Shakerela Health Design

Picture yourself at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Are you facing the buffet, or are you sitting with your back to it? Are you in a booth or at a table? Do you cruise the whole buffet line before deciding what to eat, or do you just plunge right in? To the well-trained eye, the way you behave in a buffet line could say a lot about you – and could very well affect how much you eat.

Picture yourself at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Are you facing the buffet, or are you sitting with your back to it? Are you in a booth or at a table? Do you cruise the whole buffet line before deciding what to eat, or do you just plunge right in? To the well-trained eye, the way you behave in a buffet line could say a lot about you – and could very well affect how much you eat.

A couple of years ago, a paper published in the journal Obesity1 revealed some interesting findings from a cleverly-designed study. A total of 22 ‘trained observers’ were scattered among 11 all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets throughout the country, where they slyly watched over more than 200 diners.

They’d been trained to accurately estimate the weight and height of random patrons, then use this information to estimate their body mass index (or BMI) which is a simple way to express a person’s weight in relationship to their height. After they’d done that, they sat back, watched, and recorded what they saw – and the findings were remarkable.

There were clearly observable differences in behavior between normal weight and heavy-set people. Those with BMIs in the normal range were more likely to sit in a booth, while the high BMI folks were much more likely to sit at a table. The heavier people were also more likely to seat themselves so they could view the spread, rather than sitting with their backs to it.

The observers also noticed that the normal-weight diners tended to ‘scope out’ the whole buffet before deciding what to eat – and they put their final choices on moderately-sized plates. Most overweight diners just started at the beginning of the line and piled on the foods – and they used larger plates to do it. Even the choice of utensils differed – a lot more normal-weight people chose to eat with chopsticks, while the heavy ones opted for a fork.

Now, anyone who’s trying to lose weight knows that there are lots of tips for modifying eating behavior – eat slowly, keep tempting foods out of plain sight, practice portion control and pre-plan your meals. So what made this study so interesting is that it was a real-world observation of these principles at work.

When foods are easy to get and eat, we tend to eat a lot more of them. We’re pretty adept at using forks to shovel our food in, so it’s not surprising that heavier people might favor this method, since it’s the easiest and fastest way to get the job done. It’s also a lot easier and faster to get out of a chair rather than a booth in order to make a return trip to a buffet.

Taking a quick tour around the buffet first – something the normal-weight diners tended to do – says you’re planning ahead for what you’re going to eat. Heavier diners seemed to have only one plan – to eat, and eat a lot. And they threw another portion-control trick out the window when they opted for larger plates. Keep tempting foods out of plain sight? Hard to do when you sit facing the buffet line.

If it’s value you’re after, consider the nutritional value of your meal rather than how much food you’re getting for your dollar. Just because the sign says “all you can eat”, doesn’t mean you should.

1Wansink B and Payne CR. Eating Behavior and Obesity at Chinese Buffets. Obesity. 16(8):1957-60, 2008.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

Original Sources: Discover Good Nutrition »

You give snacks to your kids??? Think again before you will regret it.

Cookies, sweets, flavored milk and snacks = sugar

Why sugar harmful for children?

1. They become over active and can't concentrate to learn in school
2. The become sugar addicted and likely to get diabetes 
3. It break down the child's immunity system and  they get sick easier
4. It make them feel full so that they don't feel hungry for normal healthy food
5. It creates mood swings of a child
6. It dehydrates young children
7. It increase sleeping disorder
8. It will get bad teeth
9. It wear out the pancreas quickly
10. Easy to get infections from others children

One of the biggest complaints people have about eating healthy is the perception that it requires more hours in the kitchen to prepare nutritious meals. But there are so many convenience items available now that preparing healthy meals is a snap.

For protein, you can buy fish or poultry that’s already seasoned and ready for quick grilling or frozen pre-cooked shrimp that can be tossed with some pasta and veggies for a quick dish. And don’t overlook canned tuna, salmon or chicken breast that can be added to salad greens, rice dishes or soups.

You can also boost the nutritional value of condensed soups by mixing them with nonfat milk or soy milk instead of water. As the soup is heating, toss in some frozen mixed vegetables, or some loose pack spinach to add nutrition, flavor and bulk. Frozen-loose pack vegetables allow you to use only what you need and are ready to eat in minutes.

