The Ultimate Weight Loss Product Guide

Are you one of the many who may be tempted by advertisements for diet pills and other weight loss products promising easy, quick ways to lose weight? Were you aware that a simple 30 minute infomercial can cost anywhere from $80,000 to 120,000 dollars to make. Pretty crazy don't you think? Yet time and time again you see countless weight loss infomercials selling product after product.

Fad Diets and many diet pills are pitched by persistent advertising and many people, possibly even you will join the parade of followers. Yet 95% of the time, these weight loss products will prove to fail you once again -- leaving you with nothing but charges to your credit card and set-up to regain all those pounds. So why are people constantly and willingly paying their hard earned money for these weight loss products?

"Stop Throwing Your Hopes Into Every Weight Loss Product That Comes By"

We want you to stop being their guinea pigs and understand and realize just how many of these diet pills and other weight loss companies are cashing in at your expense. To help you avoid getting "trapped or suckered" into believing or choosing a weight loss product or service that does nothing but contribute and add to the problems.

Stop Getting Taken! The following factors are exactly what many weight loss products and services use and exploit in order to get you to buy into their utterly false claims...

Factor 1 -- HOPE

Hope is a good thing, you need hope. But the problem is that many times you have such high hopes that you put those hopes into anything, regardless if its legit or not. By putting your hopes of weight loss into products and services that are not providing the necessary means you need, your ultimately setting yourself up for failure and your hopes will get crushed. Have hope, just make sure you put your hope into the right service and don't let your strong sense of hope blind you into not seeing the red-flags and other lies.

Bottom Line -- Don't let your strong sense of hope make you believe things that are not true!

Factor 2 -- Emotion

Lets face it, your weight and appearance can be a touchy, emotional subject. And it should be, its your life! But how many times have you seen a weight loss infomercial where someone breaks down into tears while talking about how miserable they were when overweight and how deeply happy and relieved they are now ... and how they owe it all to that particular weight loss product or "revolutionary system." The product is doing this intentionally!

Weight loss products know you're emotional about how you look ... they also know that when your emotional, it causes you to act on impulse. They have a better chance to "hook- you" when you're emotional and "touched." Products try to stir up your emotion in an effort to get you to act impulsively and buy into their claims. You should be emotional about your health and the way you look, but don't let them use your emotion against you. Don't let your emotion blind you into not seeing the red-flags and real reason that they're really there -- to get the "2 easy payments of $39.99" out of you!

Factor 3 -- Marketing Savvy & Media

Just because you're constantly seeing weight loss ads and commercials for diet pills and the new "xxx diet" does not mean it works and is credible. Just because you see a celebrity hosting the weight loss infomercial or program (who has been generously paid off ... do you really think a movie star is going to do an infomercial for free?) does not mean it's effective. What it does mean is that they have thousands, if not millions of dollars to pay for advertising and marketing so they can get their product in front of you, be it radio, television, internet etc. so they can constantly "pitch you."

How affective is marketing? Recently, a diet pill company was making the bogus claim "take our weight loss pill and you can eat what you want and burn fat as you sleep" and made $152 million in profit over 3 short years by doing radio commercials at over 600 stations across the country! That is until the Government stepped in and cracked down! And all the restaurants that are adding the "new xxx diet approved" menus, all they're doing is trying to make money too! Restaurants know that people are willingly paying, so why wouldn't they add low carb diet dishes (even though the number of calories in these dishes are alarmingly high and will cause you to pack on pounds!)

Realize, that just because you see a weight loss product time and time again on the television or radio does not mean it will be effective in losing permanent weight. All these weight loss companies are trying to do is get their product in front of you over and over so it will be there when you're ready to buy. Many people make the mistake of assuming a product is credible simply because it's constantly on television.

Factor 4 - Repetition

Diet pills and other weight loss products figure they more they can get in front of you, the more likely you're going to buy it when that time comes. Lets face it, if you were interested in building a deck, when that time comes don't you think your going to choose the "smith deck company" that you saw time and time again on TV. Most people will simply use the one that's most convenient and right there. Many times people just pick the first product or service that comes to their head and have high hopes that everything will just work out. Unfortunately, many times it's no different with weight loss products.

