What is cholesterol?

January 27, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

Cholesterol is a waxlike and white substance that is found in some of the foods we eat. It is also manufactured by the cells in our body, but most importantly by the liver cells. A certain amount of cholesterol is essential to maintaining good health.

It’s not only an important component of cell walls, it is essential for the body’s production of certain hormones. For most of use between 70 and 75 percent of the cholesterol in our blood is made by their liver; the other 25 to 30 percent comes from the food we eat. Your foods cholesterol, therefore, is something that you can directly affect yourself.

Your body needs fat and cholesterol in order to maintain good health. During infancy and childhood fat is essential for normal brain development. Throughout your life, it is essential to provide energy and support growth. Cholesterol is used to build the walls of cells throughout the body and for the manufacture of essential substances like hormones and vitamin D. So it is important to have at least some fat and cholesterol in your body at all times.

If cholesterol is needed for healthy bodily function, why is cholesterol bad for you! It’s simple.The answer to these questions is simple. A certain amount of cholesterol is important for your. However when blood cholesterol level exceeds 200mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), you can be at risk for developing heart disease. It’s the reason so many of us are looking for a high cholesterol cure.

Raised total blood cholesterol is clearly a changeable heart disease risk factor. Many times heart attacks, bypass surgeries, angioplasties, and sudden cardiac deaths occur in people with total cholesterol levels above 200mg/dL. Cholesterol medication is used to help control those levels.

Now here’s a question: is it ok to eat eggs these days? Well, that shows up one of the problems, doesn’t it? Advice always seems to be changing. Right now the general advice seems to be that you don’t have to worry too much about eating eggs, whereas they used to be considered a very bad influence on your cholesterol. So who do you believe? As with all these things, it pays to look into the reasons why the advice has changed and then to apply some of your own common sense.

After all, we all love a nice egg, especially if it’s been boiled correctly using an egg timer. If you don’t, it’s a bit of guesswork to get the right consistency, but more importantly you don’t always know when the egg’s been cooked. It’s important to make sure you cook your eggs correctly, since – cholesterol aside – they can contain salmonella.

A better way to estimate risk of heart disease is to know your ratio of total cholesterol to good cholesterol. It’s not just the total amount of high cholesterol that tells you what your risk is: you really need to know what your ratio is.

Always seek your doctor’s advice for all health related issues. The information in this post is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any ailment or suggest any treatment.

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    Best Psoriasis Natural Treatment

    February 8, 2010 by · 8 Comments 

    Our species is tough, resilient and durable. Human expected average lifespan is now more than Eighty years in most developed countries, together with more centenarians every year. Expanding scientific, biological and medical knowledge is showing us all that there are actually more factors than the more apparent short term results of diet and stress. In addition there are very important (and often subtle) long-run consequences that should be taken into consideration

    In nutrition, this means that there is a minimum amount of Vitamin C we need to keep from getting scurvy. So the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C was once set just high enough to keep people from getting scurvy. Later we began to realize that while low amounts of vitamin C kept us from getting sick, they did not promote optimal health.

    If you don’t get any Vitamin C, you will contract scurvy in a few months. There is a longer general health cycle in play, measured in years, which calls for much higher vitamin C daily allowance levels.

    There are still longer cycles of nutrient deprivation and lifestyles involving many different nutrients, phytochemicals, antioxidants, etc. These deprivations can lead to diabetes, circulatory problems, heart disease and maybe alzheimer’s disease and others.

    On the dark side there are pollutants, toxins, carcinogens and other substances, both known and as-yet-unknown, that have cumulative life-shortening effects on everyone.

    Knowing this encourages us to avoid commercial drugs in favor of natural cures .

    Understanding this now helps us to better care for our bodies. It helps us with treating inverse psoriasis and with treating ovarian cyst symptoms effectively.

    Technology marches on, delivering fresh understandings and hinting at new opportunities every day. As research workers continue to unravel the secrets of how our body chemistry actually works, down to the molecular level, our viewpoint and our capabilities to improve and prolong a persons life are constantly improving.

    DISCLAIMER: I hope this helps, but please note that I am not a doctor so you should consult with your physician before taking any medical advice from the Internet.

