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What is Dukan Diet and its side-effects?

This article gives pertinent information about Dukan Diet and its side-effects

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Pierre Dukan, a French doctor and nutritionist, challenged with the case of obesity started to look for alternative ways in curing the illness. After 20 years of thorough research he published in the year 2000, a book called, “Je ne sais pas maigrir” or translated as, “I don’t know how to get slimmer.” It gained the best-seller in France after a year it has been published.
It was made a hit in UK when Kate Middleton, now the duchess of Cambridge, tried the Dukan Diet before her marriage to the beloved Prince William, she reportedly claimed a loss of two dress sizes. It also allegedly claimed to help five million French. The book is also gaining fame in the US in the year 2011 when actress/singer, Jennifer Lopez, lost pounds after her pregnancy by following this diet.
Dukan Diet: What is it? How does this work?
Dukan Diet is similar to the famous Atkins diet. Atkins and Dukan are much alike in terms of non-intake of carbs initially and do not require portion control or counting calorie consumptions. In Atkins, it requires net carbohydrate intakes and unlike Dukan, it suggests a daily intake of oats, increase water consumption and 20 minutes of everyday brisk walking. Dukan Diet adopts four phases namely: Attack, Cruise, Consolidation and Stabilization.
Four Phases of the Dukan Diet
Attack: In this starter phase, the dieter is only allowed take protein rich foods that are exquisitely low in fat. Dr. Dukan provided 72-item list of foods to be eaten, it excludes pork, lamb, poultry products and cheeses. Food should always be cooked but without adding any fat to it, it best to cook in grilling or roasting. It also requires you to eat 1 ½ tbsp. oat bran & 1.5 liters of water per day. This phase should be followed around 2-7 days or more. Results from this initial phase within 5 days may result in 4-7 lbs. loss. This phase promotes quick loss of weight since it is strictly based on a protein-only diet.
Cruise: Cruise, the second to the fourth phase of the Dukan diet scheme. During this phase dieters who were only allowed to eat protein-only foods can now alternate a 28-items of non-starchy vegetables. They may take attack phase diet for today and take non-starchy veggie diet for tomorrow, and so this phase must go on by alternating these two types of diet each day. This phase may last long enough as much as you want by reaching your desired weight and assuring 2 pounds per week loss.
Consolidation: As one achieves the desired weight, one has to go the next phase called Consolidation, this is the maintenance phase of this diet scheme where you have to prevent putting back excess pounds. The plan in this phase is less strict compared to the first two phases. During this phase you are permitted to eat protein-only and veggie diet along with a piece of low-sugar fruit, 2 slices of whole grain bread and a portion of hard cheese. In this phase you are allowed to have 1-2 serving of starchy foods and one celebration meal per week. The phase of consolidation does not expect to loss off pounds but rather it is steadily the maintenance process.
Stabilization: Stabilization is the final phase and a life-long phase of the diet scheme. In here maintenance of the life-changing diet may be a challenging and tempting. During this portion of the scheme, one is already permitted to allow any food intake that a person wants and by also sticking to the diet rule in the consolidation phase. As Pierre Dukan suggest, that staying on the phase 1 rule once a week and eat whatever you like for the rest of the week lowers the chances of regaining weight.
Pros and Cons of Dukan Diet
Pros: The fast results of this diet scheme is beneficially rewarding and motivating. It allows you to have protein and veggie meal plan diets and does not require you to count off your calorie intakes.
Cons: It is highly restrictive and can exclude healthy foods. Dieters can experience side-effects such as symptoms of headaches, nausea, lethargy, irritable and loss of concentration. Dieters may acquire halitosis (bad breath), metallic tasting mouth and strong smell in their urines. For those people who have problems with their kidneys and liver are not advised to follow this diet plan. It is not also recommended for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Views and Opinions by Health Experts on the Dukan Diet
There are lots of critics in this diet plan. Due to the restrictive type scheme of this diet, some fruits, grains and nuts which are healthy and have high amounts of vitamins and minerals that are vital to the nutrition of the body are eliminated. Keri Gans of American Dietetic Association, said that the lost amount of multivitamins that should be acquired from those restricted foods are not compensated in the Dukan diet. Experts have also criticized that experiencing such side-effects may not be healthy at all.

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Ephedra Banned By FDA

After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered health risks with the natural herbal substance Ephedra, they banned the use of the drug. Ephedra is a natural ingredient from Asian countries that has been used in many dietary supplements and over-the-counter asthma drugs.

Although Ephedrine alkaloids have been used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as asthma, the use of Ephedra in dietary supplements is becoming a serious health risk. Dietary supplements are one of the largest areas in drugs and pills that Ephedra is found in.

Originally, the FDA could not regulate the production and distribution of Ephedra because it is a dietary supplement protected under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHE). According to the FDA, under this Act, the manufacturer of the dietary supplement is responsible for ensuring that it is safe before it is marketed to the public.

The FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. As such, most manufacturers are not required to register their products with the FDA, nor must they get FDA approval, before producing or selling dietary supplements.

The burden of proof lies on the shoulders of the manufacturers, and they are required to make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.

Despite the limitations the DSHE Act imposed upon the FDA to act as an agent of change, the FDA issued numerous warnings beginning in the early 1990′s detailing the health risks to consumers of products containing Ephedra.

Since the FDA was not able to regulate ephedra effectively until after millions of Americans had already consumed the stimulant, many consumers are unaware that suppliers of products containing the drug were able to make health and weight loss claims about these substances without a scientific basis. The use of this product and the intential neglect to avoid disclosing the serious side effects from this drug has been a serious issue affecting those taking the supplement.

