What Your Doctors Want To Say To Some Of Their Patients

Readerâ€™s Digest recently asked two dozen doctors to discuss whatâ€™s on their minds. The result: a plethora of complaints, opinions and observations about patients and medicine.

Here is a couple of their thoughts:

I am extremely exhausted of being your mother. Every time I see you, I have to say the obligatory, You need to lose some weight. But you swear you donâ€™t eat anything or the weight just doesnâ€™t come off, and the subject is dropped. Then you come in here complaining about your knees hurting, your back is killing you, your feet ache and you canâ€™t breathe when you walk up half a flight of stairs. So Iâ€™m supposed to hold your hand and talk you into backing away from that box of Twinkies. Oh, do I get tired of repeating the stuff most patients just donâ€™t listen to.
Cardiologist, Brooklyn, N.Y.

A lot of times itâ€™s easier for a doctor to write a script for a medicine than to explain why the patient doesnâ€™t need it.
Cardiologist, Bangor, Me.

Twenty years ago, when I started my practice, my ear, nose and throat surgeries financially supported my facial plastic surgery practice. Today, my cosmetic practice is the only thing that allows me to continue to do ear, nose and throat work, which barely cover my overhead.
Ear, nose, throat and facial plastic surgeon, Dallas/Fort Worth

Don’t do Friday afternoon procedures. The day after surgery is when most problems happen. If the next day is Saturday, youâ€™re flying by yourself without a safety net, because the units are understaffed and E.R.â€™s are cumbersome because doctorsâ€™ offices are closed.
Heart surgeon, New York City

In several hospitals, the length of the white coat is relative to the length of training. Medical students wear the shortest coats.
Pediatrician, Baltimore

Often the biggest names, the department chairmen, are not the best clinicians, because they spend most of their time being administrators. They no longer primarily focus on taking care of patients.
Heart surgeon, New York City

Most Everyone thinks all doctors know one another. But when we refer you to specialists, we often have no clue as to who those people are. Most of the time, we only know that they accept your insurance plan.
Pediatrician, Hartsdale, N.Y.

Although we donâ€™t cry in front of you, we sometimes do cry about you at home.
Pediatrician, Chicago

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How To Increase Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that occur in living organisms in order to maintain life. These processes allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is usually divided into two categories. Catabolism breaks down organic matter, for example to harvest energy in cellular respiration. Anabolism, on the other hand, uses energy to construct components of cells such as proteins and nucleic acids. In short the burning of certain amount of energy (calories) by your body to maintain itself is called metabolism. Your body is constantly burning the calories no matter what you are doing be it eating, drinking, sleeping, cleaning just to maintain itself.

Metabolism is affected by your body composition i.e the amount of muscle you have versus the amount of fat. The muscle in our body uses more calories to maintain itself compared to fat. People who are more muscular than others that are less muscular (and have a higher percentage of body fat than muscular people) are said to have a higher metabolism. For example, let’s say you have two people who have the exact same height and weight. One exercises on a regular basis with weights, in addition to aerobic exercise, and has a low percentage of body fat. The other never exercises and has a higher percentage of body fat. The first person who exercises will have a higher metabolism than the second person. What this basically means is that person number 1’s body will use more calories to sustain itself than person number 2.

To increase your metabolism, you should start exercising and get the right diet plan. To increase your muscle mass, start doing some type of resistance work such as lifting weights, rubber bands etc. For you to lower your level of body fat you should do some type of aerobic exercise at least 30 minutes a day 3 days a week. This could be activities such as walking, jogging, step aerobics cycling, swimming. These activities will increase your heart beat rate into the training heart rate and keep it there for the duration of the exercise session.

Apart from the workout, you need to have the right diet plan that does not starve you. As you are burning a lot of calories working out, you need to replenish your body by drinking plenty of water and you need to take your regular meal which breakfast, lunch and dinner. The right diet should cover what you eat, the size of your meals, the time of day in which you eat certain food groups, the time between meals, and the number of meals you eat each day. All this can have a bigger effect on your weight than the amount of calories that you consume.

If you do not eat, or you eat a very low-calorie diet, your metabolism will decrease because your body thinks it is starving and your body will burn less calories. This happen so that your body can survive.

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What To Eat After You Exercise, And Why It’s Important To Get It Right.

Iâ€™m sure that youâ€™ve heard in the past that your post-workout meal may very well be your most significant thing that you consume all day.

