Apple cider vinegar has long been touted as being good for weight loss, and several apple cider vinegar diets have circulated over the years. The acidic vinegar, along with the fruit pectin from the fermented apples, is supposed to have fat-burning effects.

In the mouse study, researchers gave either acetic acid (the main chemical in vinegar) or water to mice via a stomach tube. All the mice were fed the same diet. The researchers found that the mice that got the vinegar compound developed up to 10% less body fat than the other mice, although the amount of food they ate was not affected. It’s thought that acetic acid might turn on genes that produce proteins that help the body break down fats.

But this study cannot be considered conclusive evidence that vinegar is effective for weight loss. More and larger studies are needed before we can know for sure whether vinegar has any fat-burning benefits.

There’s also no proof that taking a few teaspoons of vinegar before meals can curb your appetite or reduce cravings, as many cider vinegar diets claim. A few studies have shown that vinegar may have some impact on how quickly a meal affects blood sugar levels, but body weight was not affected.

The bottom line? Anyone losing weight on a cider vinegar diet is doing so because they are eating fewer calories, not because they’re ingesting vinegar.

With only 3 calories per tablespoon, vinegar is a healthy, low-calorie way to add flavor to any diet plan. But taken alone as a daily tonic, it can be risky. Apple cider vinegar is very acidic, and may cause irritation to your throat and stomach, and even damage tooth enamel. (It should always be diluted with water or juice before you swallow it.) It also has the potential to interact with certain drugs, so be sure to check with your doctor before taking regular doses or supplements of cider vinegar.

Despite the sensational claims made for vinegar diets and other fad diets, there are no quick fixes to weight loss. Experts recommend losing weight slowly, at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week, for lasting results.

If you want to lose weight with vinegar, try eating more vegetable salads and topping them with a dressing that uses less oil and more vinegar. This will shave calories and encourage consumption of high-in-fiber, satisfying veggies.

source:webmd

Pressed for time? Combine two moves into one. For instance, do a squat with an overhead shoulder press, or a reverse lunge with a bicep curl. This is great for a more intense workout or if you’re really crunched for time.
Don’t do the same old thing week after week. Cut your chances of boredom and improve results with these six strategies.

Health Tips 2
If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. Drink an extra 400 to 600 milliliters of water for short bouts of exercise. During long bouts of intense exercise, it’s best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat. Continue to replace fluids after you’re finished exercising!
Read up on why you shouldn’t use thirst as a guide for how often you should be drinking water.

Health Tips  3
Log off to get a better night’s rest. The brightness of your computer screen stimulates the brain. Plus, it’s difficult for your mind to stop fretting about your digital to-do list, even once you’ve logged off. Avoid late-night surfing and shut down your computer. Give yourself time to wind down without any electronics.
An estimated 65% of Americans said they encounter sleep problems a few nights each week — keep reading for more tips on getting the most out of your beauty rest.

Health Tips 4
Slim and tone your thighs with the Power Plié: Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and plié into a seated position, pulsing down 30 to 60 times. Next, take your arms above your head, shimmying your hips side to side, pressing down hard into your heel. Then put your hands on your hips and continue pulsing, staying down low while lifting your right heel and then your left.

Health Tips 5
Can stress make you fat? The link has been tough to prove, but after a recent study at Emory University involving the eating habits of female rhesus monkeys, Mark Wilson, Ph.D., concluded that chronic stress could wreak havoc on appetite-control systems, either by dampening levels of leptin, the satiety hormone, or upping levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone.

Health Tips 6
Take a rest from Facebook-stalking your ex, and try your hand at Bejeweled 2 instead: A recent survey by PopCap Games found that 90 percent of female gamers considered puzzles and online word games a stress-reliever.

Health Tips 7
Brown grain products aren’t necessarily whole grain products. Brown dyes and additives can give foods the deceiving appearance of whole grain. Read labels to be sure a food is whole grain, and try to get three-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Health Tips 8
Strength-train before doing any cardiovascular work, says Ken Fitzgerald, owner of Lift Gym in New York. Why? It takes the body about 15 minutes to warm up and start burning fat. So, a 30-minute bike ride is really only burning fat for the last 15 minutes of your workout. But, if you lift weights first, your body is warmed up by the time you hit the bike, and you’ll burn fat throughout the entire ride.

Health Tips 9
Marty Munson shows us how to build up to 20 “real” push-ups fast: Get into the plank position and lower yourself to the floor (keep head in line with spine). If you can’t push back up, stay an inch off the floor for as long as you can. Drop, get into plank again, and repeat eight times (three times a week). Once you can do one full push-up, add another every week.

Health Tips 10
Research has shown that people who eat nut butters often weigh less than those who shun them. It’s likely that the combination of protein, fat, and fiber keeps you full, so you’ll eat less overall. Whole nuts are effective, too: Purdue University researchers found that people who added peanuts to their diet for 19 weeks boosted the amount of calories they burned at rest by 11 percent. Why? The unsaturated fat in peanuts and nut butters burns faster than other fats.
The ideal amount of nut butters in your diet and how to incorporate them in your meals.

Health Tips 11
The rower isn’t a wimpy workout if you know how to use it right. Maximize the least-used machine at the gym and get sculpted arms, abs, and back muscles. The trick: After you pull the handle toward you, straighten your arms before you bend your knees.

Health Tips 12
“Vitamins, color, herbs, protein, and all the other additions to water — those are a marketing ploy,” says Marion Nestle, Ph.D., professor of nutrition studies at New York University. Enhanced waters usually contain sugars and artificial flavorings to sweeten the deal and can pack more calories than diet soda. When it comes to providing fluoride, tap water usually wins, though that element is increasingly being added to bottled waters.

Health Tips 13
After the age of 30, your metabolic rate slows down and you lose bone density. This exercise can help reverse the effects of aging: Lay your forearm down on a countertop or other flat surface, and bring one leg up behind you, squeezing in your abdominals. Do 30 leg lifts to the side, and then 30 to the back.

Health Tips 14
Make the most of your workout: Have about 100 calories at least 15 minutes before your workout (try a banana or half of an energy bar). Then have a good breakfast afterward, making sure you get protein, carbs, and fat. (Good combos: fruit and cottage cheese; toast and peanut butter; protein-rich cereal with milk.) The key is not to eat more than usual, but to redistribute more calories to the early part of the day.

Health Tips 15
Aim for 4 to 6 ounces (about the size of your fist) of lean protein, such as chicken, fish, or egg whites, at every meal, says trainer David Kirsch. (He’s the one who whipped Heidi Klum back into shape within eight weeks of giving birth.) In one study, people who got 30 percent of their day’s calories from protein ate 441 fewer calories than people who ate a 15 percent protein diet.

