Colonic Irrigation or Colon Hydrotherapy is one of the latest fads to storm America, or is it? Apparently, this procedure has been around since 1500 B C. It is believed that the art of the high enema or colonic was passed down from the Gods to the Egyptians. Dr. Kellogg reported in the 1917 Journal of American Medicine that in the treatment of gastrointestinal disease in over 40,000 cases, he used surgery in only twenty cases.
Colonic therapy is believed to be a safe and effective method of removing toxins from the large intestine by introducing purified water into the colon for internal cleansing. This process allows the excavation of putrified waste and toxins from the intestine, thus improving the overall function of the colon.
There are an estimated 5,000 colon therapist operating in the United States alone. The procedure is also very popular in other countries such as Europe and Asia. According to some therapists, clients range from ages 9 and up, and more women than men seem to be getting the service. There are many medical, chiropractic, acupuncture and naturopathic doctors who prescribe colon hydrotherapy as an adjunct to treatment.
Colon Hydrotherapy equipment should be manufactured and registered with the FDA while meeting all guidelines and compliances. The equipment should meet all local and state ordinances as well. Therapist should use disposable speculums for ultimate safety and the water should be purified. Modern equipment features temperature controlled water mixing and back flow prevention valves and pressure and temperature sensors.
Colonic therapy is believed to respond well to many conditions. Listed are but a few conditions: allergies, arthritis, attention deficit disorder, asthma, autointoxication body odor, brittle hair, bile, constipation, chronic fatigue, cold hands and feet, colitis, colonoscopy, chest pain, diarrhea, fibromyalgia, fecal impactions, following pregnancy, gall stones, hypertension, headaches, insomnia, intestinal toxemia, joint pains, memory loss, muscle pains, muscular sclerosis, mucus, mouth sores, pot belly, poor posture, peripheral neuropathies, parasites, sigmoidoscopy, skin rashes, and weight loss.
Colonic sessions last about 45 minutes to an hour. The average person is believed to carry around an extra 10 to 50 pounds of toxic waste throughout the body with most of the waste concentrated in the colon. Some therapist think that 3 sessions in one week yields best results.
With the threat of new degenerative disease agents and lifestyles, the need for some type of colon cleansing therapy is welcomed. In conclusion, it is very important for everyone to be concerned about their health and to research and study as much as possible any health or holistic issue prior to use. So, I dare ask- is it for you?
Author's Bio
Deborah Imani is founder of the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, Georgia where she specializes in colon therapy or colonic irrigation. You can visist her website @ http://www.nilewellnesscenter.com or contact her at nilewellnesscenter@mac.com.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
How Much Exercise Do You Really Need to Lose Weight?
In 2006, the federal government released updated dietary and exercise guidelines. Most of its recommendations are a reaction to the growing obesity pandemic. Prior to this latest update, the minimum recommended amount of exercise was 30 minutes of 'moderate' intensity physical activity.
The 2006 guidelines suggest an hour (60 minutes) or more of daily exercise in order to avoid gaining any additional weight. This increase from 30 minutes to 60 minutes is in line with the weight loss guidelines at the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, according to program's director, Michael Imani, Ph.D. In 2006, only 46% of adult Americans got at least 30 minutes of moderate level activity most days. For the first time, the federal guidelines specify 60 to 90 minutes as the level of daily activity one needs to sustain weight loss.
In the Nile Wellness program, clients are encouraged to get 60 minutes of moderate aerobic six days per week. Additionally, clients are encouraged to also get 8 minutes of intensive anaerobic or strength training exercise in the mornings (six days a week). "Finally, the government's guidelines are consistent with the experiences of 'weight loss superstars' in the National Weight Control Registry, NWCR," says, Dr. Imani.
NWCR members have lost an average of 73 pounds and have to have maintained at least a 30 pound loss for at least a year. Regristry members report daily workouts of 60 to 90 minutes. The main thing is to find exercise routines and other creative ways to remain active within these guidelines.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colon hydrotherapy or colonics, weight loss programs, and detoxification programs. Visit at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
The 2006 guidelines suggest an hour (60 minutes) or more of daily exercise in order to avoid gaining any additional weight. This increase from 30 minutes to 60 minutes is in line with the weight loss guidelines at the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, according to program's director, Michael Imani, Ph.D. In 2006, only 46% of adult Americans got at least 30 minutes of moderate level activity most days. For the first time, the federal guidelines specify 60 to 90 minutes as the level of daily activity one needs to sustain weight loss.
In the Nile Wellness program, clients are encouraged to get 60 minutes of moderate aerobic six days per week. Additionally, clients are encouraged to also get 8 minutes of intensive anaerobic or strength training exercise in the mornings (six days a week). "Finally, the government's guidelines are consistent with the experiences of 'weight loss superstars' in the National Weight Control Registry, NWCR," says, Dr. Imani.
NWCR members have lost an average of 73 pounds and have to have maintained at least a 30 pound loss for at least a year. Regristry members report daily workouts of 60 to 90 minutes. The main thing is to find exercise routines and other creative ways to remain active within these guidelines.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colon hydrotherapy or colonics, weight loss programs, and detoxification programs. Visit at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
Princess Diana Had Three of These Each Week: Colonics.
Since detoxification and colon cleansing have become more and more popular year after year, more sophisticated enemas have been developed, from many inexpensive models to complete cleansing kits and exclusive luxury spas around the world where leading health experts conduct cleansing programs for the rich and famous.
Among the people doing colon cleansing regularly, we can mention Hindu yogis as the most famous fasters and colon cleansers. Also it is said that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the famous surgeon father of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, used enemas on a regular basis. He believed that the bowel could be the origin of most health problems, hence the creation of Kellogg's cereal as an aid in colon function after he performed over 20,000 colon surgeries. In his medical practice, Dr. Kellogg said he never saw a normal healthy American colon.
Also renowned celebrities such as Mae West, John Lennon, Damon Wayans, Janet Jackson, James Coburn, and so many other celebrities have used enemas cleansing methods and even declared how these therapies helped them. Since Dr. Robert Charm stated back in 1999 that colon hydrotherapy is a more aesthetic body clean-out than a bowel movement, many celebrities were interested to see why he said that a bowel movement is not a thing of beauty, but a colonic can be.
Dr. Charm is a gastroenterologist, professor of medicine at the University of California, considered America's number 2 Doctor, and the King of the Colon in modern times who spells out his surname as an acronym for his personal mantra: Choosing Health And Realizing Miracles... and he is totally convinced in the miracle of enemas and colonic hydrotherapies and they have become the celebrity health "fad du jour". www.enemakit.com/famous_people.html
The American icon, Mae West, believed in the benefits of the enema and admitted starting every day with a morning enema, a simple practice that greatly contributed to her unusual vitality, bright mindedness and long lasting attractiveness during her senior years.
Could you imagine that your colon may be someday the focus of a scandal?, probably not and neither did Princess Diana, who never thought she would be considered a colonic fan when the British newspapers reported that she spent over $4,300 a year grooming her colon. Back in 1993, The Globe published that the late Princess of Wales had her bowels washed out with 12 gallons of water 3 times a week, being released from anorexia, headaches, tiredness, allergies, depression and candida. By then the tabloids said the bizarre secret to her healthy slim figure was giving her body a Royal Flush.
Today, Princess Diana is recognized as one of colon hydrotherapy's greatest advocates. She credited colonics and the regular use of cleansing enemas for her radiant complexion and silken hair. She declared "For years I've been trying to bury my troubles under mountains of food, but after I binge, I worry about my figure. And I make myself throw up. It's a terrible vicious compulsion. But now that I'm getting regular colonics, I don't worry so much about what I eat. I know all the excess food will be washed away, along with the poisons that cause my terrible headaches. My migraines are caused by food allergies, and I haven't had one since I started the treatments."
By then, the 31 year-old princess visited London's prestigious Hale Clinic, where she was placed on a couch and modestly covered to pump into her colon distilled water at body temperature. The procedure was made through a tube connected to a large stainless steel pump apparatus, and then capped by a cup of special acidophilus tea to restore "good bacteria" to the system. Each colon therapy took 40 minutes and $75 per session, the reason why the royals were horrified, but not only for the expenses. Queen Elizabeth declared once that colonic treatments are distasteful and disgusting.
At the present, the scandal points to the actor Damon Wayans, who is another enema enthusiast that has been chatting up about the colonic procedure at every chance but particularly on Howard Stern's radio show. www.enemakit.com/famous_people.html
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss programs, and detox programs. www.nilewellnesscenter.com
Among the people doing colon cleansing regularly, we can mention Hindu yogis as the most famous fasters and colon cleansers. Also it is said that Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, the famous surgeon father of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, used enemas on a regular basis. He believed that the bowel could be the origin of most health problems, hence the creation of Kellogg's cereal as an aid in colon function after he performed over 20,000 colon surgeries. In his medical practice, Dr. Kellogg said he never saw a normal healthy American colon.
