April 22nd, 2009
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is, as the name suggests, connected with the bone structure. In general terms it might be described as a degenerative joint disease where the degenerative factor is with the articular cartilage and structure of the bone. The changes in bone structure can in fact include new bone formation. Unfortunately, this new growth may occur in the form of spurs, or appear in areas which should be occupied by cartilage. In simple terms a ‘spur’ might be described as an abnormal projection of bone.
Osteoarthritis would tend to be associated more with elderly people but it is not restricted to this group. It can also set in as a consequence of bone injuries resulting from sporting activities or accidents. It has several possible causes. One is natural wear and tear during the ageing process of the body. This may start at quite an early age but not give trouble until later in life. Another cause is a breakdown of the lubrication of the joint causing excessive wear. In the case of sporting activities it can be the result of repeated impact shock on the joint. With increasing age the bones become suffer and less elastic. They tend, therefore, to give a sharper impact on the joint cartilage. It may be seen from the above that an overweight person might stand a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis simply because of the extra weight on the load-bearing surfaces of the joints.
Gouty-arthritis
Gout or gouty arthritis is a condition in which painful inflammatory attacks, mainly in the feet, knees, or wrists, occur, as a result of the precipitation of crystals of sodium urate. This occurrence, probably resulting from hyperuricaemia (the presence of an excessive amount of uric acid in the blood), is pre-eminently a disorder associated with the male. When present in females it is mainly in the post menopausal groups.
It is believed that heredity can play a part in gouty arthritis. However, it is not necessary to panic if we happen to have a picture of an ancient relative in a wheelchair with a heavily bandaged foot! There is evidence to suggest that gout is associated with over indulgence in food and alcohol. In earlier times over-indulgence was usually associated with affluence too, but like most diseases the causes are not limited to one well-defined feature and people who live in moderation can also suffer attacks. An interesting feature which relates to our topic of the sea and to gout is that involving Polynesian people and diet. A significant increase in the incidence of gout amongst the New Zealand Maoris and other Polynesian people has occurred with the change in their basic diet of seafood and vegetables to our diet of meat, processed breads, sugar, etc.
*2/48/5*
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April 22nd, 2009
THE CCK STORY
One of the best-studied gastrointestinal peptides is cholecystokinin, or CCK. After you eat, the small intestine releases this hormone, which stimulates pancreatic secretion and gallbladder contraction. It also sends satiety signals up to the hypothalamus. Women who have bulimia may have a malfunction in their CCK system. In one study, bulimic women tested before a meal had the same amount of CCK as normal women. Yet after eating they had a significantly smaller increase in CCK than did normal women. They also reported fewer feelings of fullness than the normal women did. Treatment with tricyclic antidepressants not only reduced their bingeing, but also helped their CCK levels return to normal.
This important new research doesn’t necessarily mean that a faulty CCK system causes bulimia. But decreased CCK, and thus the decrease in satiety signals, may reinforce a woman’s urge to keep eating.
Such findings have led to a revolution in the way we think about the digestive system. As one expert put it, rather than being a passive system, the gut now appears to be a “great sensory sheet extending from the mouth to the small intestine.” This sheet is exquisitely sensitive not only to the presence of food, but to its exact chemical composition as well.
THE BIOLOGICAL THERMOSTAT
Think of the thermostat in your home. You set the dial to maintain a constant temperature of, say, seventy-two degrees. When the furnace has put out enough heat, the thermostat switches it off for a while. If someone leaves the front door open and cold air rushes in, the thermostat kicks on again, staying on until the temperature returns to the desired level.
Your body works in a similar way. Earlier, I used the term homeostatic to describe how your body tries to maintain its equilibrium. The biological “homeostat” responds to changes in the environment to keep your metabolism working on an even keel.
Currently, one of the most exciting fields in medicine involves research into the fascinating and complex ways the body responds to such signals. We are beginning to learn that a number of subsystems work together to control eating as well as other types of behavior.
These subsystems operate on the feedback principle: Signal A activates process B, which in turn sends signal Ñ to shut off signal A. These signals are carried by hormones or other chemical messengers that activate nerves or stimulate other responses. Many of these processes are triggered, not just internally, but by physical and social cues from the outside world. Just about anything, from contact with other people to the amount of daylight you receive in a twenty-four-hour period, can affect your body’s function—your homeostasis.
The concept of feedback is important to eating disorders for several reasons. For example, your body tries to keep weight at a constant. If you start weighing too much, your metabolism speeds up to burn off the excess pounds. Conversely, should your weight drop, so will your metabolism, to conserve dwindling energy supplies.
Another series of feedback loops involves your body’s cravings for certain nutrients and its response to the nutritional content of the food you eat. Studies on animals (and simple observation of humans) show that at times we prefer to eat carbohydrates, for example, and at other times we choose protein-rich foods. The menus we choose can have a tremendous impact on our moods and our behavior.
*39/35/5*
Categories: Weight Loss |
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April 22nd, 2009
What do maps, compasses, and bug repellent have to do with weight loss? If you’re Sharon Evans, a 38-year-old accountant from Redwood City, California, the answer would have to be “everything.” Back in 1992, Sharon took up orienteering and finally shed the 20 extra pounds that she had been carrying on her 5-foot-5-inch frame.
Orienteering is a cross-country sport where people find their way through unfamiliar terrain using only a compass and a map. Sharon got involved in it as a way to improve her skills in another sport—backpacking. “I’m what you might call geographically diallenged,” she explains. “I wanted to learn how to use a compass when I blaze trails.”
So when Sharon joined the Bay Area Orienteering Club, weight loss wasn’t even on her mind. But it sure turned out to be a fabulous perk. Instead of spending time munching on junk food in front of the TV, she was out in the fresh air learning navigational skills that called on her mental and physical faculties. Better fitness would contribute to better competition times, so Sharon finally had a reason to stick with a jogging program. Her club’s social network gave her support not only as her orienteering skills grew but as her waistline shrank. “They were all so excited to share their experiences; it was very contagious and inspiring,” she says.
Today, Sharon is a seasoned orienteering veteran. Moreover, she has maintained her fit form and taken on other outdoor challenges. “Through the skills I’ve learned in orienteering, plus the better fitness level I’m at, I feel more confident to do things like backpacking, repelling, climbing, even working on a horse farm,” she says. She’s even training to be a volunteer firefighter.
For Sharon, navigating her way to successful weight loss has been a life-enhancing experience.
WINNING ACTION
Find an activity that suits your personality. Weight loss can happen with no effort at all if you can make fitness a hobby as Sharon did. You don’t have to take up orienteering or rock climbing. Any activity that involves a social network can make getting fit a lot of fun.
*93\89\8*
Categories: Weight Loss |
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