Health Tips 16
If you can stand the outfit changes, divide exercise into two sessions: cardio in the morning and weights in the evening (or vice versa). You’re elevating your metabolism twice, which means you’re burning more calories than if you’d done both in the same session.

Health Tips 17
Pro athletes are using cherry juice to reduce muscle soreness and recovery time after exercise (it won’t get you into a steroid scandal, either). They’re swilling stuff from cherrypharm.com (132 calories per serving) that was found to be surprisingly effective in a 2006 study by Declan Connolly, Ph.D., at the University of Vermont.

Health Tips 18
A wobbly surface like a stability ball makes you recruit more muscle, so you get more from your crunches. With your back on the ball, keep feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Place your hands behind your head. Contract your abs, lifting your shoulder blades and upper back off the ball. DO: Two sets of 20 repetitions, two to three times a week.

Health Tips 19
Bacon won’t ever win any health prizes — in fact, nutritionists consider it a fat (and not a healthy fat!), as opposed to a meat. But it’s not as bad as you might think. One slice, about 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled, has about the same amount of fat as two tablespoons of feta or shredded cheese or one tablespoon of sunflower seeds.

Health Tips 20
“Your body can interpret excessive exercise as stress, causing you to retain fluid and become constipated,” says Diana Taylor, R.N., Ph.D., at the University of California-San Francisco Center for Reproductive Health. But moderate exercise, such as yoga or walking, can speed things through your system and help nix the problem.

Health Tips 21
People who wear casual shoes burn more calories in a day than people who dress up, according to a recent study by the American Council on Exercise. Wearing comfortable shoes daily could burn an extra 6500 calories a year, thanks to the extra walking you’ll do, says study author Katie Zahour, M.S., a clinical exercise psychologist at the Southwest Florida Heart Group.

Health Tips 22
A heart-rate monitor eliminates “junk workouts,” as heart-rate guru Sally Edwards calls them. Once you know your own personal maximum heart rate (everyone’s is different; see “How Do I Use This Thing?”), you can give a purpose to every workout. Some workouts will be about teaching your body to burn fat (essential if you’re doing endurance events); others will be about teaching it to sustain a high heart rate for a few minutes (helpful for breaking away from the pack or running from a dog or bee in your neighborhood).

Health Tips 23
To firm up the muscles beneath your love handles — known as the external obliques — try the Pilates “100s.” This exercise was found to challenge more overall muscle in one shot (specifically, the muscles spanning the waist) than traditional crunches. To do the 100s, sit on a mat and make a V with your body (your butt forms the bottom of the V). Reach your hands past your knees, arms parallel to the floor. Pump your arms up and down 100 times, inhaling and exhaling every five counts.

Health Tips 24
Colorful, all-vegetable salads offer good-for-you phytonutrients that aren’t available in greens. For instance, powerful antioxidants (anthocyanins) in purplish vegetables such as eggplant help reduce heart-disease risk and improve brain function. Radishes offer cancer-fighting indoles; red tomatoes are the ultimate in lycopene, linked to lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

Health Tips 25
For strong biceps and a beautiful back, try this: Grab a pair of 5- or 8-pound weights. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart and your abs pulled in. Start bringing the weights up to your shoulder and then slowly lower them down. Do these biceps curls for 30 to 60 seconds, until you feel an intense burn. Then stand with feet a little wider apart than hips, bend your knees, and bring your torso down toward the floor about 45 degrees. Bring weights all the way to your rib cage, and then extend forward, for 30 to 60 reps.

Health Tips 26
Abs need rest and recovery: It’s only during rest that your muscles build. “Three to five days a week of consistent, dedicated abdominal training should get you strong, sleek abs,” says Kathy Kaehler, trainer and author of Kathy Kaehler’s Celebrity Workouts.

Health Tips 27
Slow down at dinner — the longer you take to eat, the sooner you’ll feel full. And focus on whole grains. It takes more white rice than brown to make you feel just as satisfied. That’s because white rice contains no fiber, a food component that helps you feel full.

Health Tips 28
On its own, your body is naturally conservative when you ask it to do something. If you lift a weight, your body recruits just enough muscle to do it safely, but not necessarily heroically. So when you want to outperform yourself, “you have to fool the body into recruiting more muscle,” says Bobby McGee, a sports psychologist and running coach, which you can do with your mind. If you think you can’t run a seven-minute mile, for instance, your body begins to switch off muscle, leaving you weak and fatigued. But if you think positively, your body will recruit more muscle to do it.

Health Tips 29
Get enough z’s: Too little sleep is bad for your health and your image; it can make you ineffective (it impairs performance, judgment, and the ability to pay attention), sick (it weakens your immune system), and overweight. In fact, women who slept five hours or less a night were a third more likely to gain 33 pounds or more over 16 years than women who slept seven hours, according to a Harvard Nurses’ Health Study.

Health Tips 30
All lettuce is not created equal. Arugula and watercress are superstars, loaded with cancer-fighting compounds. Spinach is another hero because of its cache of lutein, thought to protect against cancer and blindness. And baby versions of kale, mustard greens, and turnip greens are less sharp, tough, and bitter than the grown-ups but are outfitted with the same cancer-fighters. Dark-leaf, mild-tasting greens, including romaine, red-leaf lettuce, and many mesclun mixes, don’t have a wealth of phytonutrients but have respectable levels of beta-carotene. Light greens, like iceberg and endive, are pretty much nutrition duds.

Health Tips 31
To take yourself from 20 or 30 minutes on the treadmill to the finish line of a charity 5K (3.1 miles), follow this plan from running coach Jason Karp: Instead of running two miles three times a week, run different distances each day. Go two miles on Monday, one on Wednesday, and three on Friday. Each week, increase each run by five to 10 minutes (so a 2/1/3 pattern becomes 2.5/1.5/3.5 the next week, 3/2/4 the following week, etc.). Try to get your longer run up to at least five miles.

Health Tips 32
Drink less to eat less. People who quaff sugar-free soft drinks are 41 percent more likely to gain weight than people who drink regular sodas, according to a University of Texas study. Experts speculate the body isn’t fooled by zero-calorie sweets and that it actually searches for sugary foods to make up for calories it expected to get from a faux-sugar beverage.

Health Tips 33
Increase your flexibility faster: Hold your usual stretch for 15 seconds. Release it a bit and contract the muscle you’re working on for six seconds. Stretch for 15 seconds again. Activating the muscle before stretching short-circuits your body’s “not moving any farther” reflex and lets you go deeper. Flexibility is often overlooked, but it’s important to take time for a good stretch.

Health Tips 34
It may be the social lubricant of choice for awkward family or work events, but alcohol is rich in sugar and carbohydrates. Skip sweet cocktails and go for champagne, dry wine, or drinks straight up.

