Online Health

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer world-wide, and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in developing countries. Cervical cancer is most often diagnosed in middle-aged women, with half of those diagnosed between the ages of 35 and 55. Cervical cancer is very rarely seen in women less than 20 years of age, but approximately 20% of cases occur in women over 65, demonstrating the necessity of continued screening procedures. Cervical cancer is a major health issue for women worldwide. Cervical cancer is different to the majority of other cancers in that infection with a virus is present in 99% of all cervical cancers diagnosed. Cervical cancer is not caused by genetic changes that can be passed down through families, so is not thought to be hereditary. Cervical cancer is believed to be a slow growing cancer and a Pap smear at the ages of 30, 40 and 50 was regarded as a smart way to manage this epidemic. Cervical cancer is caused primarily by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted infection. Cervical cancer is preventable and can be treated effectively provided women know about the disease and the means to detect and prevent it; many women in Latin America and the Caribbean do not know about cervical cancer or about available screening and treatment programs. Cervical cancer is a significant reproductive health problem in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, which have one of the world’s highest incidence and mortality rates for the disease, according to IARC (see Table 1).

Cervical Cancer is a disease in which the cells of the cervix become abnormal and start to grow uncontrollably, forming tumors. Cervical cancer is usually preceded by dysplasia, precancerous changes in the cells on the surface of the cervix. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable kinds of cancer. Cervical cancer is divided into two stages; early or pre-invasive stage, and the late or invasive stage. Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers where we know what causes it, and that’s through infection with a sexually transmitted virus called Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV. Cervical cancer is also classed as microinvasive, which means the cancer has only superficially invaded the cervix and has not spread to other organs, or invasive, which means the cancer has spread deeper into the cervix and possibly into the vagina, surrounding lymph nodes or other tissues near the pelvic area. Cervical Cancer is almost always fatal if it is not detected and treated. Cervical cancer is easily prevented with early screening and treatment. Cervical cancer is estimated to have been responsible for almost 260 000 deaths in 2005, of which about 80% occurred in developing countries. Cervical cancer is a deadly form of cancer that sees 10,000 new cases and kills 4,000 women in the US alone yearly. Cervical cancer is extremely rare in women under the age of 25. The best way to prevent cervical cancer is to have sex with those whose sexual history you know to be free of disease. The best method of detecting cervical cancer is for women to attend for regular cervical screening. The risk of developing cervical cancer is approximately 1 in 10,000 women. In South Africa a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer is one in 26. Unlike some cancers, cervical cancer is slow growing and can take a long time to develop; the average is around ten years. Studies have shown that the five-year relative survival rate for the earliest stages of invasive cervical cancer is 92%. Fortunately, when detected at an early stage, cervical cancer is highly curable. Remember, the best way to avoid falling victim to cervical cancer is to take many preventative measures.

You can find some interesting presentations on adolescent health here:

http://www.bibalex.org/supercourse/SupercoursePPT/27011-28001/27831.ppt
http://nahic.ucsf.edu/downloads/SAMMillarAward.ppt
http://www.sante.gov.ma/departements/dp/site_front_page/fichiers/documentation%20diverse%20sur%20les%20jeunes/Presentation%20sharma.ppt
http://www.mcs.bc.ca/ahs_4_presentation.ppt
http://www.indmedica.com/journals/ppt/Adolescent%20Health-An%20Overview_dr_chopra.ppt
http://www.dmas.virginia.gov/downloads/ln-EPDST_bright_futures_mental_health.ppt

You always need to be aware of breast implant side effects. If there is a problem and you know what’s happening, you’ll know what to do. No implant will last forever. Implants can break or rupture, causing deflation. Many ruptures result from the natural aging of the implant, excessive compression to the breast, or trauma to the breast. The most noticeable effect is that the size and shape of the breast change. Depending on the size of the rupture, changes in breast appearance can occur over a few days or over a very long period of time.

Breast Feeding
Many breast implant patients successfully breast feed; however, breast implants may interfere with breast feeding.
Your plastic surgeon should always know about your plans to breast feed. It may impact the surgical technique.

Mammography

There is a risk that breast implants may impede breast cancer detection. During mammography, X-ray, or ultrasound the implants could hide suspicious tumors. Treatment providers must take special care of breast-implant patients during breast examinationss. Additional views are required, which take additional time for imaging. When you make a mammography appointment, tell the receptionist about your implants so they can schedule the extra time for the examination.

