A Journey to Begin Losing Pounds

Usually we all seek to lose weight as fast and easy as possible, and in top of that we want results right away. And if we don’t get them, we just quit and move along.

Frequently we become objective (to lose 1 kilo every week) and if in one week it lowers solely half kilo or what is worse, nothing happens, I get frustrated and that can lead me to no longer continue with the plan I set and then I just quit it.

Even there are times the people unconsciously set goals that are too hard to obtain so that I can leave it quickly, nobody (and I include myself) wants to follow a diet!!!

We make it because it is healthy but when we choose what it tastes better.

Does anybody likes lettuce?

If you want to follow your plan you need to set reasonable and reachable goals. A study stated that when people lower 500g per week, those people maintain long term descent.

It is the best objective that we can intend, to lower 500g for week and knowledge that some week won't lose weight. If you want to lower quick we can also help you, of course, but I have to be conscious that in some moment losing weight rate won’t be the one as desired. And I don't want to frustrate myself for that reason, the following week I will achieve the results.

The body is not something that reacts mathematically, the weight it depends on many factors, as the retention of liquids, the intestinal evacuation, the time in which weigh myself, that ingested the previous night, if I ingested pizza or another very salted food I will surely retain liquids, the same as if I began with an intense activity the previous day.

Another cause of failure in a diet is to be very strict with what you have to eat.

If I go to a party and I don't eat anything, or same at home if I am extremely strict it is very difficult to be able to maintain the plan and in the first time that comes out, you will think “I cannot make diet" or "this is not for me", frustrating me once again, abandoning and feeling badly.

These 2 forms of thinking "if I don't lower 1 kilo per week every week I’m not doing anything good at all" or "I can’t make the diet because I ate an ice cream." are forms in that consciously or unconsciously plot us the diet to ourselves.

In fact I don't want to make diet. Let us accept it!

 Nobody wants to make it, but they want to lose weight. Unfortunately these 2 factors are really hard to join them together and make it work|Regrettably the 2 things join are not able to work together}.

Perhaps it is time that you start making choices, and make decisions in order to choose which path you want to go. By just choosing to remain healthy, you will get results.

As with any alternative health remedies, consult with your physician before discontinuing any prescribed medicines.  Abruptly stopping taking your prescription medicine could have serious and long-term effects on your health.

For all of your healthcare needs, from supplements and vitamins to medical equipment, we encourage you to visit www.ProCareNow.com! You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!

Top 10 Tips for Better Heart Health

Here are our top 10 tips for a healthy ticker:

1. Fill up on fiber. Not only does fiber help lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, it can aid weight management. Being overweight raises your risk of heart failure by a third, while being obese doubles it. While two-thirds of Americans are too heavy, only half get enough fiber. Top sources include oats, beans, raspberries, blackberries, oranges and green peas.

2. Go bananas. I did when I learned that 99 percent of women and 90 percent of men don't get enough potassium in their diet. Responsible for regulating the fluid balance in our cells, potassium also blunts the effects of excess sodium. Too much sodium and too little potassium is a recipe for high blood pressure. Strike a healthier balance by cutting back on salt and increasing potassium intake with bananas, potatoes, broccoli and kiwi.

3. Say "no" to that extra cup of joe. Four or more cups of daily brew could elevate blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Drinking more than two cups of coffee a day can harden the arteries and contribute to arteriosclerosis. Switch to tea; its heart-healthy benefits include lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation.

4. "Beet" heart disease. Beets contain the antioxidant betanin, which can help keep LDL cholesterol from clogging your arteries, according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Moreover, this root vegetable is a good source of folic acid, which helps to break down that heart-hurtin' homocysteine. Top sources of folic acid include spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and papaya.

5. Become a better listener. University of Baltimore researchers found that people with "dominant personalities" had a 47 percent higher risk of heart disease when compared to their more patient, passive peers. So how do you know if you're "dominant"? Another study identified several markers - including the tendency to interrupt!

6. The "L" word your heart truly longs for: lycopene. This heart-healthy phytonutrient -; found in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit - may lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation. Harvard researchers found that eating seven or more servings of tomatoes a week might reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30 percent.

7. Choose healthy fats. Monounsaturated fats (think olive oil, avocado, nuts) - when used in place of saturated fats (think butter, bacon, beef) -help lower cholesterol. Another healthy fat - omega-3 - helps reduce inflammation. Omega-3 sources include wild salmon, walnuts and flaxseed.

8. Don't turn breakfast into break-feast. While skipping breakfast actually lowers your metabolism, going overboard is no better. A new study done at the University at Buffalo found that big fatty breakfasts trigger the release of inflammatory chemicals associated with clogged arteries. So skip the stack of flapjacks and opt for a strawberry-banana smoothie.

9. Ode to soy. Twenty-five grams of soy protein per day can help lower cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Soy's other heart-healthy nutrients include folic acid and magnesium (which helps maintain normal blood pressure). Soymilk, edamame, tofu and soynuts are just some of the many ways to enjoy soy.

10. Go for a raise. In HDL cholesterol, that is. Higher levels of this "good" cholesterol can be almost as important as low levels of LDL cholesterol at keeping cardiovascular disease at bay. In addition to exercise, quitting smoking and limiting trans fats, a University of Scranton study found that drinking cranberry juice could help boost HDL levels.

As with any alternative health remedies, consult with your physician before discontinuing any prescribed medicines.  Abruptly stopping taking your prescription medicine could have serious and long-term effects on your health.

For all of your healthcare needs, from supplements and vitamins to medical equipment, we encourage you to visit www.ProCareNow.com! You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!