Health Tips 35
Sleep keeps important weight-loss hormones in balance (without it, ghrelin rises, so you’re hungrier, and leptin is suppressed, so you’re not as satisfied by what you do eat). If you don’t have enough time to sleep at night, try to schedule at least a short power nap during the day. If anxiety is keeping you up, practice relaxation techniques before bed: Organize a to-do list for the next day so you know you have everything covered. And don’t stay up watching back-to-back episodes of Entourage. Try getting calm by reading instead.

Health Tips 36
Both skinny and obese people have higher risks of premature death than people who are considered “overweight,” according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “Overweight,” according to this study, means a body-mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9: For a 5′6″ woman, that’s between 155 and 185 pounds.

Health Tips 37
Stick your butt out on the elliptical machine. This shifts the focus to your butt, hamstrings, outer thighs, and quadriceps. (If you stand up too straight — a common mistake — you work only your quads.)

Health Tips 38
Foods with natural fat-burning properties, such as cayenne, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon, green tea, hot peppers, citrus fruits (especially lemon), and apple cider vinegar, can really help take — and keep — those pounds off when eaten on a regular daily basis.

Health Tips 39
Get your digestive system going before you even start eating by giving your earlobes a quick 30-second rub. It will stimulate the brain, relieve stress, and lower your appetite, all while sitting at the table!

Health Tips 40
Looking for a full-body workout in one move? Try the curtsy: Start by standing with your feet together in a small V position, and then put one leg behind. Staying on the ball of your back foot, bend both knees, and take your hands and lace them behind your back. Then pulse both legs and pull your abs in. Do 30 to 60 repetitions on each leg.

Health Tips 41
For sexy, strong abs, try the Marine Crunch. Lie on your back with your legs raised straight above your hips and your arms reaching to the ceiling. Simultaneously reach your fingertips toward your toes and press your feet toward the ceiling to lift your tailbone off the floor. Beginner tip: Instead of lifting your feet and hands together, alternate between lifting the upper body and the hips.

Health Tips 42
Want Jennifer Aniston’s bod? Celeb trainer Kathy Kaehler says:
1. Eat! Severely cutting calories slows your metabolism and makes you feel deprived.
2. But, eat slowly. After each bite, put down your fork and count to 10. This allows your brain to tell your stomach, “Enough.”
3. Try this must-do move to target your thighs: Place 10 playing cards on the floor. Squat, pick up one card, and shuffle four paces to the right. Squat; put the card down. Shuffle back to the pile, pick another card, and repeat until all 10 cards have been moved to the right.

Health Tips 43
Want slimmer legs and a trimmer waist? Do the Rockette: Start by laying on your back with your hands laced behind your head and your legs straight up, perpendicular to your waist. Pull your abs down toward the floor and lift your head and shoulders up toward the ceiling. Then lower one leg down and bring your opposite shoulder toward that thigh. Alternate for 20 to 40 reps and you’ll slip right into your skinny jeans!

Health Tips 44
Want Jennifer Lopez’s hot body? Quit quick-stepping on the stairclimber! This works fewer muscles and burns fewer calories than long, deep steps. Also, sit still for no more than three minutes between weight-lifting sets. Waiting longer allows your muscles to cool down, weakening the benefits of the exercise.

Health Tips 45
You’ll get the body you want faster by doing 10 slow repetitions of crunches instead of 20 fast ones. Moving slowly — two counts up and two counts down — allows you to use more precise form, which can stimulate your muscles better and make them stronger, says Rodney Corn of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. (The faster you go, the more likely you are to use momentum instead of your abs.) Your muscles should feel tired in 15 reps.
marieclaire.com

Hoping to lose a few pounds in time for bathing suit season — and tired of all the hype about “miracle” weight loss cures? To help you get answers about what really works for weight loss, WebMD turned to eight noted diet and nutrition experts for their own favorite diet tips.

Here are their top 10 diet tips and tricks for weight loss success:

Expert Diet Tip No. 1: Never Go More Than 3-4 Hours Without Food.

Eating several times throughout the day helps keep hunger at bay while keeping your energy up, experts say.

“Fight the battle of the bulge by filling up with smaller meals featuring protein and fiber that are spaced evenly throughout the day,” says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant who has written several books on diet and nutrition.

If the mini-meal approach doesn’t appeal, plan a healthy snack between lunch and dinner so you don’t get too hungry at night. “A midday snack gives you energy to finish your work day and hit the gym on your way home,” says Pamela Peeke, MD, Discovery Health TV chief medical correspondent for nutrition and fitness.

And, what makes a healthy snack? “The key is to include protein and not rely on carbs alone, like pretzels and a piece of fruit,” Peeke says.

Some good choices:

* Half a turkey wrap.
* Low-fat peanut butter on a thick multigrain cracker.
* Non-fat Greek-style yogurt with a few ounces of nuts.
* Two pieces of low-fat string cheese with a piece of fruit

Expert Diet Tip No. 2: Eat More Whole Foods.

“In general, the less processed a food is, the slower it takes to digest, and the longer it keeps you feeling satisfied and full,” says pediatrician David Ludwig, MD, author of Ending the Food Fight.

For example, an apple is more filling than an equal amount of applesauce, and applesauce is more filling than apple juice…

Expert Diet Tip No. 3: Don’t Give Up Your Favorite Foods.

If you allow yourself occasional indulgences, you are less likely to feel deprived — and more likely to stick with your diet.

Studies show that people who eat the healthiest overall are those who allow themselves some indulgences, says Dean Ornish, MD, author of The Spectrum and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, Calif.,

“What matters most is your overall way of eating and living,” Ornish says.

So go ahead and enjoy your favorite foods — but do it in moderation, keeping an eye on portion size. And if you overindulge one day, just eat more healthfully the next day.

Expert Diet Tip No. 4: Avoid Late-Night Feasting.

” Late-night feasting is the Achilles heel for dieters and it often happens because workouts push back mealtimes,” Peeke says.

So, 30-60 minutes before your early evening workout, have a healthy snack that will give you energy and keep you from being ravenous when you get home. Think fruit or veggies plus lean protein, like a fruit smoothie with protein powder

And, don’t overdo a late dinner. “The later the time, the lighter your meal needs to be, especially if you are over age 40,” says Peeke, author of Fight Fat After Forty. She suggests leaving an hour to an hour and a half after finishing your meal before going to bed to allow for proper digestion.

Successful losers check the scale regularly to stay focused on weight control, says, James Hill, PhD, director of the University of Colorado’s Center for Human Nutrition and co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry. Relying on the fit of your favorite jeans just isn’t as accurate.

“Most dieters have a range of acceptable weights, and by weighing in once a week or more often they can make adjustments to their food intake and/or physical activity to counter weight creep,” he says.

