Could Your Metabolism be to Blame for Your Weight?

Metabolism is defined as the rate at which our bodies burn calories when we are resting, known as the basal metabolic rate. Our bodies burn around 60-75 percent of our energy when we’re resting – meaning our metabolic rate impacts heavily on our weight loss efforts. The metabolism rises when we begin to move around, which is why people with more muscles burn calories more easily, because it takes more fuel to maintain the muscle than it does to maintain fat. The more exercise we get, the more we want. For people with a low metabolism, going to a quick run around the block or hitting the gym for an hour-long session sounds like a complete nightmare – they’d sooner sit and watch television. This reluctance to exercise, coupled with added fat, high blood pressure and high cholesterol is known as ‘the metabolic syndrome’. One in every five overweight people have this problem. It’s a serious matter, as it can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular or kidney disease, or hardening of the arteries. The following habits will keep your metabolism slow – fasting, lowering your intake of calories, snacking on sugar-laden foods or sitting around all day doing nothing.

Insulin resistance is involved in the development of metabolic syndrome, meaning that you could be at risk of diabetes. Insulin is a naturally produced hormone which transfers sugar into the cells, where it is later transformed into energy. Being obese will promote this resistance, so that cells will have difficulty responding to the insulin. As your body resists, it tries to pump out more insulin, which makes the problem worse. This is where you blood sugar levels rise and your risk of diabetes increases rapdily. Obesity also increases your risk of hypertension, dislipidemia (where your bad cholesterol levels are high and your good cholesterol is low; triglycerides are high, contributing to a risk of heart disease), and kidney disease. There are more side effects of obesity as well, such as a low sense of self esteem and confidence, which can affect your mental health.

So why don’t diets work for people with a low metabolism? Diets fail for a number of reasons, be it hormonal changes, lack of motivation or muscle loss. If you cut your calorie intake from 1250 a day to 990, the body panics and worries that you’re trying to starve yourself, so it begins storing fat. If the perceived starvation continues, your body will then begin breaking down the muscle tissues to add to its reserves. It releases nitrogen in the process, which your body must wash away with water from the cells – the result of this is that you urinate more and the the number on the scales drops. But you’re actually becoming dehydrated, which will result in you feeling unwell and generally fatigued. There are healthier ways to speed up your metabolism. The main tips are to eat sensibly and regularly, with three nutritious meals each day that are low in fat and sugar but high in nutrients. Alongside this, you should get plenty of sleep, enough exercise and have your thyroid checked. Check with your pharmacist or GP about any side effects if you’re taking medication, as this could be exacerbating your problem. Don’t ever skip meals and don’t neglect your water intake. Also, avoid over-the-counter tablets that promise to boost your metabolism. While some may be harmless, others can lead to damaging side effects such as excessive sweating, diarrhoea, tremors and an increased heart rate.

Categories: bodies burn, burn calories, diet, high, Insulin, kidney disease, metabolic rate, Metabolic Syndrome, Metabolism, risk, Weight Loss

Quirk or Cause for Concern? Nine Signs Your Dog Needs a Vet

The chances are that you dog does a lot of weird stuff, and that’s just why you love her, but how do you know when her little quirks are actually a sign that her wellbeing is in trouble? She’s not just man’s best friend; she’s family, so how do you get family wellness back on track? Ask yourself the following questions:

 

1. Does she have odd eating habits?

On a hot day, it’s not unusual for your dog to skip the odd meal. However, if she goes for two days without eating, or begins raiding the kitchen cupboards and bins when she’s usually well-behaved, it’s time to take her to the vet.

 

2. Is she always thirsty?

As dogs naturally produce a lot of saliva, an excessive need to drink is cause for concern. If your furry little friend keeps urinating, she may have a kidney disease or diabetes.

 

3. Is her coat rough or dry?

Your dog’s coat should be thick, shiny, and soft, so if it is otherwise she may be eating the wrong kind of food, or have an allergy or skin disease.

 

4. Is she sluggish or tired?

If your dog simply isn’t interested in going for a walk or playing, it may just be because of the heat or sore muscles. However, if it goes on for more than two days you should consult a vet.

 

5. Has she been vomiting?

It’s not unusual for dog’s to vomit to get rid of something that doesn’t agree with them, but if your dog is vomiting frequently, several times in a row, is vomiting blood or she has a fever, you should call the vet as soon as possible.

 

6. What does her stool look like?

Unless your dog’s stool is small, firm and moist, you should be wary. If, for more than two days, your dog’s stool is dry or hard, contains blood or mucus, or your dog is constipated or has diarrhoea, visit your vet immediately.

