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How To Diet? – Video

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:12 am

24-05-2012 21:14 - Click To Left to find out the 6 Crucial Factors to Consider on How to Diet Safely and Effectively

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How To Diet? - Video

Why 'Miracle Diet' Controls Epilepsy

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

May 23, 2012 12:00pm

While neurologists have known that a high-fat and very low-carb diet, known as a ketogenic diet, reduces seizures in epileptic patients who are resistant to medical therapy, the why to it all has always been a mystery.

But today, some scientists say they may have found the answer. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School said seizures might be linked to a protein that changes metabolism in the brain, which is why patients respond so well to the ketogenic diet.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repeated seizures, or convulsions, over time. The seizures represent episodes of disturbed brain activity and cause changes in attention and behavior, according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition affects about 3 million Americans and 50 million people worldwide, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.

The ketogenic diet mimics aspects of starvation by forcing the body to burn fats instead of carbohydrates. The diet produces ketones in the body, organic compounds that form when the body uses fat, instead of glucose, as a source of energy. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures.

The study, published in the journal Neuron and conducted in genetically-altered mice, found that the effect of the ketogenic diet on epilepsy can be mimicked using a much more specific and non-dietary approach by manipulating a particular protein in mice, said Gary Yellen, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and co-author of the study.

This points toward potential new ways of treating epilepsy in patients for whom current drugs are not effective, said Yellen.

Yellen said that while the connection between epilepsy and diet has remained unclear for nearly 100 years, he has seen childrens lives change drastically after changes in their food intake. In the past, some patients have also seen improvement when they cut nearly all sugar from their diets.

Experimenting in mice, the researchers found they could mimic the effects of the diet by altering a specific protein, known as BAD. Seizures decreased in the mice.

While the research must first be replicated in humans, Yellen said, in the long run, scientists should be able to target this pathway pharmacologically.

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Why 'Miracle Diet' Controls Epilepsy

Fatty Diet Preventing Seizures May Lead to Epilepsy Drugs

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

By Elizabeth Lopatto - 2012-05-23T16:00:00Z

A fatty diet that helps control epileptic seizures may do so by triggering a chemical change in the brain, a discovery that could lead to new treatments, according to a Harvard University study.

The diet may force a protein to switch the brains fuel to fat byproducts called ketones from its preferred energy, glucose, according to a study in genetically manipulated mice in the journal Neuron. Making the brain operate on ketones is known to shut down overexcited neurons that cause seizures.

This so-called ketogenic diet is used by epilepsy patients who arent helped by seizure-reducing drugs. The patients are only allowed a saltine crackers worth of carbohydrates daily, said Gary Yellen, a study author. Thats hard to do, and new treatments based on the diets effects in the body may lead to better control of seizures, he said.

There are kids who go off this diet because they and their parents cant manage it, said Yellen, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Having a pharmaceutical to help them would be important.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures, where neurons fire in a disorganized and sudden way, according to the National Institutes of Health. About 3 million Americans are epileptic, according to the Landover, Maryland-based Epilepsy Foundation, an advocacy group.

Yellens coauthor, Nika Danial, an assistant professor of cell biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is working on mimicking the protein. That may lead to a treatment, or help researchers look through chemical libraries for something similar, she said.

The diet is very high in fat, with some protein and almost no carbohydrates, triggering the body to use fat as its source of energy and imitating the effects of starvation on the body. That releases ketones, which can provide energy to the brain in lieu of sugar.

In epileptic mice, the scientists tinkered with a protein called BCL-2-associated agonist of cell death, or BAD, to promote ketones and lower levels of glucose. While their seizures decreased, there was no effect in mice that had been genetically altered to take out the protein, providing evidence for how it worked, according to the study.

The switch is much like changing from diesel to unleaded fuel, causing fewer seizures, Yellen said. Something about the swap prevents neurons from firing too much, though the full extent of the changes isnt clear. Additionally, a ketogenic diet may be effective in some neurodegenerative disorders, Danial said.