Weigh in first thing in the morning, after emptying your bladder, to help motivate yourself to stay on track

Expert Diet Tip No. 6: Layer Fruit on the Bottom.

A half-cup scoop of light ice cream, yogurt, or granola makes a healthy snack. But it can look puny in a bowl, and ultimately seem less satisfying. So switch things around and layer the bottom of the bowl with a cup of cut-up, unsweetened fruit and top it with your low-fat yogurt, granola, or light ice cream, suggests Karen Collins, MS, RD, nutrition advisor to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

“If you switch from a cup and a half of ice cream to a half-cup ice cream and a cup of fruit, you can save from 150-300 calories,” she says. “And, you won’t feel deprived because your eyes see a large volume and it tastes delicious.”

Expert Diet Tip No. 7: Exercise for Health, Not So You Can Eat More.

Exercise makes some people hungry, and some people think they can eat all they want after a hard workout. But this isn’t a good idea, experts say.

“Research suggests you’ll eat back the calories you burn off and maybe more,” says Ward.

Instead, exercise at a moderate pace on most days of the week to avoid feeling like your workouts justify extra food. To prevent extreme hunger, eat a small snack or meal that combines protein and carbohydrate (like hard-cooked egg or yogurt and a slice of whole-grain bread) either before your workout or immediately after. Be sure to include at least 8 ounces of water for hydration and fullness.

Expert Diet Tip No. 8: Get Enough Rest.

Getting enough good-quality sleep can help diminish the urge to overeat throughout the day, says David Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life.

Sleeping too little can also diminish your body’s ability to burn calories, he says. And, whenever you’re sleeping, you’re not eating. So aim for 8 hours a night, every night.

One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, so you need to be realistic about how long it takes to lose fat, experts say.

The best approach is a combination of consuming fewer calories while getting more exercise, Hill says. But keep in mind that it takes a lot longer to burn off calories through exercise than it does to eat fewer calories.

A weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is a safe rate, and helps to ensure that you’re losing fat, not muscle or water weight, Grotto says.

Expert Diet Tip No. 10: Size Matters.

Experts agree that portion control is a critical strategy for weight control.

Use measuring equipment, like measuring cups and spoons or a food scale, at least once a week to keep you honest about how much you’re eating, suggests dietitian and diabetes educator Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE

She suggests eating from 9-inch plates to help control portions.

When dining out, ask a dining partner to share a large meal or ask for a to-go box and put away the second portion for tomorrow’s lunch before you dig in, says Warshaw, author of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature

When Americans started to pack on pounds a few decades ago, fat was fingered as public enemy number one. “Low-fat” became the rallying cry for healthy eating. And so began one of the most misguided public health campaigns in history.

Most of us know by now that the main villains are saturated fats, found chiefly in meat and high-fat dairy products, and trans fats, found in fried foods, cakes, crackers, and some margarines. They raise total cholesterol levels and gum up arteries. Unsaturated fats, which mostly come from plants and fish, are essential to good health.

But even the good fat/bad fat message is turning out to be more complicated than nutritionists once thought, as researchers explore the health effects of the many different kinds of fatty acids. With evidence emerging that healthy fats not only improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels but also reduce inflammation, fats are emerging as one of the hottest new functional foods.

Polyunsaturated vs. Monounsaturated: Choosing the Healthiest Oil

“We can now say unequivocally that unsaturated fats protect against heart disease,” says John Brunzell, MD, professor emeritus in the division of metabolism at the University of Washington, Seattle.

* In an analysis of data from 60 trials, researchers at Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that cutting back on carbohydrates and consuming more polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats decreases the level of harmful LDL cholesterol and increases protective HDL cholesterol.

* The more recent Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) study showed that a diet rich in unsaturated fats also lowers blood pressure and reduces overall heart disease risk.

Debates have long raged about whether monounsaturates or polyunsaturates have the edge. The Maastricht University study found a slight advantage to polyunsaturated fats for improving the ratio of HDL (good cholesterol) to total cholesterol. But studies of people with diabetes, who have a high risk of heart disease, conducted at Trinity College in Dublin suggest that monounsaturated fats may offer more protection.

In the end, few of us keep count of grams of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat, of course. All edible oils are a blend of these two types of fat. Edible oils also contain at least some saturated fat. The amount of saturated fat in oil may be a more important consideration than the ratio of monos to polys.

* Olive oil, for instance, contains 73% monounsaturated fat, 11% polyunsaturated fat, and 14% saturated fat.

* Soybean oil, by contrast, is 24% mono, 61% poly, and 15% saturated fat.

* Canola oil wins high marks. It’s 62% monounaturated, 32% polyunsaturated, and only 6% saturated fat — by far the lowest among edible oils.

A 2007 study by researchers at the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign found that substituting canola oil for other vegetable oils and canola oil-based margarine for other spreads could significantly lower saturated fat levels in the American diet. What’s more, canola oil is also a good source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, which may be especially crucial to good health.

Of course, studies of the Mediterranean diet suggest that olive oil, which has a very different fatty acid profile, also offers potent protection against heart disease.

“In fact, there are many healthy unsaturated oils,” says Brunzell. “The issue isn’t choosing the healthiest, but encouraging people to use the ones they like.”

Omega-6 Versus Omega-3: Finding the Healthiest Balance

Polyunsaturated fats can be subdivided into omega-6, found in most plants, and omega-3 fatty acids, found predominantly in fish oils. Many researchers think the balance of these two fats may be the most critical measure of a healthy diet.

Currently, the modern diet is tipped heavily toward omega-6s, says Floyd Chilton, PhD, director of the Bontanical Lipids Center at Wake Forest University. “In the average western diet, the ratio is about 9:1 omega-6s to omega-3s. In some individuals we’ve studied, the ratio is as high as 40:1.”

No one knows what the optimum balance should be. According to Chilton, there’s good evidence that the diet of hunter-gatherers — and thus the diet our bodies evolved to eat — had a ratio of 2:1 omega-6s to omega-3s.

Restoring something close to that balance could help fight many of the chronic diseases that plague us, Chilton believes. “Omega-6s fatty acids regulate genes that spark inflammation. And inflammation is increasingly being seen as the central process in heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and other chronic health problems.”

Omega-3s, in contrast, tamp down inflammation and have been linked to many health benefits, including lowering triglyceride levels, guarding against dangerous irregular heart rhythms, and preventing plaque from breaking away from the lining of arteries. A 2006 review in The American Journal of Cardiology found that consuming omega-3s from fish, nuts, or soybean oil can lower cardiovascular risk by as much as 60%.
Contains Omega-3s: Can You Believe the Latest Health Claim?

The good news about omega-3s hasn’t been lost on food manufacturers.

“Contains omega-3s” is the hottest new health claim on packages.

