve him. But I'm confident I can get his weight down with a bit of help."

Peer pressure

Brian Dow from the School Food Trust said: "Of course there's an element of parental responsibility here, but it's hard for a child to go out of the school gates now without being bombarded by messages about the wrong kinds of food.

"We also have an awful lot of peer pressure as well. I think what you see there is a child who's probably addicted to the kinds of food that are making him obese."

The boy's story was featured on ITV's Tonight With Trevor McDonald, which followed Connor and his mother for a month.

Upper Back/Shoulder Stretch exericse

This short simple routine takes you through some basic exercises you can do right at your desk to stretch the muscles of the shoulders, neck, lower back and arms. Modify the exercises as needed if you have any specific neck, back or shoulder problems. Do these stretches several times throughout the day to relax and stretch the upper body.

	Click on pictures for closer view
Shoulder Rolls Roll the shoulders down and back, starting with small circles and working up to larger circles. Do 10 circles backwards and then repeat forward circles.
Back Stretch Contract the abs as you tip forward from the hips, bringing the hands down to the floor. Relax the head down and reach with your fingertips to stretch the back. Hold for 30 seconds.
Wide Back and Shoulder Stretch From the previous exercise, take the feet wide and bring the arms inside the legs, then wrap the arms around the back of the calves, grabbing onto the ankles. Gently pull with the hands to open the shoulders and stretch the upper back. Hold for 30 seconds.
Forearm and Bicep Stretch Take the right arm straight out in front of you and flex the palm up. Grab onto your fingers with the left hand and gently pull the fingers back. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other hand.
Forearm Stretch From the previous exercise, turn the hand down so that the fingers reach towards the floor. Use the left hand to pull the fingers towards you, stretching the forearm. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other hand.
Dynamic Neck Stretch Reach the left arm down and away from the body as you drop the head to the right, stretching the neck. Place the right hand on the head and gently press your head into the hand, then release and stretch. Continue to contract the neck and press the head into the head, then stretch for 10 reps then switch sides.
Twisted Shoulder Stretch Take the hands straight out in front of you and rotate the arms so that the palms face away from each other. Cross the arms so that the palms are pressed together and round the back, reaching the arms away from you as you relax the head. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

Source exercise.about.com

Watchdog blasts 'X-treme Eating'

Chain restaurants in the United States are promoting dangerous "X-treme Eating", a US watchdog has said.

They are serving up "ever-more harmful new creations," the Center for Science in the Public Interest says.

It says that some individual dishes can exceed 2,000 calories, more than the recommended daily intake for women.

As more than one in five US adults are obese, it says restaurants should list nutritional information on their menus to make consumers more aware.

'Hybrid horribles'

Some 60 million adults in the US are obese, according to the American Obesity Association, which says that obesity is not a simple matter of overeating.

But the CPSI said many restaurants are doing little to alleviate the problem.

"Rather than compete to make their products healthier, restaurant chains are competing with each other to make their appetizers, main courses, and desserts bigger, badder, and cheesier than ever before," a CPSI statement said.

With dishes like these, it's easy blow your diet not just for the day but for the whole week Margo Wootan, Center for Science in the Public Interest

"Burgers, pizzas, and quesadillas were never health foods to begin with," CPSI executive director Michael Jacobson said.

"Now we see lasagne with meatballs on top; ice cream with cookies, brownies, and candy mixed in; bacon cheeseburger pizzas, buffalo-chicken-stuffed quesadillas, and other hybrid horribles that are seemingly designed to promote obesity, heart disease, and stroke."

Huge calorie counts

Some American restaurant chains have menus that contain 2,000-calorie appetizers, 2,000-calorie main courses and 1,700 calorie desserts.

The health watchdog points its finger at chains such as Ruby Tuesday, Uno Chicago Grill and the Cheesecake Factory.

More than one in five US adults is obese, experts say

The latter's Chris' Outrageous Chocolate Cake combines brownie, pie, and cheesecake into 1,380-calorie pudding.

The CPSI says this is "the equivalent of eating two [McDonald's] Quarter Pounders plus a large fries - for dessert".

"Since those chains make almost zero nutrition information available on menus, their customers don't have a clue that they might be getting a whole day's worth of calories in a single dish, or several days' worth in the whole meal," the centre says.

CSPI nutrition policy director Margo Wootan said that Americans eat out for an average of four meals a week.

She said studies show that women who eat out more than five times a week eat an average of 300 more calories per day than women who eat out less often.

