Acomplia launched in many European countries

Acomplia, the much anticipated miracle obesity drug (Rimonabant) went on sale in Sweden this month, but the far-more exciting news for manufacturer Sanofi-Aventis was that the cost of the weight-loss pill will be reimbursable by Sweden's public health service.

The health services in Denmark and Ireland have also agreed to reimburse patients for the drug, but in Germany - the European Union's largest market - the regulatory body that decides which medicines will be covered by insurers classified Acomplia as a "lifestyle" drug not eligible for reimbursement.

With the addition of Sweden, Acomplia is now on sale in eight European Union countries as well as in Argentina. It has been approved for sale in Mexico, but will not be available there until the start of 2007. Sanofi-Aventis said it expects to begin selling Acomplia in Mexico by January 2007.

Acomplia diet pill is still stalled at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. UD FDA has asked Sanofi for some more additional information before it can get permission for sale. Sanofi has responded with full details in the month of October and analysts hope to hear from FDA either in two months or it might take another six months for the decision to come by. Acomplia has not been approved in Canada.

The Mexican Ministry of Health approved the Acomplia diet pill not only as an adjunct to diet and exercise for obese patients or overweight people at risk of diabetes and heart disease, but also said Acomplia can be used with standard treatments metformin or sulfonylurea to improve blood sugar levels in diabetics.

There have been speculations that Rimonabant, while on sale in Europe as Acomplia, would be marketed under some other name in the United States - probably Zimulti or Acomplia aft.

Acomplia, the weight loss diet pill, from Sanofi, blocks a cellular receptor found in the brain and fat cells involved with experiencing pleasurable sensations. By blocking this receptor, Acomplia dampens appetite. It's now the first drug to prove that it can help obese people take weight off and keep it off for more than one year according to the new research. Beyond this consideration, it also fights nicotine addiction, and can improve cholesterol levels and various other heart disease risk factors.

With obesity affecting 100 million people in the United States and Europe, analysts say such a drug could generate up to $6 billion a year in sales by the end of the decade. That would put Acomplia on the top shelf of the medicine cabinet, with the likes of Pfizer's Lipitor and Merck's Zocor cholesterol treatments.

The magic bullet is still being tested and not yet proved itself but it is already a rage and has favorable reports. Acomplia information is available on online pharmacies offering to buy Acomplia (Rimonabant) online. There are many Acomplia pharmacies in UK where one can order Acomplia diet pills online. To buy cheap Acomplia (Rimonabant) online could be dangerous as they could be imitations of the original. So be sure you buy the right drug.

About the Author:
Steve Jackson is an associated editor and a contributing author to the Eu-internet-pharmacy.com for distinct article sites/journals. Please feel free to visit http://www.eu-internet-pharmacy.com for more information on Cialis, Acomplia.
Added: 17 Nov 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/43179.html

Adipex vs. Phentermine - is there a difference?

Obesity is a disease which is eating much of the population the world over. There has been an unprecedented growth in the number of obese people in the recent past. The trend is increasing even now. There have to be something which can move the world away from this trend.

Age old methods like doing exercises and having a controlled diet program are some of the best methods available to reduce weight. But the process is so slow that in this fast pace of life it is not opted by many. Liposuction and surgery are other methods available but are costly and repetitive as one has to go for re-surgery after some time.

For long, medical science has been in look out for a better solution to get a person get out from obesity. There has been some development in the formulation of weight loss drugs. Prominent amongst them are Phentermine, Adipex, Ionamin and other weight loss drugs which are branded drugs from different manufacturers but all having property as of Phentermine.

Phentermine is a weight loss drug which was approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as early as 1959. First it was the Phentermine resin which was made available in the US and later Phentermine Hydrochloride was available in the early 70’s. There is no difference between Phentermine and Adipex as Phentermine is the generic name of the drug and Adipex is the brand name of Phentermine manufactured by Gate Pharmaceuticals.