This is because when you’re done with an intense workout session, you’re entering a catabolic status where your muscle glycogen is used up and the levels of cortisol in your body have increased and are beginning to break the tissue of the muscle down excessively. In other words, this means the body’s in the survival mode of getting energy by breaking down muscle tissue state… you don’t want your muscles to get broken down, you want to find balance so that you increase muscle instead. What I suggest you do, is to eat an easily digestible after-exercise meal (can be a shake or smoothie) as soon as you are able after exercising.

The purpose is to choose a meal with carbs that digest easily, as well as protein that digests quickly to give you what’s needed to initiate muscular rebuilding. The flow of carbohydrates and amino acids from this quickly digested meal promotes a raise in insulin levels from the pancreas, which propels nutrients into the muscular cells.

The after exercise meal should usually contain between 300-500 calories for optimum results. Case in point, a 120-lb lady may only need a 300-calorie meal, where a 200-lb man may need a 500-calorie meal after working out. Your post-workout meal should also have anywhere from a ratio of 2:1 and 4:1 for carbs:proteins. While the other meals you consume should include a supply of healthy fats, keep the total fat content of your first meal after working out to a nominal quantity, since fat slows the speed of absorption of the meal, which is the not what you want to happen after a workout.

When you choose what to make for your after exercise meal, the first thing to understand is that you DON’T need any of these costly post-workout supplement formulations that all of the advertisments you see everywhere will tell you that are absolutely necessary! I would rather to make my own post-workout milkshakes from pure ingredients as an alternative to using a store bought shake, since many of them are lacking in quality.

A good source of easily digestible natural carbs such as honey, pineapples, organic maple syrup, or bananas are ideal. The more you can encourage the muscle rebuilding process, the faster you boost your metabolic rate and this can assist with weight loss too.

The best way to get of quick to digest protein is a quality non-denatured whey protein isolate and/or a non-fat or low-fat yogurt. Following are a few ideas for tasty post-workout shakes that will boost your recuperation process:

Chocolate Banana – blend together 1 cup water, Â½ cup skim milk, one and a half frozen bananas, 2 tbsp organic maple syrup, and 30 grams chocolate whey protein powder 38 g prot, 72 g carb, 0.5 g fat, 440 calories.

Pineapple Vanilla – blend together 1 cup water, Â½ cup vanilla yogurt, one cup frozen pineapples, 2 tbsp honey (preferably raw), and 30 grams vanilla whey protein powder 35 g prot, 71 g carb, 0.5 g fat, 425 calories.

An additional bonus of post-workout meals is that you can please even the most intense cravings for sweets, since this is the only of the day where you can get away with taking in extra sugars without adding to your waistline. This is true only in the case of a high intensity resistance exercise routine though, so avoid this if you’ve just been doing some modest cardio.
Enjoy!

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Getting Bootcamp Fit

Planning to get fit and stay fit is just as important as doing the exercise itself. Committing to a plan and following it will achieve results because unless you are doing this consistently, then it really will be a waste of time.

A bootcamp fitness exercise program that gets results will combine at least three ingredients including aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility and balance exercises. In combination, these three components will have a powerful effect on your results but only if you are consistent in following your plan.

A strong fitness exercise program will be a complete body workout. Too many people concentrate on one specific area and while results may be good initially, in the long term they will diminish. Your muscles need to be confused so changing up your routine is vital.

Three Components Of Fitness

1. Aerobic exercise is any type of activity that will get your heart pumping, and may include walking, running, swimming or cycling. All of those machines at the local fitness center that require you to get up and get moving, like the treadmill, stair master, Nordic track and stationary cycles will work for this purpose.

So will a brisk walk or jog around the neighborhood or a workout video in the family room. Aerobic exercise is essential for a fitness bootcamp exercise program because it assists with weight loss and maintenance and will keep your heart and lungs healthy. Most experts will recommend at least 30 minutes four or five times a week to reap the greatest benefit.

2. While most don’t consider strength training as a part of a bootcamp fitness exercise program for weight loss, this activity will actually help you burn fat more efficiently and lose weight more rapidly. It is also good for strengthening bones and muscles, which may prevent diseases like osteoporosis later in life.

Strength training can be as easy as adding a few free weights to your home workout routine. Or you can opt for joining a gym or fitness center that will offer access to the many great machines that can tone and bulk you up. Three times a week is the general recommendation for a strength training fitness exercise program.