"With dishes like these, it's easy blow your diet not just for the day but for the whole week," Mrs Wootan said.

But Frank Guidara, the president and CEO of Uno's, said the CPSI study was flawed.

One Uno's item the group criticised was meant to be shared by five people, he said.

"Our menu is as healthy as any menu out there. We have some indulgent items but so what?," he asked.

And he said the company made nutrition information available at computer kiosks in every restaurant lobby.

Ruby Tuesday spokesman Rick Johnson argued that there was not necessarily a connection between food labelling and health.

"The rate of obesity has not gone down - but has gone up since food labelling was introduced many years ago," he said.

"So you have to be careful of the conclusion that food labelling means people will eat more healthy foods."

Source : BBC NEWS

When one plate having more calories than you consume in the whole day

Everyone likes to splurge a little when they go to a restaurant, but new research suggests some of those indulgences may be packing way more calories — and, if you aren’t careful, pounds — than you think (MSNBC).

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a research group that advocates good nutrition, highlighted menu items from popular chain restaurants that in some cases have as many calories in just one plateful as some people should eat in an entire day.

The research comes as Americans are eating out more and more, and experts are growing increasingly concerned about obesity-related health concerns. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is hoping that publicizing such nutritional information will prompt more companies to offer calorie counts and other nutrition data, so customers can better evaluate what they plan to eat.

"I would never dream of telling someone what to order in a restaurant, but people can't make informed choices without basic nutrition information," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the group.

The examples included Ruby Tuesday’s Colossal Burger, which weighs in at around 1,940 calories and includes 141 grams of fat. That doesn't even include the fries on the side. Another entree from Ruby Tuesday, the Fresh Chicken and Broccoli Pasta, has 2,060 calories and 128 grams of fat, thanks in part to a parmesan cream sauce and layer of melted cheese.

Other chains are serving up serious splurges as well. On The Border’s Double-Stacked Club Quesadilla has 1,860 calories and 52 grams of saturated fat, the study said.

Entrees aren't the only menu items that pose a serious hazard to your waistline. An order of Uno Chicago Grill’s Pizza Skins — a so-called appetizer — has about 2,050 calories and 48 grams of saturated fat, the study said. And for dessert, a slice of Chris’ Outrageous Chocolate Cake at The Cheesecake Factory has 1,380 calories and 33 grams of saturated fat.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that people eat between 1,600 and 2,800 calories per day, depending on age, gender and other factors. The USDA also recommends that people get between 53 and 93 grams of fat.

Of course, most restaurants also offer less bulge-inducing options. Richard Johnson, senior vice president for Ruby Tuesday, noted that his chain also features lower-calorie menu items, including grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, a salad bar and other healthier fare.

“We think it’s interesting that they chose two of the items on the menu that are probably the highest-calorie items,” he said of the Center for Science in the Public Interest report.

While massive calorie counts such as these can be shocking, there are some positive signs for people who are trying to watch their weight while eating out. Sue Moores, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, said she is seeing more healthy choices on menus. She also has noticed that some higher-end restaurants are scaling back portion sizes.

Mother may lose custody of obese boy

Authorities are considering taking an 8-year-old boy who weighs 218 pounds into protective custody unless his mother improves his diet, officials said Monday (Yahoo News).

Social service officials will meet with family members Tuesday to discuss the health of Connor McCreaddie, who weighs more than three times the average for his age.

"The worst case would be Connor getting taken into care. He is well cared for," the boy's mother, Nicola McKeown, told ITV television.

A spokeswoman for health officials in Wallsend, North Tyneside, 300 miles north of London, said the hearing was part of a process that could eventually lead to Connor being taken into protective care. She declined to comment further.

The health agencies organizing the meeting said they "have been working with the family over a prolonged period of time and will continue to do so."

Officials would not say whether Connor suffered from a medical condition that led to his obesity, citing privacy issues.

An unidentified health official was quoted as telling The Sunday Times that taking custody of Connor would be a last resort, but said the family had repeatedly failed to attend appointments with nurses, nutritionists and social workers.

"Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect," the official was quoted as saying.

Dr. Colin Waine, the director of the National Obesity Forum in Nottingham, England, called Connor's lifestyle "extremely dangerous," adding he is at risk of developing diabetes in his early teens, and cardiovascular and nervous system problems in his 20s.

"He's really at risk of dying by the time he's 30," Waine said.

Dr. Michael Markiewicz, a pediatrician, agreed.

