WICHITA FALLS, Texas Dressed in cowboy boots and jeans, with an American flag pin on his lapel, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson rolled up at the Red River Harley-Davidson outpost to make his pitch to voters.

I just came from the White House, Dr. Jackson, the former White House physician, told the small crowd gathered upstairs from the Harley showroom. Ive been working side by side with the president. I know all the cabinet secretaries. I have their cellphones. I know the chief of staff, the national security adviser. I can pick the phone up and I can call them. Theyre all friends of mine.

Dr. Jackson left the West Wing in December after rising from President Trumps physician to his unlikely pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs to Trump administration roadkill when he was forced to withdraw his name from consideration amid allegations related to his professional conduct.

Now hes running for Congress in Texas 13th District, one of the most conservative in the country, and his argument is simple. In a primary field of 15 anti-immigrant, anti-abortion Republicans, Dr. Jackson is betting his personal connection with the president is enough to win the Republican nomination tantamount to election.

Standing alongside other candidates wearing cowboy hats and Make America Great Again caps at the forum on Thursday, Dr. Jackson pitched himself as the only one who can walk in the Oval Office unannounced and say, Sir, I need you to stop what youre doing and listen to me, and he will stop what hes doing and listen to me.

That access, he said, would make him an unusually powerful replacement for Representative Mac Thornberry, the Republican who announced last fall he would not seek re-election after representing his district for more than a quarter of a century.

But it is not clear if that connection, combined with his background as a Navy rear admiral, will be enough to help Dr. Jackson overcome some rookie mistakes as a candidate. There have been more than a few.

His campaign organization, for one thing.

Dr. Jacksons campaign manager, he said, is a horse doctor with a full-time job. He has one full-time staff member, a recent college graduate who is also working for free, and he has relied on his wife, Jane, to drive him around the enormous Panhandle-encompassing district, which spans 41 counties. And despite having a power Rolodex, he has never reached into it to ask the right people for help.

On Friday, Dr. Jackson spent the afternoon knocking on doors in Wichita Falls, only to realize that it was a relatively futile exercise since most people werent home. In the evening, he mingled in the bleachers at the Monarch Motor Speedway only to report back to his wife that most of spectators had driven in from Oklahoma.

While waiting for the stock car race to begin, Dr. Jackson laughed when a hunk of mud spun up from the dirt track and landed in his coffee cup, a fitting end to another long day on the campaign trail where it wasnt clear if hed made any progress.

Dr. Jackson, who grew up in Levelland, Texas, returned to the Panhandle after leaving the White House and retiring from the Navy, settling in the district in Amarillo. He thought his connections to Mr. Trump and the extended Trumpworld would make him a shoo-in for the seat, people who spoke to him at the time said.

But Mr. Trump, who now generally adheres to rules put in place by his political shop about whom he endorses and what races he weighs in on, has been silent about Dr. Jacksons campaign. Donald Trump Jr., whom Dr. Jackson considers a close friend, has no plans to get involved in his race or officially endorse him, an aide said. And even Rick Perry, the former energy secretary and Texas governor who encouraged him to run and then endorsed him, has not campaigned for him.

Dr. Jackson is now facing an uphill battle against two well-funded and connected opponents Chris Ekstrom, a Dallas millionaire who recently moved to the district to run and is self-funding his campaign, and Josh Winegarner, a lobbyist who has the backing of the cattle industry he represents and Mr. Thornberry.

But Dr. Jacksons connections to the Trump administration as well as the president and his family are real, even if they have not translated into much support.

Eric Trump has tweeted a supportive message, and Mr. Trump has privately encouraged Dr. Jackson to run. And Dr. Jackson is benefiting, if belatedly, from Trump allies and aides who have only recently realized he needed help and have pitched in, setting him up with a real online fund-raising and phone prospecting operation, which helped to finally get him on air with a commercial a 30-second spot made up entirely of old clips of Mr. Trump praising his character.

At the candidates forum, Dr. Jackson, 52, conceded that he had never really considered running for office. But, he said, Trump is getting re-elected. Thats a done deal at this point.

I thought this is the unique opportunity for me to get in the game, he added. I have an opportunity to get in the fight and do something for our country.

Dr. Jackson, who served in the White House medical unit under the past three presidents, grew close to Mr. Trump after delivering the results of a presidential physical in a briefing at which he promoted Mr. Trumps incredible genes, said he did exceedingly well on a cognitive test and claimed that if he had adhered to a better diet over the past 20 years, he could have lived to be 200.

His hourlong news conference transformed Dr. Jackson into an inner circle Trump favorite, and a candidate, in Mr. Trumps mind, for a cabinet post. It also changed how he was perceived outside the building.

That was the day I got the Trump stamp on me completely, Dr. Jackson said during an interview last week at a coffee shop in Wichita Falls. I was no longer viewed as a nonpartisan physician on military orders, even though I still technically was. What I didnt realize was that it made people much more aggressive toward me when the V.A. nomination came up.

At the time of the allegations against him which included loosely dispensing strong drugs to lawmakers and political aides Dr. Jackson was not allowed to respond because he was an active-duty military officer.

