Health is wealth

When we are young, we tend to exhibit over confidence about our state of health and we ignore what seem to be minor ailments. A visit to the doctor is a big no-no unless one is so sick there is no alternative. Warning signs are generally put on the backburner and considered unimportant - all with the supreme confidence of youth. But the damage this attitude can cause in the long run is quite scary. Consider yourself one of those lucky ones if these signs do not show up later in life with more severe consequences - in which case you are indeed blessed. But for the majority, later life becomes burdened with various ailments which, your doctor gently points out, could have been nipped in the bud had they been treated as soon as you had become aware of them. Time for regrets or what?

We give you a few tips to follow in your wellness programme that will give you the right approach to this very important factor in your life.

     Begin by being totally honest with yourself. Are you really and truly 'well' in every sense of the word? Take a look at all the spheres of your life, whether it is the physical, your career, all your relationships, financial position, spiritual aspect, the environment and of course, your emotional well-being. A thorough analysis will help you identify all the areas that need your attention and that need improvement. Next exercise is to set targets for yourself to achieve what you have planned and go about it one step at a time. Maintain a journal to track all this.

     Find out if you are ready for change should your analysis show that you need to make lifestyle changes. Are you prepared mentally to embrace these? Why don't you write down all the benefits that you stand to gain if you make these changes? This activity might help you to accept it better.

     Once your goals are clearly defined, it is up to you to implement your plan effectively. In a clinical way, eliminate all impediments and barriers to your success. Work on one barrier at a time. This will make your approach focused and thorough. Allot a time for everything and adopt a positive approach. Put aside all negative thoughts on your capability to achieve and convince yourself that you will do whatever needs to be done.

     Adopt a different approach to make it a fun exercise. Want to have more physical activity as part of your changed lifestyle? Start walking to work after parking the car a good distance away. Instead of straightaway trying to join a fitness regimen that you may give up soon due to lack of time, this approach will become a part of your daily activity. Mall incremental steps do make a big difference to achieving your goal.

     Recording your daily activities and analyzing the time spent on each will help you create more meaningful wellness priorities. Incorporating new wellness activities slowly and making them part of your daily routine will make things easier for you.

     Never rest on your laurels. Instead strive to achieve more. Start from the simple one and go on to more complicated goals. Always remember to tackle one at a time and give it your full attention.
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FDA Panel Fails to Approve Weight Loss Drug Qnexa

On Monday we reported on three new weight loss drugs that were scheduled to come before FDA committees in the next few months. The first faced the firing squad this week and lost their bid. While it is only the opening salvo and doesn’t guarantee FDA rejection, it is a blow.

An FDA advisory committee voted 9-7 to reject Vivus’s application to approve Qnexa, citing concerns over side effects. Typically non-approval by the committee means that the Food and Drug Administration will not approve the drug, although they are only recommendations and the FDA has been known to overrule committee votes.

Qnexa is a mixture of two existing drugs, an anticonvulsant (topiramate) and an amphetamine (phentermine). Topiramate has the effect of leaving the user fuller and more satisfied, while the phentermine curbs appetite. There are side effects, as with almost any medication. In the case of Qnexa,  memory and concentration problems were the main complaints. Many thought that the success of the drug might weigh heavily in favor of approval, given that test subjects lost 13 to 15 percent of their body weight in the trials.

While it might be back to the drawing board for Qnexa, there are still two more weight loss drugs coming up for review. Contrave by Orexigen Therapeutics Inc. is scheduled for the committee in October, while lorcaserin from Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc is set for December.

Contrave has a similar formulation to Qnexa, utilizing both an anticonvulsant and an amphetamine but in different dosages. Lorcaserin is completely different, and with less side effects than the anticonvulsant/amphetamine mixture.

If you are looking for a weight loss plan that does not include prescription medication, visit the HealthNews diet pages and test out our Individual Diet Selection tool, which can help find the right diet for you lifestyle.
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