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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

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Is the baby getting too fat?

With today's focus the obesity problem, peoples are starting to ask if a little baby
fat showed that infants were getting enough of the right nutrients or maybe there is problem with his/her health.
Is the baby growing properly? Is the baby getting too fat? How do you know between overweight and healthy/normal growth?

One doctor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia believes that the problem of obesity starts as early as the first few months of our life. He has been combing through records of thousands of babies born in the early 1960s and has found that the amount of weight that children gain in the first four months of life is linked to childhood obesity at age 7, regardless of birth weight or if they were overweight at a year old.

“You can't predict overweight in kids in the first six months," says Frank Greer, professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin and chairman of the American Academy of Pediatrics' committee on nutrition. "We don't want mothers calorie-counting." So if the baby looks fat doesn't mean that he needs to go on a diet. Furthermore, putting a baby on a diet would be dangerous. Because cells, especially those that surround budding brain cells, need fat to support and nurture them. As long as your baby is gaining both height and weight, weight gain shouldn't be a problem.



If your child's weight begins to increase faster than her height, though, you should immediately discuss it with your baby's doctor.
The doctor will compare your child's height and weight with standardized norms for children in the same sex and age. The doctor will also look at your child's weight in relation to his/her height on the growth chart.







Until you get a professional opinion about your infant's growth, don't make any changes to his diet. You need the expert to know the difference between normal and overweight.
Be aware about medical consequences for childhood with obesity.


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Monday, June 22, 2009

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Childhood obesity: Medical Consequences

Because of the dangers associated with childhood obesity, early intervention and family support is critical.

Childhood obesity is associated with a variety of adverse effects on psychosocial function, skeletal growth, and cardiovascular risk factors. Although several periods in childhood appear critical for the development of obesity, it is not yet clear whether these periods are also associated with an increased risk for the complications of obesity in either childhood or adulthood.

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES
The psychosocial consequences of obesity are among the most widespread adverse effects of the disease. Children in kindergarten have already learned to associate obesity with a variety of less desirable traits, and rank obese children as those they like the least.
College acceptance rates for obese adolescent girls are lower than those for nonoverweight girls of comparable academic background. Adult women who are obese as adolescents or young adults earn less, more frequently remain unmarried, complete fewer years of school, and have higher rates of poverty than their nonobese peers.
Few of these effects occur among obese men. These results persist when controlled for the income and educational level of the young women’s parents, their IQ, or their self-esteem at baseline. The social effects of obesity in young adult women therefore appear related to an extension of the discrimination that begins in early childhood

SKELETAL GROWTH AND MATURATION
Obesity has multiple effects on growth and function in children and adolescents. For example, obese children tend to be taller, their bone ages are advanced, their fat-free mass is increased, and menarche in girls occurs earlier than in the non obese.
The origin of these effects is unclear. Increased height, advanced bone age, and earlier menarche may reflect the auxotrophic effects of increased food intake, whereas the increase in fat-free mass may result from both the increased muscle mass to support the increased weight and the nuclear mass of adipocytes. Because of their larger size, overweight children are frequently perceived and treated as older than they are, much to their confusion.
Furthermore, the increased stress of weight may cause bowing of the tibia (Blount’s disease) or femur and predispose young children to slipped capital femoral epiphysis.

CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS
As in adults, obesity affects blood pressure, lipid levels, and glucose tolerance in children and adolescents. Sixty percent of overweight children as young as 5–10 years of age have at least one of these cardiovascular disease risk factors, and more than 20% have two or more.
Obesity appears to be the leading cause of hypertension in children. Lipid profiles are similar to those in adults: low density lipoprotein levels are increased, and high density lipoprotein levels are low.
Increased rates of type 2 diabetes have followed the rapid increases in the prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity. In some settings, type 2 diabetes now accounts for 30–40% of all new cases of diabetes. Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the general population is low (0.5%), among some Native American groups the prevalence is close to 5%. Pediatric cases of type 2 diabetes generally occur among those 10–19 years of age, with a positive family history of type 2 diabetes, and more frequently among obese females or individuals with acanthosis nigricans.
At presentation, cases of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents may resemble type 1 diabetes, suggesting that the actual prevalence of type 2 diabetes may be somewhat higher than it currently appears.
The most important factor related to the likelihood of obesity-associated hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and glucose intolerance in adults appears to be visceral fat. The few studies of adolescents that have controlled for total body fat have demonstrated an independent association of visceral fat, with unfavorable levels of systolic blood pressure and low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

PSEUDOTUMOR CEREBRI, SLEEP APNEA,
HEPATIC STEATOSIS, AND POLYCYSTIC OVARY DISEASE

Two of the most malignant consequences of childhood onset obesity are pseudotumor cerebri and sleep apnea. Obesity accounts for a significant proportion of pseudotumor cerebri, although the mechanism remains unclear.
The diagnosis is established by a history of headaches and the presence of papilledema. The most important sign of sleep apnea is daytime somnolence. Apnea is rarely mentioned spontaneously by parents, despite their apprehension and clear recognition of the difficulty that their child has breathing at night. If the tonsils are enlarged, a tonsillectomy may cure sleep apnea.
However, either unremitting sleep apnea or pseudotumor warrant the aggressive use of a restrictive hypocaloric diet in conjunction with vigorous family therapy.
Recent data from several studies indicate that 5–10% of overweight children and adolescents have modestly elevated liver enzymes. Ultrasound studies of these patients demonstrate increased hepatic fat deposition. Liver biopsies in severe cases have demonstrated steatohepatitis. Alcohol use appears to increase the likelihood of these changes.
Liver enzymes normalize with weight reduction. As in adults, polycystic ovary disease (PCOD) in adolescents is associated with obesity. The pathophysiology of PCOD is complicated; hyperinsulinemia is frequently associated with the syndrome, and hyperandrogenemia may contribute to increased fat-free mass and a male distribution of body fat.

EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY
ON PERSISTENCE INTO ADULTHOOD

The likelihood that obesity present during childhood will persist into adulthood rises with the age of the child, independent of the effect of parental obesity. Several studies have indicated that approximately 70% of overweight adolescents become obese adults. Age-of-onset effects of obesity in childhood or adolescence on either the severity or complications of adult obesity remain uncertain.
Obesity in adolescence appears to entrain a variety of morbid consequences. For example, in a cohort of adults originally studied from the time of their enrollment in elementary school through high school, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were higher among men who were obese in high school, but not among women. The risk of diabetes and subsequent atherosclerosis was greater among both men and women who were obese during high school. Except for diabetes, the risk of death or subsequent morbidity was only modestly attenuated when controlled for the effect of adolescent obesity on adult weight. These results suggested that the effect of adolescent obesity on adult morbidity and mortality was not mediated by the effect of adolescent obesity on adult obesity. Either adolescent obesity had a direct impact on adult morbidity and mortality,or a third factor predisposed individuals to both adolescent obesity and adult disease.
Body fat distribution may represent the mechanism whereby obesity present in adolescence affects morbidity and mortality. Body fat distribution is more strongly centralized in adolescent males than in adolescent females. Therefore, one possibility is that the regionalization of fatness that occurs in obese adolescent males may increase the risk of later complications of obesity.


Based on book : EATING DISORDERS AND OBESITY Edited by Christopher G. Fairburn and Kelly D. Brownell


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Monday, June 22, 2009

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Obesity : Medical Complications for Adults

Obesity is of public health concern because of its association with serious medical complications that lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Being overweight is a problem in the United States. A third of all adult Americans are overweight.