The experience took a toll on Dr. Jackson and his family.

I tell people now that I got Kavanaugh-ed before Kavanaugh did, he said, referring to Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who he believes was falsely accused of sexual assault during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I was the pregame but I didnt know it. I was the warm up.

Dr. Jackson called the allegations against him complete garbage and hinted at behind-the-scenes plotting from both parties to remove a Trump loyalist from contention.

I saw the ugly side of Washington, he said. He noted that despite the scandal, I got promoted in the White House, I maintained my clearance, I stayed in the military, I retired as a Navy admiral. Come on.

Mr. Trump mounted an aggressive defense of Dr. Jackson, even as a bipartisan group of Senators expressed concerns over his record. The president called for Senator Jon Tester, Democrat of Montana, to resign for his lead role in releasing details of the allegations against Dr. Jackson.

Mr. Trump called Dr. Jackson one of the finest people that I have met while elevating him to the role of assistant to the president. And in the 13th District, those words may be more important than any accusation.

Im leaning toward Ronny because I have to look at whos electable, said Danny Breegle, a business owner in Wichita Falls who attended the Thursday night forum. He said he was impressed with his rsum and wanted to make sure hes not of the swamp, and now I think hes independent.

But for Dr. Jackson, the question will be whether the last-ditch help from Trumpworld has come too late by Friday, over half of the vote will already be in because of early voting in the March 3 primary.

In the interview, Dr. Jackson admitted that he had not been aggressive in calling in favors, especially from the president. He had so much on his plate. He was going through impeachment, Dr. Jackson said. I thought, Im not going to put Ronny Jackson in the 13th Congressional District on his plate.

If he wins the seat, Dr. Jackson will be back on a government salary. If he loses, he said, he plans to make enough money to buy his wife any house in Amarillo she wants.

That is, if he doesnt go back into the Trump administration. Dr. Jackson appeared to leave himself open to the possibility, but said his wife was committed to staying in Texas.

For now, Dr. Jackson said, he has put a cabinet post in his rear view mirror, calling the Veterans Affairs Department a massive bureaucracy and asserting that my ability to impact things will actually be better if Im a congressman, even for the veterans.

One of his regrets was moving on from his post as White House physician before he could help institute the diet and exercise regimen he had planned for the president.

During his infamous news conference, Mr. Jackson said his goal was to help Mr. Trump lose 10 to 15 pounds and that he planned to bring an exercise bike or elliptical machine into the White House residence.

Mr. Jackson said those plans never came to pass. (Mr. Trump had gained four pounds by his following physical.) The exercise stuff never took off as much as I wanted it to, he said. But we were working on his diet. We were making the ice cream less accessible, we were putting cauliflower into the mashed potatoes.

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Trumps Doctor Thought He Had a Ticket to Congress. It Hasnt Been So Easy. - The New York Times

IT'S always alarming when a loved one develops cardiovascular disease or suffers a heart attack. As well as worrying about them, it might make you consider your own health too especially as these things can run in families.

So, if you do have a family history of heart disease and stroke, how concerned should you be? And what can you do about it?

We talked to consultant cardiologist Dr Gerald Carr-White, at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and Philippa Hobson, a senior cardiac nurse for British Heart Foundation (bhf.org.uk).

:: How important is family history for heart health?

Around 7.5 million people are living with heart and circulatory disease, according to British Heart Foundation, and even though treatments have generally improved, cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in the UK and Ireland. Family history can be very relevant but it's important to remember this is part of a bigger picture.

Generally, "the most common thing that tends to run in families is vascular disease, affecting the coronary arteries", says Dr Carr-White. Known medically as 'atherosclerosis', heavily clogged, blocked or narrowed arteries are a recognised cause of potentially life-threatening heart attacks and stroke. It occurs due to a build-up of fatty deposits which, over time, leads to plaque developing within the artery walls.

Family history is one of five or six important risk factors that come into play, says Carr-White: "The others are whether you smoke, whether you've got a healthy diet, whether you exercise. There's also high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol to consider. All of these are very important."

:: Find out what's actually going on

The first step is to try and have a general awareness of your family history, and if you are concerned, Hobson says it's a good idea to "ask questions about what happened". Did doctors specify a cause? How old were they when it first happened?

"If your granddad or dad was in their 60s or 70s then of course that's still a serious thing, but if there is a family history of very premature heart attack, then you might want to take a more serious look at things like high cholesterol in the family," says Hobson. "Some people may even be born with high cholesterol but just not know about it until something happens."

For example, familial hypercholesterolaemia, a genetic condition that affects around one in every 250 people, causes abnormally high cholesterol from a young age.

"It's also worth pointing out that a lot of the time when people die young or suddenly, while [the cause of death] is often put down to a heart attack, this can sometimes be due to inherited conditions within the muscle or electrics of the heart," adds Carr-White. "So, if you do have a family history of people dying at a young age, particularly if it's below 40, it's worth going for a check-up with a specialist to see if there is anything else running through the family."

