Stomach Ache… again.

health & diet No Comments »

I went to the hospital a few days ago because I ended up puking everything I ate for two days. My dorm mates actually stared at me in pity and convinced me to go to the hospital.

So I went, and they gave me three injection shots. I was so convinced that it was food poisoning as it has already happened to me before, but it wasn’t.

I sat there waiting for the results while staring at one of the nurses use a pulse oximeter on patients.

Apparently it wasn’t.. it was just gastroentritis. Thank God I’m alright now.

On taking vitamins to treat acne

alternative medicine, health & diet, skin care No Comments »

As of this moment, people are still unable to pinpoint the main cause for acne. However, that shouldn’t stop you from finding the solution to ridding yourself of acne. After all, a clean, soft, and clear skin will help boost one’s confidence in more ways than you can imagine.

Currently, most acne treatments are concentrating on treating the most common contributor - excess oil. However, I encountered a research which found the scientific links proving that vitamin deficiencies often contribute to major acne breakouts as well. Consequently, they have developed acne vitamins.

Some say they’re finally seeing results from that treatment, and the best part is that it doesn’t involve harsh chemicals. Then again, it’s still better to consult your dermatologist first before trying anything.

Which diet program to choose from

weightloss, health & diet No Comments »

When someone asks me what the best diets for quick weight loss are, I usually say “It depends” or “all of them work”. You see, diets don’t work the same for each of us. Sometimes your friends may recommend a diet that they have proven effective but when you try it it does not seem to work (or it may have only little effect). This is because there are many factors involving diet.One major factor is your body’s metabolism. Metabolism, according to Wikipedia, is the set of chemical reactions that happen in living organisms to maintain life. Chemical reactions require nutrients in order to take effect. When you have a very fast metabolic rate, even if you eat too much, you won’t get fat.So my advice, try different types of diet programs and choose whatever is most convenient for you. After all, each type of diet usually cuts you of certain food so it means that it will still do you something. Just try to discipline yourself to make your diet a habit.

Anorexia - fashion influence

health & society, health & diet No Comments »

Perhaps you have also noticed that today’s fashion is really centered on the thin women. Yep, thin women, not the curvy sexy women and certainly not the chubby ones. I think it has something to do with the eastern fashion influencing the industry. So since thin is in, it follows that people also want to be thin. Whether or not they are fat, they still want to be thinner. So this is where the problem arises.

Being in a strict diet is good for those who are fat, not just for the great figure but also for health reasons. Reasons like increased energy due to lesser weight, lower cholesterol levels and better sugar levels are just some I could think of. Usually, a combination of exercise and diet supplements is needed for the weight loss program to be effective. Diet for the thin people, however, may not be a good idea as this may lead to Anorexia - a condition wherein the body rejects the intake of food.

Anorexia is sometimes more difficult to treat because of the psychological aspect of the condition. Usually, anorexics undergo counselling and rehabilitation in order to be treated. It is alarming that more and more people, especially teenagers suffer from this condition, all because of the influence of fashion in their lives.

Waist trimming for my sister’s wedding

mumblings, health & diet, health & beauty No Comments »

The time to reduce belly fat is NOW!

For me anyway.

My sister Anne’s wedding is on the 16th of February. She gave her entire family very specific requests (more of threat) that we all have to look gorgeous on her wedding day. That includes trimming down. She doesn’t want anyone who looks ugly to be in her wedding. It was more of a loving threat though, but I took it as a challenge of course.

I have already enrolled in Bikram Yoga with my friend last January 4. But to make sure that I get a very gorgeous figure in time for her wedding, I’ll be cutting down on my carbohydrates as well. And, as my friend Mark suggested, I need to take vitamin C as well since this helps burn fat.

I already bought a gold and black dress this Saturday for her wedding and I look really great in it! Now if I’ll just trim down on my waste, I’ll definitely look fabulous in it. ^_^

Contingency plan over the inevitable holiday fats

tips & tricks, health & diet No Comments »

Now that the festive season’s over, everyone’s complaining about eating waaaaaaaaaaaay too much during the holidays to the point of regret. They are now seeing the accumulated, unwanted fats on their used-to-be well-maintained figures. I can’t blame them of course. It’s really hard to resist sumptuous meals especially if it’s laid in front of you.