    Written by – Jonathan J. Jones

    Importance of Cellular Health and Complementary Medicine

    February 2, 2010 by · 12 Comments 

    Cellular health is all about preventative and restorative health care. The human body is made up of 60 trillion cells. Each cell has a specific role in how the body functions. Each cell works very hard and performs an incredible amount of tasks. It is the harmonious collaboration or balance of all our cells that make the human body to work in an optimal way.

    When the cell is not in balance, the cell goes into a state of oxidative stress. Disease results when cell function does not work properly. Dysfunction in one cell eventually spreads to others and our whole system is out of balance. Restoring cell balance in some cells directly affects our overall health and well-being.

    In the current, conventional model of health care, treatments focus largely on alleviating symtpoms. While this is often very helpful, it is often not adequate to eradicate disease and restore a state of health. This is evidenced by the skyrocketing rates of chronic health ailments like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and many others illnesses.

    In short, eliminating disease is not enough to restore a person’s state of health. To date, the primary source of information regarding promotion of cellular health has been the field of Complementary/Alternative Medicine. Yet, why aren’t complementary and alternative medicine modalities discussed in our conventional doctor’s visit?

    While alternative medicine is enormously popular, most strategies and cell health supplements are not scientifically researched. And without such research, it is very difficult for complementary and alternative medicine to gain widespread acceptance in mainstream medicine. This lack of research is largely attributable to lack of funding. A great deal of medical research is sponsored by large companies that manufactur pharmaceuticals and therapeutic medical devices. This is not a criticism of this research; but in terms of long term health, it is simply not enough.

    Public sentiment, as far as acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine is concerned, remains steady and strong. And sentiment in conventional health care as far as acceptance of alternaive medicine is concened,  is definitely increasing. What can we do to promote more quality research and education in complementary and alternative medicine and in particular the field of preventative medicine?

    Raising public awareness is a must. With all that is published in the field of Complementary/Alternative Medicine, there is still a scarcity of scientific research validating, not only its effectiveness, but more specifically, which populations would be most amenable to which products. These are worthwhile discussions we can have with our conventional health care doctors and our natural health providers.

    One company that is providing scientific results in the area of cellular health and the ability of our cells to fight free radicals and oxidative stress, is ASEA. Reactive molecules in our bodies are basic and fundamental to the immune system and healing process and are needed to turn on the antioxidants that protect us from free radicals and aging. ASEA is the first and only stable, perfectly balanced mixture of these reactive molecules that exists outside the body and can be used to help maintain proper balance inside the body to support the immune system and healing process.

    It is amazing how many people that are treated for various health conditions are, as of yet, unaware of the potential benefits of combining their treatments with Complementary/Alternative Medicine. Likewise, most conventional doctors have received minimal training in Complementary/Alternative health; many doctors begin their own personal study after consulting with their patients.

    Awareness promotes positive action. From creative questions will arise meaningful solutions. This dialogue needs to come from each of us. Health, and our state of health, affects us all.

    Can Limu help Diabetes?

    January 12, 2010 by · 8 Comments 

    Here is an eye opening statistic: 26 Million people have type 2 diabetes, Over 6 million of them are undiagnosed – Source: national Diabetes Statistics of the National Diabetes Clearing house

    So what is Diabetes?

    Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body either does not create enough insulin, or, it ignores the insulin that it is producing. What is Insulin? Insulin is a hormone that takes sugar (glucose) from the body and takes it to the body’s cells, where usually it would convert food into energy. If your body doesn’t have the correct manufacture of insulin, too much sugar remains in the blood stream, leaving body famished of energy. If you have excessive sugar in the bloodstream it can lead to harm to nerves, kidneys and even the heart can be put at risk.
    In addition to increasing your risk of heart disease, one of the most disquieting facts about diabetes is that it can produce or worsen many life threatening conditions. Many of these diseases can benefit from limu’s nutrients and its multifaceted carbohydrate polysaccharide, fucoidan.

    How can Limu affect Diabetes?

