To be completely honest, when we first heard about this one, we were a little hesitant to Google "Snake Diet" for fear of what we'd find. Fortunately, this diet doesn't involve actually eating snakes, but instead, eating like a snake.

The Snake Diet encourages followers to eat as little as possible while drinking a salt-and-water concoction dubbed "snake juice."

Image Credit: d3sign/Moment/GettyImages

Without giving it all away, that's where the good news ends when it comes to this diet. If you've heard about this trending diet and have wondered if it's legit, here's what you need to know (hint: you'll most likely want to give it a hard pass).

Snake Diet?

The Snake Diet was created by "fasting coach" Cole Robinson, who has amassed a large social media following about 145,000 YouTube subscribers and more than 50,000 Facebook followers as of this writing. It's on these channels, as well as the website SnakeDiet.com, where Robinson promotes his "prolonged fasting focused lifestyle," which essentially means going as long as you can without eating that might mean eating once a day or once every couple of days.

"I promote fasts that aren't hours but days, weeks and months," he shouts (literally) in one of his YouTube videos.

During these periods, Robinson encourages followers to subsist solely on snake juice, which is made up of water, potassium chloride ("no salt"), baking soda, Himalayan pink salt and food-grade Epsom salts.

Robinson appeared on the TV show The Doctors, where he reported one of his clients lost 50 pounds in one month by eating just one meal a week, and still managed to practice martial arts every day. Other success stories on his site show a woman losing 100 pounds in five months and a man losing 25 pounds in just two months.

Aside from the weight-loss benefits, Robinson claims that the Snake Diet "melted a tumor down in two months" and cured his own herpes.

Did you know that keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to manage your weight? Download the MyPlate app to easily track calories, stay focused and achieve your goals!

Eat on the Snake Diet?

The Snake Diet protocol is simple. Stop eating, and drink only snake juice. Continue this as long as you can. When you have to eat, keep it to a tight one- to two-hour window. It's also suggested that you don't vary the types of foods you eat; try to eat the same foods during your refeeding window. (We said it was simple, not easy.)

The Snake Diet is similar to the OMAD Diet or the 16:8 Fast Diet in that you have a specific window of time that you eat. The theory behind this diet, though, is that the fasting period varies for each person. The more body fat you carry, the more excess energy you have to live off of (Robinson's words, not ours) and therefore, the longer you can go between meals.

to Avoid the Snake Diet

We don't recommend this diet for anyone. Here's why:

1. No Clinical Trials or Scientific Evidence

There is no credible, evidenced-based research to support this diet. When challenged about this, Robinson goes back to the anecdotal results he sees in the Snake Diet Facebook group. Anecdotal results are no replacement for scientific evidence for many reasons, not least of which being that there's no way to know if they're true.

It's been reported by other outlets that Robinson has no medical or nutrition background, and we were hard-pressed to find a bio or any credentials to give him any credibility. (He is a self-proclaimed fitness trainer).

2. Promotes Nutritional Deficiencies

If you were able to maintain this diet for an extended period of time, it would be an absolute miracle if you did not develop some sort of nutritional deficiency. It's virtually impossible to meet all of your needs eating one meal a day let alone once every few days or even once a week or longer.

3. Can Create a Food Obsession

This diet is not appropriate for anyone with disordered eating tendencies or a history of an eating disorder. In fact, this diet checks many of the symptoms defining disordered eating, as described by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, including:

You certainly can lose weight on this diet and that may motivate you temporarily, but this diet is not sustainable. Once you begin eating normally again, you'll gain the weight back, and maybe more than you started with.

But Are the Results on Instagram for Real?

Maybe, maybe not. But does it really matter? These are snapshots in time. Any diet can work in the short term.

What you don't see is the long-term effects of this diet. The pictures don't show this person one, two or even three years from now. They also don't show what's happening on the inside physically (let alone mentally) as these people subsist on just water, salt and minimal eating.

As we know, social media is a highlight reel. It doesn't show real life and what someone is truly going through or experiencing. Take everything you see with a grain of salt (no pun intended), especially when you're being sold a product.

Approach to Weight Loss

The Snake Diet is an extreme form of fasting. A healthier approach may be a less-stringent form of fasting, like the 16:8 fast diet. This type of intermittent fasting involves an eight-hour eating window and 16-hour fasting window each day.

There is a growing body of research supporting intermittent fasting, including the 16:8 fast, and you don't have to go to the extremes of eating just once a day or every few days. Research shows intermittent fasting supports weight loss, reduced inflammation and improved blood glucose control, among other potential benefits.

Intermittent fasting is not appropriate for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding or those who struggle with hypoglycemia, have a history of disordered eating or an eating disorder, are taking certain prescription or have a chronic condition. It's always best to talk to your doctor before starting any new diet plan to make sure it's a healthy approach for you.