Adipex diet pills like Phentermine diet pills are sympathomimetic amine similar to amphetamine. It is used as a short-term supplement to workouts and controlled diet regimen for treating obesity. Both Adipex and Phentermine work as appetite suppressing drug. As the appetite is suppressed the food intake is lowered. And when the body needs energy it starts breaking down the fat accumulated in the body thereby making an obese person lose his fats.

In case of medication for any of these weight reduction drugs consultation with a doctor is a must. Pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, person with heart problem, high blood pressure, glaucoma, history of drug or alcohol abuse, epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, allergy etc. should take proper advice from a doctor if they are to take the drug.

Side effects like blurred vision, irritability, stomach upset, dry mouth may occur in the initial phase of taking the drug. It can also increase heart rate and blood pressure. The normal dose of these drugs is a pill a day with a glass of water but in case a doctor prescribes other way one should follow his or her instructions.

To buy Adipex or to buy Phentermine one can go for a local store or get it from an online drug store. In most of the online drug stores the rates are much cheaper than the physical drug stores.

Phentermine and Adipex are short term weight loss drugs and not a permanent solution to reduce obesity. To reduce obesity permanently one has to follow a strict diet regimen and do physical activities plus one has to have willpower to do both of these.

About the Author:
Joseph Jones received training as a healthcare scientist. He has been working in the same field and writes informative articles for weight loss subject. To find Phentermine, Adipex diet pills, buy phentermine, phentermine diet pills, buy Adipex, weight loss pills visit http://www.onlinephentermine.net/
Article Source: ArticleToGo.com

The Atkins Diet...what is it?

You're probably wondering how a diet like this could actually lead to weight loss. According to the late Dr. Atkins, it's all about limiting carbohydrates. As Americans, we eat a large amount of carbohydrates. These are foods that contain white flour and refined sugar. In other words, most of the packaged foods we eat such as pasta, bread and cereal are carbohydrate-rich. According to the core principle of the Atkins diet, by limiting carbohydrates in a four-phase process your body is forced to burn its stored fat, rather than carbohydrates, for fuel.

In 1972, Dr. Robert Atkins first published his book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, which suggested a new way to diet. Up until this time, dieting consisted of lowering the number of calories eaten per day or lowering both the amount of fats and carbohydrates eaten. But, Dr. Atkins' diet was strictly focused on limiting carbohydrate consumption. So, what are carbohydrates?

You have probably heard of "carbohydrates" and "complex carbohydrates." They come in many forms including rice, pasta, bread, crackers, cereal, fruits and vegetables. Carbohydrates provide your body with its basic fuel. You can think about the relationship between your body and carbohydrates in much the same way you would consider the relationship between a car engine and gasoline.

There are four main benefits participants gain from following the Atkins plan:

Weight Loss - When you cut down carbohydrates, your body converts from using carbohydrates for energy to burning fat as the primary energy source. This results in weight loss.

Weight Maintenance - Each individual has a level of carbohydrate intake at which they will neither gain nor lose weight. The Atkins plan allows the body to determine this amount through the eventual increase in the amount of carbs you can eat.

Good Health - Atkins dieters are encouraged to eat nutrition-rich foods with vitamin and nutritional supplements as needed.

Disease Prevention - Lowering carbohydrate intake and, in turn, insulin production may help prevent diseases like diabetes.

About the author:
Mike Yeager
http://www.a1-diet-4u.info/
Circulated by Article Emporium

Women, Dieting and The Search For Perfection

The whole question of dieting or not dieting is inseparable from us, women, because of our ambivalent relationship with our body--we love it and we hate it. In essence, mind has been exiled from body. I have known heavy women who face their unhealthy weight problem by eating more; I have seen women who are by all standards slender and beautiful agonize over the slightest thickening of midriff and thighs. For most women, our waists are never small enough, our bellies never flat enough and dieting seems to be the golden route to a kind of cultural icon of perfection.

