World of Health

Results Also Show Dieters are 5 Times More Likely to Stick to the Diet Chef Regime Due to its High Acceptability and Ease of Use

Diet Chef have commissioned a clinical study that reveals results suggesting that people who go on diets are more than 3 times likely to achieve their weight loss goals is their diet is portion controlled and delivered to their homes that if they try and devise their own weight loss regime.Diet Chef themselves are one of the UK leaders is a weight loss programmes that consist of the food being prepared and then delivered to your door.

Self Devised Diet 3 times less likely to succeed compared to Diet Chef Delivered Meal Plan

There is currently an abundance of commercial programmes dedicated to weight loss management in the UK, but it is only the Weight Watchers programme that has enough significant evidence to support its effectiveness.

This latest study was undertaken by the specialist unit at the University of Hull; HONEI, and is clinically assessed the overall effectiveness of  Diet Chef’s programmes to determine whether or not this meal provision service was more effective in losing weight than traditional, DIY diets.

The study used a random design that had participants split into 2  groups; one following a 12 week Diet Chef plan, the other on self devised diet programmes compiled from dietary advice available from a common text based tool used typically by health practitioners. A 12 week extension was also offered at random where participants were given the option of staying where they were for an additional time, or crossing over into the other group.

Summary Findings

61% of participants lost > 5% of total body weight at 12 weeks on the Diet Chef arm compared to 22% in the control group. Only 7% of Diet Chef participants withdrew from the study during the initial 12 weeks compared to 41% in the control group. Literature reports⁵ indicate generally between 50-70% of individuals drop out of weight management programmes over 12 weeks therefore suggesting a Diet Chef regime is more easily tolerated and simpler to follow than a self devised diet.  .

During the second 12 week phase of the trial, results showed continued weight loss with Diet Chef both from those continuing from the first Diet Chef phase as well as those switching from the control group to Diet Chef.  47% of participants achieved >10% weight loss and they were those who were on the Diet Chef arm for 24 weeks. See chart below. The continued weight loss stopped for those switching from Diet Chef to the self-directed arm.

Results may also indicate that once individuals complete a 12 week period of Diet Chef they are able to sustain that weight loss by their own means.

Given current concerns in the medical establishment² and Government over the epidemic of obesity in the UK, and its impact on the current and future health of the general public³, there is a growing campaign to generate awareness of this issue and devise measures to tackle it.

Healthcare professionals, particularly in primary care, are increasingly at the forefront of the campaign to increase awareness and educate patients generally about the health problems associated with weight gain³, such as risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers and to offer advice on diet and fitness.  This new study provides them with reliable clinical evidence about an easy to follow and inexpensive diet regime which may help their patients lose weight.

Commenting on the outcomes of the study, Duane Mellor, Senior Lecturer – Nutrition and Dietetics, at the University of Chester, and former Research Dietician at the Humber Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation Centre (HONEI), University of Hull, said: “60% of participants in the study lost at least 5% of their initial body weight in the first 12 weeks, which is a significant amount of body weight.  If this weight loss is maintained, then this will offer them significant health benefits.  The trial appeared to be extremely well tolerated with minimal drop outs; this is unusual for a weight loss study and suggests a good level of acceptability of the Diet Chef regime.”

The Humber Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation (HONEI) Centre undertakes national and international scientific research and clinical trials in food and its properties in both health and disease, particularly in obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

There are a wide variety of diets and diet plans around, but hardly any have actually been clinically tried and tested to prove they not only work, but can help people sustain their weight loss. This trial was commissioned by Diet Chef and designed by HONEI to evaluate the effectiveness of the Diet Chef replacement meal provision.

Diet Chef is widely acceptable due to its ease of use, and by helping dieters get used to eating smaller portions, it delivers the key essential element of helping them maintain their weight loss in the long term.  This study will be of interest to health professionals such as practice nurses and GPs who are in the front line in dealing with the medical repercussions of the growing obesity epidemic in this country.  Having a clinically proven diet regime which is so simple to follow suggests patients would find it helpful as part of a structured weight loss programme.