If you are overweight, you are at high risk for obesity. And even if you don’t become obese, you are at a higher risk than a person with a healthy weight.

The most common complications associated with obesity are insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, gallstones and cholecystitis, respiratory dysfunction, and increased incidence of certain cancers.

DIABETES MELLITUS
There is a strong positive correlation between the average weight in a population and the presence of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. In a male population divided into groups with BMIs of 25.0 to 26.9, 29 to 30, and greater than 35, the risk for diabetes (compared to a population with BMIs less than 21) increases 2.2-, 6.7-, and 42- fold, respectively.

The severity of the obesity is a determinant, as is the length of time obesity has been present. The pathogenesis of the diabetes is related to the insulin resistance caused by the obesity, which tends to increase in severity as BMI rises.

HYPERTENSION
About one-third of all obese persons are hypertensive. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that for every 10-kilogram rise in body weight over normal, there is an average increase of 3 mm Hg in systolic and 2 mm Hg in diastolic pressure.
The longer the duration of obesity, the greater the risk of developing hypertension. Using data from the U.S. National Health Examination II Survey (in which obesity was defined as a weight for height above the 85th percentile of that of men and women in the third decade of life), the prevalence of hypertension in persons 20% or more overweight was twice that of persons of normal weight.

STROKE
Directly linked to the increased prevalence of hypertension in obese persons is an increased risk of stroke. In the Framingham Heart Study, for instance, there was a steeply rising curve of stroke with increasing weight.
For example, in the male group under 50 years of age, the risk of stroke rose from 22 to 30 to 49 per thousand as relative weights rose from 110% to 129% to higher than 130%, respectively.

DYSLIPIDEMIA
Obesity is associated with three particular abnormalities of circulating lipids:
1. Elevation of triglyceride levels,
2, Depression of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, and
3. Increased presence of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Coronary heart disease is usually described epidemiologically as cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes angina pectoris, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and sudden death. These conditions occur more frequently in obese persons.

GALLBLADDER DISEASE
A number of changes that occur with obesity predispose an individual to gallstone formation. As cholesterol excretion from the liver increases, the bile becomes supersaturated with cholesterol.
Also, the motility of the gallbladder decreases, so that the sac is emptied much less efficiently. Whether this condition is due to a decreased sensitivity to the cholecystokinin released with each meal is unclear. The net effect is to increase the formation of predominantly cholesterol-containing stones.
These stones enhance the propensity to gallbladder inflammation, so that acute and chronic cholecystitis is much more common in obese persons. The incidence of this condition is higher in women than in men, partly because the prevalence of obesity is higher in women, but there may be other, as yet undiscovered reasons.
The need for surgery to remove diseased gallbladders is much more common in obese persons, and more so in women than in men.

RESPIRATORY DISEASE
The increased weight of the chest in obese persons leads to poor respiratory motion and also decreased compliance of the respiratory system, so that both vital capacity and total lung capacity are often low.
As the overweight becomes more severe, ventilation–perfusion abnormalities impair adequate oxygenation of the blood, even though carbon dioxide escape is adequate. With continued and persistent obesity, sleep apnea, either peripheral or central, may occur. Peripheral apnea is manifested by obstruction of the airway, caused by excess fatty tissue and the relaxation of the pharyngeal and glossal muscles. Central apnea is the result of a cessation of the signals that initiate inspiration.
The mechanism for this cessation of signals is unclear but apneic episodes may occur many times during the night, causing significant hyperventilation. The severity of all these abnormalities may lead to progressively more severe hypoxemia and hypercapnia, which in turn may lead to pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, and cor pulmonale.

CANCER
The relationships of obesity to various forms of cancer are somewhat unclear, and more data are required. However, there is an association between some cancers and overweight.
It is not known whether the association may be due to other relationships, such
as a high-fat diet, elevated total calories, or other specific dietary components. However, the associations, leaving causality unclear, have been well described.
In women, higher rates have been described for endometrial, gallbladder, cervical, and ovarian cancers. For breast cancer, premenopausal women who are obese are less at risk, while postmenopausal women are at greater risk. It is possible that some of this postmenopausal effect on breast cancer is related to the increasing estrogenicity that occurs with increasing obesity as women age. This increased estrogenicity is the result of estrogen production in adipose tissue from sex hormone precursors that are soluble in fat and converted there to active estrogen. This combined estrogenicity might affect breast cancer incidence. An increased incidence of colorectal and prostate cancers has been found in obese men. The mechanisms of this effect are unknown, although recent evidence suggests that the increased insulin levels resulting from the insulin resistance of
obesity may have mitogenic effects.

ARTHRITIS AND GOUT
Because of the increased stress on the weight-bearing joints caused by increased weight, degenerative disease of these joints is quite common in obese persons, particularly as the duration and severity of the obesity increases.
There is also an increased incidence of gout in persons who are overweight. Such an association has been found repeatedly in cross-sectional studies. This association of gout and overweight is manifested to a much greater degree in men than in women, in whom higher levels of excess fat are needed for the disease to develop.

EFFECTS OF FAT DISTRIBUTION
Epidemiological data from many countries have established fat distribution as an important determinant of disease risk. As a result, not only the degree of obesity but also the location of deposited fat are important. Results of available studies suggest that intra-abdominal, or visceral, fat is crucial in this regard. The pathophysiology may be related to the increased lipolytic activity of fat cells in this region, which release large amounts of FFA to the liver and the periphery. The combination of hyperlipacidemia and hyperinsulinemia leads to increased VLDL production, with resultant hypertriglyceridemia. The lipacidemia also inhibits glucose transport and oxidation in muscle, increasing the insulin resistance and the propensity for diabetes. The hyperinsulinemia leads to increased sodium absorption and increases the risk of hypertension.

The medical complications of obesity are considerable. It must be realized that diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and stroke—aside from cancer, AIDS, and violence—are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. If cancer, a condition in which obesity often plays a part, is added, obesity is a large contributor to the burden of disease affecting industrialized countries.

Whether the effect of these diseases is direct and independent or indirect, through enhancing other risk factors, is essentially irrelevant from a public health perspective. If obesity could be prevented, a very significant and positive impact on chronic disease and mortality would occur.


Based on book : EATING DISORDERS AND OBESITY Edited by Christopher G. Fairburn and Kelly D. Brownell

This posting about medical consequences for childhood with obesity

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Sunday, June 21, 2009

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Childhood obesity: Parents Tips

Here’s a few practical tips for you as a parents if you have an obese children. It’s good to keep in mind that obesity is a medical problem. Just as people shouldn’t be judged if they have high blood pressure or are blind. Obesity is related to certain health risks, but the good news is that obesity is treatable.

Remember this two points when you think about helping children with obese.



1. General purpose for overweight and obese children or teens is to reduce the rate of weight gain while allowing normal growth.

2. Healthy eating and physical activity habits are key to achieve that goals. Eating too much and exercising too little ( the general prime factor ) may lead your child to obesity






First of all is try to involve the whole family to building healthy eating habits.
This benefits for everyone, does not only for child who is overweight. Balance the calories in the foods — provide adequate nutrition and an appropriate number of calories. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits, low-fat or non-fat milk, and whole-grain products. You can also encourage your family to drink lots of water, limit sugar-sweetened beverages, add more fiber, and make their favorite dishes healthier.

Try to always eat meals together as a family. Eating together at meal times helps children learn to enjoy a variety of foods. Don’t force your kids, but don’t give up and try again, and again. Some kids will need to have a new food served to them 10 times or more before they will eat it.