Salad preparation can be quick thanks to pre-washed salad greens, all sorts of pre-sliced and chopped veggies and baby carrots. Add a splash of lowfat bottled dressing and some pre-cooked chicken or shrimp and you’ve got a quick and healthy meal.

Fresh, pre-washed and cut veggies are available in the produce section, and if your market has a salad bar you can often find them there, too. Pop them in the steamer, toss with some pre-chopped garlic or onions when they’re crisp-tender, and you’ve got a gourmet dish in minutes.

Written by Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD. Susan is a paid consultant for Herbalife.

Original Sources: Discovery Good Nutrition

By Alina Simon
Wed, Feb 10, 2010
New Straits Times 

BENTONG - Malaysians' penchant for skipping breakfast and eating late, especially at night, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle is ruining their figure and health.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said obesity is becoming the major health issue with the number of obese people almost tripling in the past 15 years from four per cent in 1996 to 14 per cent in 2010.

Click here to find out more!
And since obesity is the gateway to other chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart and kidney problems, he said the risk of more Malaysians developing these diseases will become greater in future.

Liow said the ministry would soon mount a health campaign aimed at educating the public on how to prevent these chronic diseases.

He said the ministry would seek help from non-governmental organisations to reach out to the people especially in villages and rural areas.

"The problem with us is that Malaysians just love to eat especially late night suppers and we don't exercise.

"Unlike our forefathers who woke up early and had an early and heavy breakfast and light dinner, we wake up late and often miss breakfast and even lunch. But we make it up by having a heavy late dinner.

"Our forefathers did physical work and sweated it out, but we work in an office and rarely exercise. That is why obesity is becoming a problem, even among children," he said after distributing Mandarin oranges and angpows to patients during a visit to Bentong Hospital here yesterday.

Liow, who is also Bentong MP, said the ministry was worried over the rise in the number of patients with chronic diseases, especially in rural areas.

"When the haemodialysis machines at the hospital here were increased from four to 14, the number of patients also grew from six to 55 now.

"Considering that Bentong is a small town with only a population of 140,000, the number of kidney patients is high compared to the national average of 70:100,000 population."

Earlier, Liow witnessed the handing over of three new haemodialysis machines from Radicare (M) Sdn Bh chief operating officer Halwah Abdul Manap to hospital director Datuk Dr Chandra Sekanan Raman.

Liow also announced that the ministry would consider sending more medical specialists especially trauma specialists to the hospital since it handled a lot of trauma and accident cases due to its proximty to Karak Highway.

He also visited the hospital's new four-storey building which is due for completion in 2012 which will house the patients' wards, emergency clinic and mortuary.

Original Sources from : AsiaOneHealth.com

Putting these foods into your diet are excellent substitutes for other foods that may not be healthy.
--Katherine Tallmadge













Read more>>

Doctors and wellness practitioners around the globe are recognizing that there is a direct correlation between having an unhealthy breakfast or no breakfast at all and our health, our vitality, our appearance and our susceptibility to disease. They also recognize that by simply changing our breakfast we can radically affect our entire lives.


Backed by over 29 years of research and development and over 60 million results satisfied customers around the globe. Now you too can experience the amazing benefits for yourself.

Nutrition tips and diets from different sources often conflict with each other. You should always check with your doctor first. Also, keep in mind this advice:

• There is no "magic bullet" when it comes to nutrition. Short-term diets may help you lose weight, but they are difficult to keep up and may even be unhealthy in the long run.
• Good nutrition doesn't come in a vitamin pill. Only take a vitamin with your doctor's recommendation, as your body benefits the most from eating healthy, whole foods.
• Eating a variety of foods is best for your body, so try new foods!
• Stories from people who have used a diet program or product, especially in commercials and infomercials, are advertisements. These people are usually paid to endorse what the advertisement is selling. Remember, regained weight or other problems that develop after someone has completed the program are never talked about in those ads.

