Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia Cambogia is an increasingly well-known supplement which has recently made a big slash in weight loss and supplemental market. It contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), a compound that has been studied for its potential to help decrease body fat and curb appetite. It is a natural extract that is non-stimulating. It is now popular alternative to other weight management products. But this product has not yet been evaluated by FDA. Great product to suppress appetite

Surprising Foods That Fight Fat

Get excited: You can burn calories and combat fat by eating yummy food. "If you choose the right picks, studies show you can torch up to 300 extra calories a day," says Pamela Peeke, MD, author of The Hunger Fix. Whole, unrefined foods are your heroes. Your metabolism has to work harder to break them down than processed ones, so you're zapping more calories—and storing less as fat. These recipes double up (even triple up) on foods with serious metabolism-boosting power. Take that, dastardly fat!

Salmon
What a catch! Research suggests the omega-3s in salmon and other fatty fish help build muscle—and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Omega-3s may also help reduce fat storage by lowering cortisol levels (scientists have yet to confirm how).
Go for: Two 3-oz servings of fatty fish per week.
Try this recipe: Salmon Noodle Bowl

Yogurt
Calcium-rich foods have slimming superpowers. Get too little of this mineral and your body's more likely to pack away calories as fat, according to a review of studies. With up to 50 percent more calcium per ounce than milk, yogurt is a potent source. Better yet, its probiotics may help keep belly fat under control.
Go for: At least two servings a day.
Try these recipes:
Creamy Bean Dip
Cooling Raita

Keep reading for five more foods that fight fat.

Avocado
For a speedy metabolism, you need to keep inflammation in check and blood vessels clear and supple. Avocado's unique combo of essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants helps you do just that. Plus, one avocado's 14 grams of fiber kicks up your calorie burn.
Go for: One to two daily servings of foods high in healthy fats.
Try this recipe: Avocado Whip

Beans
High in resistant starch and fiber, beans force your system to use extra energy (as in calories) to break them down. Research from the University of Colorado suggests that if you choose foods high in resistant starch—it's also found in whole grains and not-quite-ripe bananas—you can increase your calorie-burning power by up to 24 percent over the course of the day.
Go for: One serving of a resistant-starch food per meal.
Try this recipe: Warm Two-Bean Chard Salad

Chili peppers
Feel the burn? It's more than mere sensation: chilies' heat signals the presence of capsaicin, a compound that, along with capsiate, can propel the body to scorch an extra 50 to 100 calories following a spicy meal.
Go for: Chilies as hot as you can stand. (But watch out! The hottest ones—habanero, Scotch bonnet, and Thai or Indian peppers—are too fiery for many people.)
Try these recipes:
Scrambled Eggs With Chilies
Roast Chicken With Yogurt-Chili Rub

Green tea
This packs caffeine and antioxidants called catechins, a dynamic duo believed to stimulate your nervous system and increase fat-burning. Studies suggest that drinking green tea can help you drop pounds and trim your waist.
Go for: Several cups a day (keeping in mind how caffeine affects you).
Try this recipe: Spiced Green Tea Smoothie

Coffee
You use it to wake up—and your metabolism will, too. The caffeine in one cup of joe temporarily perks up your metabolism by as much as 15 percent. Caffeine also helps mobilize the forces that burn stored fat.
Go for: One to two cups a day, especially before exercise.
Try this recipe: Spiced Coffee Shake.

read more here: http://www.fitsugar.com/Surprising-Foods-Fight-Fat-25237409

Critics of weight-loss device warn prospective users of dangers

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. — 

A device that harnesses the power of microwaves to melt away fat is being touted by some weight-loss businesses as a breakthrough, but the product has some critics calling it dangerous.

For many Americans, the battle of the bulge is a lifelong pursuit and any weight loss procedure is worthy of consideration. But a machine called the Lipotron should remind viewers of an old adage: "Buyer beware."

The Altschuler Center for Weight Loss in Novato advertises the Lipotron as a device that "eliminates body fat."

29-year-old caterer Megan Buser told KTVU she wanted to lose some inches.

She has had nine of the ten planned treatments and credits the Lipotron to her "losing several inches off my waist."