Be aware that some high-fat or high-sugar foods and beverages may be strongly marketed to kids. Stay away your kids from this kind of foods.

The next step is increase the physical activity.
You must help your kids to stay active. Regular physical activity has many health benefits. Do it with the whole families and make it a fun time. Family bike ride, or a walk through a local park on Sunday is a good idea.
Encourage your child to join a sports team or class, such as soccer, dance, basketball, or gymnastics at school. Help him or her find which one physical activities that are fun and comfortable.

Do not put your child on a weight-loss diet unless your health care provider tells you to. If children do not eat enough, they may not grow and learn as well as they should.

Think about a treatment program only if changed your family’s eating and physical activity not reached a healthy weight or your child’s health or emotional is at risk because of their weight.

Children cannot lose weight on their own. They need a parent who can help them make smart food choices and who will encourage them to exercise. Childhood obesity associated with serious medical consequences, so do your best to help your children.


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Sunday, June 21, 2009

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Childhood obesity

What are the major contributors to childhood obesity? There are a number of factors that have contributed to the rise in childhood obesity. Because obesity is an exceedingly complex group of diseases and probably should be characterized as a syndrome.

Approximately one-fourth of children ages 6–11 and adolescents ages 12–18 are obese, making childhood obesity one of the most serious pediatric health problems in the Unites States.

Environmental factors such as diet, physical activity, the impact of familia and environment are major contributors to obesity, and in turn are influenced by genetic traits.

Food choices
The effects of eating habits on childhood obesity are difficult to determine. Some literature has found a relationship between fat food consumption and obesity. Including a study which found that fast food restaurants near schools increases the risk of obesity among the student population. Soft drink, low intake of fruit and vegetables, low fiber, and whole milk consumption may contribute to childhood obesity. These foods tend to be high in fat and/or calories and low in many other nutrients.

Physical inactivity
Physical inactivity of children has also shown to be a serious cause, and children who fail to engage in regular physical activity are at greater risk of obesity. The popularity of television, computers, and video games translates into an increasingly inactive lifestyle for many children in the United States. Fewer than half of children in the United States have a parent who engages in regular physical exercise. Based on data from NHANES II and III, among children twelve to seventeen years of age the prevalence of overweight increases 2 percent for each additional hour of TV viewed daily.

The impact of familia and environment
Familial impact on children’s weight includes both genetic and shared lifestyle influences. Whereas twin, family, and adoption studies suggest a strong genetic contribution for childhood obesity, Statistics show that a child with two obese parents has an 80 percent risk of becoming overweight. Genetics alone does not cause obesity.
Parents may have a direct influence by providing an environment that nurtures physical activity in the child, and have indirect influence through modelling of physical activity participation. Young children (four to seven years of age) whose parents were physically active were nearly six times as likely to be physically active. In a report released, the Institute of Medicine said television advertising strongly influences what children under 12 eat. The foods advertised are predominantly high in calories and low in nutrition

The factors that may cause children to become overweight and obese include:

Metabolic factors have the potential to influence the onset of obesity. However, much of the research in this area has been conducted on adults and not the childhood population.
Psychological factors. Feelings of depression can cause a child to overeat.
The other factors are the use of private transport has increased, physical education in the school curriculum has reduced and medical illness.

Obesity in childhood is related to both negative physic and psychosocial consequences. Read this post about medical consequences identified as resulting from overweight or obesity in childhood. Also this post about Ideas to help/prevent children from obesity.


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Saturday, June 20, 2009

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Obesity: Causes of obesity

Many factor can develops obesity gradually. Be aware of this factors can help you prevent obesity or take action if you already have it.

Carbohydrates and proteins are converted to energy as soon as they are consumed. But most of the fat calories are immediately stored in fat cells which add to the body weight. So the prime cause of overweight is overeating. Overweight is pre-obese.

The other factors contribute to obesity is

Culture
Many habits are learned very early in life. Unfortunately our environment doesn’t always teach us with a healthy habits. Food choices and combinations, oversized food portions, fast / junk food, finished meal too quick, food advertising, and so on.
Healthy eating habit is important to deal with in this case.

Lifestyle
Inactivity is important risk factors for obesity. If you spend most of your time at a desk or on a sofa in front of you television, your risk for obesity is higher. Studies show people who get 20 to 30 minutes of exercise most days are less likely to be obese. Your obesity risk is even lower if you combine an active lifestyle with a low-carb diet. People who sleep fewer hours also more likely to be overweight.

Health Conditions
Less than 2 percent of all cases of obesity can be traced to a health problem. Some diseases can cause obesity such as

1. Hypothyroidism ( under active thyroid ).
This is a condition in which thyroid glands are unable to make sufficient thyroid hormones. Lack of thyroid hormone will slow down your metabolism and cause weight gain. You’ll also feel tired and weak.

2. Cushing's Syndrome
This is a condition in which the body’s adrenal glands make too much of the hormone cortisol which increase fat on the upper body, such as the face and around the neck.

3. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
The production of a high level of the hormone androgens is a common cause of obesity in women.

Emotional or Psychological Factors
Some people overeat (binge) when they feel stressed out or depressed. Some people eat to calm themselves, to avoid dealing with unpleasant tasks or situations, or to dampen negative emotions. If we celebrate a happy event, like birthday, with go out to a big dinner.

Pregnancy, age, sex genre and medicines are another factors that contribute to develop obesity.

During pregnancy, women gain weight so that the baby gets proper nourishment and develops normally. After giving birth, some women find it hard to lose the weight. This may lead to overweight or obesity, especially after a few pregnancies.

As you grow older, your metabolic rate slows down and you do not require as many calories to maintain your weight. People frequently state that they eat the same and do the same activities as they did when they were 20 years old, but at 40, are gaining weight. This will happen. Metabolism slows down with advancing age.

Males have a higher resting metabolic rate than females, so males require more calories to maintain their body weight. Women are more likely to gain weight with the same calorie intake than a men. When women enter menopause, their metabolic rates decrease significantly.

Many people become obese after using certain medicines. These medicines slow down the rate of calorie burn, cause your body to hold on to extra water and increase hunger. Medicines such as corticosteroids, antidepressants, and medicines for seizures may cause you to gain weight.

Obesity in adults may contribute to the rising rates of childhood obesity. Learn about it in the next post.


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Friday, June 19, 2009

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Obesity

In the 20th century Obesity became common, so much so that in 1997 the WHO formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic. Obesity is definited as over body fat. Obesity is related with many diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is also defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30.

Foods provide us with the nutrients we need for healthy bodies and the calories we need for energy. If we eat too much, however, the extra food turns to fat and is stored in our bodies — especially in your waist area. If we overeat regularly, we gain weight, and if we continue to gain weight, we may become obese.

WHO estimates that at least 400 million adults (9.8%) are obese, with higher rates among women than men. The rate of obesity also increases with age at least up to 50 or 60 years old. Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and in other developed countries. More than half of Americans are overweight-including at least 1 in 5 children. Nearly one third are obese. The only remaining region of the world where obesity is not common is sub-Saharan Africa. Obesity is on the rise in our society because food is abundant and physical activity is optional.

Obesity is of public health concern because of its association with serious medical complications and our modern world can trigger obesity and you must take action to stop this.