Sources from: FamilyDoctor.org

Probably, but even very small changes can improve your health considerably. The key is to keep trying to eat the right foods and stay in touch with your doctor and nutritionist, so they know how you are doing. Here are a few suggestions that can improve your eating habits:

• Find the strong points and weak points in your current diet. Do you eat 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables every day? Do you get enough calcium? Do you eat whole-grain, high-fiber foods regularly? If so, you're on the right track! Keep it up. If not, try adding more of these foods to your daily diet.
• Make small, slow changes, instead of trying to make large, fast changes. Small changes will be easier to make and stick with.
• Keep track of your food intake by writing down what you eat and drink every day. This record will help you see if you need to eat more from any food groups (such as fruits, vegetables or dairy products) or if you need to eat less of a good group (such as processed or high-fat foods).
• Think about asking for help from a nutritionist if you haven't already done so, especially if you have a medical problem that requires you to follow a special diet.
  

Sources from: FamilyDoctor.org

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, you may need to change what you eat everyday.

• Has your doctor talked with you about a medical problem or a risk factor, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol?
• Did your doctor tell you that this condition could be improved by better nutrition?
• Do diabetes, cancer, heart disease or osteoporosis run in your family?
• Are you overweight?
• Do you have questions about what kinds of foods you should eat or whether you should take vitamins?
• Do you think that you would benefit from seeing a nutritionist? (A nutritionist is a registered dietitian who specializes in nutrition counseling.)
  

Sources from: FamilyDoctor.org

What is your body status? Are you in the perfect Status? If not? Do you Have any solution? Do you want to know HOW AND WHY? Find out by clicking the banner below....

What shape you have does matter. Read on…( from article found in American Heart Association)

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4756

Available in Malaysian Family Physician association too http://ejournal.afpm.org.my/v1n2-3/metabolic_syndrome.htm

This is for male, female with >35” already at risk

The culprit seems to be metabolic syndrome. This is the tendency to put on weight that is genetic; in the past, when human diets were “feast or famine” it probably kept people alive. Nowadays, with lots of cheap easily obtained food, it leads to insulin resistance, central obesity (”apple” shape, not “pear shape”)

You eat too much, and your body becomes “insulin resistant”, that is it has to put out more insulin to metabolize (process for energy) the food you eat. Eventually, this wears out the pancreas cells that produce insulin, resulting in Type II diabetes.



What is the metabolic syndrome?

The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. They include:

• Abdominal obesity (excessive fat tissue in and around the abdomen)
• Atherogenic dyslipidemia (blood fat disorders — high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol — that foster plaque buildups in artery walls)
• Elevated blood pressure
• Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance (the body can’t properly use insulin or blood sugar)
• Prothrombotic state (e.g., high fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor–1 in the blood)
• Proinflammatory state (e.g., elevated C-reactive protein in the blood)
  

People with the metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls (e.g., stroke and peripheral vascular disease) and type 2 diabetes. The metabolic syndrome has become increasingly common in the United States. It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans have it.

The dominant underlying risk factors for this syndrome appear to be abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a generalized metabolic disorder, in which the body can’t use insulin efficiently. This is why the metabolic syndrome is also called the insulin resistance syndrome.

Other conditions associated with the syndrome include physical inactivity, aging, hormonal imbalance and genetic predisposition.

Some people are genetically predisposed to insulin resistance. Acquired factors, such as excess body fat and physical inactivity, can elicit insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome in these people. Most people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity. The biologic mechanisms at the molecular level between insulin resistance and metabolic risk factors aren’t fully understood and appear to be complex.

How is the metabolic syndrome diagnosed?
There are no well-accepted criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome. The criteria proposed by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III), with minor modifications, are currently recommended and widely used.

The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that the metabolic syndrome be identified as the presence of three or more of these components:

• Elevated waist circumference:
  Men — Equal to or greater than 40 inches (102 cm)
  Women — Equal to or greater than 35 inches (88 cm)
• Elevated triglycerides:
  Equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL
• HDL (“good”) cholesterol:
  Men — Less than 40 mg/dL
  Women — Less than 50 mg/dL
• Elevated blood pressure:
  Equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg
• Elevated fasting glucose:
  Equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL
  

AHA Recommendation for Managing the Metabolic Syndrome:
The primary goal of clinical management of the metabolic syndrome is to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Then, the first-line therapy is to reduce the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease: stop smoking and reduce LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels to the recommended levels.

