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Walking and running are widely used modes of exercise to improve fitness and promote weight loss. The energy expended (calories burned) during walking or running can be directly measured in a lab or estimated based on speed and body weight.

It can also be determined using one of many wearable devices and mobile apps. A commonly-used estimation is that walking or running one mile elicits an energy expenditure of 100 calories.

This estimation, while crude, is interesting because of its wide use and apparent acceptance, even though it hasnt been tested for accuracy.

Research we did in the Exercise Science Lab at USC Aiken and presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting last week examined the accuracy of the 100 calories per mile estimate across a wide range of walking and running speeds.

To do this we asked subjects ranging in age from 20 to 44 years to walk or run one mile at a speed they selected on a treadmill while energy expenditure was determined.

Some of the subjects walked and some ran, so the speeds ranged from 3 to 7 mph. For accuracy, we measured the air they breathed to measure how much oxygen they consumed to calculate how many calories they burned.

We found that the measured energy expenditure across all speeds was 108 calories per mile. It was higher (115 calories) during running and lower (98 calories) during walking. None of these were significantly different from the 100 calories per mile estimate.

There was a high degree of variability among subjects in energy expenditure, even at similar walking or running speed. This was due to body weight, with heavier people burning more calories when they walked or ran.

These findings are consistent with previous studies that compared the measured energy expenditure of walking and running one mile at set speeds. In our study, we allowed subjects to select their own walking or running speed, so it more closely reflects how people would exercise outside of a research setting.

Research also shows that the energy expenditure during treadmill exercise was almost exactly the same as walking or running on a track, so our findings would also be applicable to walking or running on level ground.

In conclusion, the widely-used estimate of 100 calories per mile appears to be accurate across a wide range of walking and running speeds. This supports using the 100 calories per mile value for estimating energy expenditure for fitness or weight loss purposes.

For example, some exercise programs prescribe exercise based on calories burned rather than time or distance. And people who are trying to lose or maintain weight can use the 100 calories per mile estimate to help balance their energy intake and expenditure.

It is important to note that the 100 calories per mile estimate does not replace more accurate measurements or calculations that are done in a research or clinical setting. And wearable devices and apps are easy ways to get a good idea of how your energy expenditure during a wider range of activities.

But, if you want to know how many calories you burn during a run or how long you need to walk to offset what you eat, the 100 calories per mile estimate will give you a pretty good idea.

Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

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The Atkins diet is a famous weight loss program started by Dr. Atkins. It is centered on the idea that eating a low-carb diet will help you to lose weight. This gives you an opportunity to lose weight by using nutritional products. The diet has become very popular with most people and not only does it recommend you to eat low carbohydrates, it also advocates for a diet high in fats. People have realized it is a healthy way to live and keep in shape at the same time. Dr.Atkins proposes the diet as a way of losing weight in a natural way. It allows you to make a change in your eating habits, which alters your bodys metabolic process without having to go without food.

Atkins provides an alternate form of diet to the westernized eating habits that are loaded with high amounts of fat, which potentially increase the health complication risks of conditions such as obesity. For example, obesity is mainly caused by the intake of too much pure carbohydrates such as flour, white sugar, corn syrup which has a high fructose content just to name but a few. Additionally, consumption of saturated fats poses a great nutritional risk of development of vascular health problems. Atkins argues that by completely ignoring fats and carbohydrates has aggravated the problem of obesity and other weight related complications since you ignore the concept of balanced nutrients. The Atkins diet also gives emphasis to nutritional supplements and body physical exercises.

Though carbohydrates and fats are the major causes of dietary heath complications, Atkins recommends you not to completely by ignore them. The Atkins diet recommends a good proportion of fats and carbohydrates among other recommended foods. By drastically cutting the supply of carbohydrates (usually in the form of glucose) it denies your body the fuel to energy. The body turns to fats as an alternate source of energy which causes you to lose weight.

The Atkins diet permits you to indulge in a variety of meat, fish and various vegetables. Sometimes you may notice lack of weight loss even after adhering to the Atkins diet. This may result from the stagnating insulin in the body that is caused by the intake of too much refined carbohydrates. All you need to do in such a case is to change your metabolism order by reducing the intake of carbohydrate in the body, exercising regularly and taking some nutritional supplements.