Also renowned celebrities such as Mae West, John Lennon, Damon Wayans, Janet Jackson, James Coburn, and so many other celebrities have used enemas cleansing methods and even declared how these therapies helped them. Since Dr. Robert Charm stated back in 1999 that colon hydrotherapy is a more aesthetic body clean-out than a bowel movement, many celebrities were interested to see why he said that a bowel movement is not a thing of beauty, but a colonic can be.
Dr. Charm is a gastroenterologist, professor of medicine at the University of California, considered America's number 2 Doctor, and the King of the Colon in modern times who spells out his surname as an acronym for his personal mantra: Choosing Health And Realizing Miracles... and he is totally convinced in the miracle of enemas and colonic hydrotherapies and they have become the celebrity health "fad du jour". www.enemakit.com/famous_people.html
The American icon, Mae West, believed in the benefits of the enema and admitted starting every day with a morning enema, a simple practice that greatly contributed to her unusual vitality, bright mindedness and long lasting attractiveness during her senior years.
Could you imagine that your colon may be someday the focus of a scandal?, probably not and neither did Princess Diana, who never thought she would be considered a colonic fan when the British newspapers reported that she spent over $4,300 a year grooming her colon. Back in 1993, The Globe published that the late Princess of Wales had her bowels washed out with 12 gallons of water 3 times a week, being released from anorexia, headaches, tiredness, allergies, depression and candida. By then the tabloids said the bizarre secret to her healthy slim figure was giving her body a Royal Flush.
Today, Princess Diana is recognized as one of colon hydrotherapy's greatest advocates. She credited colonics and the regular use of cleansing enemas for her radiant complexion and silken hair. She declared "For years I've been trying to bury my troubles under mountains of food, but after I binge, I worry about my figure. And I make myself throw up. It's a terrible vicious compulsion. But now that I'm getting regular colonics, I don't worry so much about what I eat. I know all the excess food will be washed away, along with the poisons that cause my terrible headaches. My migraines are caused by food allergies, and I haven't had one since I started the treatments."
By then, the 31 year-old princess visited London's prestigious Hale Clinic, where she was placed on a couch and modestly covered to pump into her colon distilled water at body temperature. The procedure was made through a tube connected to a large stainless steel pump apparatus, and then capped by a cup of special acidophilus tea to restore "good bacteria" to the system. Each colon therapy took 40 minutes and $75 per session, the reason why the royals were horrified, but not only for the expenses. Queen Elizabeth declared once that colonic treatments are distasteful and disgusting.
At the present, the scandal points to the actor Damon Wayans, who is another enema enthusiast that has been chatting up about the colonic procedure at every chance but particularly on Howard Stern's radio show. www.enemakit.com/famous_people.html
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss programs, and detox programs. www.nilewellnesscenter.com
The Truth About Colonics and Weight Loss
Colonics are one of the latest 'quick fix' weight loss strategies being employed by celebrities to boomers to individuals struggling against weight gain. I should qualify my remarks prior to making them. Michael Imani, Ph.D., Director of the Mind/Body program at the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta says, "The center's focus is on colon health or colonics, weight loss programs, and detoxification programs. Perhaps eighty percent of all our clients who come to us are interested in either weight loss and/or detoxification. Since the majority of toxins are to be found in the colon and in our bodyfat, colon hydrotherapy or colonic irrigation is a natural, non-invasive approach to overall health and detoxification in particular."
Is it true that most people who have colonics will lose some weight? Yes. Many of our clients report a three to six pound weight loss. This should not be surprising given that most of us, in America at least, are walking around with between ten and fifty pounds of accumulated waste material in our bodies, most of which is concentrated in the colon.
Is it true that having colonics is a 'weight loss' program? No. However, colonics are a great way to begin a detoxification program in general and a weight loss program in particular. Our clients understand that having an initial series of three colonics over a period of one to one and a half weeks is a great way to 'jump start' any weight loss program. But, it is only a start. Clients are advised to begin to make small and gradual changes in diet, exercise, and in how they manage the stress in their lives in order to achieve a sustainable, permanent, and healthy weight.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Dr. Imani is Director of the Mind/Body program at the center. Visit at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or call 770-454-1363.
Is it true that most people who have colonics will lose some weight? Yes. Many of our clients report a three to six pound weight loss. This should not be surprising given that most of us, in America at least, are walking around with between ten and fifty pounds of accumulated waste material in our bodies, most of which is concentrated in the colon.
Is it true that having colonics is a 'weight loss' program? No. However, colonics are a great way to begin a detoxification program in general and a weight loss program in particular. Our clients understand that having an initial series of three colonics over a period of one to one and a half weeks is a great way to 'jump start' any weight loss program. But, it is only a start. Clients are advised to begin to make small and gradual changes in diet, exercise, and in how they manage the stress in their lives in order to achieve a sustainable, permanent, and healthy weight.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Dr. Imani is Director of the Mind/Body program at the center. Visit at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or call 770-454-1363.
When Should You Not Have a Colonic?
Colonics, colon irrigation, or colon hydrotherapy as this ancient procedure is known, is safe for the vast majority of people who use the procedure. However, there are some circumstances or contraindications where it is not advisable. I will list them here: abdominal hernia, abdominal surgery, dialysis, abdominal distention, diverticulosis, diverticulitus, acute liver failure, fissures, fistulas, aneurysm (all types), hemmorrhoidectomy, carcinoma of the colon, intestinal perforations, chrohns disease, lupus, if you are currently taking any medications that may weaken the intestinal walls, if you have any renal insufficiencies.
Any of these situations, especially within the past 12 months, would require a physician's written authorization prior to the procedure being performed at the Nile Wellness Center. Again, all medical decsions should be made in consultation with a licensed healthcare provider. The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Visit them at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or by calling 770-454-1363.
Any of these situations, especially within the past 12 months, would require a physician's written authorization prior to the procedure being performed at the Nile Wellness Center. Again, all medical decsions should be made in consultation with a licensed healthcare provider. The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colonics, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Visit them at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or by calling 770-454-1363.
Colonics - Are They Painful or Uncomfortable
Colonics, although rapidly growing in popularity, have been utilized since the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. Today with the growing exposure of the general public to this non-invasive and effective detoxification method, more and more first-timers are beginning to experience colon cleansing. For these first-timers, a routine question is, "Is it painful or uncomfortable?" Although we attempt to lessen the anxiety by insuring each client that no one would continue to engage in something painful and uncomfortable even if it is good for you. We typically go on to explain that each week we have clients who actually fall asleep during the procedure. Yes, it is that relaxing. As a matter of fact, of the many criticisms of colonics I have heard, pain or discomfort is not one of them.
At the Nile Wellness Center, we have seen just about everything. This includes one client completing a commercial real estate deal while having a colonic. First-time clients routinely talk on the telephone, send text messages, or read while on the table. Having said all of that - it is almost impossible to fully verbally describe for you the experience. It is like attempting to describe walking on the moon. If you aren't one of the few human beings who has done so, then I will be incapable of doing so even in one million attempts. So, why not experience a relaxing and surprisingly reinvigorating colonic irrigation that has been around for thousands of years.
At the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, we specialize in colonic, weight loss programs, and a 30-day detox program for the mind, body, and spirit. Please visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or contact us directly at 404-484-7429.
At the Nile Wellness Center, we have seen just about everything. This includes one client completing a commercial real estate deal while having a colonic. First-time clients routinely talk on the telephone, send text messages, or read while on the table. Having said all of that - it is almost impossible to fully verbally describe for you the experience. It is like attempting to describe walking on the moon. If you aren't one of the few human beings who has done so, then I will be incapable of doing so even in one million attempts. So, why not experience a relaxing and surprisingly reinvigorating colonic irrigation that has been around for thousands of years.
At the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, we specialize in colonic, weight loss programs, and a 30-day detox program for the mind, body, and spirit. Please visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com or contact us directly at 404-484-7429.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Are You Full of It? Is a Colonic in Your Future? Maybe it Should Be.
When clients come into the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, they expect to walk out less full of it. The center specializes in what are popularly known as colonics, colon hydrotherapy, or colonic irrigation in Atlanta. The center also has on its staff - a diet expert and the center offers a 30-day detox program. Exactly how much waste is the average American actually walking around with at present? Is it one pound, two pounds, five pounds? You might be surprised or even shocked to find that the average American is living with from ten (10) to fifty (50) pounds of toxic waste (most of which is concentrated in the colon). Most people don't struggle with understanding why it might be a good idea to expel this from the system.
