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Archive for February, 2012

Starting your day with a healthy breakfast is easy to say. But what is a healthy breakfast? How do we decide what to have and why? This is the first in a series of 3 articles that help understand what your body needs to get off to a great start of your day.

The Food Pyramid

For the last sixty years or so, nutritional guidelines issued by various governments have evolved from the proverbial apple-a-day to the food wheel and have now arrived at various versions of the Food Pyramid.

Food pyramids organize food groups graphically. The food groups are:

Grains Vegetables Fruits Dairy products Meat, fish and beans Oils

Traditionally, the higher up the food group in the pyramid the lower the share of that group should be in your daily calorie consumption.

The most recent version of the food pyramid changed the presentation of the way food groups should be present in your diet. The face of the pyramid is now made up of colored wedges running down from the tip to the base. Each colour represents a food group. The width of the wedge at the base of the pyramid now shows how much of that food group should make up your daily calorie consumption. (You’ll find a link to the food pyramid at the end of this article.)

The most striking, and most welcome innovation in this pyramid is not this reorganization of the food groups. It is the addition of exercise in your daily regime. Nutrition without exercise is only half the solution just as exercise without the right nutrition will generate only limited results. Steps lead up the left side of the pyramid and a person is shown to walk up these steps. You can take this literally: walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator. I’ve talked more about alternative ways to exercise in another article (Wellness — Hoax, Hype Or Real?) The basic recommended level of exercise corresponds to half an hour of brisk walking a day and that does not necessarily have to be done in one go.

The Food Groups

Let’s have a look at the individual food groups now.

Grains are the largest individual group. If we take fruit and vegetable together, though, then this combined group wins hands down. This means that the largest share of our daily calorie intake should be from fruit and vegetable combined, followed by grains, dairy products, then meat, fish and beans, and finally oils, the group that is so small that it hasn’t even got its own label at the foot of the pyramid. It’s the tiny wedge between fruit and milk.

Water

One big omission from this food pyramid is water. Water is vital. And yet, so many people complain that they simply can’t drink so much water.

If someone stood next to them, pointed a loaded gun at their head and told them: “Drink, or else!” Would they drink? Of course, they would. Anybody would. Your life’s at stake. It’s the same when you don’t drink enough. Only when we don’t drink enough, the consequences are long term, not immediate. That’s why we think we can afford to push them into the long grass.

How much is enough? As a general guideline, we need about 1.5 to 2 litres – or 6 to 8 large glasses – per day (depending on climate and on our level of physical activity) to prevent dehydration. Here is an interesting fact: 2% dehydration seriously impairs your power of concentration. How much water do you drink? Did you have a large glass of water immediately when you got out of bed today?

Infants, children and the elderly are more likely to experience dehydration. That’s why they, or their carers, need to pay special attention to their fluid intake.

Because of their calorie content, soft drinks and fruit juices are not good choices for replacing lost fluids, especially if you are working out to try and lose or manage your weight. Try adding just a splash of fruit juice or a slice of lemon or lime to a glass of water if you don’t like the taste of plain water.

The current food pyramid is certainly progress when compared to any of its predecessors. For my money, though, I’d follow the approach taken by another food pyramid any time:

The California Cuisine Pyramid

The California Cuisine Pyramid is at the cutting edge of nutritional science. Its approach broadens the scope of our traditional food pyramid. It is not a food-only pyramid. It provides also a basis to include physical activity, water, and dietary supplement advice. Let’s have a closer look at what it has to offer. (You’ll find a link to the California Cuisine Pyramid is at the end of this article.)

Taste is at the top of the pyramid, because it is the most important element in encouraging food intake. Instead of the dots symbolising hidden fats and oils (in the traditional food pyramid) or just oils in the newer version, the use of natural flavour enhancers is recommended as needed including: avocado, herbs, nuts, olives, seeds, spices (including garlic, chillies, onions, cumin, curry, mustard, peppers), oils rich in monounsaturates and omega-3 fatty acids, and sweeteners (honey, molasses, sugars, sweeteners).

