Why Dehydration Makes You Fat and Sick [Infographic]

Effects of Chronic Dehydration on Health & Body Weight

In his book, Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You're Not Sick, You're Thirsty!,  Dr. F. Batmanghelidj explains why and how persistent dehydration leads to various chronic diseases, illnesses and ailments (including overweight and obesity) and cites 46 vital reasons why our bodies need adequate amounts of water every day.

Much of what Dr. Batmanghelidj so thoroughly explains in his book is reflected and summarized in this fantastic infographic entitled "Why Dehydration is Making You Fat and Sick".

It is thought that chronic dehydration is linked to fatigue, high blood pressure, asthma, allergies, high cholesterol, digestive disorders, bladder and kidney problems, constipation, joint pain or stiffness, premature aging, excessive weight gain and obesity.

Research suggests that drinking plenty of clean, fresh water (while forgoing sodas, commercially prepared fruit juices and caffeinated beverages) helps to relieve pain and aids in the healing various illness and diseases.

General good health is essential to maintaining a healthy weight.  Drinking enough water is further thought to have a direct impact on preventing weight gain and promoting weight loss.

Many health experts now advise drinking about 8 ounces of water immediately upon waking and again right before sleeping, about 16 ounces of water before and after each meal and throughout any exercise or physical activity session.

Some health professionals advocate drinking lemon water first thing in the morning as being one of the best ways to detox the liver, kidneys and other organs. Lemon water is thought to cleanse and purify the blood, eliminating poisonous bile from the body and flushing out other toxins that have accumulated during sleep.

It should be noted that each individual's daily water requirement is different and depends of various factors, including weight, activity level, diet, medication and climate.  For more information about your body's water requirements, see this Daily Water Chart.

Related:

Why You Need Water in Your Life
Amazing Water Remedies
15 Health Benefits of Lemon Water

Infographic:

Infographic Source: Bittopper.com - Dehydration

Weight Loss - 5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep it Off [Infographic]

5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
Infographic by EatoHealth.com

 Dieting in the U.S. is at an all time low, according to data compiled and released by The NPD Group, a leading global information company that has been tracking Americans' eating habits for nearly 30 years.

Currently, only about 20% of American adults report that they are on a weight loss diet, as compared to the 31% who reported being on a diet in 1991.

According to The NPD Group, their data suggests that dieters are giving up on diets more quickly than in the past.  Their data also suggests that while Americans still want to lose weight, they are changing their attitudes about being overweight.  That is, fewer Americans are viewing being overweight as unattractive.

The waning interest in dieting might also be attributed to confusion about weight loss foods, programs and strategies brought about by so much conflicting information and claims.

Also, many of the most popular fad diets are very extreme, leaving out entire food groups and/or severely restricting intake of calories. Good examples of these are Atkins, Raw Vegan Food, and the HCG Diet.

For the majority of people, these types of diets are too difficult to follow and maintain over the long-term.  Additionally, the effectiveness and even safety of some of these diet plans has been the subject of much controversy.

So, its easy to see why Americans are getting tired of following a specific diet program or not buying into the latest weight loss craze.

The good news is that its very possible to lose weight and maintain that weight loss by making some relatively simple lifestyle changes.

This infographic illustrates five common weight loss challenges and provides solutions, tips and information for each.  They are:

1.  Limit calories and fat

2.  Eat five small meals a day, starting with breakfast

3.  Monitor food intake

4.  Eat consistently throughout the year

5.  Limit restaurant meals

Related:
10 Tips for Guaranteed Weight Loss
Women are Dying to be Thin

Infographic source and more weight loss, nutrition and health information and tips at:
EatoHealth - 5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

10 Tips for Guaranteed Weight Loss [Infographic]

10 Tips for Guaranteed Weight Loss
[Infographic from Health Me Up]

New Year Weight Loss Resolution

As the end of the year approaches, many people begin thinking about their New Year resolutions.  For many, at the top of the resolution list is to lose those extra pounds "once and for all".

Unfortunately, for most dieters, this is not the first time they have resolved to make a big weight loss effort in a new year.

Sure, a new year feels like an excellent opportunity to start a new diet, to join the gym, finally sign up for that yoga class, or take up another type of exercise or physical fitness program.

