Friday 23 November 2012

Appetite or Hunger.....?


The two (2) main drives that influence our desire to eat and thus take in food are hunger and appetite. Hunger our primary physiological or internal drive is controlled by internal body mechanisms.
Organs such as the liver and brain interacts with hormones, nervous system and other parts of the body to influence feeding behaviour. Appetite on the other hand, is our primary psychological drive to eat and is affected by external food choice mechanisms such as seeing a tempting bowl of Egusi Soup.
When you fulfill either or both drive by eating sufficient food , it brings about a state  of satiety, temporarily halting our desire to continue eating, all thanks to the hypothalamus our satiety regulator. When stimulated, either by hunger or appetite , cells in the feeding center of the hypothalamus signals us to eat.
           As we eat hunger decreases .When we are full, the satiety center of the hypothalamus are stimulated and we stop eating. Chemicals, Surgery and some cancers can destroy the feeding center activity . We tend to eat little and eventually lose weight and without the satiety center activity , we can eat ourway to destiny !
Feeding behavior also changes in response to body fat like Liposuction and tummy tuck can increase food consumption. Social customs , peers and authority figures can influence the desire to eat. Concern about appearance when on a date can influence the food choices made.We are also likely to eat more when we are with a large group of people than when with a few or alone. Also when someone else is picking up the cheque we tend to over eat. The easy availability of fast food has made weight control even harder. But does appetite really regulate what we eat? Almost everyone including me has encountered a mouth watering dessert or devoured it even on a full stomach.
We often eat because we see food. It smells good, looks good and tastes good. We might eat because it's the right time of the day  e.g Breakfast or Lunch or we are celebrating. Stress or depression can often send you to the refrigerator.
            The next time you pick up a candy bar, a bowl of ice-cream or ask for a second helping, ask yourself: Why am I eating? Where food is ample , appetite - not hunger  mostly triggers eating. Try to keep track of what triggers your eating for few days. Appetite or Hunger? Keep in mind that your body is not a dumping ground. You can eat your way to obesity over time, if you are not careful to balance  your energy intake with your energy expenditure.

Tuesday 30 October 2012

How watermelon prevents heart attacks, Weight gain



A daily slice of watermelon could help prevent heart disease by haling the build-up of harmful cholesterol, new research shows.
Scientists who carried out studies on mice fed a high fat diet found the fruit halved the rate at which ‘bad’ low density lipoprotein or LDL, accumulated. LDL is a form of cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries and heart diseases.
The study was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Researchers from Purdue University in the United States, also found eating watermelon regularly helpful to control weight gain and resulted in fewer fatty deposits inside the blood vessels. They believe the secret to watermelon health-boosting properties lies in Citrulline, a chemical found in the juice. Previous studies have suggested Citrulline has a role to play in heart disease prevention by lowering blood pressure.
                Although, the latest investigation showed no significant effects on blood pressure, it did reveal watermelons had a powerful impact on other heart risk factors. Heart disease is Britain biggest killer. Around 270,000 people a year suffer a heart attack and nearly one in three die before they reach hospital.

                     …………… regular checkup is important

Friday 28 September 2012

The Right Choice....


Almost 8 – 10 women chose the wrong sized bra . Besides, the breasts size of a woman changes many times during the life span due to fluctuation in weight . I hope this will be helpful to those who don’t know or probably forgotten .
To know your cup size :          
·       Measure the body circumference ( just below breasts ) to measure band size
·       Use a measure tape around the body as well as the nipples
·       Deduct the size of the band from the size over the breasts to determine the  cup size as follows :
A – cup
B – cup
C – cup
D – cup
DD – cup
DDD - cup

