Category Archives: Lose Weight Fast

A WOMAN who lost half her body weight in eight months in a bid to get pregnant was left needing therapy, because she hated being thin.

Five foot tall hairdresser Zebe Voicu, of Redbridge, East London, was told she wouldnt be able to conceive when she ballooned to 15 stone and a size 20 - after eating giant portions of chicken kebabs and chips every night.

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The 34-year-old turned to junk food after failing to become pregnant with husband Adi, 38, but her GP said she'd need to lose weight if she wanted to become a mum.

Zebe decided to get a gastric sleeve but her BMI wasn't high enough for an NHS op, so she flew to Romania and paid 6,500 to have three quarters of her stomach surgically removed.

Over the next eight months, she shed seven-and-a-half stone but was left wishing she was still fat.

Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Zebe said: "I went from a size 20 down to size 4 and didnt even recognise myself. I couldnt connect who I saw in the mirror with who I was now.

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"Id cry to my husband and say I wanted to get fat again because I preferred the way I looked before.

"I loved being a size 20 as it fitted my personality. I was so bubbly and chatty being bigger and I lost all that after the operation.

"I only agreed to have the operation so that I could lose weight and have a baby. But that didnt happen so I wondered why Id put myself through all that pain."

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Zebe started having therapy to come to terms with her new look and failing to conceive.

She saw a counsellor once-a-week for 18 months, before finally accepting the person she saw in the mirror.

When people see me now they tell me I have a body to die for, but they don't know everything I've been through

She said: "Its only now after a year-and-a-half of therapy that I have learnt to like how I look.

"I can see the benefit of losing weight even if I havent managed to get pregnant."

Pregnancy and obesity: the facts

If you have a BMI of 30 or above before becoming pregnant, you are medically classed as obese.

Being obese reduces your body's natural ability to ovulate and may lower your chances of getting pregnant through treatment like IVF.

If you do fall pregnant, obesity increases your chances of gestational diabetes three-fold, as well as your risk of miscarriage, high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, post-partum haemorrhage and having a baby weighing more than 4kg.

It can increase your baby's risk of being born prematurely, stillborn or with a condition like spina bifida.

You are also more likely to need intervention during childbirth - including forceps, ventouse delivery or a C-section.

But it's not safe to try and lose weight while pregnant, instead focus on eating healthily and doing exercise like swimming and walking.

You should ideally try to lose weight before falling pregnant.

Zebe, who has six sisters and three brothers, had always wanted a large family of her own, and vowed to start trying as soon as she married Adi aged 21.

She was a slim size 10 but, as each month passed without falling pregnant, she began comfort-eating - piling on 5st in a year.

She said: "I was turning to food to fill me emotionally as I was devastated at the thought of not having a baby or being a mother."

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After continuously trying for a baby for over a year, Zebe was told she was infertile due to her size, and that her only chance of becoming pregnant would be to drastically lose weight and change her lifestyle.

But even though she was classified as clinically obese by her GP, she didnt qualify for a gastic sleeve operation on the NHS as her BMI was 38 - two below the necessary 40.

Instead she flew to a private clinic in Constanta, Romania, in 2017, and had 75 percent of her stomach removed, including the area which produces the hormone that stimulates hunger.

After the surgery, Zebe saw the weight drop off, losing a stone every month.

In the salon, we always had biscuits lying around to give to clients and I could easily eat ten in one minute

"I was shocked," she said. "I was determined to lose weight but I never thought Id lose that much that quickly.

"I guessed Id lose a couple of pounds at first, so I wasnt mentally prepared to see myself change so much.

"When Id lost half my body weight I couldnt even recognise myself anymore. It wasnt just the way I looked, it was my personality, too.

"After the operation I was miserable all the time. Having therapy helped me to manage my emotions as I accepted the new, thin me."

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Working 13-hour days as a hairdresser, Zebe would gorge on biscuits all day, before scoffing a takeaway for three for dinner.

She said: "Id never have breakfast. I'd just snack on tea and biscuits throughout the day.

"In the salon, we always had biscuits lying around to give to clients and I could easily eat ten in one minute.

"My favourite were chocolate digestives and the Lotus caramelised biscuits.

When she got home, Zebe would order a takeaway of chicken kebab and chips meant to serve three people - and eat the whole thing.

But after her op, she could only drink liquids for three weeks, followed by food mashed into paste for a further three weeks.

Zebe's diet

BEFORE

Breakfast: Packet of chocolate digestive or Lotus caramelised biscuits which she grazed on throughout the day

Lunch: More biscuits

Dinner: Takeaway kebab and chips - enough for three people

Snacks: Fried food and chocolate

AFTER

Breakfast: Two poached eggs with half a sausage or smoked salmon and two Ryvitas

Lunch: Salad with grilled chicken or fish

Chicken noodle soup

Meatball soup with carrot and potato

Greek salad without olive oil or olives

Dinner: Stew made with dumplings

Chicken and vegetables

Avoids: Anything fried

Now she can stomach three meals-a-day, but they must only weigh 250g each.

She said: "I have to be really strict and measure everything out. For breakfast I have two poached eggs with two pieces of Ryvita or poached eggs and smoked salmon.

"For lunch, I love to have salads with grilled chicken, or fish and soups with carrot and potato, or chicken and noodles.

"For dinner, I cook a stew with lots of vegetables and chicken. I can eat anything thats cooked in the oven, grilled or boiled, but nothing cooked in a frying pan."

She never feels hungry and is showered with compliments, but Zebe is still desperate for a baby.

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Doctors havent found a reason why she cant conceive, so the couple are still trying.

"When people see me now they tell me I have a body to die for," she said, "but they dont know everything that Ive been through over the past three years.

"Its taken me a while to come to terms with my new body and not being a mother. I dont know if it will ever happen but Im finally happy in my own skin."

We previously reported on a woman who was fat-shamed by her date - but got her revenge by losing 5 stone and rejecting him.

