Weight Loss and the Snowball Effect

We all know the familiar story. You go through your teenage years, you’re fairly active, and maybe you play a little sport. Because of these factors your metabolism is quite high so you don’t have a weight problem. Unfortunately this gives you a false sense of security and you develop a taste for fatty junk food. You develop a habit of unhealthy eating because your metabolism helps you burn off most of the calories from the junk food and so you don’t see any negative effects.

As you move into adulthood your priorities change and you give up sports and focus more on work and social activities such as parties and drinking. You notice that you have some extra body fat but by now you’ve programmed your lifestyle and still don’t worry about weight loss too much. As you get to your 30’s or 40’s however you have a considerable amount of body fat and you start to see the health problems associated with your unhealthy lifestyle.

What you have unwittingly done in your life to date is set the snowball effect in motion, accumulating all the little unhealthy lifestyle habits along the way until the snowball has not only gained speed but also become bigger year after year, and so have you. Like a large snowball rolling down a mountain, your health and body fat appear to be out of control and unstoppable.

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The Good News
The good news is that you can use the snowball effect in a way to achieve health and weight loss by making incremental improvements to your lifestyle across several areas. This will cause your new weight loss snowball to grow and gather speed and lead you back to health. The most important thing to realize is that while you may not see immediate results from the slight changes to your lifestyle, the combination of incremental improvements across a number of lifestyle areas over time will achieve the weight loss you’re looking for.

Here is a list of things you can do to start your new weight loss snowball rolling:

1. Get Active – To burn off some of the body fat and strengthen your heart you need to do some form of exercise. A good starting point is walking as it is a low impact, low risk activity. Start out with a short walk at first and aim to walk further and for longer each time. Once you have improved your fitness a little incorporate some star jumps; perhaps stop half way through your walk and do some star jumps and then do the rest of your walk.

2. Eat Healthier - Gradually replace high fat and high sugar foods with healthier alternatives. First start with perhaps one meal a day and progress from there. After a while you will be more accustomed to healthy food and will make better food choices.

3. Eat Smaller Meals – It is better to have more frequent meals than fewer large meals, so try cutting down your portion sizes and have a piece of fruit between meals.

4. Cut out Sugar Drinks - Eliminate soda drinks from your diet as they wreak havoc with your blood sugar, add body fat, and interfere with your hormonal system.

5. Reduce Alcohol – Alcohol has similar effects as soda drinks on your body so try to reduce your consumption as much as possible.

6. Drink lots of Water - Water helps eliminate all the body’s byproducts and is needed to flush the body of the waste associated with weight loss.

7. Get plenty of Sleep - It has been noted that a large proportion of people who don’t get adequate sleep are overweight. This can be attributed in part to the effect that sleep deprivation has on the body’s hormonal system among other things.



If you're sick of the unsightly spare tyre or love handles then you can get serious and invest in a good quality program specifically tageted at not only losing the fat but also improving your health which should be your ulimately goal anyway.

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There is however no quick fix when it comes to weight loss, but if you make gradual changes across a number of areas, the combined effect will put the brakes on the obesity snowball and have your weight loss snowball rolling before you know it.

Copyright © 2006 Colin L Wolfenden

5 Symptoms That Indicate You Have An Addiction

Addictions are most commonly associated with drug and alcohol addiction, however the truth is millions of people suffer from all kinds of addictions.

Some of these addictions are related to some form of chemical dependency such as alcohol, controlled substances and even prescription medicines. Other addictions are related to compulsive types of behavior such as gambling, shopping, food disorders an even the Internet.

One of the most important things to recognize about any type of addiction, regardless of whether it is a chemical addiction or a behavioral addiction; is that it is not a matter of choice. Individuals who are addicts do not have the ability to simply decide to stop abusing their 'drug' of choice. Addictions affect not only the user, but also their family and friends as well.

So what is an addiction?

How does it begin and when does a pattern of behavior become an addiction? Some individuals seem to have the ability to use a substance or engage in a behavior periodically over a period of years without becoming 'hooked.' Others; however are not capable of stopping and become addicted.

Addictions affect all social and educational groups. There is no typical addict.

The causes of addiction have been studied for several years. In many ways, addiction is caused by the emotion the substance or behavior brings about in the user. The body and mind become dependent on that feeling and seeks to maintain it.

There are addiction risk factors that make some people more likely than others to become addicts. Studies show that sometimes addictions can be hereditary. The child of an alcoholic may not grow up to be an alcoholic, however, they may become addicted to gambling or some other type of compulsive behavior as an adult.

Besides hereditary, individuals who grow up in families with abuse, neglect and who are impoverished are more likely to become addicts.

For most addicts, it can be extremely difficult to recognize that what they have associated as simply a habit is actually an addiction. While every individual is different there are some symptoms that are prevalent among most addicts and addictions:

Symptom # 1

Unable to meet responsibilities at home, school or office.

Symptom # 2

Continues to use substances or engage in behavior even when it is dangerous.

Symptom # 3

The need increases to engage in behavior or use more of a substance to achieve the same effect or feeling.

Symptom # 4

Has tried but failed to stop using the substance or end the behavior.

Symptom # 5

Continues to engage in the behavior or use the substances even when they are aware of the dangers.

Answering yes to three or more of the above symptoms during a 12 month period may show that you or a loved one has an addiction. The first step to treating an addiction is recognizing that it exists.

