Slim Pickings: Looking Beyond Ephedra

By MARY DUENWALD

Published: January 6, 2004 by the New York Times

Now that ephedra is to be banned, the millions of people who have been taking the supplement to lose weight or control it may find themselves looking for an alternative. But weight-loss and nutrition experts nationwide say that no other over-the-counter supplements advertised as weight-loss aids are as effective as ephedra.

"I'm not pushing ephedra, and I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but several very good studies have shown that ephedra combined with caffeine promotes weight loss," said Dr. Ken Fujioka, director of the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego. "I don't know of any other over-the-counter preparation that has shown that kind of consistent effect."

Claims that other supplements — from bitter orange to green tea extract to herbal laxatives — can promote weight loss are not backed up by long-term studies in humans.

"There are no over-the-counter dietary supplements, including herbal supplements, that lead to any significant amount of sustained weight loss," said Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

The Food and Drug Administration announced the ban on ephedra last Tuesday, after a review of 16,000 reports of adverse reactions that included heart attack, stroke and sudden death. Ephedrine, the active ingredient in ephedra, a plant also known as ma huang, is a stimulant that can increase heart rate, raise blood pressure and speed up brain activity.

Ephedra, which has been used in China for centuries to treat asthma and other breathing problems, has been promoted in the United States for its ability to enhance sports performance and increase energy. Little evidence exists to support those claims.

But studies have indicated that it can help people lose about two pounds a month more than is lost by people taking placebos, according to a recent analysis of dozens of studies conducted for the F.D.A. by the RAND Corporation.

Ephedra is especially effective when it is combined with caffeine, Dr. Fujioka said. Over the course of several months, the two agents can help people lose 5 to 10 percent of their body weight, he said. The only other weight-loss aids known to be that effective are prescription drugs.

Doctors generally frown on the use of ephedra, not only because it can have dangerous side effects but because supplements are unregulated by any government agency, so consumers cannot be sure that pills actually contain the amount of ephedra described on the label.

Yet millions of Americans consume ephedra products, according to the American Herbal Products Association, a trade organization. Some consumers have stopped taking the supplement as news of its adverse side effects has spread. But others are reportedly stocking up on supplies before the ban, which will take effect 60 days after the F.D.A. publishes a regulation stating its reasons for withdrawing ephedra from the market.

Go Sleeveless This Spring!

The Assisted Dip Shapes the Back Of Your Arms

This "gym" variety is done by using an assist machine and setting the assist weight with a weight that will enable you to raise your body up and down for 10-12 repetitions. Remember it should be difficult to build shapely arms!

The Five Absolute Best Foods You Can Eat

1. Walnuts In July, 2003, the FDA approved walnuts as the first whole food that can claim health benefits. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids which help ease tension and fight fatigue. With just a handful of walnuts - 1/4 cup to be exact - you'll get all the omega-3s you need in a day, about 1.9 grams (the same amount found in 4 1/2 ounces of cooked salmon. As little as 1.5 ounces of walnuts a day... could help boost cardiovascular health.
2. Blueberries A spokesman for the Wild Blueberry Association of North America says recent studies at Tufts University's Human Nutrition Center on Aging attribute the antioxidant benefits of blueberries to anthocyanins and other natural compounds (phytochemicals) found in blueberries. Just "one-half cup of wild blueberries delivers as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables -- such as peas, carrots, apples, squash and broccoli," the Tufts report says.
3. Spinach This site says it best! Here are some of it's rich properties... Spinach and kale, of all the vegetables tested to date, possess the highest total capacity to inhibit oxidation and oxidative damage, i.e. antioxidant activity, are one of the best sources of potassium, and our eyes greatly benefit from this salad green!
4. Sardines Because they aren't cooked, these are a wonderful "raw' food packed full of omega-3 fats and high in calcium. They come in different flavors now and I love throwing a can mustard sardines onto a bed of spinach. It's a lean body, heart-healthy, and flavorful meal! This site" explains how these little fish are powerhouses when it comes to heart disease, stroke, arthritis, Chrohn's Disease and mental health.
5. Eggs -- That's right, eggs! There just isn't a better source of whole protein out there, and health officials are changing their tune about any detrimental side-effects. The truth is that the yolk of the eggs of free-range organic chickens have a very omega-3 to omega-6 ratio!

Soy: Is it Healthy or is it Harmful?

By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege

In recent years soy has emerged as a ‘near perfect’ food, with supporters claiming it can provide an ideal source of protein, lower cholesterol, protect against cancer and heart disease, reduce menopause symptoms, and prevent osteoporosis, among other things. But how did such a ‘perfect’ food emerge from a product that in 1913 was listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) handbook not as a food but as an industrial product?

According to lipid specialist and nutritionist Mary Enig, PhD, “The reason there’s so much soy in America is because they [the soy industry] started to plant soy to extract the oil from it and soy oil became a very large industry. Once they had as much oil as they did in the food supply they had a lot of soy protein residue left over, and since they can’t feed it to animals, except in small amounts, they had to find another market.”