This is exactly why you see the same infomercial every day, every hour of the day for like 1 month straight ... and then all of a sudden it's gone. They get in, make their money on desperate people looking to lose weight, and then they get out! And if you see it again in like 3-4 months down the road, this means they made a lot of money on it previously and are back to make more. They wouldn't be there if they weren't making money - period!

The product is trying to pound it into you head and keep coming at you because they know, the more you see it, the more likely you will be to buy it. Don't get suckered! Just because they are always there, does not mean it will help you.

Factor 5 - Pressure

This is a big one. The bottom line -- when people are pressured they act impulsively. Often times you put way to much pressure on yourself. In today's society so much emphasis is placed on health and appearance. People feel pressured to look a certain way and this is certainly the case with being overweight as people will do anything to lose weight. Weight loss products go out of their way to put additional pressure on you, knowing that it will cause you to act and buy. Many of the weight loss infomercials are very good at the art of getting you to believe that ... "finally this is it, the only product that's going to change your life!" The truth is that all they're doing is adding additional pressure.

Bottom Line -- Don't let the pressure you feel to lose weight allow you to buy into and believe false claims. A sense of urgency to lose weight is good, but don't feel so pressured that it causes you to act impulsively and spend your hard - earned money on the first thing you come across that sounds good. When you feel pressured, it will allow you to start believing and putting your hopes into things that are not true because you feel like "I need to do something about my weight and I need to do it now!" Weight loss products know this and that is what they are wanting you to do. Don't allow it and don't allow yourself to be one of their guinea pigs! It will just cost you in the end!

General Rules To Keep In Mind When Dealing With Weight Loss Products

Be Realistic -- If there was a way to "lose 30 pounds in 30 days and keep it off" or "eat what you want and still lose weight" don't you think that we would all look like supermodels?

Use Common Sense -- If there were magic diet pills or easy way to lose weight and keep it off, don't you think the top movie stars and celebrities who make millions and millions of dollars would have it.

Allow Yourself To Believe Both Sides -- If you're going to make the mistake of believing the lies and fabrications many weight loss products are telling you, at least allow yourself to believe that they may indeed be "lying and deceiving you" as well. It's only fair that you allow yourself to look at both sides as this will help you to form a better judgment.

"If It Was That Easy..." Lets face it, if it was as easy as all these health and weight loss infomercials and ab contraptions make it, the statistic of 95% failing would not exist! There would be no problems. Don't believe their lies and fabrications

By Kenny Leonard

Why You Should Read a Weight Loss Consumer Report

The development of the weight loss industry has led to the growth of scores of weight loss supplements and programs each claiming to be the best thing to ever come out in the weight loss industry. While these weight loss products are not necessarily lying, some may also be guilty of not telling you the whole truth. So that's where a weight loss product consumer report comes in. A weight loss product consumer report works by providing information on weight loss products that are made available to the public. With the general aim of weeding out the lies from the truths in the weight loss industry, a weight loss product consumer report is used to protect unknowing weight loss product consumers from falling prey to dishonest weight loss product manufacturers.

Choosing weight loss products

Choosing a weight loss product to use can be very tricky. It's not even just because of the sheer amount of products available to you but more so the amount of information that each one is feeding you. So be careful before you buy a weight loss product. It is not enough that you compare products based on what's popular although that would give you an idea on which one works. To guide you, start out by looking up the list of ingredients of a weight loss product. Then look up a list of ingredients that according to the Food and Drug Administration are harmful for consumption. Just by the list of ingredients alone you will find out if you should be taking a particular weight loss product or not.

Prescriptions: yes, no, maybe

Prescription drugs are generally of higher potencies compared to over-the-counter products. Weight loss products that come with prescriptions are normally given to very obese patients or if a person has a particular weight loss need that cannot be addressed with simple over-the-counter weight loss products. Because of their highly specific content, prescription weight loss products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Degree of effectiveness depend from one person to another but most who take prescription weight loss products lose about 5% to 10% from their weight. While usually given to very obese patients, prescription weight loss products may be given to people who have healthy body mass indexes considering that they have consulted with their doctors and have been cleared to take them.

