Defeating Back Pain Forever

Back pain, one of the most common physical, and debilitating ailments today, affects 70% - 80% of us at one time or another in our lives. However, as a result of the obesity epidemic, that number continues to climb. So if you are suffering or have suffered from back pain, you are not alone!

Back pain suffers, resulting from wear and tear and the aging process, generally are over 40 years of age; but it is not uncommon for individuals in the 30's to experience back challenges. The complex spine changes during aging at varying rates from individual to individual as determined by genetic factors, lifestyle choices, and prior injuries.

Just remember, the odds are in your favor that you will experience some sort of back pain in the future. So what do you do when that happens, and how do you prevent it from happening again? There lies two, seventy two million dollar questions.

First off, don't panic! Over 95% of back pain does not require surgery, and will subside on its own anywhere from a couple of days to months. With the back, it is rather tricky to predict how quickly it will heal. Be patient, and keep positive!

Please be aware that some chronic back conditions such as spinal stenosis, spondylosis, and osteoarthritis may never completely heal without a physicians care. Symptoms generally come and go, and then come and go again, where the recipient learns to manage the condition with medication, exercise, physical therapy, spinal blocks, and/or surgical intervention. Treatment all depends on the severity of the condition as determined by the physician's interpretation of the X-Ray, and/or MRI.

Recovery Tips-

1. Avoid motions that irritate it, but don't stay in bed for days on end which will weaken you

2. Ice for the first 48 hours, then apply a heating pad thereafter. 15-20 minutes at a time

3. See your doctor if pain persists longer than 1 week.

4. Follow pain medication recommendations (such as NSAIDS)

5. Light massage, and pain free range of motion stretching

6. Light walking (no hills) can help

7. Physical Therapy- massage, electric muscle stimulation, ice, heat, exercise, stretching

8. Pool therapy

9. Don't panic! Be patient! Most cases will get better over time.

10. KEEP MOVING (pain free movement) is the KEY!

Now that you are managing your back pain, let's focus on preventing it from occurring again. Depending upon the severity of your specific back condition, you can decrease the chance of returning pain, manage ongoing pain, or possibly prevent a reoccurrance. But HOW?

The Secret Answer - EXERCISE CORE MUSCLES in synergy with your particular condition.

Your goal should be to safely strengthen your core muscles to the max. The core muscles keep you upright, balanced, and able to maintain your spine in a stable position. The muscles that need to be worked are the back, legs, abdominals, and hips. By keeping these muscles strong, and flexible, it will provide a more secure base adding protection for a vulnerable spine. Warning: if you don't strengthen your core, the older you get, the weaker your muscles become, and the more vulnerable you will be to pain.

When I mention exercise the core, I am referring to doing the proper exercises for specific conditions. It is impossible for me to tailor this prevention protocol for everyone, since each person needs their own specific program with medical team input. However, I will give you a few basic back strengthening tips. In correlation with your specific condition, you must clear specific exercises with your health care team.

Prevention Tips-

1. Stay active - use back smart exercises on a regular basis

**I will be listing specific back smart exercises in future editions of the multimedia Wellness WORD Newsletter.

To reserve your complimentary multimedia subscription, simply go, right now, to http://www.WellnessWord.com

2. While walking and exercising, maintain proper spinal alignment (good posture)

3. Keep your weight under control

4. Don't smoke

5. Strengthen your core muscles

6. Keep the muscles limber and stretched

7. Do cardiovascular exercise ( ex. walk) on a regular basis.

8. Lift with proper form (use legs); proper spinal alignment

9. Contract abdominals throughout the day to protect spine as well as strengthen supporting muscles

10. Avoid the following:

Straight leg sit-ups

Bent leg sit-ups during acute pain

Leg lifts (lifting both legs while lying on your back)

Walking at a high incline

Lifting heavy weights above your waist (shoulder press, standing bicep curl)

Any stretches done while sitting with your legs in a V position

Toe touches while standing

Running or repetitive stair climbing

Excessive spine twisting, and bending

My intention for writing this article is to inform you there is hope. You can get over back pain, and do certain things to prevent it from returning, or returning with more intense symptoms.

Note: Please consult a physician for clearance prior to starting an exercise program.

