The Dbottino Weblog

Yes, there is more to the Mediterranean than sun, beach and wine… there is the Mediterranean Diet…

For many years now the inhabitants of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea - (such as southern Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon and Israel) have been considered to be among the healthiest in the world enjoying both high life expectancy plus showing health benefits like low incidence of chronic diseases and in recent years many studies have been made to discover why and if it has to do with more than just the sunshine!

Traditionally, their diet has been based on the livestock, fishing and agriculture of their land and reliance on foods from a rich diversity of plant sources including fruits, whole grains, nuts, beans and seeds. In Northern Africa for example, couscous, vegetables and legumes form the centre of the diet, in the Eastern Mediterranean, bulgar and rice along with vegetables and legumes and in Southern Europe, the basis is formed by rice, polenta, pasta with plenty of vegetables and legumes and everywhere bread is eaten at most meals (but without butter!).

Nutritional research has shown the advantages of a diet HIGH in vegetables, fruits, grains, monounsaturated fats and various complex carbohydrates but LOW in cholesterol and certain forms of saturated fat and led to greater public awareness.

It is true that these foods, like those foods consumed by the rest of Europe and the United States are rich in fat, BUT… of a different type!

Let me explain this: There are three types of dietary fats:

Saturated fats, (from animals)
Polyunsaturated fats (from plants, seeds, nuts and vegetables)
mono saturated fats (olive oil). Olive oil isn’t only delicious (and somewhat expensive) but it’s also rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, E and K as well as iron.

The health and therapeutic benefits of olive oil are vast: namely…

it does not have the same cholesterol raising effects as the saturated fats found in animal fats
it contains anti-oxidants that discourage clogging of the arteries and chronic diseases including cancer
and it also has lubricating properties in so far as it acts as a laxative, aids digestion and protects the intestine from ulcers.

Now, this “Mediterranean diet” - (though not exactly a diet in the ’slimmers’ sense of the word), has led to a style of eating that is a move away from relying on manufactured food stuffs to recipes consisting of natural and healthy ingredients eaten raw or minimally processed.

So WHAT typically comprises “The Mediterranean Diet?”

When, in 1993, The Harvard University School of Public Health and Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust (a Boston based educational organisation) held a conference on the Mediterranean diet and its influence on public health, reviewing data concerned with the dietary traditions of those countries bordering the Mediterranean, the committee developed the “Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid”, the main points of which are summarised as follows:

plenty of food from plant sources, including fruit, vegetables, breads and grains, beans, nuts and seeds
use of Olive Oil replacing other fats and oils
fresh fruit daily
Seasonally fresh and locally grown foods in preference to processed foods
Saturated fat should constitute less than 20 per cent of total calories
small amounts of cheese and yoghurt (containing live cultures which may contribute to good health)
daily moderate amounts of fish and poultry weekly and only a few eggs
very little red meat
a glass of wine (especially red) with meals as it contains anti-oxidants and has cholesterol reducing properties (although optional as there are contraindications for women related to breast cancer)

Natalia Kim is a journalist for
http://www.beginning-exercise-and-weight-loss-help.com

Diagnosis of Mesothelioma cancer is very difficult in many cases, because its symptoms can be associated with other diseases too. Hence patient’s medical history is quite important to know, since if there was an exposure to asbestos from the sick person, the risk factors for developing Mesothelioma are greater.

The doctor will order you a physical examination, including chest and abdomen x-rays, and lung function tests. A computerized tomography (CT) or a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan may be useful, along with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The CT scan allows a computer x-rays machine to create a series of detailed pictures of inner body areas. The MRI allows to obtain detailed images of areas inside the body through a powerful magnet linked to a computer.

The way to confirm a Mesothelioma diagnosis is a biopsy, in which an oncologist or a doctor specialized in diagnosing and treating cancer pathologies takes a sample of tissue from the patient to examine it under a microscope.

The biopsy may be performed in various ways. In a thoracoscopy the name of the biopsy if the cancer is in the chest the doctor makes a small cut through the patient’s chest and introduce a tube called thoracoscope to look inside and take tissue samples.

