Trying to gain weight?
You are underweight and you just can't understand the hoopla surrounding weight loss. You have been trying to put on weight for ages to no effect.
But spending hours in the gym without a regulated diet is pointless. Weight training goes hand in hand with a proper diet. Experts guide you along the way…
Calorie Count
Diet plays a very important role in a weight training program. "A high protein diet helps in building healthy weight.There is no absolute formula to determine the exact amount of calories one should take. It all depends on the person concerned. It depends on your height, weight, activity pattern, body composition and metabolic rate.
"Usually about 500 kilo calories per day helps increase your weight by half a kilo, However, if you are grossly underweight, you may be advised an increase of 1000 calories per day. This will increase your weight by one kg in a week.
But a calorie increase of more than 1000 calories per day is neither recommended nor practical. Your calorie intake has to be more than the energy used up by your body.
Keep a track of your calorie intake. Write down the total calories you are consuming in a day. From there, add about 500 calories. You can up your calorie intake if you don't see any difference.
The Right Diet
You need to gain healthy weight, not just fat. So along with a high protein and high calorie diet, go for a normal fat and carbohydrate diet.
"If this diet is planned according to the food pyramid, it will fulfill recommended dietary allowances of all essential vitamins and minerals,Also, instead of having the three regular meals, have smaller, more frequent meals (5-6 times a day). Don't ever skip meals. Eat the right amount of food and at the right time.
Ideally you have to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. But drink an additional litre if you are working out.
A good diet and weight training should also be followed by adequate rest. But remember to keep a space of at least three hours after you have food before going to sleep.
March 24, 2007
March 3, 2007
Loss of Appetite
Definition
This symptom describes a decreased or lack of appetite despite basic caloric needs.
Alternative Names
Loss of appetite; Decreased appetite
Considerations
Any illness can adversely affect a previously hearty appetite. If the disease is treatable, the appetite should return when the disease is cured.
Loss of appetite can cause unintentional weight loss.
Common Causes
Emotional upset, nervousness, loneliness, boredom, tension, anxiety, bereavement, and depression
Anorexia nervosa
Acute and chronic infections
HIV
Pregnancy (first trimester)
Cancer
Hypothyroidism
Medications and street drugs
Chemotherapeutic agents
Amphetamines
Sympathomimetics including ephedrine
Antibiotics
Cough and cold preparations
Codeine
Morphine
Demerol
Digitalis
Home Care
Protein and calorie intake can be increased by intake of high-calorie, nutritious snacks or several small meals during the day. Liquid protein drinks may be helpful. Family members should try to supply favorite foods to help stimulate the person's appetite.
A 24-hour diet history should be recorded each day. If an anorexic person consistently exaggerates food intake (a common occurrence in anorexia nervosa), strict calorie and nutrient counts should be maintained by someone else.
For loss of appetite caused by taking medications, talk to your health care provider about adjusting the dosage or changing drugs. NEVER CHANGE MEDICATIONS WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
See also weight management.
Call your health care provider if
Call your health care provider if involuntary weight loss exceeds 7% of total body weight within a month.
Note: To calculate percent weight lost, divide pounds lost by the previous weight and multiply times 100. For example, a person weighing 125 pounds loses 10 pounds:
10 divided by 125 = 0.08
0.08 times 100 = 8%
What to expect at your health care provider's office
The diet and medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed, including height and weight.
Medical history questions documenting loss of appetite in detail may include:
Quality
Is it severe, or mild?
How much weight has been lost?
Time pattern
Is loss of appetite a new symptom?
If so, did it start after an upsetting event, such as the death of a family member?
What other symptoms are also present?Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
Barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy (if colon cancer is suspected)
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
Thyroid function tests
Abdominal ultrasound (if a specific abdominal cause is suspected)
Upper GI series
Pregnancy test
Urine drug screening
HIV testIn severe malnutrition, supplemental intravenous nutritional support may be ordered. Some patients must be hospitalized for nutritional support.
Definition
This symptom describes a decreased or lack of appetite despite basic caloric needs.
Alternative Names
Loss of appetite; Decreased appetite
Considerations
Any illness can adversely affect a previously hearty appetite. If the disease is treatable, the appetite should return when the disease is cured.
Loss of appetite can cause unintentional weight loss.
Common Causes
Emotional upset, nervousness, loneliness, boredom, tension, anxiety, bereavement, and depression
Anorexia nervosa
Acute and chronic infections
HIV
Pregnancy (first trimester)
Cancer
Hypothyroidism
Medications and street drugs
Chemotherapeutic agents
Amphetamines
Sympathomimetics including ephedrine
Antibiotics
Cough and cold preparations
Codeine
Morphine
Demerol
Digitalis
Home Care
Protein and calorie intake can be increased by intake of high-calorie, nutritious snacks or several small meals during the day. Liquid protein drinks may be helpful. Family members should try to supply favorite foods to help stimulate the person's appetite.