Read more:
The Snake Diet: Review, Results and a Better Approach - LIVESTRONG.COM

On this page:BasicsTypesCausesRisk FactorsSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentLifestyle ChangesLife With Arrhythmia

When your heart beats normally, you probably dont give it a second thought. But when that steady thump-thump changes, it could be a sign that something more is going on. There are numerous conditions that can cause your heart rate to speed up, slow down, or lose its regular rhythm. Some are nothing more than an annoyance. Others can be much more serious. We'll help you sort through the differences so you can get the treatment you need.

Weve all heard the sayings my heart skipped a beat and my heart was pounding out of my chest! Maybe thats why so many of us think of irregular heart rhythms as occasional episodes that are triggered by unusual levels of happiness, fear, or excitementand its true, they sometimes can be. But for people who live with irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias, their symptoms occur for a variety of reasons, often triggered by a combination of factors, including genetics, underlying physical conditions, stimulants like cigarettes and alcohol, and/or those external stressors or high emotions.

So, lets get to the details. Arrhythmias are abnormal heartbeats that interfere with your hearts ability to pump blood efficiently and effectively. They can make your heart beat much faster or slower than it should, and sometimes it beats in an out-of-sync manner.

Most arrhythmias wont harm you, but the more serious types can prevent your brain, heart, and other organs from getting the blood and oxygen they need to survive and thrive. Some arrhythmias can be fatal.

For example, one type of arrhythmia, called atrial fibrillation, can cause blood clots to form. Such clots can travel to your brain and trigger a stroke, or, less commonly, cause a pulmonary embolism, a blockage in one of the arteries in your lungs. As scary as this is, these conditions can be treated when they're detected in time.

Before we dive into the details, though, lets start with how your heart beats when its doing its job the way its supposed to:

You know that your heart is a pump, and each beat or contraction moves blood through the body.

It has four chambers: On top are the left and right atria. On the bottom are the left and right ventricles.

To keep your blood flowing at a rate necessary to meet your bodys needs, the walls of each chamber contract and relax in a steady rhythm.

Thats your heart beating. It gets faster when you exercise or move around, as the demand for oxygen grows, and it slows down while youre at rest.

What controls this complex process? The heart has its own pacemaker. Called the sinus node, it's located at the top of the right atrium. It sends electrical signals to each part of your heart telling it what to do and when. Here's how it works:

First, the signal instructs the atria to contract, which pushes blood into the ventricles.

Next, it pauses at the atrioventricular (AV) node, which is med-speak for the electrical connection between atria and the ventricles. That little time-out gives the ventricles a sec to fill up.

Finally, the signal tells the ventricles to contract. Blood in the right ventricle heads over to the lungs to pick up oxygen. Blood on the left flows out to the rest of the body.

This whole signaling system works thanks to your autonomic nervous system, which also controls your liver, kidneys, and other bodily organs. They all function without any input from you (imagine if you literally had to think through every heart beat!). When all works as it should, your heart will beat approximately 60 to 100 times each minute.

Arrhythmias can be grouped in a couple of different ways, including where in the heart they occur and how they affect your beat.

Now, lets break it down even further.

Lets go back to the saying, My heart skipped a beat! Youve probably had one of these before. In fact, nearly everyone experiences them on occasion. This can occur spontaneously or with stress, excessive exercise, smoking, or too many cups of coffee rather than from an underlying heart condition.

These types of arrhythmias, officially called premature atrial contractions (PACs) or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), are the most common types and are rarely cause for concern. They can originate in either the atria or ventricles. Theyre often found in children and teenagers. But if they happen frequently or they bother you, talk to your doctor. Its rare, but they can be a sign of an underlying heart problem, such as injury to the heart, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

This type of arrhythmia, which can sometimes be life-threatening, starts in the atria. When it occurs, your heart can beat faster than 100 beats per minute at rest (which is another way of saying youre experiencing tachycardia).

Supraventricular arrhythmias include:

Atrial fibrillation (afib): This is the most common type of arrhythmia that requires medical intervention. Afib causes an erratic and often rapid heartbeat. During an episode, your heart cant pump as well as it does normally, and blood may pool in your left atrium. Clots can form there, and if one gets into your bloodstream, it can travel to your brain and cause a stroke. Afib can also lead to heart failure.

Most people who develop afib already have underlying heart disease and are 65 or older, though this condition can occur in young, healthy people as well. Episodes tend to be short and infrequent at first, coming and going on their own. However, as the disease progresses, episodes happen more often and will eventually require medical intervention to stop. For example, your doctor may have to shock your heart to correct its beating.

People with afib commonly take medications to prevent stroke, such as blood thinners. Other drugs and procedures may be needed to correct the hearts rhythm and rate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that between about 3 and 6 million people in the U.S. have atrial fibrillation.

