Bye Bye Belly Fat!!
As we age, stubborn belly fat accumulates around the upper and lower abdomen. This visceral fat is tougher to shed than the soft, “pinch-an-inch” subcutaneous fat found around the hips or thighs. Besides being unsightly, visceral fat is DEADLY! About 90% of body fat in most people is subcutaneous, just beneath the skin. The remaining 10% is visceral fat, which lies deep beneath the firm abdominal wall and surrounding organs like the liver and intestines. A hard, protruding belly is not muscle. It is dangerous fat that lies beneath the muscle of the abdominal wall. Fat cells are not dormant; they are alive and function as endocrine organs, secreting dangerous hormones and other molecules that can negatively affect other tissues. Visceral fat contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), asthma, fatty liver, gallbladder disease, diabetes, high triglycerides, low good HDL cholesterol, and inflammation (known as metabolic syndrome X). It is also linked to dementia, Alzheimer’s, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Visceral deep belly fat responds much better to diet and exercise than fat on the hips and thighs. This is beneficial because visceral fat is so dangerous to our health. By decreasing lethal belly fat, you will regain your sexy look and healthy groove! Tips for Reducing Belly Fat! Bioidentical Hormones: Consult an Anti-aging physician regarding bioidentical hormones, which can help balance your body’s hormone levels, improve lean muscle, and reduce belly fat. Exercise: A combination of aerobic activities like walking or biking and strength training (lifting weights) helps lose the most belly fat. Short on time? Walking with handheld weights is an excellent, efficient cheat! Healthy Diet: – Eat high-soluble fiber foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, oats, and barley). – Consume high-protein foods such as fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies), lean meat, and beans. Medical-grade (GMP) Omega Fish Oil supplements with high EPA and DHA active ingredients can also help. – Incorporate probiotic and prebiotic foods, like Greek yogurt, kefir, kombucha, pickles, buttermilk, sauerkraut and tempeh. Also, medical grade Synbiotic (prebiotic/ probiotic) supplements should be considered to improve gut health, eliminate leaky gut syndrome, and decrease inflammation. High cortisol levels caused by inflammation can increase appetite and build visceral fat storage. Intermittent Fasting: Intermittent fasting targets visceral fat. Popular methods include 24-hour fasts once or twice a week or daily 16-hour fasts with an 8-hour eating window (e.g., 12 pm-6 pm). Always consult your physician before starting an intermittent fasting regimen. Drink green tea: Green Tea contains caffeine and antioxidants that boost metabolism and aid in melting belly fat. Get adequate sleep A cold, dark, and quiet bedroom enhances sleep quality. Alcohol Moderation Moderate or eliminate alcohol intake. Heavy alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of excess fat storage around the waist. Stress Reduction Stress causes a peak in cortisol. High cortisol levels increase appetite and abdominal fat storage. Incorporate yoga, meditation, exercise, and friendship/ family time into your lifestyle to reduce stress. Food Diary Keep a food diary via a tracking app or a written journal to help with accountability and to track your progress. Things to avoid Avoid smoking and vaping Avoid trans fats Trans fats or (partially hydrogenated fats), are linked to inflammation, heart disease, insulin resistance, and abdominal fat gain. Use apps like the YUKA app to instantly check the quality of foods while shopping, or you can read ingredient labels carefully. Eliminate refined carbohydrates Eliminate refined carbohydrates, the white foods, bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and sugar. Also, eliminate sugary beverages like sodas, sweet teas, fruit juices, and alcohol mixers. Instead, opt for water with lime or lemon, or unsweetened iced tea. As we age, stubborn visceral belly fat accumulates around the abdomen and is tougher to shed than subcutaneous fat, posing serious health risks. Unlike the more common subcutaneous fat, visceral fat surrounds vital organs and acts as an endocrine organ, secreting harmful hormones and molecules. It contributes to numerous health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, but responds well to diet and exercise. Effective strategies to reduce belly fat include bioidentical hormones, a healthy diet, regular exercise, intermittent fasting, green tea consumption, adequate sleep, alcohol moderation, stress reduction, and maintaining a food diary to encourage self-accountability.
Lip Fillers 101- Get Luscious Lips for Valentine’s Day!
