Surgical procedures for weight loss

Before any extremely obese person is considered for surgery, failure of a comprehensive program that includes calorie restriction, exercise, lifestyle modification, psychological counseling, and family involvement should be demonstrated. Failure is defined as an inability of the patient to reduce body weight by one third and body fat by one half and an inability to maintain any weight loss achieved. Such patients have intractable morbid obesity and should be considered for surgery. Before surgery the patient should be evaluated extensively with respect to physiologic and medical complications, psychological problems such as depression and poor self-esteem, and the extent of motivation.

Maintenance of reduced body weight

There is a general perception that almost no one succeeds in long term maintenance of weight loss. Weight loss maintenance may get easier over time, after individuals have successfully maintained their weight loss for 2–5 years, the chance of longer-term success greatly increases. Continued adherence to diet and exercise strategies, low levels of depression and disinhibition, and medical triggers for weight loss are also associated with long-term success. 

Obesity and overweight

Obesity and overweight are a result of an imbalance between food consumed and physical activity. Nowadays calories consumption of adults has increased, but there are no changes in physical activity. Obesity is a complex issue related to lifestyle, environment, and genes. Overweight adolescents often become obese adults. Obese adults are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, certain cancers, infertility. 

Sodium

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor. In some people, sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, creating an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium in the diet may also have other harmful health effects, including increased risk for stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease. 

Potassium

Most people who eat a healthy diet should get enough potassium naturally. However, many Americans don't. While the typical American diet, which is high in sodium-containing processed foods and low in fruits and vegetables, contains about two times more sodium than potassium, many health experts recommend taking in at least five times more potassium than sodium. So the average U.S. intake of potassium is lower than it should be. 

Chromium

Chromium potentiates insulin action and as such influences carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. Chromium regulates blood sugar, and helps insulin transport glucose into cells, where it can be used for energy.With a deficiency of chromium, the chances of getting diabetes increase. Chromium can also help raise HDL cholesterol levels, and may play a role in preventing heart disease.

Manganese

The 10 to 20 mg of manganese contained in the adult human body are concentrated in tissues rich in mitochondria. Manganese is a component of many enzymes. Manganese is associated with the formation of connective and skeletal tissues, growth and reproduction, and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Manganese helps your body utilize several key nutrients such as biotin, thiamin, ascorbic acid, and choline; keep your bones strong and healthy; help your body synthesize fatty acids and cholestorol; maintain normal blood sugar levels; promote optimal function of your thyroid gland; maintain the health of your nerves; protect your cells from free-radical damage. 

Why we need minerals

Just like vitamins, minerals help your body grow, develop, and stay healthy.

Minerals are important for your body to stay healthy. Your body uses minerals for many different jobs, including building bones, making hormones and regulating your heartbeat.

Daily menu with all required vitamins

Start your day with a rich breakfast.
Just one cup of cereals (54 g), one glass of milk, low fat, (250 ml) and you'll be satiated and full of energy until lunch.

Glycemic index

Dietary carbohydrates are digested into glucose, fructose and galactose through the actions of a-amylase and brush border digestive enzymes in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The ability to digest carbohydrates is modified by:

Weight loss: calculate food energy

Not all of the energy in foods and alcohol is available to the body's cells. The processes of digestion and absorption are not completely efficient, and the nitrogenous portion of amino acids is not oxidized but is excreted in the form of urea. 

Therefore the biologically available energy from foods and alcohol is expressed in values rounded off slightly below those obtained using calorimeter.

Body weight control

Bone, muscle, organs, body fluids, adipose tissue are all components are body weight. Maintaining a constant body weight is regulated by a complex system of neural, hormonal and chemical mechanisms that keeps the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Mechanism abnormalities can result in weight fluctuations (overweight and obesity).

Eat grapefruits for weight loss

Refreshing and delicious grapefruit is rich in phytonutrients such as vitamin A, beta-carotene, and lycopene. It is revered as fruit of "paradise" for its unique health-promoting as well as disease-healing properties, especially among health-conscious, fitness freaks.

For your heart: low salt products

How much sodium is in our favorite products? 

1. Apricot, 1 medium (0mg)
2. Cherries 1 cup (0mg)
3. Grapefruit, 1/2 fruit (0mg)

Your heart needs OMEGA-3

There's a simple, proven and easy way to reduce the the risk of cardiovascular disease, and that is to increase your intake of the healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to significantly reduce the risk for sudden death caused by cardiac arrhythmias and all-cause mortality in patients with known coronary heart disease.

Heart friendly grains

Eat a cup of buckwheats a day and you'll be okay!

Energizing and nutritious, buckwheat is available throughout the year and can be served as an alternative to rice or made into porridge.

Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of high blood pressure. A diet high in buckwheat (100 grams per day, about 3.5 ounces). When researchers tested blood lipids, they found that buckwheat intake was associated with lower total serum cholesterol, lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL, the form linked to cardiovascular disease), and a high ratio of HDL (health-promoting cholesterol) to total cholesterol.

Cinnamon lowers high blood pressure

Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices. This flavorful spice made from tree bark has been used for over 4000 years and its beneficial properties have been well known for that whole time. From the very beginning, this sweet spice has been used in teas, as a healing agent to help combat numerous ailments, and even for embalming and mummification processes by ancient Egyptians, according to an article in the Miami Herald. Cinnamon contains some very healthy compounds as well, including fiber, manganese, iron and calcium.