Body Care Facts & Health Tips

The problem with excess fat, other than the obvious health hazards, is in losing it. Fat, like most physical problems simply refuses to go away no matter how hard you try. There are lots of new and innovative ways of losing fat coming to the forefront these days, but most of them are not worth a mention. So how does lipodissolve fare?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you should know that lipodissolve is a process in which a chemical known as phosphatidylcholine (PPC), is injected in your body, in order to melt away the excess fat. This formulation usually also contains lecithin, derived from Soy beans, which enhances the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat.

In some other formulations homeopathic agents and FDA approved medications may also be used. More often than not, the quality of the formulation used in the process is what determines the results.

And how does lipodissolve actually work? Well, it bursts open the fat cells! Yes, the formulation used in the process causes a reaction known as ‘lysis’ which basically involves the rupturing of the walls of the fat cells. When this happens, the cell matter gets dissolved and is gradually flushed out from within the body. This happens after the fat content of the cells is taken to the liver, further decomposed and then excreted.

So now that you have understood the basic of lipodissolve, here are some other facts about this process which may be of interest:

• Lipodissolve scores over liposuction because it is not a surgical procedure and neither does it require anesthesia. The entire process lasts about 30 minutes and you can resume work once it’s over.
• As you may have guessed by now, lipodissolve actually works best for spot reduction. So, if you have a specific area of the body where fat has accumulated, you can use this treatment instead of doing something which will also affect other parts of your body.
• Usually visible changes start occurring after two sessions, while in some cases even one is enough.
• The number of sessions you will require depends on the amount of fat accumulated. As there is a limit to the amount of chemical formulation injected in your body, doctors will space out the sessions 4-8 weeks apart. It usually takes about 3-4 sessions to achieve desired results.
• You should remember that the success of lipodissolve is not judged by how much weight you have lost, but by the reduction in girth. So, you can lose 6-18 cm in the abdomen, 4-12 cm for thighs, 2.5-7 cm for arms and so on.
• The results of lipodissolve can last as long as seven years if you maintain the right lifestyle with lots of exercise. But since deposit of fat is related to the ageing process, you may want maintenance treatment for even longer lasting results.

So, hopefully this explains the lipodissolve treatment comprehensively and you can now decide whether you want to go for it or not.

Reducing body fat, for looking good and feeling better is what everyone wants. But it’s achieving this objective which is the difficult part. You may have tried a lot of things, often because others were doing the same. But if you have not yet found the right results, maybe you have not yet tried mesotherapy. If you keep reading you will find out more about this wonderful medical procedure and its various benefits too. Maybe then you will decide to give it a try!

Conceived in the year 1952, this is an esthetic medical treatment which can serve as a great alternative to liposuction and plastic surgery, or even the use of invasive chemicals. This treatment aims to remove the cellulite which accumulates just under the skin in and around the mesoderm layer. Hence the name ‘meso’-therapy!

So what are the major benefits of mesotherapy? Here is a list which will amaze you for sure:

• It is a non-invasive process. This is not a surgery or anything remotely as painful as some other fat removal techniques. A mixture of amino acids, vitamins and other medications are simply injected under the skin to start melting down excess fat.
• The process is subtle and you do not feel a thing. As the medication starts working it breaks down cellulite and improves the flow of blood. This allows fat to be carried away and excreted from the body.
• You do not require preparation for this therapy. In fact, the only thing you need to do, is maintain a healthy diet before and after the therapy. The entire procedure usually lasts no more than 30 minutes, which is why it is often called a ‘lunch time treatment’.
• Mesotherapy helps in removing fat from specific areas of the body. Thus getting rid of love handles or double chin, is possible without bothering other parts of the body. This is why mesotherapy is used for sculpting and toning purposes.
• This therapy can also induce weight loss, because once the fat stores starts to be depleted normal bodily functions resume and so, more of the stored fat is utilized for creation of energy.
• Even if you are not bothered about losing weight, as long as you lose those inches, this is the treatment for you. This is because mesotherapy is known to bring down waistlines and cloth sizes.
• As fat under the skin starts disappearing, the skin quality improves because it is not stretched anymore. Also irregularities in the contour of the skin (caused by lumps of fat) also disappear with passing time.
• Unlike some other non-invasive treatments, mesotherapy does not take ages to show its action. You can start losing fat and getting slimmer within 2 weeks. The effects can be enhanced even further if you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