Atrial flutter: Similar to atrial fibrillation but rarer, it causes a super-fast heartbeatsometimes more than 300 beats per minutethats regular rather than erratic. Because the same type of pooling and clotting can occur, atrial flutter can also lead to a stroke or heart failure. However, such complications can usually be avoided with proper treatment.

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT): This is another very rapid heartbeat (up to 250 beats per minute) that starts and stops suddenly. Its often not dangerous. However, some PSVTs are cause for concern. People with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, for example, are born with an extra electrical pathway that connects the hearts upper and lower chambers. While this PSVT only rarely causes cardiac arrest, it can cause fainting.

These arrhythmias, which can also cause fast and irregular heartbeats, start in the ventricles, your hearts lower chambers. While they can be life-threatening without treatment, there are procedures and medications available that restore a normal heart rate when it occurs.

Ventricular tachycardia: This type of rapid heartbeatoften greater than 170 beats per minutedisrupts the ventricles ability to fill and pump properly. When this type of arrhythmia lasts only a handful of heartbeats, it does not cause problems; however, if it lasts longer, it can cause dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting or, in extreme cases, cardiac arrest.

Ventricular fibrillation: The most serious of the arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency requiring an immediate call to 911. When this arrhythmia strikes, it causes the lower chambers (venticles) to quiver instead of contract, which stops the heart from pumping blood. If the heartbeat is not corrected within minutes, ventricular fibrillation leads to cardiac arrest and death.

This type of arrhythmia causes your heart to beat too slowly. For the average adult, that means under 60 heart beats a minute at rest or while doing non-strenuous activities (although a slowed rate during sleep is not unusual or always cause for alarm, according to the American Heart Association).

Your heart's natural pacemaker (remember, it's called the sinus node), is located in the right atrium. It sends electrical impulses across the atria, triggering them to pump blood into the ventricles. Bradyarrhythmias occur when those signals are blocked. This slowing or blockage can be caused by tissue damage from aging, previous heart procedures, inflammatory diseases, birth defects, and more.

In some people, slow heartbeats are perfectly normal. Athletes, for example, are very physically fit and therefore have hearts that work super efficiently, both when theyre working out and, say, sitting behind a desk. Thats because people who are in top physical condition can pump sufficient blood with fewer heart beats at restas few as 50 each minute.

Still, for regular Joes and Janes who are not daily gym bunnies or Olympic track stars, when the heart beats too slowly to meet the body and brains needs, there is a risk of passing out. The lack of oxygen may also cause confusion and shortness of breath. In extreme cases, cardiac arrest can occur.

This arrhythmia compromises the ability of your hearts pacemaker, or sinus node, to properly control your heart rate, causing it to swing from too slow to too fast or to wildly erratic. It can lead to stroke, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.

Your hearts electrical signals travel a route from their origin in the sinus node to their destination, such as your ventricles. If the route gets blocked, the signals may slow down, causing a dip in your heart rate.

Most arrhythmias occur in people who already have some form of heart disease. They can also occur in people who possess structurally normal hearts with no sign of disease, but rather have issues with how the electrical pathways in their hearts are working.

Having had a heart attack, for example, can increase your odds of an arrhythmia because the scarring that results can form along the path that the electrical signals interfering with transmission. Arrhythmias can also occur during a heart attack, as cells die off and scar tissue develops.

Specifically, the heart disease-related causes of arrhythmia include:

This buildup of plaque narrows and stiffens the heart's arteries. As blood flow and oxygen to the heart is reduced, the way it responds to electrical signals may change. This can cause atrial fibrillation.

CAD also frequently leads to heart attack, and the scarring can increase your risk of both ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Both can both also occur during a heart attack due to the sudden loss of blood flow in the heart.

This disease weakens your heart and alters the way electrical signals travel through your heart, setting you up for arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, sick sinus syndrome, and ventricular tachycardia.

When your hearts system of valves does not work properly, it can put extra strain on your heart. That causes the heartyour most important muscleto enlarge and stiffen. Heart-valve disorders are among the most common causes of atrial fibrillation. They can also trigger ventricular tachycardia.

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune disorders often affect the heart and can cause arrhythmias, likely due to the chronic inflammation that occurs in such diseases. For example, lupus raises the risk of faster than normal heartbeats (above 100 beats per minute) as well as atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in people with rheumatoid arthritis.

In addition to these causes, many risk factorssome in your control, others notup your odds of developing an arrhythmia. Many of them also increase your risk of heart disease more broadly. They include:

Hypertension makes your heart work harder. As a result, your left ventricle grows thick and stiffens, which interferes with your hearts electrical wiring. Electrical signals can no longer move as easily, which increases your risk of atrial fibrillation.

This disease significantly boosts your odds of developing HBP and CAD, and people with diabetes have as much as 40% higher risk of atrial fibrillation. Inflammation associated with diabetes is once again the likely culprit.