Lola from Hull was one of the participants in the clinical study and was on the diet for 6 months.  “Diet Chef has greatly improved my quality of life. I have lost over 2 stone on the diet plan through the easy portion control and now, having got used to eating smaller meals, it has made it easier for me to keep the weight off. Having previously tried diets without much success, I have been so pleased with the results of Diet Chef and would recommend it to all my friends. I can now go shopping and be confident that I look good! I feel so much healthier and am looking forward to a great 2012 and it is no longer a workout to do my shoelaces up!”

The festive season is certainly the time to eat, drink and be merry, and it is easy to believe the fact that over two-thirds of us confess to over-indulgence at this time! It’s no surprise either that eating like this leads to stomach complaints. More often than not the results of overindulgence are indigestion, heartburn, bloating, diarrheoa and embarrassing trapped wind; not at all in the festive spirit! For others, ongoing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are exacerbated at this time and many of us face something of a dilemma: how to enjoy the festivities of the Christmas period without symptoms having a negative impact and spoiling the fun. Here are a few tips that may be helpful for looking after your health, finding out why you’re feeling poorly over the Christmas period, and minimising the impact of that seasonal overindulgence.

Drink plenty of water. Be sure to drink at least 2 litres of water daily over the Christmas period. This will keep you well hydrated, encourage you to eat less and will flush out those indulgent toxins from your body!

Take time when you are eating. Be kind to your digestive system. One of the problems in our daily lives is that many of us rush through the day, with no time for anything, and when we do have time to get a bite to eat, we gobble it down. Take smaller bites, chew each bite slower and longer, and you’ll enjoy your Christmas treats longer!

Identify undetected food intolerances. For many, underlying and undetected food intolerances may be the cause of their digestive discomfort. According to the leading charity Allergy UK, 45% of the population suffers from symptoms of food intolerance and a recent survey[i] showed that 31% of sufferers had had to take between one day and one week off work due to their food intolerance symptoms in the last year.

Thankfully, help is at hand with a simple testing service that identifies the trigger foods responsible for food intolerances. This scientific approach, which can be used to identify the different food types involved for each individual, is a blood test that measures food-specific IgG antibodies. Your body is unique and doesn’t lie, either you have antibody reactions to certain food combinations or you don’t, and the best way to find out is by carrying out a test.  You then get an accurate reading of exactly what foods your body is reacting against so that you know what to avoid. According to new findings from York University and YorkTest, identifying and acting on underlying food intolerances has been found to significantly improve the symptoms of several common gastro-intestinal conditions. In a sample of 5,000 food intolerance sufferers the following results were reported after three months, once participants had eliminated the problem foods from their diet.  These foods were identified by the YorkTest FoodScan test commonly used by many health professionals to identify food intolerances.

• 84% showed moderate to high improvement in IBS symptoms
• 92% showed moderate to high improvement in bloating
• 90% showed moderate to high improvement in abdominal pains and cramps
• 90% showed moderate to high improvement in symptoms of constipation

These latest findings are further confirmation of the direct link between certain health complaints and diet. The test that was used for the survey is the only one of its kind endorsed by the charity Allergy UK and YorkTest has 30 years of experience in the food intolerance testing market.

Imagine waking up on January 1^st with a new-found resolve knowing what you can do to really make a positive difference to how you feel, all year round. Enjoy the festive season!

Christmas is not the right time of year for people to be hearing that eating less will extend their lives but Italian researchers have recently discovered a molecule that people make when they are dieting that might be able to be turned into a useful drug. The molecule mimics restraint and by turning this into a drug it is possible it will influence people’s behaviour so they will be able to restrain themselves better when around lots of food.