Essentially, the basic principle behind Atkins diet is to safely reduce carbohydrates and supplementing with more proteins and fat to loose weight naturally without having to skip the essential nutrients.

Are you planning to lose weight? Aliza Levine a professional in medical research has launched her website AllLowCarbDiets.com, which helps people to enjoy the good-looking body that they deserve. Get growing lively health And a Real Solution for Atkins Diet.

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Home Good Ideas While Trying to Lose Weight, Heres Why You Should Wear Bunny Slippers

You probably wouldnt associate bunny slippers with losing weight, but when youre doing your best to shed a few pounds, maybe you should at least metaphorically. Heres why.

There is one thing all dieters agree on: weight loss, especially in the early phases, takes itstoll physically. In a word, its exhausting. There are two very real scientific reasons for this.

RELATED:Drink 1 to 3 Extra Cups Of Water Daily For Weight Loss, Health Study

The second is that, in order to lose weight, you are usuallyconsuming fewer calories than you need to function at your peak level. It means that, for you to use your fat for fuel, you sometimes have to be running a fuel-deficit. And it simply wont feel great.

But the good news is I want you to relax during this period of exhaustion. You dont actually have to put on bunny slippers, but thatis my code for taking it easy during dieting. The greatest advantage of this is you will notget lured into activities that unnecessarily deplete your willpower.

Willpower is a cognitive function that gives you the ability to self-regulate. And we all have access to this powerin limited doses. It only takes about fifteen minutes before we normally run out. Despite our best intentions, we cave to the temptation eating something we vowed we wouldnt. Which is why its essential to have a program that anticipatesyou will run out of willpower and has you covered.

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The first big willpower depleter is exercise. Pushing yourself to exercise in the early weight loss phase is a huge no-no in my program. In fact, our studies have shown that the people who insist on exercising lose the least weight of any group. The calories burned just dont make up for what happens if you get depleted and eat off your plan. The fact is you can do more damage with your mouth than you can make up for on the treadmill.

The next is stress. Remember, you have bunny slippers on! Dont say yes to chairing the big PTA fundraiser, dont accept a project at work that will mean weeks of lost sleep. Try wherever possible to take life down a notch so that the huge lifestyle changes youre making get the space and respect they deserve.

To replenish willpower, make sure you are getting enough sleep, avoid stress, and yes, put awaythe sneakers and kick back with those slippers on.

Susan Peirce Thompson, Ph.D. is the New York Times bestselling author of Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin and Free. An Adjunct Associate Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester, Susan is an expert in the psychology of eating. She is President of the Institute for Sustainable Weight Loss and CEO of Bright Line Eating Solutions, a company dedicated to sharing the psychology and neuroscience of sustainable weight loss and helping people achieve it.

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Going on a perfect health diet will work wonders for you. It will provide you the kind of body you always wanted to acquire. A health diet will also work towards keeping you healthy and stay away from several health related problems such as obesity, bad cholesterol levels and build up of toxic elements.

However, finding out a perfect diet for yourself is a hard nut to crack. It requires a good amount of hard work on the part of individual to find out the perfect diet that suits his or her body type. This has become all the more difficult with hundreds of companies claiming to provide best of health products and thousands of health clubs promising to provide you the best health diet chart. Dont worry you can find out what suits and works for you with some easy tips.

Here are some great tips to find out a healthy diet that works for you:

a) Research

If you have decided to go on a diet, the first thing you need to do is to research. You should carefully consider all the options available. Visit libraries, websites and read up on almost all kinds of diet options available. Since, there are a hundreds of diet options to opt from. You need to know the differences between all the diets. This will provide you great help for finding out the best diet that suits your specific health requirements.

b) Diet varies

Everyone is different and every persons diet requirements vary according to a number of factors. Each person has different height, weight, health and level of activity. All these factors play a great role in the type of diet that will suit a person. You need to look for a diet thats meant for your body type.

c) Consult a professional

This is very important if you want a diet that works for you in possible way. A doctor is the best person to provide you the diet chart according to the health state you are currently in. You may also visit a specialist or a nutritionist prior to going on a diet.