See the original post:
Weight loss: I shed half my weight in 8 months to be a mum but still couldnt get pregnant and hated not b - The Sun

90 Day Fianc's Jorge Nava admitted that the attention he received from his weight loss helped aid in the demise between him and his wife Anfisa Nava. The couple was said to have had problems before he started his jail sentence but the change in looks clinched the breakup.

Season 4's90 Day FianccoupleJorge and Anfisa wereTLCScouple thatfewcould resist watching as they had fights that included hitting and keying of cars. Thecouple originally metthrough Facebook like many other couples, and after Russian-born Anfisa moved to the states - with the help of the K-1 or fianc visa - was able to marry Jorge and become a legal US citizen. Last year, Jorge was arrested for having 293pounds of marijuana in his car in Arizona. He was arrested in February of 2018 after being charged with possession of drugs with the intention to sell and wassentenced to spend two-and-a-half years behind bars.

Related: 90 Day Fianc's Darcey Silva's Exes Tom Brooks & Jesse Meester Meet for Business Collab

Even though Anfisa has moved on publicly with a new man, Jorge could not care less. The reality star reached out to In Touch to express that he only wish Leo Assaf all the luck with his ex-wife. Sadly, Jorge did confess that Anfisa did not have the guts to tell him personally that she had moved on but had been learning bits of information from his family and the tabloids. The prisoner doesnt know a lot of intelligence on the new beau only that he exists but not what he looks like.

Surprisingly though Jorge is keeping calm and moving on as he is not worried about being compared to the new man in Anfisas life. She seems to have a type though as she went from a drug dealer to a strip club manager. Jorge did spill the tea about how Anfisa became jealous of his 128-pound weight loss as he began to receive more attention. The healthier lifestyle evidently caused a fallout between the odd couple. At the time of his arrest, Jorge was overweight and unhappy but after almost three years behind bars, he has finally reached a healthier and happier mindset.

Fans of the TLC star do not believe he should let Anfisas resentment derail himfrom all the hard work he did to get to his new weight. Jorge revealed that his ex-wife also blocked his phone calls so he could not call from jail once she saw the pictures from March 2020. As for Anfisa, she seems absolutely fine with the outcome, but many fans have pointed out that Leo looks older and uglier than Jorge. Hopefully, Jorge can put his revenge body to the test to really get under Anfisas skin.

Next: 90 Day Fianc: Watch Stephanie's Acoustic Rendition of Sojaboy's 'I Love You' Song

90 Day Fianc: Before the 90 Days airs Sunday at 8pm EST on TLC.

Source: In Touch

Clare Crawley's Season of The Bachelorette Will Not Feature Hometown Dates & Exotic Locations

View original post here:
90 Day Fianc's Jorge Nava Says Attention from Weight Loss Caused Split with Anfisa - Screen Rant

90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days alum Cortney Reardanz talks about the struggles she faced with weight in her childhood. Cortney says that shes had a tough time with her weight and bullying. Read on to hear the full story and to see some before and after pictures.

90 Day Fiance celeb Cortney Reardanz revealed that she struggled with weight alot as a child in in her teens. She shared some photos from her earlier days when she was over weight. Cortney said that she hesitated about sharing these images, as weight and self-esteem is a lifelong struggle for her.

The90 Day Fiance: Before the 90 Days star says she gained more confidence in college. She definitely feels more confident in her own skin now. However, Cortney Reardanz does admit that she still has some self-esteem issues creep into her life at times.

Some fans noticed that this90 Day Fiance star looks quite different nowadays when compared to a few years ago. Theres speculation that shes had her nose and gums done, but all Cortney admits to (as far as cosmetic procedures goes) is getting Botox and laser hair removal.

90 Day Fiance fans will remember that at the end of her season on Before the 90 Days, Cortney Reardanz hoped to continue her relationship with Spanish boyfriend Antonio Millon. However, in What Now?, Antonio is in New York for a business trip and cant find the time to meet her. Disappointed, Cortney ends up splitting with him, saying shell find an American man instead.

Cortney Reardanz later revealed she found a new man and was very happy with him, with things still civil with her ex. That relationship was short-lived, and she was also spotted last year with another cast member, Ricky Reyes. He wouldnt answer directly about whether or not the two were dating, so youll have to keep an eye out to see if theyre featured on any spin-offs.

Cortneys usually focused on doing what she loves the most: traveling. Shes been to over 40 countries, and she plans on visiting more.

Of course, with the pandemic now, the 90 Day Fiance alum has to stay put. But once this all blows over, you can bet that Cortney Reardanz will be back to her globetrotting ways.

Shes also one of the featured members on the new quarantine spin-off, so make sure you tune in.

Keep checking back on Soap Dirt for all the latest info on your favorite90 Day Fiance cast members.

Read more from the original source:
'90 Day Fiance': Cortney Reardanz Reveals Weight Loss Struggles - See Before and After Pics - Soap Dirt

REACHING into a multipack of crisps for a cheeky snack might be the norm for a lot of us at home right now.

But when Kaitlin Liney was on her 42nd packet of the week, and midnight takeaways were a regular meal, she knew her eating was out of control.

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A visit to her GP confirmed her worst fears, Kaitlin then aged 20, 20st 2lb and a size 24 was on the verge of a heart attack.

Shocked into action, she swapped crisps for healthier snacks and joined a gym, losing more than 9st.

She says: Its crazy to think about how many packets of crisps I used to get through I was definitely addicted.

I would feel permanently starving and food was my weakness especially cheese and onion Walkers crisps.

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One packet was never enough, especially if I was feeling emotional or stressed.Sweets, takeaways, chocolate and biscuits were also my downfall.

Now Im really regimented and I try not to eat alone, so I can stay in check.

Kaitlin, 22, who studies animal management at Riseholme College in Lincoln, was overweight as a child and weighed 18st at age 15.

I was so stressed out I ate to hide my emotions

She says: I was always known as the big child. Even in primary school I was bigger than the other kids.