Excess weight makes the heart work harder, and that extra strain can cause the heart to enlarge, making it more susceptible to atrial fibrillation. Obesity also often accompanies other arrhythmia risk factors, such as HBP, sleep apnea, and diabetes.

When your breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep, your heart gets less oxygen. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to atrial fibrillation and other usually less serious arrhythmias, including premature contraction.

If your body produces too much thyroid hormone, your heart may beat harder and faster. When left untreated, this can trigger afib.

As we get older, our hearts internal pacemaker loses cells, which causes it to slow down. Age-related heart changes can also affect the pathways that electricity follows. And with age we become more prone to diseases that affect the heart, like CAD, heart failure, and diabetes. Arrhythmias among the elderly include atrial fibrillation, bradycardias (slow heart beats), sick sinus syndrome, and other atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.

You can be born with structural abnormalities of the heart that affect the way it conducts electricity, leading to atrial tachycardias as well as life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

The genes that you inherit from your parents play a role in the development of some types of arrhythmias, called cardiac channelopathies. They can cause your heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly whether or not you have other forms or heart disease.

The most common inherited arrhythmia is long QT syndrome, in which the lower chambers of the heart develop a rapid and irregular rhythm that can lead to ventricular fibrillation, a life-threating arrhythmia. Many people have no symptoms until they experience fainting, seizure, or even sudden cardiac arrest. Most first epsiodes occur before age 40. If you have a family history of this heart condition, ask your doctor for screening tests, which may include genetic testing, wearing event montoring devices, and an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Other examples of arrhythmias that you can be born with include:

Will you feel your heart speed up or slow down? Not always. Arrhythmias cause a variety of symptoms, but you may have no symptoms at all. Often, people learn they have an arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation by chance.

Maybe you get a required heart exam prior to knee surgery, for example, and your doctor discovers a problem. Or a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation may come after youve already had a stroke. For others, a rapidly beating or erratic heartbeat is both noticeable and uncomfortable. Every person is different.

Something else to keep in mind: Having mild symptoms or no symptoms does not indicate that you have a less serious arrhythmia. And the opposite is also true. You could have severe symptoms but have a harmless arrhythmia. Here are some of the common symptoms:

These can feel differently for different people, but you may experience a pounding sensation in your chest, or you may feel like your hearts racing that famous mile a minute.

Remember from above: Some arrhythmias can cause your heart to beat to more than 100 times each minuteand sometimes much faster than that. You may also feel like your heart has skipped a beat or a beat has come earlier than usual. Again, though, that you may not feel any abnormal beating during an episode of arrhythmia.

Some or all of these can occur when your heart rates off and your heart cant pump blood efficiently. That can reduce the amount of oxygen your heart delivers to the rest of your body, resulting in shortness of breath. Both fast and slow heartbeats can cause these symptoms, according to the AHA.

People can faint from dehydration, emotional distress, or even standing up a little too quickly, and then quickly recover. Fainting from an arrhythmia, however, is caused when your blood pressure dropssometimes to dangerously low levels. Such drops in blood pressure are medical emergencies, so if you have a history of arrhythmias, be sure to carry or wear a medical ID card, necklace, or bracelet so others know to call 911.

You likely will see an electrophysiologist, a specialized type of cardiologist who focuses on heart-rhythm disorders. Early treatment may lead to better treatment outcomes. This is particularly true of atrial fibrillation, which may cause a stroke if left untreated.

In addition to a physical exam and a discussion of your family health history, your doctor will record your hearts electrical activity with an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), a painless test that lasts about ten minutes. It will reveal any abnormalities with your hearts electrical wiring that take place during the test.

However, arrhythmias often come and go, and yours may not occur during your ECG at your doctors office. If that happens, there are options:

These wearable devices will monitor your hearts activity while you go about your normal daily routine. If you are given an event recorder, you will turn it on when your symptoms begin, and it will start recording your hearts activity. Holter monitors, on the other hand, are worn 24/7 (except when youre in the shower), for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. These smart-phone-sized devices automatically begin recording as soon as a change is detected. Theyre considered to be more effective because they capture irregularity during its first stages.

If your arrhythmia most often occurs during physical exertion, your doctor may order a stress test, in which you will get your heart rate going on a treadmill or exercise bike (or with medication if you cant exercise).

During this invasive surgical procedure, a catheter, or thin wire, is inserted through a vein, often in your groin, and threaded to your heart. Electrodes at the catheters tip stimulate the heart so that your doctor can evaluate its electrical function. This test helps find the cause of your arrhythmia and also helps guide treatment decisions. You will be awake but sedated for this one- to four-hour test. Often, youll go home the same day, but your doctor may decide to monitor you overnight.