    Limu contains the complex carbohydrate polysaccharide and anti-oxidant rich Fucoidan. Fucoidan promotes curing of the harm caused by diabetes by helping toward balancing blood sugar, lowering blood lipids, speeding wound healing and preventing future damage. So Fucoidan helps frankly with:

    Balancing Blood Sugar Levels
    Eliminating highs and lows in blood glucose levels helps prevent damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and the heart. Limu’s polysacharride from Fucoidan help stabilize blood glucose levels by slowing the incorporation of glucose from the intestines into the blood stream.

    Prevents Insulin Over-Response
    Similarly, fucoidan also keeps insulin levels in equilibrium. When too much insulin is released, hunger is enthused and can add to weight gain.

    Improves healing
    Slow wound healing plagues a lot of diabetics. Fucoidan stimulates hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), which boosts tissue healing.

    High Cholesterol
    Limu’s fucoidan alters the action of liver enzymes that control the way fatty acids are metabolized, resulting in a lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. LDL cholesterol build up (plaque) on arterial walls is a principal cause of heart attack and stroke. Scientists in 5 separate studies report that fucoidan is influential in preventing hardening of the arteries – a major supplier to heart disease.

    High Blood Pressure
    The result Limu has on the above conditions also helps reduce the risk of stroke by alleviating hypertension (high blood pressure). Limu is able to recover blood pressure by lowering lipid levels.

    Boosts the immune system
    Fucoidan’s chemical composition contains identical antibodies and nutrient as human breast milk, which help bolster the immune system. Fucoidan stimulates production of fundamental immune cells, helping the body better cope against viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and even cancer cells.

    Why use Limu?

    For over 3000 years the natives of the south pacific island of Tonga have known about the astounding benefits of Limu Moui – a brown seaweed that grows beneath the clear waters surrounding the islands. In these untainted, pristine waters, Limu is able to absorb trace minerals and vital nutrients found there in a readily-available form.

    Studies prove Impact on Health
    More than 650 independent studies, unsolicited, 3rd party studies have identified the compound that sets Limu apart from other natural sources is fucoidan. These studies have come from all around the globe. Visit www.pubmed.org to see how well researched fucoidan is.

    Live better with Limu Plus!

    Limu Plus is a Limu moui tonic which has helped many people with health conditions and stress related illness. View some testimonials of real people receiving real health benefits.

    Limu drink has helps not just with Diabetes, as the health benefits can also be seen with Cancer, Arthritis and Joint Inflammation, Heart Disease and general wellness.

    It’s suitable for Men, Women, Children and even Pets who wish to enjoy a better life.

    Please note: This article is not designed to be used to make diagnoses, administer treatment, prescribe medications, or order tests. The information contained is provided as an educational service, which can assist you in your personal research or monitoring of a specific disease.

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    Cholesterol: what is it?

    September 26, 2009 by · 11 Comments 

    So the question is, what exactly, is cholesterol? Well, it’s a sort of fatty, waxy stuff and your own liver produces it. It’s actually necessary for good health and it’s a part of every cell in your body!

    There are several things that cholesterol helps our bodies to do:

     

       

       

    • Keep the cell wall healthy
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    • Help the body produce enough vitamin D
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    • Aid in digesting, by producing stomach acids to digest fat
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    We need cholesterol and we produce it ourselves. You also get some from certain foods, basically from animals, like meat or dairy. Fruit and veg contain no cholesterol at all. When the body produces too much cholesterol it sits in the blood stream and eventually it can block up your blood vessels. That increases your risk of heart diseases and the ‘silent killer’, stroke.

    So why are high cholesterol foods so bad?

    If you eat a lot of animal fats – also called saturated fats -your body can produce too much cholesterol. And a high cholestrol level should not be ignored. Now there are various types of cholesterol and they each have a different role to play in your health.

    The ‘bad’ cholesterol is called LDL, which stands for Low Density Lipoprotein. This is the one that can increase your chances of getting heart disease by clogging up your arteries. When that happens blood flow through the artery is reduced.

    The ‘good’ cholesterol is called HDL. This is the opposite, so it’s High Density Lipoprotein. This actually ‘sweeps up’ the ‘bad’ cholesterol from your blood stream. Which means it’s important to know your cholesterol ratio to know whether you have a normal cholesterol level.

