'Closeness with nature to ensure quality life'

Unhealthy eating habits, stress, disturbed sleep, lack of exercise, external environment and side effects of unhealthy lifestyle are main factors affecting holistic health of person and the best way to enjoy quality life is to stay close with the nature.
The Diet Correction Specialist and member American Holistic Health Association, Dr Shagufta Feroz stated this, while addressing a seminar organised by Care Marketing in collaboration with BIONAL Group for journalists at a local hotel on Tuesday.
Dr Shagufta Feroz maintained that the use of medicines prepared from natural ingredients was being increased gradually in Europe as well as other advanced countries as these were most useful for the human intake having no side effects.
To a question, she said that mounting epidemic of obesity in children would saw many die before their parents as more and more cases of serious diseases were being reported among teenagers.
Quoting a report of American Surgeons General, she said that 50 percent effect on a human body was due to food intakes, while 20 percent each was owing to stress and environment and 10 percent body had to suffer due to genetic problems.
She said that there were no known supplements linked directly to suppressing appetite, while there were some linked to enhancing weight loss when combined with a low calorie diet and exercise. Other alternatives that may help suppress appetite include exercise, high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables in daily diet and drinking water throughout the day.
She maintained that eating a healthy balanced diet, practising portion control and exercising regularly would promote weight loss and help maintain a healthy weight. It takes 3500 extra calories to gain one pound, and a 3500-calorie deficit to lose one pound. Rather than focus on one food group or deleting foods from your diet, eat a variety of foods and control portion sizes, she added.
To another question, she said that green tea extract and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) had been found to promote weight loss when combined with a healthy reduced-calorie diet and exercise. Several studies suggest that CLA may block the body's fat cells from storing additional fat, while green tea extract may enhance energy expenditure and fat oxidation.
Speaking on the occasion, Managing Director BIONAL Group, Jan Snippe said that increasing interest of doctors, pharmacists and consumers in natural healing methods creates new chances and leads to new developments in plant science. He said that his company was manufacturing more than 40 products whose strength lies in the concentration of active components all from plant origin. Dr Hertzen Hokwerda, Dr Imran Hashmi and Shamim Akhtar also spoke on the occasion.