Most people will expel from between three and six pounds of accumulated waist material during a colonic session. At the Nile Wellness Center, sessions are 40 minutes in length. Consider that fifty pounds is the equivalent of a small child. Any idea of what that burger from last week is doing in there? Don't answer that question, but pick up the phone and schedule a colonic today. Your colon will thank you. Trust me.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colon hydrotherapy, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
Most people will expel from between three and six pounds of accumulated waist material during a colonic session. At the Nile Wellness Center, sessions are 40 minutes in length. Consider that fifty pounds is the equivalent of a small child. Any idea of what that burger from last week is doing in there? Don't answer that question, but pick up the phone and schedule a colonic today. Your colon will thank you. Trust me.
The Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta specializes in colon hydrotherapy, weight loss, and detoxification programs. Visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
How Many Colonics Do You Need? Really?
At the Nile Wellness Center in Atlanta, our experts provide dozens of colonics to our clients every week. One of the first questions we are asked relates to how many colonics are needed. Some clinics will advise anywhere from six to a dozen or more. At the Nile Wellness Center, we suggest clients consider beginning with a series of three over a span of a week to ten days. The rationale for this is very simple. The human colon is between 5.5 to 6 feet in length. In order to properly hydrate the entire length of the colon, it has been our experience that three colonics are needed for the vast majority of people. It is important to note that some of the hardened toxic material contained in the colon can be very hard. It is only through hydrating this hard material (impacted fecal matter) that it may be efficiently expelled from the body.
According to Michael Imani, Ph.D., "After the initial series of three, we suggest clients simply pay attention to their bodies. If the feel better, have more energy, then continue to have a colon cleanse every 30 days." We do however suggest that this be combined with some basic dietary and exercise changes. You can not continue to introduce toxins into your system after eliminating colon toxins and expect any appreciable sustainable increase in your personal wellness.
The Nile Wellness Center provides colon hydrotherapy, personalized weight loss programs, and detoxification programs. Visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
According to Michael Imani, Ph.D., "After the initial series of three, we suggest clients simply pay attention to their bodies. If the feel better, have more energy, then continue to have a colon cleanse every 30 days." We do however suggest that this be combined with some basic dietary and exercise changes. You can not continue to introduce toxins into your system after eliminating colon toxins and expect any appreciable sustainable increase in your personal wellness.
The Nile Wellness Center provides colon hydrotherapy, personalized weight loss programs, and detoxification programs. Visit us at www.nilewellnesscenter.com
Monday, October 8, 2007
Wheatgrass juice, sun salutations and a colonic - or two. Just what the celebrity 'doctor' ordered.
Wheatgrass juice, sun salutations and a colonic - or two. Just what the celebrity 'doctor' ordered
Nish Joshi likes nothing better than dispensing alternative health advice to the rich and famous at his clinic. Now, the celebrity guru wants his clients to join his brand-new gym too. Rachel Cooke checks in
Sunday October 7, 2007
The Observer
Some celebrity gurus are coy about their clients, but not Nish Joshi. Princess Diana, Cate Blanchett, Juliette Binoche, the Sugababes... the names fall from his lips like coins from a slot machine. 'Gwyneth!' he purrs delightedly, when I mention, in passing, Gwyneth Paltrow, who once appeared in a backless dress that revealed the circular marks where Joshi had applied hot glass cups to her skin to 'boost her qi' and 'purify' her blood. 'Bless her! She came because three of the ladies at her baby shower were patients of mine. So sweet.' Of course, Joshi owes the rich and famous such a lot. It's not only that gossip about his relationships with them helped to put his Wimpole Street practice on the map, or even that their testimonies were so useful when he came to write his book, Holistic Detox ('He sent me a medicinal drink for a bad bronchial infection I was suffering while I was performing Coriolanus in Tokyo,' says Ralph Fiennes, on page 114). In the case of Diana, Princess of Wales, he owes his very career to her; it was she who urged him to look to the East, to the Ayurvedic medicine on which his Indian family had relied for generations, for solutions to common Western ailments: '"Go back to your roots," she said. She believed so much in holistic medicine, in giving patients what they need rather than masking their symptoms.'
Article continues
He smiles at me beatifically. This takes a little digesting: that Joshi, who is always at pains to point out that he is a highly qualified osteopath, was willing to take advice from the notoriously daffy and faddish Princess Diana. But we must move on. The big news is that Joshi is now giving his clients something back - something other than the love and care that they receive from him already. He has opened a Wellness Centre: a gym and yoga studio in which they will be able to stretch their (not very) wobbly thighs in total privacy. Programmes will be tailored to their health needs. Isn't that what all personal trainers do? Apparently not. 'Let me give you an example. If your sugar levels are out of control, exercise could make you feel even more tired. We'll tell the trainer: here is this lady, make sure that before exercise she has an isotonic drink. We'll work on postural training, and the session will finish with a shiatsu body stretch to dissipate tension.' So, in addition to the stuff that Joshi ordinarily recommends to his exhausted, stressed-out clients (diets, colonic irrigation, acupuncture) they'll now be able to pick up a prescription for exercise at the same time. 'It's about giving people tangible help,' he says.
Joshi and I are sitting in the Wellness Centre right now, perched on two high stools in an area where people will soon be drinking their energy-boosting shots of wheatgrass juice. He is a disarming man. He has a camp voice and an unctuous, calculatedly soothing manner that I find mighty annoying, but which neurotic celebrities no doubt love, and he answers questions in sprawling sentences which do not always contain the facts I am after. He is also undeniably plump. Does the guru actually practise what he preaches? 'Yes,' he says, smoothly. 'I don't eat fish, meat, eggs or dairy. I'm a Hindu vegetarian. I have a purely Ayurvedic diet. My meals are cooked for me by my housekeeper. I don't do well with croissants. I feel very bloated. Cheese makes me mucusy.' Exercise? 'I do my sun salutations every day, and I work out with a personal trainer twice a week.' However, I hear from a top source that Joshi loathes the gym; faced with a punchbag, his wrists droop like sunflower stalks in a heatwave.
The Wellness Centre, in Marylebone, is a glamorous place: in the changing room, there are towels so fluffy that to wrap yourself in one is almost comic - as if you're auditioning for lead sheep in a nativity play. The yoga studio is light and airy. To become a member is not cheap (£125 a month; yoga classes cost £25 on top, and personal training sessions £60), but membership is, by necessity and design, destined to be exclusive. It's another outward sign, then, of the success of the Joshi brand. His rise has been rapid and somewhat eventful.
Joshi grew up in north London. After school, he studied for a medical degree in India and then, having left after only three years, he trained at the British School of Osteopathy. After he qualified, he ran a practice treating dancers until, in 1993, while he was working at the Hale Clinic, he met Diana, who demanded to know what he was giving his patients, and could she please have some. Soon, he was a regular visitor to Kensington Palace (you can just see him, sweeping through the gates, the back seat of his car laden with tofu and tincture of liquorice), where he taught her to make pilau rice. He helped her through her bulimia - 'You saw how she flourished; she started to glow!' - grew more interested in alternative medicine, and finally, with financial help from his parents, set up his practice in Wimpole Street.
The question is: what sets him apart from the other celebrity gurus? Is his Wellness Centre, for instance, really any different from all the other boutique gyms that have lately sprung up to cater for the anxious rich? Joshi insists that his success is down to the fact that his treatments really work, so he gets great word of mouth. But he would say that, wouldn't he? I wonder out loud if the Joshi phenomenon isn't an example of the placebo effect. His remedies are surely not so important as the fact that he spends time with his patients, smiling and soothing and calling them 'dear'. He disagrees. 'You can see a private GP, and get more time with your doctor. Lots of my patients have private GPs.' OK, then. But does he worry that some patients are fixated on dramatic weight loss which they dress up as a desire to be 'well'? 'Completely! I'm trying to encourage people to have a healthy relationship with their diet.' So if Cate Blanchett came in and wanted to lose a stone... 'No, no, that's ridiculous. My programme doesn't allow you to lose weight unless your body requires it.' I'm not absolutely convinced by this, but the upshot is that I ask Joshi if he will treat me as a patient for three weeks so that I can attempt to discover his secret for myself - and he, very kindly, agrees.
A week later, I rock up for our first meeting (an initial consultation with Joshi is £180, and appointments thereafter cost £120 - but some patients fly him across the Atlantic or to Dubai if they can't make it to London). His clinic, I can't help but notice, is almost next door to the consulting rooms of Jan Stanek, the cosmetic surgeon who regularly appears on the Channel 4 show 10 Years Younger. In reception, I fill in a questionnaire. It asks me about illness in my family, whether I suffer from a range of ailments from insomnia to anxiety and, more bizarrely, about the length of my fingers. Joshi appears and talks to a waiting patient. He is all twinkly - almost giddy-seeming at finding her there, just beside the fridge that is stocked with his own brand of gluten-free loaves. She flirts with him a little, and says something about her father, who is also feeling ill. Joshi asks what star sign he is.