But it was during GCSEs that my eating got out of control. I was so stressed out I ate to hide my emotions.

When Id binge a whole multipack of crisps it would give me momentary relief, but that soon wore off.

I adored chocolate digestives and big bars of Dairy Milk and Galaxy. But afterwards Id feel rubbish.

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I hid my insecurity about my weight with my outgoing personality but deep down I hated it.

It wasnt until Kaitlin went for a routine check-up with her GP in June 2018 that she realised she had to change.

She says: When I stepped on the scales, it said 20st 2lb. It was a huge shock.

I was told I was morbidly obese and at high risk of a heart attack, diabetes and more it was a huge wake-up call.

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Kaitlin confided in her mum, Rachel Liney, 45, a carer, and stepdad, Darren Liney, 55, an agricultural engineer.

She says: My mum was lovely but honest, too, and agreed I needed to sort my weight out.

Two weeks later, Kaitlin started Slimming World and joined a gym near her home in Lincoln.

She says: It was really daunting going to exercise. But my friend came with me, which helped.

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At first I just did light cardio. As I got fitter I joined some classes.

I really loved it. Id hoped to lose 2st in six months, but lost over five, taking me down to 15st.

Kaitlin also forced herself to give up the takeaways and multipacks of crisps.

She says: I swapped crisps for apples whenever I had a craving. Sometimes the cravings were so strong Id be having a fight with myself in my head.

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It took Kaitlin 18 months to lose 9st and she is a healthy 11st weight.

She says: When I saw Id reached my target weight, I screamed.

"I feel so much better about myself.

Go here to see the original:
Womans 9st weight loss after eating 42 packets of crisps a week saw her balloon to 20st and at risk of heart - The Sun

Kokum Sharbat (Photo Credits: YouTube)

Summer is here and it's time we indulge in foods and drinks that soothe our stomach. Kokum is one such ingredient which can provide us relief in summers.Sun-dried kokum is often used as a souring agent or as an additive in foods.Kokum possesses amazing coolant properties and is perfect for digestion. It can also aid in weight loss by controlling the cholesterol level.Let's take a look atthe health benefits of kokum sharbat.Alcohol Withdrawal Management During COVID-19 Pandemic: Struggling to Find Liquor During Lockdown? Here's How to Deal With Withdrawal Symptoms.

Kokum is native to the Western Ghats of India.This is the reason why kokum can mostly be found in cuisines from Gujarat, Maharashtra and coastal states of Southern India. The fruit is tiny round in shape and dark purple in colour. It has a sweet, tangy taste which is used to enhance the flavour of many dishes. It is also used as an ingredient in the preparation of a famous drink called Sol Kadhi that's made with a coconut cream base.

Kokum Sharbat Health Benefits

1. Aids in Weight Loss -The kokum peel consists of anthocyanins, garcinol, and hydroxycitric acid. These compounds help suppress appetite, increase energy and boost the metabolism that results in weight loss.

2. Good For Immune System:Kokum is loaded with antioxidants like anthocyanins,a class of flavonoids that helps fight against free radicals present in the body. This in turn prevents oxidative stress, thereby, strengthening the immune system.

3. Ensure Smooth Digestion:In summer, people usually face problems like acidity, indigestion, etc. Drinking Kokum sharbat can keep your stomach cool and ensure smooth functioning of bowel movement.

4. Possess Antifungal Property:Kokum sharbat can help prevent infection due to its antifungal property. The fruit can also be used as a preservative.

5. Powerhouse of Nutrients:Kokum is packed withessential nutrients and vitamins like malic acid, citric acid and carbs. It has a healthy mixture of B-Vitamins and contains ascorbic acid, manganese, potassium, dietary fibre and garcinol which prove to be highly beneficial for a pregnant woman.

Therefore, you should consider drinking this summer coolant during the afternoon after lunch as it can help in the smooth functioning of your body. Kokum sharbat can also help you achieve smooth skin as its anti-ageing properties help in the repair and regeneration of cells.

(This article is written for an informative purpose and should not be substituted for medical advice. Kindly consult your doctor before trying any tips.)

See the original post:
Kokum Sharbat Health Benefits: From Weight Loss to Smooth Digestion, Here Are Five Reasons Why You Should - LatestLY

Weight loss can be harder for some people to achieve than others because certain lifestyles are more conducive to weight gain. In ordinary times, overhauling one's lifestyle would provide the best defence against weight loss, but these are far from ordinary times. With the UK government instructing everyone to stay indoors to stem the spread of COVID-19, a deadly new disease, the population has been forced into a sedentary lifestyle.

Granted, people are allowed out of the house to do one form of exercise a day and there are numerous ways to work out indoors.

Still, the temptation to do nothing and binge on processed foods is uniquely high at the moment, which presents a major obstacle for maintaining a healthy weight.

In addition to keeping active under the current constraints and shunning unhealthy foods, there are small dietary tweaks that can help to stave off fat during this lockdown period.

One simple and effective solution is to take evidence-backed supplements.

READ MORE:Type 2 diabetes: Curry spice to add to foods to lower blood sugar

Certain natural supplements have been shown to attack fat.

One natural remedy that comes out on top is glucomannan.

Glucomannan is a natural, water-soluble dietary fibre extracted from the roots of the elephant yam, also known as konjac.

Several randomised controlled trials, which are the gold standard of research, have demonstrated the fat-burning effects of glucomannan.

In the largest study, 176 healthy but overweight people on a calorie-restricted diet were randomly assigned either a glucomannan supplement or a placebo.

Three different glucomannan supplements with varying dosages were tested. Some also contained other fibres.

After monitoring the effects on both groups over a five-week period, weight loss was significantly greater among those who supplemented with glucomannan.

The finding is consistent with several other studies.

These studies found glucomannan caused modest weight loss in overweight and obese individuals when regularly ingested before a meal.

