In the last article, we spoke about back pain and its effects on our lives.  We talked about the spine and its valuable discs – we explained the way our discs absorb all the unnecessary pressure to the spine and how they make our movements more flexible.

We also spoke about prevention rather than treatment… this is mostly to do with posture.

Posture when seated:

Your head - should be facing forwards.  Don’t have your laptop or telly to the side, above or below your natural line of sight.  Your neck muscles are perfectly balanced when they’re holding your head straight; but when they have to hold your head at an angle, your neck muscles are pulled out of position.

Your shoulders - should be back and relaxed down.  Don’t be tempted to slump them forwards as you relax; rounded shoulders stretch your back ligaments.

Your chest - should be ‘open’.  If your shoulders are back and relaxed, then your chest is open and clear. If your chest feels restricted by your upper body weight, then your shoulders are in the wrong position.

Your hips - should be facing forwards and your bottom should create a nice 90 degree curve from your back down to your thighs.

Your feet – should be flat on the floor.  If your feet are swinging, then the weight of your legs is pulling your bottom out of that lovely 90 degree angle, which means your back isn’t in the right position, which means your shoulders aren’t either, which means your head isn’t either.

Use a small cushion to protect the arch of your lower back when sitting.  This will help your discs to keep their healthy shape and this means the end of a mechanical back pain for you!

Posture when standing:

Your head – should be facing forwards.  As with sitting, your neck muscles are only perfectly balanced when you’re holding your head straight.  It is good, however, to roll your neck at intervals in order to stretch and warm the neck muscles.  This keeps them flexible and stops them from seizing up.

Your shoulders - should be back and relaxed down.  Rolling them forwards and ‘slouching’ when standing, rounds that lovely natural curve in your spine.  This puts pressure on your disks, can cause nerve damage, and it will certainly lead to lower back pain in the longer term.

Your chest – should be ‘open’ (so, shoulder back!).  You will get tired more quickly if your breath is restricted; don’t underestimate the effort required simply to stand.

Your hips - should be facing forwards and be in line with your shoulders and heels.  Your hips are a sturdy, mid-way, centre of balance.  As with your neck, you can roll your hips at intervals in order to stretch and warm the muscles.

Your feet - should be shoulder width apart to form a wide, sturdy base.  If your legs get tired when standing for a long time, move one foot slightly behind the other and shift your weight onto the back foot.  Alternate to rest each leg in turn.

Making exercises part of your daily routine:

The more exercises we can incorporate into our daily routines, the easier they are to maintain.  These will strengthen the core muscles around the back, so protect the spine and discs.

In the car on the way to work – (please make certain you are stationary!)

1) Whilst holding the wheel, sit up nice and tall.  Pull your chest towards the wheel, keep your elbows tucked in and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

2) Reach back and grab the headrest with both hands.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

3) Pull your chin back (creating a double chin) without bending your neck.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

At your desk –

1) Roll your shoulders backwards, relax them down.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

2) Pull your shoulder blades towards each other and gently push your chest out.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

3) Pull your shoulders up towards your ears.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

Standing –

1) Lift both arms above your head and reach to the ceiling, stretching your back.  Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

2) Whilst standing against a wall, hold your arms out to the side (cross shaped) stretching your chest. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

3) Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your knees nice and s oft and facing forwards. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.

this exercise should not be done if you have spinal fusion or severe Sciatic pain

Before you go to sleep – this exercise is best if you have a firm mattress; if not, I’d suggest you move to the floor.  Start by lying on your tummy with your upper body off the floor, resting your weight on your elbows (as the picture shows).  This allows your back muscles to relax and will guide the nucleus of your discs back to the centre.  This counteracts the amount of bending forward we do in a day.

Keep active, protect your back and live life to the full!

About the author

Dr Fatemeh is  qualified physiotherapist with over 20 years experience in aiding the fitness and wellbeing of people of any ability level.

She is one of only 380 specially trained practitioners in the incredible art of Spinal Touch.

She embraces every opportunity to prevent, treat, ease and cure back pain of any kind, in any patient, of any ability.

Dr Fatemeh is totally dedicated to bringing years of knowledge and experience to anyone who needs her help.

