5 Frequently Asked Questions About Cholesterol

In the wide world of science and medicine, no other topic seems more widely discussed, more contentious than cholesterol. Cholesterol plays an important role in your overall health, affecting your heart, blood, and organs. But when most people think ...

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What Could A Tummy Tuck Do For You?

Whether you wish that you had a washboard stomach and rock hard abs, or a jaw-droppingly defined six pack, the harsh reality is that the majority of us are unhappy with our bodies in some form or another. Many of our body concerns go deeper than pure aesthetics however, and can lead to a lack of self-esteem and for some, feelings of unworthiness. You don’t have to have experienced playground torments and school bullies for your body shape to affect you either, as simply looking in the mirror for some people can cause despair to set in.

 

The good news is that you do not have to suffer. Choosing to undergo a Tummy Tuck procedure is likely to not be a decision you make lightly and may well be the final solution of many years’ hard work trying to get rid of excess weight. You may also be surprised to hear that a lot of patients who choose to have this procedure, both men and women, are not necessarily overweight. Read on to find out what a Tummy Tuck could do for you.

 

Reasons for undertaking Tummy Tuck surgery

It may surprise you to hear that Tummy Tuck procedures are no longer reserved purely for women. In actual fact, figures released back in January 2012 show a 15 per cent increase in demand for Tummy Tucks among male patients undergoing cosmetic surgery.

 

There are multiple reasons why many choose to have this procedure. For the most part, it is people who have struggled continuously with their weight. This battle of the bulge may be a result of poor diet, lack of exercise, or even weight gain after particularly stressful times, or post-pregnancy weight gain.

 

The rise in numbers of obese people reflects a growing demand for cosmetic procedures such as Liposuction and Tummy Tucks. Often however, Tummy Tucks are undertaken as the final part of the weight loss programme, due to large amounts of loose, excess skin left over after having lost copious amounts of weight. The most effective way to remove the loose skin is by undergoing surgery.

 

 The procedure

A Tummy Tuck, or Abdominoplasty to give it the correct medical term, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that works by removing excess fat and skin from the abdomen and simultaneously tightening the abdominal wall muscles. While the results of an Abdominoplasty are impressive on their own, it is common practice for many to undertake Liposuction in conjunction with this procedure to get the best results possible.

 

You will be administered with a general anaesthetic to ensure that you are not awake during the procedure, which can take between two to four hours in total to complete.

 

Who is best suited for a Tummy Tuck?

There is no one ideal candidate for Tummy Tuck surgery, and as mentioned above, the procedure is undertaken by both men and women. In general, mothers who have given birth may decide to have a Tummy Tuck to help reduce excess skin around the abdomen and to tighten the muscles.

 

It is also a useful procedure for those who have lost a lot of weight and are left with excess loose skin around the stomach area.

 

Post-surgery

You can expect to feel sore for a while after this type of surgery, which is completely normal. You will also be required to wear a light support garment. However, in order to improve and speed up the healing process, you should avoid any type of strenuous physical activity for up to six weeks after having the procedure. Most people return back to work two weeks after the operation.

The majority of people who have had this type of surgery comment that they feel much more confident with their body afterwards. They also often experience a boost in self-esteem and a new lease of life. To help maintain the great results of your Tummy Tuck, you should incorporate a healthy diet and exercise into your daily  routine.

 

Would you consider having a Tummy Tuck?

 

This guest blog was contributed by Lesley Sampson writing on behalf of The Harley Medical Group. Setting the gold standard for cosmetic procedures for 30 years.

 

Image credit: Army Medicine on Flickr

Reasons Why Skipping Breakfast Could Harm Your Heart

How many times have you heard the advice that it is bad to skip breakfast? A new study shows that skipping breakfast may be harming your heart. Breakfast skipping may lead to higher blood pressure and accumulation of an assortment of fats in the body. People often skip breakfast so that they would not get many calories. Surprise, surprise.Skipping breakfast leads to make-up meals later in the day and actually defeats the purpose of skipping breakfast in order to cut down on calorie intake. So not only you are pushing your metabolism to the wall, you actually make your heart weaker. Here are some insights on the new study and how you can plan your meals for the better. 

What is the study all about?

A study conducted by researchers from Harvard University revealed that there are about 27,000 health records of men, health professionals that were aged from 42 to 82 years old. The study tried to take a look at the lifestyles of the subjects including the skipping breakfast for the duration of the study that lasted for 16 years. The study discovered that men that skipped breakfast were 27 percent likely to develop a heart ailment such as coronary heart disease. 