But for many people struggling with obesity or being overweight, past experience demonstrates that it is often very difficult to stay on a diet plan or with an exercise program, despite the best intentions and initial firmest resolve.

This may be because most people do not make adequate preparations before beginning a new weight loss program. Many experts in the field agree that certain preparations and planning are the key to success in losing the extra weight.

Keys to Success

This infographic entitled "10 Tips for Guaranteed Weight Loss" outlines some of the important and useful ways to prepare and plan, including:

1.    Deciding how much weight to lose
2.    Managing one's time
3.    Stocking the kitchen
4.    Eating healthy home cooked meals
5.    Starting a cardio and weight training workout
6.    Altering snacking habits
7.    Having at least one active hobby
8.    Finding a solution to combat stress
9.    Drinking plenty of water
10.  Planning healthy vacations

These are all really great tips for starting and maintaining a weight loss program successfully.  Other suggestions include:

❤ Making sure to get enough sleep
❤ Joining an online or local weight loss support group
❤ Adopting a regular meditation practice

So regardless of which weight loss or exercise program you choose, be sure to plan and prepare ahead using as many of these tips as possible.

Related

How Hormones Affect Weight Loss and Gain
Weight Loss Tips and Strategies
How Can You Burn Your Stored Fat?
5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
hCG Weight Loss - Rapid and Long Lasting

Infographic

Infographic source and further information at:
Health Me Up - Weight Loss

East vs. West Medicine [Infographic]

Weight Loss and East vs. West Medicine

Chronic Illness & Weight Loss in the West

In the West, we are obsessed with dieting, as evidenced by the sheer number of diets, dietary supplements, weight loss and physical fitness programs and exercise equipment.

Although the desire to be thin often stems from societal pressure to look good, there is a more important reason why we should worry about being overweight, particularly if we have a big waistline and lots of belly fat - obesity and being overweight is linked to many chronic, debilitating and even life-threatening diseases and medical conditions.

Yet, it is thought that various diseases and chronic illnesses (as well as certain "modern" medications) actually cause weight gain and/or impede weight loss.

Hence, in the West, an overweight or obese person who also suffers from certain illness or chronic medical condition is sometimes trapped in a vicious cycle.  This may be because Western medicine often seeks to treat only the symptoms of each condition separately with a prescription for drugs for that particular condition.  When the drugs stop working, or complications due to drug interaction or other reasons arise, the next step is often invasive surgery.

Chronic Illness & Weight Loss in the East

In contract, Eastern medicine (such as Ayurveda) seeks to address and treat the underlying causes of the illness or medical condition, taking into consideration each individual's unique physical, mental and emotional constitution.  By treating the cause (rather than just the symptoms), the symptoms resolve once the cause is discovered and treated.

Eastern medicine also typically relies on only natural courses of both internal and topical treatments, such as proper nutrition, herbal preparations, acupuncture, acupressure and massage, meditation and yoga, detoxification, lifestyle modification and other holistic remedies.

Infographic

This Infographic entitled "East vs. West Medicine" illustrates some of the key differences between the two approaches, including the history, basic theory, examination and diagnosis, and the duration of treatment for certain ailments and conditions.

First Steps

Insofar as obesity and being overweight is concerned, most functional medicine physicians and holistic health practitioners agree that any weight loss effort must first begin with a healthy physical, mental and emotional constitution.

The idea is that with a proper diet, program of physical activity, lifestyle changes and natural treatments specific to the individual person, the underlying causes of the illness will be address and weight loss will occur naturally and more easily.

Luckily, in the West, we now live in an age and time when we have access to both systems of medicine.  If we are doing something that is not working, we can become informed and educate ourselves concerning all of our available options.***  A good place to start is by reading some of the books suggested below.


***Nothing in this post should be interpreted as medical advice or a suggestion to stop using currently prescribed medication or other courses of treatment without the supervision and oversight of a qualified medical professional.

Related

How Hormones Affect Weight Loss and Gain
Weight Loss Tips and Strategies
How Can You Burn Your Stored Fat?
5 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Infographic Source

Infographic Source:  HealthExecNews.com