A further step is the inclusion of plant-based protein for balanced nutrition in the 4 to 6 daily servings of protein. Recommendation for protein now includes soy protein, beans and legumes with rice or corn (for plant-based protein) or non-fat dairy products, egg white, poultry, fish/seafood, lean meats (for animal protein). Soy protein is a nutritionally complete protein with great health benefits. Soy protein isolate, an easily absorbable form of soy protein, was given approval for a cholesterol-lowering food claim by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. It is recommended as a protein balance for meat derived protein in the diet. There is also emerging evidence on the effects of soy protein as an antioxidant and tumour growth inhibitor.

For grain read “wholegrain,” not refined (white) flour, bread, pasta or rice. Choose the “brown” variety and make sure that it’s whole grain and not just whole meal.

The California Cuisine Pyramid also extends the recommended 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day to 5 to 11 servings with a predominance of vegetables over fruit. Broadly speaking, women should eat at least 7 servings while men should eat at least 9 servings (a serving is about a cup of fresh vegetable, a half cup of cooked vegetable, or a half cup of fruit).

Given all this official advice based on cutting edge nutritional science, the next question seems to be almost redundant. But is it?

Should We Take Supplements?

We’ve all heard this lament before:

“Are supplements really necessary? I don’t like taking pills, I get all my nutrients from food.”

Consider this: Even equipped with the best intentions, the right information and sufficient time and money, it is virtually impossible for us to obtain all the nutrients we need just from our daily food alone. Getting the right nutrition is no longer easy.

Agriculture has changed so much during the last 50 years: It has become industrialized; seasonal fruit and vegetable are now kept for excessively long periods in cold storage to make them available throughout the year; soil has become depleted; additives in the soil and in the food require caution in our decisions how much we eat of certain foods; and the jury is still out on the long term impact of genetic manipulation. All these factors certainly have reduced the nutritional density and content of the food we eat. Fresh food simply does not provide us with the amount nutrients we think we are getting. Supplementation is necessary to achieve our goal of optimally balanced nutrition.

Scientific evidence in favor of supplementation has been mounting in the last ten, fifteen years. Supplementation is recommended by the World Health Organization and by numerous physicians. Sadly, all to often people mistake taking nutritional supplements with taking medication because most supplements come as tablets or capsules. The shape of the thing, that is, its method of delivery should not blind us to the fact that to ensure optimum wellness taking supplements has become inevitable.

When it comes to bathroom safety, like my grandma used to say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Bathroom safety means having the right home health care products in place to STOP slips and falls before they happen.

Grab bars are available for in-home installation and are an easy, yet effective way to make sure that safety is the number one priority in preventing bathroom slips and falls. When used, they help seniors maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle and reduce the risk of falling or injuries. If you didn’t know, grab bars aren’t just for hospitals or public restrooms and having them in your home can thwart unplanned trips to the hospital by helping you lower or lift yourself safely and independently. Placed in your bathtub or shower, these bars can provide help for seniors by giving extra stability for those initial slippery steps when accidents are most likely to occur. When strategically positioned, dangerous falls can be prevented and quite honestly, who doesn’t want that type of added security? Another great benefit to having these devices is that they are safe to use and generally very easy to install. Grab bars can be made of plastic, aluminum or stainless steel and come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes to fit your personal or individual needs.

How many will I need?

Research suggests that you should install at least two to fully support your weight. However, more can be installed if desired. To make sure you are fully protected and you are optimizing your home health products for safety, purchase bars that will support the weight of at least 250 lbs. Most times, manufacturers will provide this information in their product specifications. If your weight exceeds the limit, a special order set of grab bars should be considered.

Where will my grab bars be best placed?