Experience

1998 – 2002: Fitness Instructor

1999 – 2002:  BSc Physiotherapy from Northumbria University

2002 – 2010:  Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy from Grendal University

2002 – 2005: Rotational Physiotherapist

2006: Spinal Touch

2004 – 2008:  Mission Foods UK – Physiotherapist

2009 – present: Consultant Physiotherapist in Harley Street

Head of Rehabilitation: Iranian Hospital, Dubai

Dr Fatemeh is more than happy to help anyone with back related questions.

Please direct your enquiries to: http://www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk/contact-fatemeh/

Or simply read more about me at: www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk

Look out for more blogs and advice articles  from Dr Fatemeh on Medzooma.com and M Magazine our weekly online magazine full with News, Interviews, Reviews and Advice Articles on Health, Beauty, Fitness, Nutrition and Well-Being; delivered direct to your inbox every Monday for FREE. Subscribe today by clicking here>> M Magazine Subscription

Medzooma Recommends: Medzooma offers a range of products available to order today to support back, joint and muscle pain:

BodyGesic Pain Relief

LaKOTA Joint Care

KT Tape – Back Support

When we think of skin health, we often focus on rejuvenating our appearance through the use of topical creams, lotions and potions. However, in order to achieve a truly youthful complexion, it is vital that we consider what goes on inside our bodies too. A nutritious diet is fundamental in optimising skin health and preventing ageing.  Hundreds of studies have confirmed that we can improve both the length and quality of our lives and our appearance through the food we eat.

Fresh fruits and vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, fiber, enzymes and antioxidants, all of which are essential for skin health. Antioxidants counteract the effects of free radicals, molecules linked to cell damage which can cause disease and premature ageing. The Aggregate Nutritient Density Index (ANDI) rates foods on a basis of nutrient content and so is a good reference in helping you to choose the most nutritious foods.  And remember – five a day is a minimum recommendation!

Pure water. Consuming a minimum of 2l per day (more if you are exercising) keeps your body adequately hydrated. Water ensures the skin retains optimal moisture and volume, helping to keep it supple and preventing premature wrinkling.

Protein rich foods. Collagen fibers and all of the skin’s cells are composed of structural proteins created within your own body. Regular intake of dietary protein is essential for skin health. In addition to quality organic meat, eggs and fish, vegetable protein sources are also important. Consume beans, pulses, unroasted nuts and seeds regularly.

Healthy, essential fats are needed for keeping skin supple and moisturised from the inside. Omega 3s are often lacking in our diets and deficiency can contribute to problems such as dry skin and eczema. Include oily fish, sea foods, unroasted nuts/seeds (especially linseed/flaxseed) and avocado in your diet.

Green superfoods. Alfalfa, chlorella, spirulina, barley and wheat grass are potent antioxidants and have an alkalising effect, helping maintain a healthy pH balance and preventing inflammation. These are widely available and can be juiced or taken in supplement form.

Include these foods in your diet regularly and you can be sure you’re doing everything you can to keep your appearance youthful, from the inside out.

About the author

Kim qualified as a Nutritionist at London’s respected Institute for Optimum Nutrition in 2007 and has worked in the field of health, nutrition and food for over ten years.

She is regularly featured in the press providing articles and professional opinions to female glossy magazines, sports specific titles and national papers. She has worked with TV production companies, high profile individuals and Olympic athletes as well as corporate organisations and academic institutes to educate on the importance of nutrition in health, wellbeing and beauty.

Kim loves food and cooking and believes healthy eating should be simple, practical and tasty, as well as improving your health and looks.

Check out Kim Pearson’s Website

Follow on Twitter >> @KimmyPearson

When it comes to back pain, at least 3 people in 5 will experience it once in their life time.  They may have different ways of expressing their pain, however, they all say one thing in common – the effect is a heavy burden on their lives.

If the back pain goes to a chronic stage, it will keep coming back in a variety of situations: this could be anything from putting on a pair of socks, to twisting to reach the phone on your desk.

It’s interesting to know that most back pains could have mechanical reasons.  This means that they could happen because of poor posture or incorrect movements; bending forward is a good example. How many times a day do you think you bend forward to do your daily tasks?  On many occasions, you will lift a load off the floor without even thinking about the damage on your back.  This is very bad for the disks in your spine…

Discs are flexible cushions between your vertebrae that give you the flexibility to bend, twist or stretch your spine freely.  Without them your back couldn’t perform any of these movements.  Discs also absorb any sudden shock to your spine and protect the spine from severe damage.