A New Direction In Weight Control - Gastric Bypass Surgery

Surgery may be a weight-loss option for patients who are severely obese and suffer from serious medical complications due to weight. There are two accepted surgical procedures for reducing body weight: gastroplasty and gastric bypass. Although these two procedures use different surgical methods, they both reduce the stomach to a pouch that is smaller than a chicken’s egg, drastically limiting the amount of food that can be consumed at one time. Surgery produces 25 to 35 percent reductions in weight over the first year and most of this weight loss is maintained five years after surgery. More importantly, the serious medical conditions that accompany extreme obesity improve significantly. Surgery is not without risk and should be performed by skilled surgeons who also provide patients with a comprehensive program for long-term weight control.

Limited gastric capacity and a narrow anastomotic gastrointestinal stoma necessitate certain dietary modifications particularly in the early post-operative period. Diet progression varies amongst health care professionals. A standardized GBP diet does not exist. Generally, most patients begin with a liquid diet due to the small, edematous gastric outlet. This phase of the diet may range from one day up to 6 weeks. Afterwards, pureed textures are introduced and the diet is slowly advanced to soft-textured foods by about 12 weeks. Small, frequent meals rich in protein are emphasized. Liquids are usually consumed between meals to allow greater intake of calories and protein with solid foods. Carbonated drinks may cause distension and discomfort from the carbon dioxide. Red meats, tough meats, breads and milk products may be difficult for some patients to tolerate. Until solid food intake is adequate, high protein liquid supplements  are often recommended. Bariatric Multivitamins are also frequently recommended.

During the first six to 12 months after surgery, patients generally consume 900 to 1000 calories. Calorie consumption slowly increases due to a change in the pouch size and stoma size, gastric emptying rate and intake of solid food. Sugar and concentrated sweets are discouraged in order to prevent dumping syndrome. Because the pyloric sphincter is bypassed, simple sugar is dumped into the small intestine causing an increase in the osmotic load, thereby drawing fluid into the intestine leading to diarrhea, nausea, diaphoresis and abdominal cramps. The shunting of blood to the intestines and the perceived decrease in blood volume 30 minutes to one hour after a meal prompts many patients to lie down in an effort to improve cardiac output.

Gastric bypass patients generally lose 50%–75% of excess body weight and are usually successful with weight maintenance.

The obese population, especially the morbidly obese, is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States. Weight loss programs have been found ineffective in this group. In an effort to improve the quality of life and decrease co-morbidities associated with this patient population, gastric bypass surgery may be an option. Consult with your medical professional if this is something you'd like to consider or need more information about.

For all of your healthcare needs, from supplements and vitamins to medical equipment, we encourage you to visit www.ProCareNow.com! You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!

What Is Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Gastric bypass surgery comes in many forms but the most popular are combination-techniques that shrink the stomach by stapling off a small section and shortening the small intestine by reattaching it at a lower point where fewer calories will be absorbed.

Gastric bypass surgery and other bariatric procedures were traditionally performed with large incisions but laparoscopes have changed that, resulting in lowered risks of many potential complications.  Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is a less-invasive technique involving several small incisions in the abdomen through which surgical instruments are inserted.  The laparoscope (camera) is also inserted inside the abdomen so the surgeon can see.

The benefits of Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery are smaller scars, lower risk of hernias, and faster recovery compared to traditional large incision gastric bypass surgery.  Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery cannot be used, however, if the patient weighs over 500 pounds.  A doctor may recommend a short-term weight loss procedure like mouth-wiring to lower the weight of the patient to 400 or less so laparoscopic bypass surgery can be performed.

As in any surgery for weight loss, potential candidates should remember that Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is not a miracle cure and will involve a 90-minute to 2-hour surgical procedure, a 3-6 week recovery time, and a lifelong commitment to a healthier lifestyle.  The risks of the surgery include infections, bleeding, and respiratory problems.  It may be difficult to eat anything for the first few weeks after surgery without feeling uncomfortable and it will take 6-8 weeks before you are able to digest proteins or complex carbohydrates.

Patients who follow guidelines can reasonably expect to lose at least 50% of their excess weight over a 12-18 month period and have retained that weight-loss by at least 70% by ten years after the surgery.

Following surgery, a recommended course of medication and Bariatric Multivitamins is generally provided by your physician.

For all of your healthcare needs, from supplements and vitamins to medical equipment, we encourage you to visit www.ProCareNow.com! You can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest!

Bariatric Surgery Improving Mortality Rates of Obesity-Related Diseases

We know that gastric bypass and Lap Band surgery are beneficial for battling obesity.  What is more exciting is the number of journal articles that are reporting the extent of improvement in both medical and psychological quality of life.  Did you know that the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the most highly respected medical journals reported that gastric bypass not only improves cause-related mortality from coronary artery disease by 56% and diabetes by 92%, but also Cancer?  Yes, cancer mortality also improves after gastric bypass.  Use of a Bariatric Multivitamin both before and after surgery can help tremendously. When comparing nearly 8,000 patients who had gastric bypass with ~ 8,000 patients of comparable sex, age and before surgery BMI the mortality from Cancer was 60% less.   The numbers are astounding.

Losing weight may make you healthier but it also improves your social life.  This is reported in a renowned journal, International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine.  A study in 2007 showed that significant changes in BMI secondary to weight loss surgery increased employment and subjects living in partnership, improved eating behavior, reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms.  All this, to complement improvements in your health! Weight loss surgery patients have achieved incredibly successful and life-changing results not just in their appearance, but also in self-esteem, social and health related issues as well.