By ALICIA CHANG, AP Science Writer – Thu Feb 26, 4:15 AM PST

Debbie Mayer, who was part of the clinical trial, poses at her home in Brockton, Mass. Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009. Low-fat or low-carb, as long as your diet lowers calories and you stick with it, you can lose weight, finds a federal study that followed people for two years – one of the longest such comparisons. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)

LOS ANGELES – Low-fat, low-carb or high-protein? The kind of diet doesn’t matter, scientists say. All that really counts is cutting calories and sticking with it, according to a federal study that followed people for two years. However, participants had trouble staying with a single approach that long and the weight loss was modest for most.

As the world grapples with rising obesity, millions have turned to popular diets like Atkins, Zone and Ornish that tout the benefits of one nutrient over another.

Some previous studies have found that low carbohydrate diets like Atkins work better than a traditional low-fat diet. But the new research found that the key to losing weight boiled down to a basic rule — calories in, calories out.

“The hidden secret is it doesn’t matter if you focus on low-fat or low-carb,” said Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, which funded the research.

Limiting the calories you consume and burning off more calories with exercise is key, she said.

The study, which appears in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine, was led by Harvard School of Public Health and Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana.

Researchers randomly assigned 811 overweight adults to one of four diets, each of which contained different levels of fat, protein and carbohydrates.

Though the diets were twists on commercial plans, the study did not directly compare popular diets. The four diets contained healthy fats, were high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables and were low in cholesterol.

Nearly two-thirds of the participants were women. Each dieter was encouraged to slash 750 calories a day from their diet, exercise 90 minutes a week, keep an online food diary and meet regularly with diet counselors to chart their progress.

There was no winner among the different diets; reduction in weight and waist size were similar in all groups.

People lost 13 pounds on average at six months, but all groups saw their weight creep back up after a year. At two years, the average weight loss was about 9 pounds while waistlines shrank an average of 2 inches. Only 15 percent of dieters achieved a weight-loss reduction of 10 percent or more of their starting weight.

Dieters who got regular counseling saw better results. Those who attended most meetings shed more pounds than those who did not — 22 pounds compared with the average 9 pound loss.

Lead researcher Dr. Frank Sacks of Harvard said a restricted calorie diet gives people greater food choices, making the diet less monotonous.

“They just need to focus on how much they’re eating,” he said.

Sacks said the trick is finding a healthy diet that is tasty and that people will stick with over time.

Before Debbie Mayer, 52, enrolled in the study, she was a “stress eater” who would snack all day and had no sense of portion control. Mayer used to run marathons in her 30s, but health problems prevented her from doing much exercise in recent years.

Mayer tinkered with different diets — Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach — with little success.

“I’ve been battling my weight all my life. I just needed more structure,” said Mayer, of Brockton, Mass., who works with the elderly.

Mayer was assigned to a low-fat, high-protein diet with 1,400 calories a day. She started measuring her food and went back to the gym. The 5-foot Mayer started at 179 pounds and dropped 50 pounds to 129 pounds by the end of the study. She now weighs 132 and wants to shed a few more pounds.

Another study volunteer, Rudy Termini, a 69-year-old retiree from Cambridge, Mass., credits keeping a food diary for his 22-pound success. Termini said before participating in the study he would wolf down 2,500 calories a day. But sticking to an 1,800-calorie high-fat, average protein diet meant no longer eating an entire T-bone steak for dinner. Instead, he now eats only a 4-ounce steak.

“I was just oblivious to how many calories I was having,” said the 5-foot-11-inch Termini, who dropped from 195 to 173 pounds. “I really used to just eat everything and anything in sight.”

Dr. David Katz of the Yale Prevention Research Center and author of several weight control books, said the results should not be viewed as an endorsement of fad diets that promote one nutrient over another.

The study compared high quality, heart healthy diets and “not the gimmicky popular versions,” said Katz, who had no role in the study. Some popular low-carb diets tend to be low in fiber and have a relatively high intake of saturated fat, he said.

Other experts were bothered that the dieters couldn’t keep the weight off even with close monitoring and a support system.

“Even these highly motivated, intelligent participants who were coached by expert professionals could not achieve the weight losses needed to reverse the obesity epidemic,” Martijn Katan of Amsterdam’s Free University wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Cutting calories key to weight loss: study

Overweight patients cast a shadow at a weight reduction clinic. A new study has found that eating heart-healthy, low-calorie foods and exercising is the key to losing weight regardless of levels of protein, fat or carbohydrates.(AFP/File/Frederic J. Brown)

The research, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, seems to argue against blanket use of diets that do not necessarily limit calories but call for eating certain foods such as vegetables or proteins, at the expense of others.

