With so many fantastic diet claims out there, it can be difficult to determine which diets work and which ones are just a waste of time and money. Which diet is right for you?

Weight Watchers is one of the most popular and well-known weight loss programs. Dieters can expect to be able to choose which items they would like to eat, “budgeting” their consumption. Weight, along with a few other factors, determine the adherent’s food allowance. Foods are assigned a point value based on fat, fiber, and calorie content.

Meat lovers may enjoy the Protein Power Diet, one of many low carb, high protein diets on the market. The Protein Power diet has broad allowances for such indulgences as eggs, steak, and cheese. Carbohydrate consumption is limited to 30 grams or less, spread throughout the day. This diet also encourages high water consumption as well as the addition of healthy fats and 25 daily grams of fiber.

Popularized by celebrities, The Zone diet is a high protein, low carb diet that offers the convenience of pre-packaged, prepared meals. The Zone is encourages the consumption of lean proteins and restricts whole grains. In addition to carefully planned meals and snacks, The Zone diet also encourages consumption of proprietary dietary supplements.

Relatively obscure, the Volumetrics diet is designed to complement the dieter’s natural urge to consume large portions. Shunning typical feelings of diet deprivation, the Volumetrics diet provides meal and snack ideas comprised of low calorie foods that can be consumed in large portions. Emphasis is placed on foods that have high water content.

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is an eating program designed to lower the dieter’s blood pressure by 8 to 14 points. While no food groups are excluded, the DASH diet restricts saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and sodium. This diet includes large portions of food that may, for some, inhibit weight loss. The goal of this diet is primarily health-related.

Many dieters find using a weight loss product gives them increased results. Slimirex is an all-natural weight loss product that claims to increase metabolism and energy while reducing appetite. Slimirex users are encouraged to employ exercise and dietary changes to receive maximum results. Despite its being a natural product, some users may be uncomfortable with the high level of caffeine present in the product.

The Atkins diet, one of the most popular of the low carb diets, is high protein and low carb. Due to its popularity, many food products and meal ideas catering to this diet are available. While many dieters have experienced great success with this diet, potential Atkins dieters should know that this diet may be high in unhealthy fat and low in fiber.

Choosing a new diet or weight loss product can be overwhelming and expensive. Key considerations when determining which diet to use include the health benefits and how well the diet reflects your personal goals.

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Tags: all-natural weight loss product, atkins diet, dietary supplements, energy, food, food allowance, food groups, food products, hypertension, low carb diet, low carb diets, natural product, weight loss product

Every diet pill ad I’ve ever seen has marketed the product as being the revolutionary solution to all my dieting woes. Some diet pill ads even claim to cause you to lose weight in your sleep. I would love to just take a pill before bed and be able to slide easily into my “skinny jeans” in the morning, and I’ll bet you would too.

When I started looking into how diet pills work, I noticed that not only are there tons of them on the market, but so many of them work in different ways to effect weight loss. Some pills are meant to decrease appetite while others change the way the body processes food.

With the weight loss industry amassing several billion dollars a year in sales, it’s clear that most of us are searching for the winning edge to stay in shape and we’re willing to spend money to get it. In fact, the cost of a single bottle of diet pills in the U.S. Can be as much as 100 dollars.

One of the most common types of diet pills is the appetite suppressant. They work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, which in turn affects appetite. There has been some controversy surrounding appetite suppressants and phenylpropanolamine and ephedrine were at one time banned from dietary supplements.

Appetite suppressants do seem to reduce appetite but there are sometimes negative side effects. One of the most common side effects is sensations like you might get from taking a stimulant drug. Pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage have also been reported.

Such negative news makes finding a safe, effective diet pill seem like a scary venture. Those of us who are very overweight often have the option of seeking medical assistance in our weight loss journey.

If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, or if you have a BMI of 27 or higher and obesity-related health problems, your doctor may offer a prescription diet pill such as Meridia or Xenical. These two medications have been FDA approved for long term use to combat obesity.

Diet pills like Xenical are fat absorption blockers. Prescription strength fat blockers keep the body from absorbing about 30% of consumed fat. An over-the-counter version, called Alli, works at about half the strength of Xenical.

I am pleased to report that both of these products have proven to be successful in aiding weight loss. Unfortunately, users of fat absorption blockers can also expect some side effects. The most common side effect is gastro-intestinal problems, including involuntary stool leakage.

While many diet pills seem very promising, the truth is that most of them require diet modification and exercise from the user, and all of them have side effects. A lot of diet pill takers have gotten excellent results from appetite suppressants, fat blockers, metabolism boosters, or herbal supplements along with healthy eating and moderate exercise.

