World of Wellness: New Diet Pill and Caffeine Inhaler - Living in a Quick Fix World

~ We still don't have a magic pill for weight loss, and the spotty safety records of diet remedies throughout history show why.

Will the second time be the charm for the diet drug Qnexa? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing the data on the weight-loss medication, again — an advisory panel will meet this week — having rejected the drug for approval once already in 2010. The key question for the panel isn’t whether Qnexa is effective for weight loss — clinical trials suggest it is, though in the second year of one trial, participants regained some of the weight they had lost in the first year — but whether its potential side effects outweigh its benefits.

Qnexa is a combination of two existing drugs — phentermine, an appetite-suppressing stimulant, and topiramate, an anti-seizure medication that is generally prescribed to control epilepsy but also affects appetite. The latter drug, topiramate, increases the risk of oral clefts, a birth defect, by two to five times when used by pregnant women, according to the latest studies, the FDA said.

I want you to start eating healthier and learn to not depend on a diet pill.  You will be so happy when you have achieved your weight loss goals the healthy way.

~ U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials plan to investigate whether inhalable caffeine sold in lipstick-sized canisters is safe for consumers and if its manufacturer was right to brand it as a dietary supplement.  AeroShot went on the market late last month in Massachusetts and New York, and it’s also available in France.

Consumers put one end of the canister in their mouths and breathe in, releasing a fine powder that dissolves almost instantly. Each grey-and-yellow plastic canister contains B vitamins, plus 100 milligrams of caffeine powder, about the equivalent of the caffeine in a large cup of coffee.

My concern here is that we will start seeing a lot more cardiac problems with irregular heart rhythms and such.  Taking a quick puff is much easier than drinking a full/large coffee. I am afraid people (especially kids and teens) will easily overdose each morning. AeroShot didn’t require FDA review before hitting the U.S. market because it’s sold as a dietary supplement.

~  Let's face it – life is busy. You've got calls to make, e-mails to send and meetings to get to. But what about appointments with yourself that you've been meaning to make?

Dr. Nanette Wenger, a spokes person for the American Heart association says "If you don't find time for exercise, you will have to find time for disease."

February is American Heart Month, when the AHA and other organizations hope to spread awareness about the dangers of an unhealthy lifestyle. The statistics haven't changed: Cardiovascular disease is still the leading killer of men and women in the United States and worldwide.

The key to reducing this threat is prevention, and among the major preventive interventions– smoking cessation, control of cholesterol, control of blood pressure, control of weight and physical activity– physical activity can often be the cornerstone.

The AHA also has some tips on what you can do to incorporate more exercise into your day:

- Watch television from the treadmill or bicycle

- Take the stairs instead of the elevator

- Park far away from the building you work in

- If you use public transportation, get off a stop early and walk a little longer to work

- Walk down the hallway while brainstorming with a colleague

- Use the farthest printer on your floor or another
- Use the restroom on another floor and climb the stairs

- Visit a colleague in person rather than e-mail or calling them
- Use a cycle machine under your desk

Taking these steps is important because lack of activity can have dire consequences. 

If you would like to have a life coach to help you get healthier or learn how to handle the stress in your life, I am currently offering free wellness consultation sessions.

Contact me: On the web @ www.lifecoachdoug.com or call me at 678-793-5399

God bless you,

Doug