The NIH study of 811 volunteers, 38 percent of them men and 62 percent women, aged 30-70 and either overweight or obese, looked at diets that have been popular in the United States in recent years, even as the number of obese Americans has soared.

The “Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies (POUNDS LOST) study found similar weight loss after six months and two years among participants assigned to four diets that differed in their proportions of these three major nutrients,” said researchers.

“The diets were low or high in total fat (20 or 40 percent of calories) with average or high protein (15 or 25 percent of calories). Carbohydrate content ranged from 35 to 65 percent of calories.

“The diets all used the same calorie reduction goals and were heart-healthy low in saturated fat and cholesterol while high in dietary fibre,” said researchers, whose study is published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Participants lost an average 13 pounds (5.9 kilos) at six months and maintained a nine-pound (four-kilo) loss at two years.

“These results show that, as long as people follow a heart-healthy, reduced-calorie diet, there is more than one nutritional approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight,” said Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, director at NHLBI.

“This provides people who need to lose weight with the flexibility to choose an approach that they’re most likely to sustain: one that is most suited to their personal preferences and health needs,” she stressed.

Sixty-six percent of US adults are overweight and of those, 32 percent are obese, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data show.

By AFP – Thu Feb 26, 8:42 AM PST

By David G. Castro
Vitamins are a group of organic food substances or nutrients found only in living things, plants and animals. They can be divided into two classes based on their solubility: the water-soluble ones and the fat-soluble ones.

The first vitamin group (water-soluble) the folate (folic acid), vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin 6, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). The second vitamin group (fat-soluble) include the vitamins: vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

Even though vitamins and minerals aren’t an energy source (they have no calories) they assist in metabolizing nutrients in food and are indispensable in keeping body health.

Vitamins are necessary in small amounts for normal metabolism and good health so their depletion or excess can lead to chronic and sometimes acute diseases.

Functions:
Each vitamin has a specific function. For instance, a person may exhibit a typical health problem due to deficiency of a vitamin.

Vitamin A helps the formation and maintenance of teeth, bone and soft tissue, mucous membranes and skin health.

Vitamin B6 is also called pyridoxine. The more protein a person consumes, the more vitamin B6 is required to help the body use the protein. Vitamin B6 helps, among other things, the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of brain function.

Vitamin B12 like other B vitamins, is important in metabolism and also helps the formation of red blood cells and maintenance of the central nervous system.

Vitamin C also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. This vitamin helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue and also promotes wound healing.

Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because the body produces after exposure to sunlight. 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure three times a week is sufficient to produce the physical requirements of this vitamin. This vitamin promotes the absorption of calcium in the body, essential for developing and maintaining healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain adequate blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.

Vitamin E also known as tocopherol plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K.

Vitamin K does not appear in the list of essential vitamins, but without it blood would not clot. Some studies suggest that help maintain strong bones in the elderly.

Niacin is a vitamin B complex that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves and also has effects on cholesterol lowering.

Folate works with vitamin B12 to help in the formation of red blood cells and is necessary for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Any pregnant woman should make sure to consume adequate amounts of folate, since low levels of this vitamin is associated with birth defects such as spina bifida. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid.

Pantothenic acid is essential for the metabolism of foods and also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol.

Riboflavin (B2) works in conjunction with other B complex vitamins and plays an important role in body growth and the production of red blood cells.

Thiamine (B1) helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for the functioning of the heart and maintaining healthy nerve cells.<br><br><font size=1>

David C. is the author of the Vitamin Supplement Blog, read more about vitamins and supplements at http://www.myvitaminsupplement.net.  Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_G._Castro

By Jerry Ryan
In order to perform all the functions of life, our physical bodies use a variety of energy forms. The most common energy used is derived from the food that we eat each day. The variety of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats that make up our daily diet are processed by our digestive system and converted into energy that can be used at the cellular level. The metabolic energy contained in foods varies from food type to food type. Some foods contain components necessary for repairing the cells. Some foods contain ingredients that are needed for regenerating replacement cells for those that are dying. But the majority of our food is converted to chemical energy that is used by our body to perform its day-to-day activities.