Thursday 27 September 2012

Ptosis (Sagging Breasts) : Causes & Treatment


It is a fact that breast sagging also referred to as ptosis is a condition experienced by all women sooner or later in their life (except those having small breasts) . Usually it is a condition occurring in adulthood, but it is now frequent among teenagers. For many of us it occurs quiet early even without pregnancy, this is possible in the case of those with heavy breasts.
          Most women are concerned about the breasts sagging, for they feel it reduces their attractiveness. But as a matter of surprise, it is not a turn-off to many men. Don’t panic if you see your breasts have started to sag early for there are numerous options available because it is much easier to prevent the worsening of drooping than treating it.
Some of the common CAUSES of sagging breasts however include:
AGE – the most common factor responsible for sagging breasts lies in growing age. The skin tends to get loose because of inefficiency in producing  sufficient amount of elastin and collagen thus, leading to the breasts to sag or droop down.
BRA – it is a common misconception that wearing a bra prevents the breasts from sagging. As a matter of fact, the ligaments involved in holding the breasts can get thinner and weaker if a bra is worn all the time.
SMOKING – this is due to the reason that tobacco smoke carries free radicals responsible for damaging skin cells thus, resulting in loss of elasticity. This can further result in facial wrinkles and drooping breast.
WEIGHT REDUCTION – when weight is loss, some amount of fat ebbs from the breasts. Generally, the skin and the ligaments contained by the breasts do not pull back accordingly leading to an empty looking breast which then droops.
BREASTS SIZE & GRAVITY – can pull down the skin and ligaments in heavy breasts. When gravity stretches the breast depending on the ligaments and the elasticity of skin, as specified by your diet and genes besides the normal aging process, the breasts tend to droop. Naturally, heavier breasts will droop more easily for they are being pulled down more by the gravity.

Certain TIPS and WAYS which can help in avoiding or slowing down the process of breasts sagging without requiring to go under knife. These include:

REPLACING OLD BRAS – even the best bra available have a life as long as 6 – 9 months. The cup and the band size get over stretched over time and the weight of the breast.
          Moreover, the bra material is also weakened through washing thus making the bra more stretched over passing time. It is recommended to hand-wash bras in cold water and avoid drying it in a heated drier.
MASSAGE – regular massage on breasts helps increase the circulation in breast tissues. This increased circulation budges fresh oxygen through the muscles and tissues allowing the body to heal itself.
          It implies that the body contains fresh oxygen to encourage the growth of collagen thereby, increasing elasticity.
MOISTURIZING – use moisturizing lotion on the body everyday. Dry and dehydrated skin is weaker and more at risk of getting stretched. It is advisable to look for products containing collagen-boosting ingredients, like holy basil or Echinacea.
SUPPORTIVE BRAS – in your days of being young , your breasts might have delineated, staying frisky even while moving bra-less. It is time to give your breast a break from all the heavy lifting from a supportive bra.
·       Go for bra that fits you properly
·       That keeps your breast in place all day
The main consideration while selecting the perfect bra is that the nipples should rest between the shoulder and the elbow. If the breasts droop lower, get re-fitted with a better spportive bra. Then the breasts will hold their shape even without a bra for a longer time if they are kept supported.
Other efficient solution are;
·       Breast Augmentation Surgery
·       Pectoral Exercises
·       Breast uplifting

........be Breasts aware.....

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Lose Weight, Gain Health


Generally, it has been discovered that excess weight gives room for several chronic diseases that is been diagnosis in the different parts of the world with different health specialist trying to proffer solution.

Excess weight weight is measured by the following simple methods:

Body Mass Index ( B.M.I ) which incorporates both height and weight, is a convenient measurement to assess a person's body fat content.

                                       B.M.I = Weight/Height2

B.M.I results are classified as follows :
 Classification
 B.M.I ( kg/m2 )
 Risk of H.D
 Underweight
 < 18.5
 Low (but risk of other clinical problems increased)
 Normal Range
 18.5 - 24.9
 Average
 Overweight
 > 25

 Pre- obese
 25 - 29.9
 Increased
 Obese Class 1
 30 - 34.9
 Moderate
 Obese Class 2
 35 - 39.9
 Severe
 Obese Class 3
 > 40
 Very severe


 Weight circumference is a simple and convenient method for predicting disease associated with excess weight 


Normal
Increased
Substantially increased risk
Women
< 80cm
80cm – 88cm
                > 88cm
Men
< 94cm
94cm – 102cm
                > 102cm

 

        DO check your B.M.I today, to stay healthy......