    If you monitor your cholesterol regularly you will know when you have high cholesterol. And if you do have elevated cholesterol levels it makes sense to reduce your LDL cholesterol if you can. And if your levels are high you should do it as soon as possible.

    Considering that in the region of 50% of Americans have elevated cholesterol levels, it makes sense for everyone to get their level tested and do something about it.

    You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment. No health information on this site, including information about herbal therapies and other dietary supplements, is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.

    What is the Value of Healthy Eating?

    September 23, 2009 by · 12 Comments 

    A healthy diet needs to contain vitamins, which are organic compounds that our bodies need for normal growth, and to maintain good health. Minerals, which also come from what we eat, are inorganic substances that are necessary for our bodies to function properly. Healthy eating habits ensure that you get enough of the vitamins and minerals that keep you alive and healthy.

    Children, pregnant women and older people especially benefit from a well-balanced diet that provides for all of the needed vitamins, minerals and oils that the body demands.

    Water is another very important ingredient to healthy eating. Water is essential to the proper function of our bodies. The typical individual should drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water each day. Individuals who are overweight, pregnant, breastfeeding, or very active should drink more than eight 8-oz glasses of water each day.

    When individuals make a commitment to eating healthier, they reduce the risk of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. Eating healthier also means the individual will feel an increase in the amount of energy or stamina that they have for sports, or daily activities.

    Healthy eating can also help to reduce your bad cholesterol level and increase your good cholesterol level. This decreases your risk for stroke or heart disease.

    When you make a habit of eating healthier you will open your horizons to a host of new foods to choose from such as fresh vegetables, whole grains, and tantalizing fruits. These new foods will make mealtimes interesting again and may even add some fun to your life.

    Healthy eating menus may even bring the family around the table more often, so that you can get reacquainted with each other, discover what is happening in each others lives and bond more with kids and teens. Family meal times are great times for reaffirming family values and feeling more like a family, instead of strangers living together.

    If you need motivation, think about the following reasons that healthy eating should be a part of your daily life. The right food choices can help you to feel better, lead you to a more positive outlook on life, and can even help you to fight stress. If you are at high risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, or certain cancers your improved healthy eating habit may help you to beat the odds against those diseases.

    Cholesterol Blood Test

    August 14, 2009 by · 12 Comments 

    If you get a cholesterol blood test, it will have a different purpose to many other medical tests. That’s because the results are designed to help you prevent future problems. And since heart disease is just one of the problems high cholesterol can bring with it, it really is a good idea to think about getting tested.

    If you didn’t already know it, high cholesterol levels are associated with health problems like hardening of the arteries, heart disease. There’s also a much higher risk of death from heart attacks.

    For those reasons alone it’s worth while trying to beat cholesterol. Cholesterol testing is now considered a straightforward part of an overall preventative health care regimen and although opinions do vary, it seems that cholesterol testing is recommended every 3 to 5 years.

    A cholesterol test done at the same time as other tests like HDL and LDL levels is usually called a lipid profile. Of course, if you are already on cholesterol medication you may need testing more frequently to see how you’re doing. There are three major risk categories :

    Desirable: For results below 200 mg/dL that would indicate a relatively low risk of heart disease.

    Borderline: Any results in the region of 200 to 240 mg/dL indicates a moderate risk of developing heart disease.

    High Risk: Results above 240 mg/dL suggest that you are in a high risk category and really should do something about your cholesterol levels. Remember too, that the ratio between your HDL and LDL levels will also give you an indication of how serious the problem might be.

    Testing for cholesterol isn’t difficult and it’s not invasive so if you have any worries about your cholesterol levels it’s wise to discuss them with your physician. He can arrange suitable testing and once you have the results you’ll know whether you need to make any changes to your lifestyle.

    This site does not provide medical or any other health care advice, diagnosis or treatment. The site is for information purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment.

    Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment.