'Is he a Pisces?'
'Oh, Dr Joshi!'
I feel quite left out.
Oh, well. It's my turn now. We go up to his consulting room: big desk, couch, photographs of Joshi on the mantelpiece. I hand over my forms, but he barely looks at them. I tell him, truthfully, that I am tired, that I get headaches, and that my sleep seems to do me no good. I find the gym exhausting; I worry I will brain myself with a dumb-bell simply for want of some strength in my wrists. He tells me, without examining me, or taking any samples, that he thinks I have a hormonal imbalance, that my adrenal glands are not functioning properly, and that my bowel is lazy. I also have a chromium deficiency. He is going to put me on a diet and give me supplements that will sort these things out. He is also going to refer me to the Wellness Centre, where the trainers will work with me in a way that is not exhausting. Now, would I hop on the couch? I do, and he starts sticking acupuncture needles into my temples, wrists and ankles. Why? 'To reboot your computer,' he says, lightly. But what will they do? 'I already told you,' he says. 'They will reboot your computer.' He is going to leave me to relax for 20 minutes; I may feel a little sleepy.
After a while, the door opens and a young man in white overalls comes in. He sits down and begins insistently rubbing the arches of my feet - they supposedly connect to the relevant bits of my insides - which is quite painful. He is from Poland. In Poland, he says, the people in the villages are properly rustic, and thus honest and true: if they like you, they welcome you; if they don't, they will 'hit you'. This is not a particularly relaxing thought.
Finally, Joshi comes back. He puts two tiny needles into my ears - to keep cravings at bay, OK? - and then he takes me downstairs to make an appointment at the Wellness Centre. He also hands over seven bottles of supplements and a diet sheet on which is a list of good foods, of forbidden foods, and of all the pills I should take, and when. The forbidden list includes alcohol, bread and gluten products, dairy products, sugar, tea, coffee, chillis, fizzy drinks, red meat, all fruit (except bananas), vinegar, cucumber, courgettes, and the deadly nightshades: i.e. potatoes, aubergines, tomatoes and peppers. But I am allowed eggs, salad, dark green vegetables, white meat, soya and tofu, pulses, fish, brown rice, seeds, rice milk and live yoghurt. Where does spaghetti carbonara fit in?
Last of all, he sends me back upstairs for colonic irrigation. He doesn't explain why, but I know that Diana was a fan, so maybe that's it. It's horrible: uncomfortable and strangely humiliating, like being a giant baby. The therapist who performs this procedure - what a job! - tells me that I will have a colonic once a week for the next three weeks, but even as she announces this, I know I won't. I don't think you should shove plastic pipes up your backside without a very good reason and, at this point, I can't fathom what that reason might be.
So, now I'm on my 'voyage of discovery'. The diet is a nightmare: boring, restrictive, unsatisfying. Also, Joshi's 'Metabolic Detox' pills, of which I'm supposed to take four a night, seem to be giving me diarrhoea. I look at my sheet. It warns that they may cause cramps and loose stools, adding that: 'they are not laxative - they maintain the water content of your food to improve elimination of toxins'. But when I look on the side of the bottle, the first ingredient listed is senna, a bowel irritant widely used in the treatment of constipation. I stop taking them. The good news, however, is that the gym is a revelation. Joshi's trainers, James and Ross, are fantastic: knowledgeable, enthusiastic, motivating. They know about posture and about muscles, which means that they notice and know how to care for my tight calves. If I were rich, I would see them every day for the rest of my life.
After a week, I see Joshi again. How am I? Well, I say, those detox pills: are they laxatives? He insists not, but adds that he remembers 'school biology lessons' in which he learnt that it should take food an hour to pass through the system: I should be going to the loo three times a day, after every meal. But they're giving me the runs! 'So, take two instead of four.' Today's session is brief: more acupuncture, and some manipulation of my neck. It all seems rather random: a bit pick and mix. He doesn't seem to focus on what I'm saying, or make an effort to answer my questions. Nor does he mention the needles he stuck in my ears a week ago (in fact, I've already removed them; they were sore). I have enough pills, so when I leave, all I take with me is an appointment to see a masseur, Tommy (a former dancer from Sweden, he turns out to be excellent, and gives me the most expert massage I've ever had).
I persist with my sessions at the gym but, though I pop the other supplements dutifully - this takes minutes - I again cease taking the Metabolic Detox pills. I try hard with the diet, but it's difficult when there is your other half to consider - soya milk, darling? - and, if I eat only rice cakes and salad for lunch, I feel so hungry I can't work. I'm due to see Joshi one more time but (I admit this is not very journalistic of me) I duck out at the last minute, largely because I gather he is going to insist on that plastic pipe going back up my bottom. How do I feel after three weeks? Good; I've got more energy. But I think this is mainly due to the brilliant James and Ross, and their boxing regime. I've lost a couple of pounds, but anyone would with a diet this restricted and, since that wasn't my aim anyway, I'm wondering... where did I hide those biscuits?
It is good fun being treated by Joshi - if nothing else, I got to see a world I could never afford to visit in real life - but I can't work out what his diagnosis is based on (he's taken no blood or urine), nor can I see the logic in his detox diet (it's contradictory unless, as I suspect, it is simply about reducing calorie intake: for instance, dairy products are forbidden, while cottage cheese is acceptable). Question his ideas and Joshi's first line of defence is that Western medicine has always pooh-poohed that of the East, and that many of his treatments - from Ayurvedic herbs to Gwyneth Paltrow's favourite, cupping - have been used for thousands of years. This isn't good enough. He should be able to explain both why treatments are suitable, and how they work. The testimonies of other patients - 'Joshi is a miracle worker,' says Patsy Kensit - are not enough for me, nor should they be. 'People go to the doctor because they feel ill,' says John Garrow, professor emeritus in human nutrition at London University and vice-chairman of Healthwatch, a charity that promotes the better understanding of the importance of clinical trials in medicine. 'More often than not, the next time they go to the doctor, they will be feeling less low. These things are cyclical.'
Colonic irrigation has certainly been practised for thousands of years, but its benefits have been neither proved nor discredited scientifically. However, most doctors think it is, at best, unnecessary. Holistic practitioners seem to believe that the colon is a sewage system, and that if it isn't properly cleaned out, toxic substances will leak into the body. 'It's now recognised that the contents of the colon are not rubbish,' says Garrow. 'Fibre that is not digestible by enzymes is metabolised by the bacteria there, and turned into fatty acids which make a very small contribution to your energy.'
I show Joshi's diet to Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George's Hospital, London. She, too, finds it inconsistent. Is it a diet aimed at avoiding common allergens like milk protein? If so, why am I encouraged to eat live yoghurt? 'Red meat is a valuable source of iron for pre-menopausal women,' she says. 'The lack of fruit is not great, especially since it will be difficult to compensate by eating lots of vegetables because he has excluded so many of those, too.' Why might foods from the deadly nightshade family be forbidden? 'There is evidence that they are a potential irritant, but the research is old and mostly relates to those with arthritic conditions. I work in arthritis, and I've never found a patient who has benefited from these exclusions. So I'm not sure why he forbids them. I'm afraid this diet is typical of those recommended by self-styled nutritionists. It is nutritionally compromised, and its inadequacies need to be offset by vitamin supplements.'
Ah, yes. My supplements. Of the seven white bottles Joshi gave me, the one labelled Super Liver Cleanse is just a vitamin and mineral supplement in disguise. The one called 5HTP is too, though it also contains the controversial amino acid 5HTP which, in some countries, is marketed as an anti-depressant (it can have serious side effects, though not in the amount contained here). The others are: Metabolic Detox; PH Balance; Digest-Aid; Kidney Support; and Essential Chromium. Collins is unimpressed by one of the primary ingredients of the Metabolic Detox tablets: senna. She wouldn't recommend senna for constipation except as a last resort (and I never said I had constipation), and 'anything that results in diarrhoea is not recommended'. PH Balance contains magnesium, sodium and potassium - salts that are found naturally in the bloodstream. Digest-Aid contains a number of enzymes, but enzymes are proteins, which are destroyed by the stomach acid before they are able to reach the site of absorption in the small intestine. Kidney Support contains vitamin C and cranberry juice, plus other plant ingredients like horsetail. Cranberry juice has been shown to have a borderline effect in the treatment of cystitis, but in the quantities contained here it is unlikely to be effective. What about my chromium deficiency? 'The body only needs chromium in tiny amounts,' she says. 'There's very little research to show than an ordinary member of the public would need any extra.' Collins is bewildered as to how Joshi came to his diagnosis, especially of my below-par adrenal glands (the adrenal glands regulate the body's stress response through the production of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline). 'If something were wrong with your adrenal glands, it would be a major medical event. You'd have loads of symptoms. You'd be very ill. I'm concerned that he can presume a diagnosis of what would be a serious complaint without any physical examination, or analysis of blood biochemistry.' After I speak to Collins, I telephone Joshi and ask him how, exactly, he diagnosed all my problems. 'I looked at your symptom picture, to what you told me about your periods of tiredness, your headaches, your sugar levels dropping.' But what about my adrenal glands? What him made him think they weren't functioning properly? 'It's all clinical experience. I could have done some tests that confirmed this, but that would have been very expensive. I see this symptom picture over and over again. This is what I deal with a lot of the time.'