Go over-the-counter

A lot of weight loss products are available to you over the counter. (Over-the-counter weight loss products mean that you don't need a prescription to take them.) However, a weight loss product consumer report will tell you that buying weight loss products over-the-counter actually poses more threats than buying with a prescription because use is not regulated. Any person can buy as much as they want, in as many brands as they want without regard to what would work best for them. Essentially a trial-and-error process, the threat also lies in using too many weight loss products at the same time. While all claiming to promote weight loss, weight loss products aren't generally intended to be used in conjunction with another weight loss product. Well, because each one is claiming to handle singlehandedly all your weight loss needs, they aren't formulated to be "friendly" to other weight loss products. Using too many weight loss products at the same time can actually make you sicker instead of better. By piling on different substances into your body, you may be overloading your body systems in the process. This makes your body slow down and weaker in defending you against threats in the environment.

Unproven claims

Be careful of weight loss products labeled as "herbal" or "natural" as these can be misleading. Just because they are labeled as such, that does not guarantee that they are indeed safe for consumption. Not everything herbal or natural is safe for you. Some might even be potentially dangerous especially to those who are suffering from any health condition or are already taking prescription medication.

Protect yourself

As any weight loss product consumer report would, you have to learn how to protect yourself. When buying any weight loss product, check to see if a weight loss consumer product report has been done on it. This will tell you how it worked for other people, what does it do, and what does it contain--some of the very basic things you have to know about any weight loss product. Unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration, be cautious about products that contain the words: breakthrough, easy, magical, new discovery, guaranteed, effortless, exotic, secret, miraculous, and mysterious. If you've taken the time to find out what works, take the time to tell other people what works. Create your own weight loss product consumer report and help ensure that other people are informed and protected as well.

By Phillip England

The Truth About CLA - The Healthy Weight Loss Benefits of This Fatty Acid

The development of the weight loss industry has led to the growth of scores of weight loss supplements and programs each claiming to be the best thing to ever come out in the weight loss industry. While these weight loss products are not necessarily lying, some may also be guilty of not telling you the whole truth. So that's where a weight loss product consumer report comes in. A weight loss product consumer report works by providing information on weight loss products that are made available to the public. With the general aim of weeding out the lies from the truths in the weight loss industry, a weight loss product consumer report is used to protect unknowing weight loss product consumers from falling prey to dishonest weight loss product manufacturers.

Choosing weight loss products

Choosing a weight loss product to use can be very tricky. It's not even just because of the sheer amount of products available to you but more so the amount of information that each one is feeding you. So be careful before you buy a weight loss product. It is not enough that you compare products based on what's popular although that would give you an idea on which one works. To guide you, start out by looking up the list of ingredients of a weight loss product. Then look up a list of ingredients that according to the Food and Drug Administration are harmful for consumption. Just by the list of ingredients alone you will find out if you should be taking a particular weight loss product or not.

Prescriptions: yes, no, maybe

Prescription drugs are generally of higher potencies compared to over-the-counter products. Weight loss products that come with prescriptions are normally given to very obese patients or if a person has a particular weight loss need that cannot be addressed with simple over-the-counter weight loss products. Because of their highly specific content, prescription weight loss products are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Degree of effectiveness depend from one person to another but most who take prescription weight loss products lose about 5% to 10% from their weight. While usually given to very obese patients, prescription weight loss products may be given to people who have healthy body mass indexes considering that they have consulted with their doctors and have been cleared to take them.

Go over-the-counter

A lot of weight loss products are available to you over the counter. (Over-the-counter weight loss products mean that you don't need a prescription to take them.) However, a weight loss product consumer report will tell you that buying weight loss products over-the-counter actually poses more threats than buying with a prescription because use is not regulated. Any person can buy as much as they want, in as many brands as they want without regard to what would work best for them. Essentially a trial-and-error process, the threat also lies in using too many weight loss products at the same time. While all claiming to promote weight loss, weight loss products aren't generally intended to be used in conjunction with another weight loss product. Well, because each one is claiming to handle singlehandedly all your weight loss needs, they aren't formulated to be "friendly" to other weight loss products. Using too many weight loss products at the same time can actually make you sicker instead of better. By piling on different substances into your body, you may be overloading your body systems in the process. This makes your body slow down and weaker in defending you against threats in the environment.

Unproven claims

Be careful of weight loss products labeled as "herbal" or "natural" as these can be misleading. Just because they are labeled as such, that does not guarantee that they are indeed safe for consumption. Not everything herbal or natural is safe for you. Some might even be potentially dangerous especially to those who are suffering from any health condition or are already taking prescription medication.