d)Nutritional Diet Plan Make sure that you dont go for a crash diet. The health diet you adopt should be nutritional and capable of providing you all the vital ingredients required to keep you healthy. Going on a health diet doesnt mean that you require to torture your body with hunger pang. Nourish your body with nutritional elements minus the fat.

e) Tasty meal plan

Going on a health diet doesnt mean that you kill your taste buds. A lot of people think that one needs to eat tasteless food when going on a weight loss program. It is not easy to ask a person to abstain from streets or anything that has been exciting his task buds for a long time. It just means that you require to reduce the amount of calories you take instead of giving up on your favorite food items totally. Try to create a food plan that includes your food preferences. It will make it much easier for you to succeed on the diet.

f) Physical activity

Once you have chosen a health diet plan for yourself, you can be sure that you are on the road to weight loss soon. However, you also require to make sure that you work out to make your plan successful.

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about Diet please visit GET WELL and FIT and NUTRIENT BASICS and TOP FIT with EXERCISE

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For severely overweight individuals that have failed to see results from diet and exercise alone, weight-loss surgery has become the safest and most effective means of achieving significant weight loss. In fact, studies have shown that with diet and exercise alone, nearly 95% of obese patients will gain all the lost weight back within 5 years. On the other hand, long-term success rates for weight-loss surgery including the LAP-BAND procedure are remarkably high, allowing patients to maintain a loss of between 50-70% of their excess body weight. Though there are many factors that can impact an individual patients weight-loss success, weight-loss surgery is simply the most effective long-term weight loss and healthy lifestyle solution for severely obese patients.

Studies show that most patients that undergo weight-loss surgery will lose between 50-70% of their excess body weight within the first three years following their procedure. Those that undergo gastric bypass surgery will lose excess body weight more rapidly in the first 12 months than those that choose LAP-BAND surgery. However, gastric bypass patients typically experience a greater number of complications and side effects than LAP-BAND patients, as the LAP-BAND procedure allows for more gradual and natural long-term weight loss.

From a clinical perspective, a weight-loss surgery is considered successful when the patient loses at least 50% of their excess body weight and keeps the weight off for at least five years. While important lifestyle changes need to be made to ensure that the weight loss is maintained in the long term, studies have shown that most weight loss surgery patients are able to maintain a 50-60% loss of excess body weight 10 years after the surgical procedure. However, it is important to note that a weight loss of just 10% of total body weight can begin to have positive health effects in resolution of obesity-related condition like asthma, gastric reflux (GERD), and diabetes. As weight-loss surgery is usually performed on patients that are at least 75-100 pounds overweight or have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 35 with a health condition, overall weight loss can range anywhere from 40 pounds to over 100 pounds. But the patient is really the leader behind achieving these results.

While patients will certainly look and feel better after weight-loss surgery, there are also numerous health benefits associated with successful weight loss. In most cases, health conditions that develop as a result of excessive body weight or are worsened by obesity can be improved upon or, in some cases, remedied by weight-loss surgery.

But there are other ways to measuring success with weight-loss surgery, like the LAP-BAND System. For instance, many weight loss surgery patients take great pride in being able to perform certain activities that may not have been possible for a number of years, like crossing their legs, bending over to tie a show, walking up stairs without being easily winded or sitting comfortably in an airplane seat.

While most patients that undergo weight-loss surgery experience incredibly positive results, there are many factors that can impact the overall success of an individual patients procedure and follow-up treatment. Here are some important factors to consider as you try to determine whether weight loss surgery is right for you.

Pre-surgery Weight

Generally speaking, the higher a patients pre-surgery weight or BMI, the more excess weight the patient can lose after surgery. However, recipients of weight-loss surgery with less excess body weight will eventually come closer to their ideal weight when committed to long-term diet and exercise. Also, resolution or improvement in obesity-related diseases can occur with even moderate amounts of weight. Often many diseases can become closer to cured than improved with earlier intervention at a lower weight.

Overall Health

While pre-existing health conditions can impact the overall success of weight-loss surgery (for instance, patients with type 2 Diabetes typically lose less excess body weight after surgery), studies have shown that many ailments linked to obesity are either improved upon or fall into remission after a successful procedure. For instance, a 2000 study performed on 500 weight loss surgery patients showed that nearly 96% of health conditions associated with obesity such as high blood pressure, depression, sleep apnea, back pain and diabetes improved greatly following loss of excess weight and long-term commitment to diet and exercise.