The radiologist needs to use special imaging: "Eklund displacement views." Eklund views maximize what is seen of the breast tissue to better detect tumors or lesions. Eklund views are done in addition to the standard views.

Just before the actual mammograms begin, tell the radiology technician about the breast implants. This helps ensure that the technician includes Eklund displacement views in the examination.

Mammography also compresses the breasts, which increases the chance of a rupture.

Loss of Sensation in the breast area or nipples

After breast surgery, some implant patients experience loss of sensation in the nipple and breast area. Loss of sensation results from damage to nerve endings in the breast and nipple. The loss of sensation is often temporary, but it can be permanent. The surgical technique can play a role in this complication. Your surgeon can determine the most appropriate implant and surgical technique to minimize loss of sensation. Read more about the breast sensitivity side effect.

There have been studies of possible harmful effects of breast implant materials leaking or leaching into the surrounding breast tissue. The studies concluded that there is insufficient evidence of harmful effects for implant materials that are approved by the FDA. These FDA-approved materials are also widely used in other types of medical implants, including pacemakers, intraocular lenses, artificial joints, and other medical devices.
Learn more about breast implants
Rupture

Mammography sometimes compresses the breast implant enough to cause rupture. According to the FDA and medical literature, there were reports of 58 breast implant ruptures during mammography from 1992 to 2002. Technicians must take special care to ensure that excessive pressure is not placed on the breasts.

Typically, surgery is needed to remove a deflated breast implant. Most women decide to have the implants replaced. For those women who do not have their implants replaced, dimpling or puckering of the breast may appear following removal.
Ask Your Doctor

Before you have surgery, discuss possible side effects with a board-certified plastic surgeon who has experience in breast augmentation. Selecting the right plastic surgeon, following pre- and postoperative instructions, and setting realistic expectations for your implant size and shape, can help you avoid side effects.

Mental health disorder is a behavioral  or psychological pattern which occurs in an individual.  It is thought to cause distress or disability that is not expected as part of normal development or culture.

 Definitions, assessments, and classifications of mental disorders can vary. Guideline criteria listed in specific manuals are widely accepted by mental health professionals. Categories of diagnoses in these schemes may include dissociative, disorders, anxiety, psychotic, eating, developmental, personality and many other disorders. In many cases there is no single accepted or consistent cause of mental disorders, although they are often explained in terms of a diathesis-stress model and biopsychosocial model.

Childhood disorders, often labeled as developmental disorders or learning disorders, most often occur and are diagnosed when the child is of school-age. Although some adults may also relate to some of the symptoms of these disorders, typically the disorder’s symptoms need to have first appeared at some point in the person’s childhood.

Mental disorders have been found to be common, with over a third of people in most countries reporting sufficient criteria at some point in their life. Mental health services may be based in hospitals. Mental health professionals diagnose individuals using different methodologies, often relying on case history and interview. Psychotherapy and psychiatric medication are two major treatment options, as well as supportive interventions. Treatment may be involuntary where legislation allows. Several movements campaign for changes to mental health services and attitudes, including the Consumer/Survivor Movement. There are widespread problems with stigma and discrimination.

Personality disorders typically aren’t diagnosed until an individual is a young adult, often not until their 20’s or even 30’s. Most individuals with personality disorders lead pretty normal lives and often only seek psychotherapeutic treatment during times of increased stress or social demands. Most people can relate to some or all of the personality traits listed; the difference is that it does not affect most people’s daily functioning to the same degree it might someone diagnosed with one of these disorders. Personality disorders tend to be an intergral part of a person, and therefore, are difficult to treat or "cure."

Mental disorders typically aren’t diagnosed until an individual is a young adult, often not until their 20’s or even 30’s. Most individuals with personality disorders lead pretty normal lives and often only seek psychotherapeutic treatment during times of increased stress or social demands. Most people can relate to some or all of the personality traits listed; the difference is that it does not affect most people’s daily functioning to the same degree it might someone diagnosed with one of these disorders. Personality disorders tend to be an intergral Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people.2Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 — who suffer from a serious mental illness.1 In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada for ages 15-44.3 Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. Nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for two or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity.art of a person, and therefore, are difficult to treat or "cure."