To determine the most useful area for your grab bars, it is wise to first consult with your doctor or occupational therapist to make sure they are placed where they will be the most beneficial for your use. Generally though, at least one bar should be placed along the wall where the faucet is and another along the back wall so that one hand can be placed in each of these areas when getting in or out of the tub. Having two grab bars provides stability and enables users to safely get into or out of the bathtub. Before using the grab bars though, make sure they are properly installed and anchored for reliability.

Many people are nervous about their first visit to a beauty salon, and that is understandable because you are putting your beauty into someone else’s hands. If you have a stylist who is inexperienced then you may be disappointed. Make sure that when you make your appointment you ask for someone who is experienced with the service that you want.

Facials are very popular beauty salon treatments. A facial will stimulate your skin and can relax you. Facials remove the old dead skin and deep clean your pores. Your skin gets moisturized and the result is a brighter, fresher and toner face. The person doing your facial will evaluate your skin as to whether you have dry, oily or combination skin to determine which products should be used for the facial. Deciding to have a facial will leave you feeling pampered and relaxed, even if you do not select another beauty treatment.

I would recommend getting a manicure and a pedicure as treatments at the beauty salon. The pedicure is extremely relaxing as well. It begins with washing your feet in a whirlpool footbath. The pedicurist will remove your old polish and will gently use a pumice stone to remove rough and dead skin on your feet. You can choose from over hundreds of colors the salon has on hand, and that is usually the toughest part of a pedicure. A manicure will fix whatever cuticle issues you may have. Even if you do not have long nails, you can still have your nails trimmed, buffed and polished.

Most beauty salons will also do body hair removal which can be done by waxing, sugaring, threading or with lasers, depending upon the salon. I can’t say that any of these are the most pleasant of experiences, but you will most likely be happy with your results.

Some beauty salons will do makeup consultations. The makeup artist will evaluate your skin and based upon the type of look you are looking for, will make recommendations for products and styles. Clients like to make these types of appointments before special events so that they can look their best with professionally applied makeup.

When finding the best weight loss product, do not be easily fooled by claims of a miraculous and quick weight loss. Because of the threats posed by obesity, Americans are estimated to spend as much as $56 billion every year for the best weight loss product.

Finding the ‘magic bullet’

Do not be easily fooled by diet pills that claim to quickly “burn,” “block,” or “flush” fat from your system. Although many diet pills have emerged in the market, many of these are either fraudulent or have dangerous side effects. Drugs promising to control the appetite can have adverse effects on the brain and nervous system.

The truth about diet pills

Although diet pills are viewed as the best weight loss product, science has yet to conduct a full research on the widespread effects of taking diet pills. Because of the influx of diet pills in supermarket, drug stores, and even online shops, science is finding it hard to keep track of the effects of these pills.
Diet pills are also not strictly monitored like prescription and over-the-counter pills.

Fad dieting

Another known diet plan is fad dieting, promising to give quick weight loss solutions to people. However, the problem with fad dieting is that it is not permanent. The effects are only temporary and people can regain their weight fast.

The key to weight loss

Weight loss is not about finding the best weight loss product. The key to weight loss relies mainly on two things: calorie intake and exercise.
If you want to reduce weight, it is best to monitor the amount of calories you take. Lessening the amount of calories can help you lose weight. However, it is always important to do this under the supervision of your doctor. Low-calorie can be harmful to your body and can rob you with the essential nutrients. That’s why it is still important to have a balanced meal.
Regular exercise is also another important factor. Exercise does not equate to going to the gym. You can try brisk walking or jogging, which can do wonders for your health and your diet as well.
Remember, there are no shortcuts to dieting. Don’t rely on those claiming to be the best weight loss product. A little determination and perseverance are what you need to lose those extra pounds.

The pharmacy school interview is an integral part of the application process as the admission staff, who already knows everything about you on paper, will finally be able to see how you will fit into their program. This is also your time to interview each pharmacy school, so be prepared to ask questions you may have about their program.