:: Healthy lifestyle habits go a very long way

Understandably, knowing heart problems run in your family can be worrying. "Family history is what's called an 'unmodifiable risk factor'," says Hobson but that doesn't mean future heart problems are inevitable. "We can't help our family background, but many of the other key risk factors are modifiable. So, it's really about addressing the other risk factors."

Lifestyle plays a vital role here. "Lifestyle measures are the most important thing anyone can do, and probably make more of a difference than anything else," says Carr-White. "So keep an eye on your weight, don't smoke, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet that probably does more good than all the tablets put together."

This is important for everyone, regardless of family history. For those of us who are more genetically predisposed to developing problems, Carr-White notes that a healthy lifestyle "can make a difference to when those problems present". In other words, we could help delay them, and sometimes prevent them entirely, by living healthily.

He recommends looking to the Mediterranean diet typically rich in fresh fruit, vegetables and healthy fats found in nuts and oily fish, and low in saturated fat which is often dubbed the world's healthiest diet, thanks to numerous major studies.

Watching your salt intake can help keep blood pressure healthy, and while exercise is important this isn't just about hitting the gym for an intense workout every now and then. There's lots of evidence that having a generally active lifestyle think daily walks and avoiding too much time being sedentary can be just as beneficial.

:: Don't wait until you have a health scare to start

There's growing evidence on how our diet and lifestyle in childhood impacts health in later life and it's never too early to start encouraging healthy habits. Plus, the build-up of plaque in our arteries develops over years and prevention is always better than cure. "If you look at the aortas and arteries of adolescents, you can see the early stages of problems with the walls of the arteries," says Carr-White. "So getting those lifestyle habits in from an early age is a good idea."

:: Know your numbers

Another way we can be proactive is by finding out our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. "High blood pressure and high cholesterol don't normally have any symptoms," says Hobson, "so it's a good idea to have your numbers checked."

Detecting these things early means we can take steps to manage them through lifestyle adjustments and sometimes medication before they get worse. You don't have to wait until you're inviting for a routine health check either. In fact, you can often now get these things checked on your local high street. "Chemists and pharmacies are very good at this now, you don't even always have to go to your GP," says Carr-White.

:: Be symptom savvy

Being aware of potential symptoms is also key, and ensuring you get them checked out quickly, and this doesn't just include chest pain. "Particularly if you're becoming more breathless when you do things, if you're having a very fast heart rate or having blackouts, it's very important to get those checked out. They could indicate narrowing in the coronary arteries, or a weakness of the heart muscle or an electrical problem," says Carr-White.

"It's also worth saying that women often present late with coronary heart disease, and people don't tend to think about this sort of thing as much with women."

Indeed, anyone experiencing symptoms, regardless of whether they fit the 'stereotype' of a typical heart attack victim, should get things checked. As Hobson notes, even very slim people can have clogged arteries.

And Carr-White's final piece of advice? "Everyone should learn CPR," he says. You never know when this vital first aid skill could help save a life.

Continue reading here:
Family history of heart disease? Here's what you need to know - The Irish News

More than 34 million Americans have diabetes, approximately 10% of the population according to the American Diabetes Association. To date, the most common treatment has been to manage the disease with a carefully controlled diet and regular insulin shots, if needed. But a cure may be on the horizon.

A research team led by Jeffrey Millman at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri found last year that infusing mice with stem cells could offer a better treatment option.

Building on that research, the same team may have found a cure: at least in lab mice.

Diabetics are characterized by their difficulty producing or managing insulin. This requires careful monitoring, a strict diet, exercise, and expensive insulin shots which many diabetics find themselves rationing due to the cost of drugs in the United States. Insulin is normally produced in the pancreas, but those with diabetes dont produce enough of it. To treat diabetes, many diabetics have to monitor their blood sugar levels, and inject insulin directly into the bloodstream as needed. Millmans treatment foregoes these shots and instead uses beta cells to secrete the insulin for you.

The treatment relies on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). These cells are essentially a blank slate and can be tricked into becoming almost any other type of cell in the body.

In a new study, the team improved on the technique it had developed last year to produce and introduce these cells into the bloodstream. When converting the stem cells into another type of cell, there are always mistakes and random cells enter into the mix along with the insulin-producing ones. These cells are harmless, but they dont pull their weight.

The more off-target cells you get, the less therapeutically relevant cells you have, Millman told New Atlas. You need about a billion beta cells to cure a person of diabetes. But if a quarter of the cells you make are actually liver cells or other pancreas cells, instead of needing a billion cells, youll need 1.25 billion. It makes curing the disease 25% more difficult.

The new method would rid the sample of those unwanted cells. Millmans team built a process that targeted the cytoskeleton, the structure that gives the cells their shape, and produced not only a higher percentage of effective beta cells, but better functioning ones.

When these new cells were infused into diabetic mice, their blood sugar levels stabilized, leaving them functionally cured of the disease for up to nine months.

Granted, its just an animal trial. The results shouldnt be interpreted as a cure for humans. But its a promising start.

The team plans to continue testing the cells in larger animals, and over longer periods, with their sights set on human clinical trials in the future.