In a peritoneoscopy if the cancer is in the abdomen the doctor makes the same procedure but in the patient’s abdominal cavity to obtain tissue for examination.

The stage of the disease is important to know if cancer is metastasized to other parts of the body, and to apply the best treatment for the patient.

The disease will be ‘localized’ if the cancer is found only on the surface of the membrane, but it will be ‘advanced’ if it has spread to other parts of the body, such as lungs, abdominal organs, chest wall, lymph nodes.

Next Article: Mesothelioma Treatment

Article written by the staff of skindisorder.com a website edited by Hector Milla, if you want to read more articles about skin disorder diseases, feel free to visit http://www.disorderskin.com, or http://www.asbestos-10.com wsib asbestos information, you can reprint this article in your website or ezine, always mentioning the author above and keeping a live link.

Silicosis, Mesothelioma and Asbestosis are all three occupational related cancers that are preventable.

Silicosis is a respiratory disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust, which leads to inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue. Similar to Mesothelioma and Asbestosis, Silicosis silently caused millions of industry related health issues and deaths before it was discovered and could be properly diagnosed.

The main cause of Silicosis is long-term exposure to silica. Silica is a common, naturally occurring crystal. It is found in most rock beds and forms dust during mining, quarrying, tunneling, construction and work with many metal ores. Silica is a main component of sand, so glass workers, sand-blasters and construction laborers also receive heavy exposure to silica.

Risk factors for Silicosis include but are not limited to any work that includes exposure to silica dust. Mining, stone and concrete cutting, quarrying, road and building construction, work with abrasives manufacturing, sand blasting and many other occupations and hobbies involve exposure to silica.

Intense exposure to silica may result in symptoms of or full blown Silicosis in a year or less, but it usually takes at least 10 or 15 years of exposure before most symptoms of Silicosis develop. Silicosis as well as Mesothelioma and Asbestosis have become less common since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) instituted laws and regulations requiring the use of protective equipment, to be provided by employers, that limit the amount of a worker’s hazardous material exposure. Now, in most cases, it is legally and lawfully the responsibility of your employer to protect you by providing personal protection equipment (PPE).

The three different types of Silicosis are:

* Acute Silicosis — results from short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica. The lungs become very inflamed and may fill with fluid, causing severe shortness of breath and low blood oxygen levels.

* Accelerated Silicosis — occurs after exposure to larger amounts of silica over a shorter period of time (5 - 15 years). Inflammation, scarring, and symptoms progress faster in accelerated silicosis than in simple silicosis.

* Simple chronic silicosis — results from long-term exposure (more than 20 years) to low amounts of silica dust. Nodules of chronic inflammation and scarring provoked by the silica dust form in the lungs and chest lymph nodes. This disease may feature breathlessness and may resemble chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you feel that you are in an industry with a high risk of exposure to silica dust, or any other hazardous material, you should take it upon yourself to use every method necessary to protect yourself from exposure. It is important to discuss any health concerns that you may have with your employer and have your employer provide you with the personal protective equipment required by law to minimize your exposure to hazardous materials such as silica. It is legally your employer’s responsibility to provide you with safety devices that will protect you but it is ultimately your responsibility to protect your health and the health of your family.

If your employer is lax or refuses to provide for your safety, it is important that you contact your local, state or federal agency that oversees health and safety law and compliance to report it right away. In most situations you can report any negligence anonymously to prevent being singled out and demoted or fired by your employer. Many times your employer will be forced to comply with the laws by the governing agency and your problems will be solved. As an employer myself, I see the need to protect my employees at any cost because they are not only my most valued assets they are people with families and simply deserve to live and work in the safest environment possible. If your employer does not feel this way, you should not feel one bit of remorse if you have to report abuse to the proper authorities.

If you feel that you have been negligently exposed to Silica, or any other hazardous material and are now experiencing health related issues from it, you should contact a competent lawyer or law office immediately and discuss your situation with them. You may be entitled to compensation due to your employer’s negligence. There are lawyers and attorneys that specialize in Silicosis, Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and a vast array of other occupational health related diseases.