I am sure that Joshi means well. He certainly works hard. As he says to me with a weary but satisfied smile: 'There are so many ill people who need to be made well.' But if it is anything like the information he gave to me, a lot of what he tells his patients is, at best, confused and somewhat vague - and, irrespective of how rich and famous they are, those patients put their trust in him. He styles himself Dr Joshi but, as he also admits to me on the telephone, he never completed his medical degree, which is why he is not registered with the General Medical Council - and when I ring the General Osteopathic Council, with whom he is registered, a spokeswoman me that they actively discourage members from using the title 'Dr'. Oh, well. You can join his Wellness Centre without even having to see him - and I certainly recommend that. Although I flush his supplements down the loo, and go back to eating bread, red meat and - oh no! - fresh fruit, I must admit that I haven't had thighs as firm as this for ages.
The Joshi Clinic Wellness Centre, York Street Chambers, 20 Enford Street, London W1. 020 7723 2444. joshiclinic.co.uk
Nish Joshi likes nothing better than dispensing alternative health advice to the rich and famous at his clinic. Now, the celebrity guru wants his clients to join his brand-new gym too. Rachel Cooke checks in
Sunday October 7, 2007
The Observer
Some celebrity gurus are coy about their clients, but not Nish Joshi. Princess Diana, Cate Blanchett, Juliette Binoche, the Sugababes... the names fall from his lips like coins from a slot machine. 'Gwyneth!' he purrs delightedly, when I mention, in passing, Gwyneth Paltrow, who once appeared in a backless dress that revealed the circular marks where Joshi had applied hot glass cups to her skin to 'boost her qi' and 'purify' her blood. 'Bless her! She came because three of the ladies at her baby shower were patients of mine. So sweet.' Of course, Joshi owes the rich and famous such a lot. It's not only that gossip about his relationships with them helped to put his Wimpole Street practice on the map, or even that their testimonies were so useful when he came to write his book, Holistic Detox ('He sent me a medicinal drink for a bad bronchial infection I was suffering while I was performing Coriolanus in Tokyo,' says Ralph Fiennes, on page 114). In the case of Diana, Princess of Wales, he owes his very career to her; it was she who urged him to look to the East, to the Ayurvedic medicine on which his Indian family had relied for generations, for solutions to common Western ailments: '"Go back to your roots," she said. She believed so much in holistic medicine, in giving patients what they need rather than masking their symptoms.'
Article continues
He smiles at me beatifically. This takes a little digesting: that Joshi, who is always at pains to point out that he is a highly qualified osteopath, was willing to take advice from the notoriously daffy and faddish Princess Diana. But we must move on. The big news is that Joshi is now giving his clients something back - something other than the love and care that they receive from him already. He has opened a Wellness Centre: a gym and yoga studio in which they will be able to stretch their (not very) wobbly thighs in total privacy. Programmes will be tailored to their health needs. Isn't that what all personal trainers do? Apparently not. 'Let me give you an example. If your sugar levels are out of control, exercise could make you feel even more tired. We'll tell the trainer: here is this lady, make sure that before exercise she has an isotonic drink. We'll work on postural training, and the session will finish with a shiatsu body stretch to dissipate tension.' So, in addition to the stuff that Joshi ordinarily recommends to his exhausted, stressed-out clients (diets, colonic irrigation, acupuncture) they'll now be able to pick up a prescription for exercise at the same time. 'It's about giving people tangible help,' he says.
Joshi and I are sitting in the Wellness Centre right now, perched on two high stools in an area where people will soon be drinking their energy-boosting shots of wheatgrass juice. He is a disarming man. He has a camp voice and an unctuous, calculatedly soothing manner that I find mighty annoying, but which neurotic celebrities no doubt love, and he answers questions in sprawling sentences which do not always contain the facts I am after. He is also undeniably plump. Does the guru actually practise what he preaches? 'Yes,' he says, smoothly. 'I don't eat fish, meat, eggs or dairy. I'm a Hindu vegetarian. I have a purely Ayurvedic diet. My meals are cooked for me by my housekeeper. I don't do well with croissants. I feel very bloated. Cheese makes me mucusy.' Exercise? 'I do my sun salutations every day, and I work out with a personal trainer twice a week.' However, I hear from a top source that Joshi loathes the gym; faced with a punchbag, his wrists droop like sunflower stalks in a heatwave.
The Wellness Centre, in Marylebone, is a glamorous place: in the changing room, there are towels so fluffy that to wrap yourself in one is almost comic - as if you're auditioning for lead sheep in a nativity play. The yoga studio is light and airy. To become a member is not cheap (£125 a month; yoga classes cost £25 on top, and personal training sessions £60), but membership is, by necessity and design, destined to be exclusive. It's another outward sign, then, of the success of the Joshi brand. His rise has been rapid and somewhat eventful.
Joshi grew up in north London. After school, he studied for a medical degree in India and then, having left after only three years, he trained at the British School of Osteopathy. After he qualified, he ran a practice treating dancers until, in 1993, while he was working at the Hale Clinic, he met Diana, who demanded to know what he was giving his patients, and could she please have some. Soon, he was a regular visitor to Kensington Palace (you can just see him, sweeping through the gates, the back seat of his car laden with tofu and tincture of liquorice), where he taught her to make pilau rice. He helped her through her bulimia - 'You saw how she flourished; she started to glow!' - grew more interested in alternative medicine, and finally, with financial help from his parents, set up his practice in Wimpole Street.
The question is: what sets him apart from the other celebrity gurus? Is his Wellness Centre, for instance, really any different from all the other boutique gyms that have lately sprung up to cater for the anxious rich? Joshi insists that his success is down to the fact that his treatments really work, so he gets great word of mouth. But he would say that, wouldn't he? I wonder out loud if the Joshi phenomenon isn't an example of the placebo effect. His remedies are surely not so important as the fact that he spends time with his patients, smiling and soothing and calling them 'dear'. He disagrees. 'You can see a private GP, and get more time with your doctor. Lots of my patients have private GPs.' OK, then. But does he worry that some patients are fixated on dramatic weight loss which they dress up as a desire to be 'well'? 'Completely! I'm trying to encourage people to have a healthy relationship with their diet.' So if Cate Blanchett came in and wanted to lose a stone... 'No, no, that's ridiculous. My programme doesn't allow you to lose weight unless your body requires it.' I'm not absolutely convinced by this, but the upshot is that I ask Joshi if he will treat me as a patient for three weeks so that I can attempt to discover his secret for myself - and he, very kindly, agrees.
A week later, I rock up for our first meeting (an initial consultation with Joshi is £180, and appointments thereafter cost £120 - but some patients fly him across the Atlantic or to Dubai if they can't make it to London). His clinic, I can't help but notice, is almost next door to the consulting rooms of Jan Stanek, the cosmetic surgeon who regularly appears on the Channel 4 show 10 Years Younger. In reception, I fill in a questionnaire. It asks me about illness in my family, whether I suffer from a range of ailments from insomnia to anxiety and, more bizarrely, about the length of my fingers. Joshi appears and talks to a waiting patient. He is all twinkly - almost giddy-seeming at finding her there, just beside the fridge that is stocked with his own brand of gluten-free loaves. She flirts with him a little, and says something about her father, who is also feeling ill. Joshi asks what star sign he is.
'Is he a Pisces?'
'Oh, Dr Joshi!'
I feel quite left out.
Oh, well. It's my turn now. We go up to his consulting room: big desk, couch, photographs of Joshi on the mantelpiece. I hand over my forms, but he barely looks at them. I tell him, truthfully, that I am tired, that I get headaches, and that my sleep seems to do me no good. I find the gym exhausting; I worry I will brain myself with a dumb-bell simply for want of some strength in my wrists. He tells me, without examining me, or taking any samples, that he thinks I have a hormonal imbalance, that my adrenal glands are not functioning properly, and that my bowel is lazy. I also have a chromium deficiency. He is going to put me on a diet and give me supplements that will sort these things out. He is also going to refer me to the Wellness Centre, where the trainers will work with me in a way that is not exhausting. Now, would I hop on the couch? I do, and he starts sticking acupuncture needles into my temples, wrists and ankles. Why? 'To reboot your computer,' he says, lightly. But what will they do? 'I already told you,' he says. 'They will reboot your computer.' He is going to leave me to relax for 20 minutes; I may feel a little sleepy.