Surgical Procedure

As there are potential risks and complications associated with any surgical procedure, potential patients should always seek to have their weight-loss surgery performed by a trusted medical staff. Prospective patients should inquire about their surgeons success rates with weight-loss surgery and listen to the experiences of former patients. Additionally, a patients weight-loss success may also be impacted by the quality of post-surgery care and counseling provided by their bariatric outpatient facility.

Diet and Exercise

As diet and exercise are two of the most important factors in any weight loss plan, patients with the physical ability to exercise after weight-loss surgery have increased chances of meeting their goals. To maintain the weight loss achieved by surgery, both exercise and healthy eating habits must become integral parts of a patients lifestyle.

Commitment

The ability to remain committed to suggested dietary guidelines, exercise regimens and any follow-up care recommended by the bariatric outpatient facility is important for both short-term weight loss and long-term weight management.

Motivation

Patients that are motivated to lose weight and willing to follow through with diet and exercise prior to receiving weight loss surgery may experience greater levels of success immediately following the procedure and in the long term. Most people did not find themselves severely obese overnight. It took years to reach that weight and therefore patients should be patient with the weight-loss process, which will also not occur overnight. Successful patients find small victories along the way to celebrate and stay motivated.

Support

As weight-loss surgery will require some time away from everyday activities, it is important to have the support of family, friends and coworkers before undergoing any surgical procedure. Furthermore, as the ongoing weight-loss process following bariatric surgery may require a certain level of emotional support, prospective patients may want to establish a support network including friends and family members that can join in on exercise and healthy eating.

Considering that significant weight loss can not only remedy many health concerns, but also improve an individuals quality of life, the potential benefits of weight-loss surgery are plentiful. For severely overweight individuals that are unable to lose weight via diet and exercise alone, weight-loss surgery is the most effective method of losing weight and keeping the weight off.

Carole S. Guinane, a Chief Clinical Officer writes articles about obesity and weight loss for New Hope Today.

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As more than one-third or 36.5 percent of the adults in the United States have obesity, many think of getting a weight loss surgery. But, is the procedure safe?

Weight loss surgery has a 99.9 percent survival rate and thelong-term risks of remaining obese is much greater than the risks of weight loss surgery. One in 10 patients usually experience minor to serious complications as a result of weigh loss surgery.

After comparing obesity statistics in the country from 1999 to 2000 in which adult obesity only accounted for 30.5 percent to those from 2013 to 2014, theCenters for Disease Control determined obesity rates had increased significantly.

Read: How To Control Obesity? More Homecooked Meals

Before delving deeper into the facts and myths of weight loss surgery, below are the risks and complications that obese adults usually face.

While being overweightrefers to an excess amount of body weight that may come from muscles, bone, fat, and water, obesityrefers to an excess amount of body fat. According toWorld Health Organisation's fact sheet, worldwide obesity has nearly doubled since 1980. Nearly 44 percent of the diabetes burden, 23 percent of ischaemic heart diseases and between seven and 41 percent of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity.

Obesity can cause the following conditions:

1.Heart Disease and Stroke:Extra weight can make you more vulnerable to high blood pressureandhigh cholesterol, both of which can cause heart diseaseorstroke. According to several studies, losing a small amount of the extra weight could lower the chanceof developing heart disease.

2. Type 2 Diabetes: This is mostly caused due to being overweight or obese and can be controlled by losing weight, a balanced diet, getting adequatesleep, andexercisingmore.

3. Cancer: Several studies have found links between obesity and cancer in the colon,breasts (aftermenopause), endometrium (the lining of the uterus),kidneys, andesophagus. There are also links between obesity and cancers to the gallbladder, ovaries, andpancreas.

4. Gallbladder Disease: You are more prone togallbladder disease and gallstones if you are overweight.

5.Osteoarthritis:You can develop this joint condition that most often affects theknee, hip, or back, if you are overweight or obese.

6.Gout:Another disease related to joints is linked to obesity as it is most commonly seen in overweight people.