In 2000, omega-3 supplementation was a $100 million business, according to Chilton. By 2007, it had ballooned into a $3 billion business, which is expected to more than double by 2011.

Unfortunately, the omega-3s touted on the packages today are usually in the form of flaxseed oil, which is not as biologically available as omega-3s from fish oil. More and more manufacturers are beginning to switch to fish oil, according to Chilton, using a double encapsulation technology that prevents the flavor and smell from affecting food. The functional food industry is also working overtime to develop plant sources of omega-3s that are biologically active.

But not everyone’s sold on the idea that a healthy diet should be built on fortified foods and supplements. “There’s a long history of nutrients being taken out of food and put into pills, from vitamin E to beta carotene, and the results have not been encouraging,” says Brunzell. He thinks people should be encouraged to get their nutrients from foods that are known to be healthy — fish, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains.

Cholesterol-Lowering Spreads: What You Should Know

One of the first fat-based functional foods to hit the market were spreads and margarines made with substances from plants called sterols and stanols, which have been shown to lower LDL. These substances are similar in size to the cholesterol molecule but they work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Plant stanols or sterols occur naturally in foods such as fruits and vegetables, but not in high enough concentration to have an impact on cholesterol. So they are concentrated and added back to select foods.

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends eating 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day if you have high cholesterol. But for people who do not have high cholesterol, both the NCEP and the American Heart Association do not recommend foods enriched with plant sterols. Instead, those people should get the plant sterols found naturally in vegetables and fruits.

“Most people can get the same benefits from using unsaturated oils and eating plenty of vegetables, which are the natural source of sterols and stanols,” says Brunzell.

By Peter Jaret
WebMD

Before tackling the gluten-free diet, let’s get to know our culprit. Gluten is a specific type of protein, but one you won’t find in meat or eggs. Instead gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley. Going gluten-free means avoiding these grains. A gluten-free diet is essential for most people with gluten allergies or celiac disease, a condition which causes intestinal damage when gluten is eaten.

Gluten “Red Flags”

People on a gluten-free diet need a sharp eye for labels. Some ingredient red flags are obvious, like wheat, wheat gluten, barley, or rye. But some foods have “stealth” gluten. Two terms to watch for are malt (which is made from barley) and hydrolyzed vegetable protein (it often contains wheat). And while oats may offer an alternative for those eating gluten-free, they may also increase symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea.

Say Bye-Bye to Bread … Mostly

Perhaps the most difficult step in a gluten-free diet is bidding farewell to bread as you know it – that includes white, wheat, marble, and rye. Also off limits are bagels, muffins, croissants, hamburger buns, scones – you get the idea. Yes, even pizza. But don’t despair – there are alternatives.

You Have Gluten-Free Bread Choices

Many health foods stores and some major supermarkets now carry gluten-free products, including an assortment of breads. These are often made with rice or potato flour instead of wheat. Just check the label to make sure it says “100% gluten-free.”

Lots of Cereals Have Gluten

Traditional breakfast cereals are another casualty for people on a gluten-free diet. Cream of Wheat is obviously out, but so are many other favorites. Cheerios contain wheat starch, while Frosted Flakes use malt flavoring. Any cereal containing wheat, barley, rye, or malt must be avoided.

Enjoy Corn and Rice Cereals

Corn and rice-based cereals are good breakfast alternatives, but it’s crucial to read labels carefully, as some may also contain malt. You may want to check your supermarket’s health-food section for gluten-free products.

Pasta Is Made of Wheat

It’s true, no matter what its shape or name, most pasta is made out of wheat. So you’ll need to avoid spaghetti, macaroni, shells, and spirals when you’re on a gluten-free diet.

Dig in to Rice and Potatoes

On a gluten-free diet? Say hello to filling, flexible, good-for-you rice and potatoes. You can top them with just about anything, mix them into meals, or enjoy them on their own. Still mourning the loss of your favorite pasta? Here’s a secret: When you’re really craving a bowl of spaghetti, it is possible to find gluten-free pasta – just think rice noodles.

Most Crackers Are Made of Wheat

Check out the ingredients label and you’ll find that most crackers have wheat as one of their main ingredients. Your mission? Find an alternative venue for your favorite cheese spreads.

Rev Up Munchies With Rice Cakes

Who needs crackers when rice cakes and corn chips can host all sorts of spreads and dips? Another gluten-free crunchy snack: popcorn.

Steer Clear: Chicken Nuggets & Fish Sticks

Check the ingredients, but the breading on most chicken nuggets and fish sticks is generally made from wheat flour.

Who Misses the Breading?

You don’t need to hide the succulent charms of fresh chicken, fish, and beef under a bunch of bread. Go for unprocessed meat without the additives and you’ll be eating right for a gluten-free diet. Do keep in mind that hot dogs and deli meats are processed, so check the ingredients for additives that might contain gluten.

Avoid Most Cookies and Cakes

While a gluten-free diet won’t contain most traditional cakes, pies, cookies, and other celebratory treats — which are loaded with wheat flour — there are still lots of ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Enjoy Sweet and Chewy Treats

Marshmallows, gumdrops, plain hard candies — these are all usually gluten-free. But it doesn’t have to stop there. Look for specialty bakeries that may be able to create custom-ordered gluten-free cakes, pies, and other treats, too.

Beer Contains Wheat — Who Knew?

Unfortunately for fans of the six-pack, most beers are made with barley malt. While there are some gluten-free beers, it’s best to check with your doctor or dietitian about whether these are safe for you.

Cheers! You Can Still Raise a Glass

Wine and liquors are generally gluten-free, so you can still raise a glass and offer a toast, no matter what the occasion.

There’s So Much More to Enjoy

Along with wine, potatoes, and rice there’s even more delicious food and drink that’s safe to enjoy on a gluten-free diet, such as eggs, fruits, vegetables and milk products.

A small note: When using frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, check for additives that might contain gluten. The same goes for processed cheese spreads and flavored yogurts.

When Dining Out, Talk It Out

One of the biggest challenges in maintaining a gluten-free diet is decoding a restaurant menu. Don’t be shy. Talk with your server or the chef and explain your dietary needs — they’re there to satisfy you.

To Stay Symptom-Free

For most people with celiac disease, even a little gluten can damage the intestines, and include symptoms like gas and bloating, changes in bowel movements, weight loss, feeling very tired, and weakness. That’s why going gluten-free can be a big help to those with celiac disease or gluten allergies. Note: Check with your health care provider before making major dietary changes.

Gluten-Free Diet and Autism

Some parents believe a gluten-free diet can help children with autism, although the idea is controversial. The theory suggests children with autism are sensitive to gluten, and avoiding the protein can improve certain symptoms, such as speech or social behavior. At present, there is not enough research to confirm or refute the effectiveness of gluten-free diets in people with autism.

