Medical News

After we eat, the food we eat is converted into energy. The way that your body processes and uses the food you eat is referred to as your metabolism. Rather than speaking of a ‘fast’ or ’slow’ metabolism, think of it as efficient or inefficient.

There’s usually little difference between the metabolic rates of people who are of normal weight or those who are overweight — except in those cases where hypothyroidism is involved. Some overweight people — specifically those with a hypothyroid condition — don’t consume more calories than people of average weight, yet may even gain weight at lower calorie levels.

The thyroid is one of the largest endocrine glands in the body. It’s found in the neck, below the thyroid cartilage. It controls how quickly the body uses energy or makes proteins, and how sensitive the body is to other hormones. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone.

Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to run the body’s metabolism, people with this condition show symptoms associated with a slow metabolism. Estimates vary, but some say ten million Americans may have this condition, and as many as one in ten women may have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency. Hypothyroidism is more common than you might suppose, and millions of people are currently hypothyroid and don’t know it.

There are two common causes of hypothyroidism. The first is a result of inflammation of the thyroid gland, which leaves many of the cells of the thyroid damaged or dead, and incapable of producing sufficient hormone. The most common cause of thyroid gland failure is called autoimmune thyroiditis, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, a form of thyroid inflammation caused by the patient’s immune system.

The second major cause is the broad category of medical treatments. The treatment of many thyroid conditions requires surgical removal of part or all of the thyroid. If the total mass of thyroid producing cells left is not enough to meet the body’s needs, the patient will develop hypothyroidism. This can also happen when goiters and some other thyroid conditions are treated with radioactive iodine therapy. The aim of this is to kill a portion of the thyroid to prevent goiters from growing larger or producing too much hormone, a condition called hyperthyroidism. As you might imagine, this is when the thyroid produces an excess of hormone, producing symptoms such as feeling too hot, losing weight, and lack of sleep. Sometimes, the result of radioactive iodine treatment is that too many cells are damaged, eventually making the patient hypothyroid.

Common symptoms of hypothyroidism are as listed here:

- Fatigue and weakness
- Weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
- Coarse, dry hair, and dry, rough, pale skin
- Hair loss
- Inability to tolerate the cold
- Muscle cramps
- Constipation
- Depression and irritability
- Memory loss
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Decreased libido

Any of these apply to you? If you suspect you have hypothyroidism, consult your GP. If you have undiagnosed hypothyroidism, anything you do to raise your metabolic rate and so lose excess weight may fail. In which case the first, essential step is to get a thyroid test.

And if you have been tested and are being treated, you need to make sure your treatment is optimized. This means the proper drug and dosage, as well as supplements to support thyroid function. An efficient metabolism requires the smooth running of many complex bodily processes which rely on antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, and the B vitamins.

Let’s face the facts: If you need to lose weight—and many of us are in this boat these days—you’re going to have to exercise. There’s just no way around it. Starving yourself is not the way to lose weight. You’ll just end up losing muscle mass, slowing down your metabolism, and making it harder for you to ever get your health on track.

Making Exercise a Priority

If you want to be healthy, you’re going to work at it. And I don’t mean that you’re just going to get out a couple times a week and move around a little—sort of as a fun hobby. No, what I mean is that you’re going to have to exercise every day. And if you can’t do every day, you’re going to have to exercise 5-6 times per week. Any less will do you no good. That’s all there is to it.

Of course, the problem many people face is that there just never seems to be enough time for exercising. There’s kids, work, spouses, eating, and millions of other responsibilities. Exercise just seems to fall to the wayside. After all, exercising isn’t the easiest thing in the world, so it’s easy to set it aside in favor of other things.

What you’re going to do is this: You’re going to make exercise a top priority. No longer will you say,

“I don’t have time to exercise, so I’m not going to”.

Instead, if you must, you’re going to cross something—anything—else off your schedule. Make exercise #1, as it should be. I know it’s tempting to think of your career and family as your top priorities. That should remain true in a sense, but when you are healthy and physically fit, you put yourself in a much better position to further your career and take care of your family. Trust me, exercising pays off.

