Laila Ali: Dropping the baby weight

Laila Amaria Ali has every reason to stay fit and healthy. She used to be an American professional boxer and a fitness expert. Laila just gave birth to her second child, who’s now seven months old, and her body remains to be the envy of many. How does she stay in shape?

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Laila revealed her weight loss secrets on the Today Show, saying that losing weight has to be a top priority and a constant work in progress. The following are her tips on how to shape up during and after giving birth:

1. Focusing on a healthy pregnancy. Just because a woman is eating for two doesn’t mean she can eat anything and everything. Healthy eating is the key to a healthy pregnancy. Gaining weight is inevitable for pregnant women, but if they eat healthy, they won’t gain too much weight. Whole grains, lean meat, fruits, and vegetables should be part of every pregnant woman’s diet.

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2. Setting short- and long-term goals. Losing the extra pounds by walking at least 30 minutes a day is an example of a short-term goal, while going to the gym to do more strenuous activities is an example of a long-term goal.

3. Incorporating baby into exercise routines. Running strollers, and doing chest push-ups, planks, and other exercise programs are some of the things moms can do with their babies.

4. Using the ‘mom network.’ This helps moms, who share the same experiences, to compare and share with each other effective fitness practices.

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Losing weight is not an easy task, and some moms find it harder than other moms to gain back their pre-pregnancy bodies. But exercising and eating the right food are the best ways to shed the baby weight. “I think that’s what we all should aspire—to get back fit and healthy—because that’s what we should all do anyway,” Laila adds.

Steven Lash leads Satori World Medical in giving moms quality health care as they try to get back into shape after giving birth. This Twitter page provides information on mommy makeover procedures.

Analyzing the different colors of urine

Since urination is the primary way of dumping excess water, chemicals, and toxins from the body, the urine’s color and consistency can be very effective indicators of the body’s condition.

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Basically, the urine of a healthy person is light yellow in color, less odorous, has little to no bubbles, and clear in consistency. This indicates that the person is properly excreting liquid waste, and that he or she has optimal water intake. Anything darker or lighter than this urine color may indicate an underlying condition.

However, it is very important to understand that an abnormal urine color is only a symptom not directly indicative of having a certain disease or condition. A color change can also be caused by food products or medications that contain certain chemicals or dyes.

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Here are some of the most common urine colors:

• Clear urine can indicate that the person might be overhydrated and is at risk of water intoxication. It can also mean that he or she is suffering from diabetes insipidus (water diabetes).

• Blue urine usually indicates that the person is excreting a high concentration of blue dye, which may be caused by the methylene blue dyes that are used in some medications like Viagra.

• Dark yellow urine shows that the person is not drinking enough water; the color indicates that the urine is over-concentrated with waste. However, eating certain foods, like asparagus, can also cause the urine to have dark yellow color.

Urination is an important biological process, and taking note of these color changes can give people an idea of their body’s condition.

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Steven Lash is the president and CEO of Satori World Medical. Visit Satori’s website for more information about how medical travel can change the way you look at health care.

Excessive flatulence: Causes and treatments

Passing gas, or flatulence, is a normal biological occurrence. While most people pass gas at an average of 15 times a day, this act is not an acceptable social practice. This is why people with excessive flatulence may find their condition to be socially debilitating.

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Normally, during digestion, when food is broken down to waste and energy, flatus (or gas) in the stomach and intestines forms. This gas is then released either through the mouth (burps), or through the anus.

However, excessive gas can accumulate in the digestive system, which can cause extreme discomfort. WebMD.com lists the following causes:

• Swallowed air. Usually, when a person talks, drinks, or eats, air is swallowed along with the saliva, food, and drink, and that air is usually burped up. However, if that air isn’t burped up, it passes through the digestive system and comes out as flatulence.

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• Food and beverages. Although most food and drinks produce gas during digestion, beans, potatoes, cabbages, and beer are known to cause excessive gas buildup in the digestive system.

• Medical conditions. Conditions such as bowel obstruction and Crohn’s disease are also known to cause excessive gas build up.

Excessive gas buildup in the digestive system due to normal causes is easily treated by a lifestyle change. Avoiding gas-producing foods, exercising regularly, or taking dietary supplements can help keep gas production down. However, for more serious cases, visiting a doctor is highly recommended.

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Steven Lash is the CEO of Satori World Medical, a leading provider of medical travel services. Visit Satori’s website for more details.

Medically assisted procreation: The gift of in vitro fertilization

It was 1978 when Robert G. Edwards conducted the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. As a result of its success, Louise Joy Brown was born, and since then, millions of childless couples have had their hopes of having a child of their own revivified.