What is the profile of the affected people?

The men that are likely to skip breakfast are single, smoke cigarettes, works full-time and are less physically active. A control of these factors plus other heart disease related factors which included alcohol use, diet, TV watching habit and regular doctor visits did reduce the risks but the risks were not completely removed. Interestingly, the number of times that men ate per day has nothing to do with the heart risk.

 Why is it that skipping breakfast is bad?

The study’s author told Forbes that skipping breakfast has been linked to the rising cases of coronary heart disease. The prolonged fasting due to breakfast skipping increases the blood pressure and increases the insulin levels in the blood. It is also noted that skipping breakfast leads to the rise of bad cholesterol in the blood and the corresponding lower levels of good cholesterol. It is not a coincidence that these indicators are the leading risk factors that can lead to heart disease. 

Why fasting can be bad?

Fasting per se causes stress to the body. People that are suffering from anxiety symptoms are often advised not to do a lot of fasting. The prolonged state of not getting nourishment extends the stress and can be amplified at times. As people sleep for eight hours there is no way to get some food until people wake up in the morning. The first meal of the day is done to break the fast. This is done to prevent insulin resistance and hypercholesterolemia that can lead to heart problems down the road. 

Are females in danger too?

A study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that women that skipped breakfast at least once a week are 20 percent prone to develop type 2 diabetes.Women who ate breakfast regularly upon waking up have better chances of avoiding insulin resistance that is a pre-cursor to diabetes. The study looked at records of 2,000 women that were diagnosed free of any heart or metabolic disease. The eating patterns were studied over a six year period. The women that skipped breakfast had the tendency to eat more times a day. However, having a low body mass index seems to mitigate the harm and the risks of developing diabetes. The lesson of the study is that if you are going to skip breakfast, make sure that you eat healthier food and exercise to control the weight. 

What are other effects of skipping breakfast?

Diabetes and heart ailments are not the only things that can develop and cause havoc to your health when you frequently skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast can alter the mood and more likely to cause anxiety symptoms. It can also impact energy levels and memory based on a 1999 study conducted by a team of British researchers. 

The writing is clear on the wall. It is time to address the proverbial elephant in the room. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, period. But don’t just stuff anything in your mouth. There is still this thing called healthy eating. Make sure that you have regular access to healthy and nourishing food and less of the fats, sugar and salty fare that can also cause health problems down the road.

 

About the Author:

 

Ryan Rivera is an advocate of healthy eating habits.  This is one of the many effective tips that he provides to his readers when writing anxiety related articles.  Please visit his calm clinic account for more helpful information.

 

Image credit:  Shermeee on Flickr

Check Your Symptoms Using the SymCAT Website

Googling your symptoms when you’re sick isn’t particularly helpful. The web is full of misleading and contradicting information, that you could just end even more worried and confused than when you first started searching.

The fact is, the only way to get real answers to any health questions that you have about your body is to consult your physician and have them examine you. Of course, this isn’t always an option and sometimes, the Internet could be all you have.

So if you’re going to be searching for your symptoms, you may just want to head straight to a stie called SymCAT. This service helps you learn more about your symptoms and possible ailments through a calculator that “uses hundreds of thousands of patient records to estimate probability of disease.”

When you input your symptoms, SymCAT will crunch the numbers, consult its database, and come up with possible conditions that you may have. The site will also include the probability of you having a particular conditions based on your information and the data of patient records. 

4 Little Known Advantage of Sleep

Many people think that not getting ample sleep could simply result in irritability or drowsiness during the day. However, while the above are certainly known effects of not getting enough sleep, they certainly aren't the only ones. The fact is, not getting enough sleep has a lot more serious consequences. 

According to the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, there are a number of other reasons why people shouldn’t skimp on sleep.

Some of them include:

1. Being able to properly and effectively learn, remember, and comprehend - Sleeping allows the brain to go through process called memory consolidation where it helps the mind commit new information to memory.

2. Maintaining a healthy weight - Sleep deprivation could alter your appetite and cause your body to process and store carbs inefficiently thus causing weight gain.

3. Keeping a healthy heart - Hypertension and irregular heartbeat have been linked to sleep disorders which is why it’s incredibly important to sustain healthy sleeping habits.

4. Fighting illnesses - Not getting enough sleep can weaken your body’s immune function, thus increasing the chances of you getting sick.

Image credit:  dominiqs on Flickr