Health Risks of Obesity

November 28, 2011 By

Nutrition and health science is constantly evolving, and it often seems as if the latest study contradicts earlier ones. It’s hard to know what to believe. But, over the last few decades, a wide array of independent studies has tended to confirm some conclusions about the relationship between excess body fat and associated health risks.

The basic conclusion is that anyone who is considerably overweight is at higher risk for a number of potential health problems. These include various forms of heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, liver damage, gallstones and others.

But what is ‘considerably overweight’?

There’s no static, ideal weight for any given individual, though there are various factors that provide a healthy range. One measurement that is a good starting point is BMI (Body Mass Index). To calculate it, just divide your weight (in kg) by your height (in m) squared. The following table is a rough classification:

Under 18.5 = Underweight
Between 18.5 and 24.99 = Normal Weight
Between 25 and 29.99 = Overweight
Between 30 and 34.99 = Obese (Class 1)
Between 35 and 39.99 = Obese (Class 2)
40 and above = Extreme Obesity

For those on the lower end of the BMI scale, health risks are no more (or at most only moderately higher) than for anyone. Genetic and other environmental factors will outweigh any body fat or weight issues. But for those nearer the higher range, there is strong evidence that health risks are higher.

For example, abdominal obesity (having large fat deposits around the stomach and abdomen) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance syndrome. For women, a waist circumference of 35 inches or more (40+ in men) is an indicator of abdominal obesity. Among other conditions, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol are all common factors associated with that condition.

Narrowing of the arteries, atherosclerosis, contributes to the possibility of a clot which can cause a stroke. Excessive body fat is one factor in producing that condition. At the same time, it plays a part in increased blood pressure (hypertension).

Rapid weight gain, from 10-20 lbs for the average person, increases the odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. Genetic factors are fundamental, but weight gain plays a role, according to most studies. The risk is double that of an individual who has not had a weight gain, when other factors are held constant.

Liver disease, apart from that associated with excessive alcohol consumption, can be caused by insulin resistance. That resistance is much more likely among those who are obese. There are many studies which have correlated BMI with the degree of liver damage. The higher the BMI, the greater the odds of liver trouble.

Gallstones are more likely to form in those who are obese, and may be correlated with a rapid rise in BMI. Sleep apnea (interruption of breathing during sleep) is another condition commonly linked to obesity.

In short, though no single study is definitive, and there are many genetic and other environmental elements, excessive body fat is a substantial factor in health issues. Being overweight is not merely an issue of acceptable appearance, it’s a health risk.

 

 

Filed Under: Health & Hypnosis, Healthy Eating, Hypnosis FAQ Tagged With: , , ,

Fluids and Weight Loss

September 14, 2011 By

Diets, especially those that focus on weight loss, often concentrate on what to eat. But fluids are a major part of any healthy, balanced diet as well. Runners know this well, but the same guidelines apply to anyone interested in optimal health.

About 60% of the human body is water, muscle tissue almost 70%. An enormous range of biochemical reactions inside cells and out require water. Add these facts together and it’s clear that water is a must. No surprise, there. But what might be is how easy it is to have a deficit.

Effects of Dehydration

Lack of proper hydration can have far worse effects than merely feeling thirsty. Headache, fatigue and dizziness are common signs. Heat stroke is serious, potentially fatal – and dehydration is one of the major factors that lead to it.

Nor is it quite good enough to merely wait until you are thirsty to address your fluid need. Elevated internal body temperature, high heart rate and poor motor performance set in when your body has experienced only a 3% weight loss from water deprivation.

In a cool environment, even when you are at rest, your body will lose about 2-3 liters in a day. If you’re active, the number rises to between 3-6 liters. On a warm day, during vigorous activity, the number can be as high as 10 liters. That’s about 3 gallons of water in one day.

How Much Should You Consume and When?

It’s preferable to hydrate in advance. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, that amounts to about 17 ounces (500 ml) every 2 hours for 24 hours prior to any vigorous workout. Another 7-10 ounces (about 200-300 ml) every 20 minutes during exercise is also recommended.

What About Sports Drinks?

Some sports drinks are the perfect form of fluid intake. Just drinking water can lead to harmful dilution of the concentrations of sodium, potassium and other minerals in the body. Among other things, those help regulate the heart and nerve signals. A properly balanced sports drink helps maintain the proper concentration.

But many so-called sports drinks are chock full of sugar. A little bit of simple sugar isn’t bad. It can even be beneficial. But a bottle of sports drink that is really just soda without the bubbles isn’t helpful. Keep that type to a minimum.

Fruit juices can be an effective way of getting needed fluid. But keep in mind that drinks with carbs slow the body’s rate of absorption of water. Here too, the amount of sugar needs to be monitored.

Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine drinks aren’t necessarily unhealthy. In fact, in moderation, caffeine has been shown to have definite health benefits. But it’s also a diuretic, a substance that increases urine output. Drinking lots of coffee can actually encourage dehydration. Studies in which participants drank about 6 cups per day (642 mg/day) experienced a 3% loss of body water.

Similarly, alcohol in moderate amounts is beneficial. Red wine has antioxidants. Even beer is healthy, since some of the health effects are due to alcohol alone and hops are good for you. But they do tend also to dehydrate. They’re not a substitute for the total water needed daily.

Summary

The body needs several types of nutrients every day, throughout the day: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals – and water. Don’t forget the liquid nutrient.

Filed Under: Health & Hypnosis, Healthy Eating, Hypnosis FAQ, Weight Loss with Hypnosis Tagged With: , , ,

Stop Smoking

August 20, 2011 By
Smoking is a habit and an addiction. The addiction to nicotine is strong, but the habitual behavior associated with smoking is far stronger. If the addiction to nicotine was very strong then I would have clients with an addiction to nicotine gum or patches.  The smoker has linked all the pleasures in life with smoking. So the smoker is more addicted to the ritual of smoking then to the nicotine itself.
hypnosis gets you in touch with your subconscious mind which is the part of your mind where habits and behaviors are formed. The best way to become a non-smoker is to realize that this is a habit. Smoking became a habit because at some point in your life you needed it. Whether to feel as though you fit in or because you felt less anxious when you smoked, there was a reason you started. Once you really know that it is just a habit it loses some of its power.
Hypnotherapy is the tool to release you from this habit. By changing the way you think about smoking and yourself you can release this habit and take back control of your life.

If you want to get back in control of your life and your health call now to hear more about my Stop Smoking Program.

Filed Under: Featured Hypnosis Articles, Stop Smoking with Hypnosis

Hypnosis

August 13, 2011 By

There are numerous misconceptions and half truths regarding hypnosis. hypnosis occurs in the alpha/theta brainwaves. We all have these brain waves and therefore we can be hypnotized if we are willing.   Anyone who has ever arrived at their destination without remembering the drive has been in hypnosis. Similarly if you watch a really good movie and become totally engrossed that is also the same brainwave you will experience in hypnosis.

Hypnosis is the ultimate technique for anyone who wants to be more in control of their life. Through hypnosis you can change your self-talk and by doing so you change your habits and behaviors. Hypnosis also has a positive effect on a wide range of health issues as well. Hypnosis has been approved by the American Medical Association since 1958 and is recognized and used in many hospitals for anesthesia and pain management.
Anyone who wants to be hypnotized and is reasonably intelligent has the ability to benefit from hypnosis. All hypnosis is said to be self hypnosis. The hypnotherapist serves as a facilitator or guide. By having a private session of hypnosis you begin a journey that takes you into your subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is 88% of mental functioning and contains all emotions and feelings, habits and behaviors, creativity and the autonomic nervous system. The conscious mind is only 12% of mental functioning and is basically linear analytical thought.
Using hypnosis can give you the edge in sales, sports and stage performance. It can help you lose weight, stop smoking, release Anxiety/stress, enhance fertility and improve relationships.
Create success in all areas of your life by calling Inga Chamberlain to schedule your private session today. Call 770-560-4861.

 

Filed Under: Featured Hypnosis Articles, Hypnosis FAQ

Weight Loss

August 13, 2011 By

Tired of dieting? We all know that diets don’t work long term.  Dieting will not result in permanent weight loss without permanent behavior change.  A new life style has to replace the old.

Obesity is a huge problem and according to the latest statistics if we continue on the path we are on all adults will be obese by the year 2040.  This lifestyle affects the health of the affected person in numerous ways. Not only does it increase heart disease but it also is the major risk factor for type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Perhaps just as important is the low self esteem and negative feeling that the overweight suffer.

Behavior change through behavior modification combined with hypnosis in clinical studies produced double the results of behavior modification alone when used to lose weight.  In order for the new behavior to become permanent it has to become part of a new healthy lifestyle.  Exercise and healthy diet are the behaviors that need to be instilled along with the ability to become conscious of eating.

My weight loss hypnosis sessions are customized to the individual.  Whether you eat sweets compulsively, eat too much at dinner and in the evening or simply make bad food choices you can be helped with my plan.

My hypnotherapy weight loss plan Is not just another diet and it is not a short term plan.  It is a way to change your habitual ways of interacting with food permanently.

We begin by changing behavior. The second step is to resolve and reprogram the underlying cause and then reinforce and add new empowering thoughts and behaviors to permanently change the way you eat.  Exercise alone will not do it, eating healthy will not do it because the amount consumed has to change. Most people have huge appetites that have nothing to do with physical hunger and everything to do with the need to comfort. Using hypnotherapy we remove the emotional reasons for eating and reinforce new behaviors.