3. The flexibility and balance complete fitness exercise program is often achieved through a few yoga or Pilates sessions each week. However, you can also incorporate flexibility and balance through simple stretching exercises that you can do at home each day.

These exercises will keep your joints and muscles healthy and less prone to injury, making this an important part of a fitness exercise program well into the later years of life. Flexibility can be done almost daily for greatest benefit.

Getting fit in this way is the best approach to mainitaining a healthy weight, increasing energy and warding off some diseases. By incorporating these three types of exercise into your daily life, you will be on the road to better health and a higher quality of life.

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Jogging – The Super Weight Loss Exercise

That’s right You heard it right, jogging is the super exercise that will rocket you to your weight loss goals so fast that you will probably get a nose bleed. All joking aside, jogging is the number one exercise that you should be focusing all your efforts on if you are serious about losing those unwanted pounds.

What you will need to get started is some suitable clothing dependent on the season your country is in , a set of trainers, a bottle of water and a safe place in which to jog. Due to times we live in I need to stress that safety does not just mean traffic these days, it also covers such things as jogging alone at night or in a lonely park or country area with little or no other people around.

First get your self a note book and write down your goals and work out your jogging sessions ahead of time, I suggest that you jog every other day to prevent suffering an injury or worse burning out completely and giving up all together.

There’s no doubt about it jogging burns calories and it burns heaps of them and not only while you are jogging but for many hours after wards and will set your metabolism at warp speed .

Remember this is not a race so set yourself a gentle pace and as you get fitter you will naturally start to increase the pace and find that you jog further far more easily. If you are not fit, do not worry there is a great system which is called the Jog / walk system that has proved it’s worth to many a newbie . All you do is start jogging and when you need a rest you rest passively by walking but do not stop. Once you get your breath back you start jogging and so on and so on. You will be jogging all the way before you know it.

This is my personal preference only but I strongly urge you to try it. Jog first thing in the morning, before work, dropping the kids off at school etc. As you exercise your body releases endorphin, this is a free, feel happy drug that is produced naturally by your body. This will help you get through your day with vigor and new found energy that you never knew existed. Not only will you feel a million bucks throughout your day you will sleep like a baby at night as well. Is that good or good.

I suggest that you plan on jogging for about 25 minutes with a 5 to 10minute warm up and cool down (this does not count towards your exercise session) Warm up by gently walking, this will warm up your muscles and joints and get the blood flowing, the same for the cool down. After you have cooled down, perform some light stretches. It is far more beneficial by stretching at the end of your exercise session than you will at the start and to be quite frank most probably injure yourself.

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Cleansing Detox And Keeping Healthy

Detox is something happening all the time within our bodies.

However, sometimes the body needs a bit of help to make sure the detox processes are working to keep the body working as well as possible. This extra help might just be the thing you need – this is where Herbal Detox comes in.

Eating excessive meat, plenty of starchy food, smoking, drinking alcohol, too much tea and coffee all act to increase the toxins produced by the body. An occasional Herbal Detox – ideally for at least 30 days – will help to clear this toxic load and help us keep well.

Even better is to improve our lifestyle so that the toxins reduce. This will help us to feel better day to day; it will also reduce the possibility of degenerative disease – including diabetes, arthritis, stomach problems, Alzheimer’s, obesity, heart disease and some cancers.

This might be helped by improving diet – along the lines suggested in the detox article; by taking more rest, exercisin more or aiming to counteract stress.

Our diet often holds the key to detox – and that is something which can be controlled from home.

Make a large salad every now and again and make it last over several days. Keep in airtight containers in the fridge to keep it fresh That way there is always a salad at hand, whether itâ€™s to eat at home or to grab one take to work. You only need to add a can of sardines or some hummus to make an acceptable and quick meal.

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Causes Of Attention Deficit Disorder In Adolescents And Adults

Attention Deficit Disorder or â€œADDâ€ is has become a familiar diagnosis among youth and grown-ups alike. Once believed to only be a pediatric condition, additional cases are turning up in grown-ups. In this article, you will be introduced to the causes, common symptoms, and treatment options.

Causes

The exact cause for ADD is not yet known; yet, one of the leading components that seem to play a large role in the beginning stages of this state is from genetics. It is speculated that genes have a specific level of control over the chemicals that scientists refer to as â€œneurotransmittersâ€.