When experiments were conducted on rats it was shown that eating less had a positive effect on how long the rats lived. This positive effect from eating less was removed when the rats returned to a normal diet however. One of the best examples of people living longer because they are not eating as much is on a Japanese island. Here, the population have a much higher average age than the rest of the world and the scientists expect this is because of philosophy the people practice which says you should stop eating when you 80% full.

Overeating is known to age the brain faster than normal and this can cause problems such as Alzheimer’s disease. When controlling diet carefully a molecule is produced that can regulate learning and memory and slow the brains ageing. The lead scientist on the study was Giovambattista Pani who commented, “It is our hope that we will be up to activate this molecule artificially through the use of new drugs and this will help to keep the brain young without people having to exercise a very strict diet. It is clear this molecule has a very important effect on our brains.”

Tis the season to be jolly! The season of overindulgence is here so it’s worthwhile knowing that there are herbal medicines out there to help you in moments of discomfort. For example did you know that milk thistle can provide a natural way to help cure an upset stomach. Based on traditional use only, it’s been proven to relieve the symptoms associated with the occasional overindulgence of food and drink. Simply take one tablet up to twice daily with water and you could soon be feeling as good as new!

This infographic looks a few of the herbal medicines you can buy and how they can help with overindulgence but also with cold and flu illnesses flying around in the winter months.

By Healthspan – UK’s largest direct supplier of Vitamins and Supplements

In 1989 the fitness VHS reined supreme with health enthusiasts – commonly featuring Madonna or Cher tracks and a big haired instructor wearing luminous spandex.  Still, one gym in Santa Monica was trying something new, something fun and something guaranteed to shed over 500 calories in just one hour – Spinning.

The now acclaimed ‘fitness phenomenon’ was birthed in the late 80s and fathered by Johnny Goldberg – a personal trainer specialising in endurance racing.  His idea for indoor gym cycling was inspired by a near accident he had while training outside.  Little did he know the idea would grow into one of the most popular exercises ever invented.

Once the ‘motionless’ bike was created and perfected to represent actual road conditions, Goldberg began hosting classes for locals.  The profits soon carried him to LA and by 1994 he formed the official Spinning brand.

Since then, adaptations of the classes have formed all over the world, some focused on enjoyment, some focused on intensity but the majority focused on a combination of the two.  It is a group exercise and the camaraderie involved can act as extra motivation while excessively burning calories.

What does Spinning involve exactly?

Each member of the group has their own stationary bike.  By adjusting components like seats, handlebars and pedals for optimum comfort, everyone prepares for when the music starts.  Using music to maintain pedalling rhythm is a well-practiced technique and is why you will sometimes see professional cyclists racing with headphones.

The classes are much more exciting than pedalling at a monotonous tempo.  Instructors will begin to incorporate a variety of exercises such as handlebar press-ups, single calf isolation, seat hovering and many more challenging work outs – all while pedalling at various speeds designated by instructions or the beat of the music.

Each bike is fitted with an intensity dial which can be adjusted accordingly to the pattern of the class.  For example, some instructors will vocally describe an imaginary outdoor race and encourage participants to tighten the dial when ‘climbing a hill’ and loosen it again once over the envisaged apex.

What fitness level is required for Spinning?

Anybody can join a Spinning class and enjoy exercising at their own pace.  More advanced athletes can simply tighten their individual intensity dial, to a level which challenges their muscles.  Equally, newcomers can take it easy and gradually build their fitness over a series of sessions.

What does the future hold for Spinning?

Johnny Goldberg himself has recently developed the Krankcycle, which takes main element of Spinning and incorporates the arms too.  Appraised by specialist publications like Shape and Men’s Health, Kranking is set to become an equally popular cousin of Spinning, offering a workout of higher intensity.

Spinning itself still has plenty of life to grow into and with extreme classes sprouting up in gyms all over the world, such as Korean Jackie Spinning, the notion of blending cardio with strength training is guaranteed to be forever popular amongst the body conscious.