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Fatty Diet Preventing Seizures May Lead to Epilepsy Drugs

Understanding epilepsy "miracle" diet may lead to better treatments, scientists say

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

(CBS News) Children with epilepsy who don't respond well to anti-seizure medications are sometimes treated with a strict "ketogenic diet" that's high in fats and low in carbohydrates, including foods like bacon, hot dogs, butter and eggs.

Seizures often misdiagnosed as epilepsy, actually stress: Study Epilepsy surgery shown effective for many hard-to-control cases Epilepsy Miracle Diet Cuts Seizures Drugs Can't

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, the diet is so effective for some kids that they can go off "keto" for a few years and remain seizure-free. In 2010, the New York Times profiled the diet as "Epilepsy's Big Fat Miracle" and despite being prescribed at more than 100 hospitals around the country, researchers weren't exactly sure how it worked - until now.

In a new study of mice, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston have found that a child's ability to stave off seizures is tied to a protein that affects metabolism in the brain. The protein, so-called BCL-2-associated Agonist of Cell Death, or BAD, also regulates metabolism of glucose.

The researchers discovered that by modifying this this, they switched metabolism in brain cells from glucose to ketone bodies, which are fat byproducts.

"It was then that we realized we had come upon a metabolic switch to do what the ketogenic diet does to the brain without any actual dietary therapy," study author Dr. Alfredo Gimenez-Cassinam a research fellow at Dana-Farber, said in a news release.

The researchers used genetically modified mice to alter the BAD protein to increase ketone metabolism in the brain, and seizures in mice decreased. The findings suggest the BAD Protein could be a promising target for future epilepsy drugs. The study is published in the May 24th issue of the journal Neuron.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by repeated seizures, likened to electrical storms in the brain, that can appear as convulsions, loss of motor control, or loss of consciousness.

"I've met a lot of kids whose lives are completely changed by this diet," study co-author Dr. Gary Yellen, professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, said in a university news release. Yellen was introduced to the ketogenic diet through his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Thiele, who directs the Pediatric Epilepsy Program at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. "Diets in general are hard, and this diet is really hard," said Yellen, "So finding a pharmacological substitute for this would make lots of people really happy."

About two in 100 people will experience a seizure at some point in their lives, according to the Mayo Clinic, and at least two unprovoked seizures often are required to diagnose epilepsy. Anti-seizure medications such are often prescribed and brain surgery is a possibility for some people whose seizures originate in a small, well-defined area of the brain not involved with vital processes. Some children may even outgrow the condition with age.

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Understanding epilepsy "miracle" diet may lead to better treatments, scientists say

The Obsession with Danica Patrick’s Diet: NASCAR Fan View

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

As drivers prepare for the Coca-Cola 600 scheduled for May 27 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, there is one story that is getting an inordinate amount of attention. The obsession with Danica Patrick's diet and how she will handle the 600 mile race is only growing. Her diet was part of the May 24 press conference and revealed a ridiculous focus on something other drivers handle without incident.

The Diet

On May 24, NASCAR fans received a lesson in Danica Patrick's diet preparations for the Coca-Cola 600 thanks to a press conference committed to ignoring the hard questions. The topics ranged from the types of snacks that Danica will have in her car to general diet inquiries. Patrick responded by explaining that her diet is "healthy all the time" and that she will have a special drink mix in the car for the race. Danica Patrick admitted that her trainer will provide input in her snack preparations.

Contributing to the Problem?

Danica, who is just slightly over 5 feet tall, has had her weight in the spotlight since her time in IndyCar. Since she weighs 100 pounds, drivers initially accused of her having an unfair advantage due to low body weight. Modifications in the rule books to total car mass have made sure that this type of advantage is not possible, but her weight is still in the headlines.

While other drivers faced questions about their season and the upcoming race on May 27, Patrick's press conference was absorbed in dissecting her snack choices. Can Danica be blamed? She has brought up the topic of her diet frequently, and her new sponsorship with Coke Zero is contributing to the problem. She has even posted pictures of a minuscule cheese platter on her Twitter account. However, the media's bias was still visible as male drivers were never asked about their diets.

