A Weight Loss Journey

Here’s something interesting, as reported by By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor, Reuters

Researchers searching for a cure for obesity said on Thursday they have developed a drug that not only makes mice lose weight, but reverses diabetes and lowers their cholesterol, too.

The drug, which they have dubbed fatostatin, stops the body from making fat, instead releasing the energy from food. They hope it may lead to a pill that would fight obesity, diabetes and cholesterol, all at once.

Writing in the journal Chemistry and Biology, Salih Wakil of Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, Motonari Uesugi of Kyoto University in Japan and colleagues said the drug interferes with a suite of genes turned on by overeating.

“Here, we are tackling the basics,” Wakil said in a telephone interview. “I think that is what excited us.”

Scientists are painfully aware that drugs that can make mice thin do nothing of the sort in humans. A hormone called leptin can make rats and mice drop weight almost miraculously but does little or nothing for an obese person, for instance.

But Wakil, whose team has patented the drug and is looking for a drug company to partner with, hopes this drug may be different. “I am very, very optimistic,” he said.

Fatostatin is a small molecule, meaning it has the potential to be absorbed in pill form.

It works on so-called sterol regulatory element binding proteins or SREBPs, which are transcription factors that activate genes involved in making cholesterol and fatty acids.

“Fatostatin blocked increases in body weight, blood glucose, and hepatic (liver) fat accumulation in (genetically) obese mice, even under uncontrolled food intake,” the researchers wrote.

Genetic tests showed the drug affected 63 different genes.

The idea of interfering with SREBP is not new. GlaxSmithKline has been working on a new-generation cholesterol drug that uses this pathway.

After four weeks, mice injected with fatostatin weighed 12 percent less and had 70 percent lower blood sugar levels, the researchers wrote.

Now they plan to test rats and rabbits, Wakil said.

The drug also had effects on prostate cancer cells they said — something that may help explain links between prostate cancer and obesity.

Cory Doctorow starts his article (Writing in the Age of Distraction) by acknowledging that his readers are overwhelmed by the myriad distractions that lie one click away on the Internet. Busted. I actually was reading his article as a deliberate distraction from my usual work.  Apparently he knows what he’s talking about. 

Cory shared that he’s able to manage his bent for distraction and keep on top of his workload by depending on a few techniques, one of which he introduced as a “short, regular work schedule.” He sets aside a specific amount of time to focus on what he is writing, every day, no matter what. The result is a body of work containing many books, columns, and blog posts every year.

What’s the relationship between writing and this weight loss journey?

For myself, I know that most of the time I am distracted and overwhelmed by the immensity of the weight loss challenge I see before me. If I had only a few pounds to lose, then maybe I could see the end of the dreaded diet up ahead somewhere. However, from where I stand now, I cannot see the end of it. Every time I think about losing weight, I also have to think about how in the world I am ever going to keep my momentum and dedication revved-up for long enough to see this task to its end.

What’s the dieter’s equivalent of writing for twenty minutes every day?

You could make yourself create a menu and shop for just one healthy, slimming meal per day.  Or, you could make yourself do just ten minutes of cardio work or strength training each day.  You could even just read my daily post and implement a single related change in your life.

That way, you could focus on your intentions and your behaviors, rather than on your outcome which might be good or bad, or even worse, result in no change at all.  You could have a go at accumulating enough good days to pile up a real difference in the same way that a writer builds up enough 20-minute sessions to accomplish the drafting of an entire book.

Check out this article for yourself and see if other ideas for building a great outcome from small chunks of action come to you.  Then, please share them with us here.  I’m sure we will be grateful for the help. 

 

Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

HGH, otherwise known as the “Master Hormone,” can effectively fight the aging process. It controls the release of many other hormones in the body. Hundreds of clinical studies have shown that it can raise energy levels, enhance muscle, decrease fat, strengthen the heart, improve cholesterol, sharpen memory, improve sexual function, boost the immune system, improve sleep, and more.

Human growth hormone was first discovered in 1956 and it’s structure was identified in 1972. Before synthetic HGH molecules were genetically engineered in 1998, HGH was extracted from cadavers and then injected with needles into the human body.

Since then, there have been a growing number of clinical research studies investigating the capabilities and purported benefits of the human growth hormone.  Many researchers have concluded that one of the primary causes of aging is the decrease of HGH human growth hormone production.

According to Dr. Ronald Klatz, M.D., President of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, “Aging appears to be due in large part to the drastic decline of growth hormone in the body after adulthood.”

According to HGH human growth hormone research, at age 21, the normal level of circulating HGH is about 10 milligrams per deciliter of blood.  After age 30, the secretion rate of HGH drops approximately 14% per decade. By 80, most people produce barely enough HGH to build a fingernail, explaining why injuries experienced by seniors take so long to heal.

HGH Supplements

HGH supplements were first developed to treat children for growth disorders due to malfunctioning pituitary glands. Although that is still the main reason for the use of HGH supplements, they are now also used to give people more energy as well as to increase overall physical fitness.  Non-prescription supplements do not contain synthetic human growth hormone, but instead stimulate healthy pituitary glands to release additional growth hormone.