And the best part is that the changes brought about by mesotherapy are usually permanent. As long as you take care not to accumulate fat any further, you are fine. So, have the benefits of mesotherapy motivated you enough to give it a try?

You may have heard about it, but do you know, what is endometriosis? Well, it is basically a condition which results from the abnormal growth of endometrial cells outside the uterus. These cells attach themselves to the exterior of the uterus and are commonly known as endometriosis implants. The main problem with these implants is that they carry a cancer-risk. These endometrial implants can also cause problems if they occur on the fallopian tubes, ovaries or intestines.

It may be worthwhile mentioning here that all women capable of reproduction are at risk of endometriosis, with the greatest incidence being observed in women aged between 25-35 years.

Common causes of endometriosis are yet to be pinpointed, despite continuous research in this area. However there are some reasons which have come to light:

• Endometrial cells may reach unusual locations due to the reverse flow of menstrual blood during periods. But then again, not all women who suffer from this retrograde menstruation problem, contract endometriosis.
• The pelvic organs may be surrounded by primitive cells which can warp into other forms such as endometrial cells.
• Transfer of endometrial tissue can also occur during surgeries, particularly a Cesarean Section.
• The growth of endometrial implants in the brain (as noted rarely) can only be attributed to carriage of the tissue by the blood stream.

What about the symptoms of endometriosis? Well, here too there are no specific signs to go by. Actually most women suffering from endometriosis do not have any symptoms at all. And the few who have them suffer from pelvic pain of varying degree. This pain occurs during menstruation and fades away after the period gets over.

Painful sexual intercourse or cramping during sex can also be taken as warning signs for endometriosis. If you are experiencing pelvic pain quite constantly, for months, you may have developed endometrial implants.

Problems in conceiving despite being healthy otherwise, may also be considered as a symptom of endometriosis. This is because; implants in ovaries can actually hamper the process of fertilization of the egg cell.

What happens when you have endometriosis? You can consult a doctor who them prescribes one of several types of available treatments. They are:

• Using painkillers to suppress the pelvic-pain associated with this condition. Simple analgesics such as aspirin and paracetamol or a combination of both are the most commonly prescribed painkillers. However, mild narcotics or narco-analgesics may also be used.
• Hormonal therapy usually involves the reduction of estrogen in the body, because this hormone aggravates endometriosis. Use of oral contraceptive pills is the treatment suggested by most doctors. However, in some serious cases, even direct injections of progestin are used.
• Laparoscopic surgery is used for diagnosing endometriosis. However once diagnosed, the cysts, lesions and adhesions can be removed in the same operation.
• Hysterectomy is seen as a definitive way to end all problems once endometriosis takes threatening proportions.

A proper diet is also helpful in dealing with the exertions on your health while undergoing treatment for endometriosis. You have no reason to be afraid of endometriosis because you now know what it is.

Ovarian cysts are a common problem for women, and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is the most discussed variety of this condition. PCOS happens when the ovaries produce more androgen than what is considered as a normal level for women. The increased presence of androgens leads to the growth of hair and can also cause acne. This is a common problem for pre-menopausal women an can sometimes take severe proportions.

PCOS occurs in 5-10% of women worldwide, yet there is no single cause of this problem, which has been identified yet. In fact, it is actually a combination of genetic and environmental factors which cause PCOS. The most commonly noted ones are:

• Genetics, because often it is seen that if the mother has polycystic ovarian syndrome, the daughter has it too. Researchers are still trying to pinpoint the link between genes and PCOS.
• Problems in the blood sugar control system or insulin imbalance. A high percentage of women who have insulin resistance and abnormal levels of insulin in blood, tend to develop PCOS syndrome.