Going Gluten-Free Has Its Drawbacks

The gluten-free diet isn’t always easy. People who benefit generally need to stick with the diet for life. That means giving up many staples, such as bread and pasta, and treats like cake and cookies. But it’s getting ever easier to find gluten-free alternatives, and careful planning can help you stay gluten-free long-term. Remember: Check with your health care provider before making any major dietary changes.

source: webmd

MORE than 7.5 million Australian adults are overweight or obese, with health problems caused by their condition costing the health system a whopping $8 billion a year.
Ambulance services, funeral parlours, hospitals and workplaces are being forced to buy new equipment to cope with morbidly obese people.

Some of the equipment is specially designed to handle people weighing as much as 450kg, The Daily Telegraph reports.

NSW has been forced to buy six supersized ambulances to cope with people so fat they can’t fit inside an ordinary vehicle.

Costing $150,000 each, the ambulances are fitted with a hydraulic lift and supersized blow-up stretchers.

These special ambulances are transporting more than 40 people a month to hospitals.

The obesity problem is also hitting NSW Ambulances’ air transport, with the service considering spending more than $60 million on extra-large planes.

Hospitals are also being forced to buy reinforced beds for their extremely overweight patients – at an extra cost of $145 per patient, per day.

Moving obese people into some of the state’s older hospitals is proving very difficult because the 900mm to 110mm doors are not wide enough.

The nation’s obesity problem is even taking its toll at funeral parlours, where an increasing number of the dead are too fat to fit into a normal coffin.

Funeral parlours have had to introduce special lifting devices in their morgues and use trolleys rather than pallbearers to wheel the bodies of the obese.

Special machines are being used to lower the coffins of obese people into their graves.

Oversized coffins that are wider and deeper have been manufactured to cope with the grossly overweight when they die.

Australian children have become so fat nearly 40 per cent don’t fit in standard car booster seats. Special toilet seats are now being imported from the US to cope with the bigger bottoms of fat Australians.

The Australian Safety and Compensation Council said workplaces would have to be redesigned to deal with the growing number of obese workers.

It predicted the poor flexibility of obese workers would put them at higher risk of injury and result in a hike in accident claims.

theaustralian.news.com

I’ve Got a Cold: What Can I Do?
What’s the best treatment for a cold?

There is no cure for the common cold. The most important thing you can do is drink a lot of fluids to keep your body hydrated. This will help prevent another infection from setting in. Avoid drinks like coffee, tea, and colas with caffeine. They rob your system of fluids. As for eating, follow your appetite. If you’re not really hungry, try eating simple foods like white rice or broth.

Chicken soup is comforting, plus the steam helps break up nasal congestion. Ginger seems to settle an upset stomach. A hot toddy may help you sleep, but beware of mixing alcohol with other cold remedies.

Over-the-counter cold medicines can offer relief from aches and fever. However, doctors no longer believe in suppressing low-grade fever except in very young and very old people, or people with certain medical conditions such as heart or lung disease. Low-grade fever helps the body fight off infection by suppressing the growth of viruses or bacteria and by activating the immune system.

* Aspirin. Young people and children should not take aspirin because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome.
* Decongestants can help make breathing easier by shrinking swollen mucous membranes in the nose. Use for no more than two or three days.
* Saline nasal sprays can also open breathing passages and may be used freely.
* Cough preparations are not hugely effective. For minor coughs, water and fruit juices probably help the most.
* Gargling with salt water can help relieve a sore throat.

How effective are natural remedies like zinc, echinacea, and vitamin C?

Some studies show that zinc nasal sprays help cut a cold’s severity and duration. The theory? Zinc sprays may coat the cold virus and prevent it from attaching to nasal cells where they enter the body. But other studies show that zinc is no more effective than placebo. Recent, well-done studies on echinacea show that it is not effective in preventing colds. However, in one study, 120 people with cold-like symptoms took 20 drops of echinacea every two hours for 10 days and had briefer colds than others.

As for vitamin C’s effects, a recent survey of 65 years’ worth of studies found limited benefit. The researchers found no evidence that vitamin C prevents colds. However, they did find evidence that vitamin C may shorten how long you suffer from a cold. One large study found that people who took a vitamin C megadose — 8 grams on the first day of a cold — shortened the duration of their colds.

To prevent colds the natural way, it’s best to make sure you’ve got a well-nourished immune system. Dark greens foods like spinach are loaded with vitamins A and C. Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation. Low-fat yogurt may help stimulate the immune system.

Regular exercise — such as aerobics and walking — also boosts the immune system. People who exercise may still catch a virus, but they have less severe symptoms. They may recover more quickly compared with less-healthy people.

webmd.com

Does this depressing conversation sound like the one you have with yourself sometime between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, year after year?

“I didn’t take off that 15 pounds.”

“I didn’t make as much money as I said I would.”

“I didn’t get that promotion or switch jobs.”

“I’m hopeless.”

While some people look forward to New Year’s parties and resolutions, others dread this traditional time to take stock and look back on the past year’s accomplishments – or lack thereof.

If you’re mildly or moderately depressed already – or perhaps suffer from depression in winter — all this taking stock of yourself can make things worse, especially if you tell yourself you never measure up.

Here, experts tell WebMD how to understand what may be behind your urge to do become blue and self-critical around the new year – and how to resist the New Year’s blues this time.
What’s With the New Year’s Scorecard?
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To look back at the year and what you have done is natural to a degree, says Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, PhD, professor of psychology at Yale University who has researched depression and the habit of rumination — going over and over your problems and feelings without taking any action to overcome or solve them.

In fact, at the new year, it’s difficult not to reassess at least a bit, says Nolen-Hoeksema, the author of Women Who Think Too Much. Surf the net, turn on the television or radio, and there they are — all those “year-in-review” stories.

“The media goes over and over what happened this year,” she says. So it’s understandable, to some degree, that many of us do, too.

Soon after the year-in-review shows comes talk about New Year’s resolutions — and any talk about making resolutions invariably means focusing on your shortcomings, says Edward Abramson, PhD, professor of psychology emeritus at California State University Chico and author of Body Intelligence and Emotional Eating.

To make matters worse, the talk about resolution-making follows a host of holiday occasions — whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza — that rarely live up to expectations, Abramson adds. And some people may blame themselves for that, too.

If you’re already depressed, you may rate yourself and your accomplishments lower than others would, Nolen-Hoeksema says.
Ruminators and the New Year’s Blues

If you find yourself assessing and reassessing the year, becoming more and more depressed, you may be a ruminator. Women are more likely than men to have this habit, Nolen-Hoeksema says.