To receive your Multimedia Wellness WORD Newsletter for NO CHARGE, simply visit http://www.WellnessWord.com to get the final WORD on health, fitness, and nutrition in America today.

Discover all the tips, tricks, and truth in multimedia (video, audio, and text).

***** Attention: Ezine Editors / Website Owners ***** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your eZine, Blog, Autoresponder, or on your website as long as the links, text, and resource box are not altered in any way.

Jim O'Connor- Exercise Physiologist / The Fitness Promoter

Copyright (c) - Wellness WORD, LLC
9461 Charleville Blvd. #312
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
1-866-935-5967

Jim O'Connor, Beverly Hills celebrity fitness consultant, has conducted thousands of personal fitness consultations with celebrites, business executives, and highly motivated individuals throughout Los Angeles. He is the Chief Exercise Physiologist for WellnessWORD, LLC, a health, fitness, and nutrition promotion company. Jim is the author of a wellknown, world wide multimedia newsletter called Wellness WORD, published online every other week promoting the health and fitness truth. He also is the author of a popular ebook called Home Gym Shopping Secrets.

http://www.WellnessWord.com
http://www.HomeGymShoppingSecrets.com
http://www.HomeGymResources.com

Caution: Too Much 'Alone Time' May Be Hazardous to Your Health

Is the stereotype of the lonely senior citizen a reality or a myth? Research suggests that although aging brings with it some life circumstances that increase the likelihood of loneliness, personal choices are the important variable.

Investigators have defined several possible scenarios regarding the relationship between loneliness and health. One suggests that loneliness is a cause -- perhaps preceding a decline in mental or physical health and actually contributing to problems in both of those areas.

The other options suggest that loneliness in seniors increases as a result of poor health.

This can be for several reasons including:
*the increased impact of chronic conditions,
*the absence of a significant caregiver,
*or lack of important social contacts and connections.

Older people with health problems are, at times, less able (or sometimes less willing) to engage in social activities. People without adequate social support can become less active, both physically and mentally. The lack of mobility may also increase the opportunity for poor nutritional habits to take over. None of these things helps to keep a small health problem small, do they?

So, knowing that isolation and loneliness have the potential to influence the health and well-being of older people, what can a community (or an individual) do?

Keeping in regular contact with older family members, friends and neighbors is certainly a good start. In a mobile society, however, geography often presents a big challenge for families. Community becomes even more important.

Local communities and groups can be sure to involve seniors at all levels of planning ? especially for community events. In addition to filling that ever-present ?volunteer void? they can also offer valuable perspective about scheduling, the need for transportation and affordability of leisure and educational activities.

##

Lawrence Bienemann is a program coordinator for RSVP in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. He also speaks and writes about issues related to aging well and can be reached via e-mail lawrenceb@rcn.com

When is a Nursing Home Appropriate for the Alzheimer's Patient?

Caring for an Alzheimer's patient can be a huge burden. When it becomes too hard and too time consuming for you to take care of your loved one, it may be time to look for a nursing home.

When you feel comfortable, then you can start planning ahead which will help avoid crisis situations later. You may not ever need a nursing home, but act in a proactive manner just in case the day comes. It is well known that making decisions in a crisis situation can be very difficult and stressful on everyone, so make sure you plan ahead of time.

You may find information and a list of nursing homes in your area from your local Alzheimer?s Association, or an elder law firm. They are most likely to have a list of facilities that offer dementia care or at least a dementia unit.

When you find the nursing home that will be the most appropriate for your loved one with Alzheimer?s, make sure you check the following:

• What is its appearance? When was their license accredited?

• Is the facility location convenient for you and your family for frequent visits?

• How does the staff react to questions -- are their greetings warm and welcoming, do they interact with your loved one?

• How well do the resident participants socialize with other people?

• Are visits allowed and are they encouraged?

• What is the staff ratio per patient? It should be at least 1 staff member for 8 persons.

• Is it possible to take a tour of the facility and the rooms?

• If there is a waiting list, how long will it take before your loved one can be accepted?

• Do they have a single room or do they share with another patient?

• Are these rooms furnished or unfurnished? If unfurnished, you will be able to bring your own furniture and decorate your room as wanted.

• Are there elevators? What kind of emergency plan do they have if a patient needs to be evacuated promptly?