Read next: Smithsonian Institute just released 2.8 million high-quality images for free

See the article here:
Researchers found a cure for diabetes (in lab mice) - The Next Web

More than 8 million adults in the US suffer from a painful condition called gout. There is evidence that unhealthy lifestyles, such as smoking, poor eating and lack of exercise as well as rising obesity rates are increasing the number of people afflicted with this condition.

In order to reduce the prevalence of gout and frequency of painful flare-ups, doctors recommend a balanced diet full of vegetables, low-fat proteins, and regular exercise. Heres what you need to know about how diet can help with symptoms of gout.

Gout is a painful type of arthritis, or inflammation of joints, particularly in the big toe and knee joints. It happens as a result of hyperuricemia, or too much uric acid in the blood.

The problem is either your body produces too much uric acid or it cannot properly excrete the uric acid, says Shailendra Singh, MD, Rheumatology Medical Director at White River Medical Centre in Arkansas.

As a result, uric crystals can form, build-up, and get lodged in the joints, inflaming them, and causing excruciating discomfort and pain.

Joints get red-hot to touch and swollen. You could be fine for a few weeks to months to even years before you have another episode, says Singh.

Foods high in a natural compound called purine can trigger painful flare-ups for people with gout because the body breaks purine down into uric acid. Therefore, doctors recommend avoiding high-purine foods like the following:

An outlier to the rule is purine-rich vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, or mushrooms. These foods are shown to lower the risk of flare-ups. Fruits, especially cherries, are recommended as alternatives to other sugary snacks.

Also lean meat, like chicken and turkey, is ok. Leafy greens and vegetable protein like soy are also a good source, says Singh. Moderation is the key and avoiding the [high-purine] foods is the most important thing.

By swapping out some of the high-purine meats, processed sugars, and alcohol for more wholesome food options you can protect yourself from painful gout flare-ups while also leading a healthier lifestyle. Here are some swaps to consider:

In addition to using these meal ideas, one should ensure they stay well hydrated as dehydration can increase the concentration of uric acid in the body.

One myth is that if someone is suffering from gout, then theyre probably not eating right. But gout is the result of a mix of both genetics and environmental factors.

Its not that their husband or spouse is cheating on their diet, they arent sneaking food that they shouldnt eat, its not all diet, says Dr. Robert Keenan, a rheumatologist at Duke University Health Facility.

The pain from gout can also be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), like Aspirin or Ibuprofen and by losing weight, if youre overweight.

The important thing to remember for people who suffer from gout is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By watching purine-rich food intake, eating more vegetables and less unprocessed foods, watching your weight, and exercising more, gout can be managed effectively.

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What is a good diet for gout that will reduce your risk of painful flare-ups - Business Insider Australia

Children learn about the world through the perspective of the caring adults around them. Educators warn children not to touch something, because its too hot. Parents tell children they are gorgeous, cheeky, silly or brave, and children quickly learn what is noticed about their behaviour, and what is ignored.

Using that understanding, it goes without saying that passing on a fear of gaining weight can negatively impact a childs body image and their relationship with food. Many early childhood educators would consider themselves to be inclusive but does this extend to food and body image?

Think about conversations held in earshot of children about diets, exercise, keto, and being so bad last night! by eating pizza. Conversations like these can set up food aversions, body image issues and harm their relationship with food.

As educators and caregivers, you have a critical role to play in a childs sense of self, identity and attitudes to the world and their bodies. Are you mindful of how you speak about food and your body in front or in earshot of children?

Leading by example

Its very difficult to expect a child to switch to healthy food if they are mimicking unhealthy food behaviours and attitudes they see around them from educators and families, or if they are relying on food as a way to combat boredom, loneliness, depression, anxiety or other negative feelings.

Children are impressionable and observing adults dealing with negative body image or food choices can in turn cause them to reject their own bodies.

3 no-nos when it comes to feeding children

According to the American Association of Paediatrics, three practices have been shown to be associated with excess weight gain:

A clinical psychologists perspective

Wholesome Child consulted with Romy Kunitz, a clinical and developmental psychologist to get her perspective on the most healthy way to manage food and body conversations with young children. She shared three insightful tips:

A sore tummy is most often where a childs feelings are expressed. When this happens and it seems clear to you that the tummy ache isnt due to constipation/diarrhoea or something they have eaten, attempt to talk about what the sore tummy looks like or feels like.

Ask the child to draw what they are feeling, for example, and then make the association for them that perhaps they are feeling angry, sad or anxious. Helping children make the connection between their feelings and appetite is an enduring gift and preventing force feeding is very important in these circumstances too.

Some dos when it comes to encouraging healthy eating behaviours:

And some donts

Speak negatively about food in terms of high and low calories

Speak negatively about your own weight or body dissatisfaction in front of children

Let children eat out of boredom or when theyre thirsty (thirst often presents as hunger).

I explore this topic in depth in chapter 5 of my book, and offer further guidance for educators in how to talk about food in our Nourish program.

To learn more about the Nourish program, specially tailored for early childhood services, please see here.

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Sticks and stones can break their bonesbut words used about food and bodies can hurt too - The Sector

When trying to lose weight it can be tempting to drastically cut certain foods your diet plan. While removing unhealthy foods can speed up weight loss, eating more of the right foods can actually give the best results. Having a diet high in protein can speed up weight loss, an expert explained.