In her research, Nolen-Hoeksema has focused on “ruminators.” She describes ruminators as those who go over and over their problems, either in their own mind or by discussing them with others, but have no clear plan to solve the issues. She has found:

* Those who ruminate also tend to have negative coping styles, criticize themselves unduly and be pessimistic. Ruminating and depression often go hand-in-hand.
* Recognizing when to stop ruminating is crucial. “Everyone ruminates some,” she says. The real difficulty arises, she says, when you realize all the thinking and rethinking about a problem or issue is not getting you anywhere or is making you feel worse — and still, you can’t quit. “People who get stuck in rumination think there is going to be insight by keeping on thinking about it,” she says. “They may have more trouble [than others] shifting their attention [to other topics].”
* Depression can make ruminating worse. If you are already in a depressed mood and get started on a rumination cycle, you’ll tend to focus on the worst aspects of a problem, she says. “Rumination and depression are a toxic mix.” The rumination feeds the depression and vice versa. The process is so reciprocal, says Nolen-Hoeksema, that it’s difficult to identify sometimes which started it all.

Rewriting the New Year’s Scorecard

For those stuck in the end-of-the-year scorecard exercise, Abramson and Nolen-Hoeksema offer these suggestions to get out of the rut:

* Anticipate. If you’ve been in this ruminating route before, make a plan to minimize it this year –before the end of the year arrives.
* Ask why, not “Why me?” When the rumination starts to surface, don’t dwell on your shortcomings. Instead, think a bit about why some things you wanted to happen this year didn’t.
* Shift into action. Instead of moaning or moping, ask yourself: “What is a small thing I can do to change the situation?”
* Get active or distract yourself. When you fall back into the ruminating habit, walk around the block, go to the gym, or head for the mall. Physical activity works, Nolen-Hoeksema says. “Within 10 minutes you are feeling better,” she says. “It’s hard to ruminate and shift to action at the same time.” Distraction works, too, she has found in her studies. When she asked some ruminators to think about something else other than the problem, they weren’t as adept later at recalling negative events as those who weren’t distracted from their ruminating.
* Be specific. If you decide to make a New Year’s resolution, be reasonable and decide exactly what you will do, Abramson says. “Not a global resolution about making yourself a wonderful person,” he says. Instead: “I won’t yell at the kids.” Or, instead of “I will lose 20 pounds,” try: “When I know they are having doughnuts at work, I will bring fruit instead.”
* Examine your expectations. Decide if they are realistic. If they aren’t, that doesn’t mean giving up on the goal, says Abramson. Instead, break it into multiple steps.
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webmd.com

Birth control pills are the No. 1 form of contraception in the U.S. Which type of pill is best for you?

When Enovid — the first birth control pill — was introduced in 1960, it was a revolution in contraception. For the first time, women could take control of their own reproductive cycles. According to Eve Espey, MD, Enovid ushered in “a whole new world for birth control.” Espey is associate professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico. She tells WebMD it was the first time there was any kind of hormonal contraceptive “or any alternatives to condoms.”

Nearly half a century later, and despite the introduction of IUDs, patches, injections, and the female condom, the pill remains the No. 1 form of contraception. It’s used by an estimated 12 million women in the U.S. and 100 million women worldwide. According to Paula Hillard, MD, “When you say ‘birth control,’ most women think of birth control pills.” A professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Hillard says that birth control pills are still widely popular, especially among younger women.

Today’s birth control pills contain a much lower dose of estrogen than their predecessors. That means they have fewer side effects. Nevertheless, they’re still highly effective.

There are two basic types of birth control pills. Combination pills combine estrogen and progestin. The “minipill” contains progesterone only. There is also an emergency contraceptive pill, which is taken after unprotected sex.

Here is an overview of each type of pill and an explanation of how it works.
Birth Control Pill Type: Combination Pills

Combination birth control pills are the type most commonly associated with the term “the pill.” They contain a combination of the hormones estrogen and progestin. Progestin is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.

Ovulation normally occurs when a spike in estrogen levels signals the ovaries to release an egg. Combination pills prevent ovulation by adjusting hormone levels to prevent this spike. They also thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. In addition, they change the lining of the uterus to make it more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant.

Most combination pills use the same form of estrogen — ethinyl estradiol — but different types of progestins. For example, Mircette uses the progestin desogestrel. Yasmin uses drospirenone.

Most combination pills come in 21- or 28-day packs. With a 21-day pack, all of the pills are active. You don’t take any pills for the last seven days of the cycle. It’s up to you to remember when to start the next pill pack. With a 28-day pack, you take 21 active pills followed by seven inactive placebo pills.

There are three types of combination pills: monophasic, biphasic, and triphasic.

Monophasic: All of the 21 active pills contain the same level of hormones.Brand names include:

• Alesse

• Brevicon

• Demulen

• Desogen

• Levlen

• Loestrin

• Norinyl

• Ortho-Cept

• Ortho-Cyclen

• Ortho-Novum

• Yasmin

• Yaz (contains 24 active pills and four placebo pills)

Birth Control Pill Type: Combination Pills continued…

Biphasic: The 21 active pills contain two different levels of estrogen and progestin. Brand names include:

• Jenest-28

• Mircette

• Necon 10/11

• Ortho-Novum 10/11

Triphasic: The 21 active pills contain three different doses of hormones. The dose changes every seven days. Brand names include:

• Ortho-Novum 7/7/7

• Ortho Tri-Cyclen

• Tri-Levlen

• Tri-Norinyl

• Triphasil

In terms of safety and effectiveness, the three combination pill types are pretty much interchangeable. Many doctors, though, recommend monophasic pills because the hormone dose and color are more consistent. “I almost always prescribe monophasic pills,” says Espey. “For me the biggest problem with biphasic [and triphasic] pills has nothing to do with content. It has to do with colors. If a woman misses a pill and you tell her to take another pill the next day, she can get confused about the color.”

What are the pros of combination pills?

Combination pills offer a number of advantages and benefits:

• They are 99% effective when taken every day. The typical failure rates, however, range from 3% to 8%.

• Menstrual periods are lighter, more regular, and less painful.

• There are fewer premenstrual side effects, such as moodiness.

• There is lower risk of ovarian and uterine cancers, ovarian and breast cysts, and pelvic inflammatory disease.

• There is less acne.

• The pills prevent ectopic pregnancy.

• They ease the discomfort of endometriosis.

What are the cons of combination pills?

Combination pills also have their downside:

The side effects include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Headaches

• Breast tenderness and swelling

• Decreased sex drive

• Dizziness

• Irregular bleeding, especially in the first two months of use

The pills might increase risks of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, blood clots, liver tumors, or, in rare cases, gallstones.
They are not appropriate for women with a history of blood clots, uncontrolled high blood pressure, migraine headaches with aura, heart disease, or liver disease.