• How do they handle patients that wander and what kind of security do they have?

These are some of the questions you can ask on your first visit. You can always come back later or give them a call later if you have other questions.

Another aspect of the nursing home to take into consideration is the financial issue. Most insurance companies will not cover these costs. When your loved one is being admitted in the nursing home you selected, the admittance staff will be able to assist you and discuss the payment options with you.

Make sure to ask what is included in the fees or contract:

• Is there an ongoing process for assessing a resident's need for services and how often are those needs evaluated?

• What additional services and staff are available if the resident's needs change?

• Is there an agreement available which discloses healthcare, accommodations, personal care and supportive services, all fees, and admission and discharge provisions, emergency services if necessary?

• Is there any government or other programs available that may help covering the costs?

• What happens if funds are used up and full payments can no longer be made. Does the facility accept Medicaid?

You want as well to have a good knowledge of the environment and the type of healthcare your loved one is going to receive:

• What type of healthcare and personal care are available? Do they have routine exams available, like vision and dental?

• What is the qualification of the staff members?

• Is the staff available to assist residents who experience memory loss or disorientation, and how do they handle it?

• Does the staff take care of the doctor?s appointments? Do they drive them over there and wait for them?

There is one more thing to consider when deciding if the nursing home is appropriate for your loved one with Alzheimer?s. Will he/she be happier than at home? Many people do quite well in nursing homes.

Once your loved one enters the nursing home, he/she can still leave for short trips to sleep over at family and friends. If he/she is unhappy, a transfer to another facility or a return home with assisted living may be an option.

You may also doubt how beneficial a dementia care unit can be for your loved one who has Alzheimer?s. If the dementia unit is developed and staffed correctly, it can be very valuable. The idea of a dementia care unit is to provide specialized care. This includes staff training specifically for dementia, smaller units to ease feelings of being overwhelmed, a quieter environment to prevent over-stimulation, and a locked unit safe for wandering and pacing. Wandering and pacing are symptoms that most Alzheimer?s patients experience. Instead of trying to stop them from this behavior, dementia units let them continue it in safe surroundings. Most facilities for Alzheimer?s care have their own activity director and many times the direct care staff are also trained to participate in activities with the residents with dementia.

To obtain more information on facilities in your area that offer dementia care units for Alzheimer?s patients, contact your state?s Department on Aging.

About The Author

William G. Hammond, JD is a nationally known elder law attorney and founder of The Alzheimer?s Resource Center. He is a frequent guest on radio and television and has developed innovative solutions to guide families who have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer?s. For more information you can visit his website at www.BeatAlzheimers.com.

How to Lose One Pound a Year: BFJ Diet Followup

In my original article on the Big Fat John Plan for losing weight I told you that I would report back to you on how things are going. I said in that article that when I weight 187 pounds that my cardiologist told me that was where I should be for good cardiac health. Since then, my heart has added a spare part from a pig, an aortic valve. Here is my report:

I went back on the Big Fat John Plan six weeks ago. I weighed 222 pounds at check-in. I now weigh 204 pounds. Using higher mathematics I calculate that I have lost 18 pounds or 3 pounds each week.

In the current version of the Big Fat John Plan I printed out individual sheets, one for each week of the plan. At the top of each sheet is printed Big Fat John and Week of: I actually print the starting date of each week. For example: Big Fat John Week of: 5/14. I printed sheets for 12 weeks. I may have to print more later.

Below the title, there is a table of 8 columns and 14 rows. That makes a cell about one inch wide and just over ? inch tall. There is a title row in the table. The first column says Food and the other seven are labeled Calories. The last seven columns are for the days of the week. I start with Sunday.

The reason I use one column, the left column, labeled Food is that most days I eat some of the same foods and I don?t have to write them down in the day cells. Each cell gets only one food and if all the cells are filled for a day, that?s it. NO MORE FOOD!

In the day cells I write the number of calories in the food item in that cell. If the food is not listed in the left column, I write down the name of the food too.

I don?t like to eat more than 1000-1200 calories each day. I lose weight when my caloric intake is in that range. I lose about 3 pounds a week. That is what I have lost in the first six week period of the current campaign. When I get to my target weight of 187 pounds I will taper off to about 1300 calories and check to see if I?m holding weight or gaining again.