It can be tempting to eat less when trying to lose a few pounds but this does not necessarily work.

Tucking into foods high in protein could give the best results, Elliott Upton, personal trainer at Ultimate Performance and Head of LiveUP Online Coaching, said.

He told Express.co.uk: Every meal should be built around a quality source of protein.

It helps to repair, rebuild and maintain muscle tissue, which not only improves body composition - the way your body looks - but also increases metabolic rate.

READ MORE: Gordon Ramsay: How did he shed 3st? TV chef on heartbreaking motivation for weight loss

Speeding up the metabolism makes the body burn more calories which leads to fat loss.

As well as burning fat more quickly, high protein foods reduce hunger so slimmers will probably eat less overall.

Elliot added: It is also satiating, so helps keep you fuller for longer, and the better you can control hunger, the more sustainable your diet will be.

High protein foods include meat, fish, dairy products, nuts, tofu and beans.

DON'T MISS

Ultimately, the best diet is going to be one that is easy to stick to, the expert explained.

He added: There is no best diet or perfect diet to follow.

However, there is a best diet for you, that is always going to be the one that best fits your lifestyle and one that is going to be the most sustainable.

There is nothing overly complicated about dieting the challenging part is adhering to it consistently and long enough to see results.

Following a healthy diet plan can be paired with regular exercise for a weight loss transformation.

Elliot said full body compound exercises and resistance training are the best for burning fat.

Resistance training is the number one tool we use for weight loss and body composition change, alongside nutrition, the expert suggested.

Lifting weights helps to build muscle, lose fat and increase your metabolic rate.

The reason weight training is so efficient for fat loss is that there are so many variables we can change within the same one hour workout to keep challenging the body and progressing through progressive overload.

Some of the variables we can change are: reps, sets, weight, tempo or total time under tension, range of motion, rest, angles, machines vs. free weights, etc.

"This constant manipulation to key variables is the advantage weight training has over traditional cardio, where you essentially need to run further, longer, faster or more frequently to keep progressing and losing weight."

He explained compound exercises can help burn more calories than simply doing cardio.

Pairing exercise and diet can give the best results when trying to get into shape.

Original post:
Weight loss diet plan: The one food you should eat more of to help burn belly fat fast - Express

Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men worldwide, yet approximately 70% of diagnoses occur in developed regions.1 In addition to the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening practices, one hypothesis to explain this global variation is differences in environmental and lifestyle factors. The established risk factors for prostate cancer are advanced age, ethnicity, and family history of the disease. Although some lifestyle factors, such as body weight, are thought to increase the risk of developing prostate cancer, the evidence for this theory is somewhat weak.

This study sought to determine if certain lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise, are associated with prostate cancer using a method that is thought to effectively identify causal associations.1 Most epidemiological studies can identify associations, but they are typically considered hypothesis-generating and cannot support causal relationships due to unaccounted for or unknown confounders.2

Methods

The gold standard for identifying a causal association between an exposure and an outcome is a randomized, controlled trial; however, these types of studies are not always possible because they would be impractical, too costly, or unethical.2

The current study used Mendelian randomization (MR), which is an alternative method that was developed to identify causal relationships. MR uses genetic instrumental variables (GIVs) to enable randomization of subjects. A GIV is most commonly a genetic variant such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and must fulfill 3 core assumptions: 1) reproducibly and strongly associated with the exposure; 2) not associated with confounders; and 3) only associated with the outcome through the exposure. In this study, the GIVs were SNPs identified from genome-wide association studies of each risk factor for prostate cancer that was included the study.2

MR uses alleles of the GIVs, such as SNPs, to randomly allocate subjects into groups.2 This approach exploits the natural random assortment of alleles within a population, and are therefore not typically associated with confounders. 3 As a result, any association observed between the GIV and the outcome is considered supportive evidence that the exposure is causally related to the outcome.2,3 In this study, the exposure was certain lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise, and the outcome was prostate cancer.1

There are limitations to MR that can affect the interpretability of the data.3 For example, the GIV may influence the outcome independent of the exposure, which is called pleiotropy. In addition, some MRs may lack statistical power to detect a correlation.

In this study, the authors noted that there were only 2 SNPs that they could use for their allocation of physical activity by average acceleration, which could weaken the causal inference of this association. In addition, there were no known GIVs that could be used for some other risk factors, such as some vitamins, and thus, could not be used for MR evaluation in this study.

Link:
Lifestyle Choices and Prostate Cancer - Cancer Therapy Advisor

Some clinics offer lipotropic injections for weight loss. However, researchers have not comprehensively studied the efficacy and safety of these.

Lipotropes in lipotropic injections include a mix of different vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that people report help them lose weight and fat.

Keep reading to learn more about lipotropic injections, including the ingredients, cost, dosage, and possible risks.

Some people use lipotropic injections because weight loss clinics market them as treatments that promote fat burning. In combination with a healthful diet and regular exercise, people who use lipotropic injections should lose fat more easily.