And another market was what they found. To put it simply, after multi-million dollar figures spent on advertising and intense lobbying to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 74 percent of U.S. consumers now believe soy products are healthy.

If you’re thinking the health claims surrounding soy sound too good to be true you just may be right. Soy has become another misunderstood food category, to be added to the ranks of coconut oil, saturated fats and vegetable oils. The two former have gained a negative reputation where a good one actually applies, but vegetable oil, along with soy, have emerged with sparkling reputations that cover up the truth.

For just a brief look at what’s really going on, consider that numerous studies have found that soy products may:

• Increase the risk of breast cancer in women, brain damage in both men and women, and abnormalities in infants
• Contribute to thyroid disorders, especially in women
• Promote kidney stones
• Weaken the immune system
• Cause severe, potentially fatal food allergies

• Phytoestrogens (isoflavones) genistein and daidzein, which mimic and sometimes block
• the hormone estrogen
• Phytates, which block the body's uptake of minerals
• Enzyme Inhibitors, which hinder protein digestion
• Haemaggluttin, which causes red blood cells to clump together and inhibits oxygen take-up and growth

Further, most soybeans are grown on farms that use toxic pesticides and herbicides, and many are from genetically engineered plants. When you consider that two-thirds of all manufactured food products contain some form of soy, it becomes clear just how many Americans are consuming GM products, whose long-term effects are completely unknown.

Perhaps the most disturbing of soy’s ill effects on health has to do with its phytoestrogens that can mimic the effects of the female hormone estrogen. These phytoestrogens have been found to have adverse effects on various human tissues, and drinking even two glasses of soy milk daily for one month has enough of the chemical to alter a woman’s menstrual cycle. The FDA regulates estrogen-containing products, however no warnings exist on soy. Two senior toxicologists with the FDA. Daniel Sheehan and Daniel Doerge, have even come out saying “The public will be put at potential risk from soy isoflavones in soy protein isolate without adequate warning and information.” Soy is particularly problematic for infants, and soy infant formulas should be avoided. It has been estimated that infants who are fed soy formula exclusively receive five birth control pills worth of estrogen every day.

There are some redeeming qualities to soy, however these are found primarily in fermented soy products like tempeh, miso and natto and soybean sprouts. If you want to get some health benefits from soy, stick to these four forms and pass up the processed soy milks, soy ‘burgers’, soy ‘ice cream’, soy ‘cheese’, and the myriad of other soy junk foods that are so readily disguised as health foods.

They Changed the Size of Your Clothes and You Didn't Even Notice

By Dr. Joseph Mercola with Rachael Droege

Studies show that in 2004, more than 60 percent of adults and 20 percent of children are overweight or obese. As more consumers are gaining weight, more retail industries are quietly accommodating this, making weight gain more acceptable in America, and no one even notices.

When shopping for clothes, you may notice that your clothing size keeps dropping even though you know you’ve put on a few pounds--this is size inflation. Size inflation is the term being used this year to explain the change in clothing sizes. Basically, the clothes keep getting bigger, but the numbers stay the same. For example, today’s size four is actually a size eight. Retailers know that people are gaining weight; they also know consumers want to wear as small a size as possible, so they’re meeting that desire.

Read More Here.

Meet Pam Long

Workaholic Loses 30 Pounds!

I think it started with "Who IS that person in the mirror? That can't be me. I don't even know that person!" We've all had these moments as reality slaps us across the face. I know I had several of these - to the point where I stopped looking in the mirror - especially after getting out of the shower! But, I finally decided to stop avoiding the image that kept staring me in the face and to take steps to once again find the person inside.

I've always been an athlete. From the time I was 6 years old I have participated in organized sports, enjoyed playing outside and loved going to the beach. Because I was active, I never truly had a weight problem - although at the age of 16 I thought I was overweight at 145. Boy, would I love to have THAT problem again. I went to college, promptly gained the freshmen 15 plus a few and came home that first summer determined to get healthy and fit for the next season. I changed the way I ate, exercised and got back in great shape. That year I was in the best shape of my life.

Fast forward 10 plus years and I was right back in the same position I was in my freshman year in college except worse. I began working when I was 23 and stumbled through the next 13 years as an admitted workaholic - working 12 plus hours a day on a regular basis. I didn't eat right or make time for exercise during that period of time. On occasion I would workout a little or go through periods where I decided to eat better but they never lasted. Finally in 2001, I decided to do Body for Life and had great success. I was convinced that this was it - I would do this for life. Unfortunately, life got in the way. I got laid off from my job and was working 3 different jobs to make ends meet. And I fell off the wagon - hard. In 1 ½ years I was right back where I started.

In September of 2003, I finally took a long look in the mirror and decided that I was not happy. I did not feel good and it was negatively affecting the quality of my life. I was heavier than I ever imagined I could be. For years I had been avoiding running into old friends that hadn't seen me in a while, and was avoiding activities like going to the beach or to the lake with friends because I did not like the way I looked. I know my friends love me and would not care how I looked, but I sure did. I knew what to do, but I needed someone to kick me in the pants and get me moving.