7.Sleep Apnea: Abreathing condition, which can cause a person to snore heavily and to briefly stop breathing duringsleep, has been linked to being overweight. Weight loss often improves sleep apnea.

While there are several ways to tackle obesity, such as physical activities and consumption of fruits and vegitables, the fastest way of reducing extra fat is believed to be weight loss surgery.

There are four types of weight loss surgery typically used by surgeons.

1. Gastric Bypass:Also known as the "Roux-en-Y" gastric bypass, or RYGB, this method will require a surgeon to leave only a very small part of the stomach (called the pouch) where the food you consume gets stored after bypassing the rest of the stomach.This surgery can often be done through several small incisions using a camera to see inside (laparoscope).

2. Adjustable Gastric Band: During this procedure, the surgeon puts a small band around the top of the stomach. The band limits how much food can go into your stomach. This surgery is done using a laparoscope.Gastric banding is also less likely to cause nutritional problems.

3. Gastric Sleeve:This surgery removes most of the stomach and leaves only a narrow section of the upper part of the stomach, called agastric sleeve. Following this surgery, the hungerhormone ghrelin is released in less amount, so you eat less.

4. Duodenal Switch:This is a complicated surgery that removes most of the stomach and uses agastric sleeveto bypass most of your small intestine. It limits how much you can eat.

The most common surgery practice is the gastric bypass surgery. Following this surgery, people typically stay in the hospital for 2 to 3 days and return to normal activity within 2 to 3 weeks. Minor complications that affect about 10 percent of people include, wound infections, digestive problems, ulcers, bleeding etc.

Upto 5 percent of people face serious or life-threatening complications, such as blood clot(pulmonary embolism), heart attack, leak in the surgical connections with theintestines, and serious infection or bleeding.

Deaths in the month following gastric bypass surgery are very rare when the procedure is done by a highly experienced surgeon.

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overweight and obesity are becoming very common these days and people try to attempt several methods to lose excess and unwanted weight. Overweight not only changes the way you look but also has comes with the possibility of health risks. Therefore overweight persons have to take up one method or the other to lose the excess fat. What is more important than losing ones weight is losing it quickly and safely. One such method of losing weight is the weight loss supplements. There are a lot of weight loss supplements available over the counter claiming to have miraculous effect in losing weight quickly and easily. Not all these supplements are good. So before you buy weight loss supplements ensure that it is both effective and safe.

Always choose the best weight loss supplements by reviewing them thoroughly and opt for renowned makers. Weight loss supplements act in many ways to help reduce weight. Some of these weight loss supplements try to speed up your metabolism. Some stimulate the thyroid gland increasing the active hormone production. Some claim to stimulate the muscles in burning glucose saying that it helps in weight loss. There are some weight loss supplements that have effect on producing heat, which is again a process of spending calories. Some chromium based weight loss supplements can be very dangerous as they may damage the genetic materials in the cells.

One of the problems is that some of these weight loss supplements are untested, unproven and are neither effective nor safe. So before you choose your weight loss supplements make sure you have made the right choice.

One another type of weight loss supplement is available in the market, claims to melt away fat while you sleep. The ingredients in this supplement are supposed to be collagen hydrolysate and Vera. While collagen is like protein in normal food and helps in muscle building Vera is a laxative. This instruction along with this weight loss supplement is that the persons using this supplement should not eat anything for three hours before going to bed. The laxative effect of Vera adds to weight loss. It is actually the decrease in consumption rather than the supplement that helps one to lose weight. Weight loss supplements also include sweeteners with low calorie value. The main advantage with these sweeteners is that they are approved by FDA for their safety. These sweeteners can be very safely used even by pregnant women and children.

Further there are thermogenic fat burners. These weight loss supplements raise the temperature of your body and thus increase the number of calories burned. These have proved successful and effective in losing weight. Like other weight loss supplements, these have to be used moderately and not abused. Short term usage of these thermogenic weight loss supplements have proved successful and resulted in good weight loss.

One other form of weight loss supplements is the fiber powder or the pills. Generally fiber food makes you feel full and also help in stimulating the contractions of your intestines. So these kinds of weight loss supplements create a feeling of fullness and there will be weight loss because of the emptying of your intestines. The problem is taking fiber in concentrated forms like pills and powder for a longer period may lead to diarrhea, nausea and you may also become dependent on fiber supplements for bowel regulation. Ensure that you consider and take the correct amount of weight loss supplements after proper consultation. Further, weight loss supplements along with other things like exercise, nutritional diet etc, will help in safe and effective weight loss.