A 24-hour diet history should be recorded each day. If an anorexic person consistently exaggerates food intake (a common occurrence in anorexia nervosa), strict calorie and nutrient counts should be maintained by someone else.
For loss of appetite caused by taking medications, talk to your health care provider about adjusting the dosage or changing drugs. NEVER CHANGE MEDICATIONS WITHOUT FIRST CONSULTING YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
See also weight management.
Call your health care provider if
Call your health care provider if involuntary weight loss exceeds 7% of total body weight within a month.
Note: To calculate percent weight lost, divide pounds lost by the previous weight and multiply times 100. For example, a person weighing 125 pounds loses 10 pounds:
10 divided by 125 = 0.08
0.08 times 100 = 8%
What to expect at your health care provider's office
The diet and medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed, including height and weight.
Medical history questions documenting loss of appetite in detail may include:
Quality
Is it severe, or mild?
How much weight has been lost?
Time pattern
Is loss of appetite a new symptom?
If so, did it start after an upsetting event, such as the death of a family member?
What other symptoms are also present?Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:
Barium enema, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy (if colon cancer is suspected)
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
Thyroid function tests
Abdominal ultrasound (if a specific abdominal cause is suspected)
Upper GI series
Pregnancy test
Urine drug screening
HIV testIn severe malnutrition, supplemental intravenous nutritional support may be ordered. Some patients must be hospitalized for nutritional support.
Cataract
Definition
A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina. The retina is the nerve layer at the back of the eye. Cataracts usually cause vision problems.
Alternative Names
Lens opacity
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The lens of an eye is normally clear. If the lens becomes cloudy, the condition is known as a cataract. Rarely, cataracts may be present at or shortly after birth. These are called congenital cataracts.
Adult cataracts usually develop with advancing age and may run in families. Cataracts are accelerated by environmental factors, such as smoking or exposure to other toxic substances, or they may develop at any time after an eye injury. Metabolic diseases such as diabetes also greatly increase the risk for cataracts. Certain medications, such as cortisone, can also accelerate cataract formation.
Congenital cataracts may be inherited. The gene for such cataracts is dominant (autosomal dominant inheritance), which means that the defective gene will cause the condition even if only one parent passes it along. Approximately 50% of children in such families will be affected.
Congenital cataracts can also be caused by infections of the mother during pregnancy such as rubella, or associated with metabolic disorders such as galactosemia. Risk factors include inherited metabolic diseases, a family history of cataracts, and maternal viral infection.
Adult cataracts are generally associated with aging. They develop slowly and painlessly with a gradual onset of difficulty with vision.
Visual problems may include the following changes:
Difficulty seeing at night
Seeing halos around lights
Being sensitive to glare
Vision problems associated with cataracts generally progress to decreased visual acuity, even in daylight.
Adult cataracts are classified as immature, mature, and hypermature. A lens that has some remaining clear areas is referred to as an immature cataract. A mature cataract is completely opaque. A hypermature cataract has a liquefied surface that leaks through the capsule and may cause inflammation of other structures in the eye.
Most people develop some clouding of the lens after the age of 60. About 50% of people aged 65-74 and about 70% of those 75 and older have visually significant cataracts.
Most people with cataracts have similar changes in both eyes, although one eye may be worse than the other. Many people with this condition have only minimal visual changes and are not aware of their cataracts.
Factors that may contribute to cataract development are low serum calcium levels, diabetes, long-term use of corticosteroids, and various inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Environmental causes include trauma, radiation exposure, and excessive exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight).
In many cases, the cause of cataract is unknown.
Symptoms
Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
Loss of color intensity
Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
Impaired vision at night, especially while driving, caused by glare from bright lights
Problems with glare from lamps or the sun
Halos around lights
Double vision in one eye
Decreased contrast sensitivity
Signs and tests
Standard ophthalmic exam, including slit lamp examination
Ultrasonography of the eye in preparation for cataract surgery
Other tests that may be done (rarely) include:
Glare test
Contrast sensitivity test
Potential vision test
Specular microscopy of the cornea in preparation for cataract surgery
Treatment
The only treatment for cataract is surgical removal. This is done when a person cannot see well enough with glasses to perform normal activities. For some people, changing glasses, getting stronger bifocals, or using a magnifying lens is helpful enough. Others choose to have cataract surgery.
If a cataract is not bothersome, then surgery is usually not necessary. Sometimes there is an additional eye problem that cannot be treated without first proceeding with cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery consists of removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. A cataract surgeon will discuss the options with the patient, and together they will decide which type of removal and lens replacement is best.
LENS REMOVAL:
There are 2 types of surgery that can be used to remove lenses that have a cataract.
Extracapsular surgery consists of surgically removing the lens, but leaving the back half of the capsule (the outer covering of the lens) intact. High-frequency sound waves (phacoemulsification) may be used to soften the lens to facilitate removal through a smaller incision.
