Why do we still eat after we are full?

Prior research studies have suggested that the so-called hunger hormone ghrelin, which the body produces when it’s hungry, might act on the brain to trigger this behavior. New research in mice by UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists suggest that ghrelin might also work in the brain to make some people keep eating “pleasurable” foods when they’re already full.

“What we show is that there may be situations where we are driven to seek out and eat very rewarding foods, even if we’re full, for no other reason than our brain tells us to,” said Dr. Jeffrey Zigman, assistant professor of internal medicine and psychiatry at UT Southwestern and co-senior author of the study appearing online and in a future edition of Biological Psychiatry.

Scientists previously have linked increased levels of ghrelin to intensifying the rewarding or pleasurable feelings one gets from cocaine or alcohol. Dr. Zigman said his team speculated that ghrelin might also increase specific rewarding aspects of eating.

Rewards, he said, generally can be defined as things that make us feel better.

“They give us sensory pleasure, and they motivate us to work to obtain them,” he said. “They also help us reorganize our memory so that we remember how to get them.”

Dr. Mario Perello, postdoctoral researcher in internal medicine and lead author of the current study, said the idea was to determine “why someone who is stuffed from lunch still eats – and wants to eat – that high-calorie dessert.”

For this study, the researchers conducted two standard behavioral tests. In the first, they evaluated whether mice that were fully sated preferred a room where they had previously found high-fat food over one that had only offered regular bland chow. They found that when mice in this situation were administered ghrelin, they strongly preferred the room that had been paired with the high-fat diet. Mice without ghrelin showed no preference.

“We think the ghrelin prompted the mice to pursue the high-fat chow because they remembered how much they enjoyed it,” Dr. Perello said. “It didn’t matter that the room was now empty; they still associated it with something pleasurable.”

The researchers also found that blocking the action of ghrelin, which is normally secreted into the bloodstream upon fasting or caloric restriction, prevented the mice from spending as much time in the room they associated with the high-fat food.

For the second test, the team observed how long mice would continue to poke their noses into a hole in order to receive a pellet of high-fat food. “The animals that didn’t receive ghrelin gave up much sooner than the ones that did receive ghrelin,” Dr. Zigman said.

Humans and mice share the same type of brain-cell connections and hormones, as well as similar architectures in the so-called “pleasure centers” of the brain. In addition, the behavior of the mice in this study is consistent with pleasure- or reward-seeking behavior seen in other animal studies of addiction, Dr. Zigman said.

The next step, Dr. Perello said, is to determine which neural circuits in the brain regulate ghrelin’s actions.

Source: UT Southwestern

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5 Natural Common Cold Beaters

The aptly named common cold hits nearly every one of us on a regular basis and once a single family member has it, it can spread quickly and viciously. While the cold itself is relatively harmless it still presents almost crippling symptoms. The common misconception is that you can fight a cold, essentially getting on with your life and trying to ignore the problem. This is much more likely to prolong the agony as a pose to beating it. In preference to turning to the pharmacist there are natural ways to reduce the recovery time and relieve the nagging symptoms of a cold.

Rest

The misconception that exercise will help to sweat out a cold is misleading. The body needs to be able to fight the cold infection and by exercising or being excessively active you are reducing its capability to do this. Resting allows the body to fully combat the cold virus. The immune system and various immune functions within the body are strengthened or generated during sleep. It is these that will help your body beat the cold.

Water

When suffering from a cold the body is susceptible to becoming dehydrated. In order to prevent this it is absolutely essential that sufferers drink plenty of water. The recommended eight glasses of water a day is the absolute minimum that you should be aiming to drink when suffering from a cold. For this reason, water can help to further strengthen the immune system and subsequently beat the infection.

Vitamin C

It may sound something your mom or your grandmother would try to convince you but it is widely believed to be true. However, too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea and possible even kidney stones. Many proponents of vitamin C as a cold remedy would argue that 1,000mg every hour is not damaging and will help to reduce the time a person suffers from a cold. However, it has been medically proven that 250mg has the same positive effects as any larger dose with fewer and less severe side effects. The best way to obtain this level of vitamin C is through fruit juices because this also provides a good source of extra fluid.

Garlic

Garlic is another age old herbal remedy for colds. It helps to strengthen the immune system and is also a good antiviral. Putting garlic in meals will help to prevent colds and can also reduce the suffering time of patients. The best way to consume the garlic is freshly ground and raw. Many people would find this a struggle, especially because a lot of people eat as many as three or four cloves as soon as they show symptoms of a cold.

Elderberry Extracts

Elderberries may look harmless but to the cold virus they are far from it. It is a powerful antiviral as well as being a highly effective prophylactic. As an antiviral it can help to stave off the actual infection causing the cold, and its prophylactic properties strengthens and rejuvenates the immune system. Elderberry and blueberries are among the best varieties of fruit a cold sufferer can eat for these very reasons.