A lot of couples these days experience problems with having a baby. Women´s bodies programmed by nature to concieve, carry and give birth to a healthy child are now refusing these natural steps in either stage. What are the causes of this situation?

1) People lived much healthier lives in the past. Our bodies are now loaded with poisons from our food, drinks, air we breathe and environment we live in.

2) A lot of couples plan to have a baby much later, than it was in the past. Career is now in the first place and when we decide it is "the right time" for becoming parents, we are over 30 years old, which increases the risks for having problems with conception.

The information provided on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice and care. If you have specific needs, please see a professional health care provider.

by: Mary Watson

Have you ever wondered how the so-called super models manage to get in such good shape and stay trim, even after having a family?

Fashion models depend on their slim figures for their livelihood, so it’s imperative that they always look good. Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that you should embark on a diet of leaves and nuts. I’m not an advocate of the size zero, but I’m sure you’ll find it interesting to know what sort of diet a fashion model would choose.

The Fashion Models Diet Plan

A favourite way for models to look good is to "Cleanse" or "Fast". This is not a complete starvation diet, as it will include the intake of soups and fruit juices over a 3 to7 day period. It is more of a detox routine and is gernerally only carried out once or twice a year.

The benefits of this detox is to obviously rid the body of harmful toxins, such as preservatives and food additives together with inhaled smoke and fumes. It also gives the colon a chance to rid the digestive system of any fecal build up. The results can be dramatic as the liver and kidneys are able to repair and replace damaged cells instead of continuing to rid the body of toxins.

A typical "Cleanse" diet might consist of a combination of fresh carrots, celery, beet, spinach, apple, coconut, broth and juices. Citrus and tomato juices are too acidic to drink while fasting so these should be avoided. It’s important to drink plenty of water during the detox and avoid consuming any unnecessary medications or supplements.

The advantages of a detox are weight loss, reduced body odour, shinier finger nails, stronger hair, reduced cellulite, a glowing complexion and more beautiful eyes.

After the detox, the typical fashion model will then begin her normal eating habits, which to some people may appear to be a "real" diet. However, it will simply be a healthy balanced diet, which might typically consist of the following:

—Breakfast (9am)
One boiled egg with a slice of wholewheat bread
A bowl of cereal with skimmed milk
Black coffee
Total 369 calories

—Lunch (12.30pm)
Turkey salad with balsamic vinaigrette
Cup of tea with skimmed milk
Total 320 calories

—Early Evening Snack (4.30pm)
Low fat Jell-O pudding
Total 100 calories

—Dinner (8pm)
Lean Cuisine chicken a l’orange with rice
2 slices of low fat cheddar cheese with wholewheat crackers
Total 448 calories

The total calorie intake for a typical day is 1237. The aim of the diet is to keep the daily calorie count below 1500.

This is a typical example of a fashion model’s diet, which will also involve some form of aerobic exercises 3 times a week.

So, as you can see it’s not at all what you might have originally thought. It’s just a sensible eating plan and a sensible exercise routine. However, if even this diet seems a little too much to stomach, you could try a natural herbal diet remedy.

Here are the top 5 tips that fashion models highly recommend for staying in trim.

1. Decrease your alcohol consumption. Alcohol suppresses the body’s ability to burn fat.

2. Eat more Black Pepper, Ginger, Chile Peppers. Spicy food helps speed up the body’s metabolism.

3. Increase your muscle mass. Muscle burns fat, so adding 5lbs of muscle will help you burn another 250 calories a day.

3. Increase your vitamin B and Calcium intake. The B-Vitamins give you more energy and increase your metabolism.

4. Drink More Water. A healthy, well-hydrated body is important to flush out toxins and aid in metabolising fats

5. Increase your intake of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Omega 3 fatty acids can help to balance blood sugar levels and control appetite.