There is no cure for an addiction. Treatment and counseling can help an addict to learn how to control their behavior, withstand impulses and recognize the presence of a problem, but an addict is never cured. Treating an addiction can take years and requires ongoing support from friends, families and support groups.

A 12 step program can be particularly beneficial in treating an addiction. One of the most well known 12 step programs is AA, also known as Alcoholics Anonymous; however there are similar programs for all types of addictions.

Living with an addiction requires a daily commitment and there is always the possibility of relapsing. An addict that has been "clean" for even 20 years can succumb to temptation just as they did decades before.

There are several treatment programs and centers that can help with the numerous types of addictions that are prevalent today. Many of them are anonymous. Support groups are also available to help family and friends who experience the effects of an addiction in a loved one.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

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Looking For A Heartburn Herbal Remedy? Try Herbal Teas!

Article:
by Rose Smith

Tea has been used for thousands of years to soothe and ease a
variety of health problems. In fact, tea is the most consumed
beverage in the world, aside from water. Herbal teas have also
proven to be a good choice for those searching for a natural
heartburn herbal remedy.

Black, green and red teas contain polyphenols which is an
antioxidant that helps to protect our body from free radical
damage. The polyphenols found in tea have been shown to provide
anti-cancer properties through numerous studies. Additionally,
these same studies have suggested that drinking several cups of
tea each day may also reduce the risk of gastric and esophageal
cancers.

But not all teas are created equal. The leaves from black, green
and red teas come from a warm-weather evergreen tree known as
Camellia sinensis. However, what we consider "herbal teas" do
not come from this tree at all. In fact, herbal teas aren't
really teas but are infusions called "tisane" that are made from
various herbs, flowers, roots, and other parts of some plants.
Tisane does not contain as much polyphenols as true tea does,
although they can be very beneficial in other ways.

When looking at how to get rid of heartburn, you may find some
"herbal teas" are more advantageous in regards to easing
heartburn symptoms, acid reflux and other gastrointestinal
disorders, than others. Unfortunately, some teas may aggravate
these conditions rather than relieve them, so choose your herbal
tea remedy wisely.

So, if you are looking for a way to relieve heartburn symptoms
or other problems associated with digestive orders, such as
GERD, here are a few herbal teas you may want to consider trying:

Chamomile Tea

This is a very popular herbal tea used to treat a variety of
health concerns such as indigestion, heartburn, anxiety, PMS,
sleep disturbances and easing anxiety. It also helps to relieve
the inflamed or irritated mucus membranes of the digestive tract
(good for acid reflux sufferers) and helps to promote normal
digestion. Used topically, it can also promote the healing of
minor skin irritations and scrapes. However, since chamomile is
found in the ragweed family, it could cause a reaction to anyone
who has allergies to ragweed.

Marshmallow Tea

No, not the big fluffy things you roast over the fire. In this
case, it is the root that is used in herbal medicinal products.
When taken internally, such as in a tea, marshmallow is known to
ease bladder infections, and coat and soothe the
gastrointestinal tract, sore throats, ease respiratory problems
and promote healing of the urinary tract. It can also be
purchased as a topical formula for use on burns, scrapes and
inflammatory skin disorders.

Peppermint Tea

The mint leaves are used to brew a delightfully refreshing
herbal tea that contains no caffeine. However, there are
conflicting reports on whether to use peppermint in any form
when suffering from heartburn and/or acid reflux.

In some cases, it is said to ease stomach and digestive
problems. The oil within the peppermint helps to stimulate the
flow of bile to the stomach and relieve gas pains, calm
heartburn, and settle an upset stomach and nausea. On the other
hand, studies have also indicated that drinking peppermint,
spearmint or other strongly spiced teas actually causes the LES
to relax even more, resulting in additional acid reflux. The LES
(lower esophageal sphincter) is a one-way valve that separates
the esophagus from the stomach and allows food and liquid to
enter the stomach. When this sphincter doesn't close properly or
is relaxed enough, food, liquid and acid can reflux back up into
the esophagus causing heartburn. Since the reports are
conflicting on how effective peppermint tea may be in aiding
heartburn relief, you may just wish to try it for yourself and
see which group you fall into.

Aloe Vera Juice

Although this is not a tea, I've included it in this article as
Aloe Vera can be taken in liquid form. The liquid is made from
the gel found within the Aloe Vera leaves and works to help
soothe the digestive system plus protect against ulcers. In
topical form, it is great to use on minor burns, sunburn, cuts,
and scalds.

Many plants and herbs can be made into herbal teas that have a
variety of beneficial properties. The above list should give you
a starting point on some of the more favorable beverages that
help with heartburn and other digestive orders.

A note about peptic ulcers: Many teas can aggravate the healing
of peptic ulcers. Chamomile, however, seems to have a soothing
effect. It contains a high flavonoid called Apigenin which helps
to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter Pylori, the organism
responsible for causing peptic ulcers.

About the author:
Rose Smith operates several sites featuring natural and organic
relief solutions for everyday health problems - both in humans
and animals. If you would like to know how to get rid of heartburn, acid reflux and GERD symptoms naturally without drugs visit www.controlyourheartburn.com.


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Dieting for a Healthier Appearance

New article discusses dieting and your appearance. The full article is available at http://www.my-resource.com/dietingforappearance.html.