I’m still looking for that magic cure.

Tags: dietary supplements, fda, food, Meridia, obesity, Pulmonary hypertension, USD, Xenical

If you’ve ever been treated for severe pain from surgery, an injury, or an illness, you know just how vital pain relief medications can be.

Pain relief treatments come in many forms and potencies, are available by prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), and treat all sorts of physical pain— including that brought on by chronic conditions, sudden trauma, and cancer.

Pain relief medicines (also known as “analgesics” and “painkillers”) are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some analgesics, including opioid analgesics, act on the body’s peripheral and central nervous systems to block or decrease sensitivity to pain. Others act by inhibiting the formation of certain chemicals in the body.

Among the factors health care professionals consider in recommending or prescribing them are the cause and severity of the pain.

TYPES OF PAIN RELIEVERS

OTC Medications
These relieve the minor aches and pains associated with conditions such as headaches, fever, colds, flu, arthritis, toothaches, and menstrual cramps.

There are basically two types of OTC pain relievers: acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Acetaminophen is an active ingredient found in more than 600 OTC and prescription medicines, including pain relievers, cough suppressants, and cold medications.

NSAIDs are common medications used to relieve fever and minor aches and pains. They include aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen, as well as many medicines taken for colds, sinus pressure, and allergies. They act by inhibiting an enzyme that helps make a specific chemical.

Prescription Medications
Typical prescription pain relief medicines include opioids and non-opioid medications.

Derived from opium, opioid drugs are very powerful products. They act by attaching to a specific “receptor” in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. Opioids can change the way a person experiences pain.

Types of prescription opioid medications include

• morphine, which is often used before and after surgical procedures to alleviate severe pain
• oxycodone, which is also often prescribed for moderate to severe pain
• codeine, which comes in combination with acetaminophen or other non-opioid pain relief medications and is often prescribed for mild to moderate pain
• hydrocodone, which comes in combination with acetaminophen or other non-opioid pain relief medications and is prescribed for moderate to moderately severe pain

FDA has recently notified makers of certain opioid drugs that these products will need to have a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to ensure that the benefits continue to outweigh the risks.

Affected opioid drugs, which include brand name and generic products, are formulated with the active ingredients fentanyl, hydromorphone, methadone, morphine, oxycodone, and oxymorphone.

FDA has authority to require a REMS under the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007.

Types of non-opioid prescription medications include ibuprofen and diclofenac, which treat mild to moderate pain.

USE PAIN RELIEVERS AS DIRECTED

Pain medications are safe and effective when used as directed. However, misuse of these products can be extremely harmful and even deadly.

Consumers who take pain relief medications must follow their health care professional’s instructions carefully. If a measuring tool is provided with your medicine, use it as directed.

Do not change the dose of your pain relief medication without talking to your doctor first.

Also, pain medications should never be shared with anyone else. Only your health care professional can decide if a prescription pain medication is safe for someone.

Here are other key points to remember.

With acetaminophen:

• Taking a higher dose than recommended will not provide more relief and can be dangerous.
• Too much can lead to liver damage and death. Risk for liver damage may be increased in people who drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day while using acetaminophen-containing medicines.
• Be cautious when giving acetaminophen to children. Infant drop medications can be significantly stronger than regular children’s medications. Read and follow the directions on the label every time you use a medicine. Be sure that your infant is getting the infants’ pain formula and your older child is getting the children’s pain formula.

With NSAIDs:

• Too much can cause stomach bleeding. This risk increases in people who are over 60 years of age, are taking prescription blood thinners, are taking steroids, have a history of stomach bleeding or ulcers, and/or have other bleeding problems.
• Use of NSAIDs can also cause reversible kidney damage. This risk may increase in people who are over 60 years of age, are taking a diuretic (a drug that increases the excretion of urine), have high blood pressure, heart disease, or pre-existing kidney disease.

With opioids:

• Use of opioids can lead to drowsiness. Do not drive or use any machinery that may injure you, especially when you first start the medication.
• The dose of an opioid pain medication that is safe for you could be high enough to cause an overdose and death in someone else, especially children.

KNOW THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

A specific area of concern with OTC pain medicines is when products sold for different uses have the same active ingredient. A cold and cough remedy may have the same active ingredient as a headache remedy or a prescription pain reliever.

To minimize the risks of an accidental overdose, consumers should avoid taking multiple medications with the same active ingredient at the same time.