Its shown to be particularly effective when combined with a weight-reducing diet.

The most widely used method to check if you're a healthy weight is body mass index (BMI).

BMI is a measure of whether you're a healthy weight for your height.

According to the NHS, for most adults, a BMI of:

As the health site explains, BMI is not used to diagnose obesity because people who are very muscular can have a high BMI without much fat.

"But for most people, BMI is a useful indication of whether they're a healthy weight," says the health body.

It adds: "A better measure of excess fat is waist size, which can be used as an additional measure in people who are overweight (with a BMI of 25 to 29.9) or moderately obese (with a BMI of 30 to 34.9)."

See original here:
Best supplements for weight loss: The supplement proven to reduce fatty tissue - Express

GEMMA Collins is making the most of her daily exercise outing during lockdown and was spotted going for a bike ride earlier today.

Gemma, 39, appeared to be in good spirits as she worked up a sweat near her Essex home in the glorious sunshine.

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Wearing a grey and white tie-dye T-shirt with matching leggings and white trainers, the former TOWIE star ensured she put her safety first and wore a helmet.

She accessorised her look with a pair of large brown sunglasses as she took her new bicycle for a spin alongside a young teenage boy, who appeared to be Gemma's nephew Hayden.

It seems despite being in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Gemma is still keeping to her exercise regime after losing three stone.

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The reality TV queen has maintained her weight loss since using skinny jabs after her stint on Dancing On Ice last year.

Late last month Gemma was spotted enjoying a walk with her boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent, despite the social distancing rules implemented by the UK government.

But the GC did admit that the current global pandemic has had a negative effect on her diet as she ordered a Chinese takeaway.

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A few weeks ago she admitted that the spread of the deadly bug has left her feeling uneasy - so to make herself feel better she treated herself to a feast of food to share with her pals for the evening, as it was before the lockdown.

However, Gemma did have some good news amid the current situation as yesterday it was revealed she has landed a whopping 250,000 deal for the next series of her hit show, Diva.

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The pay-out makes her the highest paid star on ITVBE, with sisters Sam and Billie Faiers lagging 100,000 behind for their Mummy Diaries series.

A TV insider said: Gemmas fee has almost tripled since the start of her own spin off shows.

She knows she is a huge draw for ITV bosses and can command a big fee for them to take on her show.

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After she made a name for herself as a standalone star Gemma has been wanted by everyone from the BBC to Netflix.

Having this demand has given her a strong position when it comes to negotiating the most lucrative package.

Gemma started filming for the third instalment of the show last month and hopes to get it on screen next month.

Originally posted here:
Gemma Collins shows off her weight loss as she takes her new bike for a spin around Essex - The Sun

On this page:BasicsTypesCausesDiagnosisTreatmentLiving With

Nearly half of all American adults have some form of cardiovascular diseasean umbrella term that covers everything from high blood pressure to stroke. If youve been told youre among them, you may be confused or even a little scared. Thats normal, and everyone featured on HealthCentral with a chronic condition felt just like you do now. But weand theyare here for you. On this page alone, youll discover not only the realities and challenges of heart disease, but also the best treatments, helpful lifestyle changes, and critical information you need to help you not just managebut thrive. Were sure youve got a lot of questions. Were here to answer them.

The term heart disease encompasses a huge amount of cardiovascular territory. Thats because its not a single disease but one that refers to all sorts of heart-related health conditions, many of them chronic, that impact how well your heart functions.

Some of the more common forms of heart disease include:

Heart disease accounts for more deaths each year than any other health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 650,000 people die of heart disease annually. Thats about one death every 37 secondsa shocking number, to be sure. And heart disease does not discriminate: Whether you are a man or a woman of any race or ethnicity, cardiovascular disease is your number-one health threat.

The good news? You can do a lot to prevent heart disease. And, if you already have some form of this condition, there are medications, lifestyle-management tips, and other strategies to help protect you and your ticker.

Before diving into what can go wrong, lets take a step-by-step look at the heart, what it does, and how it works:

How does your ticker make all this happen? For starters, the heart is made up of four chambers:

Those chambers work in tandem, employing a system of valves that open and close as your heart beats in order to bring blood in and pump blood out. Remember, the heart is a muscle, and when its healthy, its quite strong. As a pump, it provides sufficient pressure so that your entire blood supply cycles through your body every 60 seconds.

More heart smarts:

A healthy adults heart will beat anywhere from 60 to 100 times per minute while lounging around. If youre quite fitan athlete, for exampleyour heart works more efficiently, and your resting heart rate may be closer to 40 beats per minute.

Like the rest of the body, the heart requires blood in order to thrive. In fact, it needs a bigger supply of blood than any other muscle in the body, so it relies on its own network of coronary arteries to provide that blood.

Electricity powers the beating of your heart and sets its pace. Thats a critical function. You need your heart to beat properly in order to supply your body with sufficient blood and oxygen. Your heart contracts with each beat, and the timing of those beats must remain precise so that those contractions stay in sync.

These electrical signals originate in your hearts right atrium and are controlled by your central autonomic nervous system, telling your heart how fast or slow it should beat. When you exercise, your nervous system signals your heart to speed up in order to pump more blood. Other factorsnot all of them healthy, like smoking and over-indulging in alcoholcan also affect your heart rate.

Your heart functions in incredibly complex waysthis is just a thumbnail sketch. Needless to say, there are also a great number of ways in which things can go wrong that can lead to heart disease.

How does your body tell you that somethings troubling your heart? It depends on the type of trouble. While some diseases that affect the heart share similar symptoms, others vary greatly. And some types of heart disease have no symptoms at all.

Lets review some of the major types of heart disease and how to recognize them:

Having high blood pressure (HBD), aka hypertensionwhich has no symptomsups your odds of developing numerous other types of heart disease, including CAD. It is the result of plaque buildups in your arteries that reduce the amount of blood that reaches your heart, leaving you at higher risk for heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. HBP hardens and thickens your arteries, reducing blood flow. If you have a systolic pressure of 130 or higher, or a diastolic pressure of 80 or higher, its critical to reduce it.