© Copyright 2005 Affordable Concrete Cutting, Inc.

Robert Short is a professional concrete cutter, seasoned article writer and an expert on search engine optimization and linking. He is responsible for ranking our local service company’s website at number one on all major search engines for more than a dozen keyword terms. Visit our website for more articles on linking and webmaster resources at http://www.affordableconcretecutting.com/construction_seo.html.

Reiki is a healing method that became popular in the Western cultures beginning in the twentieth century. It is an ancient healing method that has been used by the Japanese for several centuries. Through Reiki, many people will experience healing, balance, relaxation, and transfers of energy. By knowing how Reiki works, you will be able to use the technique in order to change your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual conscious levels.

When one begins to use Reiki as a practice, there are several principles that are used as guidelines. This will help the understanding of the use of energy to be taught at a higher level. By allowing the principles to be a part of the practice, one can use the energy for spiritual and mental healing easier.

Reiki is known to be a transfer of energy from external to internal environments. The practice began as defining a universal energy that is present in the universe. Those who practice Reiki will then be able to take this universal energy and transfer it into an individual. By doing this, it will change the internal energy level and allow several different types of healing to work.

In order for Reiki to be effective, one is expected to practice several different things. If you are practicing Reiki on your own, there are specific steps to follow. These steps allow you to become in tune to the universal energy, as well as allow you to become focused and relaxed when transferring the energy. Usually, it is best to take a class to learn how to do this effectively. If it is not done properly, it can cause the opposite effect.

The first principle that is taught in Reiki is in relation to the secret of inviting happiness. This is used in order to give students a basic understanding of the different energy flows that they will be using in relation to the Reiki technique. By doing this, the students will be able to understand a level of healing that is taking place. They will also be able to understand a new idea of happiness in relation to using the energy.

The second principle taught is that Reiki is a spiritual medicine for all illness. This idea is mostly taught in order to allow students to understand the basis of Reiki and where it’s emphasis and importance lies. Because it is an alternative healing method, Reiki is able to emphasize the spiritual ties to the method.

For those that are practicing Reiki on their own and decide to take a class, there are several things that will happen. Reiki classes are divided into levels. The more conscious you become of the universal energy and your internal energy, the higher of a level you can move to. Once you become an expert in these methods you can become a teacher, master and healer of this healing method.

The next that is taken in Reiki is to identify the different sources of internal energy that need to be transferred. These will usually be transferred by your breath moving the energy out of your body. Those with illnesses will have parts in their body that have a noticeable different source of energy. You can find this energy through either your intuition, or for those beginning the practice, they can use a light touch to begin recognizing the energy.

Once you recognize the internal and external energy, you can then begin to move the energies out of your body, and new energies in. This is usually done using two methods. Your breathing practice will often times help with this. You can also use a light touch in order to transfer a different energy from the universe. Reiki masters and trainers will usually do the healing using a touch when they are using the method on someone else.

Reiki is known to be an effective method of healing and balancing by several for centuries. By the continuous practice of transferring energy, one will find that healing, balance, relaxation and a different level of focus will take place. Several can use Reiki if they feel that they need a change of energy in their physical, mental, emotional or spiritual lives.

Learn More About The Healing Available from Reiki

Diabetes! Why Must So Many Children Suffer?

Diabetes, the body’s inability to metabolize sugar properly,
is something that most people have to just live with for the
rest of their lives. You can control it, of course, with
proper diet and by taking medication. But the fact that an
increasing number of young children and adolescents are
prone to it nowadays is a cause for concern.

It is not surprising that with the increase in the number of
overweight children and growing obesity problems diabetes
too is growing proportionately. Lesser physical activity
among children Children these days is also creating health
problems.

Physical Inactivity, Extra pounds and Stress

Being overweight doesn’t help. The extra burden those extra
pounds put on your body weaken its response and ability to
handle stress. And this kind of stress increases manifold,
especially when your body is still growing, and is yet to
achieve full size.

