Antidepressants Blog

All this suggests that the area of weight control is going through a major paradigm shift. The older, simplistic notions of ‘change in weight = energy in (food) – energy out (exercise)’, are no longer applicable. On the food side of the equation, there has been a shift away from total energy, or total calories, as being solely important, to a greater emphasis on the importance of dietary fat. Energy balance has thus become ‘fat balance’ and ‘dieting’ has given way to food planning and lifestyle eating patterns. Similarly, the role of vigorous, organised exercise has given way to a greater emphasis on fat use through longer duration, lower intensity activity, along with an increase in the type of ‘incidental movement’ that can be added to daily life.

The environment, biology and behaviour are also vital in any assessment of causes, and whilst these are mediated through the energy balance equation, no detailed discussion of fat loss management can be considered without them. Finally, more account needs to be taken of the body’s physiological adjustment mechanisms. Static equations relating to energy intake and energy expenditure which do not consider the dynamic adjustment of the body to changes in body composition and energy balance are no longer realistic. A more appropriate paradigm would attempt to take account of these adjustments. Hence, the old ‘physics’ style weight control paradigm is slowly giving way to a new, more personalised ‘ecological’ approach. After examining the health and physiological effects of fat and how it is measured, we spell out such a paradigm for use in the practical situation. The remainder of the book is then centred around explaining the components of this paradigm and their implications for dealing with overfatness and obesity.

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Ilja Metchnikoff, the famous Russian bacteriologist, revolutionized medical thinking on aging when he published his famous book How to Prolong Life. He advanced the theory that the secret of youth lies in the large intestine. He believed, and proved by experiments (as well as by long-living Bulgarians), that autotoxemia (self-poisoning) through putrefaction of metabolic wastes in the large intestine is the main cause of premature aging. He was convinced that if we could prevent the development of toxins in the colon, we I could double the normal life span. Dr. Metchnikoff recommended the use of soured milk products, such as yogurt, kefir, acidophilus milk, etc., as a means of preventing putrefaction in the colon and j bringing about the prolongation of life.

Bulgarians seem to be a living proof of Dr. Metchnikoff’s theories. They live longer than most other people on earth and they also have comparatively more centenarians than any other country. It is well known that Bulgarians consume more soured milk in form of yogurt and kefir than any other nation.

There is extensive literature to support yogurt as a youthifying food. In order to prevent intestinal putrefaction and the consequent autointoxication, it is important to support and feed the friendly , intestinal flora. This is best done with soured milk products and whey which contain lactose, the natural food for these bacteria.

Swedish Dr. E. M. Hoppe has made a very thorough study of Bulgarian centenarians and their living and eating habits. He made a detailed questioning of 158 Bulgarians of 100 years or older, and arrived at the following conclusions:

Most of them were predominantly lacto-vegetarians: their diet consisted mainly of locally grown and stone ground whole grains, always freshly ground; fresh vegetables and fruits from their own gardens; and milk and milk products, predominantly from sheep milk. Only 5 of the 158 ate meat regularly.

All of them ate yogurt, made mostly from sheep milk, regularly.

Almost all of them were bee-keepers and used lots of honey in their diet.

Almost all of them ate sunflower seeds regularly.

They all ate fermented foods, especially sauerkraut.

All have worked hard most of their lives, mostly on farms. Only 13 of the 158 lived most of their lives in cities.

110 of the 158 were extremely poor and could not afford to overeat.

They were friendly, contented and had no great ambitions. They lived “without a clock,” following nature’s rhythm in sleeping, eating and working.

Here you have in a nutshell the Bulgarian secret of long, healthy life! No fancy secrets, tricky diets or drugs—just simple common-sense natural foods and wholesome, stress-free country life. But don’t be deceived by its apparent simplicity: all the factors involved—a lacto-vegetarian diet of fresh vegetables and fruits, milk, yogurt, honey, sunflower seeds, fermented foods, and moderate eating—are scientifically proven as the most potent factors in preventing premature aging and prolonging life!

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Strenuous exercises, such as weight lifting and competitive sports, are not advised for sufferers of high blood pressure. They may do more harm than good. But this does not mean that you should resign yourself to a sedentary existence and lie in bed. Quite to the contrary! You should exercise as much as possible. And the best form of exercise for a patient with high blood pressure or heart disease is walking accompanied by deep breathing.

Start on level ground and walk slowly for half an hour. Develop a regular breathing pattern. For example, inhale deeply during four steps and exhale during the next six steps. Do this for two to three minutes. After five or ten minutes, repeat the deep breathing again. Breathe as deeply as you can so that all parts of your lungs will be filled with life-giving oxygen-rich air. Also, see that the lungs are completely emptied every time you exhale.

Gradually increase your walking distance each day. If you feel fatigued, take a short rest. Gradually you will be able to walk over a steep landscape without difficulty and increase the duration of your walks up to two or three hours a day.

These walks and breathing exercises will be of great help in lowering your high blood pressure and strengthening your heart. They will stimulate and improve blood circulation, increase the capacity of your lungs, accelerate the general metabolism and increase the elimination of toxins and wastes from your system. All this will have a very favorable effect on reducing blood pressure.

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