One actual chemical in the brain has received a lot of attention recently and it seems to be a familiar sign among those with ADD. This chemical is known as â€œDopamineâ€. It has been revealed that when there are low or excess amounts of this chemical present, an individual is more likely to endure ADD.

Other issues connected with Attention Deficit Disorder may include environmental conditions and complications during pregnancy. If you, or your child, has been diagnosed with this condition, it is vital to work closely with a doctor in order to determine the underlying cause. If a cause cannot be revealed, it is important to work with a knowledgeable medical professional on treatments in order to soothe the symptoms of ADD.

Symptoms

There are a lot of symptoms that may be prevalent in people that have Attention Deficit Disorder. The symptoms for ADD are usually broken down into three, distinct categories: impulsivity, attention issues, and hyperactivity.

Impulsivity

â€¢ Many have a high level of intolerance.
â€¢ Many will blurt out comments and answers at unsuitable times â€“ like before a question has been completely asked, or when someone else is talking.
â€¢ Many take on manners and undertakings that are thought to be chancy or unsafe.

Attention Issues

â€¢ Many have trouble focusing at school or at work.
â€¢ Many are very disorganized and heel dragging may become evident.
â€¢ Many may discover that they are unable to remember details such as, events, obligations, and commitments.

Hyperactivity

â€¢ Many are not able to sit or stand in one location for an extended amount of time.
â€¢ Many may take on continual talking, swiftly switching from one topic to the next with no effort.
â€¢ Many have difficulty when it comes to engaging in quiet and sedentary activities.

Treatment

Today, there are many ways to treat Attention Deficit Disorder. These methods include prescription medications, behavioral therapy, and natural remedies. There are drugs that are considered to be â€œstimulantsâ€ that work to soothe the symptoms of the condition. Examples include Concerta, Focalin, and Ritalin. Non-stimulant medications include Effexor, Wellbutrin, and Pamelor. Natural remedies include the implementation of a low sugar diet, Melatonin or even music/sound therapy. If you or a loved one has Attention Deficit Disorder, it is important to work closely with a doctor on the optimum treatment for each unique situation that is being experienced.

As you can see, Attention Deficit Disorder is a widespread, yet complex condition. becoming educated on the symptoms and the potential causes of the condition can help you gain a more thorough understanding of ADD. Working closely with a doctor can help you learn what therapies are available, and how to incorporate them into a treatment plan that will be effective for you, and/or your loved one.

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Creating A Soluble Fiber Diet

When you start to encounter digestive problems such as being constipated or feel other symptoms that affect your digestive tract, then it is likely you need to get more fiber into your diet. Having sufficient fiber in your diet is important because in order for your body to eliminate toxins and stay in good shape a properly working digestive tract is needed.

You will find that there are two different fiber types in food – insoluble and soluble fiber. The first type is insoluble fiber and this is fiber that leaves the body feeling full, the second type is insoluble fiber which assists the food to pass through the digestive tract. To remain healthy you will need both types of fiber, however in some instances you may need to increase the intake of one type or another.

But first youÂ need toÂ understand what food types contain high levels of soluble fiber. Even though you have allergies to certain foods or have personal preferences to the food you eat or other food issues, it will not prevent you from creating a suitable diet that you can stick with for a long time.

In your soluble fiber diet menu, you will want to include legumes and lentils such as dried beans, peas, and other legumes such as baked beans, kidney beans, split peas, dried lima beans, pinto beans, and black beans, as well as snap beans, pole beans, and broad beans. Also dried fruit such as figs, apricots and dates are full of fiber.

You should also add other vegetables to your soluble fiber diet such as Brussels sprouts, beet root, potatoes with skin, broccoli, sweet corn, green peas and carrots. You can go even further and add nuts which are great and are very flavorful, this means anything from peanuts to almonds and walnuts. You will just have to take care with adding too much nuts and not over do it, as they also contain a very high level of fat.

Mix up the food you put into your diet as there are many to choose from and this way you will avoid getting bored with your food.

As you can see, creating a soluble fiber diet menu certainly does not have to be difficult. You can also hire the professional services of a nutritionist if you need to. This is a professional who has been trained in this field and who will be able to offer you great information and advice.

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The Best Way To Lose Weight And Stay Slim Afterwards

Most diets fail but do you know why? It’s because they are designed to work only in the short-term, which is not the best way to lose weight. Too often people will eat more when these short term diets are over and they are again free to choose their old unhealthy favorites.