The second form of energy that is used by our physical bodies is electrical energy. Action within the human body is caused by a transfer of information from one location to another. The line of transmission that is used is primarily our nervous system. The transmission itself is achieved by firing of electrical impulses from nerve to nerve. Although there are thousands of electrical impulses being fired at any given point in the day, there is a method of prioritization by the brain in order that it may address the most critical body needs prior to those that are less urgent. The more rapidly in nerve fires its signal, the higher the intensity that is perceived by the brain. If the firing rate of a nerve is slower, the brain interprets that signal as less serious. Research has shown that cells are similar to integrated circuits that are found in computers and other electronic devices. There is now a field of medical research known as bioelectronics that is studying the cellular information transmission systems.

Light is the third form of energy that our body uses to communicate information. Each of the cells in our body puts out a small pulsation of light. Although it is extremely weak, these pulses of light are measurable in the ultraviolet range. Researchers have found that the small bursts of light emitted by living cells increases when a poison has been introduced to the cell culture. An experiment performed by Russian scientists almost fifty years ago demonstrated how the ultraviolet light pulsations transmit information across a distance. Cell cultures were placed in separate quartz Petri dishes placed side by side and a toxic substance was added to one of the Petri dishes. Both cultures died. When an identical set of cultures were placed in glass Petri dishes and the experiment was repeated, all in the culture that contained the poisonous substance died. Because ultraviolet light passes through quartz but not glass, these results suggested the transfer of information between the two cell cultures that resulted in cellular death for both was transmitted by ultraviolet light emitted from the cells.

To get the best performance possible from your body, it is important to take care of all the energy needs. Proper nutrition, exercise, and exposure to the sun are necessary to recharge your batteries that are drained by the daily stresses of life. If your energy level is down and you feel like your batteries are drained, try recharging your diet, your workout plan, and your time in the sun.

Jerry Ryan, Ph.D. is a Natural Health Coach who teaches individuals and group classes on the scientifically documented benefits of natural health techniques. He is also an internationally published author and has been a guest speaker at such places as NIKE World Headquarters. For more information, his website is http://www.JerryRyanPhD.com
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By Joe Love

The better care you take of yourself, the more calm, positive, and creative you will be. This is why often your best thinking, your best ideas and your best decisions come after a holiday, vacation or period of rest.

You can increase the quality of your life by eating right and getting the right amount of rest. You’ll also find that by taking more time off you’ll create more opportunities for high quality thinking time which will have a positive affect on your life, career and income.

The phrase that “you become what you think about” is never truer than when it comes to eating and exercise. The way you think about food and exercise determines how much you eat and how much you exercise you get. If you change your thinking about food and exercise you change your behavior toward both.

Everyone wants to enjoy high levels of health and vitality. Your current levels of energy and physical well-being are perhaps the best indicator as to how well you are currently doing in your life.

Here are seven keys to maintaining high levels of vitality and physical health:
1. Maintain a proper diet. Eating a proper diet requires that you eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and more lean sources of protein. Eat more fish, chicken, prime cuts of meats, egg whites, low fat yogurts, and soy products. When you eliminate most fats from your diet and replace them with high-quality vegetables and lean-sourced protein you’ll increase your levels of energy, clear your mind, and lose weight.

2. Eliminate the three white poisons. The three white poisons that are common in most diets are white sugar, white salt and white flour. These three poisons are inert substances. In other words they contain little or no food value and are mostly used as preservatives in canned goods, soft drinks and snacks. If you reduce or eliminate foods that contain sugar, salt, flour and replace them with more fruits, vegetables and lean-source proteins your will feel happier, healthier and more energetic almost overnight.

3. Maintain proper hydration. Water is one of the greatest aids to good health that you can possibly consume. Studies show that you should drink eight glasses of water daily and more if you’re doing physical labor or exercising. In fact medical studies have shown that as much as 70 percent of all health problems can be eliminated or reduced by increasing your water consumption. This is mainly because of the tremendous amount of toxins and impurities that you flush from you body when you drink water.

4. Maintain the proper weight. This simply means that you should eat less and exercise more. The way you think plays a dominant role in your eating and exercise habits. For example, people who are overweight often think about the pleasure of eating and give little or no thought to how they will look and feel afterwards. Whereas people who are never overweight are usually very thoughtful about how they will look and feel after eating. They don’t like the feeling of being full or looking fat, so they eat less and stop eating sooner.

5. Get the right amount of exercise. Studies show that on average you need to get 210 minutes of exercise weekly or about 30 minutes per day to maintain a high level of fitness. You can get daily exercise from a variety of activities such as, walking, swimming, cycling, golf, tennis and exercise equipment. Perhaps the best exercise you can get is doing aerobics for 20 to 30 minutes, 3 to 5 times per week. One important note on exercise: Before you start an exercise routine you should get a complete medical check-up.