Strapped onto a table in a horizontal position, you are slowly raised until you are vertical. This shows how your blood and heart rhythm respond to gravity and changes in position. This test is often done to trigger symptoms like lightheadedness, which can be caused by a heartbeat thats too slow or too fast.

A wide variety of treatments exist to help you manage your arrhythmia. Your doctor will determine which therapeutic approach is best for you depending on your specific symptoms.

For some arrhythmias, medications can be used to restore your heart beat to normal. They include:

Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digitalis

These medications slow the heart and may be prescribed if your arrhythmia causes your heart to race.

Anticoagulants and antiplatelets

These include drugs such as warfarin and aspirin. They prevent clots and reduce your risk of stroke.

Antiarrhythmics

These medications help correct your heart beat and to keep your heart beating normally. If your doctor prescribes one of these, you may start it in the hospital, where you can be observed to be sure its effective and safe for you at the prescribed dose. They include:

Nexterone and Pacerone (Amiodarone): One of the most commonly prescribe drugs for arrhythmia, its often taken for atrial fibrillation. It can also treat other arrhythmias, including dangerous ventricular arrhythmias like ventricular fibrillation.

Tambocor (Flecainide): Used for irregular heartbeats, to slow a fast heart rate, and to maintain a normal rhythm, it works by relaxing the heart to improve how well it pumps blood. Its used to treat some types of supraventricular tachycardia as well as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. It also may be used for dangerous arrhythmias called sustained ventricular tachycardias, which are too-fast rhythms that require medical intervention to restore a normal heartbeat.

Betapace, Betapace AF, Sorine, and Sotylize (Solatol): Prescribed for atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation, this medication, which comes in various brands names, is used primarily in patients with life-threatening arrhythmias.

When medications cant do the job, your doctor may recommend a procedure.

Catheter Ablation

A catheter is threaded to your heart via the groin. Once there, your doctor will apply heat or extreme cold to small areas of your heart, creating tiny scars. These block the pathway of the electrical signal thats causing your arrhythmia. Most often, its used to treat supraventricular tachycardia, but it can also treat both atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

Cardioversion

When your heart beats irregularly or too fast, your doctor may have to shock it in order to get it back to normal. While sedated, two paddlesone on your chest, the other on your backdeliver brief electrical shocks to right your heart. The procedure takes about 30 minutes.

Implantable Devices

If your arrhythmia cant be managed sufficiently with medication and/or procedures, you may require a different kind of solution: a device that helps control the electrical signaling of your heart.

Pacemaker: A small device is implanted under your skin below one of your collarbones. Wires from the device run through a vein and attach to the heart. They deliver signals that tell your heart to beat faster and are used for bradycardias, or arrhythmias that slow your heart beat. Some pacemakers connect directly to your heart without the need for wires.

Cardioverter-defibrillator: Implanted like a pacemaker but slightly larger, this device monitors your heart constantly. It can sense when a life-threatening arrhythmia, such as ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, occurs. It shocks the heart to restore a normal heartbeat.

In addition to sticking with your treatment planif your arrhythmia requires treatment, that isyoull need to focus on a healthy lifestyle to protect your heart and help prevent symptoms.

That means:

Eat well: Focus on foods that support heart health, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats, and fish. Avoid foods with saturated and trans fats, limit red meat, and choose whole foods over highly processed foods, which are often loaded with sodium and sugar.

Exercise: After getting your doctors OK, your goal should be 30 minutes a day five days a week. You and your doctor can discuss the right workout for you. To start, it may be something as mild as a daily walk around your neighborhood.

Weight loss: If youre overweight or obese, slimming down will help your heart. Losing weight can lower blood pressure, which reduces the risk of stroke.

Limit alcohol: Booze can stress your heart and make it beat faster. It can also trigger arrhythmias. Your doctor can help you decide if you need to cut it out altogether.

Quit smoking: Your hearts health will improve dramatically, and youll be less likely to have an arrhythmia if you break this habit. Visit the American Heart Association to get help to stop smoking today.

Sleep well: If you have sleep apnea, which disturbs your breathing constantly as you sleep, you will likely benefit from a device known as a C-PAP, which helps open your airways during the night and keeps you breathing normally. Good sleep will also help improve your blood pressure.

Tackle stress: Too much worry and anxiety can up blood pressure, boost cortisol levels, and increase your risk for arrhythmias. Try daily mediation, a walk with a loved one or friend outside, or focusing on doing the things you love to better manage stress.

Pay attention to side effects: Monitoring how you feel while on a medication is super importantit might not be the best medication for you, and in some cases, medication can actually trigger an arrhythmia. You may need a dose adjustment or a different medication altogether. Share all your symptoms with your doctor.

Theres no doubt that living with an abnormal heartbeat can be stressful, even frightening. Fortunately, theres plenty that you can do to help ease your worries, which is especially important because stress can be a trigger for an episode of arrhythmia.