Each clinic has its own specific type of injection, so the components may differ from clinic to clinic.

Lipotropes are substances that promote the removal of fat from the liver and reduce the production of fat. Some of the more common lipotropes that clinics use include:

Vitamin B-12 and methionine are important nutrients required for reactions in the body that regulate fat and protein metabolism. That said, researchers have not confirmed that taking doses of vitamin B-12 or methionine above the recommended amount will actually help a person lose weight.

Researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana found that restricting dietary methionine in people with metabolic syndrome caused an increase in fat digestion. In this study, people in the control group and those restricting methionine lost the same amount of weight.

Another study showed that a combination of diet, myoinositol, and D-chiroinositol may have accelerated weight and fat loss in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, researchers need to conduct further studies to confirm the effects of inositol.

The substances in lipotropic injections may not be effective in reducing a persons weight or fat. Although, theoretically, these substances may have important roles in fat metabolism, researchers are still unsure if higher doses are beneficial for weight and fat loss.

Other clinics may introduce additional vitamins and amino acids that some practitioners believe provide additional weight loss support.

Although research into lipotropic injections is limited, researchers have studied the effects of plant-based foods as a source of lipotropes in rats. The researchers state that the major plant lipotropes include:

Other substances in plant foods such as fatty acids, fiber, and flavonoids may also have lipotropic effects. This study only explored the effect of lipotropic substances in the diet. The researchers did not investigate the effect of lipotropic injections in the test rats.

Clinical trials that have studied lipotropic injections are scarce. For this reason, some doctors may not recommend using them for weight or fat loss.

Weight loss clinics will establish the price of lipotropic injections, so the cost will vary from one weight loss clinic to the next.

One of the factors that may influence the cost they settle on is the components included in the lipotropic injection.

Vitamin B-12 injections alone may be less costly, but there is no scientific evidence around the cost of these injections.

Some clinics offer packages of injections, or they may include the cost of the injection in the price of a weight loss program.

The dosage depends on the ingredients in the injection. Also, each clinic may follow a different protocol and scheduling of the injections.

In some clinics, people receive lipotropic injections once weekly, whereas other clinics suggest more frequent injections.

As with cost, there is no scientific data to back any dosage claims that weight loss clinics make.

In one study, researchers administered 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B-12 intramuscularly to explore the effects on weight loss. Other clinics may choose different strengths of vitamin B-12 and other ingredients in their injection formulations.

People who want to use lipotropic injections should choose a clinic with a registered physician. Some clinics may not have doctors on staff, whereas others may have weight loss specialists who are also medical doctors.

Some lipotropic injections may not be appropriate for everyone. Before receiving their first injection, a person should check if any of the ingredients can be harmful in combination with their medications or a medical condition they have.

Apart from pain at the injection site, one of the risks of using lipotropic injections is that they may not work. People cannot rely on these injections to promote fat loss, so they should also try to adopt more healthful habits, such as exercising regularly.

Researchers have not studied the side effects of lipotropic injections. Information on side effects comes from anecdotal evidence from people who have used the injections for weight loss. Side effects may also vary from person to person.

People who want to lose weight can speak with a doctor or other healthcare provider to create a safe, effective, and individualized weight loss plan.

Doctors can help people find healthful ways to meet their weight, body mass index (BMI), and hip-to-waist ratio goals, which can promote overall health.

Before planning a weight loss regimen, people may wish to consider their current eating and exercise habits. Some questions they should ask themselves include:

Doctors, dietitians, and weight loss specialists can help answer some of these questions.

To lose weight and maintain the loss, a person may need to change lifestyle habits other than eating and exercise.

For example, weight loss programs that are safe and effective should also include:

People should try to avoid weight loss programs that are scams. They should report these to the Federal Trade Commission.

Some simple changes a person can make to their diet to promote more healthful habits include:

The 20152020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide nutrition and exercise recommendations. People who want to lose weight can follow these recommended guidelines, along with suggestions from their doctor.

Read about some other scientifically backed weight loss tips here.

Some people use lipotropic injections to aid fat loss and lose weight.

The purpose of these injections is to speed up the metabolism of fat. However, in order to maintain a moderate weight, people should also try to eat more healthfully and adopt regular exercise habits. Lipotropic injections are not a substitute for these healthful habits.

Researchers have not confirmed that lipotropic injections are effective.

Individual ingredients include some vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that may be involved in fat metabolism. However, most data on the success of lipotropic injections come from anecdotal evidence. Therefore, researchers should continue to study their effectiveness.

To lose weight and fat, a person should try to focus on lifestyle and diet.

Read more:
Lipotropic injections: Cost, dosage, and risks - Medical News Today

Excess fat poses a threat to your general health, irrespective of where it is found in the body, but abdominal fat spells particular trouble. The fat is located deep within your belly near vital organs, hiking your risk of developing metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is therefore imperative that you make healthy lifestyle decisions to stave off the threats posed by visceral fat build-up.

Engaging in regular exercise offers a surefire way to burn the harmful belly fat, and, while the benefits of engaging in aerobic exercise are well understood, research also backs using an overlooked gym equipment to attack visceral fat.