After a while, the door opens and a young man in white overalls comes in. He sits down and begins insistently rubbing the arches of my feet - they supposedly connect to the relevant bits of my insides - which is quite painful. He is from Poland. In Poland, he says, the people in the villages are properly rustic, and thus honest and true: if they like you, they welcome you; if they don't, they will 'hit you'. This is not a particularly relaxing thought.
Finally, Joshi comes back. He puts two tiny needles into my ears - to keep cravings at bay, OK? - and then he takes me downstairs to make an appointment at the Wellness Centre. He also hands over seven bottles of supplements and a diet sheet on which is a list of good foods, of forbidden foods, and of all the pills I should take, and when. The forbidden list includes alcohol, bread and gluten products, dairy products, sugar, tea, coffee, chillis, fizzy drinks, red meat, all fruit (except bananas), vinegar, cucumber, courgettes, and the deadly nightshades: i.e. potatoes, aubergines, tomatoes and peppers. But I am allowed eggs, salad, dark green vegetables, white meat, soya and tofu, pulses, fish, brown rice, seeds, rice milk and live yoghurt. Where does spaghetti carbonara fit in?
Last of all, he sends me back upstairs for colonic irrigation. He doesn't explain why, but I know that Diana was a fan, so maybe that's it. It's horrible: uncomfortable and strangely humiliating, like being a giant baby. The therapist who performs this procedure - what a job! - tells me that I will have a colonic once a week for the next three weeks, but even as she announces this, I know I won't. I don't think you should shove plastic pipes up your backside without a very good reason and, at this point, I can't fathom what that reason might be.
So, now I'm on my 'voyage of discovery'. The diet is a nightmare: boring, restrictive, unsatisfying. Also, Joshi's 'Metabolic Detox' pills, of which I'm supposed to take four a night, seem to be giving me diarrhoea. I look at my sheet. It warns that they may cause cramps and loose stools, adding that: 'they are not laxative - they maintain the water content of your food to improve elimination of toxins'. But when I look on the side of the bottle, the first ingredient listed is senna, a bowel irritant widely used in the treatment of constipation. I stop taking them. The good news, however, is that the gym is a revelation. Joshi's trainers, James and Ross, are fantastic: knowledgeable, enthusiastic, motivating. They know about posture and about muscles, which means that they notice and know how to care for my tight calves. If I were rich, I would see them every day for the rest of my life.
After a week, I see Joshi again. How am I? Well, I say, those detox pills: are they laxatives? He insists not, but adds that he remembers 'school biology lessons' in which he learnt that it should take food an hour to pass through the system: I should be going to the loo three times a day, after every meal. But they're giving me the runs! 'So, take two instead of four.' Today's session is brief: more acupuncture, and some manipulation of my neck. It all seems rather random: a bit pick and mix. He doesn't seem to focus on what I'm saying, or make an effort to answer my questions. Nor does he mention the needles he stuck in my ears a week ago (in fact, I've already removed them; they were sore). I have enough pills, so when I leave, all I take with me is an appointment to see a masseur, Tommy (a former dancer from Sweden, he turns out to be excellent, and gives me the most expert massage I've ever had).
I persist with my sessions at the gym but, though I pop the other supplements dutifully - this takes minutes - I again cease taking the Metabolic Detox pills. I try hard with the diet, but it's difficult when there is your other half to consider - soya milk, darling? - and, if I eat only rice cakes and salad for lunch, I feel so hungry I can't work. I'm due to see Joshi one more time but (I admit this is not very journalistic of me) I duck out at the last minute, largely because I gather he is going to insist on that plastic pipe going back up my bottom. How do I feel after three weeks? Good; I've got more energy. But I think this is mainly due to the brilliant James and Ross, and their boxing regime. I've lost a couple of pounds, but anyone would with a diet this restricted and, since that wasn't my aim anyway, I'm wondering... where did I hide those biscuits?
It is good fun being treated by Joshi - if nothing else, I got to see a world I could never afford to visit in real life - but I can't work out what his diagnosis is based on (he's taken no blood or urine), nor can I see the logic in his detox diet (it's contradictory unless, as I suspect, it is simply about reducing calorie intake: for instance, dairy products are forbidden, while cottage cheese is acceptable). Question his ideas and Joshi's first line of defence is that Western medicine has always pooh-poohed that of the East, and that many of his treatments - from Ayurvedic herbs to Gwyneth Paltrow's favourite, cupping - have been used for thousands of years. This isn't good enough. He should be able to explain both why treatments are suitable, and how they work. The testimonies of other patients - 'Joshi is a miracle worker,' says Patsy Kensit - are not enough for me, nor should they be. 'People go to the doctor because they feel ill,' says John Garrow, professor emeritus in human nutrition at London University and vice-chairman of Healthwatch, a charity that promotes the better understanding of the importance of clinical trials in medicine. 'More often than not, the next time they go to the doctor, they will be feeling less low. These things are cyclical.'
Colonic irrigation has certainly been practised for thousands of years, but its benefits have been neither proved nor discredited scientifically. However, most doctors think it is, at best, unnecessary. Holistic practitioners seem to believe that the colon is a sewage system, and that if it isn't properly cleaned out, toxic substances will leak into the body. 'It's now recognised that the contents of the colon are not rubbish,' says Garrow. 'Fibre that is not digestible by enzymes is metabolised by the bacteria there, and turned into fatty acids which make a very small contribution to your energy.'
I show Joshi's diet to Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George's Hospital, London. She, too, finds it inconsistent. Is it a diet aimed at avoiding common allergens like milk protein? If so, why am I encouraged to eat live yoghurt? 'Red meat is a valuable source of iron for pre-menopausal women,' she says. 'The lack of fruit is not great, especially since it will be difficult to compensate by eating lots of vegetables because he has excluded so many of those, too.' Why might foods from the deadly nightshade family be forbidden? 'There is evidence that they are a potential irritant, but the research is old and mostly relates to those with arthritic conditions. I work in arthritis, and I've never found a patient who has benefited from these exclusions. So I'm not sure why he forbids them. I'm afraid this diet is typical of those recommended by self-styled nutritionists. It is nutritionally compromised, and its inadequacies need to be offset by vitamin supplements.'
Ah, yes. My supplements. Of the seven white bottles Joshi gave me, the one labelled Super Liver Cleanse is just a vitamin and mineral supplement in disguise. The one called 5HTP is too, though it also contains the controversial amino acid 5HTP which, in some countries, is marketed as an anti-depressant (it can have serious side effects, though not in the amount contained here). The others are: Metabolic Detox; PH Balance; Digest-Aid; Kidney Support; and Essential Chromium. Collins is unimpressed by one of the primary ingredients of the Metabolic Detox tablets: senna. She wouldn't recommend senna for constipation except as a last resort (and I never said I had constipation), and 'anything that results in diarrhoea is not recommended'. PH Balance contains magnesium, sodium and potassium - salts that are found naturally in the bloodstream. Digest-Aid contains a number of enzymes, but enzymes are proteins, which are destroyed by the stomach acid before they are able to reach the site of absorption in the small intestine. Kidney Support contains vitamin C and cranberry juice, plus other plant ingredients like horsetail. Cranberry juice has been shown to have a borderline effect in the treatment of cystitis, but in the quantities contained here it is unlikely to be effective. What about my chromium deficiency? 'The body only needs chromium in tiny amounts,' she says. 'There's very little research to show than an ordinary member of the public would need any extra.' Collins is bewildered as to how Joshi came to his diagnosis, especially of my below-par adrenal glands (the adrenal glands regulate the body's stress response through the production of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline). 'If something were wrong with your adrenal glands, it would be a major medical event. You'd have loads of symptoms. You'd be very ill. I'm concerned that he can presume a diagnosis of what would be a serious complaint without any physical examination, or analysis of blood biochemistry.' After I speak to Collins, I telephone Joshi and ask him how, exactly, he diagnosed all my problems. 'I looked at your symptom picture, to what you told me about your periods of tiredness, your headaches, your sugar levels dropping.' But what about my adrenal glands? What him made him think they weren't functioning properly? 'It's all clinical experience. I could have done some tests that confirmed this, but that would have been very expensive. I see this symptom picture over and over again. This is what I deal with a lot of the time.'