Rohit Chopra has written several useful articles on wellness topics like Weight Loss, Weight Loss Program, Rapid Weight Loss, Weight Loss Product, etc. Get more useful information on Weight Loss at http://home-gyms-fitness.com/

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Dr. Robert Atkins originally created the Atkins diet in the 1970s. The popularity of this low-carb diet reached its zenith about ten years ago, but it is believed that today as many as twenty-five million Americans may be on low-carb diets at any given time.

How Does a Low-Carb Diet Work?

The Atkins diet is based on Dr. Atkins theory that the over-consumption of carbohydrates is the root of most peoples problems with weight gain. The body is fueled by sugar, whether it is the natural sugar found in foods or the processed sugar added to many foods. When your body runs out of sugar to use as fuel, it uses carbohydrates instead. Carbohydrates are long chains of sugars, which the body breaks down into sugar. Atkins believes that when people limit the carbohydrates available, they force the body to use its fat reserves as fuel.

Atkins believes that our body adjusts to having too many carbohydrates in an unhealthy way by affecting our insulin responses, essentially a precursor of diabetes. On the low-carb-high-protein diet the bodys insulin response regulates itself, and the result is a smaller appetite and easier weight loss. An active lifestyle is also a key component of the Atkins diet, since no calories of any kind can be burned without exercise.

The Atkins Diet in Stages

The Atkins diet progresses in stages. The basic stages are induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance, and maintenance.

The induction lasts for 14 days and involves rapid weight loss by limiting carb intake to only 20 grams a day, as compared to the 300 grams of carbs in the average daily diet. During this period, a person only consumes carbs through green vegetables and salad leaves. Fruit, other vegetables, yogurts, potatoes, rice, bread, alcohol and pasta are all forbidden.

During the ongoing weight loss stage, the carb intake is increased to 25 grams a day. After, the weight loss will eventually stabilize and the carb intake will need to be adjusted again. However, the Atkins diet does not eliminate meal variety. You can still indulge in lean meats, poultry, nut butters, salad greens and other such foods.

In the pre-maintenance stage, the weight loss is less obvious and certain foods are tested back into the diet to see if they can be safely added without causing weight gain. If you gain weight, however, you must go back a phase or two until you are stable again. This is because every persons body reacts differently to different foods. Some people may do fine on Atkins with diet drinks, for example, while others bloat with the artificial sweeteners. Keeping a journal to record what you ate the week you lost the most weight can help monitor the foods that react well with your body.

The basics of the last stage of the Atkins diet, the maintenance stage, are simple. The goal weight is reached and one food is re-introduced into the diet at a time so that you can safely judge what foods will cause weight gain and need to be removed again. The Atkins diet primarily allows the consumption of plenty of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, and gradually allows the consumption of additional vegetables and fruit as well.

The Safety of the Atkins Diet

Some researchers believe that there are health risks that can result from following the Atkins diet. For example, certain experts say that the high protein diet leads to high cholesterol. Others advise that 150 grams of carbs daily are necessary for proper body and brain function. Weight loss experts feel that the Atkins diet is not for people with a risk of heart disease, and that the restriction of fruits and vegetables is counter-productive to good nutrition. They stress that all reduction of calories, coupled with exercise, results in the burning of fat.

There is very little doubt in the minds of most that adhering to the Atkins diet will help you to successfully lose weight. There are so many motivational stories today about people who have reached their weight loss goals by following the high-protein-low-carb diet that Dr. Atkins created and recommends. Those who have lost weight fast on the Atkins diet are pleased with the results and support the diet program. Your doctor can help you determine whether this diet program is indeed the best choice for your weight loss goals.

Steve Dolan is a diet specialist who has spent years helping people achieve their dieting goals. Find out more about the Atkins diet at Atkins Diet and for more health tips try Healthy Living

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You are what you eat. Its one of those little phrases that crops up all the time to remind you that food can play a big part in your well being. In other words, if you change your diet, you can change your life. Not convinced?