The Danica Patrick Fit Fuel Concession Stand

The Charlotte Motor Speedway seems to be benefitting from the hype surrounding Danica Patrick's diet. The track has added a concession stand that provides healthier options. The Danica Patrick Fit Fuel concession stand provides veggie burgers, fresh fruit and sliced vegetables. It is an interesting contrast to some of the other items offered at the Charlotte Motor Speedway that include deep-fried cupcakes and fried cheese sticks.

More from this contributor:

Matt Kenseth Has a New Sponsor: NASCAR Fan Reaction

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The Obsession with Danica Patrick’s Diet: NASCAR Fan View

Weight-loss surgery reduces desire for alcohol

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

WEIGHT-loss surgery not only rids people of their fat, it may also abolish alcohol cravings.

Some people choose to lose weight by going under the knife to decrease the size of their stomach. One such surgery - the Roux-en-Y procedure, or "gastric bypass" - involves stapling the stomach to leave a small pouch at the top, which is then connected to the small intestine. Food then bypasses most of the original stomach and a chunk of the intestine too. This significantly reduces the amount of food a person is physically able to eat and the amount of nutrients they can absorb.

Jon Davis and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio collected outcome data on 80,000 people in the US who had had weight-loss surgery, including Roux-en-Y. They found that only those who had the Roux-en-Y procedure reported drinking fewer alcoholic drinks after the surgery than before. People who underwent other types of surgery, such as a gastric band, saw no change in alcohol use.

To investigate further, the team carried out Roux-en-Y surgery on rats bred to prefer alcohol, and found that they also stopped drinking it afterwards. This held even when the team used established psychological experiments to associate alcohol with a reward (Biological Psychiatry, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.01.035). "It's a real phenomenon," says Davis.

His team thinks that the sudden drop in alcohol consumption may be down to a hormone called GLP-1. When partly digested food hits the middle section of the small intestine, called the jejunum, GLP-1 is produced. This triggers the production of insulin, which in turn acts to lower blood glucose levels. After Roux-en-Y surgery, this part of the intestine is much closer to the stomach, causing it to be exposed to a much higher level of nutrients than it normally would be. Davis thinks this may be ramping up the production of the hormone.

It is this extra GLP-1 that may be influencing cravings, he says. The hormone is thought to play a role in limiting how much food we eat once we are full. "GLP-1 travels through the blood to get to the brain, where it is thought to stimulate an aversion to food," says Davis. He thinks it may be eliciting a similar effect on alcohol consumption because alcoholic drinks can contain lots of calories.

Carel le Roux at Imperial College London says the finding fits with his own results that suggest weight-loss surgery not only reduces hunger, but also the reward associated with food. He says it may be that "the surgery makes you less bothered about your favourite 'sin', whether this is food or alcohol".

Davis's group is now testing a diabetes drug in mice that acts to increase levels of GLP-1, in the hope that it might help alcoholics give up alcohol.

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Weight-loss surgery reduces desire for alcohol

School Uses Weight Loss Curriculum

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

Wellspring Academy is unlike any other school in the United States. It's a boarding school for overweight and obese teens, that features weight loss as it's core curriculum alongside reading, writing and arithmetic.

For many students, attending the academy is a last resort -- and sometimes a life-saving one. When 17-year-old Jenna Chrisman enrolled in the school, she was 272 pounds and already diabetic. Simply walking is a struggle for her, and she said she was relentlessly teased at her old school where her classmates called her a "manatee and hippo."

"I was afraid I was going to die," she said.

Childhood obesity has tripled over the past 30 years and today, nearly one in every three school-age kids is overweight or obese, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. But Wellspring believes the solution to the alarming obesity epidemic lies as much in kids' minds as in their metabolism.

In addition to math, history and other subjects, Wellspring's curriculum includes the science of weight loss, broken down across nutrition, physiology and psychology. Students undergo an intense behavior modification through the use of food diaries combined with cognitive therapy, both in a group setting and one-on-one.