In the current campaign I stopped recording after the second week was completed. Why? Because by the end of the second week I know what I need to do to stay on the diet and I don?t need to write down what I know. However, the Chart goes up every Sunday Morning and I record my weight and the circumference of my huge stomach above the column. I record my weight two or three times a week.

Let me modify my statement on not recording after the first two weeks. The chart is on the wall. If I find that I?m not losing weight, I will immediately begin to record.

I?ve lost only one inch from my girth so far. It takes time to get things going. I?m not sure where my weight loss is centered but my wife says that she can see the change.

Well there is a change. I?ve found that my feet are no longer swelling and my doctor will probably be able to take me off some medication. I also notice that when I walk one mile around the high school track near our home it is much easier on my legs. My pig valve keeps me pumping along at a 3 mile/hour clip. In other words, I walk one mile in 20 minutes as my cardiologist has instructed.

Unfortunately, walking does not burn many calories. What it does do is this. It increases your metabolism. That is why it is so important to exercise every day.

My clothes fit better too. I?m just worried that new clothes that I have purchased will look baggy. Well, I?ve got plenty of other clothes that I can?t now get into.

I no longer eat at night. If I really feel the pain I might eat an apple or a graham cracker with a teaspoon of peanut butter on it. If I drink milk or juices I usually take a half or quarter of a glass and I?m just as satisfied as if I had a full glass. I say to my self. Ah! I?ve had a big glass of milk and now I?m going to finish it off. Such a dirty trick to play on myself.

I stay away from eating bread more than once a day and most days I don?t eat bread. I like eggs and have them several times a week. I never eat bread with the eggs. I say, cook more eggs if you need a bit more to eat. I never go over three eggs at a time. A two-egg omelette with just one thin slice of cheese satisfies me just as much as one of my three-egg, cheese filled, fluffed monsters.

Protein is essential to losing weight without dying of hunger pains. I will occasionally have a small steak for breakfast with or without an egg or two. I like hotdogs. I?ll eat a beef or turkey hotdog occasionally rather than a meal. I?ve found that I don?t? need to eat two hotdogs.

I eat vegetables fresh or from the can. I add a small amount of butter substitute (no trans-fats allowed) to make them palatable after they are cooked and drained. Occasionally, I will eat a salad or a piece of fish. I like crab meat and if I can get it at a good price, or get it at all in Idaho, I will use it to make a crab meat omelette.

I cut back on the salt.

Fruit is essential. I prefer fresh fruit to sugary fruit juices. In fact, I limit the amount of juice because you can drink a bundle of calories without even thinking about it. Fruit is a satisfying snack and will keep you from overeating.

I can not diet and go though a week without eating normally. On Sunday we always go to my son?s house and I ignore any consideration of calories. I only eat once that day and I eat what I want except for one thing. I make a cake for my grandkids every Sunday morning. I eat only a small sample piece of the cake of the day.

Every week I also take my wife (and sometimes my son and his wife or a couple of the grandkids) out to dinner.

We like to go to the Golden Coral because we can fill up on salads before we get to the good stuff. Sometimes I just stick to protein and fruit on these visits. I ignore calories for the main part but I stay away from the desert tables. My wife who once taught at Weight Watchers has dieted for many years. She likes to separate food groups. She will eat fruits on her fruit day, vegetables on her vegetable day, and protein on her protein day.

Yesterday we went to the New China Buffet in Twin Falls. I ate two bowls of soup with a couple of Chinese dumplings added. Then I only had to go around one of the five or six tables once to be satisfied. I ate a couple of macaroons and a half scoop of ice cream for desert. That was all I ate all day. I had a warm feeling in my tummy for hours.

If you decide to diet and you never binge, you will fail.

That?s my opinion and I?m sticking to it.

The reason is this. If you go on a starvation diet and never binge your body will think that you are starving to death. It will shut down your metabolism and you will stop losing weight. If you binge a couple of times a week, your body will think that all is well.

I saw on television that Marlene Dietrich only ate every three days. I guess that is one way to do it but that would not be for me. I'm not a snake.

My program is to eat whatever you want but in small quantities. I try to stay away from fats.