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Thursday, June 18, 2009

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Obama team tries to regain momentum on healthcare

Obama team tries to regain momentum on healthcare

By David Alexander and Donna Smith

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration sought to regain momentum on healthcare reform on Wednesday as lawmakers, stunned by the trillion dollar price tag, delayed the legislative timetable for the program.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, echoing Obama's own calls for speedy reforms, told an audience of Democratic activists that there was no time to waste on the administration's chief domestic policy priority.

"The cost of doing nothing will render us a second-rank nation on into the future," Sebelius told the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. "Our businesses can't afford it, our families can't afford it and, frankly, we can't sustain it."

Soaring healthcare costs undermine the competitiveness of U.S. businesses, strain state and federal budgets and drive many Americans into bankruptcy, even as 46 million Americans remain with no health insurance.

Republicans and others are stepping up criticism of parts of the healthcare overhaul package being hammered out in Congress, from the cost of the changes to the question of whether to create a new government-run insurance program to compete with private insurers.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that reforms proposed in a Senate Finance Committee bill would cost $1.6 trillion over 10 years -- a price that senators on the panel say is more than they want to spend.

Senators on Wednesday moved to delay announcing the bill until its costs could be brought closer to the nearly $1 trillion that Obama has proposed in budget cuts and savings to pay for the measure.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said earlier this week he expected a draft bill by Wednesday and a finished proposal by Friday. It now appears likely the bill will not be ready until next week and the amendment process might not start until after the July 4 holiday recess.

"We will have a mark (a bill) when we are ready," Baucus said. "It's too early at this point to know when it will be ready."

Despite the delay, Baucus said he expected to send a bill to the full Senate for passage by the time lawmakers break for a monthlong recess in August.

'GET THE POLICY RIGHT'

Democratic Senator Kent Conrad told reporters it was a good idea to slow down the legislation. He said one of the main expenses was tax subsidies to help people who do not have employer-sponsored insurance, and a small adjustment of this could change the overall cost substantially.

"We have to get the policy right," Conrad said. "We need more time to evaluate options."

The Finance Committee is one of two Senate panels working on the legislation. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday began amending its version of the Democratic-written bill amid Republican criticism that it was too expensive and would still leave millions uninsured.

Healthcare reform is Obama's top legislative priority, one of several he believes are needed to put the U.S. economy back on sound footing as it emerges from the current recession.

The United States spends some $2.5 trillion annually on healthcare but leaves millions uninsured with limited access to the system -- putting it behind other developed countries on many important public health measures.

Sebelius underscored that Obama believed healthcare reform should be not be allowed to add to the deficit -- already at dizzying heights. She also rejected Republican criticism that a new public insurance program would drive private competitors out of business.
(Editing by Will Dunham)



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Sunday, June 14, 2009

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Fat burning foods

The fat burning work If you eat these fat burning foods and do some exercise, it will boost your metabolism and burn your calories.
All kind of food contains some calories. So what the different burning fat food from the other food? How can this food help me to burn my fat?

Fat burning food actually is a food that need more calories to digest by our body than the foods contain. Our body has to work harder to process the calories from this food. This is the advantages, and this kind of food is also said has negative calories.

This kind of food always can satisfy your hunger like the other, but without greatly increasing the total caloric intake. Use this food and don’t do the starvation diet anymore.

This is the sample of food with negative calories properties (alphabetical sort)



Apples, apricots, artichokes, asparagus, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cherries, chives, cod, corn, crabs, cranberries, cucumbers, eggplant, flounder, garlic, grapefruit, grapes, green beans, honeydew, kale, leeks, lemons, lettuce, limes, lobster, mangoes, mushrooms, nectarines, okra, onions, oranges, papaya, parsley, peaches, pears, peas, peppers, pineapple, prunes, pumpkin, radishes, raspberries, red cabbage, sauerkraut, scallions, spinach, squash, strawberries, string beans, tangerines, tomatoes, turnips and watermelon.







Note that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume. But don’t add this kind of food extremely in your meal plant to achieve that goal. Lack of calories is unhealthy for your body and may possibly result in serious health problem.


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Saturday, June 13, 2009

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Burn fat naturally

What is the best and naturally way to burn body fat? My experience is that diet and exercise are always the most healthy way to burn fat. If you are trying to lose weight and body fat, the calories burn must be larger than than calories take in. While exercise help you increases the capacity to burn fat.

Everyone wants to burn fat as quickly and easily as possible but most of the time, this kind of a attitude is the main cause why many people fail. If your life is full with bad habits like eating junk food and inactivity, the the best way to get rid of them is to replace them with good habits. We try to add many tips in our tips categories to help peoples find the natural quickest way in their weight loss.

Any exercise design to build muscle will also burn fat and increase your body's ability to store glycogen.
Healthy eating habits and enough fiber in your food can also help to boost your fat burning.

Remember that excess stored body fat has significant implications to health and obesity, which is now the leading cause of death in the United states.

Read about fat burning foods in the next articles.


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Saturday, June 13, 2009

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Green Tea and Diabetes

Can green tea really help regulate your blood sugar level? Yes. The present study provides evidence that green tea has an antidiabetic effect. Not only is green tea beneficial prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, but may also help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported that the green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) could enhance the action of insulin.

Similar result found by Dr. Stephen Hsu, one of the Medical College’s researchers. Their study had been focusing on Sjogrens syndrome and the ability to prevent/delay it through the use of the EGCG antioxidant found in green tea. Dr. Hsu, a molecular/cell biologist in the School of Dentistry, said that “learning that EGCG could delay and prevent insulin dependent Type 1 diabetes was a big surprise."

Recent studies suggest green tea catechins may reduce the amount of glucose that passes through the intestine and into the bloodstream. This will benefits diabetics by preventing blood-sugar spikes when tea is taken with meals.

Tea may also be an effective adjunct therapy for those who already have diabetes with diet and exercise. When used along with diet and exercise, you may find that green tea stabilizes your insulin levels enough to lower your dosage of medication.

Sample of green tea and diabetes studies below...


One study found that feeding green tea to rats reduced both blood glucose and insulin levels, and that catechins were very effective starch and sucrose blockers in the digestive tracts of rats.
Similar results were observed in humans.
When 300 mg (about 3 cups) of green tea were given to subjects ten minutes before taking in 50 grams of starch, their glucose and insulin levels did not rise nearly as much as was expected.







Brew yourself a couple cup of green tea. There seems green tea is harmless and have many reasons that it might be the healthiest thing you do all day!


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Saturday, June 13, 2009

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About Polyphenols

Research on flavonoids and other polyphenols truly began after 1995. Polyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants, characterized by the presence of more than one phenol unit or building block per molecule. Polyphenols are the most abundant antioxidants in the diet.

Polyphenols occur in all plant foods and contribute to the beneficial health effects of vegetables and fruit. Their contribution to the antioxidant capacity of the human diet is much larger than that of vitamins. The total intake of polyphenols in a person's diet could amount to 1 gram a day, whereas combined intakes of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E from food most often is about 100 mg a day.

Recent studies have shown that dietary fiber and polyphenols of vegetables and fruits improve lipid metabolism and prevent the oxidation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol

Several other studies have shown that a group of polyphenol antioxidant compounds found in grapes, green tea, soybeans and wine may lower the risk of a range of cancers, but exactly how these powerful compounds work has remained unclear.

The green tea polyphenols contributed to minimizing tumor development by governing the amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the serum of the prostate cancer mouse model.