The school has campuses in North Carolina and California and recommends students attend at a minimum a four-month semester, but officials prefer students enroll for nine months, or a full school year. The 40 or so students who attend Wellspring range in age from 11 to 18, and some are tipping the scale at 400 pounds.

When Michael Schlesinger, 16, arrived at Wellspring nine months ago he weighed 428 pounds and said he had trouble wrapping a seatbelt around his waist.

"When I realized I couldn't really do anything, like I would get out of breath walking down the block, just take my dog up and down the street, and it came to the point where I had enough," he said.

Schlesinger said his first week at Wellspring felt like torture. He was plagued by shin splints, which made it hurt to walk, but he said he lost 15 pounds in his first week, and seven pounds the next. Over the course of nine months, Schlesinger managed to lose 160 pounds.

PHOTOS: Michael Schlesinger's Dramatic Weight-Loss Transformation

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School Uses Weight Loss Curriculum

Weight loss improves SBD and metabolic dysregulation in obese children

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

Public release date: 23-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nathaniel Dunford ndunford@thoracic.org 212-315-8620 American Thoracic Society

ATS 2012, SAN FRANCISCO Weight loss improved both metabolic parameters and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in obese children in a new study from researchers in Belgium, confirming links between metabolic dysregulation, SDB and obesity.

"SDB is highly prevalent in childhood obesity, and may be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome. In our population of 224 obese children and adolescents, 30% had SDB, which was significantly correlated with metabolic parameters, including aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and HDL cholesterol at baseline," said Stijn Verhulst, MD, MSc, PhD, coordinator of the pediatric sleep lab at the Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. "After weight loss, all metabolic parameters improved, and just 24% of the study group had residual SDB."

The results will be presented at the ATS 2012 International Conference in San Francisco.

Median age of the children in the study was 15.5 years (range 10.1-18.0). Participants underwent baseline sleep screening and those with diagnosed SDB underwent additional sleep screening four-six months after weight loss treatment. A fasting blood assay was performed at baseline and at four-six months.

Mean BMI at baseline was 36.4 kg/m2. After a six-month weight loss program that incorporated diet, increased physical activity and psychological support, mean BMI was reduced to 29.2 kg/m2. ASAT improved after weight loss in parallel with an improvement in oxygen saturation during sleep, while HDL-cholesterol mainly improved with lowering BMI.

"The association between SDB and metabolic parameters in children remains controversial," said Dr. Verhulst. "This study confirmed the independent effect of nocturnal hypoxia on HDL-cholesterol and liver enzyme levels in morbidly obese teenagers with SDB at baseline. We also confirmed that weight loss has a high success percentage in the treatment of SDB in obese teenagers. Furthermore, both weight loss and the consequent improvement in SDB both drive improvements in metabolic dysregulation."

"Because of the high dropout rate after six months and the relatively limited number of subjects with residual sleep apnea, these findings need to be confirmed in a larger study," Dr. Verhulst concluded. "Furthermore, it remains important to study the mechanisms linking SDB with these metabolic parameters in obese teens and to study the long-term effects of SDB on future metabolic and cardiovascular morbidity."

###

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Weight loss improves SBD and metabolic dysregulation in obese children

Weight Loss: Separating Fact from Fiction

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC's "20/20" recently aired a special, entitled "Losing It: The Big Fat Money Pit," that examined the burgeoning weight loss industry as a whole. Many of the methods discussed from dieting to pills and surgery have been popularized by celebrities who get paid as much as $60,000 for each pound that they lose for their endorsements. There are two important takeaways from this in-depth look at the industry. First, anyone interested in losing weight should ignore the celebrity commercials, billboards and unsubstantiated claims. Instead, it is vital to do some of your own legwork and find a method based on peer-reviewed research (they are out there!). Secondly, and this is really important for long term success, stop thinking of any single method as a silver bullet. Sustainable weight loss demands long-term commitment from the patient even when it comes to proven methods such as bariatric surgery and no responsible physician will tell you otherwise.