We worry excessively about every ounce we gain or we give in uncontrollably to eating binges. This hunger or denial of hunger is the reason for the dramatic increase in obesity in North America and also the reason for yet another weight loss book on the market. As Jennifer Workman states so emphatically in "Stop Your Cravings", "Why are we the most diet-crazed country in the world and yet also the most overweight, and apparently the most frustrated by our failure (xiv)?"

It is obvious that diets recommending food deprivation do not work. Weight issues involve more than food issues. Weight issue is a body acceptance issue and our obsession with weight is a symptom of our inability to honor the body, to give the body its due as a living, individual being. The authors of three books on the market explore this issue of body acceptance and provide suggestions on how women can re-think their relationships with their bodies.

In their book, "It's Not About Food," authors Carol Emery Normandi and Laurelee Roark, founders of Beyond Hunger Inc, state that women in our culture " have an enormous pressure on them to be perfect"(6) and it is this pressure that is creating eating disorders, addictive behavior, depression and even death in women. Our hunger is not for food, but for internal guidance--"having the right to choose what we feel is right for ourselves and learning to hear the voice within that knows what we need"(16). Listening to this internal guidance means being comfortable with who are, even if it means accepting a body that is ten pounds more than what we think it should be.

This re-focusing on the internal and spiritual basis of hunger and food addiction certainly sheds new light on the meaning of "dieting." A diet traditionally carries the meaning of food deprivation for the purpose of shedding excess weight. Unfortunately as well, the word also carries the connotation of starvation and hunger. In this sense, a diet is only a temporary, band-aid solution to the problem of obesity. To arrive at long term success, we have to look at the diet not as a temporary measure, but as a lifelong revision in attitude and lifestyle, which is only possible when we can get to the root of our ambivalence about our bodies.

Such is the case in "Love Hunger" authored by a group of expert physicians. In one case delineated in the book, a patient recognizes that her relationship with food comes from an unresolved conflict with her parents. When patient Barbara comes to realize that her issue with food is about her relationship with her parents--an authoritarian father and an overly-dependent mother, she begins the journey towards change and resolution. As a child, Barbara functioned like a "scapegoat spouse" (29) to both her parents. Her problem, rooted in family dysfunction which created a vacuum in her heart, is typical of many overeaters :"people with heart hunger will stuff their stomachs"(30).

The same suggestion that we look beyond the prescriptive diet to the person's total body consciousness can be seen in "Addiction to Perfection," in which Marion Woodman examines how the eating problems of the modern woman are rooted in an addiction that deprives her of being able to love herself for what she is. The problem that confronts a woman addicted to perfection is that she cannot accept herself for being human. The body in this instance is often sacrificed to the idealism of the mind. Only through bodywork and soulwork can she redeem her center--when her body is not pitted against her mind but can coexist as one unit: "I am body and mind. I may be tossed about like a sailboat in a cyclone, but through thick and thin I am able to hold my standpoint here at the center…because I now have eyes to see and ears to hear" and " I can surrender. Life can happen; life can pour through me."(75)

The solution suggested by these authors comes from re-defining the parameters of perfection. What is a perfect woman? A perfect body? Perfect--by whose standards and definition? We need to understand perfection not in terms of standards dictated by cultural media, but by our own internal guidance. This means that a woman is perfect when she is empowered enough to choose the avenue by which she defines herself. That's when dieting or not dieting becomes an irrelevant issue because she has worked out the dynamics of healthy body and purposeful living for herself.

Copyright (c) 2006 Mary Desaulniers

About the Author:
Mary Desaulniers Ph.D will be exploring the issue of body image and perfection on VoiceAmerica 7th Wave Network Internet Radio show "Reclaiming The Body's Wisdom" beginning October 5/06 . Get details at http://www.GreatBodyat50.com.
This article was posted on October 19, 2006
Article Source: articlecity

Easy Weight Loss Diets

It is a fact that over half of Americans are overweight. With most of us having busy schedules, it’s not so easy to stick to diets or work out on a regular basis. But, all hope is not lost. The following advice should help you lose those unwanted bounds easily by following a safe diet plan and exercising.