All OTC medicines must have all of their active ingredients listed on the package. For prescription drugs, the active ingredients are listed on the container label.

Talk with your pharmacist or another health care professional if you have questions about using OTC medicines, and especially before using them in combination with dietary supplements or other OTC or prescription medicines.

MISUSE AND ABUSE
Misuse and abuse of pain medications can be extremely dangerous. This is especially so in regard to opioids. These medications should be stored in a place where they cannot be stolen.

According to the National Institutes of Health, studies have shown that properly managed medical use of opioid analgesic compounds (taken exactly as prescribed) is safe, can manage pain effectively, and rarely causes addiction.

But the abuse of opioids is a significant public safety concern. Abusers ingest these drugs orally, and also crush the pills in order to snort or inject them.

Commonly abused opioid pain medicines include prescription drugs such as codeine, and the brand-name products Oxycontin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone with acetaminophen), and Demerol (meperidine).

Addiction is just one serious danger of opioid abuse. A number of overdose deaths have resulted from snorting and injecting opioids, particularly the drug OxyContin, which was designed to be a slow-release formulation.

USE OPIOIDS SAFELY:  3 KEY STEPS

1. Keep your doctor informed. Inform your health care professional about any past history of substance abuse. All patients treated with opioids for pain require careful monitoring by their health care professional for signs of abuse and addiction, and to determine when these analgesics are no longer needed.
2. Follow directions carefully. Opioids are associated with significant side effects, including drowsiness, constipation, and depressed breathing depending on the amount taken. Taking too much could cause severe respiratory depression or death. Do not crush or break pills. This can alter the rate at which the medication is absorbed and lead to overdose and death.
3. Reduce the risk of drug interactions. Don’t mix opioids with alcohol, antihistamines, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines. All of these substances slow breathing and their combined effects could lead to life-threatening respiratory depression.

This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Health Information Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer), which features the latest updates on FDA-regulated products. Sign up for free e-mail subscriptions at www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html.

Tags: acetaminophen, aches, allergies, arthritis, brand-name products, cancer, chemical, chemicals, constipation, cough, cramps, dietary supplements, drowsiness, fever, food and drug administration, generic products, headache, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, ibuprofen, kidney disease, machinery, OTC, OxyContin, pain, pains, peripheral and central nervous systems, pharmacist, respiratory depression, surgery, toothaches, www.fda.gov/consumer, www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html

As more and more parents are becoming aware of the health risks associated with obesity and the ‘easy’ weight loss solutions available from the market, they are spending hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to help their kids lose weight. Usually such parents have been obese for their entire life, so they know the disadvantages and risks associated with obesity. Naturally they don’t want their kids to acquire a fat belly or flabby arms like them.

And cashing in on those concerned parents is a group of unscrupulous weight loss drug and equipment manufactures. You have probably noticed all the hype generated around weight loss pills, diet supplements, exercise videos, workout equipments, etc. Such stuff usually costs hundreds of dollars and while your kids maybe able to lose some weight with their help, the first difficulty you would face is that of persuading them to use them.

Take for example diet supplements. These supplements are often low on sugar because sugar is rich in calorie. However, since kids usually don’t like anything that is not sweet enough, they are less likely to receive any decent benefit from such supplements. They would prefer to have candies and chocolates to dietary supplements.

So far as exercise videos are concerned, they are of no use unless your kids concentrate on them, and studies have pointed out that kids are more interested in playing video games than watching exercise videos. They could remain glued to their PSP for hours but workout videos are least likely to captivate their interest.

Then there are exercise equipments. No matter how many such types of equipment you buy for your kids, they would prefer to sit on the couch and watch TV than do their workouts. I have noticed that even professional fitness trainers often fail to bend them. If you really want them to workout, you need to be extremely patient with them.

Moreover, certain exercise equipments, if handled in the wrong way, could cause muscle and bone injures to your kids.

Now you maybe are wondering: so what is the way out? Well when it comes to weight loss for kids, there is an easy way out and you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to help them get slim.

One obvious weight loss method is dieting, but making kids diet is like forcing the mountain to bend. However, if you are lucky to find a diet program which is tailor-made for kids, you would be successful in your aim. Since kids usually don’t like too many food restrictions, try to find a weight loss program which helps people lose weight with minimal restrictions on food and lifestyle.

Okay, I would tell you the secret: FatLoss4Idiots is the perfect program for your kids. Your kids need to follow the program only for eleven days straight and they would be able to lose a minimum of nine pounds. This diet program works on a method called ‘calorie shifting’, meaning that it helps kids lose weight even if they are eating high-calorie foods (yeah, chocolates, cakes, candies, everything is allowed).