These extra pounds come from a life of physical inactivity
in children, too much time sitting at the computer and at
meals is taking its toll in increased weight. Children’s
bodies, already hampered by excess weight, have no way,
therefore, to cope with their diets, rich in fat and sugar.
Very simply put, the body cannot metabolize, or burn, these
high levels of fat and sugar, causing an imbalance that
leads to diabetes in so many children.

You are what you eat

In today’s fast paced world, more and more families rely on
easy to cook, processed foods that have a high fat and sugar
content. In the past, our diets contained wholesome and
nutritious foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.

This can place a tremendous pressure on the body. Like the
camel who can take only so many straws, the body can, and
will tolerate many elements of stress. But like the camel
with the last straw that broke his back, too many stresses
interfere with the normal functioning of vital organs, the
liver and pancreas. The result — disease, maybe even
partial or total dysfunction.

Would you really want to damage something so inherently part
of your nature?

Children will be children, of course, and they can make poor
health choices by eating the wrong foods. But isn’t it
really up to families to encourage and incorporate a healthy
lifestyle at home? And when they don’t, children are more
likely to fall prey to health problems and are more prone to
diabetes.

At the end of the day, everyone in the family needs to pull
together as one team on the same side — the side that keeps
illnesses like diabetes and other unhealthy issues at bay.

Most people groan and moan at the thought of healthy living.
But it doesn’t'thave to be such a grind. Physical exercise
can be fun when done together as a group. Family members can
take turns in coming up with new and interesting, but
healthy recipes to cook every day. Slowly but surely, the
benefits of healthy living will rub off on everyone.

Researchers have found that most teens are only successful in losing about 22 pounds even with medication. A growing number of teens are much more obese than that.

The problems associated with this amount of obesity in teens include diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea. The quality of life for these teens has been found to be about the same as those kids suffering from cancer.

Obviously, the social life of these kids is also much affected by being overweight in a society that looks on beauty as something so much to be desired.

Lap band surgery for teens has become the treatment of choice in those whom medication will not product the required weight loss. Weight loss surgery is also called bariatric surgery. This type of weight loss surgery can normally be done with a laparoscope. This involves three - sometimes four - small incisions in the abdomen. A band is then placed around the top part of the stomach making a small pouch.

When the teen eats, he will only be able to eat a small amount before feeling full. It will be much easier to control the appetite in that way.
This type of surgery is very safe. And the weight comes off. In fact, the usual weight loss is about sixty five pounds.

The cost of this surgery is about $30,000, but more and more insurance companies are covering the procedure. Not only is it helpful for those suffering from obesity as a teen, but it actually saves the insurance company money in the long run.

At present, this surgery is still the treatment of last resort. The first step would be dieting. This might be accompanied by a support group, counseling or even a dieting camp. The second step would be medication. The final result would be weight loss surgery for the teens.

This treatment is not only becoming a common weight loss surgery for teens in the United States, but has recently become more common in countries such as Australia.

According to Monash University’s Centre for Obesity Research and Education 7 percent of Australian youths are obese and 20 percent are overweight.

One University student, Bevan Roberts weighed 120 Kg (about 264 lbs) before surgery. After lap band surgery, she has lost 23 Kg (about 50 lbs). While on her way to losing more, she says that her mental status has improved tremendously.

CORE operated on 81 obese people under the age of 24 last year, up from 34 in 2001. They are recruiting more for this year.

Laparoscopic band surgery for teens has become increasingly the surgical treatment of choice. However, many surgeons are still recommending gastric bypass surgery instead.

In this treatment, the small pouch at the top of the stomach is accompanied by an alteration in the connection of the small bowel to the top of the stomach instead of the bottom of the stomach. In this way, the food bypasses the bottom of the stomach.

This type of surgery, while more invasive has a longer track record. Therefore, the risks and benefits are much more familiar.

Dr. Ron is an Emergency Room physician with over twenty years experience in the health care field. He often treats people for problems with their weight. Come to
Eight Steps to Health now for more great resources.

There is a strong connection between carbohydrates, high blood sugars and diabetes. Carbohydrates give your body the energy, or fuel, it needs to function properly.