The Immune System's Role

You will have probably noticed that almost all of these remedies are strongly based around the strengthening of the immune system. This is because there is essentially no cure for the common cold and we are forced to rely on our bodies to fend off the infection. In order to do this, the immune system needs to be as strong as possible and the stronger it is the less suffering will be required.

Written by: Jacob Mabille

Get a six pack using only your couch.

Eleven Ways To Boost Metabolism

Boosting ones metabolism is something many people try to achieve everyday. Having a high metabolic rate increases the amount of calories, or energy, the body burns on a daily basis. Without optimal metabolism the body will store excess calories as fat for future use. The problem for many people is they don't ever use these excess calories and as a result struggle with weight issues.

There are many factors that affect a person's metabolism including age, weight, hormonal changes, lean muscle mass, diet, genetics, stress and the amount of physical activity undertaken on a daily basis. As you can see boosting your metabolism involves many factors, but the fact of the matter is that it is relatively easy to boost your metabolism if you are committed to doing it.

Here are 11 tips to help you boost your metabolism:

1. Build lean body mass. As we age our bodies metabolism or ability to burn calories decreases. One way to offset this problem is by exercising. Lean muscle burns calories and the more you have the more calories you burn, even while resting. You can build muscle through resistance or weight training at least twice a week. You can also boost your metabolism by doing cardio exercises. You can choose to do this between or in conjunction with weight training. Simply going for a walk or using the stairs instead of the elevator are good ways to get in an aerobic workout.

2. Eat Breakfast. Many people ignore eating breakfast. What they don't realize is that it's the most important meal of the day. Breakfast gives your metabolism a boost and provides a consistent energy supply throughout the day. The majority of people who eat a healthy breakfast have fewer weight and health issues than those who don't.

3. Sugar is bad. Processed and refined sugar such as found in sweets and soft drinks overload the body with sugar causing many serious health issues including obesity and diabetes. Complex carbohydrates are a better energy source because they supply an even level of blood sugar. The human body just isn't built to deal with the large amounts of refined sugar most people include in their diet.

4. Spicy foods that make you sweat can help boost your metabolism.

5. Get a good night's sleep. There is research that shows that people who don't get sufficient sleep tend to gain weight. This may be because the body uses sleep to heal and regenerate itself, including its muscular system.

6. Drink more water. Water is the lubricant of the body. It also flushes toxins out of the body and keeps the kidneys operating at maximum efficiency. This allows the liver more time to do what it does best, metabolize fat stores.

7. Eat small meals. Eat 5 to 6 small meals per day spaced 20 to 3 hours apart. This gives the body a steady supply of energy and prevents binge eating.

8. Don't miss meals. Skipping meals in order to loose weight is counter productive because it actually slow metabolism and can lead to over eating.

9. Plan your meals. If you have a daily or weekly menu you are much more likely to stick to your plan.

10. Drink green tea. Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism and unlike coffee does not stress the body with caffeine.

11. Include more high energy foods in your diet including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These provide a more balanced energy source and will not cause blood sugar spikes.

Boosting your metabolism can be done if you are dedicated to doing it. This does not mean you need to stress over each little thing but if you eat right and exercise you should see a decrease in body fat and a much more energetic and happy you.

How To Stay Motivated When Losing Weight

Losing weight can be a long, hard, and frustrating process. The key to success is perseverance. If you’ve started a weight loss program and are looking for help in staying motivated, try these following tips.

1. Step 1

   Keep a photo of yourself at your heaviest posted in a place you will look at it often. Placing a photo on your bedroom mirror will remind you each morning of what you’re working to overcome. If you have a photo of when you were lighter, post that in the same place so you can visualize your goal every day.

2. Step 2

   As you lose weight and your shape changes, place new photos next to the old. This will give you visual reinforcement that you are for sure making progress.

3. Step 3

   Record your measurements in a journal. Chart the dimensions of your waist and hips, rather than your weight, because muscle weighs more than fat. If your routine includes working with weights, the scale may not reflect the changes taking place in your body.

4. Step 4

   Vary your routine. Try different activities each day to keep things interesting, and to rest different muscle groups. Change between cardiovascular activities and weight lifting each day to add variety.

5. Step 5

   Remind yourself each day why you are trying to lose weight. Make a list and say it each morning, or anytime you feel like giving in.

6. Step 6

   Have a weight loss partner. If someone is working alongside you it will make the change in lifestyle more interesting. Having a partner also makes you responsible to someone else, which can sometimes spell the difference between an hour in the gym and an hour eating chips on the couch.