The hearts two major arteries branch off from the aorta, the artery that sends blood to the rest of the body. These two arteries, in turn, branch off into smaller and smaller arteries that supply the heart with blood. CAD, the most common type of heart disease, develops when your arteries cant provide enough oxygen-rich blood to your heart. The heart receives its own supply of blood from the coronary arteries.

Often, CAD is caused by plaque buildups that restrict or block the flow of blood through your blood vessels. CAD often develops over many years, even decades, and it does not always make itself known until it has progressed significantly and youre closing in on a heart attack. At that stage, the affected blood vessel is about 70% blocked. Even people who have plaque blockages in the 40% to 50% range may have no symptoms. But when they do occur, they're typically:

A less common, but related, condition called coronary microvascular disease (MVD) or small vessel disease occurs when the walls of the small arteries in the heart are damaged. It is often diagnosed after a doctor finds little or no narrowing in the main arteries of your heart, despite your having symptoms that suggest heart disease, such as angina. MVD is more common in women and in people who have diabetes or HBP. The condition can be difficult to detect. Other symptoms of MVD include pain in your left arm, neck, jaw, abdomen, or back; pronounced fatigue; and shortness of breath.

A heart attack occurs when the plaque in your blood vessel ruptures, causing a clot to form as the body attempts to repair the damage. This blockage cuts off blood flow to the heart, starving the muscle of needed oxygen and other nutrients.

For men, this often happens suddenly; womens symptoms tend to be more gradual. While chest pain is the most common symptom of heart attack for both men and women, their symptoms can be different. For example, women are more likely to have shortness of breath, fatigue, and nausea. Men normally experience the classic symptom of crushing chest pain. Men are also more likely than women to have sudden heart attacks; women, on the other hand, have higher odds of developing symptoms over a period of hours, days, or even weeks.

Either way, common symptoms of heart attack include:

Angina, a radiating chest pain and pressure that can feel as if an elephant is sitting on your chest

Shortness of breath

Nausea

Indigestion

Heartburn

Abdominal pain

Fatigue

Lightheadedness and dizziness

Cold sweats

This progressive disease occurs when your tickers ability to pump blood starts to decline. CAD, heart attack, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure are among the common causes of heart failureso it doesnt happen overnight. As your heart can no longer pump as well as it used to, the blood that would normally cycle through it can get backed up. Your kidneys also filter less blood, leading to fluid retention and swelling in your extremities.

Several different symptoms can get worse as heart failure progresses. Some of the most common:

As its name implies, heart valve disease involves the system of four valves that helps regulate the flow of blood through the heart. For example, one of your valves might narrow to the point that a reduced amount of blood can pass through it. This is called valvular stenosis.

When one of your hearts valves stop working properly, a variety of symptoms, many of them similar to those of heart failure, can occur, including:

An abnormal heartbeat, called an arrhythmia, can trigger a variety of symptoms, some benign, some dangerous, depending on which kind of arrhythmia you have. Tachycardia, for example, accelerates your heartbeat to a too-fast rhythm, while bradycardia slows it down. Both can sometimes be dangerous and lead to higher risk of stroke and other complications, but not always. If you experience either type of arrhythmia, be sure to consult with your doctor.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of sustained arrhythmia, with anywhere between 2.7 and 6.1 million Americans currently sharing a diagnosis of it. (As the U.S. population ages, that number is expected to increase, reports the CDC.) A-fib, as its often called, causes your heart to beat erraticallyit can feel like it is skipping beatsrather than rhythmically. In some cases, abnormal heartbeats are not a cause of concern, but other times they can lead to stroke, heart failure, or even cardiac arrest, a quickly fatal event in which the heart stops beating. Its important to get to the root of A-fib, so you know whether or not your symptoms require treatment.

In general, abnormal heartbeats also lead to many symptoms shared by other forms of heart disease, including:

A stroke occurs when your hearts blood supply gets cut off, denying it the oxygen it needs to keep working. This can cause brain tissue to begin to die within a few minutes. Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for one out of every 20 deaths that occur in this country annually, and its the leading cause of serious long-term disability, according to the CDC.

A stroke can greatly affect the brain. You may have trouble understanding what others are saying, you may slur your speech, and you may experience confusion.

Other symptoms include:

There are two major types of stroke plus a third, less-severe kind:

Lets go back to the good news: About four out of five cases of heart disease can be prevented. Thats because its most often caused by lifestyle factors, such as smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, and by other health conditions that can arise, including diabetes and high blood pressure (HBP), that can arise from these choices. While its never too late to make positive, healthy changes, the sooner you begin, the better.

Before getting into the risk factors that you can work to reduce, lets cover the few that you cant do anything about.

Age

This ones pretty simple. The older you get, the likelier you are to develop heart disease. In fact, more than 80% people who die from heart disease are older than 65, because the heart tends to grow weaker as you move into your golden years.

Gender

While heart disease may be the number cause of death for both men and women, it tends to develop later in women. Why? Experts believe that hormones such as estrogen, which women have in much greater abundance than men, may provide some protection against heart disease. However, those hormones decline during menopause. By age 65, a womans odds of heart disease match those of a man of similar age.

Genetics and Family History

Its true: Heart disease tends to run in the family. Did your dad develop heart disease before the age of 55 or your mom before she turned 65? If so, your own risk is higher than normal because one or both of your parents may have passed along a genetic ingredient in the recipe for heart disease.

Early Menopause

According to a 2019 study in The Lancet Public Health, going through The Change before age 40 increases risk of heart diseases like CAD, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve disease among the approximately 10% of women who experience early menopause. It remains unclear why, though a decline in estrogen may be a factor.