"I'm not saying they can't care for him, but what they are doing is through the way they are treating him and feeding him, they are slowly killing him," he said.

Connor's case attracted national attention after his mother allowed an ITV News crew to film his day-to-day life over the course of a month.

Connor's mother said he steals and hides food, frustrating her efforts to help him. He eats double or triple what a normal seven-year-old would have, she said.

"If I didn't give him enough at teatime then he would just go on at us all night for snacks and stuff," she told ITV.

Connor, who lives with his mother and sister, has difficulty dressing and washing himself, misses school regularly because of poor health, and is targeted by bullies.

"People pick on us because of my weight. They call us fat. It makes us feel sick of the nutters always shouting at us," Connor told ITV.

Video gaming with Wii burns significant number of calories, supports weight loss

A recent study has found that new gaming technology that requires user movement burns a significant number of calories in gaming enthusiasts. The study, conducted by researchers at the Liverpool John Moores University, concluded that regular users of the Nintendo Wii gaming system have a higher heart rate during interaction, increased physical activity and burn 40 percent more calories per week than do gamers using conventional pad-controlled systems.

The study, which found that the average UK gamer spends 12.2 hours per week playing video games, compared the energy expenditure in seven boys and five girls between the ages of 13 and 15 while playing on both traditional game-pad interfaced gaming consoles and the Nintendo Wii, a gaming system in which the user directs the game by moving a “remote” around in the air.

Although researchers found that the male group had, on average, higher rates of energy expenditure, they noted that both males and females had a 156 percent increase in energy expenditure over resting values during a fifteen minute Wii session. Over the same time period, users interacting with the traditional pad-controlled system only experienced a 60 percent increase in energy expenditure.

“Through our testing it is clear that the motion sensor controlled console can make an impact on a child’s heart rate, energy expenditure and the amount of calories burned,” said lead researcher, Professor Tim Cable. “Parents should encourage other physical activities and outdoor pursuits in order for their children to lead well-balanced lives,” added Cable.

Chamber's weight-loss contest starts Saturday

You can revive your resolutions to shed those extra pounds by joining in the "SAAC the Weight Challenge" sponsored by the Southern Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce (HometownAnnapolis.com).

Board member Jacque Mullin suggested the idea for a communitywide weight-loss challenge roughly modeled after television's "Biggest Loser." She and her husband Dave own a tub and surface refinishing company in Churchton - Finishing Touch - and she plans to lead by example by also competing in the four-month competition, which runs through June 16.

Contestants will pay a $20 individual or $30-per-twosome entry fee, attend Saturday's weigh-in and registration ceremony and monthly weigh-in meetings until the June 16 finale at the South County Festival, where four winners will be announced, male and female first-place finishers and runners-up. Prize packages are still being assembled, including a personal trainer session and other healthy offerings.

"We think all the participants will really be winners, in their own way," said Shelita Fanciulli, the chamber's executive director. "The hope is that they will bond and be a support to each other, as they see each other at the monthly weigh-in meetings, and since they live in the same communities. The goal is to promote a healthy lifestyle, and to tackle weight loss in a fun way with a support team."

That community support will extend to restaurants, since 10 to 12 are considering menu alterations to accent healthy meal choices, and Ms. Fanciulli said Whitman's Catering and Thursdays in Galesville are already on board.

Health-oriented businesses are invited to sponsor the event - like the South Anne Arundel County Dance Conservatory, whose director, Ken Armstrong, has volunteered to maintain the confidential weight lists of all participants. A privacy screen will shield the scale at weigh-ins, and organizers promise that only the winners' weights will be revealed when their before-and-after results are announced at award time.

"We have an oral commitment from Del. Bob Costa, that he plans to join the challenge," said Ms. Fanciulli, "and Councilman Ed Reilly said he plans to be there too."

The winner will be selected based on a percentage of body fat ratio rather than a pound-vs.-pound race.

The weigh-in will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Deale Elks Lodge on Drum Point Road. Call the chamber for more information at 410-867-3129.

Keep me informed so I can pass the buzz along. Contact me at buzzychat@yahoo.com.

Coffee May Pack Dietary Fiber

Your coffee may come with a little something extra -- and not just cream and sugar. Some of the dietary fiber in coffee beans may make it into your mug, Spanish researchers report (Web MD).

They say coffee has more soluble dietary fiber (the type of fiber that dissolves in water and helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestines) than wine or orange juice.

Fulgencio Saura-Calixto, PhD, and colleagues at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid brewed instant coffee, espresso, and filtered coffee.