The first piece of advice deals with exercising. Always exercise on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Talk a walk on a treadmill or around the block a few times. Ten minutes will make a difference by burning stored energy – namely fat.

The second useful tip is not eating late night snacks. If you avoid snacking three hours before bedtime, you wont be storing fat, and you will be amazed at the results.

Tip number three suggests that if you are going to drink coffee, make it black. Fancy coffee flavored drinks with cream and sugar are loaded with calories, as opposed to zero in a good old cup of black coffee.

Tip four recommends that you eat four or five small meals a day rather than the traditional three. Your metabolism needs constant fuel to burn fat. If you feed it in small amounts several times, your metabolism stays high and burns more calories.

Finally, cut down on your carbohydrate intake. This will make a huge difference in how much and how quickly you will lose weight. Eliminate as much bread and other starches as you can from your diet, and you’ll see why it works when you step on the scale. Take this advice, and you’ll see what easy weight loss dieting is all about.

Weight Loss Diets provides detailed information on Weight Loss Diets, Fast Weight Loss Diets, Weight Loss Diet Pills, Easy Weight Loss Diets and more. Weight Loss Diets is affliated with Free Weight Loss Programs.

About the Author:
Jason Gluckman
Added: Wed Apr 05 2006
To find other free health content see e-healtharticles.com

Evaluating and Choosing the Best Diet Plans

For any diet plan to be successful, it must include four elements: avoiding cravings, avoiding hunger, increasing activity level, and must be one you can live with over a lifetime. The best diet plans will include all four elements and will result in safe, effective long term weight loss.

There are so many diet plans available today that it could make your head spin trying to figure out which are the best diet plans to follow. Diet plans that promise quick weight loss or require you to avoid certain foods should be avoided like the plague.

When evaluating and choosing the best diet plans, look for those plans that include these four elements:

1. Avoiding food cravings
2. Avoiding hunger
3. Increased activity level
4. A plan you can live with for a lifetime - not just a few weeks

Avoid Food Cravings
Any diet plan that requires you to avoid certain foods will ultimately lead to food cravings and will be unsustainable in the long run. A craving is when you desire a certain food even when you're not hungry. When you finally cave into this desire you will likely overeat, and consequently pack on more weight.

Cravings are caused by your body's needs for the six essential food ingredients: carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water. When a diet plan requires you to strictly avoid one of these ingredients, your cravings will only increase because you're denying your body something it wants. The best diet plans will not only give you the flexibility to include all six ingredients in your diet, they'll require it.

Avoid Hunger
Hunger is different than cravings in that your body desires not just one of the six ingredients, but all of them at the same time. In other words, it just wants food - any food! If a diet plan causes you to be hungry all the time, you will inevitably overeat. To avoid this, the best diet plans will help you curb your appetite.

The best way to curb your appetite and avoid hunger is to keep your stomach full. The best diet plans will encourage you to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day instead of 3 larger meals. Those meals should consist of fruits and vegetables, which have fiber, along with foods with protein and good fats. Each meal should be well-balanced and include as many of the six ingredients as possible.

Protein and fats are especially effective in suppressing appetite. The best diet plans will not require you to avoid fats. All fats are not the same. There are good and bad fats, and it's the good fats that your body needs. The good fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Keep your intake of saturated fats to a minimum.

Increase Activity Level
You need to exercise to lose weight. When you exercise, you increase your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which you burn calories. You cannot achieve long term weight loss success without exercise. Any diet plan that claims you can lose weight simply by changing your diet alone or popping a weight loss pill should be avoided at all costs. The best diet plans will stress the importance of diet AND exercise. You need them both for sustained, long term weight loss.

A Plan You Can Live With For a Lifetime
This is probably the most overlooked element by dieters as they look for the best diet plans, yet it is one of the most important elements. If you cannot live with a diet for life, you simply will not be able to keep the weight off over the long term. It's that simple. Talk to any elderly person who has managed to stay fit all their life and ask them what kind of diet they've had over their lifetime. You can bet they will not say Atkins, Negative-Calorie, or some other short-term fad diet.