Protect yourself

As any weight loss product consumer report would, you have to learn how to protect yourself. When buying any weight loss product, check to see if a weight loss consumer product report has been done on it. This will tell you how it worked for other people, what does it do, and what does it contain--some of the very basic things you have to know about any weight loss product. Unless approved by the Food and Drug Administration, be cautious about products that contain the words: breakthrough, easy, magical, new discovery, guaranteed, effortless, exotic, secret, miraculous, and mysterious. If you've taken the time to find out what works, take the time to tell other people what works. Create your own weight loss product consumer report and help ensure that other people are informed and protected as well.

By Phillip England

Garcinia Cambogia Extract - A Natural Weight Loss Supplement

Garcinia cambogia extract is hitting headlines throughout the western world as a natural weight loss supplement. Several studies have shown that it does help people to lose weight and although as always there are other studies that are less conclusive, it can be an effective weight loss supplement for many people.

Garcinia cambogia is the name of a small tropical fruit that grows in India and Africa. It is one of the citrus family like oranges and lemons. It is too sour to eat but the rind is used as a spice in Indian cooking. The correct name for the substance that is extracted from the fruit as a weight loss supplement is hydroxycitric acid.

Hydroxycitric acid is not a stimulant (like caffeine) or an appetite suppressant, both of which work directly on the nerve centers of the brain and can have undesired side effects, including causing food binges any time you stop taking them.  Instead, HCA satisfies the body's need for energy and improves the signaling system that the body uses to tell the brain when it has eaten enough. This response is often delayed in overweight people, causing them to continue to eat more than they need.

Garcinia cambogia extract (HCA) seems to work best in combination with chromium, which helps to regulate the body's blood sugar levels. Chromium is a mineral that is often lacking in our diets as we get older and a chromium deficit can contribute to weight gain and possibly diabetes. However if you have diabetes already, you should see your doctor before taking any products containing chromium.

As with most supplements, it is best to be cautious and do not take HCA if you are pregnant or breast feeding. Consult a doctor before giving it to children. You may also want to avoid HCA if you suffer from migraine or arthritis which can be worsened by citrus fruits.

HCA seems to work best for people who overeat when they are anxious or stressed, as it will give the same calming effect that they get from food. Generally you do not need to eat any special foods when you are taking HCA, and there are no 'forbidden foods'. Choose healthy foods and you should find that you lose weight and fat slowly but steadily without really trying. You can take slightly smaller portions if you wish and choose fruit instead of sugary snacks but you should not need to go hungry. This is a very natural way to lose weight.

Unlike many other weight loss products, HCA has been extensively tested in research laboratories on both human and animal subjects and no side effects have been found. This natural weight loss supplement is available from many sources online and may be labeled either hydroxycitric acid or garcinia cambogia extract.

10 Things to Stop Doing if You Want to Lose Weight

Are you beginning to think that you can't lose weight? Does it feel like all of your diet efforts backfire and cause weight gain? If you want to shed pounds, find out which common weight loss mistakes might be preventing you from getting the results that you want.

1. Stop choosing the wrong diet.

How often have you chosen a diet because it worked for a friend? Perhaps you were inspired by a celebrity spokesperson? A diet might be perfect for someone else, but their needs, their lifestyle, and their food preferences could be completely different from yours.

Instead, ask yourself five important questions about your diet history, medical background, and sources of support. The answers will help you to identify your specific needs as a dieter and help you to choose the best weight loss plan for you.

2. Stop setting unrealistic goals.

Dieters are often highly motivated and full of excitement at the beginning of their weight loss program. It is often during this phase that they set unrealistic goals for weight loss. But unrealistic expectations can cause weight gain when lack of progress leads to lack of motivation.

Instead, take the time to sit down and set both short- and long-term goals. By setting up small, achievable steps on the way to your larger goal, you set yourself up for gradual success. Incremental steps will also help you to stay motivated through the entire weight loss process.

3. Stop using "lack of time" as an excuse.

One of the most common barriers to weight loss is the belief that you don't have enough time. One study found that 41% of women cited "lack of time" as the reason that they didn't eat better and 73% of women said they didn't exercise because they didn't have the time. The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight, you have to find a way to carve out time for healthy activity.