Each 45-minute treatment with the Lipotron costs $210.

32-year-old Zoe Alexander said the treatment felt warm as a technician moved a hand piece over her belly. Promoters of the device say the machine's microwaves heat fat cells deep under the skin.

"The fat is released from the fat cells and through the course of a week the body starts to eliminate them through the vascular channels and the lymph system," explained weight-loss specialist Dr. Gail Altschuler.

"I’ve been told by the technician and the people doing this that it’s safe and effective," said Alexander.

But not according to the FDA. KTVU learned that the device manufacturer began trying to get FDA approval five years ago.

"The FDA denied clearance and said they needed to respond to more questions and present more data," said Dr. Michael Carome of watchdog organization Public Citizen Health Research Group.

The group filed federal complaints two months ago against California Lipotron manufacturer Revecomed and their distributors as well as a state complaint against Dr. Altschuler.

"They may not market this device because it does not have approval or clearance from the FDA," said Dr. Carome.

Revecomed's attorney said there is a federal investigation, but insisted the company is doing nothing illegal.

Revecomed registered Lipotron last year as an "electric therapeutic massager." Critics argue that misinformation is helping the company skirt the law dangerously. "This device has caused burns and electric shocks to patients," said Dr. Carome.

However, California's Department of Health said they have had no complaints about the device.

Lipotron's distributor promises big profits for doctors using it, but a few weeks ago, after a warning, reportedly stopped making direct claims about whether the $85,000 machine reduces fat.

The Altschuler Center's advertising continues to make medical claims about the Lipotron in apparent violation of federal law.

Public Citizen said for two and a half years, Lipotron has preyed on gullible people encouraged to pay thousands of dollars for a procedure not proven safe or effective.

"The device remains on the market and it's just inexplicable to us that the FDA has failed to act despite that knowledge," said Dr. Carome.

The FDA makes no comment on any ongoing investigation. The California Medical Board said it's investigations are also confidential.

Activists tell those looking for a quick weight-loss solution to remember another old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Read more here:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/health-med-fit-science/critics-weight-loss-device-warn-prospective-users-/nSMBg/

Fitness Tips: Small Diet and Exercise Efforts Can Pay Off

Are you one of the many adults who have reached your 30s or 40s and discovered that your waist has expanded along with your age and you now wear larger sizes that even before? Many of us find that our metabolism slows down as we age and in addition weight gain may be compounded by such things as busy schedules and stress. Losing weight does not have to add to the stress and can be a simple matter of paying a little more attention to what you eat and opportunities to exercise that exist already. Even if you have a busy stressful schedule, here are some diet and exercise tips for losing weight.

While it may be tempting to decide to jump on the bandwagon for the latest diet craze or what ever newest exercise product is being offered on the late night infomercials, most of those diets and exercise programs are passing fads that either don't work or that require lots of planning and dedication which many people just don't have time for. A temporary fix that you will soon give up isn't going to help you very much.

To find a solution that works for you, first take a look at your lifestyle and figure out what is contributing to your weight gain. Maybe you eat out a lot or at restaurant that don't have many healthy menu items. Do you have a desk job and do not have much opportunity to move around during the day? Do you buy sodas and snacks from a machine during the day? All of these can contribute to an increasing weight gain.

The only real solution to losing weight and keeping it off is to exercise more and consume fewer calories. Of course, we all have real lives and demands on our time so for most people hours at the gym or meticulous diet menus are just not going to fit into our hectic schedules, so you need to look for ways to modify your behavior and habits in small ways that do not cause major changes in your schedule or take up much time.

Think about what you eat. You are either mostly eating food that you buy at the supermarket or you are mostly eating at restaurants or eating take out or delivery. Either way, you need to examine your choices. So if you are buying food at the supermarket, try to buy healthier item to take for lunch and leave the dessert out. Take a few minutes to read labels and buy the brands with the least amount of calories. When eating out, think about what restaurants are in the same vicinity that offer healthier menu choices such as grilled or baked meat and salads. You don't have to totally change your schedule; just make sure that you are making the best choices in regard to what you already do. A few calories saved here and there helps.