A healthy disc is flexible and cushiony like a doughnut and has a soft centre called a nucleus which distributes pressure across the disc evenly.

With our daily living, lots of bending forwards puts pressure on the front of the disc, making the soft centre move towards the back of the disc.  Each disc is layered, similar to an onion, so the soft centre will slowly push its way out by tearing through these layers – one little movement can now tear the last layer open.  Once this happens, the nucleus bulges out and sits on the adjacent nerves creating a sharp, shooting pain.  Some people call it an electrifying pain which suddenly disables them from functioning and performing any movement…..!

This pain could settle gradually as the surface of the disc will eventually heal up and stop the direct pressure of the nucleus on the nerves.  However, this doesn’t mean that the disc is healthy as the nucleus is still out of place.  That’s why it’s so important to take an appropriate plan of treatment to constructively help the discs to heal up and function normally.  One treatment would be to opt for surgery, however, not all surgeries are successful and some might have complications. Exercise and physiotherapy can both help with existing problems, but the best way to avoid a damaged back is, quite simply, prevention.

Prevention is better than cure

… it’s cheaper, less painful and more convenient.  This doesn’t mean you need to watch what you do with your back every minute of every day, but it means you need to learn how to look after your back.

Stay tuned for part 2… “How to protect your back.”

About the author

Dr Fatemeh is  qualified physiotherapist with over 20 years experience in aiding the fitness and wellbeing of people of any ability level.

She is one of only 380 specially trained practitioners in the incredible art of Spinal Touch.

She embraces every opportunity to prevent, treat, ease and cure back pain of any kind, in any patient, of any ability.

Dr Fatemeh is totally dedicated to bringing years of knowledge and experience to anyone who needs her help.

Experience

1998 – 2002: Fitness Instructor

1999 – 2002:  BSc Physiotherapy from Northumbria University

2002 – 2010:  Doctorate of Science in Physical Therapy from Grendal University

2002 – 2005: Rotational Physiotherapist

2006: Spinal Touch

2004 – 2008:  Mission Foods UK – Physiotherapist

2009 – present: Consultant Physiotherapist in Harley Street

Head of Rehabilitation: Iranian Hospital, Dubai

Dr Fatemeh is more than happy to help anyone with back related questions.

Please direct your enquiries to: http://www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk/contact-fatemeh/

Or simply read more about me at: www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk

Look out for more blogs and advice articles  from Dr Fatemeh on Medzooma.com and M Magazine our weekly online magazine full with News, Interviews, Reviews and Advice Articles on Health, Beauty, Fitness, Nutrition and Well-Being; delivered direct to your inbox every Monday for FREE. Subscribe today by clicking here>> M Magazine Subscription

Medzooma Recommends: Medzooma offers a range of products available to order today to support back, joint and muscle pain:

BodyGesic Pain Relief

LaKOTA Joint Care

KT Tape – Back Support

Medzooma has teamed up with GB Sports Coaches  to promote the  Free online Sport, Fitness & Leisure sector network’ as a part of the series of article we welcome Phill Wright the man behind Creating Chaos and his advice on weight loss techniques.

Weight loss is now an industry. It creates huge amounts of revenue, in fact, in 2010, the US weight loss industry was worth over $60 Billion. Quite astonishing hey!!

As it’s become such a humongous market, we thought we’d throw together a discussion looking at the good, the bad and the ugly sides of weight loss. After all, whether it’s something you want or not, it affects us all. It’s pretty difficult to spend 5 minutes on the web without some pop up attempting to sell you moon pills that reportedly help you drop 9 dress sizes in minus 4 minutes.

The aim of this is to get your thoughts so do leave comments. After all, we work in the fitness industry and we’re seeing things through our eyes which is only one side of the picture.

THE GOOD

• If weight loss helps people balance meals, eat with sound regularity and limit portion sizes then it’s a good thing. With rising levels of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, starting to take control of eating will help people become more aware of the value of food and consequences of ignorance.