These four factors make up only part of the complex swirl of possible causes of heart disease. You cant change your genes or age, but dont despair. Instead, use that knowledge as motivation to address the risks you can change. These include:

High Blood Pressure (HBP)

Having hypertension, a.k.a. high blood pressure, is a red flag for other forms of heart disease, increasing your risk for CAD, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. HBP results from plaque buildups in your arteries, thickening them and reducing blood flow.

High Cholesterol

Unhealthy cholesterol levels contribute to blockages in your blood vessels that can eventually lead to heart attack. Your body produces cholesterol naturallywe all need it to make important hormones and absorb Vitamin Dbut its easy to get more than you need by eating foods that are high in saturated and trans fats (like red meat, eggs, and dairy). There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad cholesterol) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good cholesterol). LDL contributes to plaque buildups in your arteries. HDL protects against heart disease by transporting excess LDL to the liver to be processed as waste.

Obesity

Being obese forces your heart to work harder because your body requires more of the oxygen and nutrients that your blood supplies. This leads to high blood pressure. Excess weight also increases risk for heart disease, or makes them worse if you already have them, including high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Obesity has been linked to heart failure and CAD.

Diabetes

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes both limit your bodys ability to maintain a healthy level of glucose, a form of sugar that your body produces and uses for energy. Uncontrolled blood glucose damages your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart, eventually leading to heart disease. In fact, as many as three out of four people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease.

Physical Inactivity

The couch potato life not only directly puts you at higher risk of heart disease, it opens the door to other risk factors like HBP, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Smoking or Vaping

Lighting up does more than damage your lungs. It accelerates your heartbeat while narrowing your blood vessels and contributes to the formation of blood clots that can lead to heart attack or stroke. Less is known about the risks of vaping, but many of the chemicals involved have been linked to heart disease.

Stress

Pressure and tension can elevate your heart rate and blood pressureand too much eventually damages your blood vessels. Stress also can lead some people to abuse alcohol and eat too much, as well as smoke. (And, remember, any amount of smoking or vaping is too much.)

Drinking Alcohol

Too much alcohol also can harm your heart. Excessive drinking ups your blood pressure and heart rate as well as your triglycerides, a type of fat linked to heart disease, because they may contribute to hardening and thickening of your arteries.

Sleep Apnea

This sleep disorder causes breathing trouble as you sleep, reducing the amount of oxygen to your blood and raising your blood pressure. Together, these can weaken your heart and put you at heightened risk chronic HBP, atherosclerosis, arrhythmia, and heart failure.

Before we get into how your doctor will determine whether you have heart disease, lets make one thing very clear: Diagnosis is your doctors job. If you have heart attack symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, dont waste time searching the internet to figure out the problem. Call 911 immediately. How fast you act just might save your life.

However, cardiac arrest is just one of many potentially serious heart concerns. Diagnosing heart disease involves a range of screening tests and, sometimes, tracking devices, too. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, your health history, and any risk factors you may have. He or she will also give you a physical exam in order to listen to your heart, check its rhythm and the timing of your pulse, and look for signs of swelling and accompanying weight gain due to fluid buildup in the hands, feet, legs, or abdomena possible indication of heart failure or heart valve disease.

You may undergo a variety of blood tests to measure your:

In addition to the above measurements, you could be given non-invasive diagnostic tests or tools to montior your heart rhythms. They include:

You may be given more invasive diagnostic tests, too, to screen for heart disease. They include:

There is no cure for heart disease. That said, theres a lot you can do to live well despite having it. Treating heart disease can include lifestyle changes, medication, and sometimes surgery, but this conditionor conditions, ratheris never one size fits all. Your individual plan will be based on numerous factors, such as your age, overall health, and other chronic conditions (such as diabetes or kidney disease) you might have.

You know the drill: Eat better, exercise, lose weight, and quit smoking. We knoweasier said than done, but so worth it. Thats because the everyday choices you make today can halt the progression of heart disease tomorrowleading to a healthier and likely longer life.

Lets walk through the basic lifestyle choices you can implement to help make happen:

Lower your cholesterol. Cut back and avoid plaque buildup by swapping red meats for lean poultry and fish, consuming fibrous veggies and whole grains, and limiting (or even avoiding altogether) the saturated and trans fats found in fried and processed foods. Additional ways to get your cholesterol in check? Lose a few pounds, exercise more, and if that still isnt enough, talk to your doctor about medication.

Lower your blood pressure. The same lifestyle changes that help bring down unhealthy cholesterol levels can also help manage your blood pressure, often in tandem with one of the various blood-pressure lowering medications available.

Do everything you can do to quit smoking. We knowits really hard. But we also know that smoking causes lung cancer and seriously hurts your heart. Plus, a nicotine or vaping habit damages your arteries, ups your risk of dangerous blood clots, raises your heart rate, and contributes to HBP and high cholesterol. So make quitting smoking your top priority. Going cold turkey works for some, while others have to slowly wean themselves from lighting up with the help of nicotine patches and other aids, including medications and support groups. Your doctor can walk you through your options, so have that conversation as soon as possible. Visit the American Heart Association to learn more about how to quit.

Get moving. Physical activity of just about any kind beats the couch potato life. Thats because exercise strengthens your heart muscle so that it can do its job more efficiently. It helps lower your cholesterol, blood pressure, and, if you have diabetes, blood sugar levels, too. An added benefit? Breaking a sweat leads to a slimmer, fitter you. Exactly how much exercise you can do depends on your current state of health. Talk to your doctor, who might advise you to start slow and gradually build up endurance. If a walk around the block is your limit, thats OKlace up your shoes and get going. Tomorrow, youll likely go even further. If youre recovering from a serious heart issue, cardiac rehabilitation programs can get you started safely.

Eat less, and eat better. Changing how you stock your fridge and pantry is often connected to lowering your cholesterol levelsso follow the same advice: Try lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains, and skip overly processed junk food and fried fare. If you need guidance, consider enlisting a registered dietitian/nutritionist to outline a healthy eating plan for youand provide strategies to stick with your plan to reach your goals.