I signed up with Angela to work one-on-one and the rest is history. She helped me figure everything out and showed me things I never knew before like how I can get a great workout at home without ever going to the gym! She pushed me to go farther than I thought I could go. Along the way, I had plateaus that were frustrating but I learned how to tweak things to move past the plateaus. I also learned that I am a hard loser - that is I can go for weeks without losing a pound. BUT then, all of a sudden, I will drop 7 lbs in a week -- IF I keep doing right things right. I build muscle really quickly so I didn't see a great movement in size of clothing like many. This, too, can be frustrating at times. But, over just a few months I have lost 30 lbs and over 23 inches and I am moving in the right direction. I'll take that any day.

My physical changes have affected all areas of my life - in a noticeably positive way. Mentally, I am stronger and happier because I feel better about myself. Endorphins are a wonderful thing! People compliment me at work and out socially on my success. It is a huge motivator to keep moving forward and improving. And, when you don't feel like working out, all you have to do is think about all those people that have told you how good you look and have been motivated by your efforts - you can't go backwards and let them down, now can you? There is no magic potion, no quick fix, no big secret. Make a plan to eat right and exercise then follow it - a simple formula that is the key to being healthy and feeling good. This time I know I'm in it for the long haul!

Thank you Angela for helping me find my motivation.

Having Trouble Losing Weight?

Here Are Some Pointers That May Help

1. You aren't eating according to your metabolic type. Some of us lose weight and sustain energy by eating more fat (protein types like me) and some of us lose weight and sustain energy by eating less fat and more carbohydrates (like my husband). It would be well worth your time to discover your personal metabolic type and begin eating that way. For more information go here.
2. You are an endomorph like Rosie and Oprah. This is a tough body type to manage, but you can win! To learn more about how to best exercise and eat according to this type, you would benefit from a copy of "At Home With The Body Sculptress"
3. Your exercise regimen lacks intensity. Exercise will certainly help you lose weight faster. I recommend at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day and as many as 2 45 minute sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening. If you barely work up a sweat or increase your heartbeat when you exercise, you may not be working hard enough. Try a more difficult activity or increase the length of your workout(s).
   As an example, when I was called to be the January Cover Girl for "The NC Journal For Women," I was at my winter's heaviest. In order to get ready in a 2 week window, I did 30 mins of intense cardio on my elliptical 2x a day, with 1000 turns of the jump rope each evening. It worked.
4. You're experiencing menopause. If you're a women going through menopause, decreased levels of estrogen can lead to weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Maintaining a vigorous exercise program, including weight-bearing exercises, can help boost metabolism and aid in weight loss.
5. If you're eating according to your metabolic type and are completing strength training and aerobic sessions each week and you still aren't losing weight, you may have a medical condition that complicates the issue. If after a couple of weeks you see no change in your measurements, consult your physician about having blood tests to check your thyroid and lipid profile.

Your Spiritual Health

"Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:8, Amp)

Fear of failure. It's haunted all of us at some time in our lives. Popular psychology tells us to adjust to it. But the Word of God tells us that there is a failure-proof way to live without it. It is the way of LOVE.

If you want to know real success, you must learn to be moved and motivated by love. That's how Jesus was when He was on the earth.

Even when John the Baptist was senselessly, brutally murdered and Jesus went away to be alone, He didn't deviate from the way of love. For Matthew 14:6-14 says that even then in that emotionally taxing time when the people followed Him and would give Him no solitude, He was moved with compassion and healed their sick.

I used to wonder how Jesus could just turn away from that terrible crime and not retaliate. What I didn't realize was that He did retaliate. He overcame the works of Satan with compassion. He defeated hatred with love. He attacked Satan in the spirit realm by destroying his works of sickness and disease.

Compassion doesn't strike at the surface of things. It goes to the root of the problem. That's why it always succeeds.

"But wait!" you may say. "I can't operate like that. I'm not Jesus."

Yes you can, because the Word of God says that His love has been shed abroad in your heart! (Rom. 5:5). And 1 John 2:5 says His love is perfected in you as you keep His Word.

Commit to living the life of love today. Watch God turn failure into success at home, at work...in any situation. LOVE NEVER FAILS!

Scripture Study: Matthew 14:1-14

The Body Sculptress says, "If you have a fear of failure pertaining to weight loss, you may need to decide that you are worth some self-love. Many of the women I work with feel like they aren't worthy of the time and money spent on themselves. The career, husband, children and community are worthy, but they aren't. YOU ARE WORTHY! You need to be loved by yourself. Decide to walk in love today and take care of the one body God has given you. You'll feel better and you'll inspire others in the process."

Think You Know All There Is To Know...

• About Calcium And Osteoporosis
• How Cholesterol Affects Heart Disease
• The Little Blue Pill
• Taking An Aspirin A Day
• And more..