• To a point, there can be a direct link between looking and feeling good. Confidence is a huge player in being happy and feeling good about your body can help this. However, self-perception that is hinged on how you feel you look is a recipe for disaster. We’ve all seen the front cover of a trashy magazine with a stick-thin lunatic claiming to be fat, a common result of image-obsessed perception.

THE BAD

• Where does weight loss stop? If you need to lose weight then great, start balancing your eating and adopting some regular exercise. However, how will you know when enough is enough? Before you start doing anything towards shedding a few pounds, set your target and when you get there, the weight loss stops!!! At this point, you need to be ready to change your focus and goals as there is no more requirements to lose weight. Constant weight loss is not only impractical, it’s mentally draining and over time, it can lead to a self-created obsession. And when there is no weight loss or you no longer need to lose weight, where does that leave you? Feeling like you’re not achieving

• There seems to be a very common association that thin = healthy. This just isn’t true. Weight alone tells you nothing about body fat, cholesterol, lean muscle. Having a body composition assessment is a much more accurate way of measuring your internal health. Going on weight alone then many sports men and women are overweight / obese.

• Beware of fad diets and pills. Let’s accept one thing, people follow people. The world revolves on trends and that is a fact. Fashion, fitness, sport, films, the latest mobile phone…it’s all about what is in mode. When it comes to you and your body, it’s worth being strong and taking a step back from this approach. If we were only meant to eat meat and dairy then why would our body have enzymes that break down fruit and vegetables? Whilst the intricacies of nutrition are very complex, weight loss is simple –> if calories out exceed calories in then the body will lose weight.

• Eating disorders. Living in a visual culture where image is everything, why do we accept the false icons (ie. the models on the covers of glossy magazines) as the pinnacle of health? It’s widely known that most of them have eating disorders be it bulimia or anorexia. Teaching courses to fitness professionals, we come across the leaders of the fitness industry, the people that teach classes, personal trainers and in essence, the people intended to get the nation fit and healthy. Often, fitness professionals are in great shape themselves and now and again, we meet trainers who also feature as models in health and fitness magazines. Well, we want to share some of the trade secrets with you. Before getting their body into a state good enough to feature on the next issue of “Super Health” magazine, these fitness icons starve their bodies of energy, drink litres and litres of diuretics to empty the body of fluid and at the time of the photo shoot are often extremely weak and vulnerable. Yet this is what the nation and world looks upon as ideal.

THE UGLY

• As already mentioned, weight loss, given the chance can become an obsession. Isn’t it ironic that we have songs about wanting to be famous and celebrity like. Whilst the fortune of celebrities is often incomprehensible, the image-obsessiveness, insecurity and incessant need for acknowledgement often leads them towards spending time in places like the priory or other goose farms. We’re not sure the songs would sell as well though if they were titled “When will I, will I be obsessive and paranoid?” – not quite as catchy

• As we’ve already discussed, weight loss is only a positive if it is required. If you don’t need to lose weight then starving yourself isn’t beneficial. It doesn’t take high profile cases to illustrate the harm of malnutrition which effectively is what weight loss is. You’re feeding your body with less than it requires to maintain. Inability to conceive children, loss of bowel function, poor circulation leading to amputations whilst being extreme, are all examples of taking weight loss too far.

• Possibly the ugliest of all from the whole weight loss empire. The effect on others! Remember that weight loss is not a way of living but a short term solution. A healthy lifestyle is a way of living. However, the weight loss culture takes over and this affects people around us and, the most impressionable of all…children. Isn’t it tragic to hear of  children of 6 and 7 developing eating disorders. Should children really be looking in a mirror and holding their tummies in? One wonders the direction of a generation if this is what occurs at such precious ages? It really does start with us as adults ensuring that this doesn’t happen. This is a time to forget the adage “do as I say, not as I do”. Children are smart and leading by example is the single and only way to communicate the message of health.

Medzooma Recommends

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Dinosaur Nutrition at Medzooma

Hey boys and girls! Today’s post is for anyone who has tired, stiff muscles and not necessarily from playing sport either! I don’t know about you, but some days I wish I had something that would soothe the pain and help me to relax my muscles.

Well here’s a product that could help, Flint Edge Sports Rub £6.99.

OK, it’s not going to cure the problem, nothing will but rest and plenty of water, however what it will do is gently warm the muscles with it’s ingredients of spices and essential oils.

