Exercise Not Necessary to Lose Weight

A new study debunks the widely held belief that diet plus exercise is the most effective way to lose weight. Researchers report that dieting alone is just as effective as dieting plus exercise.

"For weight loss to occur, an individual needs to maintain a difference between the number of calories they consume everyday and the number of calories they burn through metabolism and physical activity," Dr. Leanne Redman of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said.

"What we found was that it did not matter whether a reduction in calories was achieved through diet or burned everyday through exercise." Thirty-five overweight but otherwise healthy adults -- 16 men and 19 women -- completed the six-month study. Twelve were assigned to a diet-only group; they reduced their calorie intake by 25 percent.

Twelve were assigned to diet plus exercise; they reduced their calorie intake by 12.5 percent and increased their exercise by 12.5 percent. The remaining 11 subjects made no significant diet or exercise changes.

Redman and colleagues found that the diet-only group and the diet plus exercise group lost roughly the same amount of weight, albeit by different means.

They lost about 10 percent of their body weight, 24 percent of their fat mass and 27 percent of their abdominal "visceral" fat -- the deep internal fat linked to heart disease risk.

Therefore, if the goal is purely shedding pounds, diet or exercise will work, according to this study. However, as the researchers point out, regular exercise can improve aerobic fitness and lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

The study also found that exercise did little to tone specific areas of the body. Fat was reduced consistently across the whole body and not more in any one trouble spot.

"Our study then would indicate that weight loss cannot override the way in which any individual stores fat. Perhaps an apple will always be an apple, and a pear, a pear," Redman concludes.

This suggests that people are "genetically programmed for fat storage in a particular pattern and that this programming cannot be easily overcome by weight loss," the authors note in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Article Source Sydney Morning Herald 23/02/07

Common, Everyday Toxins

These are toxins that we come into contact with just about everyday. There are many more, as thousands of other toxins are also circulating in our environment.

Pesticides : The EPA states that 60 % of herbicides, 90 % of fungicides and 30 % of insecticides are known to be carcinogenic. Alarmingly, however, pesticide residues have been detected in 50% - 95 % of US foods.
Risks : Cancer, Parkinson's disease, miscarriage, nerve damage, birth defects, blocking the absorption of food nutrientsMajor
Sources : Food (fruits, vegetables and commercially raised meats), insect sprays

Fungal Toxins, eg mold : One in three people have had an allergic reaction to mold. Mycotoxins (fungal toxins) can cause a range of health problems with exposure to only a small amount.
Risks : Cancer, heart disease, asthma, multiple sclerosis, diabetes
Major Sources : Contaminated buildings, food like peanuts, wheat, corn and alcoholic beverages.

Phthalates: These chemicals are used to lengthen the life of fragrances and soften plastics.
Risks : Endocrine system damage (phthalates chemically mimic hormones and are particularly dangerous to children)
Major Sources : Plastic wrap, plastic bottles, plastic food storage containers. All of these can leach phthalates into our food.

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) : These are a major contributing factor to ozone, an air pollutant. According to the EPA, VOCs tend to be even higher (two to five times) in indoor air than outdoor air, likely because they are present in so many household products.
Risks : Cancer, eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment
Major Sources : Drinking water, carpet, paints, deodorants, cleaning fluids, varnishes, cosmetics, dry cleaned clothing, moth repellants, air fresheners.

Dioxins : Chemical compounds formed as a result of combustion processes such as commercial or municipal waste incineration and from burning fuels (like wood, coal or oil).
Risks : Cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, chloracne (a severe skin disease with acne-like lesions), skin rashes, skin discoloration, excessive body hair, mild liver damage
Major Sources : Animal fats: Over 95% of exposure comes from eating commercial animal fats.

Asbestos : This insulating material was widely used from the 1950s to 1970s. Problems arise when the material becomes old and crumbly, releasing fibers into the air.
Risks : Cancer, scarring of the lung tissue, mesothelioma (a rare form of cancer)
Major Sources : Insulation on floors, ceilings, water pipes and healing ducts from the 1950s to 1970s.