The best diet plans will encourage a balanced diet that includes all the six ingredients. You've heard of the phrase, "all things in moderation," and it especially holds true when it comes to a life-long diet. Those fad diets will work in the short term, but if your goal is to keep the weight off for good, then avoid them all together.

About the Author:
Looking for a diet plan you can live with for life? Check out some of the best diet plans at Travis Van Slooten's site at http://www.mens-total-fitness.com
Submitted on 2006-12-01
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Loosing Fat and Getting in Shape - Take Responsibility and be Direct with Yourself

Do you feel like you are fighting a loosing battle when it comes to burning fat and getting into shape? Maybe you purchased a few books, videos or workout equipment claiming to be the magic bullet to make you look thin “in 30 days”. Well I think that you are not alone and many of us have been down this road.

One suggestion I have is that if you want all these things to work you should be direct with yourself. Being blunt with your self is a powerful thing. I believe it helps people have a change of heart. Having a change of heart is key when it comes to fat loss and maintaining your health because you have to let go of the bad habits and acquire healthy habits. Everything starts from within and you are ultimately responsible for executing your nutrition and exercise plan. Here are a few things to look at to help you take responsibility for your self.

Accept that it takes hard work and persistence to reach your fitness goals. Don’t look for instant gratification. It’s not in your best interest to think that eating right and working out is a temporary action. Think about trying a different routine. The one you are doing now is not working for you, so try something different for the next month. You may find a routine you enjoy more.

Stop making excuses for every little thing that keeps you from exercising and eating right. The excuses we allow ourselves to not be healthy should be entirely unacceptable to you. If you feel you do not have enough time to take care of your self, think of this: Everyone that works or has responsibilities is pressed for time. Yet some people rise above their daily grind and make fitness a part of their life. Ultimately they stay healthy. If they can do it, you can do it.

Another thing I would like to discuss is that you should accept the fact that there are things in our society that we cannot control. One example is the food industry. We live in a world surrounded by large portions and greasy food. These foods will stay on the market because people will buy them. Think about how to work around these things and how to make healthier choices when eating. Don’t give in if you want to follow a healthy lifestyle.

Finally, the trends of today demand us to take the time to take care of ourselves. One trend I know of is that more people have sedentary jobs now as opposed to the past, when we had more jobs available that required physical exertion. Also, with all these new drugs that have been launched in the recent years, it seems like we depend on modern medicine to keep us healthy and alive. While modern medicine is great and has made some advances to make our lives longer, we still need to allow ourselves to take responsibility for our health.

Even though you feel like you are fighting a loosing battle to stay healthy and lean. There are many diet and nutrition programs out there to help you achieve your goals. However, you must accept the responsibility to find the path that is right for you and execute. Or these things will not help you achieve your best health.

About the Author:
John Purfield
To really learn on how to create your fitness goals and achieve them, read our review of the burn the fat feed the muscle e book at www.addfitness.com. The burn the fat feed the muscle book will provide the no frills physical fitness information you will need.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnetwork.com/

How To Gain Weight And Build More Muscle Mass

A typical strength training program for weight gain all almost always includes compound free weight lifts like squats, bench press, shoulder press, pull-ups (wide grip), and dips. The amount of weight used for each, the amount of reps, and the frequency of training, will obviously be customized to suit your body type, current strength, and strength training goals.

It’s also important to note is that training too often is both dangerous and counter-productive. More training does not equal more muscle. The body does not become stronger during exercise; it actually becomes stronger during the repair period between exercising. This is rather non-intuitive, but it’s a basic scientific fact. As such, it’s critically important for people to avoid over-training, and to build in appropriate rest periods between reps, sets, and workouts.

Intrinsic Motivation and Keeping Up Progress

This may be the most neglected component of an effective weight-gain system, yet it’s easily as important as the other two noted above.