 

Essential facts about HGH supplements

1. Releaser type HGH supplements are safe.

The most common and safest supplements are called releasers and are similar to amino acid “multi-vitamins.” They are combined with other ingredients to provide the most HGH benefits. They are safest because foreign hormones are not introduced into the body.

2. Diets lacking essential amino acids can benefit from HGH supplements.

Low cholesterol and vegetarian diets that are not carefully planned can be deficient in certain amino acids that would normally induce the pituitary gland to release a burst of growth hormone.

3. Choice of supplement delivery is an individual preference.

Supplements are available in capsule, tablet, or spray form. Effectiveness depends predominately on personal preference and proper usage according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Long-term storage tips.

Bottles can be safely stored in a cool and dry area away from direct sunlight for several months. For long term storage, bottles should be shielded from light, heat, and moisture. The best solution is to place bottles in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator. You should be able to store HGH supplements for up to 3 years with no loss in potency.

5. Results will vary. 

Because releaser supplements rely on the user’s ability to release natural growth hormone, results will vary by individual. Consumer responses indicate that healthy diet and active lifestyle magnify effects of HGH supplements.

6. Effective only for those without growth hormone deficiencies.

No supplement alone will work for people suffering from growth hormone deficiency. Non-prescription supplements stimulate healthy pituitary glands to release additional growth hormone. This natural process of HGH supplements is safest and most effective for self-administered usage.

Unconfirmed findings

Some consumers and manufacturers have made claims that certain individuals might develop a tolerance to HGH supplements if used regularly for more than six consecutive months. A few manufacturers even recommend that consumers take a break from the supplements after six months. The length of recommended breaks ranges from 1 to 6 months.

The following is a description of one supplement on the market and a good description of it’s constituent parts and their function.

Example Product

GHR1000 is a very effective health supplement that takes direct aim at the aging process. It is a powerful product to stimulate the natural production of HGH and deliver a host of age-fighting components.

Unlike much of their competition, GHR1000 provides up-front full disclosure of the contents and dosage of their supplement. The proprietary blend of clinical strength ingredients includes the following:

• L-Arginine HCI (500mg) Increases growth hormone production; enhances immune system
• Vitamin B6 (50mg) Improves the nervous and immune systems; enhances metabolism; improves cell neurotransmitters and communication
• L-Glutamine (400mg) Helps with metabolism, improves athletic performance, boosts the immune system, and is a source for stomach and intestine lining
• L-Isoleucine (150mg) Promotes muscle recovery; enhances the healing process and the growth of new tissue
• L-Leucine (500mg) Increases growth hormone production; improves endurance and enhances energy; also works to protect and fuel the muscles
• L-Lysine (300mg) Helps in the maintenance of nitrogen balance in the body; conserves the calcium in the body, helps in the maintenance of blood vessels
• L-Omithine HCL (100mg) Enhances strength and improves energy
• L-Valine (150mg) Promotes muscle recovery; enhances the healing process and the growth of new tissue
• Gaba (200mg) Improves the plasma hormone levels in the body, enhances neurotransmission; improves nervous system, promotes fat loss; improves the body’s sleep cycle
• Glycine (50mg) Helps alleviate the symptoms of spasticity
• Tribulus Terrestris (150mg) Builds muscle; improves sexual drive and function
• Colostrum (100mg) Enhances immune system; stimulates healing; enhances growth hormone

Because the ingredients in GHR1000 are 100% natural, there are no reported side effects and no known drug interactions or conflicts. To administer, you simply take three of the sustained-release tablets just before bed.
Savor these great tasting, healthy foods, and begin to feel the fat finally melting off of you too.

As it turns out, some of my friends think about fat, and getting rid of it, nearly as much as I do.  We remind me of that television commercial where slightly pudgy women go through their days with bathroom scales chained to their ankles.

While downing a cheesy, spicy plate of manicotti the other evening, one of my dinner companions began describing her lunch time get-healthy habits.  She cheerfully offered that she had recently adopted the habit of munching a snack-sized bag of carrots every day because “carrots speed up your metabolism.”

(Sounds of my weight-loss-strategies-alarm ringing loudly)           

Well, now!  I just had to go do some research about that.

According to nutritionists, there truly are foods that help to boost your metabolism.  Generally, these foods are classified as complex carbohydrates, and they can help you in at least these three ways:

• thermic effect — These foods require relatively more energy to process and use than other foods.  Some folks even go so far as to call them “negative calorie” foods, meaning they actually take more calories to digest than they contribute to your diet.
• insulin management — Some foods take relatively longer to digest and result in less insulin being released into your blood stream.  Their result is a more balanced energy flow and less desire to snack on simple carbs.
• high fiber — your body burns more calories trying to digest fiber than almost anything else.  Have you tried the Full Plate Diet?

Ten common foods that could boost YOUR metabolism:

 apples, oranges, blueberries, grapes, carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, chilies, almonds, oatmeal 

Savor these great tasting, healthy foods, and begin to feel the fat finally melting off of you too.

Motivation is what gets you started.  Habit is what keeps you going