There are two types of carbohydrates; simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are in foods such as fruit sugar, corn or grape sugar and table sugar. They are single-sugar molecules. Complex carbohydrates are the foods that contain three or more linked sugars. So carbohydrates create blood sugars and that’s where the problems start for diabetics. Understanding more about the connection helps to control your diabetes…

A Personal Experience
I am a diabetic type 2 and, at the moment, I control my blood sugars through tablets and diet. Blood glucose control is extremely important for any diabetic - it is the only way of minimising future health complications; heart disease; neuropathy resulting in amputations; kidney disease and early death.

Four years ago my A1C sugar levels were starting to get out of control - they weren’t massively high but were creeping up. My Doctor increased my medication - with no real satisfactory results, my blood sugars were all over the place; I could go from a high reading at night and be woken by a hypoglaecemic (low blood sugar) in the early hours.

Then I discovered the Atkins diet and, because I wanted to lose weight, I started to follow the low carbohydrate, high protein menus.

That’s when I discovered the real connection between complex carbohydrates, high blood sugars and my diabetes. Suddenly my blood sugars stabilised and it was because I was no longer piling in high amounts of carbohydrate, which were pushing my blood sugars far to high.

This seemed to fly in the face of conventional advice on the right diets - complex carbohydrate rich - for diabetes. You see, I already understood I had to avoid sweet, sugary food - these contained simple carbohydrates. I hadn’t realised that the more complex carbohydrate of bread, potato and cereals affected my blood sugars as well.

But (there’s always a ‘but’ isn’t there?) the Atkins diet did not really suit me. I had constant diarrhea which was stressful and debilitating. So I came off that diet after 3-4 months and, of course, my blood sugars began to get out of control again.

But now I knew about the connection, all I needed to do was find the right program for me that followed the low carbohydrate principle.

And just recently, whilst doing research for my diabetes website, I discovered a program that suits me, and which I describe in more detail on my website for diabetics; www.your-diabetes.com.

My advice to any diabetic and pre-diabetic, do your research! Understand the close connection between the complex carbohydrates you eat, how they affect your blood sugars and how it can make it difficult to control your diabetes. Once you understand that link, look for a diet or system that you can adapt to safely bring your blood sugars back under control.

Remember, too many carbohydrates (complex or simple) give you high blood sugar levels and if you have diabetes it means your body cannot cope with the additional overload.

Everything vibrates. Everything in the body vibrates, all at its own special frequency. This is a scientific fact. When we are thrown out of balance through physical, emotional or psychic shocks, parts of our bodies and psyche can weaken or overload, creating distorted and unbalanced vibrations. Through the pioneering work of auditory psychic Sharry Edwards, Vibrational Sound therapy (called Bioacoustics in America) has been developed. Low frequency sound waves (generally below 50hz) are fed back to the body via the brain and re-mind the body where it has become out of balance, what the original healthy frequency was.

When the low frequency sound waves that you most need are played back to you, they balance these peaks and troughs to bring the mind and body back to a harmonious state. In this state, the healing can take place. The sound waves are actually vibrating the areas where the energy has become low or distorted, reminding the brain and body of the healthy vibration that was originally there before the problem began.

Thus Vibrational sounds are used as a tool of therapy. Various researches are going on this area. Digital Music and Musical Vibrations deal in various kinds of therapies. Dr. Julie can explain the role of Musical vibrations and the Digital Music in various kind of therapies. To know more about Digital Music, visit Dr. Julie.

Dr. Julie Trudeau - A native of Kankakee, Illinois. In 1984, Dr. Julie Trudeau graduated from the
Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa in America, at the age of 22, and has been a
licensed natural health care provider in Australia since 1985.

To visit our site =>To visit our site: http://www.drjulietrudeau.com

Understand that TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) pain and associated problems make it difficult if not impossible to identify the exact nature of the cause of the problem. Holistic Specifics has approached TMJ with the attitude that we cannot fix everyone, but we can contribute greatly in the wellbeing and recovery of the many who are now suffering.