You can even use this before sport to help warm the muscles up.

I’ve used this a few times now after a run or a game of hockey and have found that it does help.

The muscle fatigue is still there, but it has been reduced making the area feel a lot more comfortable.

I can’t say personally that I’ve felt my muscles warming with the sports rub, more a cooling sensation at first whilst it absorbs into the skin.

The other two good things about this product is it smells really nice and it works pretty well as a body lotion to.

Give it ago, you may not feel it working, but you’ll definitely notice a difference after you’ve used it.

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment.

The Chap : )

http://www.thechapblog.com/

The Indola Smart Street Style Challenge- Minimalist Chic

Sarah is a blogger based in Essex…. the media and communications professional has a passion for cosmetics, beauty and celebs.

EOTD – Gold ‘n’ Blue using MUA quads

On my face I used:-
Rimmel 25 Hour Foundation
Youngblood Hi-Def Mineral Powder
MAC Pearl MSF as blush and highlight
Sleek Barely There lipstick
Bourjois ‘Brun Expressif’ pencil for my eyebrows
(My hair was how it looked the day after using the Enrapture Jumbo Waver)

So that’s what I wore on Saturday!  If any of you attempt to re-create this look then let me know how you get on (with pics!).
Have you been wearing any colours you don’t normally wear, recently?
Thanks for reading xx

About the blogger..

This season’s gorgeous dresses and city shorts mean it’s time to get your legs into shape. Here are some quick tips, (and they work! because I do them too!)

Fake Flawless Skin

No one does legs like the Victoria’s Secret models, Meredith Baraf, the makeup artist responsible for the glowing pins on the runway gives her advice:

• Use a self-tanner, legs look better tan- Just make it a fake tan
• Exfoliate beforehand – It evens out the top layer of your skin so the tan fades naturally.
• Once the tan dries, set it with a moisturiser, this helps the tan last a bit longer.
• Last-minute trick: If you have only minutes to get ready, use a fast-drying body bronzer, this will make legs appear less pasty and blotchy
• Slim down with shimmer. Apply highlighter along your shin bones and up the center of your thighs to reflect light and make legs look thinner. Try St. Tropez Skin Illuminator Cream
• Smooth your problem areas. For a quick, albeit temporary, slimming effect, rub in a caffeine-containing lotion like Sunday Riley Liquid Diet.

Easy Exercises

A defined leg isn’t just about beautiful thighs, it’s about toning

• Calf rises: Stand on an aerobic step with your heels hanging off, then raise yourself up and down on your toes.
• Side steps: Place an exercise band (available at performbetter.com) around your ankles and keep feet shoulder distance apart. Step to the side with one foot, crunching against the band, and follow with the other leg.
• Jumping rope:  This is by far the most successful leg exercise because it works every muscle in your body, work towards a goal of 30 minutes, and as you’re building up to it, jump as long and as fast as you can.

Yoga can also deliver fast toning results:

If you practice two to three times a week, you’ll automatically develop leaner leg muscles in just a few weeks

• Shoulder stand: Lie on your back and lift legs up into a 90 degree angle, using your hands to support your lower back and touching your chest to your chin.
• Inclined plane: Sitting down, stretch out your legs and place your hands on the ground behind your hips to lift your body up.
• Leg raises: As you lie flat on your back, lift a leg up slowly to a 90-degree angle, pointing and flexing your foot. Bring it down and alternate legs.

Medical Options

Unsightly spider veins? Workout-resistant fat? Exercise and cover-up may not be enough.

Consider…

Sclerotherapy: To treat small to midsize varicose veins, Sclerotherapy is the gold standard of the injections designed to irritate the inner lining of the vein so it collapses and disappears.

Liposuction: The most underappreciated areas to treat are the calves and ankles your surgeon should have a good sculptural sense and use ultrafine cannula tubes and mini incisions. Average recovery time is five to seven days. Liposuction also works well for outer-thigh fat or “saddlebags.” Vaser Liposuction comes highly reccomendded for smaller areas of fat removal, (trust me I’m a total convert thanks to Medizen Clinics)

Tummy tuck: if your inner thighs are droopy, this treatment works well as it not only tightens the skin of the lower abdomen, but it also pulls up the skin on the upper thigh and avoids putting a scar on the groin, which can be problematic as gravity pulls it down over time.