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Friday, June 12, 2009

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Green tea and weight loss

For now, you can be assured that green tea will provide your body with many benefits. All of this occurs primarily because of a key ingredient present in it. Modern researchers discovered how a green tea diet can improve our mind and body wellness. Today green tea become into weight loss supplements

Green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study confirmed that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect.

Another study described in the health section of the msn site also found that green tea extract improved the metabolism of glucose and lipids, which is beneficial for weight loss

Green tea contains about 20 mg of caffeine per average serving. Because green tea is contains caffeine, so be cautious using it during pregnancy.

Beware of companies making misleading claims on green tea's appetite suppressing effect. They product can make you feel less hungry because they contain very high levels of Chromium, not because of the green tea extract.
The best sources of green tea are the plant that use of 100% organic processes. If a person is serious about losing weight using this green tea cannot be a mistake.


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Friday, June 12, 2009

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Green tea

Originally from china. The Chinese people have known about the medicinal benefits of green tea since ancient times. Recently, Green tea has become more widespread in theworld. Entering the modern time, the scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea.

Green tea is a type of tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis.
From unfermented leaves and reportedly contains the highest concentration of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. Many varieties of green tea have been created in countries where it is grown. These varieties can differ substantially due to variable growing conditions, processing and harvesting time.

One real fact is that all the known types of tea contain caffeine but the amount of this substance can vary considerably and sometime it can be similar or above the amount of caffeine found in coffee. In green tea, caffeine is minimal if compared with other teas.

Generally, 2 grams of tea per 100ml of water, or about one teaspoon of green tea per 5 ounce cup, should be used. With very high quality teas like gyokuro, more than this amount of leaf is used, and the leaf is steeped multiple times for short durations. Preferred temperature for green tea is usually usually between 165 and 170 degrees F.

Green tea is healthier for you than pure water. Its powerful antioxidants fight cancer and diseases, diabetics, improve digestion, promote healthy skin, enhance mental focus, boost the immune system, fight the aging process, and much more. Once again, there have been many scientific studies that prove these benefits.

Does green tea really help aid in weight loss?
Yes! Green tea is an excellent weight loss aid. It boosts the metabolism, burns fat, and increases exercise endurance. There have been many scientific studies that prove how beneficial green tea is when it comes to losing the pounds.
Here’s the articles about green tea and weight loss.


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Thursday, June 11, 2009

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Low Carb Diets : Tips

Remember that the best weight loss program is reduce the calories and increase in physical activity. It is effective and natural weight loss. Many people know about this but fail to apply it.
This is a few tips for you in practicing healthy low carb diets. Try to apply this tips.

Low carb diet must not be really low in carbohydrates
Too low in carbohydrates may result in serious physical and health problem.

Plan delicious things to eat
Investigate the yummiest foods your plan allows. This will help you to throw away strees and boring felling about eat.

Eat lots of green vegetables daily
It is true that most fruits tend to have a significant concentration of sugar. But most vegetables are, in fact, low- or moderate-carbohydrate foods.

Eat more fiber
There are many low carb diets sources of fiber as well, and it's good to learn about them.

Reward Time
By the end of the first week of your new eating plan, you should congratulate yourself for taking the first steps of a positive change. Repeat this for the next week.

Don’t forget to exercises
Exercises are good for our bodies and help us to maintain long term weight loss.

Don’t give up to quickly
Normaly if you often make missteps at first, as you try to find one that works for you, or to modify an existing one. Find another concept and try again.

The carbohydrate level should be adjusted to the individual because the level is different among others. So the plan / concept that work for other people maybe not work for you. The great rewards will wait for you at the end of it.

Have another tips? Please share with us in our comment form and we really appreciate it.


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Thursday, June 11, 2009

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WHO may be poised to declare flu pandemic

WHO may be poised to declare flu pandemic

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization has called an emergency meeting of experts on Thursday to discuss the spreading H1N1 flu outbreak, in a sign the U.N. agency may be poised to declare a pandemic.

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, who consulted health officials in affected countries on Wednesday, was drawing up her own evaluation ahead of the meeting set to begin at midday (1000 GMT), a spokesman said.

"She is looking for some detailed epidemiological explanation for what is going on," WHO spokesman Dick Thompson told Reuters. "She is making her own assessment based on information gathered today and running it by the Emergency Committee tomorrow."

Thompson declined to say whether the WHO would declare a full-blown pandemic after the closed-door talks, saying he did not want to prejudge the experts' recommendations.

Chan had sought further information from some countries to clarify news reports that they were detecting sustained transmission of the new virus in the community, and not just imported cases, he said.

WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said the expert committee would consult "on the state of the outbreak." The strain, which emerged in April in Mexico and the United States, has spread widely in places including Australia, Britain, Chile and Japan.
The agency said on Tuesday it was on the verge of declaring the first influenza pandemic in more than 40 years, but wanted to ensure countries were well prepared to prevent a panic over the disease, widely known as swine flu.

Chan, a former health director in Hong Kong, has previously consulted the group of international experts before raising the alert level.

Confirmed community spread in a second region beyond North America would trigger moving to phase 6 -- signifying a full-blown pandemic -- from the current phase 5 on the WHO's 6-level pandemic alert scale.

GEOGRAPHIC SPREAD

There have been 27,737 cases reported in 74 countries to date, including 141 deaths, according to the WHO's latest tally.

Keiji Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general, told reporters late on Tuesday that a move to phase 6 would reflect the geographic spread of the new disease.

"It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased or that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than they are right now," he said.

"One of the critical issues is that we do not want people to 'over-panic' if they hear that we are in a pandemic situation," Fukuda told reporters at the time.
The WHO wants to avoid causing undue alarm over a virus that has been largely mild in most countries, while warning it could still mutate into a more virulent form.

Members such as Britain have called on the WHO to revise its scale to reflect severity in future.

The WHO and its 193 member states were working hard to prepare for a pandemic, for instance developing vaccines and building up supplies of anti-viral drugs, Fukuda said.

Drug makers are on track to have a vaccine against the new strain ready for the northern hemisphere autumn after receiving seed virus samples, company officials said.

(Editing by Jonathan Lynn)


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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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How to start Low carb diets

Let's take a step by step look at how to go about it. The first you need to pick one of the low carb diet plan you want to use. Choose it carefully. Knowing which low carb diet you'll be using will help you with the additional steps and planning you'll need to get started. Compare the structure and sample menus of each plan before deciding whether to follow a particular program or design your own.

Make a meal plan, and a shopping list is the next step. Stock your refrigerator

and food pantry with low carb foods when beginning your diet.

Third step is you have to make real plan about your food in the first week
Focus on what you can eat is more productive than thinking a lot about what you can’t eat. Read nutrition labels to find the amount of carbohydrates contained in food. Remember to consider how many servings are contained in a single package. Also you can dine out in restaurants offering low carb meals. Planning a full week of menus and snacks.

Finally is do your research
Keep track of what you eat and learn what foods you tolerate well and which ones have too much of a negative impact on your blood sugar. Take your food journal to a nutritionist/doctor is a good idea.

You may also need supports with a friend or your family member, or join an online community of low carb dieters. The temptation when trying something new is to chuck it overboard at the first obstacle. This is the time to get advice from others who are ahead of you on the road.

Changing to a low carb lifestyle isn’t going to happen overnight, but you can make changes that will benefit your health. Here is a few tips that I hope can help you in your trial.


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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

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We need carbohydrates

Most foods contain carbohydrates, which the body breaks down into simple sugars and all carbs will end up as sugar.

Carbohydrates require less water to digest than proteins or fats and are the most common source of energy in living things. While proteins and fat are necessary building components for body tissue and cells and are also a source of energy for most organisms.