Next, look for opportunities to move. Maybe you can park at little further away from your building. Try taking even just one flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up or down one flight then take the elevator if you don't have time or are not in good enough shape to take 5 flights for example. When you have time, take a report to another department yourself instead of sending an assistant. At home, walk to the mailbox instead of sending the kids, walk the dog even just one extra block, when watching your favorite television program, get up and walk in place during the commercial instead of heading for a snack.

The main idea is to realize that small changes and efforts really can make a difference. Don't think that you have to go on a stringent diet or spend hours at the gym to see results. While diets and gym memberships are wonderful and can speed your results, sometimes you simply don't have the time to do them. However, no matter how busy your schedule, do not over look the importance of taking action, even if it is a bunch of small ones. Almost everyone can find ways to get in a little movement and healthier eating if they just try.

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http://voices.yahoo.com/fitness-tips-small-diet-exercise-efforts-pay-379782.html?cat=51

Fat and getting fatter: U.S. obesity rates to soar by 2030

By Sharon Begley

NEW YORK | Tue Sep 18, 2012 10:08am EDT

(Reuters) - If Americans stick to their eating and exercise habits, future historians will look back on the early 21st century as a golden age of svelte.

The latest in a long string of reports on the obesity epidemic in the United States presents the usual glum picture of the present, when 35.7 percent of adults and 16.9 percent of children age 2 to 19 are obese, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported earlier this year.

But for the first time, the report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - the ninth that the groups have issued - also applies a time machine to those data. Using a model of population and other trends, the report "F as in Fat" projects that, by 2030, unless Americans change their ways, half of U.S. adults will be obese.

Building on the state-by-state obesity data CDC released in August, "F as in Fat" projects obesity rates of at least 44 percent in every state and over 60 percent in 13.

Since obesity raises the risk of numerous diseases, from type 2 diabetes to endometrial cancer, that will mean more sick people and higher medical costs, notes the report, released Tuesday.

In particular, it projects as many as 7.9 million new cases of diabetes per year, compared to 1.9 million new cases in recent years. There could also be 6.8 million new cases of chronic heart disease and stroke every year, compared with 1.3 million new cases per year now.

The increasing burden of illness will go right to the bottom line, it says: $66 billion more in annual obesity-related medical costs over and above today's $147 billion to $210 billion (out of total healthcare spending of $2.7 trillion).

That projection supports a study published earlier this year in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that found that by 2030, 42 percent of U.S. adults could be obese, adding $550 billion to healthcare costs over that period.

'A TALE OF TWO FUTURES'

As with all projections, from climate models to Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," human actions can prevent the worst of the scenarios.

"This is a tale of two futures," said Jeffrey Levi of George Washington University and the executive director of Trust for America's Health. "We're at a turning point where if we don't do something now to mitigate these trends, the cost in human health and healthcare spending will be enormous."

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) above 30. Overweight means a BMI of 25 to 29.9. BMI is calculated by taking weight in pounds and dividing it by the square of height in inches, and multiplying the result by 703. For instance, someone who is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 185 (64 kg) has a BMI of 30.8.

The projections emerge from the increase in obesity rates among U.S. adults, which have more than doubled from the 15 percent of 1980, and children, which have more than tripled since 1980.

Although the percentage of obese children and adults was essentially unchanged between 2008 and 2010, CDC found, the "F as in Fat" model takes a longer view, explained mathematician Martin Brown of Britain's National Heart Forum, a nonprofit group, who led development of the model.

"You have to take trends over a number of years," he said. "In the age groups that matter, there just isn't much evidence of a leveling off in obesity rates."

As a result, many states projected to have the most obesity in 2030 do now, too. In 2011, 12 states had an adult-obesity rate above 30 percent, with Mississippi the highest at 34.9 percent. Colorado was the lowest at 20.7 percent.

The report projects that in 2030 in Mississippi, 66.7 percent of adults will be obese, as will 44.8 percent in Colorado, which will still be the thinnest state.