Jackie Spinning is not for the feint-hearted.  The Korean show team Apollo, have imposed elements of dancing and gymnastics into their Spinning routine.  Jackie Spinning classes are unlikely to become as popular with the average gym goer but they are extremely impressive to watch.

Looking back with hindsight and analysing how celebs now thrive on effective exercise with the public following suit, it is easy to understand how Spinning was destined for such popularity.  Johnny G could never have anticipated that when he spun that first stationary bike in 1989, the cog would still be ferociously turning come 22 years later.

Article published on behalf of Fitness First.

Guest Post

In Britain, obesity has become a growing health problem for many people. With so many people suffering from with obesity problems, many opt for different kinds of weight loss procedures. Many obese people will be advised by medical professionals to consider a gastric band procedure to reduce their body weight.

Nevertheless, a gastric band procedure is just the beginning on a path to a healthy and happy life. The weight loss results will have to be maintained and in order to do this an individual will have to eat a healthy balanced diet and make sure they participate an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise.

As the stomach is reduced dramatically, the individual will no longer be able to eat the same sized portions they did before the operation. Every meal counts and should contain nutrients and vitamins the body needs to fight disease, repair muscle and grow.

Five Healthy Tips You Should Consider After A Gastric Band Operation…

Move those feet

Walking is a perfect exercise for someone recovering from a weight loss operation. It is not too strenuous and you can walk for a long period of time without really noticing the distance you have covered. This is great for burning calories and can be done when going to the local shops or walking the dog.

Food

The types of foods you eat are so important for you to maintain the weight loss results after surgery. Liquids with a high nutritional value are recommended during the primary stages after surgery. Try eating foods that have a low calories count and are packed with a healthy abundant of vitamins and nutrients.

Chew more

This may sound a little odd, but research has found that the longer you chew your food, the brain thinks that you are eating more than you actually are and feel full up quicker. This trick is an old one and will stop those unwanted cravings from returning.

Drink Plenty of Water

Make sure you hydrate your body with liquid. A recommended amount would be around 2.5 pints a day. This is advised throughout the day and alongside meals.

Part of Your 5 a Day

Make sure you eat a balanced diet that includes fruit and vegetables. Did you know that all fruit and vegetables can be included in your five a day portion? During the early stages after surgery you could liquidise your fruit in the form of smoothies to make sure you get your daily recommended amount.

Emotional Eating

Many people eat for many different reasons. Some people eat because they feel sad or find that it provides a comfort to fill out the void in their life.

Recognising why we eat is half the battle and by getting to the emotional side of eating we can then defeat the physical side of eating.

If you know you will overeat during certain periods of time, like in the evenings or after work when you are too tired to prepare a meal, make a note and make sure you have healthier alternatives close at hand. Remember, you should start these healthy recovery steps after 2 weeks.

Closing Words….

A gastric band provides an individual with quick weight loss results. But this is only a small part of your weight loss journey. Diet, exercise and aftercare are just as important as the surgery and many people need to realise this if they are to maintain their new figure. If you feel that you are interested in having cosmetic surgery then you must realise that surgery is only the beginning.

An Advertorial Feature

To truly heal depression, your whole lifestyle needs to get in on the act. You may’ve been prescribed medication – SSRIs are the most common – but it’s worth acknowledging that while this can significantly improve your mood, it doesn’t automatically cause you to adjust your own habits.

And if you seek lasting freedom from depression, anxiety, or the wrong sort of stress, you will need to examine your habits – honestly & without judgement – & perhaps make some changes.

From unhelpful thought patterns to burning yourself out at the gym, there are dozens of things you can tweak & adjust in order to create a lifestyle that supports your recovery. Here, we will focus on food.

Don’t worry – I’m not about to suggest a sudden, drastic change of diet. This can be so daunting that it doesn’t work at all. Instead, simply commit to making small, permanent changes over the next few months. Keep practising each one until it becomes a habit. It may seem insignificant at the time, but – when you look back in a year – you’ll recognise what substantial progress you’ve made.