I am sure that Joshi means well. He certainly works hard. As he says to me with a weary but satisfied smile: 'There are so many ill people who need to be made well.' But if it is anything like the information he gave to me, a lot of what he tells his patients is, at best, confused and somewhat vague - and, irrespective of how rich and famous they are, those patients put their trust in him. He styles himself Dr Joshi but, as he also admits to me on the telephone, he never completed his medical degree, which is why he is not registered with the General Medical Council - and when I ring the General Osteopathic Council, with whom he is registered, a spokeswoman me that they actively discourage members from using the title 'Dr'. Oh, well. You can join his Wellness Centre without even having to see him - and I certainly recommend that. Although I flush his supplements down the loo, and go back to eating bread, red meat and - oh no! - fresh fruit, I must admit that I haven't had thighs as firm as this for ages.
The Joshi Clinic Wellness Centre, York Street Chambers, 20 Enford Street, London W1. 020 7723 2444. joshiclinic.co.uk
Weight Loss Surgery: Are You A Candidate?
Weight Loss Surgery: Are You A Candidate?
By: Marcus Landauer
If you're considerably overweight, you've probably considered weight loss surgery. This is especially if you've seen various celebrities positively describing their experiences in recent years. The results of weight loss surgery can be truly remarkable, but you need to be sure it's right for you.
Weight loss surgery is no quick and easy fix. It's the procedure of last resort for people who are very overweight (morbidly obese), and is only done after other methods of weight reduction have proved ineffective.
The first step to finding out if you're a suitable candidate is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). You do this by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres. Then divide the resulting number by your height once more. Optimum weight ranges from around 18 to 25. Obese runs from 30-40 and morbidly obese from 40-50.
Generally, if your BMI is above 30 and you've been unable to loss weight via diet or exercise, you should consider weight loss surgery. This is especially so it there are serious health complications resulting from your excess weight.
After decided you're a suitable candidate for weight loss surgery, you should now understand the procedure. Weight loss surgery is of two main types - restrictive and restrictive/malabsorptive.
Restrictive weight loss surgery works by restricting the amount of food that enters your digestive system by reducing the size of the stomach. The main method for doing this is with 'banding' in which a band is applied around the top part of the stomach. Thus the 'pouch' formed by the constriction fills quickly and the stomach sends a message to the brain announcing that it's full. Lap band is the most popular procedure of this type.
Lap band surgery involves constricting you stomach by attaching an adjustable gastric binding in the form of a silicone ring. This is connected to an access port by a length of fine tube. The access port is located under the surface of your skin at the top of your abdomen and allows your doctor to adjust the size of the silicon ring until it's optimal for you.
The lap band procedure involves laparaoscopic (keyhole) surgery. The surgeon operates through small openings in the abdomen so it's relatively noninvasive. No radical surgery is carried out on the digestive organs and the actual process of digestion is not affected.
Restrictive/malabsorptive is involved. The most common procedure is the gastric bypass operation. A pouch is formed at the top part of the stomach. Meanwhile the small intestine is cut and a section attached to this new pouch. Following this procedure, the flow of food bypasses most of the stomach and the duodenum completely. This massively reduces the volume of nutrients absorbed.
Gastric bypass can be a highly effective operation with a reduction of 80 per cent of excess weight in the first year. However, it is major surgery with attendant risks and complications.
Obesity brings with it a litany of ills and dangers such as diabetes and high blood pressure, not to mention a low quality of life. So the benefits of normalising your weight are enormous. Not only are there tremendous health benefits but also you can choose the clothes you want, you can get behind the wheel of a car again, and the boost to your self-esteem is life-changing. Weight loss surgery can truly makeover your physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
If you've decided weight loss surgery could be for you, the next step is to consult with a surgeon. He will determine if you're a suitable candidate. This will depend on your motivation as well as your physical condition. Make sure you find a surgeon that specializes in bariatrics (obesity cure). This way you'll get the expert advice you need before undertaking this important procedure.
Marcus Landauer is an expert consultant with over 12 years experience in plastic surgery and weight loss surgery.
By: Marcus Landauer
If you're considerably overweight, you've probably considered weight loss surgery. This is especially if you've seen various celebrities positively describing their experiences in recent years. The results of weight loss surgery can be truly remarkable, but you need to be sure it's right for you.
Weight loss surgery is no quick and easy fix. It's the procedure of last resort for people who are very overweight (morbidly obese), and is only done after other methods of weight reduction have proved ineffective.
The first step to finding out if you're a suitable candidate is to calculate your body mass index (BMI). You do this by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in metres. Then divide the resulting number by your height once more. Optimum weight ranges from around 18 to 25. Obese runs from 30-40 and morbidly obese from 40-50.
Generally, if your BMI is above 30 and you've been unable to loss weight via diet or exercise, you should consider weight loss surgery. This is especially so it there are serious health complications resulting from your excess weight.
After decided you're a suitable candidate for weight loss surgery, you should now understand the procedure. Weight loss surgery is of two main types - restrictive and restrictive/malabsorptive.
Restrictive weight loss surgery works by restricting the amount of food that enters your digestive system by reducing the size of the stomach. The main method for doing this is with 'banding' in which a band is applied around the top part of the stomach. Thus the 'pouch' formed by the constriction fills quickly and the stomach sends a message to the brain announcing that it's full. Lap band is the most popular procedure of this type.
Lap band surgery involves constricting you stomach by attaching an adjustable gastric binding in the form of a silicone ring. This is connected to an access port by a length of fine tube. The access port is located under the surface of your skin at the top of your abdomen and allows your doctor to adjust the size of the silicon ring until it's optimal for you.
The lap band procedure involves laparaoscopic (keyhole) surgery. The surgeon operates through small openings in the abdomen so it's relatively noninvasive. No radical surgery is carried out on the digestive organs and the actual process of digestion is not affected.
Restrictive/malabsorptive is involved. The most common procedure is the gastric bypass operation. A pouch is formed at the top part of the stomach. Meanwhile the small intestine is cut and a section attached to this new pouch. Following this procedure, the flow of food bypasses most of the stomach and the duodenum completely. This massively reduces the volume of nutrients absorbed.
Gastric bypass can be a highly effective operation with a reduction of 80 per cent of excess weight in the first year. However, it is major surgery with attendant risks and complications.
Obesity brings with it a litany of ills and dangers such as diabetes and high blood pressure, not to mention a low quality of life. So the benefits of normalising your weight are enormous. Not only are there tremendous health benefits but also you can choose the clothes you want, you can get behind the wheel of a car again, and the boost to your self-esteem is life-changing. Weight loss surgery can truly makeover your physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
If you've decided weight loss surgery could be for you, the next step is to consult with a surgeon. He will determine if you're a suitable candidate. This will depend on your motivation as well as your physical condition. Make sure you find a surgeon that specializes in bariatrics (obesity cure). This way you'll get the expert advice you need before undertaking this important procedure.
Marcus Landauer is an expert consultant with over 12 years experience in plastic surgery and weight loss surgery.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Exercise and Weight Loss
Exercise and Weight Loss
Weight loss is something that millions of people are interested in. The fact of the matter is that not everybody is at their target weight. If you feel that you could shed a few pounds, you are in luck. There are many ways that you can do this, and if you are aware of all the options there is a good chance that you will become quite successful in reaching your goals.
Most people who are interested in weight loss start out by searching for the diet that best suits their needs and lifestyle. The good thing about going on a diet is that there are many different types available. Not only are there some diets that have been in existence for years, there are many more that are known as "fad diets." These are weight loss plans that people use today, but they will be gone before you know it. In order to find the best weight loss plan for yourself, you may have to go through a trial and error process. Sooner or later you will come across the diet that is best for you.
Another thing to consider when it comes to Visit weight loss is the many products that are available on the market today. Not only are there special diets that come with diet food, but there are also many supplements that you can take. Just make sure that before you start to eat any special food or vitamins that you check with your doctor. Remember, your health is the most important thing in your life. You do not want to risk getting sick in order to lose a few pounds.
Finally, exercise and weight loss also go hand in hand. If you work out while also sticking to a diet you will give yourself a much better chance of success in the long run.
Overall, there are many ways that you can lose weight. You can diet, take supplements, and/or exercise. It is up to you to decide on which weight loss plan will best suit your needs, and which one will allow you to reach your goals.
--
Visit http://www.dragonrewards.com/ for incentive based cash payout for trial or free offers, free stuff after mail in rebate. Get cash, mail in rebate, free stuff and more.Type in your email and mailing address, choose a free or trial offer and complete it using our link and let us verify the transaction with the merchant and send you cash or gift cards.
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=4270
Weight loss is something that millions of people are interested in. The fact of the matter is that not everybody is at their target weight. If you feel that you could shed a few pounds, you are in luck. There are many ways that you can do this, and if you are aware of all the options there is a good chance that you will become quite successful in reaching your goals.