Other factors such as presence of multiple cysts in the ovaries, fetal exposure to male hormones and imbalance in the levels of the hormone LH are also cited as possible reasons for this condition.

So, what are the symptoms which tell you whether you are suffering from PCOS?

Well, this polycystic ovarian problem manifests itself in different ways, some of the most common among which are:

• Excessive hair growth, which is a direct result of the increased secretion of androgen (the male sex hormone). Hair grows in area such as the face, chest, toes etc. At the same time, the opposite effect or hair loss, can also occur in some cases.
• Infertility is a common symptom, which you may not relate to PCOS initially, but later find out.
• Irregular or absent periods can also indicate that you are suffering from PCOS.
• Then there is the outbreak of acne, which is usually something which affects teens. So if you are in your thirties and have a bout of acne, you may suspect PCOS.

Effective PCOS treatment can help you recover well from this problem. The basic objective of most treatments is not only getting rid of polycystic ovaries, but also making sure that the cysts do not become malignant (cancerous). Birth control pills or progesterone hormone injections can help regularize periods and thus reduce the risk of uterine cancer.

For treating acne or excess hair growth, diuretics are used. If the hair growth is really strong, hair-removal creams or processes such as electrolysis can be employed too. To help prevent infertility, medicines are provided to induce ovulation.

A PCOS diet can also help you deal successfully with the condition. This is because losing weight is really effective for neutralizing several threats and complications associated with PCOS. Low glycemic-index foods and vitamin and mineral supplements feature prominently in these diets.

So, if you are diagnosed with PCOS, do not panic and remember what you have just read through.

A woman’s life is full of health issues which require her to take a lot of care. Ovarian cysts are a common problem, during the years when a woman is capable of childbirth. These cysts are basically fluid filled sacs, not too different from blisters, which form on either side of the uterus. Thankfully though, most types of ovarian cysts are pretty harmless and fade away on their own.

Having said this, you should also know the various categories into which ovarian cysts have been classified. They are:

• Functional cysts, which are naturally formed during the process of ovulation. They tend to shrink in size and gradually disappear within three menstrual cycles. Menopausal women cannot suffer from functional cysts because ovulation does not happen in them.
• Dermoid cysts are those that are filled with different types of tissues and sometimes even skin and hair.
• Cystadenoma cysts develop on the outer surface of ovaries.
• Endometrioma cysts are related to endometriosis and form when tissue attaches to the ovaries.
• Polycystic ovarian disease is a result of the buildup of follicles. The ovaries enlarge and become thicker from the outside. This can prevent ovulation and thus cause fertility issues.

But what it is that causes ovarian cysts? Well, formation of cysts is a part of the monthly process of ovulation (production of the egg cell) within a woman’s body. A follicle is formed within the ovary when this process occurs. From the follicle a structure called the corpus luteum is formed, which normally gets dissolved if the egg cell is not fertilized.

However, at times, the dissolution does not take place and cysts are formed. The more serious types of cysts, such as those in the polycystic ovarian disease usually occur as a result of hormonal imbalance.

This brings us to the symptoms of ovarian cyst or how you can know whether you have a problem. Well, unfortunately cysts do not produce any symptoms. What they do however, in some cases, is cause a dull pain in the abdomen.

This pain may be heightened during intercourse. You can treat this as a warning sign that the cyst may have burst or is bleeding. The pain may also be caused due to twisting of the cyst, which prevents the flow of blood.

Occasionally you may also have extremely painful or delayed periods and must consult your doctor immediately, to make sure that it is not a cyst.