The best approach is to find significant ways to make permanent changes to your lifestyle that will improve your overall health and fitness level.

Regular physical exercise will be building muscle and developing healthy eating habits. Over time, your body’s metabolism rate will rise – and that means you will be burning more calories – and that means you will be burning fat even while you are not exercising. What a delightful bonus, as I am sure you will agree.

There are two ways to increase your body’s metabolism. One is to increase the amount of physical activity. The other is to eat smaller meals throughout the day.

Even with the busy lives we live today, we can find ways to sneak in a bit of exercise. For example, take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator- it’s an easy way to get your heart pumping a few times per day.

While at work, you are still allowed to take a short break at least twice each day, so take a stroll around your office building to burn a few extra calories.

If you make those meals delicious and filling, smaller meals can be enjoyable. After all, who wouldn’t want to eat six times a day instead of only three? Giving your body smaller meals to process more frequently throughout the day keeps the digestive system active and prevents an excess of calories from building up.

This is a bit counter-intuitive, I know, but eating three large meals actually puts your body into a feast-famine cycle causing your metabolism to increase and slow back down several times a day. Here’s how that works: When your body senses that it has taken in more energy than it is expending, it will begin to convert the excess calories into fat as a reserve for times when food is scarce.

Of course, these small “meals” do not have to be full sized meals. Dividing your existing portions into several meals is also a good way to keep eating a steady flow of calories throughout the day. For example, a half of a tuna sandwich and a piece of fruit is around 400 calories, the perfect size for a quick midday snack. There are a number of healthy snacks you can keep on hand to give you a between-meals boost.

You’re not deprived of your favorite “goodies” just because you are living a healthier lifestyle overall. You can still add in some “forbidden” foods. Just do so in moderation. Since you are not on an extreme crash diet, there are no foods that are completely off-limits.

Because you’ve done the right thing and adopted a healthier lifestyle, give yourself a treat yourself during one of your snack breaks. A single piece of chocolate or candy or cake won’t de-rail your otherwise sensible diet.

Better than that, giving yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods is the best way to loose weight and keep it off for the long run.

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Home Fitness Tips

Many people are under the false assumption that losing weight quickly is the best way and will use weight loss pills as the primary part of their diet without any thought to their health. This method is now seen for what it is and slow weight loss methods are being promoted as a more natural approach and much less harmful for the body. Today, many of the programs that were used only a few years ago and accepted as the norm are no longer accepted by a new breed of dieticians who see products like chemical appetite suppressants, unhealthy diet regimes to promote weight loss and forced exercise as the opposite to slow, safe, weight loss.

Getting in Shape at Home.Â Many people give up their diets because they set themselves unrealistic goals to the way to proceed is by setting smaller targets that do not make the diet feel like a chore. The emphasis on safe weight loss is to keep it as natural as possible as that way the body does not rebel because it is seeing major changes happening to quickly for it to respond.

There are some natural supplements that can help this process including green tea but only if it is used with ginseng, extract from the Hoodia plant and foods containing guarana can also help. Such dietary products bring you the stamina you need to face the challenges of accelerated body processes, while also stimulating your metabolism and immune system.

In case you suffer from diabetes, any heart disease such as arrhythmia, high cholesterol or other problems, it’s best to talk to your doctor before you buy any supplements as safe weight loss programs involve personal comfort and an encouraging health status. People who have specific medical conditions will need different types of exercise than those who are just generally overweight by otherwise healthy and can carry out physical activity that is designed to burn excess calories in a gradual manner. If you are someone with a cardiac condition, the only type of exercise which will be safe for you to pursue is a gentle walk but for only limited amounts of time.

Walkers should not be alarmed if they feel tired at least to start with and should rest whenever they need to as their stamina will gradually improve and this can be helped along by gentle massage sessions that will help the circulation and muscles. A much safer form of exercise which is good for the health is swimming and people with cardiac conditions should be able to carry this out once they have had the ok for their doctor. If you are taking weight loss pills remember that some are safer than others and those to be avoided have ephedra and bitter orange as part of their ingredients.

Bitter orange is efficient when used in small quantities in some of the products, but sometimes the reliability of the pills you may order on the Internet is doubtful. This is particularly true of Hoodia which is rare and costly but a very efficient natural appetite suppressant with no side-effects but the name is often used on products that do not contain any but a safe weight loss program relies on the weight loss being natural and who knows what is in these pills?

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