About The Author
Mary Watson writes weight loss, diet plan, health, beauty and general well-being articles for the Slim Eazy website at http://www.slimeazy.com

Detoxification Diet: Body Cleanse

Super Body Cleansers And Detox For Athletes

Essential amino acids are those amino acids which we humans are not able to synthesize in sufficient quantities to meet our daily needs and that must be supplied by the food we eat. One of the servings of vegetables at least should be raw vegetables such as carrots celery or cauliflower. It only requires a finger prick blood sample and is a in home test kit. The human body is programmed to tackle low-level toxic attacks. Our bodies can detoxify potential carcinogens, or repair genetic damages. The protective mechanisms are repair, cellular shedding, detoxification and dietary antioxidants. The human body is quite capable of detoxification if it is fed with adequate water and fiber. If you have heart problems cancer or other major diseases you are advised to not use this form of diet.If we regularly eat a more balanced and well-combined diet such as my Ideal Diet we will have less need for fasting and toning plans although both would still be required at certain intervals throughout the year. Free radicals come from many household products.

Chlorella Colon Cleanse

The combination of vitamins and minerals through detoxification work in this fashion to remove toxins from your body tissues and body organs. This is done through our sweat feces and urine. Some detox programs still rely on simply water and fasting while others outline specific diets which tend to be mostly raw food. My clients are sometimes disturbed by this event but thereafter convinced continue their complete Internal Cleansing Kit each year with some mini detox in between. which not just benefit and strengthen our blood circulation kidneys liver bowels and lungs but our general health in the long run.

Detox - The Process Of Cleansing And Restoration

While our livers can still function despite a lot of damage once you’ve started feeling sluggish digest poorly have dull skin and start developing dark eye circles it’s time to reward it for its hard work by undergoing a detox phase. Over time consumption of processed foods non-vegetarian foods and sugars leads to clogging of the inner walls of the colon with waste matter. emotional. Then, in November 2003, Woman’s World magazine came to me with an unusual request. They wanted a one-day juice fast, the recipe for a special brew that would enable readers to quickly lose 3 to 5 pounds so they could fit into that special outfit or take off that holiday weight. You may have just pampered yourself with some kind of bodywork-this sometimes stimulates a healing crisis. This is a good thing. See Best Way To Body Cleanse You only need to do your research and there will be lots of detoxification procedures to choose from however it is always advisable to see your physician to be sure of what toxins constitute risk to your health and perhaps the best method to get rid of these. Toxins come in various forms and manners; the one unifying thing about them all is that they are dangerous to your health. The exhaust from your automobile is known to be rich in carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and medical scientists have shown that as little as 0.5% of these chemicals in the blood holds dangerous implication for health. The basic idea behind any detoxification program is; first.

Colon Diseases

As food is digested the nutrients and toxins are absorbed into the bloodstream. These toxins will continue to contaminate the cells instead of providing the nourishment that the cells need. The next recommendation to ensure good health is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and most vegetables are restricted in the initial phase of some low carbohydrate diets they are then allowed back in limited amounts. You want the natural sugar along with all of the vitamins minerals and fiber in the *whole* apple. See more Master Cleanse Opinions Calorie and carbohydrate intake are reduced leading to weight loss.

Detox Diet Drink

Just name it. However there are certain individuals who do not make good candidates for a detox diet. But I draw the line at certain things. The problem is that there is little scientific evidence that these things really work, other than making us think that we are doing something healthy. The massive diet and nutrition industries have created yet another myth, the Detox Myth, encouraging us to spend money on pills, treatments, spa breaks, books etc, but the benefits of the products are questionable, and the claims are not supported by science. The result is a gradual build up in toxin levels in the body and this can cause a wide variety of health problems including chronic fatigue acne headaches nausea and even chronic ailments which do not respond to conventional medicine. Learn more at http://www.superstars-detoxdiets.info This epic human tragedy led the Soviet society on a desperate search for ways to detoxify and protect their people from radiation poisoning. But it’s a nice introduction to the issue and one you’ll need to be aware of as you procede with your own personal herbal remedy learning.

About The Author
Kathrine Perkins is an expert in Master Cleanse Ingrediants for over 10 years. Search Detox info at http://www.mastercleanseresults.info

Juice fasting is gaining popularity as a great way to detoxify. Many people are interested in getting toxins out of their system so they can live a healthier life. When toxins accumulate in the body, they feel sluggish and also have a poor immune system. Juice fasting, as a cleansing method, can help to people to achieve better health and more energy. It is quite easy to do as fruits are readily obtainable and all that is required additionally is a juicer.

