A person’s weight has more bearing on his predisposition to developing high blood pressure than his current fitness level, Texas study says.

In a new study from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, researchers established a concrete link between a person’s weight and the incidence of high blood pressure.

It appears that exercising is not enough to keep blood pressure down, because according to Susan Lakoski, MD, obese or overweight individuals are still at high risk for hypertension if they do not get their weight down, despite of their continued efforts at being physically fit.

What does this mean?  According to the researchers, the main target when you want to lower your blood pressure is to get your weight down with your best efforts.

It’s not enough that you get some minutes of exercise per week, though this has not been discredit.  What the researchers are saying is that you have exert every healthy effort to keep your weight down and keep it from going up.

Weight, according to the Texas study, takes precedence to physical activity when it comes to determining the risk for developing high blood pressure.  According to the CDCP, nearly 1/3 of all adult Americans suffer from high blood pressure.

Half of those who suffer from high blood pressure are within the 55+ years range, which means more and more of our seniors are at greater risk of suffering from stroke, coronary heart disease and other dangerous medical conditions.

According to the study’s data, it appears that only the people within the normal weight range experience palpable blood pressure benefits when they exercised.

The bottom line?  People should focus on getting their weight within the normal range and start moving.  Because obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can increase mortality and risk for many negative health conditions, including heart problems.

Natural ways to keep your blood pressure down

If you have high blood pressure, follow these guidelines to naturally keep your blood pressure down:

1. It would do your heart a world of good if you quit smoking today – because cigarettes have been proven to contribute to the development of hypertension in both men and women.

2. If you are presently overweight, cut down on fatty foods and start exercising to lose the extra pounds.

3. Exercise 30 to 40 minutes everyday.  Experts recommend 150 minutes of exercise for both men and women for general wellness.  Regular exercise is also a general preventive for many diseases and negative health conditions.

4. Cut down on your coffee intake, as caffeine has been shown to increase blood pressure.  Limit your intake of regular coffee to 1 to 2 cups per day to reduce your caffeine load.  Substitutes to coffee like green tea are a good idea, because green tea only has half of the caffeine content of regular coffee.

5. Reduce your salt intake, because sodium directly increases a person’s blood pressure.  More than 2,300 milligrams of the stuff per day can cause your blood pressure to spike.

6. Control your stress level, because stress can cause hypertension and can also affect your mental health in the long term.  Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, stretching, meditation and aromatherapy are options that you can explore when it comes to de-stressing.

7. Natural supplements like fish oil, garlic, hawthorn and folic acid have been known to reduce oxidative stress of the heart and the other organs in the body, which may help in your overall effort to reduce your blood pressure.  Coenzyme Q10 or Co-Q10 has also shown great promise when it comes to protecting the heart and reducing a person’s blood pressure.

Sources:
familydoctor.org
newsmaxhealth.com
altmedicine.about.com

Chili peppers, one of the world's most beloved spices, is showing much promise in terms of reducing fat percentage when introduced to one's daily diet.

In a recent report from Science Daily, a new study suggests that chili peppers may just be the missing key to increased weight loss.  The new study shows that  a compound in chilies called capsaicin, which also makes a chili hot to the taste, is responsible for initiating specific changes in protein.

According to lead researcher Jong Won Yun, this could very well be the good news the world has been waiting for.  If chili peppers can be used on a particular scale for lowering body weight, then chilies can be utilized to combat obesity.

Chili vs. obesity

Obesity is one of the world’s leading causes of chronic, degenerative diseases like adult-onset diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular maladies.  Being overweight has also been linked to cancer in the prostate and even the development of asthma.

Yun’s study made laboratory rats confirm their initial hypothesis that capsaicin can help burn off the calories.  Two groups of test animals were both given diets in high in fat. The control group was given a capsaicin supplementation, while the other group of rat were not given the chili compound.

After the study, the control group had lost an average of 8 percent of body weight compared to the group that did not receive capsaicin.  It was also discovered that capsaicin can produce changes in up twenty types of protein found in fat.

While the study did not provide a conclusive explanation that capsaicin actually reduces body weight, it can be viewed as a pioneering study that explores the anti-obesity effects of the chili compound on the molecular level. The study was published in the Journal of Preteome Research.

Fight visceral fat!

There are two main types of fat that people have to deal with: regular fat, which is found above the muscle tissues and visceral fat, which lies underneath the muscles of the abdominal region.  So what is the big difference?  Visceral fat actually surrounds many vital organs, including the liver and intestines.  According to recent studies, visceral fat may also contribute to the development of adult-onset diabetes and other diseases.

In a study published in the medical journal Obesity, lead researcher  Dr. Gary Hunter states that just eighty minutes of exercise every week can help fight off the formation of deadly visceral fat.  Initially, the 97 respondents (composed of European-American & African-American individuals) were given a calorie-restricted diet plus a regular exercise regimen.

After the study, the respondents were asked to continue exercising at least eighty minutes a week.  A year later, the researchers measured the amount of visceral fat the respondents had and found out that the ones who continued exercising regardless of the exercise model did not regain harmful visceral fat. The study concluded that this type of exercise was effective in reducing visceral in both the European-American respondents and African-American respondents.

