June 4, 2005 21:16 - Weight Loss Product - Super Fat Burning Stocks seized

The leading New Zealand site, Stuff.co.nz reported today, that a warning has been issued regarding a weight loss product sold through a New Zealand Auction website.

They reported that complaints had been received regarding the product and when analyzed, contained a prescription medicine called sibutramine which is used to treat patients who have been unable to lose weight using a low calorie diet and exercise.

The drug is deemed unsafe to be taken without medical supervision. Stocks of the product have been seized and where possible those who have purchased the product contacted.

Source: stuff.co.nz

June 4, 2005 22:04 - Hoodia Gordonii - have you used this appetite suppresant?

I've just been doing some interesting reading about Hoodia. Doing a search on google you find a plethora of retail sites, offering their hoodia products.

Phytopharm own the exclusive licence to distribute the hoodia gordonii.

It is a succulent grown natively in Africa and is not easily grown artificially. As it is a rare plant, phytopharm has established plantations of the plant.

Phytopharm claim that only their hoodia gordonii product has been clinically proven to be safe and effective, through a clinical trial conducted by Phytopharm. The trial was conducted with double blind and placebo controls and 18 healthy but overweight individuals participated in the study. Those who were selected for the treatment group were administered the hoodia product twice daily over 15 days. The results of the study indicated that individuals who were given the supplement, had a significantly lowered calorie intake, and a reduction in body fat. No serious adverse reactions were noted.

Phytopharm claim that by day 15 during their trial participants were able to reduce their calorie intake by 1000 Kcal per day.

As you might well have guessed, I do not personally use such products, however, am interested to know if anyone visiting Savvy Fat Burning Food has, and how they found it. Did you find that it reduced your hunger and you ate less?

June 12, 2005 19:58 - Leptin - the hormone that affects your appetite

Leptin is a protein hormone produced by body fat cells that when present in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, acts to suppress appetite. People who are overweight, seem to have too much of this leptin and it is theorized that those people have developed a resistance to leptin, and that the control of obesity may lay in re-activating the leptin system. You can see a technical representation of how leptin resistance is thought to work.

June 12, 2005 21:13 - How to avoid buying sauces with high amounts of sodium

The thing is with sauces, is that everyone loves adding them to meals because they taste good, but most bottled commercial sauces contain high amounts of sodium depending on the brand.

If you can't find a brand with a reasonable amount of sodium in it, then try making it yourself.

Try out this recipe for barbeque sauce.

1 tspns canola oil
1/2 large chopped onion
1/2 chopped apple
1/2 chopped stick of celery
1/2 clove of garlic
200g can of no salt diced tomatoes
1 cup of fresh vegetable stock (save your water from when you've boiled up some vegetables) Commercial stock is usually very high in salt.
ground pepper
1 tbsn vinegar
1/2 tbsn chilli powder
1/2 tbsn corn flour

Method: Heat oil in frying pan, and saute onion, apple, celery and garlic for 5 minutes. Mix cornflour, vegetable stock, canned tomatoes with juice, pepper and vinegar together, making sure that the cornflour dissolves entirely. Add the mixture to the fry pan and simmer until reduced to desired consistency.

Pour into a sterilized jar and cover. Place into the refridgerator immediately.

Because this sauce is home made and has no preservatives or salt in it, it will not keep as long as commercial barbeque sauce, so consume within 1.5 weeks.

June 18, 2005 20:28 - Do you need supplementation, I just found out that I do?

Supplementation can be a touchy subject for health professionals as well as individual consumers.

Many feel that they get all the vitamins and minerals from their food and that they don't need vitamins and minerals.

Many health practitioners tell their patients that no artificial supplement could replace food, because they have nutrients in the right amounts often with other nutrients that help them to be absorbed more easily by the body. Eating a balanced diet will provide you with all the essential nutrients that you need.

While eating a balanced diet is indeed the way to go, I am coming to conclusion through my own personal experience, that there is a place for supplementation along-side a balanced diet.

The reason that I say this, is that I recently found out that I am zinc deficient. I questioned the nutritionist who had done the test, how this could be since I go out of my way to make sure I am eating a varied and well-rounded diet. Their reply was that zinc deficiency is rare but can occur for a number of reasons, but the one they pointed out was stress.

At that point, I realized that this could be entirely possible, as I work long hours. So even though I am eating a balanced diet, my body is either not getting enough zinc or not absorbing enough zinc.

Since I am eating a balanced diet, probably, I am not absorbing the nutrients properly, which means that my digestive system needs a little help - and this is where I think supplements can become very useful.

Vitamin and mineral supplementation may be routinely prescribed for pregnant women, heavy drinkers, smokers, the elderly, as well as dieters.

However, if the digestive system is not absorbing these vitamins and minerals properly, supplements to help improve the digestive system, such as lactobacillus live cultures may help.

For more information, consult your dietitian or nutritionist.

June 18, 2005 21:09 - Fat Burning Products - Watch Out For The Bodybugg

A new gadget from a company called Apex Fitness has just come onto the market. They call it the Bodybugg.

In a recent press release, Apex Fitness launched the product, that allows its user to monitor in real time, as they are exercising and eating their calorie intake and calorie expenditure and therefore their calorie balance.

Traditionally, weight loss has been achieved by inducing a 500 Kcal energy or calorie deficit. In other words, eating 500 calories less than what your body uses to maintain bodily functions. When this occurs, an energy deficit occurs.

Apex Fitness Group say that the Bodybugg has been designed as a stand-alone program, but can be integrated into any weight loss regime.

The system includes an armband which is worn on the upper arm and measures your calorie expenditure, the web interface which includes a food database, food log and calorie counters, and the communicator which communicates between the armband and the web interface information about your calorie intake and expenditure.

June 27, 2005 11:06 - Could You Be Leaving Out Fat Burning Foods

Eating a low calorie diet, will help you to lose weight, but inevitably at some point, during or after your period of weight loss, you're going to want to eat things like cheese. Trouble is, cheese traditionally contains alot of calories. Learn why consuming some high calorie foods are a beneficial component in your weight loss and maintenance diet. (Read Article)

June 27, 2005 11:11 - Top Ten Reasons To Add Strength Training To Your Daily Routine by Monique Rider

Monique Rider, owner of BodyLife Dynamics describes her top 10 hints on strength training to burn body fat, strengthen bones, minimize stress and start looking your best. (Read Article)

June 30, 2005 10:15 - Volunteer Dietetics and Nutritionist Service

I would like some feedback on an idea I've been mulling around for a while.

Many of the individuals who live in America, that contact me for advise at the website, mention that they can't afford to go to a dietitian because of low incomes or unemployment.

If you are one of these people, do you think you would benefit from advise over the email from Dietitians and Nutritionists who have volunteered their services?

If you are a licenced dietitian and/or a qualified and experienced Naturopath and, would you be willing to become a part of a network of Dietitians and Nutritionists who live in America and have volunteered their time, (perhaps 2 hours a month) to answer emails from the general public interested in increasing their understanding of and level of health?

Do you think that this could be a valuable bridge for people on low incomes to access quality nutrition advise?

Of course, it could never replace a consultation which is the ideal, but it is certainly better than these people trying to access nutrition information from companies who really only want to sell a product.

Your comments on this idea would be appreciated.