As for me, I’m not overly concerned about the additional weight I gained this December. I was already expecting it and I have a contingency planned way before the holidays. No, it’s not the usual elliptical and stretchings - I enrolled in Bikram Yoga and started on January 4, 2010. Nothing can beat that glorious 90-minute whole body sweaty exercise in the steam room in getting back to your gorgeous figure. Jealous, huh? 0:p

So it’s not just the genes

health & diet, skin care, food & nutrition No Comments »

If there’s one thing I envy about other girls, it is the soft flowing hair. As my mom always told me, “it’s their genes dear”. She always says that when I compare myself to others. I asked a friend of mine, who is a dermatologist, about how to keep my air and skin as beautiful as others. She told me that, genes do play a role in having glowing skin and nice hair but one big factor to consider is nutrition.Hair and skin need almost the same nutrients. Having a high vitamin E diet can really make your skin glow, that is if you keep yourself hydrated with lots of fruit juices. Good sleep and lots of exercise will also help your body detoxify which also make you look and feel better. Supplements such as metathiones and vitamins for hair are also available, however it is always better to consult your physician first. These supplements claim to make the skin fairer and the hair shiny and soft although you must be aware that some brands my have side effects to some people.

Cigarettes, the new weight loss pill

health information, fitness advice, mumblings, alternative medicine, health & diet No Comments »

Okay, fine, cigarettes do not fall under the new weight loss pill category. Then again, did you know that in spite of the ads and laws being implemented on why smoking is bad for your health, smoking cigarettes actually do have benefits?

Yep. Because Nicotine is an appetite suppressant, one of the beneficial aspects of smoking is that it keeps the weight down. Cigarettes do this by:

  • Keeping food in your stomach longer
  • Suppressing your appetite
  • Artificially speeding up your metabolism

Smoking burns up an extra 200-300 calories each day in a heavy smoker. Consequently, when you quit smoking, it’s normal to experience a gain of between 5 and 10 pounds during the first few months. However, if your eating habits have remained the same as when you smoked, you can easily shed this small gain with simple daily exercise such as a brisk, 30-minute walk.

So yeah, for those who want to quit smoking, you do not have “weight gain” as an excuse for not being able to. 0:p After all, knowing this benefit of smoking allows you replace the good side of smoking with things that are safer and healthier for you, while achieving similar results.

Part 3: Fat facts continued – Tips for trimming fat

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A healthy fat intake depends on your age and your lifestyle. The older and less active you are, the less fat you must eat. To lose weight, you must first have an idea on how much fat you take in, for this will be your basis on how much fat you need to lessen.

And now for the hardest part, before you think of using a weight loss product steer clear of your favorite pizza for a while. Burgers too are also very high in fat, from the buns, to the mayo, to the cheesy bacon mushroom melts. Choose healthy snacks like salads, fruit yogurts or corn chips. Choose white meat like chicken or turkey and remove the skin. For lean meat, it is better to grill it so that the fat will drip while cooking. Fish in olive oil is also great for loosing weight.

Always remember that low-fat food is may be low in fat, but if you eat too much, the effect is the same as eating fatty food of lesser volume. Try to dig in fruits and vegetables. These foods have no fat. So better have them in your diet.

Part 2: Fat Facts continued – the good and bad fats

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The bad fat: Saturated fat

Foods high in this kind of fat include fatty meats, coconut oil, cakes, pastries, and our all time favorite burgers. These tend to raise cholesterol levels therefore must be reduced if not avoided. There is also the “trans fat” which is also Saturated fat, which can be found in dairy products and commercial frying oils.

The good fat: Unsaturated fats

Mono-unsaturated and Poly-unsaturated are basically the same in terms of benefits to the body. These particular types of fats are lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of blood clots, which is good. These fats come mostly from vegetable oils, peanut butter, and fish oils. The so famous Omega -3 fat is also unsaturated.

Big Fact:

Most people think that good fats don’t make them overweight. These people see these good fats as natural weight loss supplements. Wrong! Fats are still fats. Saturated or unsaturated, these fats will pile up in your body if not used. The body stores fat as energy reserves so if you don’t use your reserves, you’ll end up looking like a warehouse in no time.