Fortunately, I know a trick: It’s morning exercise. Get into the habit of exercising first thing in the day, and you’ll be all set for a happy, healthy, and fit life.

Why Morning Exercise?

When you really look at the reasons to exercise in the morning, it’s a no brainer. There are three main points:

1. First of all, exercising rouses your energy and metabolism. After a particularly strenuous bout of physical activity, it can take your body hours to return to its natural state of rest. Thus, when you exercise in the evening, it can actually interfere with your sleep. And when you sleep poorly, all aspects of your life are affected. On the other hand, exercising in the morning gives you an energy boost and gets you ready to start your day with vigor.

2. Exercising in the morning prevents you from allowing other activities to push fitness aside. The longer you wait, the more likely it is that things will come up that make it more difficult for you to get your daily exercise. Just treat your morning fitness session like any other appointment. Set your alarm clock, and don’t procrastinate. Get right up and go, without fussing about it.

3. Finally, it’s no secret that exercising in the morning gives you a nice endorphin boost that puts you in a good mood to start your day. But there’s also the simple fact that when you exercise in the morning, you can give yourself permission to feel good about yourself for the rest of the day. As your going through your work day and then your evening responsibilities, you’ll be able to say, “I’ve done well today, because I exercised.” The power of this feeling cannot be underestimated. Plus, when you get it out of the way early, you can clear it from your mind, rather than having that irksome voice in the back of your mind all day saying, “Don’t forget to exercise today!”

On a related note, there is one danger to exercising early: Later on, you may be tempted to reward yourself with a large meal or a sweet treat. Resist this. Instead, reward yourself once a week with a day off from exercise and, yes, maybe something special to eat.

There is an organ which proves to be important in your metabolism and is located above your thyroid glands. They are known to be the parathyroid glands which secrete hormones called the parathyroid hormones. They are responsible for controlling the calcium in your blood. Oftentimes these hormones tend to overflow and this abnormality is called hyperparathyroidism. It is important that you know more about the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. The bad thing about it is the fact that symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are hard to determine. There is a need to regulate the calcium in the body for it to function well. Calcium is the main composition of our bones. It is needed to transmit signals in neurological system. Too much of this hormones can cause the bones to break and release calcium.

In most cases, symptoms of hyperparathyroidism are not clear. It can get worst without being detected. When doctors are trying to detect the symptoms of hyperparathyroidism, they use a mnemonic device in order to remember. One of which happens in the skeletal system. This condition can make the bones soft because calcium went to the blood. As result there is a pain in the bones and joints. They tend to fracture because there are no enough minerals. Too much calcium in the blood can make a person get kidney stones. Calcium can be formed in a crystal form and the kidney is used as filtering device. This is so painful and it is an experience that you want to avoid.

Symptoms of hyperparathyroidism can be felt in the abdomen. This includes constipation, nausea and vomiting. One can also experience weight loss because of lack of appetite. People with this kind of symptoms of hyperparathyroidism may tend to groan. There are also psychological symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. A person can get very depressed and feel weak. They tend to lack sleep. People with severe hyperparathyroidism can be comatose because of too much calcium in the blood.

There are other symptoms of hyperparathyroidism. This condition can lead to a person having high blood pressure. It may also increase the chance of pancreatitis. If you think you have the symptoms it is important to consult your doctor. The symptoms of the disorder can be very vague. It would require one to undergo tests before a person can verify if he or she has the disease. There is a need to have a thorough conversion with a doctor to properly indentify hyperparathyroidism.

Most people who decide they need to lose weight are aiming to improve their appearance, but the health benefits of good nutrition and a sound exercise program are ultimately far more valuable.

Study after study has demonstrated that obesity is a significant threat to longevity and good health, but many people are not even aware that they are medically obese – the generally accepted definition of obesity is over 25% body fat for men, and over 32% body fat for women. An estimated 20% of American adults fit this profile.