More surprising are projections for states such as Delaware, now the 19th-most obese state with a rate of 28.8 percent. The model uses 1999 as a baseline, explained Brown. "So if a state had a low rate of obesity in 1999 and is fairly high now, that indicates a steep rate of increase, which we believe will not go away." Result: an obesity rate of 64.7 percent in Delaware in 2030, making it the third-most obese state.

States facing the greatest percentage increase in obesity-related medical costs are now in the middle of the pack.

New Jersey faces the largest increase in costs, 34.5 percent, as its obesity rate is projected to climb from 23.7 percent today to 48.6 percent in 2030. Eight other states could see increases of 20 percent and 30 percent, including New Hampshire, Colorado and Alaska.

All is not lost, said Levi. "We have learned that with a concerted effort you can change the culture of a community, including its level of physical activity, eating habits, what foods are offered in schools, and whether families eat together," he said.

In New York City, for instance, obesity in grades K-8 dropped 5.5 percent from the 2006-07 school year to 2010-11, thanks mostly to healthier school lunches, public health experts said.

If BMI were reduced by 5 percent - for an adult of average weight, that means losing 11 pounds (5 kg) - in 2030 the obesity rate would not exceed 60 percent in any state, in contrast to the 13 in the business-as-usual projection.

Read original post here: 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/18/us-obesity-us-idUSBRE88H0RA20120918

Açaí palm

The açaí palm  (Euterpe oleracea) is a species of palm tree in the genus Euterpe cultivated for their fruit and superiorhearts of palm. Its name comes from the Portuguese adaptation of the Tupian word ïwaca'i, '[fruit that] cries or expels water'. Global demand for the fruit has expanded rapidly in recent years, and açaí is now cultivated for that purpose primarily. The closely related species Euterpe edulis (juçara) is now predominantly used for hearts of palm.

Eight species are native to Central and South America, from Belize southward to Brazil and Peru, growing mainly in swamps and floodplains. Açaí palms are tall, slender palms growing to 15–30 meters, with pinnate leaves up to 3 meters long.

HARVESTING AND USES

Fruit

The fruit, a small, round, black-purple drupe about 1 inch (25 mm) in circumference, similar in appearance but smaller than a grape and with less pulp, is produced in branched panicles of 500 to 900 fruits. The exocarp of the ripe fruits is a deep purple color, or green, depending on the kind of açaí and its maturity. The mesocarp is pulpy and thin, with a consistent thickness of 1 mm or less. It surrounds the voluminous and hard endocarp, which contains a single large seed about 0.25–0.40 inches (7–10 mm) in diameter. The seed makes up about 80% of the fruit (Schauss, 2006c). Two crops of fruit are produced each year. The fruits can be harvested and consumed.In a study of three traditional Caboclo populations in the Brazilian Amazon, açaí palm was described as the most important plant species because the fruit makes up a major component of their diet, up to 42% of the total food intake by weight.

In the northern state of Pará, Brazil, açaí pulp is traditionally served in gourds called "cuias" with tapioca and, depending on the local preference, can be consumed either salty or sweet (sugar, rapadura, and honey are known to be used in the mix). Açaí has become popular in southern Brazil where it is consumed cold as açaí na tigela ("açaí in the bowl"), mostly mixed with granola. Açaí is also consumed in Brazil as an ice cream flavor or juice. The juice has also been used in a flavored liqueur.

Today, a half-dozen brands market açaí in the beverage space. Although most açaí is grown conventionally, the US company Sambazon established USDA Organic certification for their açai palm plantations in 2003 and has also implemented fair trade certification.

In 2005, an article published by Greenpeace International stated that “the tasty dark violet wine of açaí is the most important non-wood forest product in terms of money from the river delta of the Amazon.” In 2008, the Los Angeles Times reported that açaí is a renewable resource that can provide a sustainable livelihood for subsistence harvesters without damaging the Amazon Rainforest. The Times noted that wild harvesting of açaí may contribute to forest preservation and support of harvesting families, thereby making the forest more economical intact rather than cut down. While conventionally grown monoculture açaí farming is a threat to the rainforest, açaí has been used to successfully reforest already degraded regions. In May 2009, Bloomberg reported that the expanding popularity of açaí in the United States was "depriving Brazilian jungle dwellers of a protein-rich nutrient they’ve relied on for generations."