Did I tell you that this diet program also comes with a 4-day ‘cheat-period’ when your kids could indulge themselves the way they want.

Tags: dietary supplements, food, food restrictions, obesity, weight loss solutions

Stevia has been used in sodas marketed as dietary supplements and in other countries for sweetening treats and other foods but before now was not officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Experts had predicted the FDA would approve before the end of the year and the market for natural-based sweeteners would rise exponentially. December is as close to the New Year as can be and seems like the perfect time for introducing new products.

Officially recognized by the FDA this week, Cargill received the notification in the form of a letter stating that they have no objection to the previously submitted research that rebaudioside A (rebiana)—Truvia’s scientific name—has been generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The letter continues to support Truvia’s safety and the research behind a panel of experts from an independent company that provided the data.

PepsiCo has also teamed up with Merisant to produce PureVia another stevia-based sweetener, which also received the same FDA safety letter this week.

Cargill has complete confidence in this product and is elated at the recent findings that stevia-based sweeteners are now safe for use by all consumers. Marcelo Montero, president of Cargill, stated, “The FDA brought the appropriate rigor to the process and we are extremely pleased with the news.” Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Cargill, Coca-Cola, dietary supplements, food and drug administration, Marcelo Montero, new years day, PepsiCo, president, stevia products, stevia-made products

Children from newborns to teens need double the previously recommended amount of vitamin D, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). New research points to growing evidence that the nutrient once called “sunshine vitamin” is needed in increased amounts to prevent serious diseases, in addition to strengthening bones.

The new recommendation of 400 units daily replaces a 2003 AAP recommendation of 200 units daily. To meet the new vitamin D recommendation, millions of children will need to take daily vitamin supplements. This includes breastfed infants and many children and teens. The new recommendations include:

• Breastfed and partially breastfed infants should be supplemented with 400 IU a day of vitamin D beginning in the first few days of life.
• All non-breastfed infants, as well as older children, who are consuming less than a quart per day of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk, should receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU a day.
• Adolescents who do not obtain 400 IU of vitamin D per day through foods should take a supplement containing that amount.
• Children with increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, such as those taking certain medications, may need higher doses of vitamin D.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics, cod liver oil, dietary supplements, Frank Greer, pediatrician and co-author, rickets, skin cancer, skin cancer concern, sunlight deficiency, U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, United States, University of Wisconsin, Vitamin D, Vitamin D deficiency, Wisconsin

I have been compiling info on artificial sweetners for years and there are some that are OK and some that are really bad for you but here is a bit of an overview of he dangers of using different artificial sweeteners to try to drop your calorie intake.

Aspartame

Aspartame, a dipeptide of aspartic acid and a methyl ester of phenylalanine, is approved for use in pharmaceutical products and is being used increasingly in chewable tablet and sugar-free formulations. Labels for both prescription and nonprescription products must include the phenylalanine content. The major consideration in the use of aspartame in children is in patients with autosomal recessive phenylketonuria. Although heterozygotes do not appear to have clinically significant increases in phenylalanine after ingestion of even large amounts (equivalent to 24 12-oz cans of diet beverages), homozygotes with strict dietary restrictions should avoid aspartame. Children without dietary restrictions could safely ingest 10 mg/kg/day. Dietary consumption of aspartame is typically less than 5 mg/kg/day; young children, however, could ingest considerably more. For example, a 2-year-old child weighing 12 kg consumes 17 mg/kg from drinking one 12-oz can of diet soda and one serving of a sweetened product (eg, cereal, pudding, gelatin, or frozen dessert). Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: absence seizures, affective disorders, albuminuria, allergy, American Herbal Products Association, American Medical Association, artificial chemical, artificial sweetners, aspartame, aspartic acid, bladder cancer, blisters, Brazil, cancer, chemical, dairy by-product, dairy products, depression, diarrhea, diet beverages, Dietary Supplement, dietary supplements, dizziness, eczema, epilepsy, evidence, fda, FDA/National Cancer Institute, food, food additive, Food additives, food processors, food products, headache, headaches, Hypersensitivity, insomnia, Japan, Japanese government, migraine headaches, mitral valve prolapse, nausea, neuropsychiatric disorders, nonprescription products, oliguria, panic attacks, Paraguay, pharmaceutical agents, pharmaceutical products, phenylketonuria, placebos, product, prurigo, pruritus, Saccharin, salty applications, SeaLife SL 200C 35mm Film Camera, seizure disorders, seizures, sodium chloride, Stevia, strabismus, Sucralose, tachycardia, Tagatose, United States, urticaria, vascular headaches, visual hallucinations, wheezing

Zinc supplements provide a much needed mineral that is needed by each and every cell in your body. The body is unable to produce zinc on it’s own, which is why we need to makes sure we eat enough food that contains the mineral, drink enough water, or use the proper supplements that will give our cells the zinc they need.