Research presented at the European Congress on Obesity revealed that vibration plates, if used optimally - in combination with a calorie restricted diet - were more successful at long-term weight loss and shedding the fat around their abdominal organs than those who combined dieting with a more conventional fitness routine.

A vibration plate or power plate is a machine that you stand on while it sends high-speed vibrations through your whole body.

The equipment is designed to stimulate your muscles at a much higher rate than normal, accelerating the strengthening and toning process.

READ MORE:How to lose visceral fat: A food group proven to burn belly fat and increase metabolism

Commenting on their findings, the study's leader, Dirk Vissers, a physiotherapist at the Artesis University College and the University of Antwerp in Belgium, said: "These machines are increasingly found in gyms across the industrialised world and have gathered a devoted following in some places, but there has not been any evidence that they help people lose weight."

He continued: Our study, the first to investigate the effects of vibration in obese people, indicates it's a promising approach. It looks like these machines could be a useful addition to a weight control package." said the study's leader, Dirk Vissers, a physiotherapist at the Artesis University College and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.

To evaluate the visceral fat-burning benefits of using these machines, Professor Vissers and his colleagues studied the effects of the Power Plate in 61 overweight or obese people - mostly women - for a year.

The intervention lasted six months, after which the scientists advised all the volunteers to do the best they could with a healthy diet and exercise regime on their own for another six months.

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Body measurements, including CT scans of abdominal fat, were taken at the beginning of the study and after three, six and 12 months.

The researchers divided the volunteers into four groups: one group was prescribed an individually calculated calorie restricted diet, a second group received the same diet intervention, with the addition of a conventional fitness regime, a third group got the diet intervention plus supervised vibration plate training instead of conventional exercise, and the fourth group received no intervention.

There were no significant differences between the groups in obesity and abdominal, or visceral, fat at the start of the study.

"Over the year, only the conventional fitness and vibration groups managed to maintain a five percent weight loss, which is what is considered enough to improve health," Prof. Vissers said.

However, the vibration group lost 47.8 square centimetres of visceral fat during the first six months and still had a loss of 47.7 square centimetres at 12 months.

A marked improvement over the conventional fitness group, which observed a visceral fat reduction of 17.6 square centimetres in the conventional fitness group in the first six months, but by the end of the year, it was only 1.6 square centimetres less than at the beginning.

Emphasising the benefits, the diet group had a visceral fat loss of 24.3 square centimetres after six months and 7.5 square centimetres after a year.

In his concluding remarks, Prof. Visser said: "These are very encouraging results, but it doesn't mean people trying to lose weight can ditch aerobic exercise and jump on the vibration plate instead."

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How to lose visceral fat: The alternative exercise proven to reduce harmful belly fat - Express

By Judith Graham February 21, 2020

Do I know Im at risk for developing dementia? You bet.

My father died of Alzheimers disease at age 72; my sister was felled by frontotemporal dementia at 58.

And thats not all: Two maternal uncles had Alzheimers, and my maternal grandfather may have had vascular dementia. (In his generation, it was called senility.)

So what happens when I misplace a pair of eyeglasses or cant remember the name of a movie I saw a week ago? Now comes my turn with dementia, I think.

Then I talk myself down from that emotional cliff.

Am I alone in this? Hardly. Many people, like me, whove watched this cruel illness destroy a family member, dread the prospect that they, too, might become demented.

The lack of a cure or effective treatments only adds to the anxiety. Just this week, news emerged that another study trying to stop Alzheimers in people at extremely high genetic risk had failed.

How do we cope as we face our fears and peer into our future?

Andrea Kline, whose mother, as well as her mothers sister and uncle, had Alzheimers disease, just turned 71 and lives in Boynton Beach, Florida. Shes a retired registered nurse who teaches yoga to seniors at community centers and assisted-living facilities.

I worry about dementia incessantly. Every little thing that goes wrong, Im convinced its the beginning, she told me.

Because Kline has had multiple family members with Alzheimers, shes more likely to have a genetic vulnerability than someone with a single occurrence in their family. But that doesnt mean this condition lies in her future. A risk is just that: Its not a guarantee.

The age of onset is also important. People with close relatives struck by dementia early before age 65 are more likely to be susceptible genetically.

Kline was the primary caregiver for her mother, Charlotte Kline, who received an Alzheimers diagnosis in 1999 and passed away in 2007 at age 80. I try to eat very healthy. I exercise. I have an advance directive, and Ive discussed what I want [in the way of care] with my son, she said.

Lately, Ive been thinking I should probably get a test for APOE4 [a gene variant that can raise the risk of developing Alzheimers], although Im not really sure if it would help, Kline added. Maybe it would add some intensity to my planning for the future.

I spoke to half a dozen experts for this column. None was in favor of genetic testing, except in unusual circumstances.

Having the APOE4 allele [gene variant] does not mean youll get Alzheimers disease. Plenty of people with Alzheimers dont have the allele, said Mark Mapstone, a professor of neurology at the University of California-Irvine. And conversely, plenty of people with the allele never develop Alzheimers.

Tamar Gefen, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, strongly suggests having an in-depth discussion with a genetic counselor if youre considering a test.

