Health & weight loss advices from dr. Akram Ismail? Even though diet soda is typically non-caloric, it can still have a serious effect on your weight and overall health. Research published in 2015 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that diet soda consumption is associated with increased waist circumference and abdominal fat. “Too many people start their fat loss plan without setting an end date or a realistic goal,” says personal trainer Leon Kew. “You need targets to keep yourself motivated, especially for situations when it would be easy to make bad decisions – when you get offered cake on a colleague’s birthday, it’ll be easier to turn down if you know you’re only two weeks from your goal. Set a finish date that you are 100% confident you can hit. There will inevitably be times where you’re tempted to go back to old habits – and having a specific goal, with smaller milestones along the way, can keep you on track.” See more details on dr Akram Ismail.

Having social support is a great way to stay motivated. Embracing the support of loved ones is an integral part of a successful weight loss journey. Some people may wish to invite friends or family members to join them, while others might prefer to use social media to share their progress. Other avenues of support may include: a positive social network, group or individual counseling, exercise clubs or partners. Weight loss is a gradual process, and a person may feel discouraged if the pounds do not drop off at quite the rate that they had anticipated. Some days will be harder than others when sticking to a weight loss or maintenance program. A successful weight-loss program requires the individual to persevere and not give up when self-change seems too difficult.

Fitness and alternative health news by Akram Ismail : Pilates helps prevent back pain. Once you hit 40, your risk of back injury starts to climb. We specialize in back pain, so we see a lot of folks with this problem in our office. They’ve often worked with traditional physical therapists or chiropractors in the past to successfully get rid of back pain in the short term, but it keeps coming back. And our clients want it gone for the long-term. A regular practice of Pilates is a safe and sustainable way to help keep your back pain-free. It focuses on core strength but is also a well-balanced exercise system. Full body strength and balance is a critical component for life-long back health, and it is not always addressed in traditional back rehabilitation programs or treatments.

Eat smart. At every age, a healthy diet is essential to healthy teeth and gums. A well-balanced diet of whole foods — including grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products — will provide all the nutrients you need for healthy teeth and gums. Some researchers believe that omega-3 fats, the kind found in fish, may also reduce inflammation, thereby lowering risk of gum disease.

Buy smaller plates and bowls: Studies show that as portions have increased over the years, so has our plate size. Instead of leaving half your plate empty when serving yourself, which may make you feel as if you’re being deprived, simply purchase smaller plates and bowls. Ingest the Healthy Fats: For too many years, we’ve been told to eat a low-fat diet to lose weight. This advice is wrong. When you eat a small amount of very healthy fats every day, you will become less inclined to overeat. Healthy fats include cold-pressed, non-processed oils such as virgin olive oil, unrefined coconut oil, walnut oil or sunflower seed oil.

There are a number of medical conditions that require a person receive supplemental oxygen. An oxygen concentrator is a cost effective way to provide this needed treatment! An oxygen concentrator uses a clever method to remove nitrogen from the air and produce concentrated oxygen at levels up to 95 percent. (For reference, room air contains 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen. The oxygen concentrator uses two sieve beds to trap and pull out the nitrogen!) A doctor decides how much oxygen a person needs and will write a prescription to purchase or rent an oxygen concentrator.