Vinegar vs. fat

Vinegar, a natural byproduct of bacterial action, fruit/vegetable and water, is now being studied for its potential benefit as a fat fighter.  According to Japanese researcher Tomoo Kondo, vinegar showed great promise as a fat fighter when an animal test showed that acetic acid can reduce up to ten percent body fat in test animals.

How does it work?  Well, the established belief was that acetic acid activates a particular gene in the body responsible for breaking down fat.  When the gene is activated, the body starts producing proteins that help break down the stubborn stores of fat.  When this happens, accumulation of fat is greatly reduced.

Low carbs diet for lower blood pressure

For many years now, proponents of weight loss diets and regular practitioners of medicine have associated too much carbohydrates in one’s diet with higher risk of developing high blood pressure and uncontrollable weight gain.  According to Dr. William Yancy, the lead author of the study, a low-carbohydrate diet might be a better choice than investing in weight loss medication like orlistat.

The study indicated that while weight loss medication like orlistat can reduce weight, it did not produce identical beneficial effects on the respondents’ blood pressure.  This was not the same for the low-carbohydrate group.  Nearly fifty percent of the respondents in the low carbohydrate group were able to reduce their blood pressure.  Some of them had such an improvement that they were able to discontinue medication.  Only twenty-one percent in the weight loss medication group experienced a reduction of their blood pressure.

Sources:
aolhealth.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com
sciencedaily.com

Fibromyalgia remains a health problem that is surrounded by a great deal of mystery. However, researchers have proved that those people who exercise and are at a healthy weight are less likely to develop the problem.

A new study from Norwegian University of Science and Technology has shown that overweight and obese women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.  This study was published in the May issue of Arthritis Care and Research.

Fibromyalgia includes long-lasting pain in points including the neck, shoulder, back, hips, arms and legs.  People with this issue commonly have fatigue, headaches, and trouble with their moods.  Sleep can also be disrupted. The cause of this problem is unknown, though genetics are believed to be a factor.

Some experts believe that fibromyalgia is caused from a dysfunctional nervous system.  Fibromyalgia impacts over 2% of the population of the United States.  Women are more likely than men to develop this problem. The likelihood of fibromyalgia also increases with age.

In this Norwegian study, 16.000 people were surveyed over a period of years.  As it turned out, of the group 380 people developed fibromyalgia. The patient’s exercise habits and BMI were examined over the years.  The results showed that people who exercised and were at a healthy weight were far less likely to have fibromyalgia.

Lead researcher Paul Mork said, “Women who reported exercising four times per week [or more] had a 29 percent lower risk of fibromyalgia compared with inactive women.”  Additionally, women who were heavier had a 60-70% higher change of getting fibromyalgia.  However, the overweight women who exercised were less likely to develop the problem.

As fibromyalgia does seem to run in families, this news is especially relevant for those with a family history.  Those who already have the condition can reduce pain if they reduce their weight and incorporate exercise into their routine.

Sources:
news.health.com
mayoclinic.com

A new European study releases their findings that teens can override the effect of the “fatso gene” through at least one hour per day of exercise.

A new European study whose results are published in the April edition of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine states that exercising just one hour per day can help teenagers to override the effects of the “fatso” gene.

There is no doubt that the obesity gene can make people gain weight.  One gene called the “FTO gene” has a particularly strong impact.  People with 2 copies of this gene weigh about 7 more pounds on average.

The EU and Spanish and Swedish governments funded this study which sought to find out if recommending one hour of exercise to teens was beneficial in fighting the effects of the fat gene.  Researchers had 752 teenagers wear a device, which monitored their physical activity.

As it turned out, those who had the obesity gene weighed the same as those without it… as long as they exercised.  However, if the teens had the gene and exercised less than one hour per day, they always had more fat and larger waistlines.

This new study supports the current advice given to children and teens in the U.S., which is to get one hour of physical exercise, preferably aerobic exercise, per day.

Dr. Alan Shuldiner of the University of Maryland, stated “The message is clear: genes are not destiny. Those with obesity susceptibility genes should be especially motivated to engage in a physically active lifestyle.”

This study is very good news.  As it turns out, even teens with the fat gene, are not destined to a life of obesity.  They can control their fate to some extent.

Of course, the fact of the matter is that everyone, not just teens, should be exercising every day.  The reasons are quite vast.  Exercise improves your mood and quality of life.  It can improve your sleep and boost your energy level.

Exercise has also been shown to prevent a variety of diseases, everything from certain types of cancer to heart disease to osteoporosis.

Sources:
news.yahoo.come
mayoclinic.com

I bet you didn’t know this …

Obesity…even being overfat… is a disease.

No, really.

At least that’s what several social groups wish you to believe. “Suffers Of Obesity” is just one of those groups. Their entire stance is obesity (which, btw, can be only 30lbs or so over your ideal bodyweight) is an actual disease.

Well, is it?

Yes… and no.