And what if it is a cyst? Well, fret not because ovarian cysts can be treated. However, the success of the treatment depends on the size and type of the cyst, your age and your pregnancy plans. Here are a few ways in which doctors treat these cysts:

• If it is a functional cyst, you are asked to wait for two or three months, to allow it to disappear on its own.
• In case this does not work, you may be prescribed oral contraceptives or hormonal injections to help reduce the size of the cysts.
• When the above step fails, surgery may be required. If the cysts are discovered early the surgery is less invasive. Delayed surgery may require the removal of the ovary to remove a potential threat to life.

Well, that’s everything you need to know about ovarian cysts.

Weight loss must be at the top of your mind when you are overweight or obese. But this does not mean that you must throw caution to the wind in order to achieve the desired weight loss results quickly. But the question is how do you know which weight loss methods are improper? Well, you have come to the right place because if you keep reading you will find out 10 ways which are definitely NOT right for losing weight.

All these ways of losing weight may be followed by more than one person today, simply because people are often misled when it comes to weight loss, partly due to their urgency and haste. So, you must make it a point not to adopt the following ways in order to lose weight:

1. Methods which can induce bulimia. There are some specific diets and techniques such as forced vomiting which can lead to bulimia. Use of laxatives and diuretics fall in the same category and can be really harmful for your body. Losing weight is not so important that you will put your life on the line!

2. Crash diets or yoyo diets. Crash diets are basically an alternate name for starvation. These can cause serious malnutrition in the body and you will find little or no energy to carry on with day to day activities if you are on one of these diets. Moreover, they can ultimately lead to hospitalization if it’s not already too late!

3. Surgical fat loss methods. It is true that modern medical science can allow you to lose fat via surgery. But is it worth a try? Perhaps not, if you consider the risks and side effects which are part and parcel of these surgeries. Surgery may be an option only when diet and exercise is not doing the job for you (which is highly unlikely) and your weight is getting out of bounds. But do give proper thought to these life-changing surgeries if you must undergo them.

4. Fat burning drugs. Over the ages fat burning drugs have been the dieter’s best friend or at least this is what people wanting to lose weight think. But in reality most of these fat burning supplements have side effects for which they have been withdrawn from the market.

5. Drugs which suppress appetite. These drugs have also been used by many weight loss hopefuls, but most have paid the price because these drugs can damage your health greatly.

6. Fad dieting. These diets are promoted as the next best thing since sliced bread, on the internet. While very few of them work, there are quite a few which may be unsafe for you.

7. Psychological techniques such as hypnosis. Despite the clamor about weight loss induced by hypnosis, there is no scientific evidence that this method actually works.

8. Going flat out. If you are too harsh on yourself whether at the gym or at the dinner table, you will never be able to achieve weight loss.

9. Exercise without proper diet. Exercise alone cannot help you lose weight, though this is what some people profess.

10. Taking it as a duty rather than a challenge. Remember that weight loss is not a chore; it is an objective you want to achieve for your own good!

Is losing weight easy and convenient? Well, the answer is no, it is not. You may not have been very circumspect all the while you were gaining weight. But now if you are desperate about losing weight, you definitely need to be determined and disciplined. However, the biggest obstruction in the way of losing weight is your work which leaves you hard pressed for time. How can you exercise? And if you cannot find time to exercise, do you stand any chance of losing weight? Well, you will be pleased to know that a proper diet can compensate for the lack of exercise in shedding weight from your body.

So, it is actually possible to lose weight even if you do not exercise. But you are warned at the onset that dieting without exercise will take time to bring about desired results. Thus, you need to be patient with your diet and not lust for quick results. Your overall body weight is a balance of your calorie intake and the calories burnt. So by burning more calories than you eat, you can attain sufficient weight-loss.

If you have decided to achieve weight-loss through dieting, you will do well to follow the steps below:

1. Familiarize with what you eat for a fortnight. When you start off with your dieting plans, give yourself a fortnight to understand and adjust to your new, improved diet. Study portion sizes of foods, how many meals you need to eat, how frequently you need to eat, how to prepare your diet etc. If need be, keep a tab on all such necessary details and try to decide upon a diet plan that augurs well for your body.