They measured how much soluble dietary fiber was in each drink.

Instant coffee contained the most -- about 1.8 grams of soluble dietary fiber per cup. Espresso had 1.5 grams of soluble dietary fiber per cup, and filtered coffee contained 1.1 grams, the study shows.

The report is scheduled for publication in the March 21 edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Fiber Recommendations

You would have to drink a lot of coffee -- about 17 cups of instant -- to reach the recommended daily intake of 31 grams of dietary fiber per day, based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

That fiber recommendation comes from dietary guidelines published in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In their study, the Spanish scientists simply measured dietary fiber in coffee. They didn't study coffee's health effects; and they don't make any recommendations about drinking coffee.

Past studies on coffee and health have had mixed results, note Saura-Calixto and colleagues.

Fiber Sources

Looking for other sources of dietary fiber? Beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are leading sources.

Those foods also contain insoluble fiber, which doesn't dissolve in water, rather than the soluble dietary fiber found in coffee.

Insoluble fiber (roughage) may help keep bowel movements regular and reduce the risk of colon problems. It also makes you feel full.

Let's say you start your day with half a cup of 100% bran cereal (8.8 grams of dietary fiber) and a cup of instant coffee (1.8 grams of dietary fiber).

Then you lunch on chili containing half a cup of cooked Navy beans (9.5 grams of dietary fiber). In the afternoon, you snack on an ounce of almonds (3.3 grams of dietary fiber) and a small, raw pear (4.3 grams of dietary fiber).

For dinner, you have chicken (sorry, no fiber there) and half a medium-sized baked sweet potato (4.8 grams of dietary fiber).

Add it all up, and you've reached 32 grams of dietary fiber. That's a smidgen more than the recommended amount.

That menu is just an example to give you an idea of foods' fiber content. Your doctor or a nutritionist have more pointers for creating a healthy diet with plenty of fiber.

Sex May Prolong Life

By Rai Kong

When it comes to medical research on sex, most of the attention is on sexually transmitted disease and sexual dysfunction - Syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV/AIDS, impotence and frigidity. From this point of view, having sex is a grim and risky business.

Yet sex is probably one of the most common, and certainly most pleasurable activities we humans experience - indeed essential for the survival of the species. Yet only a handful of studies exist to help us understand and enhance the health benefits:

A study on aging from Duke in the 1970s found that for men the frequency of sexual intercourse was associated with lower death rates. For women the enjoyment of intercourse was associated with longer life.

A Swedish study found increased risk of death in men who gave up sexual intercourse.

A study published in 1976 found that sexual dissatisfaction was a risk factor for heart attacks in women. Now a new study published in the esteemed British Medical Journal offers more good news. The findings suggest that men who have frequent sex are less likely to die at an early age.

An intrepid group of researchers from Great Britain included a question about sexual activity in a long-term study of health. The authors studied nearly 1000 men aged 45 to 59 and living in or near Caerphilly, Wales. The men were asked about the frequency of sexual intercourse. They were divided into three groups: those who had sex twice or more a week, an intermediate group, and those who reported having sex less than monthly.

A decade later, researchers found that the death rate from all causes for the least sexually active men was twice as high as that of the most active. The death rate in the intermediate group was 1.6 times greater than for the active group. A similar pattern of longevity and frequency of orgasm was found for all causes of death, coronary heart disease, and other causes.

Of course many questions arise with this type of study. Does the frequency of orgasm cause the improved health? Does poor health cause lower sexual activity? Or does some other factor such as physical activity, alcohol, depressed mood, or "vital exhaustion" cause both poor health and less sexual activity? The researchers did find that strength of the results persisted even after adjusting for differences in age, social class, smoking, blood pressure, and evidence of existing coronary heart disease at the initial interview. This suggests a more likely protective role of sexual activity.

To quote the researchers:

"The association between frequency of orgasm and mortality in the present study is at least-if not more-convincing on epidemiological and biological grounds than many of the associations reported in other studies and deserves further investigation to the same extent. Interventions programs could also be considered, perhaps based on the exciting, 'At least five a day' campaign aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption - although the numerical imperative may have to be adjusted."

More research is needed. Any volunteers?