Comedian Ricky Gervais has a hilarious go at this stance… that obesity is a disease. You sometimes have to laugh, you know? ; )

“No… it’s not a disease… it’s greed. You just love to eat,” or so Gervais believes.

Well, in my first newsletter for 2010, a new decade with new ideas, I’m here to share a new idea with you:

We really need to redefine some words.

One of those words is “disease”.

Case-in-point:  Wikipedia.com defines disease…

“In human beings, “disease” is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, and/or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person. In this broader sense, it sometimes includes injuries, disabilities, disorders, syndromes, infections, isolated symptoms, deviant behaviors, and atypical variations of structure and function, while in other contexts and for other purposes these may be considered distinguishable categories.”

Let’s think about that.

If you bump your knee against a sharp object, is this a new disease called “bumpuskneeitis?” Er… no. It’s an accident. Sure, it may ’cause’ a specific set of symptoms that could broadly (as in as broad as the back-side of a barn) be considered a “disease”, but … no. It’s an accident with biological consequences.

Social problems?  So, if I decide to read 17 books on why my parents suck as a teenager and develop anti-social behavior, is this a “disease”?  NO!  This is the angst of youth combined, perhaps, with poor parenting!  Sure, it can lead to mental issues that could be classified as “disease”, but guess what?

It’s totally within your control. No one force-fed the books to the teen. And no one is force-feeding you, or anyone you know.

That decision is yours and yours alone… and anyone, repeat ANYONE on the face of planet earth can change their behaviors and attitudes toward food.

Okay, some more thoughts on disease:

Let me give you a few examples of what is typically thought of as “disease”…

— Leprosy
— Cancer
— Hypothyroidism

We’ll just take three… there are thousands as you know.

Now, we can all agree that these three states represent true “disease”. The first you could catch by accident; the second is a combination of genetics, environment, and who-knows-what-else, and the third is almost always genetic.

One, cancer, is something you ‘may’ be able to do something about. For example, lung cancer. 90% of lung cancer patients contract the disease from smoking.

Let’s just cover these 90%, shall we?

And folks, I’m asking for an open mind here…

Is lung cancer, in the case of the 90%, REALLY a disease?

Or is it a biological consequence?

Sure, “cancer” is a disease. But what caused it in this case? Something involuntary? Hardly. Something that could not be stopped?

No way.

The 90% caused it. Period.

Welcome to the real world.

So, I propose this:  We redefine “disease” as an abnormal biological condition that we DO NOT have direct cause or effect over.

Airborne viruses: Disease.  Obesity: NOT a disease.

And yes, lung cancer in chain smokers:  NOT a disease; it’s a biological outcome. The end result should be treated as a disease, of course, but come on: Where is the responsibility folks?

Life, if you want to life it fully and without fear, is ALL about taking total responsibility. That’s empowerment. Anything less is… well, LESS.

In our example, lung cancer is no more a “disease” than, say, me hitting myself over the head with a hammer every day and causing brain damage is a disease.

Brain damage (not self-induced) = disease.

Brain damage caused by self-inflicted hammer-hitting = biological consequence. In this case of sheer stupidity!

Now, one could (and many will) make the argument that I had a “mental” disease that caused me to WANT to hit myself over the head with a hammer… but… well…

At this point we need to redefine the word “disease” in my opinion. Here’s why:

First, if this were the case, I could say that all criminals have a disease.

They all have a mental disease that makes them want to kill, steal… you name it.

This may in fact BE true… we do not know… but do we hold them NOT responsible if it is? No, we do not.

And that brings us back to obesity.

Obesity and being overfat is not a disease folks…
—— >  it’s a biological consequence.

And, with the exception of the extremely ‘rare’ cases of total glandular dysfunction from birth, obesity… your bodyweight… is your responsibility.

Period. End of story.

Sorry, but that’s the way the ball bounces.

Am I being mean? No. I was obese. I have a right to speak my mind about it, and trust me:  My depression (a disease… sorta… some genetic, but a lot of it was caused by eating too much sugar) definitely aided in my obesity.

Then how come I’m not obese any more?

I found a better way to eat. I re-trained my body to crave this style of eating (and exercise) over stuffing myself with pizza and burgers every day.

Here’s what I use:

Click.Here———–>  My No-Disease No-Obesity Wake-up Call!

It torches bellyfat… and it reprograms the body and mind to use food as fuel… especially if you use my “7 Minute Body” workout system (you can get it at 77% off after you pick up EODD on the page above… ; )

So be brave. Be fearless. And be responsible.

Oh… and be sure not to catch “internetemailitis”… its a disease that causes you to want to check your email more than 10 times a day.

I have it. So be careful… may be contagious. : )

P.S. In my journey from obesity to total leanness I had to overcome ‘real’ diseases, like pituitary failure from a high fever (i.e. viral pneumonia that almost killed me) and, yes, clinical depression (partially my fault; partially not… i.e. half disease, half biological consequence.) So I have sympathy, believe me. But I also know what you can do once you have a solid plan in place and a determined mind.

Then no “disease” can stop you… at least the ones that do not kill you.

So go for it… be brave, be responsible… and be lean!

click.here ——>  My No-Disease No-Obesity Wake-up Call!