2. After getting familiarized with this new found diet and dieting schedule, start weighing yourself. Throughout the day, measure your weight at different intervals such starting from the time you wake up to the time you hit the bed at night. Also, keep weighing yourself after every meal.

3. After a fortnight start restricting your diet without changing the overall quantity of food. Do not cook your food in oils and fats. Instead of frying foods, boil or bake them. For example, when you are having an egg, have a boiled one and not an omelet.

4. Fast foods and snacks are a strict no-no, but some exceptions apply. However, you can gorge on fresh popcorn, chunky peanut butter, or a handful of nuts. These foods will not add extra calories to your body.

5. Start reducing your portion sizes by the day. If you manage to do so (in conjunction with the above steps), you will feel less hungry and the desire to eat big, heavy meals will also reduce considerably.

6. Lastly follow carefully how much you gain post each meal and how much you lose during your slumber. Understanding your body rhythm and digestive mechanism, you will be able to adjust accordingly.

Follow all the above mentioned steps religiously. It may take some time for you to obtain noticeable difference in weight, because without exercise, the process of weight loss gets hindered. However a proper diet and a disciplined life schedule will definitely shed those extra kilos in your body and lend you the perfect body shape!

Food habits can make or break your health. When you are on a diet, you may be really happy that you are finally consuming nutritious food which will help you lose weight and attain your health goals really fast. But there may be specific problems which may throw a spanner in the works of your best laid plans. Excessive eating at night is one such habit, which may even become a disorder if you let it be.

Who does not love a midnight snack? But when this occasional snacking becomes a habit, you may find it going all downhill from there on. And soon you may find yourself having a bigger meal than your dinner in the middle of the night! But for your own good you should check your night cravings at the earliest possible point of time.

This is because; eating recklessly at night can ruin a hard day’s schedule of diet and exercise, which you stuck to, so religiously in order to attain your health goals. You will be eating only unhealthy snack food at night because that’s what cravings are for.

But why can’t you stop eating at night? There may be several reasons behind this if you consider this problem as one which is similar to binge eating. Research shows that depression, anxiety, interpersonal problems, boredom, and dieting are few of the main reasons behind night eating.

Snacking at night on sugary foods can have a comforting effect on your system. This is because the simple sugars present in these foods create a feeling of euphoria and energy-rush when they mix with the bloodstream. This can give you a morale boost when you are depressed or sad due to professional or personal problems.

Boredom may also be the reason why you walk up to the fridge late at night and gorge on the candies, pastries and other sinful delights. When you are not tired enough to fall asleep, you may find hunger building up within you and will soon want to take a look at what’s there to eat. This is a bodily response, because the longer you keep awake the more energy you need.

You may also be on a very strict diet during throughout the day. So subconsciously you hate all your meals from breakfast to dinner. And when the rest of your family is asleep at night, you feel the urge to indulge yourself in some delicacies you have been denied throughout the day. This can also lead to a night-time eating marathon, because you want to cheat!

There may be the fact that your diet is providing you insufficient calories and nutrition. This may leave you hungry even after dinner. Thus, you cannot help yourself from making guerrilla attacks on your fridge in the middle of the night!

Moreover, if your fridge is stacked with god food while you are on a diet, this urge to cheat may grow even stronger.

While these are the primary reasons behind night time eating, you must make sure that this does not become a disorder of any sort for you.

Giving birth to a child is an experience of a lifetime. But there can be many complications even when you are on the verge of becoming a mother. And if you are obese, you are right in the firing line. Yes, a fat woman runs a very high risk of developing complications while giving birth. Not only that, the child too may be born with certain birth abnormalities. So, if you are too fat, your child will automatically inherit the risk of potential health hazards during or after birth.

Researchers have not been able to establish yet whether obesity has a direct negative impact on the mother and/or child during birth. However, there has been enough evidence to conclude that certain other health conditions (that follow obesity) have a telling impact on the mother and/or child at the time of birth. One such condition, Type 2 diabetes, which is related to obesity, can heighten the risk of birth defects.