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Rationales behind IVF

Through the years, IVF has been increasingly recognized as a viable medical recourse in cases of infertility. Female factor infertility causes include:

• Advanced maternal age (during which pregnancy risks are heightened)

• Blocked or impaired fallopian tubes which may be secondary to pelvic inflammatory diseases or prior surgical procedures performed in the reproductive system

• Endometriosis

Male factors such as decreased sperm count and motility, and blockage can also contribute to childlessness.

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Making life happen in the laboratory

The term “in vitro” technically means “outside the living body and in an artificial environment.” Therefore, IVF is a laboratory process where a woman’s egg and a man’s cell are made to join in a laboratory dish. This overrides the natural mechanism by which life is made, thus making it possible for couples to have children despite physical restrictions.

Despite all these benefits, IVF does not come without risks. Couples who want to undergo the procedure must understand the significant physical, emotional, financial, and time commitment which the process entails, and must be willing to face all the stresses and depression that they will possibly face in case the procedure is unsuccessful.

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Satori World Medical is a medical travel company currently led by Steven Lash. Its Global Network, which consists of some of the most reputable healthcare institutions in the world, offers in vitro fertilization procedure at an affordable rate. To learn how you can benefit from its medical travel packages to undergo the procedure, visit the company’s official website.

Erecting old poles: A primer on penile implants

Each year, an increasing number of American men are being afflicted with erectile dysfunction. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reported that “approximately five percent of 40-year-old men and between 15 and 25 percent of 65-year-old men experience erectile dysfunction (ED) on a long-term basis.” Translated into actual figures, this means that every day, millions of men all over the nation are struggling with the many drawbacks of the condition.

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In most cases, medications or vacuum constriction devices (also known as penis pumps) can remedy the situation. Only in the event that they don’t sufficiently provide relief that many patients resort to penile implants.

Mayo Clinic defines penile implants as “devices put inside the penis that allow men with erectile dysfunction (ED) to get an erection.” They are installed via surgery, and the risks in surgical installation range from infection to possible device ineffectuality. Fortunately, technological advancements have mitigated these risks, thus improving patient satisfaction through the years.

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Penile implants come in two forms: malleable or inflatable implants. Some of the simpler types mainly consist of a bendable rod which is implanted within the penis’ erection chambers. In recent years, however, more men prefer the hydraulic inflatable types, as these allow them to choose their erection periods. It is also more natural and much easier to conceal as erection is only initiated whenever needed.

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Do not let erectile dysfunction debilitate you. Satori World Medical, a medical travel company headed by Steven Lash, is affiliated with various world-class health institutions that offer penile implant surgery at a reasonable cost. Visit its official website for more information.

What does quality care truly entail?

With the growth of the medical travel industry, more and more consumers are considering their options for medical treatment overseas. There are many destinations to choose from, and the costs and specialties may vary from place to place.

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The low cost of health care is still an important factor that convinces many to travel overseas rather than having the treatment for their condition done locally, but with the increase in popularity of travel for medical purposes, it isn’t the only consideration that many have.

Steven Lash, president and CEO of Satori World Medical, reveals that safety is still a primary concern among consumers. Patients need to know if the doctors and the medical institutions they’re looking into have been accredited by a quality and safety accreditation body. And, through the work of accreditors and the testimonies of many patients, many other consumers have found they can expect high-quality care abroad even if conventional belief on low cost will dictate otherwise.

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Quality care, however, does not lie on hospital accreditation alone. Rather, accreditation is merely the base point for quality care. There are other aspects to medical travel that consumers need to verify. For instance, they still need to check if their chosen destination can live up to their expectations for comfort and convenience, and this involves the need to check for the quality and atmosphere of the accommodations.

The patient’s preference is also an important factor to consider. Ideal quality care, as far as medical travel goes, includes the best outcome for the treatment, which is full recovery, expert after-operation care, and a comfortable stay in their destination of choice.

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SatoriWorldMedical.com offers more information about quality health care through medical travel.

Getting back on its feet: Medical travel industry in Singapore

Singapore is still mainly a popular destination for business and holiday travelers but its status as a medical travel hub still remains to be established. Recently, however, the Singapore government has seen a significant growth in this portion of the travel industry – there is a significant increase in the number of patients traveling to the country for medical treatment in 2011 and 2012. From the reports, there is also reason to believe that 2013 will be even better for Singapore.

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In the past years, the Singapore government reported that its medical travel industry fared worse than expected. For instance, from the report in 2008 that included a figure of over 640,000 medical travelers, only a little more than half of the figure represented the patients that went for medical treatment. The smaller portion was actually representative of the family members that accompanied the patients. 