Most men can cut down to 1500 calories each day and lose weight. That is because they burn 2500 calories. For me, I guess I seldom burn over 1500 calories each day. Therefore I must drop my caloric intake lower to lose weight.

What should your caloric intake be to lose weight?

The only way I know is to experiment.

While you are experimenting make sure you are getting the vitamins and minerals that you need. Take a multivitamin everyday. Occasionally substitute one of those discount diet drinks for a meal. They come in chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla and are available in most supermarkets and drugstores. If price is no object you can drink Insure? or another brand name instead.

The problem that must be overcome in dieting is discouragement. You will not lose the same amount of weight every week. You might even gain a pound.

Don?t worry about it.

Just make sure you are on your regimen.

The amount you lose every week will also taper off. So far, it has not for me but I know it will. Your body has a mind of its own and it will take action if you scare it into thinking you are starving. That?s why it is important to pig-out occasionally. Just remember when you are pigging out to stay away from too many sweets, fats, and carbohydrates.

Need a shoulder to cry on? Send me an e-mail.

Let?s see!

At my present rate of weight loss I should disappear by the end of September, 2007.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He is Executive Representative of IWS sellers of Tyler Hicks wealth-success books and kits. He also sells TopFlight flagpoles. He calls himself Taylor Jones, the hack writer.

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.aaaflagpoles.com

What is Acne A Brief users Guide for Parents Teens and the Rest of us

Acne is a disease in which the hair follicles on your skin become clogged and infected. This results in one of the three types of acne lesions to form.

The production of excess sebum is the culprit. It causes the follicles to become blocked. The medical community is still uncertain as to what triggers this excess production. Sebum is produced by the sebaceous oil gland and everybody needs a small amount to achieve healthy skin. Sebum helps protects the skin from harmful bacteria by washing it away.

Types of Acne Lesions:

The three types of acne lesions are whiteheads & blackheads (also known as closed and open comedones respectively), papules & pustules, and cysts.

Whiteheads as the name suggests, look like white bumps. They form under the skin and never reach the surface. This makes them very hard to eliminate. Blackheads grow upward and break the skins surface. This enlarged follicle and the oxidation of the dead cells, sebum, and bacteria have a black color, hence the name.

Papules form when a whitehead burst and the bacteria spreads to the surrounding tissues under the skin. This causes your body?s immune system to increase its fight on the infection making the inflammation worse. They appear as small, firm, red bumps. Pustules form as the body?s immune system continues to fight the infection by sending pus to the area. They appear similar to a papules with the addition of a yellowish white head.

Cysts are the third and final type of acne lesion. They form when a pustule worsens and expands further down under the skins surface. They appear red or purple and are very painful. This is the most serious of all types of acne lesions.

Types of Acne:

Acne can not only be classified by the types of acne lesions, but further broken down by acne type; depending on what types of lesions you have. People whose acne consists of whiteheads and blackheads would have what is called comedonal acne. A mix of blackheads, whiteheads, papules and pustules acne lesions is called acne vulgaris and is the most common type of acne. The third type of acne is called cystic acne and it is when someone has all three types of acne lesions with numerous cysts.

Who Can Get Acne:

While most people associate acne with teens, anybody can experience some type of acne at any age. That said certain groups of people are more likely to experience acne. They include teens, people under stress, people who have a family history of the disease, people taking certain drugs and adult women.

Mark MacKay is a researcher, marketer, and former Acne sufferer. For more information on Acne Myths, Causes, Types of Acne, Acne Treatments, Skin Care, Adult Acne, Teen Acne, Acne Discussion forum, latest research articles and much more visit Mark?s Acne Explained web site at http://www.acne-explained.info.

Weight Loss Programs:The 7 Critical Points You Must Check Before You Choose

Yes, you must be aware of the following 7 points before adopting a diet plan.

1) Your weight loss program must remove toxins from your body.

Do you know these facts?

FACT #1:90% of the toxins in your body are expelled from your body through breath.But an average person uses only 30% of his/her lung capacity!

FACT #2:8% of the toxins are removed from the excretory organs.But 80% of the population has clogged colons resulting in pounds of impacted waste.

FACT #3:2% of the toxins are removed through the skin,nose,ears etc.