Type 2 diabetes (in which blood sugar levels in the body are beyond normal) disrupts the delicate embryo to a large extent. The excess blood sugar is transferred to the embryo from the mother. This stimulates the production (or rather overproduction) of free radicals which are toxic for both mother and baby. Excess sugar can also trigger the formation of metabolic byproducts that derail the signaling mechanisms, essential for embryonic development.

While obesity is certainly not the only reason behind diabetes, it cannot be ruled out a potential cause of birth defects. So, if you are overweight, you need to understand that shedding a few kilos can curtail blood sugar levels in the body, if not absolutely cure diabetes. In fact, research says that women suffering from pre-gestational diabetes but with controlled blood sugar levels in the pre-conception period face a lower risk of transferring congenital abnormalities to the newborn child.

Being overweight can also have other serious repercussions on the child. You surely must be aware that extra fat deposited in blood vessels impedes blood flow to vital organs in the body. Well, you may contract heart disease as a result, but have you ever wondered that it affects your child as well? Your baby (scientifically an embryo) depends on you for life. While the baby is in your womb, important nutrients, body fluids and blood are conferred from your body to your baby. Due to extra fat in your blood vessels, even your baby will not receive regular inflow of blood. This can adversely affect the health of your baby.

Studies claim that obesity heightens the odds of birth anomalies such as cleft palate, spina bifida, heart abnormalities and hormonal defects. On many occasions, parents are left wondering about the reasons for their child’s health problems. One reason could be the mother’s obesity during pregnancy.

If you are too fat, your child’s delivery could also be complicated and complex. Most obese mothers have to undergo Cesarean sections to deliver their children. So, if you want to experience a normal, hassle free delivery and your child to be fit, lose weight FAST!

One of the most important things fat people need to do is to workout on a regular basis. After all only the right exercises and body weight can help someone who is overweight or obese, get in shape. But you will be surprised to know that fat people are actually the ones who hate going to gyms! And why is this, the case? Well, there apparently are quite a few reasons why fat people detest gyms. Keep reading to find more about them.

Most people who are fat or overweight did not get out of shape overnight. When you gain weight you do so gradually due to months and years of improper diet and lack of exercise. There may also be other reasons for weight gain, such as problems with the thyroid gland etc. But more often that not its lifestyle and diet that causes unnatural weight gain and makes people fat.

And what does a gym routine do to you? It basically ‘wakes and shakes’ you up! If you are fat and have a sedentary life to blame for it, a gym routine will challenge you with lots of activities every day, which you may not have done ever in your life. So, the body’s natural resistance to change kicks in and you simply do not want to break out of your comfort zone and exercise on a regular basis.

This feeling of resistance is even stronger if you are not too bothered about the fact that you are fat. In fact there are some people who do not even know the health risks associated with being overweight. So, you may think that gym workouts are too tiring and you can easily skip them. The reason you find gym workouts tiring is that you may be coming off a long period of inactivity and your extra weight makes it more difficult for you to move around with ease.

Moreover, it is a known fact that stamina and energy levels decrease with the continued accumulation of fat in your body. This means that you feel tired quite easily and simply cannot muster enough energy to complete your gym routine. Thus your dislike for the gym increases even further.

To top it off, if you have a trainer who pushes you hard (for your own good, obviously) you may dread every workout session rather than looking forward to it. Most fat people who hate gym feel that too much is being asked of them by their trainers. Little do they realize that it’s all part of their necessary training.

Then there may be the fact that you are intimidated by the gym environment. If you are odd one out in a room full of hunks and babes flaunting and toning their beach bodies, you are bound to feel out of place. Many fat people quit gym because they feel that they are being ‘stared at’ or are the butt of jokes. A strong inferiority complex is often the reason behind this feeling.

The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight you must try hard and shed your inhibitions. It’s tough, but you simply cannot hate the gym!