Lip Fillers 101- Get Luscious Lips for Valentine’s Day! The non-surgical cosmetics industry is booming worldwide and the cost of these once out of reach procedures is coming down. Lip fillers range in cost from $350- $900 and last 6 to 18 months. Dermal Lip and Face fillers are surging in popularity amongst the younger college students and ladies of all ages. We even have ladies in their eighties coming in for lip enhancement. With February being the month of love, we want to always look our best. Whether you are planning an outing with your gals on Valentine’s Day or a hot date with your Valentine, the Lips take the stage looking plump, defined, and beautiful. Indeed, you can be creative with some lip liner and a pop of color, but why not strive for easy Luscious Lips with filler? And yes, you can obtain a natural look! Lip fillers offer you months of volume, meaning you shouldn’t need to struggle as much with lip-enhancing makeup. What Are Lip Fillers? Lip fillers are gel-like injectable products often made from hyaluronic acid (HA), a substance that naturally occurs in your body. HA is a humectant, which means it can retain water and bond with particles. This quality allows the filler to add volume and hydration while maintaining a natural look and feel. The most popular dermal fillers for the lips are Versa ™, JUVEDERM®, and Restylane ™. Different versions of hyaluronic fillers, as well as calcium hydroxyapatite fillers, are typically used for the rest of the face. Most people use fillers to treat at rest (static) wrinkles and add more contour to the face thus reducing visible signs of aging. Dynamic or expression wrinkles, as with frowning or smiling, are better treated with Botox(tm). Why Get Lip Fillers for Valentine’s Day? Lip fillers are popular year-round, but there are a few reasons why people prefer them around Valentine’s Day. 1. Enhance Your Natural Beauty Lip fillers are all about natural beauty, meaning your lips should not look like they’ve been “done.” Duck lips are NOT attractive. Subtle improvements can make your features look more defined and polished without changing the shape. Fillers can be used to add more volume and improve lip symmetry if your lips are uneven, offering a harmonious and vibrant look. Some ladies with older thinning lips look 20 years younger when the pink portions of the lip are redefined with lip filler. Physicians need to be extremely precise when placing fillers in the lips. If you go too high on the upper lip or too low on the upper lip, you risk duck lips. I prefer to place lip filler just below the ridge that defines the border of your upper lip. 2. Offer Quick Results The gel-like formula of lip fillers provides the impression of volume right after the treatment. However, when the gel is absorbed, the HA molecules begin settling and attracting water. You should reach peak results within two days, just in time for Valentine’s Day. 3. Grab a Confidence Boost When your lips are more defined, you can’t help but feel more confident and attractive. Whether you are restoring lost volume, correcting natural asymmetries, or adding a little pout, lip fillers can bring your best self forward. 4. Increase Hydration Lip fillers don’t just add volume; they restore moisture as well. This is particularly important in the colder months when the lips become dry. By getting the treatment, you won’t have to reach out for lip moisturizer or balm as often. Note: Off brands, foreign, or online DIY products can contain contaminants and may cause nodules or skin necrosis (death of skin tissue); please use a trained physician expert who only uses FDA certified brands. Poor injection technique can cause nodules or asymmetry as well. What to Expect During the Treatment? Lip fillers are minimally invasive procedures that usually take 5-15 minutes to administer, making them the perfect lunchtime treatment. No prior preparation is necessary. If you have lipstick on our providers clean and prep the area before treatment. Our Triple-strength lidocaine, benzocaine, and tetracaine numbing cream is applied to the lips, and the HA gel also contains a numbing agent. This means that once the injectable is administered, you should feel minimal discomfort as the product settles. The injection sites are carefully chosen so that you can obtain the desired volume and shape, without a Duck look. Don’t be concerned if you feel some swelling and mild bruising after getting the treatment, this can be a normal reaction to the needle puncturing the skin. If you experience these side effects, they should fade quickly and rarely get in the way of your activities. You can apply some ice packs in a pinch, but it is not needed. Get Your Lip Filler Treatment from Dr. Burkenstock Skin*Body*Health! Dr. Burkenstock has been a member of the prestigious International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology (IACD) since 2014. Lip fillers can be an excellent gift for yourself, whether you are celebrating with your partner or want to show yourself some self-love. They are long-lasting and quick to show results, making them a great choice for an enhanced, attractive, and youthful look. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Burkenstock Skin*Body*Health and Love Your Luscious Lips! With Filler For more information about lip fillers, contact call or text 985-727-7676