If you're looking for a way to quit smoking that has a proven success rate, you may be interested in a drug called Zyban. The main active ingredient of Zyban is bupropion hydrochloride, which is also known as Wellbutrin. Originally prescribed as an antidepressant, Wellbutrin exhibited a side effect of making patients lose interest in cigarettes. With the Wellbutrin results as a guide, Zyban was developed and has been available as a smoking treatment since 1998.
How Zyban Works
The reason Zyban is so effective is not clearly understood. It makes patients feel energized and gives them a sense of well-being, which makes it useful for helping people quit smoking.
Patients start taking Zyban while they are still smoking. The quit date is set for 7 days later, and the drug is continued for another 7 to 10 weeks after that quit date. Patients report minimal symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Studies have shown that success rates of Zyban are about twice that of placebos.
If the smoker hasn't made significant improvements in his smoking habits by 10 weeks, it is unlikely that continued use of Zyban will help. Zyban treatment is like any other method for quitting smoking: in order to be effective the desire to quit has to come from within. Those who really don't want to stop smoking will find ways to sabotage any quitting plan.
The most commonly reported side effects are insomnia and a dry mouth. People with a history of seizures, eating disorders, or cirrhosis of the liver should not take it.
Compared with Patches
1 of the most popular alternatives for nicotine withdrawal is the nicotine patch -- a square patch that sticks to the skin and releases small doses of nicotine throughout the day. Patches allow the body to get the nicotine it craves without suffering the ill effects of smoking. People using patches may still feel the desire to smoke in certain situations because of associations with smoking that have nothing to do with nicotine. For example, some people associate smoking with going to a nightclub.
Patches are available in various strengths, so they can be used to wean the body gradually from its nicotine dependence. Those with a strong desire to quit smoking may find that nicotine substitutes free them to concentrate on the behavioral changes needed to rid themselves of dependency on tobacco.
Zyban does not provide nicotine to the body, it provides the smoker a feeling of well-being that allows him to give up the habit with relatively little difficulty. However, once Zyban treatment stops, the desire to smoke in certain situations may return.
Side Effects Of Patches
Patches can help eliminate the cravings associated with smoking, but they have to be used with some care. They can be worn throughout the day, but should be removed at night. Otherwise, they may cause insomnia or strange dreams.
The skin where the patch is applied may become red and itchy. These symptoms usually disappear within an hour after the patch is removed, but can cause discomfort during the day.
Both Zyban and nicotine substitutes are more effective when used in conjunction with some kind of counseling. A smoker must defeat both nicotine addiction and a series of smoking habits in order to ultimately join the ranks of the non-smoker.
Visit Stop Smoking for more info. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.
Dieting our Way to Obesity
Dieting our way to Obesity:
To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an understatement! Pick up any magazine, or turn-on any source of advertising and you're bombarded with the latest diet schemes and food fads. More often than not, they are endorsed by some familiar Hollywood celebrity. They are always fast, easier and require no lifestyle change. They come in pills, capsules, creams and supplements. They have one more thing in common, they don't work. Obesity has grown by 20% in the last decade.
It's no mystery that the weight-loss industry has built a thriving empire. In America, for example, we spend about 35 billion dollars every year on an assortment of weight loss products and plans. In addition, we spend another 79 billion dollars for medication, hospitalization, and doctors to treat obesity-related problems. Even with this, the obesity epidemic continues to spread. Sadly, we have become the heaviest generation in our Nation's history.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that we have some very good reasons to be concerned about our weight-gain. Americans, for example are packing-on the pounds faster than ever before and weight-related medical problems are taking center stage. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer have all been linked to obesity.
Here are a few of the surprising statistics about our weight:
- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. That's up approximately 8 percent from overweight estimates obtained in a 1988 report.
- The percent of children who are overweight is also continuing to increase. Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost 9 million are overweight. That's triple what the rate was in 1980!
- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese. At present, 31 percent of adults 20 years of age and over or nearly 59 million people have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, compared with 23 percent in 1994.
Modern life has come to revolve around moving from one "seated" position to another: whether it's television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we seem to be broadening the scope of our inactive endeavors.
At times, life seems to have gotten almost too easy! For entertainment, we can now just sit-down, dial-up our favorite TV program or DVD movie and enjoy hours of uninterrupted entertainment... using the remote of course.
And all those simple calorie burning activities that were once a normal part of our daily routine not so long ago? Long gone! You know the ones I'm talking about...activities like climbing stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Or, pushing a lawn mower instead of riding around on a garden tractor. And what about that daily walks to school? Now, our kids complain when the school bus happens to be a few minutes late getting to the bus stop! While we're on the subject of our kids we need to understand the problems we're seeing will be multiplied by their generation. Video games, the Internet, High Definition TV, the list of sedentary activities go on and on. Even kids that are involved in sports today do so only on an organized basis. They don't play baseball or basketball or hockey from morning until dark like we did. If we're having an obesity problem over 60% where will they be in thirty years?
Along with the convenience of our affluent lifestyle and reduction in energy expenditure, have come changes in our diet. We are now consuming more highly processed and nutrient deficient foods than ever before.
Never before has a generation of Americans been so fat, and never before has a generation consumed so many processed foods. "Low fat" products apparently aren't the answer either.