Cosmedic Coach recommends

www.medizen.co.uk

www.aurora-clinics.co.uk

www.fakebake.co.uk

www.pupa.it

About the author…

Antonia  is a London based writer, journalist, published author and a leading expert in the field of Health, Beauty, Anti-Ageing, Cosmetic Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery, Antonia is highly regarded within the industry as being a trusted source of health and beauty information, and is dubbed ‘The Cosmedic Coach’.

Antonia’s expertise has seen her contribute to a number of well-known publications, such as Cosmopolitan, Hello!, The Independent, “Take 10 Years Off Your Looks” with Nicky Hambleton Jones, At Home Magazine, Top Santé, Style, Brand New You, Aesthetic Medicine Magazine, and The Private Healthcare Guide.

Antonia the Cosmedic Coach is available for private consultation in Harley Street where she gives one-to-one advice to both men and women; her clients include television and sporting celebrities, VIP’s and Royalty.

Antonia is the Author of “The Essential Guide to Acne” Forward Press (UK), and “The Cosmetic Surgery Companion – look and feel beautiful” (Apple Press), she is currently writing a third book due to be published 2012.

To buy Antonia’s books simply click here >>Antonia’s Books or simply on the name of the book, quote w1 Mag at the checkout for 10% discount

Grains are one of the most powerful and widely consumed foods on the planet, and so I get asked quite a lot, when talking to someone about the ideal nutrition plan to follow to drop body fat and improve their lifestyle, why we recommend removing Breads, Cereals and all types of grains from their current diet.

So I thought I’d explain why in a little more detail, starting with a couple of questions for you to ask yourself:

Do I eat foods made from Grains? Yes or No?

If Yes, Why do I eat them?

Most of the people tell me 1 of 2 things; they either eat them because they are used to it, or because they don’t know what else to eat…..

When I tell them that they can eat any kind of meat, fish, egg, veg, some fruit, and nuts for breakfast, they tend to stare back at me with a bit of a puzzled look on their face.

We have been told for so long that Grains are full of Fibre and energy and can help reduce bad cholesterol and the risk of heart attacks along with it (and it’s pretty cheap), that we happily buy into this and away we go.

Unfortunately about 120 years ago, when steel roller mills were introduced to make flour, they pretty much smashed all of the fibre out of the grains.  So there’s the Fibre argument pretty much out of the window.

What we are left with is a white, high GI, blood sugar spiking nightmare, especially for someone trying to lose body fat.

Even the ‘whole wheat’ bread does the same thing to your blood sugar because the particles are virtually the same as white flour.

Approximately 80% of the cereal products consumed, following the standard Food Agency Food Pyramid, comes from refined white flour with a high GI, despite its colour when you eat it.

Ok, so, so far we’ve looked at the Fibre content of Grains (pretty much devoid), and we’ve look at ‘whole grain’ being better than white (they are pretty much identical).

Right, so our Wholemeal bread that we eat as a healthier option is lacking is Fibre and is actually from white flour.

The truth is, calorie for calorie, whole grains are nothing compared to fruit and veg.  Fruits average almost twice as much Fibre as whole grains.  Non-starchy veg have 8 times more Fibre.

What about other nutrients, like vitamins and minerals?

Well, on paper, whole grains seem to be a pretty good source of many important minerals, such as Iron, Zinc, Copper, & Magnesium.  To be realistic, grains are a very poor source of these very important minerals.

Not only that, they actually BLOCK these minerals being absorbed by your body!!!!

When grains are ingested, they produce and anti-nutrient called ‘Phytates’; and what they do is bind to Zinc, Iron, Calcium and Magnesium and stop them passing through your intestines to be used by your body.

Phytates do their job so well that there is currently a wide world epidemic of Anaemia affecting approximately 1.2 billion people, who include grains and legumes in their diet.

Ok, let’s recap again:

• Little or no Fibre
• Cause a big spike in blood sugar (which has it’s own list of health problems)
• Little or no Vitamins & Minerals
• They block the absorption of essential vitamins and minerals

Remind me why we eat them again…….!!!!