Many starches ( complex carbohydrates) are digested more rapidly than some

sugars ( simple carbohydrates). In fact, the very term “complex carbohydrates” may be rapidly becoming obsolete, at least as it has been traditionally defined.

These are the types of carbohydrates:

Monosaccharides and Disaccharides
Monosaccharides are the simplest types of sugars, and are building blocks for the larger carbohydrate molecules. While Disaccharides are combinations of two monosaccharide molecules.

Oligosaccharides
Oligosaccharides are a few monosaccharides together.

Polysaccharides (Starches or Complex Carbohydrates)
Longer chains of glucose molecules, often with many branches. Devided into 3 categories

1. Rapidly Digested Starch (RDS)
Rapidly digested starch breaks down quickly into simple sugars.

2. Slowly Digested Starch (SDS)
Slowly digested starch breaks down over a period of time in the small intestine – usually up to two hours.

3. Resistant Starch
Resistant starch actually reaches the large intestine (colon) without being broken down into sugars at all.

Adequate carbohydrate intake helps prevent protein from being used as energy. If the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrate, protein is broken down to make glucose for energy. Because the primary role of protein is as the building blocks for muscles, bone, skin, hair, and other tissues, relying on protein for energy (by failing to take in adequate carbohydrate) can limit your ability to build and maintain tissues.

Carbohydrate has other specific functions in the body including fueling the central nervous system (CNS) and brain. The brain and neurons generally cannot burn fat and need glucose for energy

Carbohydrates play extensive roles in all forms of life as energy stores, fuels, and metabolic intermediates. So don’t attempt to remove carbohydrates from your life. The low carbohydrates in low carb diets is not means to zero carbohydrates.


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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

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Benefits of Low Carb Diets

This article will explain many benefits from low carb diets. But not everyone will gain all these benefits, of course. After all low carb diets will help you lose weight and can also get rid of excess fat. So try it to experience a trim lifestyle.

The advantages and benefits are :

Blood sugar is stabilized and controlled
One of the initial benefits of reducing the total amount of carbohydrate in your

diet is usually an improvement in your blood glucose (blood sugar) level. Its also effect on glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.

Blood pressure is lowered
All nutrients from whole foods used in low-carb diet was proven to lower your blood pressure. Check it regularly and you'll notice that your blood pressure is improving.

Insulin level is lowered
The theory behind this is the less carbs you eat, the less insulin you produce.

Weight loss is sustained
Diets low in carbohydrates have been purported to enhance weight loss. You'll probably lose a few pounds, but the most important is your weight won't increase. Therefore, some debate about the long-term effect of a low-carbohydrate diet on weight loss still remains.

These are some of the most commonly reported benefits in low carb forums.
Increased energy, more self-confidence and improved mood and emotions
But this results are obviously going to be variable in time between individuals.

But before you decided to reduce the carbohydrate in your diet, I think you must understand a few more things around this subject. Including why we need carbohydrates and where do you begin to start?


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Monday, June 08, 2009

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Low Carb Diets

No matter what kind diet program you are on, you will lose weight if you burn more energy than you consume. Low-carb diets work because you must strict meal plans that effectively limit caloric intake. In low carbohydrate diet control the calories intake to your body via food is the key.

Low carb diets is not essentially a starvation diet, so don’t make it become like starvation diet.

Starvation diet is not good and in the meantime, many health problems can result. Very low-calorie diets should only be undertaken under the close supervision of a physician --- I warn you.

The American Academy of Family Physicians provides the following definition of low-carbohydrate diets.
Low-carbohydrate diets restrict caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates to 20 to 60 g per day ( typically less than 20 percent of the daily caloric intake ). The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates

We can see that the primary goal in low carb diets is focus on a high quantity of fat intake. But replace carbohydrate with fat may develop increased in cholesterol levels.

There is variant of low carb diets that are focus on high protein intake.
The potential problems is it may cause abnormal excretion of calcium. Especially in young age. Calcium consumption is often below the minimal requirement, and losing excess calcium can lead to Osteoporosis.

What is the benefits of low carb diets? This articles will give you details about it.

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Monday, June 08, 2009

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Health, climate change vie for boost in US Congress

Health, climate change vie for boost in US Congress

* Two top priorities for Obama see progress
* Enacting healthcare reform seen more likely this year
* Democrats still face tough fights on both (Adds details on Sen. Kennedy legislation in paragraph 14)

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) - Barack Obama may be pressuring Congress as no U.S. president has for decades as he aims to get two big domestic goals passed this year -- reforming health care and fighting global warming.

"It's not impossible to do both, but that would be more than a Congress has ever given a president, maybe since the first First 100 Days," said Brookings Institution senior fellow Stephen Hess, referring to the start of Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" presidency in 1933.

A further time constraint may be the pressures imposed by the campaign next year for congressional elections in November when the seats of all 435 U.S. representatives and a third of the 100 senators are up for grabs.

Congress in the past often has shown itself to be unable to handle more than one big issue a year, but Obama and his fellow Democrats, who control the Senate and House of Representatives, see a window of opportunity this year to pass two long-standing Democratic goals.

Expanding health care to the uninsured and reducing pollution associated with climate change would have an economic impact on nearly every consumer and most U.S. companies -- from health insurers and utilities, to oil refineries, ailing automakers, steel manufacturers and small businesses.

Nonetheless, Democratic leaders are giving it a run, placing both initiatives on a fast track -- with or without much Republican support.

"The one that has the highest probability of making it is health care," said Bruce Josten, an executive vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He noted a full legislative agenda later this year, including annual spending bills, a Supreme Court confirmation and tax legislation, could crowd out a climate bill debate in the Senate.

Nevertheless, several congressional committees are pushing ahead with their review of the bill that aims to cut industry's carbon dioxide emissions 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050 with alternative energy sources and energy efficiencies.

The bill's prospects are strengthened by an unusual coalition of environmentalists, corporations and labor unions that have joined the effort. Obama is trying to sell climate change legislation as much more than doing something good for the environment. "Green" job creation and weaning the country off of foreign oil are his major talking points.

According to several Democratic lawmakers, the White House is already working hard to woo Senate Democratic and Republican moderates who will hold the keys to obtaining the needed 60-vote majority in the 100-member Senate.

In the meantime, environmentalists are heartened that four months into Obama's presidency such wide-ranging legislation is advancing, even with its concessions to some industries.

"If it became law today it would be the most important piece of energy and environmental legislation Congress ever produced," said one activist.

HEALTH CARE IN THE LEAD

Of the two, health care might be the bill that is more likely to reach Obama's desk for enactment by year's end. Both houses of Congress hope to blend their respective bills into a compromise measure by October -- Obama's deadline.

Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy has a major role in drafting the new health care bill as head of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The bill would require individuals and businesses to purchase insurance and prohibit insurance companies from refusing to cover anyone because of health history.

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said for the next five weeks, the Senate's normal three-day work week will be extended to five so a health care reform bill can be passed.

"I want to emphasize what the president said, that health care is an absolute priority," said Representative Chris Van Hollen, a member of the House Democratic leadership, when asked by Reuters about the two bills' prospects. "But we believe we're going to do both" in the House, he added.

In the midst of a deep economic recession and with medical bills contributing to an estimated 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies, providing health care for those without insurance is paramount to Obama.

Fifteen years ago, then-President Bill Clinton tried to keep a campaign pledge to enact universal health care, only to fail miserably. That contributed to significant Democratic losses in the 1994 congressional elections.

