Counting Calories Doesn't Help Weight Loss

It may sound strange to all who stick to their low-calories diets, but counting calories is actually a 19th century weight loss strategy. What’s more – it’s highly ineffective and tricks makes dieters stay hungry for no reason.

Did You Know That Weight Loss Supplements Have Side Effects?

Diet and weight loss supplements and super foods such as the Garcinia extract, the green coffee bean extract and the raspberry ketones became very popular in recent years among people who struggle with extra weight. Read more: Weight Loss But since no prescriptions are required for their use, are consumers really aware of their side effects and potential dangers?

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Where to Buy Green Coffee Bean Extract?

The green coffee bean extract first came in the spotlight several years ago when it was found to contain a lot of antioxidants which protect cells from aging, toxicity and the damage done by free radicals. In 2012, a small study found that it helps also weight loss efforts.

2012 Best Weight Loss Strategies on the Internet

The popular website Diets in Review.com has listed the most trafficked diet trends and the best weight loss strategies during the past year. Contrary on the expectations, not famous people’s diets are the most used and commented, but the more generic and conventional weight loss plans and programs.

Raspberry Ketones as New Weight Loss Miracle

This year, Raspberry Ketone Diet has become a national trend in America as an effective weight loss solution. The Raspberry Ketones is all over Internet and televisions, after a promotion in the Dr. Oz Show as the No. 1 miracle in a bottle to burn fat. So, it was the green coffee bean extract a while ago, but how  effective are these anti-obese products?

Top Supplements for Weight Loss

Top supplements for losing weight

Nowadays, obesity is a very serious problem for people from all over the world and that is why weight loss products are very popular. Losing weight is not just a matter of looking thin, it is a matter of feeling comfortable in your own skin. Here are three supplements for losing weight that are reportedly useful to people who struggle with weight.

Lack of Sunlight and Exercise increase Women's Risk of Osteoporosis

Over 40% of women in the UAE are at risk of not getting enough sunlight to source essential levels of Vitamin D and nearly 20% of this group are never exposed to the sun at all, according to results of an independent survey released today by Anlene. The “Lifestyle for Lifelong Bones” research which canvassed both Emirati nationals and foreign residents also revealed that 60% of women take only one hour of exercise or less a week, with over half of that group (31%) not taking any exercise at all.

Speaking of the results that were announced today in advance of World Osteoporosis Day, Joanne Todd, Fonterra Brands Nutritionist and Senior Health Platform Manager said: “Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to breakdown and increases fracture risk, is a major health risk in the UAE. Sufficient intake of Vitamin D is vital to absorb calcium and promote bone health. In fact, it’s so important that our bodies have the ability to create vitamin D when our skin (e.g. hands and face) is exposed to enough sunlight. There is no absolute guideline on an individual’s daily sun exposure due to a range of factors such as skin type, geographic location, gender and diet but for women to receive so little natural sun exposure or none at all is concerning. The results of the survey show that due to women’s extreme lack of sunlight exposure in the UAE, vitamin D deficiency could reach alarming levels with serious consequences for long-term mobility if it isn’t received from alternative sources such as food rich in Vitamin D.”

Al Rahba Hospital expands Women’s Health Program with new Digital Mammography unit

Latest technology will allow for on-site imaging and advanced detection analysis for early discovery and treatment of breast cancer 

Al Rahba Hospital has announced the expansion of its landmark Women’s Health Program with the launch of a new Digital Mammography unit specializing in the area of breast cancer detection. The new unit boasts the latest in digital imaging technology with all necessary mechanical and software features available on site, permitting fast image acquisition and archiving, secondary post-processing, and advanced computer analysis detection (CAD). The unit is also designed to be patient-friendly and in line with the cultural customs of the region, reducing as much as possible the inconveniences typically associated with breast examinations.

Hotline to guide mothers on breastfeeding

The Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms) will soon set up a hotline to guide mothers on breastfeeding, according to a health official.

"The ratio of breastfeeding is extremely low among UAE national women in the country. To encourage women to opt for this natural method rather than bottle feeding their babies, we will be providing this facility to them soon," said Dr Fatima Sultan Al Olma, head of the Mother and Babycare Unit at Dohms, explaining the reason behind the need to set up such clinics in the emirate.

She also explained that the hotline was part of the phased implementation of the baby-friendly clinics initiative in PHCs around the emirate.

"The objective of the project is to spread health awareness among mothers about pregnancy, breastfeeding and nutrition suitable for children at different stages of their lives," she said.