The problem of motivation is typically not one of starting. Many people have the will and desire to start a weight gain program; at least, they do for the first few times. Where motivation makes – or breaks – a weight gain program is when it comes to monitoring progress and maintaining muscle gain.

This doesn’t imply that people are weak or uninterested in progress; actually, it’s rather more complex than that. Though 1,000 people may focus, on the same day and at the same time, on gaining weight effectively and with measurable muscular results, it’s not an exaggeration to say that each of these people will experience something different. Some of those differences will be profound and visible; other differences will be subtle and difficult to put into words. The dilemma here is that people may start doubting the validity of their program when their progress (or lack of progress) does not mirror the results achieved by someone else. Or worse, some people may truly start doubting their own ability to “ever gain weight” when they see someone else making apparent progress towards their weight gain goals.

The remedy to this dilemma is contained in the term “follow-through”. The key to successful weight gain lies fundamentally in one’s ability to follow-through with a program, and to stick with it, while at the same time making appropriate adjustments to exploit gains, and avoid disappointment. Ultimately, if the nutrition and strength training components are in place, achieving weight gain goals are merely a matter of time and effort; and that is where motivation plays it’s most important role.

Typical proven strategies to ensure motivation remains high and continuous include: adjusting workouts to add some variety and avoid boredom; using visuals (such as a before and after picture, or a video) to monitor progress; writing down (realistic!) goals; measuring physical improvements on a bi-weekly basis; measuring mental/psychological improvements on a bi-weekly basis; staying focused, and of course, taking breaks when necessary.

Putting it All Into Place and Taking Action

As noted earlier, there is a disconcerting amount of poor quality (or no quality) information available that purports to help naturally thin people gain weight. The majority of this harmful information revolves around “eating more”; which, if it works, simply leads to the creation of permanent fat cells. Unfortunately, for naturally thin people stuck in this cycle of misinformation and misunderstanding, their choices are to either remain thinner than they’d like, or put on fat pounds and risk a high body fat ratio or even obesity.

Thankfully, however, nothing needs to be created in order to help naturally thin people succeed in their weight gain goals; scientific advancements or miracle cures are not required. Simply, what is required is action based on what is already available, and what has been noted above: proper nutrition, effective strength training and self-motivation.

Ensuring that these three elements are present is the unifying theme that is common to almost every successful weight gain story that has ever been written, applauded, and admired.

About the Author:
Former "skinny guy" Anthony Ellis is the author of Gaining Mass! The most widely used weight gain program in the world. This unique program designed to help people gain weight and build muscle, is currently being used in over 90 countries. Learn more at www.fastmusclegain.com
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

Diet Tips For The Whole Family

Losing weight is never really easy, but when you find it necessary to prepare diet meals for yourself and fare that your family will eat as well, it can become really difficult. If you find yourself in this situation, the solution may be easier than you might think. While your family need not go on a diet with you, making some changes to the way you prepare meals can help to ensure that you stick to your diet goals and your family eats healthier as well.

One of the most important things you can do to make the switch to healthier eating is pay attention to the cuts of meat that you purchase and prepare. Whenever possible, purchase the leanest cuts of meat available. They may be slightly more expensive, but the health benefits you receive are well worth the extra cost. To beef up the health benefits even more, switch from frying prep methods to other methods such as roasting, baking, grilling and broiling. This is a great way to lose weight and keep your arteries free and clear.

Everyone, whether you happen to be dieting or not, can benefit from adding more vegetables to the menu. This is only true; however, if those veggies are prepared in the healthiest ways possible. Instead of loading them down with lots of cheese and butter, opt for other tasty methods. Steamed vegetables seasoned with herbs, spices, imitation butter and/or flavored vinegar provide a tasty and healthy alternative to fat and calorie laden vegetable casserole dishes.