So,where do all the toxins that are not expelled through the breath and excretory organs go? Simple,they get stored in your body.

No matter how much clean you think your body is....it has a storage of toxins in one form or the other due to the above factors.

And,toxins are the No.1 cause of fat deposition. In fact,it's toxin which makes fat removal so difficult to achieve.

But, most of the fat supplement manufacturers and diet experts don't seem to know anything about this vital fact! or atleast they are pretending not to know.

Remember. No toxin removal-No fat removal. Period.

2) You must Lose Fat not water

Most of the diet programs are based on low calorie diets.This kind of food deprevation signals your body to shed water stored in and around the cells.Remember,your body is 70% water.

Losing this water around the cells causes your body to instantly lose some weight making you think that the weight loss program is a success.

Whereas,this water weight comes back as easily as it was lost.

Conclusion? Be 100% sure if the weight loss program you are about to select makes your body lose just water or real fat.

3) The weight loss program must optimize the functioning of the fat burning organs in your body.

Most of the products available in the market today don't fulfill this criterion.

There are appetite suppressants that only suppress the appetite........which is very dangerous, and fat blockers, which only block the fat you eat.

The popular diet programs go one step ahead by limiting the type and amount of food you eat.

This results in malnutrition of the various fat burning organs of the body, depriving them of nutrients and resulting in their malfunctioning and untimely failure.

Most of the weight loss programs can never improve the functioning of the organs responsible for natural and effortless weight loss over a long period of time.

Hence, look for info about whether your weight loss program really has the necessary nutrients required and a strategy to keep these fat burning organs in good shape.

4) The weight loss programs must be free of harmful chemicals and drugs without side effects.

Most of the weight loss supplements have one or the other side effects because they are made from untested chemicals and drugs like ephedra, which are harmful to your body.

5) Must have a Scientific basis-tried and tested over a long period of time.

99% of all the weight loss programs available in the market have no scientific basis. They have not been tested and proven over a long period of time.

In fact, most products use you as a guinea pig for testing their products!

6) Your weight loss program must increase your metabolism naturally.

Without increasing metabolism in a natural way, fat burning is impossible.

7) No drastic reduction in food intake should be necessary.

It is a wrong notion propagated by the diet industry that the less calories in-more is the weight loss. This is a great lie and harms the body. Yo-yo dieting is the result of this approach.

In fact,drastic reduction in calorie intake deprives vital nutrients to the very organs that are responsible for metabolism and fat burning resulting in their failure to burn fat.

Hence,watch out for very low calorie diets!

99% of diet programs in the market today will definitely fail this test and the reason for it? They are Junk!.

Yes,the diet industry is full of lies and false claims regarding weight loss.The real fact is..majority..yes..majority don't know the real reason for fat accumulation and what really works.

You can get more cutting edge fat burning secrets in my Free 5day email ecourse by subscribing to my newsletter at: www.eweightlosstips.com/weightlossltr.htm

Rajesh Shetty

Expert in weight loss principles of Ayurveda Medical Science and Author of the Best selling book, Proven weight loss secrets revealed.

http://www.eweightlosstips.com

7 Superfoods for Weight Loss

The superfoods in this article not only have weight loss attributes but supreme health benefits that make them ideal members in any healthy weight loss regime.

Chilli

The active ingredient in chilli called capsaicin is a thermogenic agent which helps to increase metabolism and the burning of calories and fat. This is why capsaicin is found in many natural weight loss formulas. Capsaicin is also believed to be an appetite suppressant. Two studies led by the same Japanese researcher (Yoshioka et al., British Journal of Nutrition; 1998, 1999), revealed the ability of cayenne to increase the metabolism of dietary fats in women as well as demonstrate modest reductions in appetite.

In addition to weight loss properties, capsaicin has been shown to relieve pain, sinusitis, psoriasis, migraines and arthritis, improve circulation and stomach conditions and inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Bee pollen

Bee Pollen, around 40% protein with a staggering composition of nutrients, enzymes and phytochemicals, is a virtually complete food. As well as a plethora of health benefits, it is said to stimulate the metabolism, speeding up the burning of calories, and its high content of lecithin can help to flush fat from the body.

