Newsletter: Issue #40

Weight-loss drugs and safety

Plenty of pills claim to be the "easy" way to weight loss. For many of them safety may be an issue.

Weight-loss pills and beverages that contain ephedra or ma huang, for instance, continue to be questioned for their potential side effects. These energy enhancers can increase blood pressure, heart rate and elevate body temperature, with more serious side effects including stroke and heart attack. Ephedra is categorized as a dietary supplement, so regulations to control its use are limited.

In addition to the safety concerns, fast weight loss often isn't long-lasting weight loss. If you're trying to lose weight, resist the temptation of a quick fix and turn to the tried and true: make lasting changes in what and how much you eat and including more physical activity.

Produced by ADA's Public Relations Team

Belly Fat

Weight gain in women, particularly in the abdominal area, triggers inflammation in the body and significantly raises your risk of heart disease, according to a new study.

It's a well-known fact that as weight goes up, so does your risk of heart disease. But a new study shows that as the belly goes out, your chance of having problems down the road may skyrocket.

There has been a flurry of research linking heart disease to inflammation in the body's arteries. Researchers in the current study say that hardening of the arteries is essentially an inflammatory response. The study is published in the Jan. 15 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Remember some key tricks to low fat eating:

• Remove the skin of chicken before eating.
• Have salads served with the dressing on the side.
  
• Use skim milk in coffee instead of cream.
• Remove high fat foods such as eggs and olives from salads.
• Eat bread with no butter.
• Ask if foods can be prepared without butter or cream sauces.
  
• Take care not to override the advantages of a salad bar with the disadvantages of the salad dressing.
• Lean toward selections of fish and chicken instead of red meat.
• Don't add salt to your dishes, and request that the chef do the same!
  

Advice by Covert Bailey - Author of a number of excellent books including Smart Exercise, The New Fit or Fat, The Ultimate Fit or Fat Book, The Fit or Fat Women; The Fit or Fat Target Diet and T