     

    Losing Weight and Staying Composed And Getting In Shape Faster, Easier, And With Better Results With P90X A Great Home Workout Routine

    March 17, 2009 by · 10 Comments 

    In today’s fast moving world staying fit is really important because it allows working with more energy for longer time. Health is wealth. Nowadays there is a mad rush to gyms and health centre to lose weight quickly. The truth is there is no way to lose your weight quickly. It can only be achieved by hard work and good diet.

    There are various other programs that can aid you in your times of need like you can take benefit of dietary counseling. This program is made for those patients who are addicted towards smoking. If you are heart patient then you need to certain precautions like avoid smoking, don’t skip your meals and your exercises as this would have some negative effect on your health.

    This are some measures that you need to take if you are suffering from heart disease. If you don’t take this precautions then if can have some negative effect on your health and this would increase risk for heart disease.

    There are many exercises that are done by people to help in losing their weight in a effective manner. All the exercises are not found to be equally effective; while some are found to be very effective, others are seen to be not at all helpful in losing weight. Aerobic exercises have been found to be very effective in helping to lose weight in an effective manner at a very fast rate. Unlike other types of exercises, aerobic exercises are much fun to perform, and as a result are found to be very popular.

    Great Advantages Of Aerobic Exercises and Using Your Home As A New Gym. You can develope a great habit and Is Using Home Workout Routines. There are a number of advantages of aerobic exercises, which make it the best choice for people who are interested in weight loss programs. Aerobic exercises tend to be much easier to do; making it the natural choice for women, but men can also easily do these exercises. There are several other advantages which make aerobic resources the perfect choice for effective weight loss programs.

    Start your wokout right get your new Turbo Jam Elite and stay fit. With your New P90X Extreme you can workout at home, in your office or any where you can plug in a DVD player and have room to workout. Each program is developed for every stage of workout, if you are a beginner then thier is a stage or workout program built right in to each program, if you are an Extrme workout guru then you will enjoy this as well. The P90X Home Workout was created to make sure you will never have an excuse and will always help you get the results you want and need to be healthier and live longer.

    People tend to be very careful about their weight usually, and this is the reason why nowadays many people are found to become overweight. Once you put up a lot of weight, it becomes very difficult to lose all the extra weight and get back in shape. There is a general tendency among people to register for a weight loss program or start consuming dietary supplements, in order to lose their surplus weight. But these methods are not always effective, and usually involve a lot of side effects.

    There are some time tested methods that are found to be very effective in helping people to lose their weight efficiently. A large number of people have already benefited from these methods, thus proving their effectiveness.

    Following are some steps for losing weight in right manner and maintaining the right size of the body. If you follow these steps and give proper nutrition to eat your body will be losing excess fat in no time. These steps are given below:

    Step 1 – To lose weight, you have to cut down on the junk foods (not completely), stop eating out and drink less sugary drinks, including the diet kinds. Avoid fat containing items. Also, high calorie diet should be avoided too.

    Step 2 – Eat more fresh wholesome foods and whole grain products as it contains essential fiber. The simple rule is, try to get in 2 serves of fruits and 5 serves of veggies a day.
    Make it a point each day to include a good habit like drinking one less can of coke or eating one more serve of fruit.

    Step 3 – Eat 6 healthy mini meals every day. This will keep the stomach full to appropriate amount. The key here is, eat in controlled portions and never go for that second serve or a super size meal. The reason behind this is that you would be kept away from fattening foods and thus your body will be given the energy which is required for increase in metabolism.

    Step 4 – Exercise Program for weight loss can never be complete without some form of exercise. The type you choose is up to you but increasing your activity level is one of the best ways to speed up metabolism both during and after exercise. As you get stronger and in better shape you will find you are able to add to your exercise regimen for even greater results.

    Step 5 – After meal always walk at least 100 steps. During meal always sip some water and not one stroke after the meal. Do not attempt any exercise for 2-3 hours after meal. As your fitness improves, increase the intensity levels to challenge your body (but train with in your limits). It’s a great way to jolt the body’s metabolism.

    if you have health issues you should consult your doctor before beginning an exercise routine

    The Zone Diet

    February 17, 2009 by · 13 Comments 

    If you’re out looking for a good diet, one diet you may come across while you are looking is Zone. This is a diet that has been around for a few years, although it was not originally to be a weight loss diet. No doubt you are interested to find out more about this diet and whether or not it really does work. So, let’s take a close look at the diet, the main goals, the pros and cons, and what health professionals seem to think about it. This way you can make an intelligent decision on whether it is a good diet for you to try.