In the regions of açaí production, such as Pará, açaí palms have replaced sugar cane and other cultivation choices more damaging to the natural environment, such as cattle farming. Such practices indicate that systematic cultivation and reliable commercial supplies may be more prevalent.

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT

A powdered preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was reported to contain (per 100 g of dry powder) 533.9 calories, 52.2 gcarbohydrates, 8.1 g protein, and 32.5 g total fat. The carbohydrate portion included 44.2 g of dietary fiber and low sugar value (pulp is not sweet). The powder was also shown to contain (per 100 g): negligible vitamin C, 260 mg calcium, 4.4 mg iron, and 1002 U vitamin A, as well asaspartic acid and glutamic acid; the amino acid content was 7.59% of total dry weight (versus 8.1% protein).

The fat content of açaí consists of oleic acid (56.2% of total fats), palmitic acid (24.1%), and linoleic acid (12.5%). Açaí also contains beta-sitosterol (78–91% of total sterols). The oil compartments in açaí fruit contain polyphenols such as procyanidin oligomers and vanillic acid, syringic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ferulic acid, which were shown to degrade substantially during storage or exposure to heat.

Dietary supplement

In 2004, it became popular to consume açaí as a supplement due in part to the rapid success of multi-level marketing company MonaVie that sells an açaí blend tonic for $40 a bottle and the proliferation of various açaí supplement companies that misused celebrity names like Oprah Winfrey and Rachael Ray to promote açaí weight loss pills online.

Marketers of these products make unfounded claims that açaí and its antioxidant qualities provide a variety of health benefits, none of which has scientific confirmation to date. False claims include reversal of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as expanding size of the penis and increasing men's sexual virility. As of April 2012, there are no scientifically controlled studies providing proof of any health benefits from consuming açaí. No açaí products have been evaluated (in the United States) by the FDA, and their efficacy is doubtful. Specifically, there is no scientific evidence that açaí consumption affects body weight, promotes weight loss or has any positive health effect.

According to the Washington, D.C. based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) thousands of consumers have had trouble stopping recurrent charges on their credit cards when they cancel free trials of açai-based products. Even some web sites purporting to warn about açai-related scams are themselves perpetrating scams.

In late 2008, lawyers for The Oprah Winfrey Show began investigating statements from supplement manufacturers who alleged that frequent Oprah guest Dr. Mehmet Oz had recommended their product or açai in general for weight loss.

Juice Cleansings Meant To Tackle Toxins May Not Flush Away Weight

Juice cleanses are taking the city by storm, but experts warn that these cleanses are not a good method for weight loss and may not even match the body's natural ways to detox. NY1's Cindi Avila filed the following report.

A lot of New Yorkers start the day with a glass of juice, but now many people are consuming juice all day and nothing else.

Terri, a restaurant in Chelsea, decided to offer their food customers a juice-cleansing option and they say it has been a success.

"All the juices contains all the vitamins and enzymes a person needs for the day," says Tomer Versano, the general manager of Terri.

The reason why people do a juice cleanse vary. Some are trying to clean out their system but others are doing it to try and lose a few pounds.

Anne Marie Colbin, Ph.D of the Natural Gourmet Institute of Health and Culinary Arts warns people against cleansing to lose weight.

"A cleanse is not a diet," she says. "It's not a quick fix because it depends on your metabolism. For some people, you put them on a restrictive diet like that and their body does not let go of the weight. The body holds onto the weight, thinking it's famine. It defends itself against famine."

Colbin points out that while juice drinkers may not lose weight, they should lose something else.

"The only reason to go on a cleanse is to lose that feeling of bloat and heaviness," she says.

Places like Organic Avenue offer cleanses anywhere from three to five days.

"I sort of just wanted to refuel my body and get rid of all the toxins I'd be taking in from snacking," says Abby Schneider, who has performed a cleanse.

"It's a great opportunity to give your body and your digestive system some rest," says Matthew Grace, who says he cleanses often.

While cleanses are said to detoxify your system, some doctors say that is something the body does naturally, with the liver, kidney and intestines flushing out the things our bodies cannot store.

-Cindi Avila