About the author…

If you are a health, beauty, fitness, nutrition or wellbeing business and you would like to participate in the M Magazine interviews contact us here sales@medzooma.com

Medzooma supplies a range of athlete and bodybuilding nutritional products – check out our online store >>Dino Nutrition

In Part 4 of our 5 part series Antonia Mariconda explores Liposuction.

One of the most popular cosmetic surgery treatments sought after by women and men is Liposuction.

Liposuction is the surgical cosmetic procedure for reducing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise; literally removing fat and resculpting the body.

The best candidates for Liposuction surgery are at least 18 years of age, psychologically stable and in good physical health.

There is an increased risk for surgical complications in a healthy person if there is a medical history of immunodeficiency disorders, cardiac problems, seizure disorders, excessive bleeding, or a significant history of deep vein thrombosis.

Also, if you are taking certain drugs that increase the risk of bleeding, anti-flammatory drugs of anticoagulants, then Liposuction would not be a safe procedure.

When considering a Liposuction procedure, you will have an initial consultation with you surgeon to discuss the changes that you would like to make to your appearance.

The Liposuction doctor will explain the options available to you, the steps of the procedure, and the different types of Liposuctions available, the risks and limitations, as well as the Liposuction prices.

It is important at this stage to ask your surgeon any questions you have about the Liposuction procedures, to aid you in making an informed decision about Liposuction surgery.

Liposuction surgery is always performed under anesthetic, usually general anesthetic, but occasionally local or regional is used if only a small localized area is being treated.

A Conventional Liposuction treatment or a variation of it such as Tumescent Liposuction will usually take 1-2 hours per area treated, but longer procedures such as Large Volume Liposuction can take much longer, and may even need to be carried out in several procedures.

Make sure you consult your surgeon on how long your individual Liposuction treatment is likely to take.

Once your procedure is complete, your Liposuction Surgeon will explain the recovery and healing process to you swelling should subside within 3 weeks, and to aid the healing process your surgeon will probably tell you to begin light activity as soon as possible.

Liposuction recovery times vary from person to person, however, you should be able to return to work in 3-21 days, depending on the extremity of your individual surgery, and normal activities including strenuous exercise can be resumed within 4 to 6 weeks.

Although conventional liposuction is the most commonly performed cosmetic plastic surgery procedure in the United States, and the majority of these operations are successful, there are risks and limitations to Liposuction procedures as with any surgery.

Some patients experience Liposuction side effects such as post-surgical dimpling, lumpiness, numbness, scarring or discoloration in the treated area, and it may be possible that follow-up surgery is required.

Liposuction permanently removes a portion of the fat cells and so patients tend not to regain weight in that area, making it a very desirable surgical procedure.

There are currently several types of Liposuction Surgery Operations available, these include:

Conventional Liposuction

This is the classic Liposuction treatment, and is the removal of fat from under the skin using a strong suction device that literally pulls the unwanted fat cells out of the body. This causes the skin to shrink to the newly contoured body accordingly, leaving a new slimmer resculpted body.

Tumescent Liposuction

Tumescent Liposuction involves large volumes of saline solution being injected into the fat deposits prior to surgery, making them easier to break up and then extract. This usually gives more enhanced Liposuction results.

Large Volume Liposuction

Large Volume Liposuction involves not just Liposuction treatment in localized areas of the body, such as the abdomen, but circumferential body contouring, with at least five body areas being treated in one single operation.

According to The American Society of Plastic Surgery, any Liposuction procedure with over 5 liters of fluid and fat removed is classified as Large Volume Liposuction.

The procedure can sculpt the body to a curvaceous form and help you to take off many inches of waist, and is a longer operation than a Conventional Liposuction operation as significantly more fat is removed.

Ultrasonic Liposuction

Ultrasonic Liposuction is a technique that uses sound wave vibrations to rupture fat cells and thus liquefy fat, making it easier to dislodge during suction.

This process leads to increased vascularization of cells, and a newer and thicker band of Collagen is formed in the upper layers of skin, causing a smoother appearance and surface in areas of skin that were formally textured with cellulite.

Ultrasonic Liposuction is often used for treating large areas of fat, and is popular as it can be performed as Non-Invasive Liposuction, also known as Laser Lipolysis or Laser Liposuction this involves several sessions of over a period of a few months to achieve a smoother contour without having invasive surgery.