Unless you are on a very strict no carbohydrate diet, grains can actually be good for your weight loss plans and form a healthy part of your family’s eating routine as well. The important key is to choose healthy grains instead of those that are high in refined sugar. Opt for whole grain rolls, breads and wild rice. Not only are these choices healthier, but they also taste better.

One of the biggest problems for families where one or more members are on a diet is satisfying the sweet tooth of some without wrecking the diet plans of others. One way to handle this is by stocking the freezer and pantry with dessert options that are tasty but won’t sabotage your weight loss goals. Consider choices such as low-cal and low-fat ice cream or yogurt. Paired with an all fruit spread topping or light whipped topping, there’s a good chance the kids won’t even notice the difference as they dig in. Other great dessert alternatives include fat-free pudding, sherbet, gelatin, fruit cocktail and apple sauce.

If you really want to energize your diet and create a healthier routine for your family, consider skipping dessert all-together and heading outside for a group walk, bike ride or even a game of Frisbee or volleyball. Not only will you be setting a healthy example for the rest of your family, but you’ll also grow stronger as a family unit while spending quality time together.

About the Author:
Joey Dweck is the Founder & CEO of WeightLossBuddy.com a website committed to 24/7 support, expert advice, and helping people find a buddy(s) who will support their effort to lose weight, and live a healthier lifestyle. And it's all Free. Sign up for the Free 4-Part E-Course “Losing For Good” www.weightlossbuddy.com
Article Source: http://www.freearticlesdirectory.com

Fad Diets can Kill!

Everything you read about diets should be "taken with a grain of salt". If something seems too good to be true, or not plausible, seek other sources, or ask at
http://mayoclinic.com.

You probably have heard about "anorexia", self-starvation, or "bulimia", binge eating followed by laxatives and/or induced vomiting. These disorders often affect females with poor self image. Death can result.

You might not realize that some fad diets are also deadly to health or to life. Any diet that focuses on just a few foods, or mostly water or juices, except under personal medical supervision, can damage critical organs and nerve tissues beyond repair. Don't willfully make yourself into a starvation victim.

Be cautious when reading about such things as "macrobiotic" diets. "Macrobiotic" is a combination of two words, created to mean great / long life achieved through diet of whole grains, vegetables, beans, limited quantities of animal foods. Some fanatics have taken this to mean nothing but grains and water. The "brown rice diet" is an example that has caused deaths.

Don't expect "the grapefruit diet" to do much more than supply you with a lot of vitamin C. You had better continue eating proteins, fruits, vegetables, fiber foods.

As I wrote in my diet eBook, If calories burned are more / less than calories ingested, weight will be lost / gained. Physics can NOT be turned off.

By the way, as you can read on their web site, posted August 22, 2003,
"Mayo Clinic diet: It doesn't exist.
A number of so-called "Mayo Clinic diets" have surfaced over the years. None of these originated at or are endorsed by Mayo Clinic."
** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

About the author:
Dr. Donald A. Miller is author of ""Easy Health Diet"" http://easyhealthdiet.com/diet.htm""Exercise for Juniors to Seniors"" http://easyhealthdiet.com/JrSr.htm and numerous free articles on health http://articles.easyhealthdiet.com/
Seven of ten deaths are caused by preventable diseases.
Circulated by Article Emporium

Healthy Weight Loss - The Truth about Dieting

Very few people realise that nearly 100% of people who lose weight through a diet program put that weight back on even more quickly than before. Read on to discover why our health departments are now saying that even healthy diets should be avoided.

In the first month of a diet the weight you lose is mostly water and muscle weight. As soon as you go off the diet, those are replaced with more fat! In addition, almost no-one can stick to a diet because it is so out of kilter with the person's familiar eating patterns. The very act of dieting both lowers metabolic processing, and increases food cravings. No wonder that three years after going on a diet, over 95% have put that weight back on or are even heavier!

Nevertheless there is no doubt we have a serious weight problem. In Australia the latest National Nutrition Survey showed that we have 45% of women and 65% of men overweight. Over the last 20 years our obesity rate has doubled to 17% of men and 19% of women. According to the National Health & Medical Research Council paper “Acting on Australia’s Weight” our children are 2-3 times more likely to be obese, as their rates have also doubled since the 1980’s.

