Tens of thousands of Britons have been advised to discontinue the use of the fat-busting drug Reductil after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)’s recent decision to suspend its licence. The announcement came after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) assessed the drug and recommended the suspension of its licence in Europe where they found an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, over a six-year period after tests, in which 16 percent of 10,000 patients who took it showed an increase.

In 2009 nearly 86,000 Britons to the weight loss drug which alters the brain’s chemical messages that control a person’s craving for food. Many experts say although threatens the health of the obese, its side-effects are mostly not fatal. Dr June Raine, of the MHRA, said: “Evidence suggests that there is an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and strokes with this medicine that outweigh the benefits of weight loss, which is modest and may not be sustained in the long term after stopping treatment.”

UK doctors have been asked to stop prescribing the drug and review its use in patients who are already taking it although the Reductil licence suspension decision by the UK regulator still requires a formal sanction by the European Commission. There are other weight loss drugs available like Xenical which are just as effective, which stops the absorption of fat and controls fat intake.

Every year on the first of January people all around the world make New Year’s resolutions to get healthy and fit for the upcoming year, many however find after the initial first few weeks their new health and fitness regimes will falter and struggle to loose weight. This year will probably be no exception, however those who do intend to keep good on their word can find below a few new health and fitness trends set to be big in 2010.

Food and drink
In 2010 food flavours will take on a more ethnic style like Mexican and African, with spices being used as an effective ingredient not only for flavour but their added health benefits. Many people will be looking to get the most health benefits from what they eat as well as flavour. Some super foods which are becoming increasingly popular like hibiscus which can lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, or the new super fruit from the Amazon which is the Cupuaçu which is related to the cocoa and is packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Also the new in drink for the next year Matcha lattes which is a concentrated version of green tea traditionally drunk by monks, is thought to be able to boost energy levels, relive stress and boost metabolism. If you struggle to maintain how much you eat there are obesity drugs available such as Reductil that surpresses the feeling of hunger so you can reduce the amount you eat and maintain a better eating regime.
You will also start to find more foods aimed at relaxing and calming rather than just energy boosting with snacks and herbs that help you stay calm and improve your night’s sleep, and for those times when you feel stressed there is the iChill the ‘world’s first relaxation shot’.

Exercise and training
For many years we have been enjoying running as part of most exercise regimes and probably spent a small fortune on specialist trainers that we have been told we need to support our feet, protect our spine and keep us from injury. However a new trend is taking place with more people turning back time and running barefoot, although with some impracticalities this is becoming more and more popular so to compete retailers are now producing trainers with very thin soles that feel like you are running barefoot.
Recently there has been an increase of people training with clubbells as part of their training programme rather than weight machines, with the aim to get a better all over body work out. Clubbells are a hand held circular strength training tool, that look like baseball bats and although they look awkward to use they give a great all over work out when lifted and rotated, which can help burn fat and tone your muscles.

Mind and body
Many people have heard of hypnosis but for the most many do not believe in it, over the years however it has been used for many things like quitting smoking to most recently weight loss, this type of hypnosis is becoming increasingly popular mainly due to many people struggling to cope with their addictions. The human mind is capable of unbelievable things and hypnosis can be a powerful tool for behavioural change.
More people are now realising its not just a healthy body that you need but a healthy mind too, and improving your happiness and communication skills as well as controlling your anger leads to a more healthy and  happy lifestyle.

It’s that time of your again when many of us will be heading off to the slopes of Austria or Canada for our well earned ski holidays. And whether you’re a seasoned skier or a first-timer, a bit of preparation beforehand can definitely help your skills and stamina, and also add to your enjoyment of the holiday.

There’s nothing worse than spending the first day of your ski holiday enjoying the slopes and the next two days in bed with a bad back or other painful aches. To make sure you don’t miss out on any of the fun, the trick is to get in shape before setting off. If you want to get the most benefit and enjoyment  from your valuable time on the slopes, then start training at least 4 weeks before you go by targeting the muscles that control your skiing and snowboarding. Most of us hit the slopes and plan on skiing all day, even if it’s been months or years since we last skied and by afternoon, you get so tired that you lose focus. This is often the time when injuries and accidents happen as the more tired you are, the more your concentration suffers and muscles become increasingly slower and weaker to respond.

What makes skiing holidays such great exercise is that it uses all of your muscle groups, although some muscles are used more than others and these are the ones you want to concentrate on when it comes to your pre-holiday training.  The primary muscles used in skiing are your calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, inner and outer thighs, abs and back and your arms

To build stamina and prepare your heart and body for long-term skiing, you need to have a cardio programme in place at least 4 weeks before you go which should include 3 to 5 days each week of your favourite activity (the best for skiing include running, step aerobics or cross trainer).  Try to have a variety of workouts lasting from 20 to 45 minutes. As you get closer to your trip, you can also add time to one of your workouts so that you have one long workout each week.             

The party season is now getting into full swing with Christmas parties offering 3 course meals, the alcohol flowing, mince pies in abundance and the big Christmas dinner to contend with it’s no surprise that people put weight on over Christmas. Even if you do try to watch what you eat or ignore the temptations you may still find yourself putting on weight, with a lot of people not realising other things in their life have an effect on your weight, like not getting enough sleep, which over the festive season can happen quite frequently with everything that goes on, some studies have shown people who get less than seven hours’ sleep a night are more likely to put weight on than those who do. If you decide that you are going to be good this season by completely cutting out alcohol to lose weight, you might want to think again because studies have found that if you completely cut out alcohol you are more likely to put on more weight than when you have a single drink a couple of times a week, however over drinking does increase your chances of becoming obese by 46%.
If you are struggling to manage your weight there are options out there to give you a helping hand:

• Exercising – Even if you’re not overeating it recommended as part of a healthy life style to try and include exercise in your daily routine, 30 minutes of brisk walking a day can help keep a health heart, however you need to make sure just because you are exercising not to overeat more than normal as weight loss does require most things in moderation.

• Healthier Options – Look at what you eat, can you make it healthier? For example cut out frying foods and opt for grilling or steaming, if you taking the healthy option of a salad don’t go and ruin it by adding an dressing instead opt for it on the side so you don’t have to put too much on and also remember to try and avoid creamy and cheesy foods.

• Weight loss aides – On top of the tips above there are also treatments available to aide in weight loss if you fall under the category of obese, such as Xenical which blocks the absorption of fat and controls the intake into your system, it is recommended with all weight loss aides to also stick to a healthy diet and avoid fatty foods eat sensibly and as with any health lifestyle exercise.

mince pies

Picture courtsey of KaiChanVong