Most pharmacy schools do a good job of making the interview session as comfortable and non-stressful as possible. Usually current pharmacy school students will greet you and make conversation with you. Take full advantage of this opportunity to loosen yourself up and practice your speaking skills. By this time you should have already completed your speech requirement, so now is the time to make use of what you have learned in the classroom!

Prepare yourself by familiarizing yourself with what you wrote on your personal statement essay. In addition, it is a good idea to have a general idea on what kind of questions are going to be asked.

As soon as you meet your interviewers, take the initiative to build rapport / spark up a mini conversation (crazy traffic this morning, beautiful day, etc). Smile and split eye contact between all your interviewers as much as possible when you are speaking and keep eye contact on the person asking the questions.

Some General Interview Questions
1. Tell me about yourself
2. What was your favorite/most difficult course in college?
3. Who is your greatest role model?
4. What is a negative aspect about yourself? How have you worked on making it better?
5. Describe a moment you felt proud an accomplishment.
6. Why our pharmacy program?
7. What do you want to do after you graduate?
8. What do you do in your free time?
9. Why pharmacy, why not research or medicine?
10. What got you interested in pharmacy?
11. What are the most important attributes of a pharmacist?
12. What makes you stand out among other applicants?
13. What got you interested in pharmacy?
14. Give us an example of your leadership ability.
15. Is there anything you would change about your undergraduate experience?
16. Describe the importance of understanding diversity as a pharmacist.
17. What is the most positive aspect of pharmacy?
18. Give us an example of when you used your creativity to solve a problem.
19. What makes you unique?
20. Where will you be in 5 / 10 years?
21. Anything else we should know about you? YES, [list other positive aspects about you]

Be familiar with topics in health care and ongoing changes to pharmacy practice as you may be asked to give your opinion or specific questions on some of the major events that are going on now.

Other questions may be hypothetical questions that place you in a ‘difficult’ or ethical situation where you will need to discuss your course of action. There is usually no right or wrong answer, but make sure you are paying close attention to the question being asked so that you don’t miss anything. Take a moment to think over your answer before starting to speak.

I personally bought a book to have the correct mindset and strategy to answer even the toughest interview questions. I think this really helped me to nail my interviews. Check my Pharmacy School Interview Lens for a link to actual interview feedback and questions from each pharmacy school.

Don’t stress out, you’ll be just fine for your interviews!!

One of the newest products to hit the weight loss industry is Akavar 20/50 that promises no diet easy weight loss. It is a European diet pill and its no diet easy weight loss promise lets you eat everything you want but still be able to lose weight. Here is some information about the product.

How it works

As a no diet easy weight loss solution, its marketing claims that it can get rid of your excess fat. Furthermore, it claims that it is a weight loss product that works automatically. The product works by restricting your calories through appetite suppression. You may not be obliged to eat too much food because you don’t feel very hungry, so you eat less without depriving yourself of anything.

Competitors

While Akavar 20/50 is new, it still has competitors like Xenadrine and Alli. However, unlike those other products, its no diet easy weight loss solution does not dissolve or block your fat or increase your metabolic rate. It simply works by suppressing your hunger so you can lose weight.

The price

Akavar 20/50 costs around $39.99 for a single bottle with 60 capsules. Since the product is fairly new in the market, you can buy it from their website and they can even provide you with a “buy two get one free” option for $79.98.

How it can help

Just like other weight loss products, it may help you lose weight more effectively if you combine it with a proper diet and exercise. However, it still claims that even without dieting and exercising, it can help you lose weight. It can also help you stick to your diet especially if you are restricting your calorie intake because it helps suppress your hunger.

Far-fetched?

While the no diet easy weight loss promise sounds a little too good to be true, their website claims that they tested the product on 24 participants and the results showed that 23 of those participants lost weight. However, results may still vary from person to person. If you want to try it out, the manufacturers can give you a refund if you find that it does not work. However, if you have any serious medical condition, you should refrain from taking this product.