Lose weight. It cant be overstated: Being overweight or obese is hard on your heart. Your body mass index (BMI) measures body fat based on your weight in relation to your height. A BMI of 25 to 29 is considered overweight. You are considered obese if your BMI is 30 or higher. While use of BMI has been questioned by researchers as of late, partly because even the super-fit and muscle-bound may technically have unhealthy BMI numbers, some doctors still use it as a guide. More and more, however, physicians are concerned when excess body fat is concentrated around your waist, likely because a lot of belly fat can cause chronic inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease. The result? Your blood pressure and cholesterol go up and stay upand you want neither to happen.

If your heart health is at risk, and you find losing weight slowly and safely to be an impossible task, consider securing the services of a registered dietician, or ask your doctor if gastric bypass surgery is right for you.

Manage your diabetes. Diabetes and heart disease are a deadly combination. People with diabetes have as much as four times the risk of dying from heart disease than someone without this condition. This is in part due to the effect diabetes has on your blood vessels, and also because many other health conditions often accompany diabetes, including HBP, high cholesterol levels, and obesity. Controlling your diabetes through medication and lifestyle changes benefits your heart.

Consider medications for heart disease, if you need them. Many drugs treat coronary artery disease, or CAD. (Remember, CAD occurs when your arteries become clogged with plaque, restricting the flow of blood.) Here are the more commonly prescribed types of medication for CAD and other heart ailments:

Heart failure as well as heart valve disease are both treated with some of the same medications, such as diuretics, which help rid your body of excess fluids. In heart failure, for example, fluid can build up in your lungs and make it difficult to breathe. You may also be prescribed digitalis, a type of drug that strengthens the contractions of your heart and lowers your heart rate. Beta blockers and anti-clotting medications are also among the drugs that may be used to treat both conditions.

A wide range of surgical options also exists when heart disease requires more aggressive treatment, including:

Youve received your diagnosis of heart disease, and your doctor has presented you with a treatment plan. Whats next? How much of your old life will you be able to get back? Living with heart disease has challengessome physical, some emotional, some big, some small. Your goal: to take care of all of you and live your best life.

If youre not doing well emotionally, you might struggle with all of the other aspects of your treatment, from eating right and exercising to taking your medications. Often, depression is to blame. In fact, about one in five heart disease patients develops serious depression, while many others have milder cases. Research is mixed on why this is, although some scientists believe inflammation is involved. Fortunately, counseling and medication can help. Talk to your doctor if you feel down, unmotivated, or discouraged for more than a week.

Heart disease can feel scary. But those worries can overwhelm you and interfere with enjoying your life. If you struggle with anxiety, try to shift your focus to whats happening today rather than looking with worry at the future. Talk about your concerns with friends and family and ask them for support. And consider joining a support group to connect with others who face the same struggles that you do. Join the American Heart Association's Support Network.

Regular exercise and other physical activity help your heart. A minimum of 150 minutes of exercise will not only improve your heart function. It also may enable you stop taking some of your heart medications. But first, ask your doctor what exercises are right for you.

If youre recovering from a heart attack or surgery, it may be a few weeks before you can return to your job, but youll likely be able to pick up right where you left off. Of course, it depends on the jobif your current one puts too much strain on your heartphysical and, perhaps mental, in the form of stress--you may have to dial back your workload. The Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law, offers workplace protections for people with heart disease.

You may have to wait up to six weeks before you resume your sex lifeand only your doctor can tell you when you can safely return to romance. How long abstinence lasts will depend on your symptoms, like lingering chest pain or other complications. To get the all-clear, you may have to undergo an exercise stress test to measure your hearts capacity to handle any under-the-sheets action.

Before you climb behind the steering wheel, check your states regulations for driving after a serious illness. Also, if you have symptoms like chest pain, dont drive until they clear up.

You can kickstart your new life with cardiac rehabilitation. This is a medically supervised program that typically lasts for three months. Working with doctors, nurses, exercise specialists, dietitians and mental health counselors, you will receive exercise training, lessons in healthy eating, methods to reduce stress, and other education designed to help you reduce your risk of worsening heart health.

See the rest here:
What is Heart Disease? And Other Heart Disease Questions - HealthCentral.com

In the midst of all the worry and chaos associated with the COVID-19 pandemic we all are restricted as to daily activities and social interaction and contacts. I would suggest this might be a good time to try and improve our personal health. We definitely have time to consider this and contemplate on ourselves and our families, and it may help in so many ways no matter what challenges we have in the future.

I would start by remembering the 10 steps I mentioned in my last article headlined A 10-step approach to better health.

1. Eat Right Choose more vegetables, fruits and whole grain

2. Be Physically Active Exercise daily for 30 minutes, like

3. Control Your Weight Work toward normal waist size and

4. Rest for your Health seven to eight hours of sleep daily for your

5. Exam by your Doctor Yearly physical exam by your doctor:

6. Reject the Big Killer Smoking is the leading preventable

cause of death in the United States.

7. Practice Safety Wear seat belts and drive safely, and dont

8. Enjoy Relationships Relationships and Love is a key to

9. Improve your Mental and Spiritual Health Take time to pray, meditate, slow down, attend church of your choice.

1.0 Promote Peace in your Life Express gratitude, laughing and serving others.

Let us all consider these steps and decide to make this part of our daily routine.

In America today, 70% of people are overweight and 40% of people are obese. Healthy weight is a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9, overweight is a BMI between 25 and 29.9 and obese is between 30 and 39.9. A BMI over 40 is classified as morbidly obese. Being overweight can contribute to so many health problems such as sleep apnea, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, allergies, and cancer. The medical costs of obesity in the United States per year are $147 billon and average medical costs for a person who is obese is $1,429 dollars higher than for those of normal weight.