Some unambiguously good foods

Researching healthy food can leave you in a headspin – there’s so much conflicting advice. But some foods are definitely better to eat than avoid:

Oily fish. Scientific studies agree that communities whose diet includes lots of oily fish (herring, mackerel, pilchards, salmon, sardines, trout, fresh tuna) tend to experience less depression. As far as we know, this is because these fish contain Omega 3, which is a natural anti-depressant.

Vitamin B foods (meat, turkey, tuna, brewer’s yeast, bananas, whole grains, lentils, tempeh, beans). Tests show a significant reduction in depressive symptoms when patients eat the vitamin B complex, which includes several different B vitamins that often work together.

Treat yourself, nicely

You may not even notice it, but if you regularly mistreat yourself, you may often be angry at yourself – at least on a sub-conscious level – for doing so. If you have internet access, or even just a TV, it’s pretty hard not to notice that sugar doesn’t help people.

Consumed regularly, it causes diabetes, painful teeth & gums, wrecked complexions, obesity, & sends your emotions spiking from high to low, as your body constantly scrabbles to balance your blood sugar level. As a method of subduing psychological pain, sugar does a very short-term patch-up job, & does nothing to permanently improve your life.

Getting “off” sugar is surprisingly easy. As soon as you start eating lots of protein & vegetables, the sugar cravings dwindle away. You’ll feel happier about eating proper meals because your body won’t be saying “enough calories already!”.

It’s also helpful to replace sugar with something helpful. By helpful, I mean that you can afford it, it’s not going to damage you in the long run, & it gives you a genuine sense that you’re treating yourself with respect. These days, I buy myself flowers instead of the 500g of milk chocolate that used to be my habit. The gratitude I feel towards myself each time is twofold: I get some nice flowers; I didn’t hurt myself.

It might seem small & maybe even silly to you now, but it really does feel different.

Suzie Saw* has experienced episodes of depression since her early teens, & now manages it using a carefully honed blend of cognitive behavioural therapy, meditation, excellent friends, plants & flowers, lots of vegetables, & Star Trek.

* A writer, not a psychiatric professional. Please seek medical advice if you suspect you or a loved one is suffering from depression.

Being healthy is important to maintain, not only physical, but mental health too. A healthy lifestyle ensures a long, fulfilled life and all you need to do is follow these 5 simple rules.

1. Exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle. However, this should suit your lifestyle; if you don’t enjoy running, why run marathons? If yoga doesn’t appeal to you, why stretch yourself into crazy positions. Choose exercise that you enjoy, otherwise it’s totally pointless. Use walking your dog for an hour everyday or use a zumba class as your weekly social with your friends. There are fun ways to keep fit, promise.

2. Eat healthily. Make sure you eat a balanced diet; this includes making sure you get your vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, essential fats and protein. Find new and interesting ways to get your 5-a-day into your daily meals, try adding blueberry’s to your cereal and lots of vegetables into your stir fry.

3. Do things that make you smile. Make sure you do something each day that you ˜want™ to do. Whether that be have half an hour to yourself to read a book or dance to your music with it turned up loud. It’s important for mental health to stay positive and to not let the everyday grind get you down.

4. Stay away from alcohol and cigarettes. Of course, this sounds harsher than it seems, but with cigarettes there are absolutely no benefits. They are linked lung cancer and a number of other health problems, not to mention making you smell, tainting your teeth and using up cash that could be spent on nicer things. With alcohol, make sure you drink in moderation. However, if meeting your friends for an after work drink makes you smile, then do it, just not every day.

5. Monitor your health. Make sure you know your body’s norms, so that if anything is slightly odd or strange you notice straight away. Even if it’s something as small as noticing your nails are weak or your skin’s dry. There are supplements and methods to fix these small body problems which you are able to obtain from http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/.