As has been known for over 3000 years, tight, spasmed muscles have pain associated with TMJ. Tight muscles hurt. Through the use of Therapeutic Massage, we can address this tension and many times relieve it entirely. This soreness, or pain in many cases, is not readily acknowledged by the conscious mind, but is registered and controlled by the sub-conscious mind. In other words, we have developed habits (both good and bad) to deal with the discomfort.

The muscle tightness we are talking about would be in, or associated with, those muscles that control chewing, speech, facial expression and swallowing. These muscles are affected by being over-used when grinding the teeth at night. They may be affected by your bite being mis-aligned. The muscles may have been traumatized during an accident, or when being slapped or struck on the side of the head. A disease such as arthritis may have set in, which complicates the issue. Some clinicians believe strongly that oral habits such as tongue thrusting, wide yawning, and nail, lip, or cheek biting, can precipitate a situation that puts the jaw in an abnormal position and may weaken or overstress the muscles. This continuous stress can result in tight and spasmed muscles.

More females are prone to TMJ than are men, and a greater prevalence of women in their childbearing years suffer from TMJ. This may indicate a serious possibility of a need for better nutrition during those times when a woman is eating for two.

Studies suggest that women on hormone replacement therapy were 77% more likely to seek help for TMJ as are women who are using oral contraceptives (19%). The downsides of the hormone estrogen is becoming more clear as more studies are being done.

Work habits and posture, things that we do every day, are done without thinking. Those habits that affect the muscles of the jaw or those of the neck, head or even shoulders, may reflect into the jaw muscles. Habits such as cradling a telephone between your ear and shoulder, carrying a heavy shoulder bag, singing, anything that promotes a forward head position, or hunching forward can contribute to tension throughout the body, as well as spasmed muscles.

Stress can manifest itself in so many different ways. Serious illnesses and disease are a result of the stress we allow ourselves to experience. Not knowing how to deal with stress is not an excuse and does nothing to reduce the effects of stress. Stress management can be learned and easily implemented into anyone’s life. Simple techniques such as breathing effectively and efficiently can have a profound effect in reducing stress. For more serious conditions, Thought Field Therapy or Emotional Field Therapy can be utilized.

With respect to both of the conditions previously mentioned (spasmed muscles and Stress), a healthy lifestyle which utilizes both exercise and nutritional supplementation (with essential nutrients) will make a tremendous difference. Human beings require a full complement of minerals (macro & micro) in order to utilize vitamins properly. We also need Anti-Oxidants to fight off the free radicals created by the toxins in our environment, and a healthy circulatory system to deliver it to all of the cells. Exercise is an easy method of enhancing the circulatory system in the body.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? In actuality, it is! The first thing you must do is make a decision. Ask yourself: Do I want to continue to get what I’ve always got, by continuing to do what I’ve always done, or is it time to CHANGE? If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, then it really is time for that change. Start by taking very small incremental positive steps. Don’t try to do it all at once. Remember, you have the rest of your life ahead of you to make the improvements in your life. Just start by doing the obvious. Look in the mirror and be honest with yourself. Let that person in the mirror tell you where you need to start, and then take action. The hardest part of training for running a marathon is putting on those running shoes. Once the shoes are on and you take that first step. it gets easier and easier to take the next.

May you have much success on your journey to health!

Michael McCright is a Holistic Health Practitioner, educator, coach, and motivational speaker. His website: http://www.bodymindconnection.com covers a variety of health concerns. Michael is co-producer of an informative and educational DVD: “TMJ Relief”. For information and holistic solutions regarding TMJ disorder, go to: http://www.holisticspecifics.com

© 2005 Michael McCright - Reprints allowed as long as copy is complete with last paragraph and copyright information.

I am sure that when I mention setting objectives for weight loss, the majority of people will be thinking in terms of how many pounds in weight that they, or someone else, should lose. That is similar, in a way, to those who consider setting financial objectives, and then state money as an objective.

Really, if they think about it more closely, money is not an objective; the real objective is what you are going to do with that money. If it is to buy a new house, then the objective is that new house; if it is to retire to Mexico by the sea, then the objective is that new home in a new location, Mexico; if it is to help poor children in Africa, then the objective is helping children in Africa. The objective in those cases is not the money itself; money is worthless if it sits there doing nothing. It just happens to be that many objectives require money to achieve them.