Most people who are interested in weight loss start out by searching for the diet that best suits their needs and lifestyle. The good thing about going on a diet is that there are many different types available. Not only are there some diets that have been in existence for years, there are many more that are known as "fad diets." These are weight loss plans that people use today, but they will be gone before you know it. In order to find the best weight loss plan for yourself, you may have to go through a trial and error process. Sooner or later you will come across the diet that is best for you.
Another thing to consider when it comes to Visit weight loss is the many products that are available on the market today. Not only are there special diets that come with diet food, but there are also many supplements that you can take. Just make sure that before you start to eat any special food or vitamins that you check with your doctor. Remember, your health is the most important thing in your life. You do not want to risk getting sick in order to lose a few pounds.
Finally, exercise and weight loss also go hand in hand. If you work out while also sticking to a diet you will give yourself a much better chance of success in the long run.
Overall, there are many ways that you can lose weight. You can diet, take supplements, and/or exercise. It is up to you to decide on which weight loss plan will best suit your needs, and which one will allow you to reach your goals.
--
Visit http://www.dragonrewards.com/ for incentive based cash payout for trial or free offers, free stuff after mail in rebate. Get cash, mail in rebate, free stuff and more.Type in your email and mailing address, choose a free or trial offer and complete it using our link and let us verify the transaction with the merchant and send you cash or gift cards.
Source: http://www.iffizpartners.com/index.php?page=article&article_id=4270
Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Obesity is the main problem during pregnancy and may lead to diabetes in pregnant women. As per the latest survey carried out by the various research teams, there are no side effects of Phentermine in case of pregnant women if it is taken as per prescribed doses. Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Weight Loss Diet Online - http://weightlossdietonline.blogspot.com/
Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Obesity is the main problem during pregnancy and may lead to diabetes in pregnant women. As per the latest survey carried out by the various research teams, there are no side effects of Phentermine in case of pregnant women if it is taken as per prescribed doses.
But if the doses of Phentermine are consumed in large quantity, there is a risk of abnormal development of foetus, so to reduce these risks, prescribed doses needs to be followed in proper manner under strict vigilance of the doctor. But it is an advice to the pregnant women that they should avoid Phentermine during pregnancy period because it may lead to gestational diabetes. Sometimes Phentermine can cause various withdrawal symptoms in case of pregnant women. To avoid all these side effects, Phentermine should be stopped before start of pregnancy stage and doctor needs to be consulted for more information about Phentermine.
In case of breast-feeding mothers, Phentermine is to be avoided, so that the newborn baby is safeguarded from various side effects. As Phentermine is from the family of sympathomimetic amines and it is almost similar to the Adipex-P, pregnant women should avoid taking Phentermine. This may lead to an addiction if the doses of Phentermine are taken in large quantities. If doctor permits you to go ahead with Phentermine during pregnancy period, you should gradually reduce the dose to avoid the symptoms of withdrawal. Before opting for Phentermine, please go through the instructions and quantity of doses written on the leaflet. Do not follow self-medication practice, it may result in abnormalities.
Along with above stated abnormalities, there are various side effects of Phentermine during pregnancy period and they are as follows.
• Phentermine may lead to allergic reactions during pregnancy stage.
• You may feel abnormality in breathing.
• Throat choking in pregnant women is a common side effect of the Phentermine.
• It might lead in swelling of lips and face.
• Phentermine may lead to risk of abnormal babies.
• Phentermine may cause abnormal heartbeats and the risk of high blood pressure.
• Headache and the dizziness occur in case of pregnant women due to Phentermine.
• Diarrhea and constipation are other minor side effects of the Phentermine, in case of pregnancy.
• The common and minor side effects in pregnancy are soar throat, confusion, anxiety, insomnia and the abnormal taste.
• There is also a risk of impotency due to the Phentermine.
Basically Phentermine is a type of medication that is used for reducing the appetite and obesity as it simulates the nervous systems in case of pregnant cases.
In general, Phentermine is not recommended for pregnant women as losing weight may lead to under-weight babies or with abnormality such as neural defect in which the spinal has abnormality. In case of such problems, it is better to get examined to have a healthy baby. The examinations or tests recommended by the doctor are ultrasound examination, which enables to check the physical behavior of the baby in mothers' womb. Even this ultrasound can provide complete details of the head and the spinal cord of the baby. In such cases Phentermine should be stopped immediately.
Women who breast-feed their babies should also avoid taking Phentermine as the contents may pass on to the baby through the milk and may affect the health of baby. Tremors and agitation may occur in baby due to breast milk because the main function of Phentermine is to stimulate the central nervous system and that may lead to side effects. Before breast-feeding, mothers who plan to take the dose of Phentermine, should consult with the doctor.
All of the above information regarding side effects and disorders during pregnancy is only a guideline and not to be treated as authority for the Phentermine users. Readers are advised to discuss the issues with their doctor before opting for Phentermine.
--
Learn more about how phentermine can affect your pregnancy and unborn baby at http://www.phenforum.com - the authority on phentermine information. Site also provides free discussion forums, weight loss support group and weight loss tips as well as a wealth of health articles.
Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Obesity is the main problem during pregnancy and may lead to diabetes in pregnant women. As per the latest survey carried out by the various research teams, there are no side effects of Phentermine in case of pregnant women if it is taken as per prescribed doses. Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Weight Loss Diet Online - http://weightlossdietonline.blogspot.com/
Phentermine and Pregnancy - Is Phentermine Safe For Your Baby?
Obesity is the main problem during pregnancy and may lead to diabetes in pregnant women. As per the latest survey carried out by the various research teams, there are no side effects of Phentermine in case of pregnant women if it is taken as per prescribed doses.
But if the doses of Phentermine are consumed in large quantity, there is a risk of abnormal development of foetus, so to reduce these risks, prescribed doses needs to be followed in proper manner under strict vigilance of the doctor. But it is an advice to the pregnant women that they should avoid Phentermine during pregnancy period because it may lead to gestational diabetes. Sometimes Phentermine can cause various withdrawal symptoms in case of pregnant women. To avoid all these side effects, Phentermine should be stopped before start of pregnancy stage and doctor needs to be consulted for more information about Phentermine.
In case of breast-feeding mothers, Phentermine is to be avoided, so that the newborn baby is safeguarded from various side effects. As Phentermine is from the family of sympathomimetic amines and it is almost similar to the Adipex-P, pregnant women should avoid taking Phentermine. This may lead to an addiction if the doses of Phentermine are taken in large quantities. If doctor permits you to go ahead with Phentermine during pregnancy period, you should gradually reduce the dose to avoid the symptoms of withdrawal. Before opting for Phentermine, please go through the instructions and quantity of doses written on the leaflet. Do not follow self-medication practice, it may result in abnormalities.
Along with above stated abnormalities, there are various side effects of Phentermine during pregnancy period and they are as follows.
• Phentermine may lead to allergic reactions during pregnancy stage.
• You may feel abnormality in breathing.
• Throat choking in pregnant women is a common side effect of the Phentermine.
• It might lead in swelling of lips and face.
• Phentermine may lead to risk of abnormal babies.
• Phentermine may cause abnormal heartbeats and the risk of high blood pressure.
• Headache and the dizziness occur in case of pregnant women due to Phentermine.
• Diarrhea and constipation are other minor side effects of the Phentermine, in case of pregnancy.
• The common and minor side effects in pregnancy are soar throat, confusion, anxiety, insomnia and the abnormal taste.
• There is also a risk of impotency due to the Phentermine.
Basically Phentermine is a type of medication that is used for reducing the appetite and obesity as it simulates the nervous systems in case of pregnant cases.
In general, Phentermine is not recommended for pregnant women as losing weight may lead to under-weight babies or with abnormality such as neural defect in which the spinal has abnormality. In case of such problems, it is better to get examined to have a healthy baby. The examinations or tests recommended by the doctor are ultrasound examination, which enables to check the physical behavior of the baby in mothers' womb. Even this ultrasound can provide complete details of the head and the spinal cord of the baby. In such cases Phentermine should be stopped immediately.
Women who breast-feed their babies should also avoid taking Phentermine as the contents may pass on to the baby through the milk and may affect the health of baby. Tremors and agitation may occur in baby due to breast milk because the main function of Phentermine is to stimulate the central nervous system and that may lead to side effects. Before breast-feeding, mothers who plan to take the dose of Phentermine, should consult with the doctor.
All of the above information regarding side effects and disorders during pregnancy is only a guideline and not to be treated as authority for the Phentermine users. Readers are advised to discuss the issues with their doctor before opting for Phentermine.
--
Learn more about how phentermine can affect your pregnancy and unborn baby at http://www.phenforum.com - the authority on phentermine information. Site also provides free discussion forums, weight loss support group and weight loss tips as well as a wealth of health articles.
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