Zinc is very important, as it plays a crucial role with hundreds of processes in the human body. The most prominent functions include support of the immune system, joints, tissues, along with aiding in cell growth. Zinc supplements have also been proven to eliminate sexual dysfunction, boost sexual function, aid in the health of the hair, and help with skin wound healing.

No matter how you look at it, zinc plays an important role in the function of most of our senses, which includes the ability to taste, smell, and also sight. Research has indicated that zinc can counter vision loss in the event of macular degeneration. A deficiency of zinc on the other hand can lead to dulling of the taste buds, along with the ability to detect scent. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: dietary supplements, food, immune system, macular degeneration, sexual dysfunction, United States, vitamins and minerals, zinc deficiency, zinc supplement, zinc supplements

Well this was a long time in coming and we will have to wait to see the effect but the FDA has set new rules for standards and purity for all of those supplements that we see out there.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a final rule establishing regulations to require current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) for dietary supplements. The rule ensures that dietary supplements are produced in a quality manner, do not contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled.

“This rule helps to ensure the quality of dietary supplements so that consumers can be confident that the products they purchase contain what is on the label,” said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. “In addition, as a result of recent amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, by the end of the year, industry will be required to report all serious dietary supplement related adverse events to FDA.”

The regulations establish the cGMP needed to ensure quality throughout the manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and storing of dietary supplements. The final rule includes requirements for establishing quality control procedures, designing and constructing manufacturing plants, and testing ingredients and the finished product. It also includes requirements for recordkeeping and handling consumer product complaints.

“The final rule will help ensure that dietary supplements are manufactured with controls that result in a consistent product free of contamination, with accurate labeling,” said Robert E. Brackett, Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Under the final rule, manufacturers are required to evaluate the identity, purity, strength, and composition of their dietary supplements. If dietary supplements contain contaminants or do not contain the dietary ingredient they are represented to contain, FDA would consider those products to be adulterated or misbranded.

The aim of the final rule is to prevent inclusion of the wrong ingredients, too much or too little of a dietary ingredient, contamination by substances such as natural toxins, bacteria, pesticides, glass, lead and other heavy metals, as well as improper packaging and labeling.

The final rule includes flexible requirements that can evolve with improvements in scientific methods used for verifying identity, purity strength, and composition of dietary supplements.

As a companion document, FDA also is issuing an interim final rule that outlines a petition process for manufacturers to request an exemption to the cGMP requirement for 100 percent identity testing of specific dietary ingredients used in the processing of dietary supplements.

The final CGMP and the interim final rule are effective August 24, 2007. To limit any disruption for dietary supplements produced by small businesses, the rule has a three-year phase-in for small businesses. Companies with more than 500 employees have until June 2008 to comply, companies with less than 500 employees have until June 2009 to comply, and companies with fewer than 20 employees have until June 2010 to comply with the regulations.

Tags: Andrew C. von Eschenbach, Commissioner, consistent product, Dietary Supplement, dietary supplements, director, fda, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Robert E. Brackett, U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Setting goals for your fitness is a very good idea and I have posted a couple of guides on how to do this well. I found the following information that I thought was valuable from the Federal Trade Commission on setting goals for fitness.

There are lots of reasons for people who are overweight or obese to lose weight. To be healthier. To look better. To feel better. To have more energy.

No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. If you set sensible goals for yourself, chances are you’ll be more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off. In fact, losing even five to 10 percent of your weight is the kind of goal that can help improve your health.

Most overweight people should lose weight gradually. For safe and healthy weight loss, try not to exceed a rate of two pounds per week. Sometimes, people with serious health problems associated with obesity may have legitimate reasons for losing weight rapidly. If so, a physician’s supervision is required.

What you weigh is the result of several factors:

• how much and what kinds of food you eat
• whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity
• whether you use food to respond to stress and other situations in your life
• your physiologic and genetic make-up
• your age and health status

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: coronary artery disease, counseling, diabetes, diagnostic tests, dietary supplements, energy, fat dairy products, Federal Trade Commission, food, health problems, healthy weight loss, high blood pressure, losing weight, obesity, over-the-counter drug products, physician, sensible goals, setting goals, weight management