Whether you would like to lose 10 lbs or over 100lbs, my weight loss programs will make you think thin!   For more information on programs and session pricing call Inga Chamberlain, 770-560-4861.

Filed Under: Featured Hypnosis Articles, Hypnosis FAQ

The Power of Choice

March 9, 2011 By

Choice is a powerful concept.  We make choices everyday.  But have you ever considered the fact that the choices you make are an integral part of who you are and will become?

Many people may think that their personality is the result of genetics and the influences of their life and yes, these are important players in the creation of your personality.

But there is another component and that is “free will” or “choice “.  Now some who do not understand hypnosis may wonder why a hypnotherapist is talking about free will…. In reality hypnosis increases your ability to make better choices and increases your willpower.

You can and do choose your thoughts on a daily basis.  Sometimes it might not feel that way but if you become more conscious of your thought patterns and self talk you will begin to notice that you can change them.  There lies the power of hypnosis.  Hypnosis makes you aware of what you think and gives you choice as to what you do with the thoughts you have.

All behavior begins with thought and hypnosis  puts you more in control of your behavior and therefore your life.

Filed Under: Health & Hypnosis, Hypnosis & Depression, Hypnosis & Performance Tagged With: , , ,

Hypnobirthing-Does it work?

December 10, 2010 By

Hypnobirthing or using hypnosis to create a positive birth environment is growing in popularity.  More and more pregnant women are looking for a healthy alternative to the more conventional use of epidurals and other types of anesthesia.  Many find that by using hypnosis they feel comfortable and some even recall the experience as pleasant.

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal more and more women are asking to skip anesthesia in preparation for childbirth.  hypnosis is a state of deep relaxation in which a person is more susceptible to the power of suggestion.  In hypnosis you can also alter the brains perception of certain senses.  According to Dr. David Spiegel psychiatry professor at Stanford University, hypnosis can also be used for pain management, weight loss and smoking cessation.

I work with clients in my Atlanta, Georgia office to create a comfortable birth process.  I have a 5 session program to teach my clients  deep relaxation, slow breathing patterns and self-guided release of endorphins (the body’s natural relaxants),
which enables the  mother to enjoy an unmedicated, safe and gentle birthing for her baby.

Hypnobirthing is taken from the work of obstetrician, Dr. Grantly Dick-Read (who published his book Childbirth Without Fear in 1944).  It  teaches the  mother to understand and release the Fear-Tension-Pain Syndrome which so often is the cause of pain and discomfort during the birthing process.

Hypnobirthing works incredibly well for most women and is another welcome addition to a fast growing field of less medicated interventions for childbirth.

Filed Under: Health & Hypnosis, Hypnosis & Fertility, Hypnosis & Pain management, Hypnosis & Performance, Hypnosis FAQ Tagged With: , , , ,

Is the Internet Destroying your Intelligence?

December 9, 2010 By

I can’t focus
I’ve been diagnosed with adult ADD
I can’t sleep at night
I just can’t concentrate anymore
My memory stinks…
These are just a few of the complaints that I hear from my clients daily. What is going on and why do so many people have such a hard time with their minds? We are literally a nation of broken minds.  ADD, depression/Anxiety and memory/focus issues are just the most visible problems.  The average person is functioning at a much lower level then man did in the past.

First we need to make sure that nutrition is up to par before looking elsewhere. But if someone takes vitamins and eats right and gets a decent amount of sleep, what is the story? Is it possible that we are training our brains to focus shallowly? To simply skim the surface? To never delve deeply into researching and reading since we can find any fact we want by using Google? What an amazing tool, but like any other increase in technology there is always a downside.

There are several studies that demonstrate exactly  that. The mind will become patterned by the way it is used.  If you consistently move from channel to channel on the TV or from web site to website on the internet you are training your mind to think shallowly.  You are not spending time thinking through a problem so much as finding someone else who has done it for you on-line.  Rarely does anyone need to spend time in school delving through major amounts of text to find an answer. Instead we jump from idea to idea, concept to concept and maintain a “novelty seeking” mentality to finding the answers we desire. This results in permanent changes in brain function and the size of various parts of the brain. Multi-tasking has been  proven to be bad for the brain.

When we engage in thrill seeking or novelty addicted behavior we grow the part of our mind that responds to pleasure. Soon that part of our mind becomes addicted to the brain chemicals being released and needs more and more to get the same feeling.  Think gambling addictions, sex addicts or substance abuse.  Through using technology in a specific way we are turning technology into an addictive substance that integrates easily into our lives. But the results can be as negative long term as having any other kind of addiction.  Shrinking the prefrontal cortex creates  behavior problems like ADD, depression and Anxiety.