For a beginner to juice fasting, it is important to start out slow and to try it out for one day. By juice fasting, you are limiting your intake to juices only. Fruit juice is high in sugar, so if you are a diabetic or otherwise in need of monitoring your sugar intake you should be cautious of trying a juice fast with fruit juices. Anyone just starting out with fasting should always speak with their doctor first. Also, do not juice fast for prolonged periods like more than 3 days, not unless your doctor agrees that it is safe for you to do so.

The following are sample recipes that can help give you an idea of combinations of fruits and vegetables to use together:

Recipe 1: Vegetable Juice Combo
2 Swiss chard leaves
1/2 beetroot
2 or 3 sprigs of watercress
3 carrots
1 celery stalk
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.

Recipe 2: Carrot-Apple Juice
2-3 Green Apples
1 carrot
Fresh basil leaves
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.

Recipe 3: Carrot-Vegetable Juice
A handful of dandelion leaves
1 kale leaf
4 carrots
Fresh mint, basil or coriander leaves
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.

Recipe 4: Peach Juice
2 or 3 peaches
Wash with filtered or distilled water, cut and put in juicer.

There are many different types of juice fasts. Some diets call for fruit juices while others used less sugary vegetable juices. You can always come up with your own unique combination of fruit and vegetable juice diet recipes.

About The Author

Sandra Kim Leong posts information on colon cleansing, liver cleansing, kidney cleansing, detox diet , juice fasting and alcohol detox on her site. For updates and more articles, please visit http://www.Detox-Cleansing.com.

Fasting is anti-aging because it rids your body of toxins, which impair your longevity health. In addition, it helps to control your weight, which is often an aging factor.

Fasting is the most efficient and effective way of detoxification.

What is fasting?

Fasting is voluntary abstinence from food and drink, except water, for an extended period.

Fasting is not starvation which is abstinence continued beyond your body’s nutrient reserves. In other words, starvation may exhaust your body’s stored nutrients to the point of presenting health hazards, while fasting is still "consuming" the nutrient reserves stored in your body. There is a big difference.

Fasting has many therapeutic benefits. Fasting accelerates the self-healing process of your body, thereby enabling your body to recover speedily from any disease. Fasting temporarily stops the continuing work of your digestive system, instrumental in reserving energy for your self-healing. Your body may now utilize the energy for self-healing, which otherwise normally might be expended on secreting digestive enzymes to break down the food for distribution of nutrients throughout your body.

Fasting slows down your aging process by keeping your arteries young (often hardened by cholesterol, fats, inorganic minerals and fibrous tissues). Fasting facilitates the removal of accumulated substances that may damage cell functions, thereby slowing down your aging process and extending your lifespan.

Fasting may alleviate your body pain and rid your body of drug dependence. Remember, longevity is often a drug-free life.

Fasting relieves the burden of not only your digestive tract, but also your liver and kidneys, which have to work extra hard to remove additives and toxins accumulated in your body through improper eating.

Fasting produces powerful detoxifying effects in your body not achievable by any diet, restricted or supplemented.

Fasting decreases your blood pressure by softening your blood vessels.

Fasting activates the immune system in your body.

Fasting removes the cause of any chronic disease you may have by removing the toxins, not just the symptoms, as in the case of medication.

Fasting facilitates you, if you are a smoker, to quit smoking during a fast.

Essentially, there is only one type of fasting: pure water fasting. Juice fasting is not fasting: it is not anti-inflammatory; only pure water fasting is. Vegetable or fruit fasting is not fasting: it is more of a healthful diet. Only pure water fasting is complete and total fasting, which has the capability to break down fat, abnormal cells, plaque, and even tumors. Pure water fasting is the most efficient natural method of detoxification.

How safe is fasting?

Fasting is both natural and safe. Your body system has the capability to fast, and your body has the ability to fast safely. Generally, it takes more than forty days to exhaust all the nutrients stored in your body. That is why in the Bible Jesus fasted for forty days. In general, your body will still have more than adequate reserves of proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins to maintain its normal function during a fast. In fact, during a fast, your body conserves its muscle and lean body tissues.

For centuries, people have practiced fasting all over the world.

Animals instinctively fast when they are sick or wounded. However, humans in similar situations erroneously believe they need to eat to regain strength, thus making them even sicker and weaker.

To prepare for a fast, eat more vegetables and fruits prior to a fast. Reduce the consumption of meat, and refrain from eating any meat the day before a fast.