The Department for Health announced this week that the British population should ‘move more and eat less’ in order to tackle the rising obesity problem in Britain. This may sound like an obvious message to promote to the general public, however, the fact remains that we Brits have an ever expanding waistline and we don’t seem to take note of these vital messages!

The government’s biggest challenge will not be promoting public health messages and press releases but encouraging people to actually put its message into action. Most of us spend our working day sat down in front of a computer, with virtually no physical activity, and commute to and from work by car. This leaves us precious little time to fit the required level of activity that would help keep us at a healthy weight. We all know we should exercise more but, with limited time, it is often difficult to find the motivation.

The key to any successful and sustainable exercise regime is to make it part of your daily routine and make sure it is an activity you enjoy and do not find a chore; otherwise the novelty will soon wear off!  The local gym or a running club might be fine for those who take fitness seriously but, for others, the very thought of squeezing in to a tight lycra outfit and running on the treadmill next to a fitness fanatic is enough to bring them out in a cold sweat. Moreover, gym membership can be an expensive mistake, with most gym contracts tying you in for around £50 per month for 12 months. TGI data conducted a research study and found that only 27% of all gym members regularly go to the gym!

So what about dancing as a fun and active way of keeping fit? Regular viewers of BBC 1’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ will know that the professional dancers on the show are far from overweight and have extremely tightly toned physiques. The celebrity contestants on the show also seem to have taken advantage of the health benefits of dancing. All of the female stars from last year’s show radically changed body shape by slimming down and toning up. Pamela Stephenson said of the 2010 competition to the Daily Mail, ‘Strictly Come Dancing is the best fat club in the universe,’ after losing over two stone. Felicity Kendall and Patsy Kensit also slimmed down by two dress sizes. It is not just the women either; former Eastender Ricky Groves shed over two stone when he took part in 2009.

So which sort of dancing is a good choice? Latin dancing such as the Argentine Tango seems to have much better results than slower types of dance such as ballroom and swing. Tango is much more energetic with its fast paced movements. The high energy nature of the dance not only burns more calories and raises the heart rate; the bending, twisting and lunging moves of the Tango are fantastic for toning up legs and bums, as well as helping improve flexibility and posture.

The social nature of the tango with its group style dancing classes can make it an extremely fun way of keeping fit as well as being a social event as you can learn as a group with friends or make new friends at the Tango classes. This will keep you going back time and time again! The rhythmic nature of the music can be addictive, and further good news is that many Tango dancers also find it an extremely therapeutic way of also improving their general mental well being. This is because to dance the Tango successfully, the dance requires intense concentration to ensure mastering the quick footwork; meaning that you can completely focus and shut off from the stresses and strains of busy daily life.

One of the best ways today of getting a message across is to release a hard hitting short video that is thought provoking, maybe slightly shocking but really gets the message across. Long used as a marketing medium, other ‘commodities’, such as charities, are also using videos to get their point across, and a new short video from Cancer Research UK certainly pulls no punches.

This animation deals with something most of us have, belly fat, aka a spare tyre. Most of us think nothing of it, despite moaning occasionally the majority of us have a flab on our bellies than any other part of out bodies. These fat cells are far from innocent though, as this video explains.

These seemingly innocent fat cells quickly turn into something called ‘active fat’ which can be very dangerous and the cause of such diseases as cancer, type 2diabetes and heart disease. Three leading health charities have got together to tell us how to beat these vicious active fat cells and this is the first video in a series.

The first step is to get an accurate waist measurement, and it explains exactly how to do this as many of us are confused as to where we should actually measuring. The video tells us that your waist should be measured between the bottom rib and the hip to achieve the most accurate measurement.

It also gives the website address www.activefat.org to check where our waist measurements place us in terms of health, and there are also lots of other help and advice on there regarding fighting back against active belly fat. This is video isn’t pretty, and its not meant to be, as it gets across the message of the possible results of carrying around this belly fat and not doing anything about it.