Laser Lypo is a procedure that uses a cannula which is ultra-fine and flexible and no vacuum suction is performed, the trauma to the body is light.

The incision made in the skin is so tiny that stitching is not required. After a local-anesthetic injection, the laser is inserted into the layer of fat just underneath the skin and moved around in slow, fanning movements.

The heat it produces destroys the walls of the fat cells and liquefies the fat within them, while sealing off blood vessels, which minimizes internal bleeding and bruising.

Depending on the number of areas treated, the procedure can take from 20 minutes to two and a half hours.

Liposuction Spotlight

Hot Procedure

Have you been finding it hard to get the perfect figure you’ve always wanted?

Do you find it hard to keep those extra few pounds off, despite having a healthy lifestyle?

Are you happy with the shape of some parts of your body but not with others?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, then it may be time for you to start looking into Vaser Lipo, the new non-surgical fat-reduction technique that’s at the cutting edge of current fat-removal technology.

Glossy magazines, perky diet gurus and “celebrity” doctors would have us believe that losing weight and crucially, keeping it off, were as easy as a few simple (and barely noticeable) dietary changes and getting regular exercise.

However, for a large amount of people struggling to achieve their perfect body contours, things just aren’t so simple.

Genetic factors, existing medical conditions or a basic lack of time to oneself all mean that losing weight and attaining the ideal body shape can be much harder than previously thought.

A lack of willpower is not always behind finding it hard to shift the pounds!

Carrying excess weight in all the wrong places can lead to medical problems including bad posture, severe joint pain and diabetes, as well as depression resulting from a lack of confidence and poor self-image.

Recent advances in cosmetic science and healthcare have made aesthetic treatments such as collagen implants, botox injections and laser surgery not only more accessible to all, but more socially acceptable.

Sensible, health-conscious people the world over are realizing the benefits of safe, effective cosmetic surgery and therapies.

Medical spas, clinics and day centres are conveniently located all over the country, and it is easy to plan a nice weekend away that includes all kinds of aesthetic treatments and high-tech beauty therapies.

Affordable pricing, short recovery times and relatively wide availability mean that hundreds of thousands of people a year are delighted with the results of their chosen treatments, and more and more patients are asking their doctors about Vaser Lipo.

Innovative and effective, ensuring minimal discomfort, this new procedure has helped thousands of people, both men and women, attain the body shape they desire.

Fully-approved by the FDA (the American body that deals with the authorization of all drugs and medical procedures).

Vaser Lipo has been popular in the United States for some time, and is now gaining a very satisfied band of followers within the UK.

More and more clinics are now offer the procedure, and all have fully-trained and experienced staff who will be happy to discuss the procedure, its processes and effects in detail with you.

As a huge liposuction convert I can give laser liposuction my personal thumbs up! Having found it incredibly hard to shift my “pot belly” after two children and a life of yo-yo dieting I can highly recommend the procedure as being, safe, fast, and recovery is quite straightforward,

My five star rating for vaserliposuction experience visit >> http://www.medizen.co.uk/

About the author…

Antonia  is a London based writer, journalist, published author and a leading expert in the field of Health, Beauty, Anti-Ageing, Cosmetic Medicine and Cosmetic Surgery, Antonia is highly regarded within the industry as being a trusted source of health and beauty information, and is dubbed ‘The Cosmedic Coach’.

Antonia’s expertise has seen her contribute to a number of well-known publications, such as Cosmopolitan, Hello!, The Independent, “Take 10 Years Off Your Looks” with Nicky Hambleton Jones, At Home Magazine, Top Santé, Style, Brand New You, Aesthetic Medicine Magazine, and The Private Healthcare Guide.

Antonia the Cosmedic Coach is available for private consultation in Harley Street where she gives one-to-one advice to both men and women; her clients include television and sporting celebrities, VIP’s and Royalty.

Antonia is the Author of “The Essential Guide to Acne” Forward Press (UK), and “The Cosmetic Surgery Companion – look and feel beautiful” (Apple Press), she is currently writing a third book due to be published 2012.

To buy Antonia’s books simply click here >>Antonia’s Books or simply on the name of the book, quote w1 Mag at the checkout for 10% discount