During a fast, your body naturally increases mucous production to wash away viruses and infected cells. It may even induce a slight fever to activate your immune system. Your body discharges toxins and chemicals through your skin, mucous membranes, liver, and kidneys. Due to hormonal and metabolic changes, you may feel slightly colder. That is natural and normal. Just keep warm to conserve your energy and to facilitate rapid elimination. One common phenomenon is dehydration through excessive loss of water. Drinking more water is recommended during a fast.

You no longer have any bowel movement after the first day. That, too, is normal.

During a fast, you need less sleep than usual. You are fully refreshed with from three to six hours of sleep. A fast is invigorating.

Remember, the more you fast, the less uncomfortable you will feel. Normal functioning of the body will resume upon removal of all causes of functional impairment.

On the first day, you feel pangs of hunger, and a white coating forms on your tongue. On the second day, you begin to feel gradual dissipation of hunger, and there is more white coating on your tongue. On the third day, you may feel complete disappearance of hunger and the clearance of coating on your tongue.

The first three days of a fast are most challenging. However, once the challenge is overcome, you are well on the way to rejuvenation of your entire body. A clear tongue and clean breath are a good indication that the cleansing is more or less complete.

The length of a fast depends very much on an individual. The following is just a general guideline: a one-day fast, as often as required, preferably weekly, for good maintenance; a three-to-four-day fast for general health and well being, several times a year; a two-week fast for complete internal cleansing, every year or so; and a three-week fast (or even longer) for curing a specific disease, under the supervision of a physician

Always consult your physician first if you go on a fast longer than three to four days. Stop the fast immediately if there is significant increase in physical weakness, or drastic drop in blood pressure.

A one-day fast is ideal for maintenance, but may not be too effective for deep cleansing. Regular fasting minimizes the risk of a disabling disease later in life, and is therefore anti-aging..

Copyright (c) 2007 Stephen Lau

About The Author
Stephen Lau, a writer and researcher, has spent years in writing research synopses of doctors and scientists in the United States. For more information on health and wellness, visit: http://www.longevityforyou.com . Mr. Lau has also designed a website on golf tips and information. For more information, go to: http://www.golfingsuccessinfo.com

Many persons kick off a diet or fasting program with huge motivation and determination and, indeed, lose large amounts of weight. But, unfortunately, many end up gaining it all back because they have not addressed the psychological aspect of fitness, weight loss and health.

In this article, we will discuss "How Our Brains Work," specifically as it relates to keeping the weight off for good through re-programming subconscious belief systems. This way the mind supports begins to support your progress rather than sabotage it.

As I have said in other articles, most diets do not produce long-lasting results because they are often seen as temporary rather than permanent changes in lifestyle and eating habits. The key phrase here is "permanent change." That is what this article aims to help you accomplish.

I spent years in that see-saw of losing weight, gaining weight, losing weight, gaining it back; ad infinitum. Let me tell you, being trapped in this type of vicious cycle - as the years go by and by and by - is extremely crushing and disheartening. It affects the individual physically, mentally and emotionally to the point of hopelessness and total despair.

That is why, after so much trial and failure, I have concluded that my thinking is by far one of the most important elements to successful weight loss. All the fasting in the world will not produce enduring results if my thinking and self-image remain based on negativity and defeatist belief systems.

Beyond Positive Thought

Positive thought is far from being a new concept. Nor is imagining or visualization. A movie came out recently called The Secret which talked in-depth about this process. It is very interesting and offers good information and motivation.

In short, the premise is that keeping a sharp mental image of what you wish to accomplish can in fact attract the desired result into your life. Now believe me, I am not one to simply bring up a nice little tool I learned and offer it as a frothy solution or panacea.

What we will be looking at here is a combination of techniques that saved me from 15 years of obesity, suicidal behavior, self-loathing and total hopelessness and isolation. So we will dabble into a variety of topics and issues so that, you too, can effect powerful changes in your life as they relate to food, eating, as well as physical and emotional health!

Visualization is one of those tools that, through consistent and stubborn practice, have helped me to break very destructive thinking patterns. For example, take some time and visualize yourself in that particular dress or pant size you want to get into.

Spend some time daily perfecting this mental image - preferably at night before going to bed. One technique that worked very nicely was to put-up pictures around the house of myself when I was younger and thinner.