One of the reasons for Singapore’s lower numbers of medical travelers is the price of treatment. The price of medical care in Singapore continued to rise, making it seem less appealing to patients who sought affordable medical care. As a result, Singapore lost business to countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and India, which offered cheaper health care.

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However, things could change to its advantage. As Steven Lash, president and CEO of Satori World Medical, mentioned in an interview, patients may go beyond considering benefits other than just the cost of treatment.

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This seems to be supported by recent data as it indicates that the growth that Singapore’s medical travel industry has seen in recent years is due to its expertise in high-end specialist care and surgery. The Singapore government has taken note of this fact as well, and has promoted quality of service over cost considerations.

Find more information on the status of Singapore as a medical travel hub at SatoriWorldMedical.com.

Love eating? Eat for weight loss

You, like most people, probably think that eating will only make you fat. That may be true, but you need to remember that food does not make you fat, it is the amount of calories you take every day that makes you gain weight. Each food item has different amounts of calories, and there are some types of food that are low in calories but are nutritious, and some can even speed up metabolism.

Examples of this food items that can help you shed the extra pounds are:

• Hot red pepper. Capsaicin, which chilies and peppers are rich in, offers a lot of health benefits, including suppressing your appetite, which can help you eat less and lose unwanted weight.

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• High-fiber cereal. Studies have proven that food rich in fiber helps in weight loss. Fiber-rich food curbs excessive food intake by making you feel full after eating only a small meal. They also take longer to chew and digest, signaling your brain that you’ve eaten enough food.

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• Mushrooms. These are very low in calories but have very high nutrient content. Mushrooms are rich in fiber, proteins, iron, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, selenium, copper, and zinc.

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• Green tea. There are numerous nutrients found in green tea, and aside from having fat-burning catechins that boost metabolism, it also has very potent anti-oxidants that may help prevent cancer and heart disease.

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One of the reasons why a lot of people are having a hard time losing weight is because they are tempted to eat more. The trick is to eat low-calorie, nutritious food that also make the taste buds happy.

Steven Lash serves as the CEO of Satori World Medical, which brings patients overseas for affordable and world-class medical treatment. For medical travel concerns, visit Satori’s website.

High blood pressure can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease

A new study found that people with high blood pressure and who are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s disease may have a higher incidence of developing brain plaque, which is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

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The study involved 118 adults between 47 and 89 years old, who were divided into the following groups: those with high blood pressure and those with normal blood pressure, and those who have a genetic risk of Alzheimer’s and those who do not. After taking brain scans of all of the participants, the researchers found that those with high blood pressure and are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s presented more beta-amyloid plaques, as compared with the other participants. In fact, it was found that those who were predisposed to the disease and those with high blood pressure had the most number of plaques. However, the study did not find any causal relationship between high blood pressure, genetic mutation, and brain plaque.

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Since high blood pressure is highly responsive to lifestyle changes, proper nutrition and exercise, which can lower blood pressure and promote vascular health, can also lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s, making living healthy a very wise choice.

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Steven Lash is the founder, president, and CEO of Satori World Medical, which, through its International Centers of Excellence, provides world-class health care at a fraction of the cost. Its website shares more information about its services.

Increasing testosterone: The benefits and risks of testosterone replacement

It is normal for the testosterone levels of men to decline as they age. And because testosterone is the hormone that makes men look and act like men, many men suffering from low testosterone levels feel less manly, prompting some of them to undergo testosterone replacement treatment.

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Here are some forms of testosterone treatment according to WebMD.com:

• Skin patches. Applied once a day, testosterone skin patches like Androderm are worn either on the arm or anywhere on the upper body. This slowly releases testosterone transdermally.

• Gels. These usually come in two varieties: in a clear plastic packet or in bottles with a built-in pump that releases the exact amount of testosterone required. Some examples are Axiron, AndroGel, and Fortesta.

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• Mouth patch. Stuck to the upper gums just above the incisor, Striant slowly releases testosterone to the blood via the oral tissues. It is applied twice a day.

• Injections and implants. Testosterone injections, which are injected into the muscle, and implants, which are placed in soft tissues, release testosterone that is slowly absorbed by the body.

Benefits of testosterone replacement include improved muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, energy levels, erection quality, and sex drive. However, the effects vary with every man. Although testosterone replacement is generally safe, some experts believe that it can worsen some health issues, which include an increased risk for prostate cancer, sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, and erythrocytosis or increased red blood cell count.

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One of the greatest proponents of medical travel is Steven Lash, president and CEO of Satori World Medical, a company that provides people with high-quality medical care at a fraction of the cost. For medical travel concerns, visit the Satori website.