The "20/20" special examines many different weight loss solutions, from perennial favorites (with dubious efficacy) like diet pills, as well as "fat camps" for the ultra-wealthy and even feeding tubes. The special also touches on Lap Band surgery, highlighting individual cases of negligence while responsibly pointing out that, when done right, this procedure is very safe and can offer dramatic weight loss results. The key is to carefully select a doctor who has a solid reputation and a proven track record of success. At Dr. Feiz & Associates, a well-known weight loss surgery center in Beverly Hills, Dr. Michael Feiz has maintained a complication rate far lower than the national average, and has never had a single mortality. Nevertheless, he believes strongly in educating anyone interested in the procedures that he offers (the Lap Band, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric bypass) about ALL the potential risks and benefits. Responsible surgeons like Dr. Feiz are rightly appalled by some of the stories of misleading advertising and neglectful care that have found their way onto the airwaves. He and his team of medical professionals have dedicated themselves to raising the standard of care for the entire industry.

The special also points out the tragic phenomenon of "yo-yo dieting," where people lose weight with one method, regain the pounds, and then go searching for the next big thing. Many of these methods are scams, but even if they offer what they promise to offer, lasting success demands total commitment from the patient. Dr. Feiz and his team foster long-term relationships with their patients, helping oversee proper nutritional and exercise regimens after the operation is finished. This is the only way to keep off the pounds and achieve a healthy lifestyle. "Easy fixes" make for great sound bites, but experienced and responsible surgeons like Dr. Feiz know better, and that is why they have seen so much success with their patients.

To learn more about Dr. Feiz & Associates, visit online at http://www.drfeiz.com, and contact them for a FREE consultation.

PR submitted by http://www.Cyberset.com

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Weight Loss: Separating Fact from Fiction

Weight Loss Improves SDB and Metabolic Dysregulation

Posted: May 25, 2012 at 9:11 am

Oral presentation: Wednesday, May 23, 9:30 a.m. Mini-symposium: 8:15-10:45 a.m Location: Room 3020-3022 (West Building, Level 3), Moscone Center

Weight Loss Improves Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Metabolic Dysregulation in Obese Children

Newswise ATS 2012, SAN FRANCISCO Weight loss improved both metabolic parameters and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in obese children in a new study from researchers in Belgium, confirming links between metabolic dysregulation, SDB and obesity.

SDB is highly prevalent in childhood obesity, and may be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome. In our population of 224 obese children and adolescents, 30% had SDB, which was significantly correlated with metabolic parameters, including aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and HDL cholesterol at baseline, said Stijn Verhulst, MD, MSc, PhD, coordinator of the pediatric sleep lab at the Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. After weight loss, all metabolic parameters improved, and just 24% of the study group had residual SDB.

The results will be presented at the ATS 2012 International Conference in San Francisco.

Median age of the children in the study was 15.5 years (range 10.1-18.0). Participants underwent baseline sleep screening and those with diagnosed SDB underwent additional sleep screening four-six months after weight loss treatment. A fasting blood assay was performed at baseline and at four-six months.

Mean BMI at baseline was 36.4 kg/m2. After a six-month weight loss program that incorporated diet, increased physical activity and psychological support, mean BMI was reduced to 29.2 kg/m2. ASAT improved after weight loss in parallel with an improvement in oxygen saturation during sleep, while HDL-cholesterol mainly improved with lowering BMI.

The association between SDB and metabolic parameters in children remains controversial, said Dr. Verhulst. This study confirmed the independent effect of nocturnal hypoxia on HDL-cholesterol and liver enzyme levels in morbidly obese teenagers with SDB at baseline. We also confirmed that weight loss has a high success percentage in the treatment of SDB in obese teenagers. Furthermore, both weight loss and the consequent improvement in SDB both drive improvements in metabolic dysregulation.

Because of the high dropout rate after six months and the relatively limited number of subjects with residual sleep apnea, these findings need to be confirmed in a larger study, Dr. Verhulst concluded. Furthermore, it remains important to study the mechanisms linking SDB with these metabolic parameters in obese teens and to study the long-term effects of SDB on future metabolic and cardiovascular morbidity.

###

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Weight Loss Improves SDB and Metabolic Dysregulation


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