Before you say I have to know, really understand what youre dealing with, how your life might be affected, and what these tests can and cannot tell you, she advised.

Karen Larsen, 55, is a social worker in the Boston area. Her father, George Larsen, was diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimers at age 84 and died within a year in 2014.

Larsen is firm: She doesnt want to investigate her risk of having memory or thinking problems.

Ive already planned for the future. I have a health care proxy and a living will and long-term care insurance. Ive assigned powers of attorney, and Ive saved my money, she said. Eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, remaining socially engaged I already do all that, and I plan to as long as I can.

What would I do if I learned some negative from a test sit around and worry? Larsen said.

Currently, the gold standard in cognitive testing consists of a comprehensive neuropsychological exam. Among the domains examined over three to four hours: memory, attention, language, intellectual functioning, problem-solving, visual-spatial orientation, perception and more.

Brain scans are another diagnostic tool. CT and MRI scans can show whether parts of the brain have structural abnormalities or arent functioning optimally. PET scans (not covered by Medicare) can demonstrate the buildup of amyloid proteins a marker of Alzheimers. Also, spinal taps can show whether amyloid and tau proteins are present in cerebrospinal fluid.

A note of caution: While amyloid and tau proteins in the brain are a signature characteristic of Alzheimers, not all people with these proteins develop cognitive impairment.

Several experts recommend that people concerned about their Alzheimers risk get a baseline set of neuropsychological tests, followed by repeat tests if and when they start experiencing worrisome symptoms.

When it comes to thinking and memory, everyone is different, said Frederick Schmitt, a neurology professor at the University of Kentucky. Having baseline results is very helpful and allows us to more carefully measure whether, in fact, significant changes have occurred over time, he said.

Nora Super, senior director of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, watched her father, Bill Super, and all three of his siblings succumb to Alzheimers disease over the course of several years falling, she said, like a row of dominoes.

One of her sisters was tested for the APOE4 genetic variant; results were negative. This is no guarantee of a dementia-free future, however, since hundreds of genes are implicated in Alzheimers, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia and vascular dementia.

Rather than get genetic or neuropsychological tests, Super has focused on learning as much as she can about how to protect her brain. At the top of the list: managing her depression as well as stress. Both have been linked to dementia.

Also, Super exercises routinely and eats a MIND-style diet, rich in vegetables, berries, whole grains, nuts, fish and beans. She is learning French (a form of cognitive stimulation), meditates regularly and is socially and intellectually active.

According to a growing body of research, physical inactivity, hearing loss, depression, obesity, hypertension, smoking, social isolation, diabetes and low education levels raise the risk of dementia. All of these factors are modifiable.

What if Super started having memory problems? I fear I would get really depressed, she admitted. Alzheimers is such a horrible disease: To see what people you love go through, especially in the early stages, when theyre aware of whats happening but cant do anything about it, is excruciating. Im not sure I want to go through that.

Gefen of Northwestern said she tells patients that if [cognitive testing] is something thats going to stress you out, then dont do it.

Nigel Smith, 49, had a change of heart after caring for his mother, Nancy Smith, 81, whos in hospice care in the Boston area with Alzheimers. When he brought his mother in for a neuropsychological exam in early 2017 and she received a diagnosis of moderate Alzheimers, she was furious. At that point, Nancy was still living in the familys large home in Brookline, Massachusetts, which she refused to leave.

Eventually, after his mother ended up in the hospital, Smith was given legal authority over her affairs and he moved her to a memory care unit.

Now, shes deteriorated to the point where she has about 5% of her previous verbal skills, Nigel said. She smiles but she doesnt recognize me.

Does he want to know if something like this might lie in his future?

A couple of years ago, Smith said he was too afraid of Alzheimers to contemplate this question. Now hes determined to know as much as possible, not so much because Im curious but so I can help prepare myself and my family. I see the burden of what Im doing for my mother, and I want to do everything I can to ease that burden for them.

Kim Hall, 54, of Plymouth, Minnesota, feels a similar need for a plan. Her mother, Kathleen Peterson, 89, a registered nurse for over 50 years, was diagnosed with vascular dementia five years ago. Today, she resides in assisted living and doesnt recognize most of her large family, including dozens of nieces and nephews who grew up with Hall.

Hall knows her mother had medical issues that may have harmed her brain: a traumatic brain injury as a young adult, uncontrolled high blood pressure for many years, several operations with general anesthesia and an addiction to prescription painkillers. I dont share these, and that may work in my favor, she said.

Still, Hall is concerned. I guess I want to know if Im at risk for dementia and if there is anything I can do to slow it down, she said. I dont want what happened to my mother to happen to me. Probably, Hall speculated, shell arrange to take a neuropsychological exam at some point.

Several years ago, when I was grieving my sisters death from frontotemporal dementia, my doctor suggested that a baseline exam of this sort might be a good idea.

I knew then I wouldnt take him up on the offer. If and when my time with dementia comes, Ill have to deal with it. Until then, Id rather not know.

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Stalked by The Fear That Dementia Is Stalking You - Kaiser Health News