The costs of overweight are enormous: over $700 million dollars of the public purse, and over $500 million spent attending diet or weight loss clinics. Our hospitals are clogged with people who have diseases which are a consequence of overweight: heart disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes, oedema, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, cancers of the endometrium, biliary system disease and respiratory problems. The cost in loss of life is even worse. Every year in Australia we lose many thousands of people to the effects of overweight. We also lose thousands of young women every year dying from dieting diseases such as anorexia and bulimia.

So not only does dieting not work, it's dangerous, and we can no longer afford to tolerate a culture of dieting.

The following are a list of health problems caused by dieting, all of which are thoroughly backed by worldwide consensus research:

1. Diets have been linked with fatal eating disorders, particularly amongst children, and particularly amongst children of mothers who have dieted.

2. Weight loss dieting can cause health problems and can even lead to gall bladder disease and emergency surgery if the decrease is too rapid.

3. Dieting has been linked with lowered libido. Diets can wreck a wonderful sex life and a great relationship!

4. Diets usually cost money, money that could have been spent on lovely new clothes or family treats. If diets worked, this would be a wise investment, but the problem is, the weight loss effects are merely temporary and the damage done by dieting persists!

5. Diets often don’t provide correct nutrition, leading to problems with concentration and memory and also decreased well-being, lowered immune system and more illness.

6. Food deprivation causes food cravings that become so intense that sooner or later everyone busts out of their diet! At this point the myth of willpower is shown to be the awful lie that it truly is.

So why diet? It doesn’t work. It causes problems. And there’s a much better way!

What is this better way? Certainly we now know that healthy weight loss does not involve any special eating regime or exercise regime. Instead the best weight loss programs will ensure that a thorough study is made of how the person behaves and the lifestyle choices they make when they are NOT trying to lose weight. This is the realistic baseline that we're starting from.

Often we find that if the person is fairly active and not overeating too severely, that it is something very small that is nevertheless making a very big difference in weight. It could be that they're eating or drinking something on a regular basis that they had no idea contained so many empty calories. The café latté is a perfect example, as some of these can add up to as much as half one's daily calorie needs! One of these each day could easily add 0.5 kg per week in excess weight. Many people are surprised to learn that it only takes an excess of just 250 calories a day for most people to accumulate an extra 11 kilos of fat every year!

Or it could be that the person has reduced their physical activity level by giving up some sport or activity that they enjoyed and need to give themselves permission, even as adults, to get out there and play and engage with life again. This should not on any account be confused with an exercise regime. This really is about PLAYING and genuine pleasure is the key.

So this is why we should focus on healthy weight loss practices only, and really look at what choices people are making, and why they are making them, before we even begin to construct a plan, not by imposing it on someone, but by working together as a team to build an informed, customised, workable and permanent solution.

Finally, the compulsive and addictive components of weight loss have been so poorly understood that they've been ignored totally, leaving the poor overweight person out of control with cravings. Until now there has not really been a satisfactory answer to cravings, but by using modern deconditioning methods, people can now learn to literally switch off these cravings, quickly and permanently. I hope after reading this article that you would never again consider dieting, and instead look at the real reasons for your weight issues, and real solutions for healthy weight loss! Thank you for reading.

About the Author:
Christine Sutherland is the owner of http://www.weightchoice.com.au , an information-packed resource for people who want healthy weight loss from real, permanent solutions. You can view more interesting articles, videos and audios on the WeightChoice web site.
*** Digital Reprint Rights ***
* You are not allowed to change anything in Article Content and Author Biography except the format for displaying the article properly.
* You are allowed to use this article for free as long as it will not violate any laws.
* I will appreciate it if you can notify me the publication of this article. I can be reached at ndp@lifeworks-group.com.au.
This article was posted on November 20, 2006
Article Source: articlecity