Intracapsular surgery involves surgically removing the entire lens, including the capsule. Today this procedure is done very rarely.
LENS REPLACEMENT:
People who have cataract surgery are usually fitted with an artificial lens at the same time. The artificial lens is a synthetic disc called an intraocular lens. It is usually placed in the lens capsule inside the eye.
Other options include contact lenses and cataract glasses.
Surgery can be done in an outpatient center or hospital. Most people do not need to stay overnight in a hospital. The patient will need a friend or family member to assist with travel and home care after outpatient surgery. Follow-up care by the surgeon is important.
Definition
A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina. The retina is the nerve layer at the back of the eye. Cataracts usually cause vision problems.
Alternative Names
Lens opacity
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The lens of an eye is normally clear. If the lens becomes cloudy, the condition is known as a cataract. Rarely, cataracts may be present at or shortly after birth. These are called congenital cataracts.
Adult cataracts usually develop with advancing age and may run in families. Cataracts are accelerated by environmental factors, such as smoking or exposure to other toxic substances, or they may develop at any time after an eye injury. Metabolic diseases such as diabetes also greatly increase the risk for cataracts. Certain medications, such as cortisone, can also accelerate cataract formation.
Congenital cataracts may be inherited. The gene for such cataracts is dominant (autosomal dominant inheritance), which means that the defective gene will cause the condition even if only one parent passes it along. Approximately 50% of children in such families will be affected.
Congenital cataracts can also be caused by infections of the mother during pregnancy such as rubella, or associated with metabolic disorders such as galactosemia. Risk factors include inherited metabolic diseases, a family history of cataracts, and maternal viral infection.
Adult cataracts are generally associated with aging. They develop slowly and painlessly with a gradual onset of difficulty with vision.
Visual problems may include the following changes:
Difficulty seeing at night
Seeing halos around lights
Being sensitive to glare
Vision problems associated with cataracts generally progress to decreased visual acuity, even in daylight.
Adult cataracts are classified as immature, mature, and hypermature. A lens that has some remaining clear areas is referred to as an immature cataract. A mature cataract is completely opaque. A hypermature cataract has a liquefied surface that leaks through the capsule and may cause inflammation of other structures in the eye.
Most people develop some clouding of the lens after the age of 60. About 50% of people aged 65-74 and about 70% of those 75 and older have visually significant cataracts.
Most people with cataracts have similar changes in both eyes, although one eye may be worse than the other. Many people with this condition have only minimal visual changes and are not aware of their cataracts.
Factors that may contribute to cataract development are low serum calcium levels, diabetes, long-term use of corticosteroids, and various inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Environmental causes include trauma, radiation exposure, and excessive exposure to ultraviolet light (sunlight).
In many cases, the cause of cataract is unknown.
Symptoms
Cloudy, fuzzy, foggy, or filmy vision
Loss of color intensity
Frequent changes in eyeglass prescription
Impaired vision at night, especially while driving, caused by glare from bright lights
Problems with glare from lamps or the sun
Halos around lights
Double vision in one eye
Decreased contrast sensitivity
Signs and tests
Standard ophthalmic exam, including slit lamp examination
Ultrasonography of the eye in preparation for cataract surgery
Other tests that may be done (rarely) include:
Glare test
Contrast sensitivity test
Potential vision test
Specular microscopy of the cornea in preparation for cataract surgery
Treatment
The only treatment for cataract is surgical removal. This is done when a person cannot see well enough with glasses to perform normal activities. For some people, changing glasses, getting stronger bifocals, or using a magnifying lens is helpful enough. Others choose to have cataract surgery.
If a cataract is not bothersome, then surgery is usually not necessary. Sometimes there is an additional eye problem that cannot be treated without first proceeding with cataract surgery.
Cataract surgery consists of removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. A cataract surgeon will discuss the options with the patient, and together they will decide which type of removal and lens replacement is best.
LENS REMOVAL:
There are 2 types of surgery that can be used to remove lenses that have a cataract.
Extracapsular surgery consists of surgically removing the lens, but leaving the back half of the capsule (the outer covering of the lens) intact. High-frequency sound waves (phacoemulsification) may be used to soften the lens to facilitate removal through a smaller incision.
Intracapsular surgery involves surgically removing the entire lens, including the capsule. Today this procedure is done very rarely.
LENS REPLACEMENT:
People who have cataract surgery are usually fitted with an artificial lens at the same time. The artificial lens is a synthetic disc called an intraocular lens. It is usually placed in the lens capsule inside the eye.
Other options include contact lenses and cataract glasses.
Surgery can be done in an outpatient center or hospital. Most people do not need to stay overnight in a hospital. The patient will need a friend or family member to assist with travel and home care after outpatient surgery. Follow-up care by the surgeon is important.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)