For managing both long- and short-term risk, lifestyle therapies are the first-line interventions to reduce the metabolic risk factors. These lifestyle interventions include:

• Weight loss to achieve a desirable weight (BMI less than 25 kg/m2)
• Increased physical activity, with a goal of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most days of the week
• Healthy eating habits that include reduced intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol
  

I continue to advocate controlling your calories and keeping the daily calories around 2,000 calories or less. Athletes need more, but the average person is not a professional athlete.

This study was done in animals, not humans, but the the science suggests that restricting the amount of calories we consume, while avoiding malnutrition, may extend lives and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

“Our data indicate that adult-onset moderate caloric restriction delays the onset of age-associated pathologies and promotes survival in a primate species,” wrote the researchers.

If you check your food labels, you will notice that it recommends 2,000 to 2,500 calories/day. In most industrialized countries, each citizen has about 4,000 calories available to them everyday.

Continue to eat your fresh fruits and vegetables and exercise frequently.

I'm getting ready for 2 weeks in Europe and I hope you have a great weekend!
all the best of health to you,
Dr. Luigi

Source: Science
10 July 2009, Volume 325, Pages 201-204
"Caloric Restriction Delays Disease Onset and Mortality in Rhesus Monkeys"
Authors: R.J. Colman, R.M. Anderson, S.C. Johnson, E.K. Kastman, K.J. Kosmatka, T.M. Beasley, D.B. Allison, C. Cruzen, H.A. Simmons, J.W. Kemnitz, R. Weindruch

I like this research information so much that I had to send you another article today!

I often meet men who tell me that they forget things like keys and dates and times. Daily supplements of soy isoflavones could help boost a man’s mental function and memory, according to findings of a small study from Australia.

Men receiving daily supplements of the isoflavones performed significantly better in tests of their working memory, report scientists from the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers, led by Peter Howe, recruited 34 healthy men to participate in their 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial. The men were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of 116 mg soy isoflavones, providing 68 mg daidzein, 12 mg genistein, and 36 mg glycitin, or placebo for 6 weeks. They were subsequently crossed-over to the other intervention for the following 6 weeks.

Tests of memory, mental function, and visual-spatial processing performed before and after the supplementation period showed that the isoflavone supplements were associated with improved spatial working memory; “a test in which females consistently perform better than males”, said the researchers.

There is so much controversy about soy protein in the news, but consistent research shows that moderate soy consumption appears to have a myriad of health benefits.

Best of health again!
Dr. Luigi


Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, First View article, doi:10.1017/S0007114509990201
“Soya isoflavone supplementation enhances spatial working memory in men”
Authors: A.A. Thorp, N. Sinn, J.D. Buckley, A.M. Coates, P.R.C. Howe

We have all enjoyed the delicious taste of grape juice but many of us dont know about the heart healthy benefits.

The secret is in the POLYPHENOLS which are plant nutrients that help reduce the bad cholesterol levels.
Grape juice is a rich source of polyphenols, potent antioxidants that 'mop up' harmful reactive oxygen species that have been identified as key to the aging process. A strong body of science has reported that grape juice can reduce the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol.

The researchers, from the CSIC and the University of Alcala in Spain, performed an in vitro study of red grape polyphenols in human cells, and found that the polyphenols were disrupted by the LDL-cholesterol transport in the pathway that sees molecules absorbed by cells.

Other antioxidants did not mimic the effect suggesting that the antioxidant activity of the polyphenols was not responsible for the effect on the LDL receptors.

Make sure to limit the amount of sugar in the juice you consume. You can often find sugar free or low sugar Grape juice. Another example of the power of plant nutrients in human health.
Wishing you the best of health!
Dr. Luigi

Sources from : Yahoo News

In the past year, nearly half of the 50 US states saw obesity rates rise and no state saw a fall in the number of people who were obese, according to the sixth annual "F as in Fat" report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
(AFP/File)


The United States is losing its battle against bulging waistlines, with two-thirds of Americans now overweight or obese, according to an annual report
(AFP/File/Greg Wood)


U.S. map shows adult obesity prevalence by state.