Since then, the health care problem has worsened with medical costs escalating and 46 million uninsured. Democrats claim they've learned their lesson about unfulfilled promises.

They still have to find a sound way to pay for expanding health care, a tough job amid staggering U.S. budget deficits.

Republicans keep hammering away at any proposed government-run health insurance. "A government plan could undercut private health plans, forcing people off the health plans they like," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned.

Behind the scenes, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pressuring her lieutenants to speed up work on the climate change legislation, which won strong backing last month from the politically diverse House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Pelosi hopes to pass this bill in June or July. Even if the legislation were to go no further this year, Obama would have a major accomplishment to tout in December, when world leaders are set to meet in Copenhagen to discuss global warming.

But the legislation likely would result in higher energy bills for American consumers, an especially difficult sell during a recession.

(Additional reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by Eric Beech)


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Monday, June 08, 2009

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Stents no better than heart drugs in diabetics

Stents no better than heart drugs in diabetics
By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Diabetics with stable heart disease do just as well taking drugs alone as getting quick angioplasty or bypass surgery to open blocked heart arteries, U.S. researchers said on Sunday.

They said patients advised to have angioplasty and a heart stent to restore blood flow and ease chest pain could safely wait and give drugs a chance to work.

But those with more severe disease sent for more invasive heart bypass surgery might be able to avoid a future heart attack if they have the surgery right away.

The study also found no difference in heart risks between two strategies for treating type 2 diabetes -- increasing the amount of insulin or lowering the body's resistance to its own insulin with drugs such as either metformin or GlaxoSmithKline's Avandia, also known as rosiglitazone, which had been thought to raise the risk of heart attacks.

"If you have diabetes and heart disease such that a bypass surgery is a recommended procedure, you should have that early rather than delaying it," said Dr. Trevor Orchard of the University of Pittsburgh, whose study appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Orchard said the study, also being presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting in New Orleans, offers evidence on how best to treat people with both type 2 diabetes and heart disease. More than 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.

For GlaxoSmithKline, the study represents a positive sign that Avandia may be safer than earlier analyses had suggested.

But it may be another blow for stent makers such as Boston Scientific Corp and Johnson & Johnson, whose U.S. sales plummeted after a similar study two years ago showed stents were no better than drugs at preventing death and heart attacks in all types of heart patients.

Stents are wire mesh tubes that prop open diseased arteries after they have been unclogged during angioplasty.

QUESTIONING ANGIOPLASTY

In a commentary in the journal, Dr. William Boden of the University at Buffalo in New York said doctors should question why so many diabetics still get angioplasty.

"The continued high rate of use of (angioplasty) (1.24 million procedures per year in the U.S.) and the high rate of drug-eluting stent usage strongly suggests that we critically reassess our approach to revascularization, if needed, in diabetics with coronary disease," Boden wrote.

Diabetics with stable chest pain account for about 40 percent of all U.S. patients who get angioplasty, according to Wachovia analyst Larry Biegelsen, who said the findings could cut U.S. procedures by 3 percent.
The study involved 2,368 patients who either got treated right away with angioplasty, usually with a stent, and drugs or simply got drug treatment. It found no difference in the rates of death, heart attack or stroke after five years.
Abbott Laboratories Inc spokesman Jonathon Hamilton downplayed the findings and said many patients in the study were treated with older stents. He said in an e-mail newer stents might have shown a benefit over medical treatment.
The study also looked at the risks and benefits of two strategies for controlling blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes, in which people lose the ability to use insulin.

One group took insulin injections or drugs known as sulfonylureas that boost the body's production of insulin. The other took insulin-sensitizing drugs like metformin or drugs known as glitazones, which include Avandia or Takeda Pharmaceutical Co's pioglitazone, brand name Actos.

Orchard said about 60 percent of patients in the insulin-sensitizing group took rosiglitazone or Avandia. He said there was no increased risk of heart attacks among patients in this group.

(Editing by Maggie Fox)


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Sunday, June 07, 2009

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Eating disorder – Myth and Fact

Martha

We often difficult to separate the fact from popular beliefs. This is some fact from popular beliefs/myth related to eating disorder. Read this, because knowledge can help many people to deal with their eating disorder. And remember that it is incredibly important to get help as soon as you notice that there is a problem, and do not feel ashamed to reach out for help.

All diet can lead to Eating disorder. ( Myth )
Though dieting is not synonymous with an eating disorder, it can increase a person’s chance of developing one.

Only teenage girls can suffer from eating disorders. ( Myth )
Anyone at any age can fall victim to this terrible disorder.

All exercise is healthful, more exercise will always make you more healthy. ( Myth )
Extreme exercise is dangerous. Too much exercise is hard on your body
and can cause stress fractures and other serious medical problems.

You can never fully recover from an eating disorder. ( Myth )
Recovery takes a long time, but with hard work and the proper treatment, you can fully recover from your eating disorder.

Men with eating disorders are always gay. ( Myth )
Someone's sexual preference has nothing to do with them developing an eating disorder.

Eating disorders are solely a problem with food. ( Myth )
With all eating disorders, weight is the focus of life. By focusing on food, weight and calories, a person is able to block out or numb painful feelings and emotions. Some use food as a way to comfort themselves. Eating disorders are NOT a problem with food. They are in fact only a symptom of underlying problems.

Eating disorder is not connected with obesity. ( Myth )
Recent years have seen a renewal of interest in the relationship between eating disorders and obesity. Two eating disorders have now been linked to obesity. The first is binge eating disorder and the second is the night eating syndrome.

Bulimics always purge by vomiting. ( Myth )
Not all bulimics try to rid themselves of the calories they have consumed by vomiting. Purging can take the form of laxatives, diuretics, exercising, or fasting.

Bulimia can not cause death. ( Myth )
Bulimics are at a high risk for dying, especially if they are purging, using laxatives and doing excessive exercise. Many bulimics have died from cardiac arrest which is usually caused by low potassium or an electrolyte imbalance. Others have died from a ruptured esophagus.

People with eating disorders do this to hurt their family and friends. ( Myth )
People with eating disorders are doing this to themselves. They are usually very upset when they know the people around them are worried or hurt by their eating disorder.

People cannot have more than one eating disorder. ( Myth )
Many people have more than one eating disorder. It is very common for someone to suffer with more than one eating disorder.

Compulsive eating is not an eating disorder. ( Myth )
It is very much an eating disorder and is just as serious as anorexia and bulimia.

Eating disorders have increased in frequency as a consequence of society's emphasis and preoccupation with thinness. Understand the causes of eating disorder and free yourself from eating disorder for your health.


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Saturday, June 06, 2009

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Eating disorder – The Causes

Why does my son have an eating disorder? Why did this happen? Is it my fault?”
There are usually multiple triggers and factors that contribute to an eating disorder, not one single cause. So it is not our intention to place blame, or to suggest that parents have caused the condition. We want to bring awareness to the triggers, so that eating disorders can be more easily averted.
Causes Eating Disorders usually lies in some combination of the social, environment, and biological attributes, and/or the family dysfunction of each individual.

Personalities
The feel as though they are not good enough, that they never do anything right, feelings of helplessness, loneliness, and a fear of becoming fat.
Traumatic event or experience can also increase the probability of developing an eating disorder such as childhood physical or sexual abuse.