Instead of giving up, get out an old-fashioned paper calendar. Find windows of time that are not consumed by absolute necessities. Then schedule time for healthy food preparation and exercise. Pen in these items and schedule everything else around them. Don't be afraid to put other priorities on the back burner or ask for help (see item #4) so that you can take the time you need to make your health a top priority.

4. Stop isolating yourself.

In a recent interview with Biggest Loser runner-up Hanna Curlee, she said that the most important thing she learned during her successful weight loss experience was to ask for help. "I was ashamed to ask for help," she said. "I could have called someone and reached out for help, but I thought I didn't have anyone." She realized later that she had friends and family who were willing and able to help her through her weight loss journey.

Instead of isolating yourself, learn how to get diet support from family and friends. Take the time to identify your needs for yourself and then approach others. That way, you'll be clear about defining specific ways in which they can help.

5. Stop underestimating your food intake.

Do you really count all of your calories? Remember that even tiny 25-calorie nibbles here and there throughout the day can add up. Snacks count, food from your dining partner's plate counts, and calories consumed during food preparation count.

Instead of relying on guesswork, use a food tracker like the one at CalorieCount.com. The website provides a great tool, and there is even a mobile app that will help you track every food that you consume. Make your entries more accurate by purchasing an inexpensive food scale. The tool will allow you to report the exact size of each portion you consume. Compare prices to find a scale that fits in your budget.

6. Stop believing that "healthy" foods will cause weight loss.

Several studies have shown that people are more likely to overeat foods that they perceive to be healthy. One study at the University of Michigan found that when a food was labeled "organic," dieters ate more of it. There may be health benefits to the food you are eating, but if you eat too much of it, it will cause weight gain.

Instead of reading product claims on packages, read nutritional facts labels. Start by assessing the serving size, then see how many calories and how much fat is in the product. You may find that your "healthy" snack is causing unhealthy weight gain.

7. Stop sitting all day.

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, is a fancy term for all of the non-exercise movement that you do every day. It can account for up to 15-30% of your total calorie burn. If you spend your day sitting at a desk or your evenings lying on the couch, the calories you burn from NEAT will be minimal.

Instead of being sedentary, increase your daily activity. If you have a desk job, get up every hour and walk to the restroom on a different floor, refill your water, run an errand on foot, or climb the stairs in your office building. If you like watching television at night, fold laundry or dust furniture instead of just lying on the couch.

8. Stop overestimating your exercise activity.

Many people who want to lose weight join a gym. But you actually have to go to the health club to burn calories. And your workout time is only the time you spend exercising. It should not include the time you spend in the locker room, parking your car, and chatting with friends.

Instead of using ballpark figures, invest in a heart rate monitor. There are quite a few models on the market, so compare prices to find one that fits your budget. A heart rate monitor not only lets you know how hard you are working, but most models will measure your "time in range" to let you know exactly how many minutes you can count as exercise.

9. Stop compensating for exercise by eating more.

It is normal for your appetite to increase when you begin to exercise. A common weight loss mistake is to indulge in extra snacks and treats as a reward for the workout. But eating those treats can cause weight gain.

Instead of overeating after your workout, plan to eat a healthy, low-calorie snack right after you exercise. Combine a lean protein with a carbohydrate to satisfy your hunger and replace nutrients lost during the workout. A glass of skim chocolate milk works well and tastes decadent enough to feel like a treat.

10. Stop expecting major results from minimal change.

It's easy to believe the advertising claims made by numerous weight loss pills, supplements, and fad diets. Too many of them claim that major weight loss is easy. But weight loss is hard. Don't let the difficulty of the process deter your best efforts.

Instead of getting frustrated, focus on small accomplishments as you lose weight. At each stage of the weight loss process, find an accomplishment to be proud of. Then focus on what you have gained. For example, if the scale isn't giving you the weight loss results that you want, then celebrate the fact that you ate a well-balanced diet during the day and remind yourself about the health benefits you gained from eating well. Your exercise plan may not be resulting in weight loss yet, but it may help you sleep better at night and feel better during the day. Look for and acknowledge the little perks along the way.