An overweight Brazilian boy plays with his mother on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, December 16, 2004.
REUTERS/Sergio Moraes


Shadows of patients at a weight reduction clinic. Weight-loss surgery that curbs food intake by stitching up parts of the stomach or small intestine reduces the risk of cancer in obese women by more than 40 percent, according to a study.
(AFP/File/Frederic J. Brown)

Obesity during early adulthood raises the chances that a person will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, according to a study released Tuesday.
(AFP/File)


Health experts have long warned of the risk of obesity, but a new Japanese study warns that being very skinny is even more dangerous, and that slightly chubby people live longer.
(AFP/Getty Images/File/Tim Boyle)


A man and child receive a hot meal at the Los Angeles Mission in April 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The recession has put US children at greater risk of everything from obesity, as parents substitute cheap fast food for healthy meals; to poverty, as adults lose jobs; to crime and instability, a report has found.
(AFP/Getty Images/File/David Mcnew)


Job seekers searching online for new opportunities at the East Bay Works One-Stop Career Center in Oakland, California, in January 2009. The recession has put US children at greater risk of everything from obesity, as parents substitute cheap fast food for healthy meals; to poverty, as adults lose jobs; to crime and instability, a report has found.
(AFP/Getty Images/File)


Donuts, French fries and fried chicken. Children in the United States are at risk of "recession obesity" as parents substitute cheap, fast food for healthy meals to try to weather the economic slump, a report published Wednesday showed.
(AFP/File/Robert Sullivan)

this week it was announced that obesity rates are continuing to increase. Although this data came out of the US, it means that Worldwide rates are increasing as well. The US is simply a cross section of the what's going on in the world.

Adult obesity rates increased in 23 U.S. states last year and did not fall in a single state, an annual survey released on July 1 found. Adult obesity rates now exceed 25% in 31 states, up from 28 states last year and 19 the year before that.

The problem appears destined to continue worsening, too, the report indicates. Among children 10-17, about 30% are overweight or obese in 30 states, says the survey, which also examined youth this time around. Study after study has found that overweight children are more likely to become obese as adults, and obese children are almost certain to remain that way.

Even more reason to focus on healthy eating and physical activity. Make sure to eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, control your calories within a reasonable amount somewhere around 2,000 calories/daily. also supplementing with nutrients if you are deficient in those nutrients in the daily diet is important...think of supplements as your "Nutritional Safety Net".

Wishing you all the best of heath!
Dr. Luigi

A patented extract of the Gymnema sylvestre plant has been found to stimulate insulin secretion in lab tests, opening the way for further research into its diabetes benefits.

A study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry examined the effect of the plant extract on mouse and human cells in vitro.


Gymnema sylvestre, grown primarily in the Indian sub-continent, has been used India for centuries as a traditional folk remedy to help maintain optimal health.


Persaud and colleagues from Kings’ College London tested the isolate in vitro on both mouse and human beta cells, which are the pancreatic cells that secrete insulin.


If you can find supplements with the Gymnema Sylvestre extract in them, they may help support blood sugar levels.

wishing you all the best of Health!
Dr. Luigi

Source: Characterisation of the Insulinotropic Activity of an Aqueous Extract of Gymnema Sylvestre in Mouse β-Cells and Human Islets of Langerhans
Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry 2009;23:125-132
Authors: Bo Liu, Henry Asare-Anane, Altaf Al-Romaiyan, GuoCai Huang, Stephanie A Amiel, Peter M Jones, Shanta J Persaud

A review of 15 studies into the influence of soy proteins or isoflavones on male hormones has found no evidence of an estrogen-like effect.
Soy has garnered attention as a healthy source of protein, and has been linked to a multitude of health benefits, including protection from breast cancer, prostate cancer, menopausal symptoms and heart disease. But some studies have suggested that soy isoflavones could affect male testosterone levels, due to their similarity in chemical structure to estrogen, which means they bind to estrogen receptors and can exert estrogen-like effects.

The meta-analysis of data was carried out by researchers at the University of Minnesota who wrote: “Because of the increasing popularity of soy foods and the availability of isoflavone supplements, there is an important public health need to understand the impact of soy isoflavones on reproductive hormone levels in men.”

They concluded: “These results suggest that consumption of soy foods or isoflavone supplements would not result in the adverse effects associated with lower [testosterone] levels.”


wishing you the Best of health!

Dr. Luigi

“Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men: results of a meta-analysis”
Authors: J. M. Hamilton-Reeves, G. Vazquez, S. J. Duval,
W. R. Phipps, M. S. Kurzer, and M. J. Messina.