Here are a few examples of what we were eating in the 1970's compared to our diet today (information is taken from a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):
- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat. Most if not all of the nutrition is lost in milling.
- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because the U.S.D.A. includes French fries and potato chips as a vegetable. Potato products account for almost a third of our "produce" choices.
- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.
- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970s.
- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice that of soda pop. Studies have shown that we are also dehydrated. One in ten drinks the required 64 ounces of water a day, when only a 2% drop can contribute to reduced brain efficiency.
- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.
- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.
- In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers.
The days of the wholesome family dinners so near and dear to our hearts, where we all sat around the kitchen table to discuss events of the day, are now a part of our sentimental past. They have been replaced by our cravings for take-out and fast-food. We have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions mean better value.
And, since I have been throwing-out statistics, here's one more: Americans are consuming about 300 more calories each day than we did twenty years ago. We should actually be eating less because of our decreased activity level, but instead are doing the opposite!
Decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits will become a permanent part of your life!
Begin to explore your values and thoughts and other areas of your life where change may be required, and then take action. Begin slowly, but deliberately to make improvements in the areas you identify. And remember, it has taken a very long time to develop your habits, and it will take some time to undo them
so be patient!
Americans must realize and accept there is not a magic pill to fix everything. We spend 35 billion a year on diet products, have light beer. Low fat foods and obesity is increasing. It's time for a wakeup call if not for our sakes, for that of our children.
Real nutrition, fitness and weight loss information for real people. Learn how our everyday living environment impacts our health and wellness. Learn what to do about it. YOU can learn to live better and younger with the proper information.
http://www.livingtobeyounger.com
About The Author:
Real nutrition, fitness and weight loss information for real people. Learn how our everyday living environment impacts our health and wellness. Learn what to do about it
http://www.livingtobeyounger.com
The top 11 signs that suggest omega 3 Fatty Acid deficiency
Copyright 2005 David McEvoy
Do you need Omega 3 fatty acid in your diet? The simple answer is yes. The question of the importance of Omega 3 fatty acids can be clarified by examining the medical evidence regarding the benefits of this essential nutrient.
Omega 3 fatty acids are important building blocks for the cell membranes. Omega 3 fatty acids play a role in the neurological health of the human system. A significantly reduced risk of heart and cardiovascular disease is a well-documented benefit of having the correct balance of Omega 3 in the diet.
Studies undertaken on the lifestyle of the Inuit (Eskimos) prove that Omega 3 plays a critical role in maintaining good health. The Inuit enjoy a diet rich in fish and other marine wildlife, which provide Omega 3 in abundance.
Humans need Omega 3 fatty acids for optimum daily functioning. Research shows that it is critical for nervous system development.
Omega 3 also plays a crucial part in managing and preventing disease. This essential nutrient is one of the primary components of the brain, as well as the retina and other nerve tissue. It can affect the signalling of cells.
Scientific studies on Omega 3 prove that it is a necessity. Without Omega 3 in our diets, we find an increase in allergies and arthritis. Other chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer, are all impacted upon when we lack Omega 3 in our diets.
Continued research on this essential nutrient has shown another benefit. We find that with the aid of Omega 3 fish oil, we have a reduced chance of abnormal blood clotting within the blood vessels.
Available evidence on the Omega 3 benefit indicates that Omega 3 fatty acids should be included as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Should your diet become unbalanced and your consumption of Omega 3 drop to low, then you may experience several of the following conditions:
1) Fatty food craving
2) Ear wax accumulation
3) Sun-induced headaches
4) Leg cramps caused by walking
5) Tightness across shoulders
6) Brittle fingernails
7) Low moods, irritability
8) Thin/thick cracked heel calluses
9) Poor/slow wound healing
10) Yeast / candida infection
11) Chronic inflammations
12) Dry skin, dandruff
Conclusion
If you find yourself suffering from any of the above conditions, it may be due to an incorrect balance of Omega 3 and Omega 6 in your diet. Therefore, it is advisable that you improve your Omega 3 intake by eating more of the foods listed below.
Long chain Omega 3 fatty acids are found in:
Oily fish and cold-water fish such as mackerel and salmon: these are both excellent sources of the longer chain fatty acid Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA). Small amounts of EPA are also found in eggs.
Pre-formed docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is found in animal organ meat, such as brains, kidney and liver.
There are various supplements available to increase Omega 3 fatty acid intakes, based on fish oil or flaxseed oil.
The below are also beneficial and rich in Omega 3:
Plant oils e.g. soya, rape seed and especially flaxseed oil
Nuts and seeds e.g. walnuts and pumpkin seeds
Dark green leafy vegetables e.g. spinach and broccoli
All these foods are a great source of Omega 3. It is strongly recommended that you always try and increase your Omega 3 intake through a healthy balanced diet, incorporating some of the food groups from above.
If you are trying to obtain a therapeutic dose of Omega 3 to help alleviate a health problem, then supplementation with a high-quality fish oil supplement may be preferable due to the large doses required.
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Dave mcevoy is an award winning personal trainer with over 20 years experience; he also runs a high quality health supplement website. http://www.mind1st.co.uk