Article by Malia Frey

Best Indian Foods to Burn Fat

Indian foods are full of flavors. The wide mix of spices and condiments not only make the food palatable but also impart healthy components. Indian foods are believed to be rich, spicy and anti-weight loss but contrary to this, if cooked with less oil, they can benefit our body in multiple ways. Many studies have also shown that Indian foods and their components help in reducing risk of various medical conditions. They are also helpful in burning body fat. Here we tell you the best Indian foods that help you burn body fat, lose weight and keep your body healthy.

Chillies: Chillies can help burn fat. Chillies contain Capsaicin which is also a thermogenic compound, and increases the metabolic rate, which aids in the fat burning process. Studies reveal that eating chillies can raise your metabolic rate by up to 23% for about 3 hours.

Garlic: Garlic acts as an appetite suppressant as it gives the brain signals of satiety when it is eaten. Garlic contains the compound allicin, which has anti-bacterial properties that help reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats. Garlic even helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Mustard oil: This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. Cook your meal in mustard oil. The fatty acids, essential fatty acids and antioxidants help you to burn calories & lose weight.

Buttermilk: Leave cola, drink buttermilk. Buttermilk is common accompaniment in most of the Indian diets. The probiotics food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories. Regular intake of buttermilk provides the body with all essential nutrients without adding too much fat and calories to the body & it is thus helpful in weight loss.

Curry Leaves: These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body. Curry leaves also reduce bad cholesterol levels. Eat curry leaves and start losing your extra body weight.

Green Tea: Green Tea increases your metabolism making you burn more fat. It’s a mild appetite suppressant that makes you eat less so weight loss becomes a natural process with green tea.

Moong Dal: Moong Dal is rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium and it has a very low fat content. It is also a rich source of protein and fiber which keeps you full and helps in weight loss.

Cardamom: Also known as “Queen of Spices”, Cardamom is a thermogenic herb which increases body’s metabolism by raising the core temperature. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive and helps the body process other foods more efficiently.

Honey: Honey could help you to reduce fat. Honey contains essential vitamins and minerals and is free from any type of fat source. These nutrients are essential to dissolve fats and cholesterol.  Honey being a good source of nutrients helps you in reducing weight.

Turmeric: Turmeric has powerful fat burning qualities that make it a great addition to any diet. Turmeric stimulates bile flow which leads to the body breaking down dietary fat. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.

Cause of High Cholesterol Discovered

Canadian scientists have discovered that a protein called resistin, secreted by fat tissue, causes high levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), increasing the risk of heart disease.

The research, presented October 28 at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, proves that resistin increases the production of LDL in human liver cells and also degrades LDL receptors in the liver. As a result, the liver is less able to clear "bad" cholesterol from the body. Resistin accelerates the accumulation of LDL in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease.

The research also shows that resistin adversely impacts the effects of statins, the main cholesterol-reducing drug used in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Shirya Rashid -- senior author of the study and assistant professor in the department of medicine at McMaster University -- notes that a staggering 40 per cent of people taking statins are resistant to their impact on lowering blood LDL.

"The bigger implication of our results is that high blood resistin levels may be the cause of the inability of statins to lower patients' LDL cholesterol," says Dr. Rashid.

She believes the discovery could lead to revolutionary new therapeutic drugs, especially those that target and inhibit resistin and thereby increase the effectiveness of statins.

"The possibilities for improved therapy for the causes of cardiovascular disease are very important," says Heart and Stroke Foundation spokesperson Dr. Beth Abramson. "About 40 per cent of Canadians have high blood cholesterol levels: it's a significant health concern in Canada."

Dr. Abramson notes that the research reconfirms the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and cholesterol level, two critical factors in the prevention of heart disease.

High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It can lead to a build-up of plaque in the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries, causing a condition called atherosclerosis which can make it more difficult for blood to flow through the heart and body.

Being overweight also increases the likelihood of high blood pressure and diabetes, compounding the risks of heart disease and stroke.

"Fortunately, we know a great deal about heart disease prevention and how to reverse some of the risks," says Dr. Abramson. She urges Canadians to maintain their heart health through regular visits to their doctor, monitoring their weight and waist size, eating a variety of nutritious, low-fat foods and being physically active. "It's equally important to take your medications as directed by your physician to help further reduce risks."

From: ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2012)