Cultural factors
The society emphasis on being as thin as models at the same time that were encouraged to eat fast food and use alcohol.
Some advertisement promise that thinness leads to romance, success, and a lifetime of happiness.The advertising strategies lead many viewers to feel negatively about their bodies and to think that changing themselves to look a certain way.

Biology
Some experts estimate that genetic factors are the root cause of many cases of eating disorders. The results of the studies so far remain unable to confirm that genetics contribute to, or indeed cause, eating disorders. But there is evidence that low levels of the brain chemical serotonin receptors play a role in compulsive eating. These receptors are a part of the pathway which helps signal hunger and fullness to the body and it is thought that this might affect eating disorders.

Relationship and environment pressures
Relationship disappointments/conflicts, feeling controlled by others, and family influences. A mothers who are overly concerned about their daughters' weight and physical attractiveness may put the girls at increased risk of developing an eating disorder. In addition, girls with eating disorders often have father and brothers who are overly critical of their weight.

Understand the myth and fact about eating disorder also can help you.


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Saturday, June 06, 2009

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Eating disorders

The term of eating disorder can mean many different things to different people. There are many types of eating disorder and we can develop these disorders for variety of reasons.
Eating disorder is a serious problem. More than 5 million people in the United States have an eating disorder. It can cause severe emotional or physical problems, and even can lead to death.

What is eating Disorder?
This is a complex illness because is not only about the food, it is also about

control.
Characterized by a disturbed sense of body image and a fear of obesity that show up as abnormal patterns of handling food, constantly thinking about being overweight, and disturbed eating patterns,

Eating Disorder categories
Eating disorders can be divided into two main/major categories. The first is called anorexia nervosa, which involves limiting what you eat. The second category is called bulimia, which involves eating large amounts of food (binging) followed by an urgent need to vomit (purging). Certain types of overeating also may require medical treatment.

Persons with Anorexia Nervosa deliberately attempt to lose weight through self-starvation or starvation diet. They try to handle about how much food they will eat, they count calories, and often skip meals. They will deny any problem with their eating habits, and will resist any efforts made to get them to eat healthy or return to a more healthy weight.
It most frequently affects young women, but is also found among both genre of all ages. Usually occurs in age 10 to 18 but again, it can happen at any age.

Persons with Bulimia is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating-the rapid eating of food, especially high calorie food within a few hours, bulimics either self-induce vomiting, use laxatives and/or diuretics or strict dieting.
Bulimia can have serious long-term physical consequences, such as damage to the stomach, tooth enamel and vocal cords. About 90 Percent of bulimics are women.

What's the treatment?
Help is available in many form, include family or individual doctors, psychiatrists, dietitians and elf-help support groups.

Deny that anything is wrong and pretend that everything is fine, actually will make the problem worse. Facing the problem as soon as possible is the first step to dealing with it.

Eating disorders are not the kind of problem that can typically be dealt with without the help of a medical professional. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you need help treating your disorder or the disorder of a loved one.

Psychotherapy can help people with eating disorders understand why they limit their food intake or why they binge and/or purge. This understanding can lead to healthier attitudes about food.

Meetings with an eating disorder support group and joining an eating disorder treatment centre are some well known resources to get eating disorder treatment.

You must know about the causes and myth of eating disorders. It will make you understand how to prevent or deal with it.

A right eating disorder treatment can lead you to a healthier and happier life.

Find a counselor in your area who specializes in treating eating disorders and let them help you through the process.

Finally, obessive diet sometimes can lead to eating disorder. Be careful in your weight loss campaign and don't fall into this wrong habit.


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Friday, June 05, 2009

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High-fiber diets

Why do many people follow this kind of diet? What the benefits they got from High-fiber diets ?

Fiber plays a very important role in a healthy diet. Fiber is also known as roughage. It is the indigestible part of plant foods that pushes through our digestive system, absorbing water along the way and easing bowel movements.

People who eat relatively high amounts of whole grains were reported to have low risks of lymphomas and cancers of the pancreas, stomach, colon, rectum, breast, uterus, mouth, throat, liver, and thyroid. A diet high in fiber is protective

against heart disease.

High-fiber diets are more likely to improve health than cause any health problems. Also useful for people who wish to lose weight. Fiber has no calories, yet provides a "full" feeling because of its water-absorbing ability. This can help treat or prevent overweight/obesity.

Below are some ways that you can do to increase the fiber in your diet:
Eat a high-fiber cereal for breakfast.
Increase fiber in meat dishes by adding pinto beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, bran, or oatmeal.
Eat whole grain breads
You can fruits to your diet by eating them during meals or snacks
Drink plenty of water when adding fiber to your diet

What do I need to avoid in High-fiber diets ?
Add fiber to your diet slowly. Adding a lot of fiber to your diet too quickly may cause abdominal bloating or gas or stomach discomfort.

Avoid food products made with processed grains, such as white flour or white rice, as they contain minimal fiber content.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, as opposed to drinking fruit and vegetable juices, since fiber is removed during the juicing process.

You can find more about fiber benefits can find in this articles.

Everyone should be adding more fiber to their weight loss program. Although fiber is important, it is just one part of a properly balanced diet.


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Monday, June 01, 2009

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High Fiber Benefits

What is fiber, what the benefit from fiber to our body, and what kinds of food contain high fiber? This articles will help you find out the answer for all that question.

Most people get less than half of the fiber they need. The average American's daily intake of dietary fiber is only 12-18 grams. The recommended for adult women is over 20 grams of fiber everyday and men should over 30 grams ( depending on how much calorie intake ). For example 2000 cal/8400 kJ diet should include 25 g of fiber per day. Children is that intake should equal age in years plus 5 g/day. Four years old should consume 9 g/day. ( based on ADA's recommendation )

Fiber is carbohydrates that cannot be digested by our body. Fiber provides no nutrients to the body because it is resistant to digestion. Fiber is present in all fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. We can categorizing fiber by how easily it dissolves in water. The first is soluble fiber that partially dissolves in water. And the other is insoluble fiber that does not dissolve in water. Since insoluble fiber particles do not change inside the body ( chemical process inside the stomach by the enzymes and acid ), the body should not absorb any energy from them.

But you don't have to know all about fiber to get benefit from it. When you eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, you usually get most of the fiber you'll need, which means you'll also be lowering your risk of diabetes, heart disease, diverticulitis, and constipation.

Eating food with high fiber has many benefits for your health. Soluble fiber reducing your cholesterol levels by lowering LDL cholesterol and may reduce onset risk or symptoms of metabolic syndrome and diabetes, when insoluble fiber reduces your risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids. Both type can making you feel full faster and may reduce appetite, so can help you in your weight loss program.

The Harvard studies of male health professionals and female nurses both found that a diet high in cereal fiber was linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
Another study published in this month's Diabetes Care (27:1281-1285) found that consumption of a high-fiber cereal reduced the rise in peak insulin compared with that seen after a low-fiber product.

Below are some fiber resources

Grain Products:
whole grain breads, buns, bagels, muffins, whole-wheat pastas and whole grains such as barley, popcorn, corn and brown rice

Fruits:
dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes and raisins, berries such as blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, oranges, apple with skin, avocado, kiwi, mango and pear

Vegetables:
broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, green peas and other dark green leafy vegetables, dried peas and beans such as kidney beans, lima beans, black-eyed beans, chick peas and lentils

Nuts and Seeds:
nuts and seeds such as almonds, whole flaxseed and soynuts

Today fiber have been sold as supplements or food additives.

Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods is the best way to receive the maximum benefits from each type of fiber present in foods.


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