One of the best ways to change this pattern is to increase the size of the prefrontal cortex which is done by increasing blood flow to that part of your brain.  The prefrontal cortex controls executive functions and when you use hypnosis to still the mind or relax the mind into the alpha/theta brainwaves you are supplying nutrition to this part of the brain. You are building mental muscle. Buddhist monks who meditate daily are shown to have a much larger prefrontal cortex than the average person.

So give it a try…take a day off from the Internet.  Watch one show at a time on TV.  Read a non-fiction book instead of just snapping up information on Google. Turn off your “smart phone” .  Stop making calls and texting while driving.  Better yet just take some time to simply “be”. You may actually start feeling smarter, more focused and calm then you can remember feeling in a really long time.

Filed Under: Academic performance, Hypnosis & Depression, Hypnosis FAQ Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Fear and Peak Performance

October 21, 2010 By

Fear will stop you from performing at your peak.  Fear will paralyze you.  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” FDR.   This is another incredibly powerful statement of the power that fear exerts over all of us.

So what is it about fear that makes it such a powerful emotion??  Its power lies in our instinct to survive.  That primal, basic part of the brain, the limbic system sounds the alarm and then a cascade of neurological activity follows.  The fear response is based upon our memories and experiences, our learned fears from the past.  However worries and anxieties are out in our future.  So obviously since it helps us to survive we need it, right?  Yes, we need fear as a call to action when something dangerous to our survival happens. However as FDR so succinctly stated, fear is something to be feared as well.  The problem lies in too much fear.  Unrelenting chronic fear that is based on the possibility of danger causes stress and is derogatory to our health and well-being. It creates high levels of stress hormones and that creates disease and other problems.  Also unrealistic fears or phobias are capable of taking control of our lives.

So what else can we learn about fear?  It is based on the past and we can trigger it by worrying about the future.  But right now there is no fear. If we stay in the present moment and we let go of old memories and fears from our past and stop focusing on the possibility of terrible things happening in our future the fear disappears.  In order to do this we need to change the way we think.  We need to take back some of the control because fear is an out of control emotion.

If you let circumstances control you when good things happen then you will also allow fear and negativity to rule your life when things are not going well. As reasonable people we need to be living in reality.  If things are really in a negative place in your life then thinking to yourself that your life is great is a delusion.  However when things are going well in life and we spend our free time worrying about what might happen to change our life for the negative, that is also deluded thinking.  People who tend to be on an “emotional rollercoaster” are an example of too much focus on momentary success and not enough on the process or the overall desired outcome.

When dealing with the concept of “peak performance” fear is the first thing that has to be addressed.  To perform the best you can entails getting you out of your way.  Whether it’s performing in sports, stage sales, academics or simply in life itself, fear stops clear focused action. Fear is the root cause of all negative emotions and behaviors.  Procrastination, limiting beliefs and self-sabotage are examples of mental thought processes  that are rooted in fear.   The two main fears are fear of failure and fear of success.  Most other fears like fear of public speaking, performance Anxiety or cold call reluctance can all be traced back to these two main performance fears.

I use hypnosis, and Neuro-linguistics(NLP) to take my clients past old fears and to create the ability to focus more on the present moment and the future that they desire.   When you get out of old fears and focus on the here and now you will be able to see the future more clearly.  This will move you to take action and the fear will truly be a thing of the past.

Filed Under: Academic performance, Hypnosis & Performance, Hypnosis FAQ, Sales & Hypnosis, Sports Performance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Virtual or Hypnotic Gastric Bypass

October 1, 2010 By

I have been getting calls recently for information on the hypnotic or virtual gastric bypass.  This process has gained national prominence due to a profile on Good Morning America this past week.

The hypnotic gastric lap band or bypass process works on the concept that in hypnosis the client believes and experience things so vividly that the brain cannot tell the difference between the hypnotic experience and reality.  During the imagined procedure you will mentally be taken through the process of the bypass operation.  This gets your mind to accept that your stomach has very limited capacity.   If you believe that your stomach is tiny you will not want to eat too much and if you do overeat you will experience pain and discomfort and so begin to associate that discomfort with overeating.  The subsequent hypnosis sessions take the client through the new way of eating.  Creating the desire to eat healthy high quality foods in small amounts and using additional reinforcement to maintain the weight loss.

Because there is no physical surgery taking place there are none of the usual surgical side effects and the only down side I can see is that it might not work for some, just as a small percentage of smokers will not stop smoking with hypnosis.  As with anything in life, some people will have great results and others minimal.  The upside is that it is much less expensive then the surgical procedure and if it doesn’t work as well as you would like you can still get the surgery later.

It is definitely recommended for anyone who needs to lose a considerable amount of weight and would rather not go the surgical route.

Filed Under: Hypnosis & Performance, Weight Loss with Hypnosis Tagged With: , ,
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