Lets consider losing weight if we are overweight and maintaining a normal weight to improve our health. Dr. Ann Kulze, who puts out a weekly message on the internet on improving health, mentioned a new innovative painless way to lose weight. This new method is called Time Restricted Eating and the scientific data behind this is very strong. A recent study has shown that simply restricting daily eating times to an eight- to 10-hour window, regardless of the amount and no requirement for dieting or exercise caused significant weight loss. This can simply be done by restricting your eating to a 10-hour window each day. For most people this would be eating daily meals and food as they normally would, but eating breakfast later and dinner earlier: so you only eat during a 10-hour period daily. The study showed during a three-month period of time those who stuck to this would lose 3-4% body weight. For instance, if you weighed 250 pounds, your weight loss would be up to 10 pounds in three months and possibly 40 pounds in a year.

The other good news was that those in this study that stuck with the time-restricted eating had not only a decrease in body weight, but also a decrease in belly fat, waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and improvement in sleep, insulin and blood sugar levels. Scientists say the reason it works is because it leverages and optimizes our bodies natural 24-hour circadian rhythms, which are foundations for health. Restricting our eating gives our bodies a predictable 14 hours to rest and restore each night.

Dr. Ann, even though she has normal weight, has done this herself and believes it significantly improves overall health and longevity, plus helps weight control.

A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings! Hippocrates.

Eichelberger practices part-time office gynecology at Greenwood Obstetrics and Gynecology and teaches on the Montgomery Family Practice Residency Program. He is also co-chairman of the Ethics Committee at Self Regional Healthcare and serves as the Associate Medical Director of HospiceCare of the Piedmont. Send comments to: The Doctors Prescription, PO Box 36, Ninety Six, SC 29666.

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Guest column: Now's a good time to focus on health - Index-Journal

The SlowBurn Shelter-in Special!

Covid 19 has put a damper on many of our fitness routines. But no worries! The SlowBurn method is a powerful way to stay tight, toned and tough in just 30 minutes a week all in the privacy of your own home!

The method was created by ACE certified instructor Fredrick Hahn, an Upper West Sider for over 30 years who founded and established his private one-to-one studio on 78th and Amsterdam in 1998.

His best-selling fitness book, The SlowBurn Fitness Revolution, has both a gym and a home workout program that will strengthen, tighten and tone in a SAFE and time-efficient manner.

So, what is the SlowBurn method? It is a method of strength training using very slow, smooth and controlled lifting and lowering movements that build strength, tone, muscle, bone, cardio fitness and flexibility safely and efficiently.

Heres Fred demonstrating a couple of his workouts on NBCs Today!

SlowBurn is similar in essence to the gentle yet powerful martial art Tai Chi. By eliminating any sudden and abrupt movements (which produce excessive force and lead to many injuries similar to Crossfit), you will never be injured. All SlowBurn instructors utilize the SlowBurn method.

Along with being extremely safe, research indicates that the SlowBurn technique produces superior overall physical benefits than traditional methods of weight training. And this translates into greater self-esteem and contributes to stress relief.

Picture this: In just 30 minutes a week of SlowBurn exercise, your investment in yourself will:

Hard to believe, I know. But they fully guarantee it.

Though Fred Hahn charges for these home workout exercises, he is offering them to you free of charge during this pandemic. They were created several years ago but are still used today in the exact same way. When something works, it works!

Here are some home workout videos that you can start doing right away. (NOTE: These are not listed on his business YouTube page. They were downloaded by a client to their page.)

Important tips:

To time yourself, you can use a stopwatch and use anonline metronome set at 60bpmto keep your pace and tempo correct. This is all explained in the first two videos below.

Fredrick Hahns Introduction to SlowBurn:

Getting started The tools youll need:

Pushups

Side shoulder raises:

Pull-ups (Tommy Day instructing)

Biceps curls:

Hamstrings curls:

Side glutes:

Doorknob squats:

Abdominal crunches (Tommy Day instructing)

This is full body routine that will improve every aspect of your health!

Once this pandemic is over, if youre interested in becoming a client, here is their information:

SlowBurn Personal Training Studios:169 West 78th Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus, NYC (212) 579-932025 Watchung Plaza in Montclair New Jersey (973) 233-1013

Says owner Fredrick Hahn:

In 1993, I developed the SlowBurn method at the Hospital for Joint Diseases Sports Medicine Centerin order to make patients as strong as possible in a safe and time-efficient manner. It is suitable for all ages from kids to baby boomers to folks from the great generation. The method improves strength, endurance, cardio, flexibility and bone density and even makes you younger at the genetic level in just 30 minutes a week.

For the past two decades, SlowBurns method has transformed thousands of people.

SlowBurn instructors also educate the client using science-based nutritional guidance and work with clients to develop an eating plan to maximize lose fat and gain musclesimultaneously. Few if any fitness studios can prove this using InBody 570 body testing technology.

Each SlowBurn instructor will teach you everything you need to know about eating the correct foods (without counting calories) in order to maximize improvements in your health. This will result in steady and permanent fat loss, improved mood, sleep, concentration and an overall sense of well being.

They emphasize eating real foods low in sugars and adequate in healthful amounts of fat and protein. Intermittent fasting is also suggested as a method to help cut fat and build lean tissue. While strength training contributes to fat loss, the specific types of foods you eat are the number one factor in losing (or gaining) fat. By combining diet and exercise, most people can be their absolute best in a very short period of time.

Among Frederick Hahns impressive roster of clients are manybusy CEOs, popular celebrities, and even lifestyle coaches including Tony Robbins.

When asked about her experience with SlowBurn, Kathleen Hays, Business/News Anchor for Bloomberg Television, said:

When this pandemic ends, try your firstcomplimentarySlowBurn workout.

Follow SlowBurn on social for updates:

instagram.com/slowburnpersonaltraining

facebook.com/SlowBurnPersonalTraining

twitter.com/SeriousStrength

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Staying Strong and Fit at Home - Courtesy of SlowBurn Personal Training Studios - I Love the Upper West Side