In 1994, the FDA began receiving many reports regarding the side effects of products containing Ephedra. Although Ephedra is used in less than 1 percent of diet pills it is among the largest in sales, receiving 64 percent of all sales.

Between 1994 – 2002, the FDA received more than 800 reports of adverse effects from Ephedra and Ephedrine alkaloids. These included but are not limited to:

* High blood pressure.

* Heart rate irregularities.

* Insomnia, nervousness.

* Tremors.

* Seizures.

* Heart attacks.

* Strokes.

* Brain hemorrhages.

* Death.

Ephedra’s effects are similar to that of adrenaline and it affects the central nervous system. Ephedra acts as a stimulant and it can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats, chest pain, psychosis and tremors.

Ephedra dilates the bronchial muscles, contracts nasal mucosa, raises blood pressure, and is a cardiac stimulant. Complications from these adverse effects can result in strokes or heart irregularities that can cause cardiac arrest or death. New medical research has suggested that ephedra can also cause primary pulmonary hypertension, a disabling and fatal condition of the lung.

Reports of these adverse side effects have increased in recent years and include the deaths of a few high profile athletes.

Ephedra is a dangerous and potentially life threatening drug. As such it has become critical to monitor its production, distribution and use. Perhaps this is why, in 2003 the states of California, Illinois and New York individually took action and banned the use of ephedra products. This in turn encouraged the Federal Government to move more quickly towards a blanket ban on the stimulant.

The FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) began discussing the ban of Ephedra in late 2003.

The DHHS stated that Ephedra can be linked to numerous health dangers and the FDA then urged consumers to immediately stop consuming products containing the drug. Other products still on the shelves have been encouraged to be recalled by the FDA.

Effective April 12, 2004, the FDA banned the sale of all Ephedrine over the counter dietary supplements, having concluded,”the totality of the available data showed little evidence of Ephedra’s effectiveness except for modest, short-term weight loss without any clear health benefit, while confirming that the substance raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system. These effects are linked to significant adverse health outcomes, including heart attack and stroke.”

It is now against the law to purchae or sell all dietary products containing Ephedra. The FDA notified 62 companies that market products containing Ephedra of the ban. Prior to the FDA ban one of the most popular supplements containing Ephedra was Metabolife356, which was manufactured by Metabolife International, Inc.

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5 Diet Plan Saving Tips !

Guilty and frustrated from cheating on your diet plan? These diet plan saving tips will keep you on track!

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It’s nine thirty at night and you have followed your new diet plan perfectly to a tee all day. A pizza advertisement comes on the commercial break of your favorite show and you notice it is close to your next mealtime.
Up to the kitchen you go to eat your next meal. When in the fridge pulling out your nicelyprepared diet plan meal, you notice some left over Fettuccini Alfredo your wife or roommate brought home. Sure looks good you think as you catch a little bit of saliva about to drip on your shirt!

“Just a little taste won’t hurt my diet plan,” you justify…

“ I’ve stuck to my diet plan all day……”

A little taste and before you know it you tell yourself the extra carbs and calories will be a good boost to your workout tomorrow!

An hour later your gut is stretching and Indigestion plagues you from cheating on your diet plan!!

“I should have stuck to my diet plan!” is going through your head as you lay down to have nightmares of a fat ass! “Tomorrow I’ll stick to my diet plan “, you chant in your head!But you fall from your diet plan only a day or two later!

The occasional stray from your diet plan can really add up!And billboards,tv’s, radios and people are everywhere pushing fast foods and junk to sabotage your diet plan!

Here are five diet plan saving tips to arm yourself against the onslaught of the Cheating War!

Diet Plan Tip #1 – Eat Slowly – Take your time when you sit down to eat.

The chances you will stuff yourself or overeat diminish and you will reach the point of satiety much more quickly if you eat slowly!

The more you are satisfied with what you have eaten the less likely you will continue to think of food. That chocolate Black Forest cake won’t be as tempting either!

Diet Plan Tip #2 – Have Delicious Meals That Fit Your Meal Plan Prepared Ahead Of Time.

Having meals prepared ahead of time makes it convenient to eat according to a plan and on schedule.

You can make it more convenient to stick to your diet plan than it is to eat that bag of candy by having your diet plan meals prepared and available when it is time to eat– and when you gethungry.

Diet Plan Tip #3 – Get Used To Eating For Your Purpose Instead Of For Your Taste Buds.

Satisfying your taste buds when you get the urge to gorge down a Big Mac will never develop a healthy, lean, muscular physique! Keep in mind you are eating to develop a lean, healthy muscular physique every time you open your mouth! The temporary taste satisfaction of a jelly-filled donut will be gone real fast but the empty calories you just devoured can defeat a whole day’s worth of bodybuilding effort!

Diet Plan Tip #4 – Be creative with your cooking to make sticking to your diet enjoyable.

Ideally, with proper preparation and some reciperesearch you can create delicious mouth watering meals that meet your diet plan criteria. Learn to cook. Employ spices from other parts of the world. India and China are twocountries with interesting choices to really spice up your diet plan. When you don’t have to force feed yourself with your nose plugged the chances are much higher you can stick to your diet plan more easily!

Diet Plan Tip #5 – Drink Water.

Drinking water between meals can help to reduce your hunger pains temporarily by giving a sense of fullness. For those of you that sabotage your diet plan munching here and there,keeping a water bottle with you wherever you go can really help.Just sip away when its oral satisfaction rather than hunger driving you.

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