Heavy Metals : Metals like arsenic, mercury, lead, aluminum and cadmium, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body.
Risks : Cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer's disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels
Major Sources : Drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials, dental amalgams, chlorine plants

Chloroform: This colorless liquid has a pleasant, non-irritating odor and a slightly sweet taste, and is used to make other chemicals. It's also formed when chlorine is added to water.
Risks : Cancer, potential reproductive damage, birth defects, dizziness, fatigue, headache, liver and kidney damage.
Major Sources : Air, drinking water and food can contain chloroform.

Chlorine : This highly toxic, yellow-green gas is one of the most heavily used chemical agents.
Risks : Sore throat, coughing, eye and skin irritation, rapid breathing, narrowing of the bronchi, wheezing, blue coloring of the skin, accumulation of fluid in the lungs, pain in the lung region, severe eye and skin burns, lung collapse, reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) (a type of asthma)
Major Sources : Household cleaners, drinking water (in small amounts), air when living near an industry (such as a paper plant) that uses chlorine in industrial processes.

This is why a detox is a must to regain your health, and why a continued detox diet is necessary to continue eliminating these poisons from our bodies as we receive them.

Incense – is a Toxin!

Burning incense, a popular meditative and medicinal aid, can expose people to cancer-causing chemicals.

Incense burning also creates more local pollution than road traffic.

Levels of highly carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) inside a poorly ventilated temple in Taiwan were 19 times higher inside the temple than outside, and also somewhat higher than at a nearby local intersection.

The PAH benzopyrene, which is thought to cause lung cancer in smokers, had a concentration in the temple that was up to 45 times higher than in homes where residents smoke, and as much as 118 times higher than in areas with no indoor source of combustion.

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

More information

Research into Foods and Prevention of Diseases

At last, some research is being done into the link between prevention of diseases, and foods.

This study was conducted by the University of Illinois, and the Ohio State University.

The consumption of diets containing 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily is the foundation of public health recommendations for cancer prevention, yet this concept has not been tested in experimental models of prostate cancer. We evaluated combinations of tomato and broccoli in the Dunning R3327-H prostate adenocarcinoma model.

The combination of tomato and broccoli was more effective at slowing tumor growth than either tomato or broccoli alone and supports the public health recommendations to increase the intake of a variety of plant components.

More info

Detox Diets

Detox diets are becoming more popular, as more and more people become concerned about the effects of toxins in their bodies. Each of us comes into contact with around 1000 toxins EVERYDAY, and many studies are being carried out to determine the effects of these toxins on us. However, very few have been undertaken on the effects of a combination of these toxins.

It is easy to get lost in the myriad of literature available about toxins, poisons and chemicals.
Suffice it to say that we definitely are being poisoned by our very own lifestyle, and each of us demonstrates symptoms of this, in different ways.

To avoid or mitigate this problem we could move to a rural location and take up an organic, eco-friendly lifestyle. If that doesn’t suit, and obviously we can’t ALL do that, then my solution is to constantly detox ourselves. Eliminate the poisons as fast as they come in, before they can do any damage.

My detox diet does exactly that.

I have been amazed by the dramatic improvement in my health and energy levels since being on it. Read more ( and grab my free report) at Uncommon Cure for Everyday Ailments.

Detox Diets

Detox diets are becoming more popular, as more and more people become concerned about the effects of toxins in their bodies. Each of us comes into contact with around 1000 toxins EVERYDAY, and many studies are being carried out to determine the effects of these toxins on us. However, very few have been undertaken on the effects of a combination of these toxins.

It is easy to get lost in the myriad of literature available about toxins, poisons and chemicals.
Suffice it to say that we definitely are being poisoned by our very own lifestyle, and each of us demonstrates symptoms of this, in different ways.

To avoid or mitigate this problem we could move to a rural location and take up an organic, eco-friendly lifestyle. If that doesn’t suit, and obviously we can’t ALL do that, then my solution is to constantly detox ourselves. Eliminate the poisons as fast as they come in, before they can do any damage.

My detox diet does exactly that.

I have been amazed by the dramatic improvement in my health and energy levels since being on it. Read more ( and grab my free report) at Uncommon Cure for Everyday Ailments.

Immune System

Proper diet and nourishment boost your immune system. Each and every immune cell in your body is manufactured from the food you eat. A nutritionally deficient diet means functionally deficient immune cells. Yes, it’s as simple as that. And if you’re not getting all your nutrients, then consider juicing fresh juices everyday.