 

7. Have there been any sudden changes to her weight?

Sudden weight loss of 10% or more should be brought to your vet’s attention. Remember, if your dog is only small, this could be as little as one pound.

 

8. What do her eyes look like?

Your dog may have an infection if her eyes are cloudy, red, squinty or producing excessive discharge. This can easily be sorted with medication from the vet.

 

9. Is she scooting or dragging her rear?

This is an indication that your dog has worms, blocked anal glands, kidney disease or diabetes.

Categories: days, Disease, Dogs, eating, kidney disease, nbsp, stool, Vet, vet nbsp, warning signs

What Happens To The Kidney During Cancer?

There are two main types of cancer which affect the kidneys in adults, which are known as renal cell cancer and transitional cell cancer. The former is a cancer which arises from the main body of the kidney, and while it is not known what causes the normal cells to undergo a malignant change, it can occur in certain hereditary conditions. Transitional cell cancer develops from within the drainage system in the kidney, and is the same cancer which can commonly form in the bladder. The two most prominent risk factors for this form of cancer are cigarette smoking and kidney damage from prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers. Both of these cancers rarely arise in people under the age of 50 and as we age, they become more prevalent. Studies also show that they are two to three times more common in men than women. The most common symptoms of kidney cancer are blood in the urine, discomfort in the flank, and non-specific symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite and weight loss. If your GP suspects that you may have kidney cancer, you will undergo a microscopic examination or the urine for abnormal cells, an ultrasound of the kidneys, an x-ray of the kidneys, and a CT scan. Depending on the severity of your condition, your treatment will vary. It is usually required that your surgeon will remove either the whole or part of the kidney – no other treatments for cancer, such as radiotherapy, have been proven to be effective for this form of cancer.

 

Cancer of the kidney is a very serious condition for which early detection is hugely important. Your long-term outcome depends on how advanced the cancer is at the time of your surgery, so the earlier it can be spotted the better. New surgical techniques offer ways to preserve as much of the kidney as possible, without the need to remove the whole organ. Surgery is usually the first step for treating this disease, and the new data being sourced questions whether there is a possibility of removing just the tumour as opposed to the whole kidney. This could preserve the tissues which will reduce the likelihood of future kidney failure. Researchers compared the incidences of moderate kidney dysfunction, kidney failure and kidney disease from two groups – 255 people had partial nephrectomy and 259 people had a radical nephrectomy. The latter of these treatments involves removing the whole kidney, adrenal gland and the surrounding tissues. All of the people who were tested had been diagnosed with a small kidney cancer and had a normal-functioning second kidney.

 

The study found that the frequency of moderate kidney dysfunction was 20 lower in patients who had the partial nephrectomy. However, researchers noticed that while the overall kidney function was better in the partial nephrectomy group, it didn’t improve the level of survival. In fact, there were fewer deaths in the radical nephrectomy group according to the results of the study. The most common form of kidney cancer is a renal cell carcinoma, which develops in the lining of the tubes which filter the blood and waste from the body. It’s thought that 65,000 new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed every year in the US alone, and around 13,700 deaths are expected to occur from this amount. In order to reduce this amount, you should be aware of the symptoms of kidney cancer so that you can detect it early and benefit more from the treatment. If you suspect that you have kidney disease or kidney cancer, you should seek advice from your GP as soon as possible.

Categories: cell cancer, kidney cancer, kidney disease, kidney dysfunction, kidney failure, moderate kidney, partial nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy, renal cell, Symptoms, treatment

Apple-Shaped Bodies are More at Risk of Kidney Disease

Anyone who takes an interest in their fitness and weight will be familiar with the common body shapes, such as pear, apple, hourglass, athletic and petite. Now evidence is emerging that your body shape can have an effect on your health.

A study in the Netherlands has shown that those with an apple-shaped body – where fat is concentrated around the belly or abdomen – face an increased risk of developing kidney disease. The Dutch research concluded that even apple-shaped individuals who are not overweight still face that increased risk.

Kidney disease, where the kidneys begin to malfunction and fail to remove waste from the blood stream, is a serious long-term health condition that affects millions of people. Obesity is known to be one of the causes of the disease and it is particularly common among those who are already diabetic – another condition linked to obesity.

The Dutch study, published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, was carried out by researchers from the University Medical Centre Groningen to examine the known link between obesity and kidney disease. The team focused on the waist-to-hip ratio and kidney profiles of 315 participants with an average body mass index (BMI) of 25, which is considered to be normal weight.