Magazine Decapitation

Other times I would browse through magazines and cut out pictures of sleek and fit male bodies. I then cut out my head from some other picture in my family album and paste it to the fit body image from the magazine. He, He. This actually is very powerful.

I was a chronic food relapser, and just looking at my face in the thin body from the magazine kept me from binging on many occasions. Try it! Paste the pictures in locations such as, the bathroom mirror, the nightstand or desk right next to your bed ( so it is the last thing you see at night and the first image you intake upon awakening), and - of course, the refrigerator door.

Every morning when you get up look at the photos and tell yourself: "This is me. This is how I want to look physically. I can do this." Build a collage of fit persons taking part in a variety of athletic and recreational activities. Then stick your head into the bodies!

Self Talk

One book that made a huge impact on my life was Shad Helmstetter’s "What To Say When You Talk To Yourself."
It taught me that I actually have the ability to re-program my subconscious mind and give it direct and to-the-point instructions to support the changes I want to make in my life. I must admit that at first I thought this to be very silly. I am a born skeptic. But pain eventually made me humble and I became willing to try it with an open mind. The results were life-changing.

This is what you can do: *Go to the pharmacy and purchase a package of flashcards. *Fill at least 20 of them with positive affirmations about your weight, health and image. *Write in the present tense so that your mind absorbs the statement as a done deal and not a pie-in-the-sky wish distant in the future.

Here are some examples:

*It is now always easy for me to control my appetite at all times. *It is now always easy for me to say no to _____. (fill it in with your specific trigger foods). Mine was pizza and donuts. Oh, gosh! He-He. *I now lose weight easily and effortlessly at all times. *I now always have supernatural will power to achieve all of my goals at all times. *It is now always easy for me to keep the weight off and I always and easily resist all temptation.

Evaluate the different areas of your life that you wish to change, and form statements directly related to them. These can include self-esteem, spirituality, lifestyle etc… for example:

*I now and always feel great about who I am and am constantly filled with intoxicating passion for life at all times. (Self-Esteem) *I always receive powerful spiritual guidance and discernment to overcome all problems at all times. (Spiritual) *I always am filled with energy and motivation to live and love to be outdoors and active at all times. *It is now easy for me to talk to others and I always feel great about myself in every situation.

You can, of course, add your own. . Once you have them ready, pull them out in the morning in a quiet place and read them to yourself out loud. Allow each word to enter into your mind and imagine the message penetrating into the center of your soul. If you receive negative feedback like: "Yeah, right! Poppycock!" just let the thought pass and continue.

The mind must eventually adhere to the directions you give it! If you practice a specific religion, end the session with the prayer of your choice and whatever other inspirational reading you are accustomed to reading. Repeat the process during the day when the mind starts to fill you with opposing thoughts. Culminate the day by doing a final reading immediately before going to bed. Make sure that the very last message your brain receives is a positive one.

If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes

The point I am trying to make in this article is: Do not start fasting or dieting and go through all of the detox and hunger pains, yet allowing the mind to just sit idly. In other words, dieting and/or fasting while continuing to feed your mind with negativity will lead you back to where you started which is: weight gain.

Make sure that, while fasting and/or dieting, you also are fasting from negativity and giving your mind a constant feeding of powerful thoughts that go against whatever mental blockages you find have always led you to gain all the weight back.

In psychology, the "Bombshell Theory" says that If nothing changes, nothing changes. So the message I want to drive to you with all the force I can muster is that: You can fast for 100 days and emerge clean, thin and feeling great.

But if there are no inner changes in the way you think and believe, then it is very likely that the mind will sabotage your progress and take you back to where you started, or worse. Please, dear reader, do not take this message lightly. If you were anything like me, then you are reading this article because you have health and fitness goals that are important to you.

I learned many years ago that "Freedom Carries Sacrifice." Fasting and a proper diet are huge parts of the process. But to maintain the freedom gained through these positive changes, it is imperative to directly and forcefully address those internal voices that attempt to destroy your dreams.

Robert Dave Johnston is editor and webmaster of Fitness Through Fasting.com - where you will find a growing number of fasting-related articles and topics to assist you achieve your weight loss, detoxification and health-improvement goals through juice and water fasting.

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