The project has already been implemented in Al Bed'a and Al Mamzar clinics in the first stages.

"Before this implementation, the staff at these clinics had to undergo a 20-hour orientation programme so that the clinics could acquire international accreditation as baby-friendly clinics by the World Health Organisation (WHO)," said Dr Fatima.
/Khaleej Times/

Womens' wineglass should be half full

Raising a glass of wine and wishing "Salud!" -- Health! -- is one of life's many pleasures.
But for women, this well-meaning cheer rings hollow: There's mounting evidence that drinking wine and other alcoholic beverages increases the risk of breast cancer.

That's not the image that many people have about sipping wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages in moderation. A recent Harvard study of 878 people found that nearly two-thirds of drinkers and about a third of teetotalers considered such imbibing to be safe and healthful. So healthful that about 30 percent of those surveyed said the purported health benefits of alcohol are one reason they drink.

The link between alcohol and breast cancer is something that "almost nobody in the study had heard about," says the survey's lead author, Kenneth Mukamal, an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston. Only 10 percent correctly identified breast cancer as a possible risk of moderate drinking, the researchers reported in the journal Family Medicine.

Since the survey ended, Mukamal continues to informally poll people at cocktail parties. "I've spoken with other colleagues and friends who I would have considered to be fairly sophisticated consumers," he says. "And most have no idea about this, either."

Yet just this month, Danish researchers added to a substantial base of evidence linking alcohol consumption to an increased risk of breast cancer in women. These results offer a cautionary note for younger women and underscore that it's never too early to go easy on alcohol. The researchers tracked nearly 10,000 women for 27 years. They found that the amount of alcohol the women consumed when the study began, rather than after menopause, correlated best with their breast cancer risk nearly three decades later.

If women do drink, there's widespread agreement that they should avoid having more than one drink per day. (A drink is 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits such as whiskey, tequila or vodka.) Just that amount of alcohol translates to "about a 10 percent increased risk of breast cancer," says Eric Rimm, an associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

More alcohol equals more risk. How much more? "Some studies suggest that two or more drinks per day are associated with about a 30 to 40 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer," says JoAnn E. Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. For women who have other risk factors -- a mother or sister with breast cancer, for example -- "that can be a substantial risk," Manson notes.

Just how alcohol raises breast cancer risk is something that researchers are still trying to understand. Alcohol is known to boost estrogen and other hormones, which are linked to breast cancer. In animals, alcohol has also produced some abnormalities of the mammary gland.

Mixing alcohol with hormone replacement therapy can be particularly risky, since alcohol and estrogen seem to augment each other. "That combination is something to avoid," Manson says.

But there may be ways to help cut the risk from drinking alcohol. One nutrient under investigation is the B vitamin, folic acid. Also known as folate, this vitamin gets its name from the Latin word for leaf, because it occurs in green, leafy vegetables, such as spinach, turnip greens and Swiss chard. Citrus fruits and dried beans are also rich in folate. Research suggests that women who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of breast cancer.

Since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration has mandated folate fortification in grain products, such as bread and pasta, to help prevent spina bifida and other neural-tube birth defects. Folate is also a common ingredient of multivitamins and of prenatal vitamins.

Alcohol blocks folate absorption from food. So researchers have wondered whether diets high in folate might offer protection against breast cancer among women who drink. A 1998 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association studied nearly 3,500 women with breast cancer and found no link between folate intake and overall breast cancer risk. But when researchers looked at women who had at least one drink of alcohol per day, they found that breast cancer risk was greatest among those with the lowest folate intake. "Our findings suggest that the excess risk of breast cancer associated with alcohol consumption may be reduced by adequate folate intake," the team reported.

In March, Manson and her colleagues published a report of a 10-year study of multivitamin use and breast cancer risk in nearly 40,000 women. Taking a multivitamin did not protect against breast cancer, except in women who consumed at least one drink daily. Those results "suggest that multivitamin use might help to counteract the elevated risk of breast cancer for women consuming alcohol," Manson says.

But experts say that doesn't mean that it's okay to imbibe and then pop a multivitamin or eat a lot of spinach to compensate. "There's no conclusive evidence that any vitamin or nutrient can cancel out the adverse effects of alcohol on breast cancer," Manson says. "Studies to date have been inconsistent."

Nor is there any evidence that one type of alcohol is better -- or worse -- than any other in terms of breast cancer risk. Red wine is often touted for health benefits. But there's "no clear evidence that beer or liquor is more or less likely to increase breast cancer risk than wine," Manson says.