Take people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder that leads to certain types of repetitive behavior, thoughts, or compulsions that are beyond the sufferers control. This tends to manifest in psychological tics such as repeating gestures or rituals which help provide relief from anxiety that mounts when those actions are not completed. Ironically, by being a bit obsessive about what food they eat, OCD sufferers can actually reduce their symptoms.

OCD is a complex disorder that can be triggered by a number of factors. For that reason, there is no simple solution to reducing its effects. But, by thinking about the nutrients and vitamins in food and how these affect the body and mental health, a big difference can be made. Below are several such examples:

Tryptophan

Youve likely heard about tryptophan as the thing in turkey that makes you feel sleepy. Though this is actually a bit of a myth, there is some truth to the calming effects of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which once ingested, is first converted into another amino acid, 5-hydroxytryptophan, and then into serotonin, a mood-regulating neurotransmitter. Serotonin helps to regulate essential bodily activities like sleep, mood, pain, appetite, and yes, you guessed it, anxiety. As such, OCD sufferers often have a serotonin deficiency.

There are a number of foods apart from turkey that contain serotonin-producing tryptophan. These include fellow protein-rich foods like chicken, milk, eggs and cheese. Another key source of tryptophan can be found in whole grain foods such as brown rice, quinoa, beans, legumes, pumpkin, sunflower sesame seeds, and even nuts. The Association for Comprehensive NeuroTherapy, further recommends that when eating whole grain foods such as bread, pasta and cereal, make sure that whole grains are listed as one of the main ingredients to ensure you enjoy the full effects.

Ideal meal: a whole grain cereal covered in low-fat milk or yogurt, and topped with granola.

Fruits and Vegetables

There are many causes, known and unknown, for how the OCD condition can develop. One theory suggests the behavior can be triggered by an excessive secretion of adrenalin which in turn leads to hypoglycemia, more commonly known as low blood sugar.

Clinical nutritionist Jurriaan Plesman of the Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia, explains that this is due to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance takes place when your body is unable to stabilize its blood sugar levels, which leads to an increase in the production of stress hormones such as adrenaline and in turn leads to an increase in anxiety. The solution, Plesman suggests, is a hypoglycemic diet that can help normalize blood sugar levels and prevent the excessive secretion of the stress hormones, which in turn may reduce or prevent symptoms of OCD.

Key to such a diet, and really any healthy eating scheme, are fruits and vegetables. Along with helping to normalize blood sugar levels, fruit and vegetables are a great source of antioxidants (such as beta-carotene and vitamin C) which can greatly help to reduce anxiety.

Ideal, nutrient-rich examples: berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, brussels sprouts and squash.

Fish, Walnuts and Flaxseed

Youve heard fish referred to as brain food before, right? Well theres good reason for that. For one, fish are often rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which greatly help with brain function and as some research suggests, benefits for people suffering from nervous disorders. A study published last year for instance directly attributes eating fish to a reduced risk of Alzheimers disorder. Flaxseed and walnuts are also prime sources for omega-3 fatty acids.

Ideal fish: coldwater fish such as salmon, herring, lake trout, halibut and mackerel.

Folic Acid and Vitamin B12

Dr. Ray Sahelian, a nutrition export and author of "MindBoosters has some advice in his book for people suffering from OCD. Dr. Sahelian suggests that OCD sufferers eat foods rich in folic acid and vitamin B12. Folic acid foods include broccoli, bananas, potatoes and soy products. B12 can be found in liver and dairy products, or found in supplements such as 5HTP.

Just as important as eating the right food of course, is avoiding food and certain eating patterns that can add to anxiety, which in turn contributes toward OCD. WebMD suggests the following helpful tips for keeping you on the road to a healthier body and mind.

1. Avoid or limit caffeine intake.

Caffeine can heighten stress-induced anxiety, especially if consumed in high quantities. That said, if you already have a lot of caffeine in your diet, its important to slowly cut down to avoid sending your body into shock. Apart from coffee, and tea, remember that caffeine can also be found in soft drinks and chocolate.

2. Moderate alcohol consumption.

Drinking alcohol to deal with stress often ends up worsening the problem. Instead, if you do want a drink, try limit yourself to 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women to keep a healthy balance.