The study revealed that higher waist-to-hip ratios, even among healthy individuals, is directly associated with kidney disease, including lower kidney function and blood flow, and higher blood pressure within the kidneys. The conclusion is that having an apple shape leads to higher blood pressure in the kidneys even in individuals who are healthy and have normal blood pressure. The risk is greater when an individual is overweight or obese.

The study concluded that there is a two-fold increased risk of high renal blood pressure in individuals who have an apple-shaped body. What causes this is not yet known but the Dutch team postulates that the fat around the waist or belly could be triggering inflammation or insulin resistance that impedes blood flow; or that increased fat creates more free radicals that damage the kidneys.

Apple-Shaped Bodies are More at Risk of Kidney Disease

Categories: Apple-Shaped, Blood, blood flow, blood pressure, Body shape, higher blood, increased risk, kidney, kidney disease, risk, shaped body

Why Can You Still Purchase Deadly Herbal Remedies Online?

When someone mentions herbal remedies, you often think of something natural and gentle, that gives little, if any, benefit to your wellbeing. However, some common Chinese herbal remedies pack more of a punch than you may think, and could even seriously affect your wellness with kidney disease and cancer.

The main perpetrator in these herbs is aristolochic acid, the ingredient that is responsible for causing potentially fatal diseases. According to a new report, you can still purchase products with the dangerous ingredient online, despite the best efforts of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to keep the ingredient out of herbal products sold in the country.

For over a decade, the FDA has been trying to stop the sale of the ingredient, taking the first steps towards banning it nearly 12 years ago. Indeed, some countries have managed to ban aristolochic acid altogether, but as an article published this week in Annals of Internal Medicine noted, ‘despite these regulatory measures, there is still cause for concern,’ because products containing aristolochic acid remain available on the Internet.

According to the international team of researchers who wrote the report, remedies containing aristolochic acid have been, and continue to be, used for various indications, including eczema, acne, liver symptoms, arthritis, and chronic pain.’ They also noted that, in China, thousands of cases of kidney problems have been linked to aristolochic acid, which led them to highlight the fact that the ‘potential worldwide population exposure is enormous.’

At the conclusion of their report entitled The Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy: A Narrative Review, the team of investigators urged that there needs to be a tighter regulation of herbal medicine outlets and practitioners. They also noted that a robust international system of surveillance is necessary in order to identify products containing aristolochic acid.

So what does this mean to you? If you are considering taking traditional herbs, make sure that you check with your doctor beforehand and know what they are and where they come from. If this kind of therapy is important to you and your culture’s health practices, you might want to consider seeking out a physician specialising in integrative medicine. This means he or she will know how to combine conventional medical care with holistic and traditional methods. Look online for more information.

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Why Can You Still Purchase Deadly Herbal Remedies Online?

Categories: Aristolochic acid, cancer, kidney disease

Kidney Disease: Could Herbal Treatments Be The Cause?

In a new study, it’s been discovered that certain herbal medicines could be linked to kidney disease and some cancers. The results of the study have caused many users of traditional remedies to question whether they’re really doing the right thing by using them. In the early 1990′s, many cases of kidney disease were diagnosed in Belgium which were linked to Chinese herbal medicines offered at a weight loss clinic. The herbs come from a family known as Aristolochia, which are used for skin conditions and joint pain. The aristolochic acid that’s found in some of the herbs has been found to bind to DNA which can develop into kidney disease. It has also been discovered that it causes cancer in more concentrated areas, which explains why the cancers found are generally focussed in the urinary tract and kidneys.

The herbs containing aristolochic acid are banned in Europe and the United States due to the effect they have on the numbers of diagnoses. Due to this, the majority of cases of kidney disease linked to these herbs are usually found elsewhere in the world. In Chinese Taiwan, surveys have discovered that hundreds of thousands of people have been exposed to these herbs, though it’s hard to know how many cases of the disease are attributed to the herbs. In order to make a definitive decision on the cause, a more advanced analysis needs to take place to differentiate between other forms of kidney disease.

Scientists state that they’ve not done a thorough enough study yet, as the research collated has not been done so in a systematic manner. Treatment of AAN generally required dialysis or kidney transplants, so it’s important to determine if the kidney disease is linked to the aristolochic acid so that doctors can check for cancer cells, which is more common that kidney failure. If you think you may have symptoms of kidney failure, you should speak to your GP as soon as possible so that they can run checks.

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Kidney Disease: Could Herbal Treatments Be The Cause?

Categories: chinese herbal medicine, kidney disease, new study