6. Get the right amount of daily vitamins and minerals. It’s almost impossible to get the right amount daily vitamins and minerals that you need from diet alone. This is why you should at the very least take a multi-vitamin each day. Opinions vary widely on which vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements are good and how much of each you should take. You should consult your doctor or a nutritionist before you start taking other supplements in addition to a multi-vitamin.

7. Get the right amount of rest and relaxation. You need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night to be fully rested. It’s important that you give your body, mind and emotions time to recuperate from the day. If you can take a short 20 minute nap during the day. Have at least one day set aside during the week just for your family and recreation where you don’t think about your work at all. Here’s an important rule to remember: The time when you most need time off is when you don’t have time to take time off.

You should think of your body as a machine that is designed to last 100 to 120 years with the proper care and maintenance. Take good care of it. Feed your body the proper foods and nutrients. Drink lots of water. Exercise regularly. Rest and recuperate, and give your body a chance to recharge on a regular basis.

Your body is the best investment you can make. It pays for itself over and over again, every minute, every hour and every day. As you develop the habit of good health, nutrition, exercise and overall proper care for your body it affects every other area of your life in a healthy and positive way as well.

Copyright©2008 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and success coaching programs (http://www.jlmandassociates.com/resources.php?). He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in career coach training (http://www.jlmandassociates.com/resources.php?). Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world, on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing. Joe is the author of three books, Starting Your Own Business, Finding Your Purpose In Life, and The Guerrilla Marketing Workbook.

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By Caroline Selfe

Holistic stress relief methods heal the root cause of tension and worry. By eliminating the stressor as opposed to the stress-related symptoms, permanent healing is achieved.

Holistic healing delves into all aspects of a person to find stressors. Lifestyle, nutrition, emotions, thoughts and belief systems and spiritual life are taken into consideration.

Holistic stress relief methods correct physical, mental, emotional and spiritual imbalances. Even if the imbalance is unknown, healing can still take place.

Here is how holistic stress relief methods can work in your life.
· Physically – Through nutrition and exercise, physical stressors can be relieved. Poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle prevent us from living our best life. Proper nutrition and regular activity can also prevent serious conditions and illnesses. Also, taking care of yourself physically will increase your resiliency from stress.

· Mentally – Negative thoughts and belief systems cause stress and negative behavior. By transforming negative thinking, your whole life can turn around. Anxious thinking can be tamed which will greatly relieve mental fatigue. After all, your life is a product of your thinking.

· Emotionally – Fear, anger, worry and all negative emotions can cause physical conditions and illnesses. Healing emotions is a powerful way to improve well-being. Holistic practitioners use the energy system or chakras to heal negative emotions. These feelings can build up from childhood and never be released. Healing negative emotions gets rid of the baggage that brings you down.

· Spiritually – Many holistic healers believe illness is a result of spiritual detachment. Being incongruent with one’s Essence can cause physical, mental and emotional turmoil. Ignoring your passions, enjoyment and intuition keeps you from being your true self. Developing your spiritual nature allows you to live a more purposeful and stress-free life.

Achieving holistic health means discovering the highest aspects of yourself. Utilizing the many holistic stress relief methods will help you lead a more balanced, healthy life. Many people turn to holistic healing out of frustration with conventional medical practices for stress-related conditions. Conventional medicine treats symptoms. Holistic health focuses on cause for lasting relief from stress.

To receive a valuable free report and newsletter click here: Free Report (http://www.stress-relief-for-well-being.com/free-report.html)
Discover holistic stress relief methods at: Holistic Stress Relief (http://www.stress-relief-for-well-being.com/holistic-stress-relief.html)
To check out more ideas, click here: Stress Relief Ideas (http://www.stress-relief-for-well-being.com/stress-relief-ideas.html)
Caroline Selfe has been a passionate seeker of natural and holistic stress relief methods for the past 25 years.

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By Dr Barry L Marks Dc

Most patients end up in their doctor’s office because they have broken one or more rules.

Every sport has rules. Break them and you are penalized. God has created rules for our universe. Break them and there are consequences, ie: the Law of Gravity. Falling off a ladder is breaking this rule that says we should keep our feet on the ground or else it can lead to a hospital visit.

There are also rules for Life and health. Break these rules and you will find yourself in my office more frequently. Obey these rules and you will enjoy better health and fewer doctors’ visits.

Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, and fatigue are merely signs or signals that we are breaking the rules. They are a gentle reminder that if we continue to break the rules we may face a stiff penalty. How often have you had a minor ache that you put off because it was “small” and could wait a few days only to find yourself hunched over and barely able to walk? The red light on your dash isn’t your car telling you to speed up! It means, “pull over and check me out, there is a problem.” Same for your body.

The rules…
Thou shall breathe. The intake of oxygen fuels our entire body. Quality is more important than quantity. Take deep breaths through your nose and exhale slowly. Most people breathe too shallowly, failing to get enough oxygen into the lungs and blood stream. Avoid airborne pollutants as much as possible. Use the little “recycle” button on your car air conditioning unit and roll up your windows while driving. Nobody needs more carbon monoxide.

Thou shall ingest nutrition. Your body needs adequate vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber to operate, repair itself and grow. Quality foods and supplementation are necessary to fuel our bodies properly. Avoidance of foods that “feel” or taste good, but provide no positive benefits should be avoided.

Thou shall expel wastes. Touchy subject. Here are the medical facts, regardless of what Aunt Dolores tells you. What goes in must go out. Elimination takes two routes; liquid and solid. The more you eat the more is eliminated. A normally functioning gastrointestinal system should expel solid waste at least twice each day. If you are once a day or less, you are breaking the rules!

Thou shall have adequate hydration. Feel thirsty? You’re already dehydrated! Drink up my friend! Every one should carry a water bottle or cup and drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Without water nothing works right. Want to lose weight? Drink more water. Have headaches? Drink more water. Have wrinkles? Drink more water. Want to be rich? Drink more water and then open up a water store!

Thou shall move. “…Baby, we were born to run!” Movement of all of our joints and muscle is crucial to preventing premature degeneration (arthritis). Movement also increases blood and lymph flow, which is essential for proper health. Staying in one place more than an hour causes muscles and joints to tighten up and circulation to slow down.

Thou shall rest. All this running around, drinking water, eating and eliminating can make a body tired. Your body needs time to re-charge itself and to repair tissues that are constantly breaking down due to use. If you fall asleep in less than 15 minutes or are yawning during the day you are sleep deprived. Go to bed a little earlier and when you can, take a nap.

Thou shall love. We are communal people who need and crave contact and love of others. Don’t be selfish, give your love to others and receive love from others to keep in balance. Hermits are rarely healthy or happy. That’s why they are called “crabs!” Sorry.

Thou shall forgive. “Unforgiveness” is a sin. Everyone blows it now and then. When we do, we may hurt others. When that happens, don’t we want forgiveness? Of course, so why not begin by forgiving others.

Thou shall serve others. True value in life comes from helping others. Centering our lives on selfish pursuits will only isolate us and prevent us from health and happiness. If you are not in a service industry, find a way to help others. The more you give of yourself the more you are rewarded.

Thou shall see life as a journey. Carry a light load and smell the flowers along the way. Don’t get too caught up in accumulating things. You will eventually leave this world with what you started with. Nothing.

Thou shall perish. It’s inevitable. Modern medicine has miraculous ways of extending the date, but it is a date certain. Rather than thinking of it as a disease, embrace it as a natural process of our life. We are here, we give to others, we enjoy life and then we are gone, at least from this life.

Your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being depend on adhering to these rules. Break them and there is a price to pay. Break some rules and the penalty is swift and severe. Others are less swift, but over time they will exact their penalty.

There is one last rule. I have saved it for last because it is the most important and also the most controversial. If I put it in earlier, you may not have read this entire message because I offended you.

Thou shall take responsibility for following the rules and paying the consequences. Don’t blame me or any other doctor when your x-rays show you are severely degenerated. I/we didn’t do that. Only your breaking of the rules over a long period of time can do that. It is up to you to adhere to these rules.When you see your x-rays, lab results or other medical diagnostic tests, you are seeing a scorecard. The scorecard tells you how well you have been following the rules. Or in some cases how badly you have broken them!

No one can do anything about time past and health lost due to breaking the rules previously. What can be changed though, is how you play the game starting right now. Are you going to continue breaking the rules and suffering? Or are you going to play it clean and follow the rules and be the best you can be tomorrow and the next day?

Dr. Barry L. Marks, DC…chiropractor, author and lecturer on disc herniation, sciatica, whiplash and carpal tunnel. He is a former Associate Clinical Professor and has been in practice since 1986. You may reach Dr. Marks at his Orange, CA office at (714) 938-0575. His articles and ebooks can be found at http://www.drmarks.com and a Free Consumer’s Guide to Severe Back, Disc and Sciatica Pain can be found at http://www.cureforlowerbackpain.com

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