Bee pollen also functions as an appetite suppressant, containing the amino acid phenylalanine that is known to effect the area of the brain that deals with feelings of hunger and fullness. Unlike the chemical manmade derivative of phenylalanin called phenylpropanolamine used in commercial weight-loss products, phenylalanin is not addictive and has no negative side effects. Bee pollen also satiates the appetite and eliminates cravings because it is so nutrient-dense.

Coconut oil

Dr. Weston A Price, the Darwin of nutrition writes, ?Replacing the fats you now eat with coconut oil may be the wisest decision you can make to lose excess body fat?You can lose unwanted body fat by eating more saturated fat (in the form of coconut oil) and less polyunsaturated fat (processed vegetable oils). One of the remarkable things about coconut oil is that it can help you lose weight. Yes, there is a dietary fat that can actually help you take off unwanted pounds. Coconut oil can quite literally be called a low-fat fat.?

Coconut oil is unique from animal saturated fats in that it is comprised of medium chain fatty acids which are absorbed directly and used immediately for energy. Raymond Peat MD, author of Coconut Oil and Its Virtues, concludes, ?The anti-obesity effect of coconut oil is clear in all of the animal studies, and in my friends who eat it regularly.?

Coconut oil has also been found to benefit a myriad of conditions from diabetes, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, digestive disorders, thyroid imbalances, and viral, bacterial and fungal infections.

Nettles

Nettles contain serotonin, a mood enhancing neurotransmitter with a calming influence. Serotonin also plays a role in the feelings of satiation one experiences after eating, hence functions as an appetite suppressant. It is for this reason that serotonin supplements have been designed to tackle food cravings and aid slimming.

Studies have shown a direct link between obesity (due to overeating) and decreased brain levels of serotonin. This is no doubt one reason why nettles have a traditional reputation for improving weight-loss. The late naturalist and wild-food forager Euel Gibbons claims, ?stinging nettle is very efficacious in removing unwanted pounds!?.

Nettles are incredible mineral dense and are cleansing and detoxifying for the body. They are also great for skin, hair and nails as they contain the beautifying mineral sulphur.

Chocolate

Cacao (aka pure chocolate), contains chemicals that increase levels of serotonin in the brain, and as such has appetite suppressing properties. Serotonin levels are raised in part due to the amino acid tryptophan in cacao as well as the action of monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO inhibitors). These decrease our body?s ability to break down serotonin so that more of this neurotransmitter remains in the brain remains, creating feelings of fullness for longer.

Cacao is also exceptionally high in antioxidants, has potent aphrodisiac properties, healthy minerals and mood-boosting compounds such as PEA the ?love chemical?.

Pure, unrefined chocolate contains none of the detriments of commercial products such as sugar, hydrogenated fats, milk, additives, agro-chemicals and solvents.

Green Tea

A study published in the December 1999 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, led by Dr. Dullo at the University of Geneva, indicates that substances in green tea extract may actually promote weight loss. Men given a combination of both caffeine and green tea extract burned more fat calories than those given caffeine or placebo alone.

The scientists believed that the catechin flavonoids in green tea may alter the body's use of norepinephrine, a chemical transmitter in the nervous system, to increase the rate of calorie burning. They concluded, ?Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se?.

Green tea also lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of stroke, protects against cancer, prevents teeth cavities and has anti-inflammatory action.

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Omega-3 oils serve numerous bodily processes and are particularly good for the immune system and heart as well as arthritis, skin conditions, pre-menstrual tension, mental function, improving memory and reducing depressive symptoms. Omega 3 oils also play a role in burning fats within the body and as such can aid weight-management.

This is due to its effects on insulin, reducing levels in the body. Insulin promotes the use of fat for storage and reduces the use of fat for fuel, hence lower insulin levels mean greater conversion of fat for energy rather than storage.

The best Omega-3 oil sources are oily fish like sardines, salmon and mackerel. Plant sources include flaxseeds (the richest plant source), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, green leafy vegetables, evening primrose oil, wheat germ and spirulina.

I would also recommend a primarily raw food diet (plant-based) and alkaline diet for healthy weight loss.

Sylvia Riley is an author, writer and researcher in field of natural health and nutrition. Discover the World's Ultimate Superfoods: http://www.miracle-superfoods.com