In a way, there is a similarity with weight loss; should weight loss be classed as an objective in itself? Perhaps not, but that does not really matter; what matters is finding the best way for you to lose weight. If you think about it, your decision to lose weight is as a result of other factors. Weight loss is not something you have suddenly considered in isolation; a number of other things have probably caused you to think of weight loss as being necessary. It is those “other things” that should be the subject of your objective setting.

Why You Need To Broaden Your Weight Loss Objectives

Weight loss is a very narrow objective. You may think, “why not, what else is there to say?” Losing weight is not an easy task. That extra weight has probably been the result of many years of bad eating and exercise habits. So, you decide to lose weight. Well, you won’t lose weight, and keep it off, without the full co-operation of your subconscious. For years, your subconscious has been your chief assistant in making you fat. Now you are suddenly going to say that the new name of the game is weight loss.

With that narrow objective of weight loss, you have done nothing to convince your subconscious this is a good idea. You have given no reason or reasons, so why should your subconscious co-operate with this meaningless weight loss exercise?

In your attempts to have a narrow body, you need to have a broader mind and set of objectives. Carefully chosen objectives will broaden your argument with your inner self, and are likely to be far more motivational. You will be choosing a sensible diet and exercise regimes to assist in reaching those objectives; weight loss will be incidental, just as money was in those earlier examples.

How To Set Weight Loss Objectives

You need to sit down quietly, and try to think as clearly as possible of the reasons why you have decided you want to lose weight. The true reasons, that is, not something like “cos I’m too fat.”

Once you have isolated the reasons, whether there’s one, two or many, then write them down. Those are the reasons you have suddenly decided to lose weight. Those should be the subjects of your objectives. I will give a few examples to help you to understand the concept:

1. Reason to consider weight loss: You’re embarrassed going into a boutique and trying on size 18 dresses.

Objective: To be able to go into boutiques and try on size 12 dresses…..successfully.

2. Reason to consider weight loss: You’ve read a lot about the association of being overweight and hypertension, and your blood pressure is high at 150/90.

Objective: To achieve a stable blood pressure of 120/70. (NB such blood pressure targets need to be discussed with your doctor, and will vary according to age and other factors. This is purely for example purposes.)

3. Reason to consider weight loss: You’re sick of being introduced to women, and sensing them looking you up and down with disgust.

Objective: To have women look at you admiringly again.

Those are just three examples; you may have more or less, but you could find it an interesting exercise analyzing yourself to see why you really want to lose weight.

How To Achieve Weight Loss Objectives

Consider those three example objectives above, and you will see that none mention losing weight. However, all are based on convincing reasons, that are more likely to get full co-operation from your subconscious. With those three objectives, losing weight can play an important part in achieving them, without being the main objective itself. So what you have done is to bring a broader front (if you’ll pardon the expression) to your weight loss objective setting.

There’s no reason to stop going to Weight Watchers or other weight loss group; there’s no reason not to have a target weight. After all, they are now in harmony with the three objectives you have already used to seduce your subconscious into co-operation.

How, then, can you set about achieving those objectives? A combination of meditation and visualization each day should help you convince your subconscious you are serious about these objectives. Here are a few tips:

1. Write the objectives down and keep them handy.

2. Read the objectives and repeat them, orally if possible, morning, lunch time and evening.

3. Morning and evening, in a quiet time lying down, relax your body, and focus on your breathing. Gradually dismiss all distraction around you, and then start to focus on each objective in turn. Repeat the objective in your mind, and visualize your successful achievement of it. See yourself proudly trying on that size 12 dress in front of admiring assistants; or walking into a party of strangers and the women looking admiringly at your new physique.

Give no dates for your objectives, let that come naturally. Repeat the process as long as necessary; weeks, months, years. Each time you visualize the achievement of your weight related objectives, your subconscious becomes more in tune with what you, consciously, want. Together, you will become a powerful team in the weight loss game.

This
setting weight loss objectives article is by Roy Thomsitt, owner and part author of routes-to-self-improvement.com