See the original post here:
Heart Arrhythmias: Types, Treatment, Signs, and Symptoms - HealthCentral.com

SINGAPORE - The four Budgets assembled to date serve as the Government's strong response to preventing a "lost generation" of workers and students caused by Covid-19, which has turned out to be the global crisis of this generation, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (June 5).

It is a response that seeks to stabilise economic activity during this difficult periodand position Singapore for recovery, he added, noting that a recent study estimates that the support packages will help the economy avert an average output loss of 5 percentage points, or $23.4 billion a year, over this year and the next.

Singapore is tackling these headwinds from a position of strength, he added. It is in a strong fiscal position, with sizeable reserves left by the founding generation that need to be built on. It also has deep social reserves, supported by mutual trust, close partnerships, strong values, and a sense of mutual responsibility and support, he said.

These have enabled Singapore to marshal close to $100 billion to fight the coronavirus and the huge impact it has had on the global economy - and weather the expected lengthy road to recovery - with a focus on people and jobs, Mr Heng said in his speech to round up debate on the Fortitude Budget.

While the world took close to a decade following the Great Depression and global financial crisis to recover to pre-crisis unemployment levels, Mr Heng said it will not be surprising if it takes even longer to bounce back from the effects of Covid-19.

In the same way that World War Iled to a "lost generation" of youngstersin the West, there is now talk of a global "lockdown generation" and fears that the young peopleof this generation "could have their skills, employabilityand incomes permanently affected, even after the world recovers from the pandemic", said Mr Heng, who is also Finance Minister.

"We must work to prevent a 'Covid Generation' of workers and students in Singapore," he said. This is why the Government has committed a large war chest in this fight, with most of the money aimed at helping workers stay in their jobs through measures like the Jobs Support Scheme.

Taken together, the Fortitude Budget and the three preceding Budgets this year add up to $193 billion, more than double the size of Singapore's annual Budget in the preceding years.

Close to 80 per cent of the $93 billion set aside for Covid-19 response - or $72 billion - has been allocated to preserving jobs and businesses, as this in turn supports social resilience, said Mr Heng.

"As our labour movement firmly believes, a job is the best welfare," he said.

The support for jobs is crucial, as Covid-19 is likely to cause global unemployment levels to reach levels unseen even during the global financial crisis in 2009, he noted.

Singapore will not be spared, as the pandemic is likely to cause the number of unemployed residents to exceed 100,000 this year, more than the 91,000 registered during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic.

"Even those who keep their jobs may suffer under-employment and significant income loss," said Mr Heng. "This could lead to a vicious cycle where income loss reduces consumption, and affected businesses further reduce labour demand."

But beyond the immediate priority of helping workers stay in their jobs, measures outlined include creating a multitude of new opportunities and providing additional help to harder-hit groups such as graduating students, mid-career workers, and self-employed people.

Singapore is fortunate, asthe Republic had started structural transformation of its economy before Covid-19 struck and accelerated deep changes in the global economy, said Mr Heng, noting that companies who made changes early are adapting better to the new conditions.

"The post-Covid-19 world will be different from today," he said. "We may not know the exact contours of how this world will look like, but we know the forces that are shaping it."

The Emerging Stronger Task Force, for instance, is studying key shifts and developing recommendations in the areas of technology and innovation, digitalisation, and disruption to global supply chains, said Mr Heng.

The task force will consult multiple stakeholders, said Mr Heng, in acknowledgement of several MPs' calls in the two days of debate that the Government include more diverse voices in its decision-making process.

While Singapore has been able to mount a strong fiscal response because of its national reserves, Mr Heng also called on Singaporeans to have strong social reserves both as individuals and across different levels of society, "working together and holding one another up with trust and in solidarity".

He likened Covid-19 to a mighty storm that has damaged sails and forced ships around the world to go into harbour.

"While waiting for the storm to subside, we must make the best use of this downtime to build new strengths and capabilities.

"Let us take this rare chance to repair, upgrade our ship and install new instruments, re-orientate our mental compass, and strengthen our sailors, so that when the fair wind comes, we will sail out faster and further than ever before," he said. "This is what our four Budgets enable us to do - let us make the best use of them!"

To surviveand emerge stronger, Singapore had to get three things right, added Mr Heng.

These aregood governance and strong, adaptive leadership; strong social reserves across all levels; and being crystal clear and unwavering about its values and mission.

The fundamentals are all the more crucial at a time of uncertainty, he added, saying that while the country's circumstances have changed over the years, the Government's aspirations for Singapore have not: To be a place where its people, regardless of race, language or religion, can build a better life.

READ THE FULL SPEECH BY DPM HENG HERE.