    Zone Diet Overview

    The Zone Diet is a diet that was developed by Dr. Barry Sears; however, it was not really developed originally to be a diet that was for losing weight. It was actually made to be a change in lifestyle that would manipulate the body in such as way that it would promote health, energy, and a lean body as well. In this diet, food is treated like a drug, and it focuses on treating food like hormones, not as calories. It is also a diet that is quite restrictive as well, focusing on making sure that the diet includes 30% fats, 30% proteins, and 40% carbs. This diet became popular because of the book Sears wrote, called The Zone. You’ll find that the diet is based on the idea that high levels of insulin can make you fat, and it focuses on making sure that your insulin level is kept in a specific “zone” which is done by eating a combination of fat, protein, and carbs.

    People it Works For Best

    This is a diet that works best for people who have the time to eat smaller meals throughout the day. Also, it was first developed for people who had heart disease and diabetes, so it works well for them as well. Those who love the idea of eating for taste and the experience may not find this diet to be the right one for them, since food is looked at as merely a drug.

    Pros and Cons of the Zone Diet

    You will find that there are many pros and cons to consider when you are trying to decide if Zone is the right diet for your needs. It is important that you take a look at the following pros and cons and decide whether you can live with the cons because of the pros. If you are able to live without some of your favorite carbs, then this diet may be for you.

    - Pro #1 – Neat Eating – Neat eating, which is eating small meals various times each day, is promoted in this diet, which is a definite pro. It is a great way to keep yourself feeling satisfied without overeating. Many people have found that diets that offer small portions several times a day can be very effective.

    - Pro #2 – Fruits and Vegetables are Encouraged – Another pro of this diet is that it really does encourage you to eat vegetables and fruits as well. So, you at least get some of the important nutrients that your body needs so badly.

    - Pro #3 – Low in Saturated fat – The diet is also low in saturated fat, which is a pro as well. Saturated fats can be very bad for your body, so a diet that does not contain much of them is important and helpful to your health.

    - Pro #4 – Encourages the Drinking of Water – This diet also really pushes that you should drink plenty of water while you are on the diet as well. Water is very important and some diets overlook this. So, this is yet another pro of the Zone Diet.

    - Con #1 – Never Really Been Tested – One of the main cons of the Zone Diet is that it really has never been tested. This means that there is no real independent research that shows that this diet really does work. So, you may be trying a diet that doesn’t work at all.

    - Con #2 – Limits Foods that Have Important Vitamins and Minerals in Them – Another problem with the Zone Diet is that it limits some of the foods that have very important vitamins and minerals in them. Some of the minerals and vitamins that you may miss out on include Vitamin D, iron, folic acid, calcium, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A.

    - Con #3 – Can Make Eating a Bit Boring – Since this diet actually wants you to treat food like a drug you have to take, it can become a bit boring to eat, and some people may find that this mindset is almost traumatizing to them. Eating should be a pleasurable experience, but this diet takes a lot of the pleasure away from eating.

    What You Can and Can’t Eat on this Diet

    You are allowed to eat proteins, carbs, and fats as well, but they must be done in the correct ration. Every time you eat, you have to make sure that you include fat, carbs, and protein, even if it is just a snack that you are eating. Also, you have to eat about every five hours as well. While you are allowed to have some alcohol on this diet, it is limited. You are not allowed to eat very much bread or pasta at all. Also, other bad carbs according to this diet include peas, bananas, and even watermelon. Dairy products and butter is not allowed in Zone diet either.

    The Opinion of the Medical Community

    Those in the medical field think that the calorie amounts that are part of this diet are on the low side. However, the snacks do make an impression with medical professionals, since they do help out. There is no real science that shows that this ration of foods is going to really make you lose weight, so some in the medical community are understandably dubious about whether or not this diet will really work.