Birth Control Pill Type: Minipill (Progestin-Only)

The “minipill” or progestin-only pill (POP) contains no estrogen. It’s designed for women who are breastfeeding. Estrogen reduces milk production. They are also designed for women who have conditions that prevent them from taking estrogen. For example, women with a history of blood clots should not take estrogen.

Minipills work by

• Blocking one of the hormones needed for ovulation

• Thickening the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from getting to the egg

• Changing the lining of the uterus to make it more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant

They come in 28-day packs, and all of the pills are active.

The minipill can be effective. But you do need to be meticulous about taking it. “They are pretty unforgiving in terms of missed pills or pills taken late,” Hillard says. “They hardly last a full 24 hours, so you really need to be just about perfect in taking your pills at the exact same time every day.”

Brand names include:

• Micronor

• Nor-QD

• Ovrette

What are the pros of minipills?

Here are the advantages and benefits associated with minipills:

• They can be used by breastfeeding women.

• They can be used by women who can’t take estrogen, such as those who smoke and are over 35, and those who have high blood pressure or migraines with aura.

• They reduce menstrual blood loss and cramps.

• They protect against ovarian and uterine cancers and pelvic inflammatory disease.

What are the cons of minipills?

Here are the problems associated with using minipills:

• They are not quite as effective as the combination pill.

• They must be taken every day at the same time.

• They can cause irregular bleeding and missed periods.

• They won’t regulate periods like the combination pills.

• Side effects can include abdominal pain or cramps, fatigue, hot flashes, reduced sex drive, headache, nausea, dizziness, and difficulty sleeping.

Birth Control Pill Type: Extended-Cycle Pills/Continuous Use Pills

Extended-cycle pills are relatively new. They offer a choice for women who have painful periods or who just don’t like the inconvenience of having a monthly period. Like the combination pills, they contain both estrogen and progesterone. By having more days of active hormone in a row, though, these pills eliminate many — if not all — periods.

The number of active pills you take and the number of times you get your period depend on the type of extended-cycle or continuous-use birth control pill you take:

• Seasonale contains 81 days of active pills. That’s followed by seven days of inactive pills. That means you get a period about once every three months.

• Seasonique contains 84 days of active pills. They’re followed by seven days of low-dose estrogen pills. The result is you have about four periods a year.

• Lybrel contains only active pills. It’s taken 365 days a year, which completely eliminates your periods.

It may seem unnatural to reduce or eliminate your period. But extended-dose pills are actually just as safe as traditional combination birth control pills. “When you give the combination of estrogen and progestin,” Espey says, “it causes a thinning of the lining of the uterus, so you really don’t need to have a period. If you’re not building up the uterus every month, you don’t need to shed it.”

Brands of extended-cycle pills include:

• Lybrel

• Seasonale

• Seasonique

What are the pros of extended-cycle pills?

There are several benefits and advantages in using extended-cycle pills:

• You have fewer or no menstrual periods.

• Using the pills may be more effective than the traditional combination pill cycles because the pills are easier for women to take.

• The pills can help treat conditions that are exacerbated by periods, such as endometriosis, menstrual headaches, painful periods, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

• There are fewer menstrual symptoms.

What are the cons of extended-cycle pills?

Just like with the other pills, there are downsides to extended-cycle pills:

• There may be irregular or breakthrough bleeding.

• The pills have the same side effects as combination pills.

Birth Control Pill Type: Emergency Contraceptive Pills

The emergency contraceptive pill is meant to be used to prevent a pregnancy after unprotected sex. The only FDA-approved emergency contraceptive available in the U.S. is Plan B. Plan B is available over-the-counter to women 18 and older.

The emergency contraceptive pill contains a form of progestin called levonorgestrel. It works by preventing ovulation. But it won’t stop the fetus from developing if you’re already pregnant. It’s taken in two doses. You take the first dose as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. The second dose is taken either right afterward or 12 hours later. Plan B is effective for up to five days after having unprotected sex.

If you don’t have Plan B on hand and you’ve had unprotected sex, it’s also possible to take several of your regular birth control pills as a form of emergency contraception. This is known as the Yuzpe regimen. But ask your doctor about the exact dosing.

What are the pros of emergency contraceptive pills?

There are two main benefits associated with emergency contraceptive pills:

• They decrease the risk of an unintended pregnancy by about 87%.

• There is no risk of harm to the fetus if you do get pregnant.

What are the cons of emergency contraceptive pills?

There are several disadvantages to emergency contraceptive pills:

• Women under 18 cannot get these pills without a doctor’s prescription.

• The pills must be taken within 120 hours — five days — of unprotected sex.

• Side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, breast tenderness, and headache.

Choosing a Birth Control Pill

Unless you are breastfeeding or have a medical condition such as a history of blood clots, your doctor will most likely start you on a combination pill. If you want to reduce the number of periods you get a year, the doctor might prescribe an extended-cycle pill.

It’s important to discuss all of your birth control options with your ob-gyn before making a decision. “Women thinking about birth control pills need to ask themselves if they are going to be good pill takers and take the pills at the same time every day,” says Hillard. If not, you might want to consider another form of contraception. Also, talk to your doctor about possible side effects and interactions that birth control pills can have with certain medications.

By Stephanie Watson
webmd.com

Do you think it is possible to get rid of your belly fat or any certain part of your body? Many types of weight loss programs suggest it is possible, but you can not actually find a diet that will specifically reduce the fat in specific areas of your body, such as your fat belly, fat thighs or your flabby triceps.

When you do lose fat you will lose it throughout your whole body and not just in specific areas alone. However, if you really desire to lose belly fat, tone your thighs or triceps, there is a solution to help you achieve it.

1. Add targeted resistance training exercises to your daily routine. This can help you can assist the muscles in specific areas and tone your body.

2. Do abdominal exercises: This can firm and tighten your abdominal muscles and make it easier for higher posture. It can specifically improve the ability to flatten your belly by getting rid of belly fat and help you achieve your weight loss goals.

3. Do triceps exercises to tone and strengthen the triceps muscles. It will moreover help your belly area to look better even without fat loss.

Once you begin to lose fat throughout your body, those parts which you have been applying your resistance training will begin to show the benefits of your training. If your abdominal muscles are covered in a layer of body fat, then you will not be able to get the look of rock hard abdominal muscles even by using the latest advertised abdominal machine daily.

What it does is only add support to the whole of your body by strengthening the muscles, but still, you need to reduce fat to get in shape no matter what else you do.

Training exercises and diet are both very important to help burn the fat. You will find that most of these reduce belly fat solutions that are advertised in television infomercials promising startling results also include dietary recommendations. Applying appropriate changes to your diet and eating habits will lower most your body shape rather as opposed to your exercise equipment.