Go here to see the original:
S'pore in a strong position to prevent lost 'Covid Generation', says DPM Heng in Fortitude Budget debate round-up - The Straits Times

Frequent self-weighing is a key behavior associated with weight loss success. At the same time, frequent weighing can be a marker of unhealthy and disordered habits with potential negative psychological effects. Before you jump on the scale, consider how you are using this tool to further your health and fitness goals and whether its time to re-evaluate your plan.

Studies show that self-monitoring of eating habits, physical activity and weight are interventions that can help with weight loss and prevent unintended weight gain. Unlike tracking food and exercise, self-weighing is quick and relatively easy. Those who monitor their weight closely may find frequent weighing helpful as they are able to notice a pattern of weight change sooner and make small dietary adjustments to curb unwanted weight gain.

Losing weight is hard, but keeping it off is even harder. In fact, long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss is very unlikely with most people experiencing weight cycling, or the regaining of weight. Weight loss maintenance is affected by multiple complex factors including those that are environmental, behavioral, biological and cognitive. Frequent self-weighing may help some people keep off the weight for good, but for others weighing leads to frustration and other harmful consequences.

Keep in mind that the information provided by a standard scale is quite limited. Changes in weight do not necessarily reflect changes in body fat. While weight is just a number, our bodies are quite complex. For many people, goals related to weight loss are about body composition. Some people want to get leaner, others want to gain muscle, but the average scale is limited in its ability to assess these changes.

It is normal for body weight to fluctuate over the course of the day and from day-to-day. Therefore, daily weight check ins do not necessarily represent changes in body fat or muscle mass, but merely fluid shifts or food consumed. For example, if you drink two cups of water, you can expect your weight to immediately increase a pound. In addition, it is not unusual for weight to be lowest in the morning and at a mid-to-late week weigh-in and highest later in the day and right after the weekend. The point is that these normal fluctuations can make the scale a not-so-useful tool for measuring actual weight loss.

Here are some things to consider when deciding if and how a scale may be a useful tool for you to manage your health and fitness goals:

Choose the Right Scale for You

There are many home scales available at different price points. Some scales are designed for those with impaired vision while others have tech-savvy features like the ability to measure body composition and sync with health and fitness apps to track progress. Use a scale with the features that are important to you, which may mean trading out an old scale for a new model.

Determine How Often to Weigh and Be Consistent

Decide on a plan for when and how often to weigh yourself and stick with it. Weighing too often can lead to excess focus on weight that may only impede progress. Avoid comparing early morning and late afternoon weights. Remember to look at the bigger picture to gauge your true weight pattern.

Weight is Only a Number

Its okay if you dont want to weigh yourself or own a scale. The number on the scale is not the only or best measurement when it comes to body composition. You can use a tape measurement or a clothing item to monitor change over time. During medical visits, you may ask to not be told your weight if it makes you feel more comfortable. Do what feels right for you.

Know When Weighing is Causing More Harm than Good

Lastly, if you notice that weighing creates distress or causes you to restrict your food beyond your eating plan, you may benefit from taking a step back from the scale or speaking to a professional about these concerns. The scale should not have the power to dictate self-worth nor should it be the sole measure of progress.

LeeAnn Weintraub, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian, providingnutritioncounseling and consulting to individuals, families and organizations. She can be reached by email atRD@halfacup.com.

Continued here:
Nutrition: Weighing your health options when using a scale - LA Daily News

This Aussie mum-of-three dropped an incredible 30kg in just nine months after completely changing her outlook on food.

Wendy Hernandez, from Sydney, went from 98kg down to 68kg thanks to the 12WBT program and says the biggest thing that changed for her was her knowledge about food and portion sizes.

Wendy went from 98kg down to 68kg thanks to the 12WBT program. Photo: Supplied

Ive always loved bread and rice, Wendy tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Id eat toast almost every day for breakfast and rice or pasta for dinner. I would always eat the kids leftovers as well.

I grew up with parents saying not to waste food so instead of throwing it out, I would eat it.

Now I have learnt so much about different types of food and tried food I never thought Id like. Ive also learnt about portion size. I used to eat for two or three people. I now eat five smaller meals per day and Im rarely hungry.

Wendy completely changed her outlook on food. Photo: Supplied

She also says meal prepping has now become a huge part of her routine.

If I know what Im eating for a few days, I wont reach for something unhealthy because my food is ready to go, she explains.

I prep overnight oats on a Sunday for four days. I normally leave home at 5.30am everyday so I dont have time to muck around.

I will prep some grilled chicken and grilled vegetables for a few days and take a Mountain Bread wrap and that will be my lunch. I also prep dinners which I make a big batch of beef and beans chilli or quinoa and lamb pilaf that I can keep in the freezer.

Wendy would also constantly make excuses for not exercising, putting her procrastination down to being too busy or not being able to find the time. Now, exercise is just a normal part of her life, training at the gym 3-4 days a week.