The problem only gets worse with time: The average American adult puts on about a pound a year after the age of 25, meaning that by middle-age many people have put on 25 pounds or more. To make matters worse, your metabolism naturally slows down as you age, while at the same time, sedentary adults tend to lose one pound of lean muscle mass every year from inactivity, depressing metabolism even more.

The dangers of excess body fat range from insulin resistance and diabetes to heart disease and cancer, and the cause-and-effect relationship is not difficult to understand: If you are overweight, your heart has to work that much harder to supply fresh blood to the body, making everything from moving around to simple breathing more of an effort. Over time, this extra effort takes its toll, resulting in damage to the heart muscle.

Obesity also comes with a greater risk of high cholesterol, which can increase the chances of developing arteriosclerosis, in which the blood flow in the arteries is slowly choked off by plaque deposits, depriving internal organs of adequate blood supply and forcing the heart to pump harder, raising blood pressure. A full 25% of heart problems today can be traced directly to obesity.

While many people may be aware that obesity can damage the heart, few are aware that it can also result in a higher risk for cancer – in men, being overweight comes with a higher risk of prostate and colon cancer, while in women the risk of uterine and breast cancer is significantly higher. It is believed that excess body fat serves as storage for carcinogenic toxins in the body, and these toxins can leach from fat packed around the internal organs.

The good news is that by losing weight you can undo much of the damage caused by excess body fat and reduce your risk factors for cancer and heart disease – in fact, studies have shown that losing just 10-15% of your body weight can improve your overall heart health and cholesterol levels even more than prescription drugs in many cases.

Those who lose weight and exercise regularly have proven to be eight times less likely to die of cancer and heart disease, and 53% less likely to die of other diseases.

Even if it takes you several years to implement a healthier way of life, the results over the long term will be more than worth the effort.

Would you like to discover the best times to eat normal foods to help you burn fat?

Weight loss is a big question for every woman after she gives birth. The extra weight gained during pregnancy and dealing with post pregnancy body is what bothers every woman. The idea is to reclaim your body by getting back to shape.

But with every new baby there is another side of the story, one not nearly as glamorous, one however, that deserves to be heard. After giving birth my wife had gained 21 pounds, this is the story of how together we helped her shed it off.

Eat foods in the right combination’s. Getting the right amounts of carbohydrate, fat and protein in each meal and snack will help keep you feeling full, keep your metabolism burning more fat and help reduce cravings.

Many of those with expertise in the medical field advise slowly getting into a weight loss regiment following giving birth. After a three month waiting period, a combination of a low-fat diet and light exercise is recommended to reach your weight-loss goals.

Also, you moving at a pace unlike any other time in your life. You’re up early and down late. But napping is neccessary, so take full advantage of it.

The higher caloric requirement for breastfeeding is one reason that extra body fat is stored during pregnancy – so that mom has an available source of extra fuel to make milk. So, breastfeeding creates a unique opportunity to help mom lose fat more quickly by burning up that stored fat.

A good diet for pregnancy comprises of nutritious and high-density foods. Never do any harsh diets, always ensure that you get enough nutrition especially so if you are breastfeeding.

A traditional workout system would not be able to deliver results for mums suffering from post-pregnancy belly fat, what is more needed is a targeted workout regime for the lower stomach as well as the core muscles.

It is still highly debatable whether or not breastfeeding can actually help lose the post-pregnancy weight. What is certain though is that breastfeeding is highly beneficial for your baby and slightly convenient for you. It lets you add 300 calories or more on your diet without compromising your weight.

Drink lots of water – this will cleanse your body, make you feel full and keep your metabolic levels high. Your body really loves water! Have at least 8 glasses of it each and every day. Water keeps your body hydrated and satisfied.

Another weight loss after pregnancy tip is to eat healthy foods. This will help you burn body fat quickly. Some of the foods that you should eat include whole wheat breads and pastas, yogurt, fruits, lean meats, veggies, and nuts. Also, be sure you eat every couple of hours.

Fast weight loss after pregnancy is really just a figment of our imaginations. But, weight loss after pregnancy is completely possible through healthier eating and light to moderate exercise.