Since the overall death rate was reduced 36% for an increase of 100 orgasm per year, one could easily imagine a new prescription for health:

Rx: Sexual Intercourse At least 2 x per week

Such a prescription might have few side effects and would be far more pleasurable than many other regimens often prescribed. And even if sex doesn't prove to add years to life, it may add life to years.

http://countryvn.blogspot.com

Use Physical Activity to Fight Depression

By Alan Rosca

Physical activity can increase your energy, make you sleep better, and bring a brighten mood. Physical activity cannot replace therapy or medical care for depression but it can make you feel better and self-confident.

People who have depression are dealing with fatigue, motivation problems, or lack of energy. The key is to get started. Be patient with yourself, and try not to see the exercise program as a burden. You can get the same fitness benefit if you break your exercise program into smaller pieces throughout the day.

Practice regularly and choose only physical activities that you enjoy, so you can stick to your plan. There`s no need to push yourself too much. Studies showed that it`s more likely for your mood to be improved by moderate exercise than excessively workouts.

Choose aerobic activities like biking, brisk walking, swimming, or jogging. Stretching or lifting weights are also benefic. If you are a sedentary person, take it step by step. A good place for you to start may be from a few minutes of walking (or other activity) at any pace, and perhaps in a few weeks you`ll want to do it more often.

Join an aerobics class and spend time with other people. You should be surrounded by positive people, family, or friends that can support you.

It`s good to do workout outdoors. Perhaps the trees or the grass can help you see things different, in a new perspective. Outdoor light may improve your mood, especially in the winter.

To read the rest of this article, go to http://www.projectweightloss.com an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and nutritional information.

Tips for an Active Life

By Alan Rosca

If you don`t have enough time to follow a proper fitness program at home, try some of the following ideas that may help you combine daily activities with workout:
- Don`t hire someone to do the housework, do it yourself.
- Work in the garden: rake leaves, mow the lawn, or pick up trash.
- Take a walk before breakfast or after dinner. It may last up to thirty minutes.
- Forget about the car when you go to the corner shop. Choose the bike or walk instead.
- Don`t lye on the sofa when you`re watching TV, it`s better to sit up.
- When you go for a walk, choose a hilly route and increase the pace after a while.
- Walk the dog.
- While you`re on the phone, stand up.
- Leave the car further away from the place where you`re going.

In case your job takes most of your time but you still feel the need to increase your physical activity try some of the following tips:
- Stand while you`re on the phone.
- Take the stairs as often as possible during the day.
- Instead of using the phone to speak to a co-worker walk to him/her.
- If your job requires travelling, you may walk while you`re waiting for the plane and choose hotels with a gym or swimming pool.
- You may take a jumping rope with you.

Recreation time should allow you to be active and have fun at the same time. For example, you may plan outings with your friends or family that involves physical activities like swimming, backpacking, or hiking.

You may discover that dancing is a good way to burn calories. Join a dance club, dance alone, or with someone on your favorite music. When you feel the need for sightseeing, do it by foot, ride a bike, or run.

To read the rest of this article, go to http://www.projectweightloss.com an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and nutritional information.

Exercising Prevents Heart Problems

By Alan Rosca

Activities such as jogging, walking, aerobic dancing, cycling, swimming, or skiing are benefic for your health. Choose activities that make you feel good, so you can have fun and relax while practicing. Listening to your favorite music should keep you entertained.

Does regular physical activity bring any benefits for your health? Sure. It gives you more energy, makes you more resistant to stress and better looking, it tones your muscles and controls your appetite. It helps you lose weight or at least keep it under control. Not to mention that it gives you confidence in yourself, helps you fall asleep quickly, and may help against anxiety or depression.

If you want to lose weight, you can be more active and eat the same amount of calories or be more active and eat fewer calories. Almost three-fourths of the energy burned daily comes from basic activities such as breathing, sleeping, or digesting. If you have more activities, you burn extra calories.

The list presented below shows how many calories are burned per hour by a person of about one hundred-fifty pounds. If a person weights less, it burns fewer calories but if it weights more, it burns more calories:
- Bicycling six mph – 240 cals/hr
- Jogging 5 mph – 740 cals/hr
- Jumping rope – 750 cals/hr
- Running – 650 cals/hr
- Swimming twenty-five yds/min – 275 cals/hr
- Tennis – 400 cals/hr
- Walking three mph – 320 cals/hr

Physical inactivity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease along with high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, smoking, or high blood cholesterol. A physical activity with the right frequency and intensity help you control your blood pressure, blood lipids, protect you against heart disease, and maintains the health of your lungs. The best exercises for heart and lungs are the aerobic ones.

To read the rest of this article, go to http://www.projectweightloss.com an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and nutritional information.