3. Maintain consistent mealtimes.

Skipping meals can cause your blood sugar to drop, WebMD explains, which will make other stress-related symptoms worse, such as headaches or stomach tension.

4. Dont use food to deal with stress.

Its important that the food you eat is healthy and helps to reduce stress, but dont turn to it as a crutch. Comfort eating generally leads to overeating. Instead of turning to food to help with anxiety, rather seek out other forms of relaxation such as exercise, playing with a pet, or taking a bath, suggests WebMD.

In my current life, I am healthier that I have ever been, wrote Gianna Marinelli in a blog post explaining how her change in diet affected her life. I am OCD and anxiety free, for the first time in 10 years, and I owe it to how I am eating. All the residual OCD symptoms are gone, and they only arise when I deviate from eating good foods.

Marinelli stands as a testament to the benefits of better eating. That said, its important to note that OCD is a complex disorder that requires attention on multiple fronts. If you feel like you may suffer from OCD, the first step is to reach out to your physician for a referral to a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist. From there, you can begin the holistic process toward recovery, beginning with the food you chose to eat.

Robin Scher is a freelance writer from South Africa currently based in New York. He tweets infrequently @RobScherHimself.

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There are five places on earth which have the highest percentage of people who live to a healthy and happy 100 years. They're called the "Blue Zones" by National Geographic author Dan Buettner, who has explored their secrets to a thriving longevity in his book, "The Blue Zones Solution: Eating and Living Like the World's Healthiest People."

Buettner has discovered what he believes is the answering to reaching such an old age and being healthy right up to the end: diet. So he has set out to capture the recipes of the world's longest living people.

"Individuals get lucky, but populations dont," Buettner told NBC's Maria Shriver in the TODAY series, "Eating to 100." "Theres too many people to chalk it up to collective luck, or even genes," said Buettner.

No matter where people live, these foods make up all longevity diets: beans, greens, grains, and nuts.

"They know how to make them taste good and they know how to optimize them for their health," Buettner said.

In our series, "Eating to 100," Buettner and NBC's Maria Shriver visit three of the Blue Zones:

On the remote Greek island of Ikaria, people outlive the average American by more than a decade. On Ikaria, 97 percent of the people are over age 70 and Buettner found only three cases of dementia. By comparison, there's a 50 percent change of dementia for Americans who reach 85.

A common side dish is wild dandelion, boiled like spinach. These greens have 10 times more antioxidants than red wine, according to Buettner. Chickpeas, also a favorite on Ikaria, are the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world, he said.

The Nicoya Pennisula is famous for beautiful sandy beaches, exotic wildlife and people who seem to defy the limits of age. In Nicoya, about 1 in 250 people live to 100, compared to 1 in 4,000 who make it to 100 in America. Their diet of rice, beans and tortillas would be viewed as unhealthy in America. But it's way better than you think.

"If the average American could add a cup of beans a day, it would extend their life by four years," said Buettner.

Try the Costa Rican black beans and rice tortillas recipe

An hour west of Los Angeles is Loma Linda, California, where nearly half of the city belongs to the Seventh -Day Adventist Church. It's home to one of the highest concentrations of Seventh-Day Adventists in the United States. Most of the church members don't eat meat or fish and they never touch alcohol or cigarettes. And they live about seven to 10 years longer than the rest of Americans, according to the Adventist Health Study.

In Loma Linda, eating healthfully is part of the religion. Their diet is inspired by the Bible, the diet of the Garden of Eden. Their meals rely on beans, nuts, slow-cooked oatmeal, whole wheat bread and real soy milk. They also drink six to eight glasses of water a day, as prescribed by the church's founder, Ellen G. White, who established the faith over 150 years ago. Also, the citizens of Loma Linda are always on the move, taking afternoon walks and adhering to a strict lifestyle.

It's never too late to start living like the people of the "Blue Zones," Buettner believes.

"You can be 90 years old and go plant based and you'll add to your life," he told TODAY. "It's not as hard as some might believe once you've tasted it."

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Eat like an Adventist: 8 foods for a longer, healthier life

Wines, beans and family: Sardinia's secrets to living to 100

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The 'Blue Zones' diet: Foods that help people live to 100 - Today.com

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