I never exercised, she tells us. I had three young children and all my time was doing things for the kids. I never took time out for myself.

She's managed to keep the weight off now for seven years. Photo: Supplied

Wendy has been able to keep the weight off for over seven years now and says her life has completely changed because of it.

I am more confident as a person and as a mother. Im a lot more active. I love river walks on Saturday mornings, and I enjoy training at the gym 3-4 days a week, she says.

I prioritise time for myself now. I talk to my kids a lot about being healthy and teach them the importance of living a healthy balanced lifestyle.

She has recently competed in a number of 5km fun runs, and last year she ran the City to Surf, cutting a whopping22 minutesfrom her finishing time the year before.

Wendy now goes to the gym 3-4 days a week. Photo: Supplied

For anyone considering embarking on their own journey towards a healthier lifestyle, Wendy says its all about being organised.

You just need to be organised and stick to it. You will get results, she says.

It will truly change your life. Im forever grateful for the person Ive become. Im happy and healthy and have never looked back.

Got a story tip or just want to get in touch? Email us at lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com.

Original post:
Biggest change that lead to Aussie mum's incredible weight loss transformation - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia

Counting calories is essential to lose weight. The problem is that you have to know how, since not everyone should ingest the same. In fact, it is very important to also take into account the physical exercise that is performed daily to calculate it. A study from an American university published by Mens Health magazine reveals some simple tricks that can help those who want to lose weight quickly and in a controlled way.

The key to the calories is as follows. Depending on the work carried out daily. For this, the following guideline must be followed. If no weekly exercise is performed, the persons weight must be multiplied by ten and added to a thousand, for example: a person who weighs 85 kilos must ingest about 1,850 calories to lose weight. If you do one or two weekly training sessions, you must multiply by 12 and add a thousand; if he carries out between two and four sessions, for 14 more thousand; and if there are more than five times that you exercise, it is multiplied by 16 and a thousand are added.The study revealed by Mens Health explains that the caloric deficit to lose weight should never exceed 500 calories, as it could be harmful to health.

Another key that the study reveals is that approximately 10 percent of the calories ingested are burned in digestion.

As for exercise, the same study by the American magazine reveals that a person burns around 20 percent of the total calories ingested throughout the day thanks to exercise. You dont need that high intensity exercise. For example, a person who weighs 85 kilos burns about 180 calories just by walking for half an hour.

Another aspect to consider according to the study is that when counting calories, liquids should not be left out. This is not a problem when the only thing ingested is water, but it is not so much if we talk about other drinks, such as beer. For example, a cane has about 150 calories. If we take two and we are doing a diet in which we reduce the daily intake by about 300 calories, we will have thrown overboard the sacrifice made in the food.

Also keep in mind that it is highly advisable to have a varied and balanced diet and put yourself in the hands of a professional.

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Weight loss tricks: An American study reveals the two keys to keep in mind to lose weight - Explica

GlobalMarketers.biz presents an updated and Latest Study on Weight Loss Market 2020-2026. The report comprises market predictions related to market size, revenue, production, CAGR, Consumption, gross margin, price, and other substantial factors. While focusing on the key driving and restraining forces for this market, the report also offers a complete study of the future trends and developments of the market.

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Key market Players of Weight Loss:

Covidien plcHerbalife InternationalNutrisystemWeight Watchers InternationalEdiets.comApollo EndosurgeryKellogg CompanyTechnogymGolds GymBrunswick CorporationJenny Craig, Inc.Ethicon, IncAmer Sports CorporationJohnson Health Tech. Co., Ltd.

Global Weight Loss Market is the title of an upcoming market research report at Globalmarketers. The market has been studied in depth to present vital data and information, including revenue share of each segment, region, and country, revenue growth driving factors, and restraints. In addition, potential revenue opportunities in untapped regions and economies, and threats are included. Key players and their details are presented in the company profile section of the report. The section comprises revenue and financial information and details, recent developments, strategies, acquisitions and mergers, and geographic reach and footprint. The global Weight Loss market is segmented by product type, distribution channel, and regions and countries.

Global Weight Loss Market Segmentation:

By Product Type:

BeveragesMealsSupplements

By End-User

Slimming Centers and Commercial Weight Loss CentersOnline Weight Loss ProgramsFitness Centers and Health ClubsConsulting Services

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Global Weight Loss MarketRegional Analysis:

The Europe market is expected to account for majority revenue share over the forecast period owing to increasing demand for premium products in countries such as the Scotland, Italy, and Germany. The Asia Pacific market is expected to register a steady growth rate in the foreseeable future. China accounts for major production and exports of Weight Loss. Domestic consumption is also highest in the country. Chinas improving and rapidly growing economy in recent years and rising standard of living is projected to further support market growth.

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Weight Loss Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product Types, And Applications Forecast To 2026 - 3rd Watch News