What counts is how much you drink. Simply put, the more alcohol a woman drinks, the greater her risk of breast cancer. Or to put it another way, everything in moderation. Source

Early diagnosis is key to rheumatoid arthritis treatment

There is a critical need to educate primary doctors in the region about effectively managing Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), say experts from the Women’s Initiative for Rheumatoid Arthritis (WIRA).
The experts have also underlined the need for general physicians to become aware of the warning signs of RA in order to prevent premature disability and death of patients.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease, most commonly affecting women, in which the body’s own immune system attacks itself and leads to the destruction of the joints and tissues. RA is the most crippling form of arthritis and can lead to death. Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis include joint morning stiffness for more than 30 minutes for more than one month; pain in the hands and/or feet for more than one month; symmetrical joint swelling (i.e. both hands/both feet); and fatigue, which leads to difficulty in completing physical tasks.

Dr Nadia Al Mazroui, Military Medical Services Director at the Directorate of Medical Services and WIRA spokesperson said, “Early treatment of RA can be a realistic goal only if general practitioners and other non-arthritis specialists recognise the subtle warning signs and can refer patients promptly to a specialist, also known as a rheumatologist. Nevertheless, early diagnosis of RA is often difficult and confusing for the general practitioner. This often leads to delays in the referral of RA from primary care.”

If left untreated, up to 30 per cent of persons with rheumatoid arthritis become permanently work-disabled within the first two years of diagnosis.

Patients who can promptly seek medical attention are able to swiftly gain control of the disease. According to Dr Ali Jawad, Consultant Rheumatologist for Barts and the London National Health Service Trust at the Royal London Hospital, UK,

“It has been shown that early, aggressive, effective treatment significantly reduces radiographic progression in RA.”

“There is a misconception among patients and physicians that RA cannot be halted. While the disease cannot be cured, diagnostic and treatment methods have significantly improved. Newly introduced blood tests, such as anti-MCV testing and new medication, and the new advancements will help us bring patients to remission.

“This means there will be no need for patients to continue suffering from pain or disability, and they will not need to undergo surgery,” added Dr Jamal Al Saleh, Head of Rheumatology Unit, Dubai Hospital. Source

Free mammograms for women in need

Your click on the "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button helps fund free mammograms for women in need — low-income, inner-city and minority women whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is often limited. Your click is paid for by site sponsors, and mammogram funding is provided to clinics throughout the U.S. through the efforts of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, 178,480 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,460 die. One woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In addition, 2,030 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die this year.

If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 96%. Mammograms are among the best early detection methods, yet 13 million U.S. women 40 years of age or older have never had a mammogram.

The National Cancer Institute and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women in their forties and older have mammograms every one to two years. A complete early detection plan also includes regular clinical breast examinations by a trained medical professional. Monthly breast self-exams are suggested in addition. Source

Obesity causes infertility in women

Obesity is a major cause for infertility among women in the country, say experts.
During a Press conference, Dr Firuza Parikh, Director of Reproductive Gynaecology at Zulekha Hospital, Sharjah, said that excessive hormones caused the Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOs) which leads to infertility, ovulation, menstrual and cosmetic problems.
“In women above 40 years, such conditions can also lead to cardiovascular illnesses and osteoporosis,” she said.
“Obese women do not ovulate and, in fact, produce more of a male hormone (testosterone) which raises male patterns in the body such as balding on the head but more hair on the face and other parts of the body,” she explained, adding that this could lead to difficulty in conceiving.

A combination of lifestyle modifications, exercise, cutting down on foods with high sugar content and ovulation-inducing agents may help abate the condition, explained the doctor.

“Women in the country are leading a sedentary lifestyle which they need to change immediately,” added the expert.

Recent advances in hormonal modulation and its significant benefits to women of different age groups were highlighted at a symposium hosted recently by Zulekha Healthcare Group.

More than 150 experts in gynaecology, infertility, urology, internal medicine and pathology attended the symposium.

In his presentation, Dr Gautam Chaudhuri said, “Studies have shown that hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women protects them from heart disease. Some studies, especially the Women’s Health Initiative Study conducted in the United States, have shown that the timing of the treatment is extremely vital, and benefits can be gained only if the treatment is started at the onset of menopause.”

However, it is paradoxical that while certain studies have shown hormone therapy to be protective, it is also proven to increase cardiovascular disease in other groups of women if the treatment is started in the later stages of menopause, said the doctor. Source

Read more:

• Where to Buy Raspberry Ketone?
• Where to Buy Green Coffee Bean Extract?