Age is one of the factors to consider when preparing a bitch for breeding. Some breeders may rush the process and attempt to breed bitches very early on, often during the first heat cycle. However, responsible breeders should wait until the dog has fully matured before the first breeding. For many dogs this may mean waiting until the dog is at least two years of age. This will give her enough time to fully develop physically, mentally and socially which is all important for breeding purposes because carrying, delivering and nurturing a litter of puppies is a process that is not only extremely physically taxing but also mentally stressful as well. A bitch that is fully matured will handle this process much better than an immature dog.

During the first two years of life the owner can do a great deal to prepare the bitch for the breeding process. The first and most important step an owner can take is to provide the dog with a high quality diet of good nutrition. This is important because a proper diet, combined with a regular exercise program, will help to keep the bitch in top physical condition. Your veterinarian can help you to determine which type of food is best for your dog based on her breed, current health, coat type and physical structure. The diet may consist of dry foods, wet foods or a diet of raw, meaty bones and vegetables. It may take some experimentation but eventually you will determine which food really helps your dog to thrive.

Other things a responsible breeder can do during the first two years of a bitches life is spend time working and showing the dog. This is especially true if the puppies of the litter are being bred for a specific type of temperament that will help them to excel as working dogs or in the show ring. This may sound trivial but it is extremely important because during the course of two years working or showing a bitch, the owners may decide the dog does not have qualities they would like to pass onto the puppies. In this case it will be worthwhile to have the bitch spayed to avoid introducing negative qualities to the lines.

Finally, before any bitch should be bred, it is very important to have her undergo a series of health checks for conditions which are common to the breed. Only bitches which are free of genetic disorders, which can be passed onto the puppies, should be bred. The type of testing required will vary by the breed because certain breeds are more prone to some disorders than others. However, some of the more common tests required include tests for joints and tests for eyes.

If your breed is prone to dysplasia of any type the appropriate joints should be x-rayed by your veterinarian and sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). The joints most prone to problems include the hips and elbows but again this varies by breed with larger dogs being more prone to dysplasia. OFA will examine the x-rays and give the dog a rating based on the x-rays. Bitches receiving a rating of fair, good or excellent can be bred by responsible breeders but those receiving lower ratings should be spayed immediately to prevent these joint disorders from being passed onto the puppies.

Eye examinations and certifications are also important for many breeds. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a series condition for which dogs and bitches should be tested annually. The Canine Eye Registry Foundation provides certifications for dogs and bitches that have been examined by a veterinary ophthalmologist. These certifications must be renewed each year because this is a progressive disease. As with dysplasia only dogs and bitches certified free of PRA should be bred to avoid passing these traits onto the puppies.

How does one lose weight aside from diet, exercise, and medication? Gastric bypass surgery is a well-know solution for overweight people who need to shed at least 100 lbs. However, surgery alone is not enough to maintain an ideal weight. It must be accompanied by post-surgery lifestyle changes that involve diet, exercise, and mental and emotional adjustments.

The Right Diet after Weight Loss Surgery

The most important thing that a patient should watch out after the surgery is his diet. The surgery involves changing the structure of the stomach and small intestines. The reduced stomach volume following the surgery limits that amount of food that the stomach can hold, which is roughly about 1 ounce. Thus, the patient must be careful with the kind and amount of food he eats. The patient needs to eat small meals at regular intervals everyday. Weeks after the surgery, the patient is required to eat pureed or soft foods for better digestion and to avoid complications such as nausea and vomiting. Examples of foods that can be eaten after surgery are pureed fruits, pureed vegetables, soups, oatmeal, and steamed desserts.

Formal Exercise Program

A day following the surgery, the patient can do some light walking—but not regular exercises yet. Two to three weeks are needed for rest and healing, and a formal exercise program can start as soon as the patient has fully recovered. Usually, weight loss surgery patients can start low-impact aerobic workouts four to six weeks following the surgery. The recommended exercises for those who have undergone weight loss surgery include yoga, Pilates, water aerobics, resistance band exercises, speed walking, and light jogging.

Psychotherapy

While it seems that weight loss surgery involves only the physiological aspect of the patient, the mental and emotional aspects must not be overlooked. Most surgeons recommend psychotherapy that people who are considering weight loss surgery. Psychotherapy prepares a person’s mind and emotions before the surgery so that he could cope easily with the bodily and lifestyle changes after the procedure. Failure to undergo psychotherapy prior to the surgery may lead to post-procedure problems such as eating disorders, constant food cravings, and emotional troubles.

Stress Management

To many people, eating is a great stress reliever. The diet limitations after surgery can be very stressful for many patients. What’s the best way to beat stress after surgery? Not food, not drugs, and not treatments. Simple changes in lifestyle can turn stressful days into comfortable and worry-free ones. Stress management techniques for people who have gone through weight loss surgery include deep breathing and relaxation techniques, acupuncture, yoga, massage therapy, and meditation. Trying a new hobby and joining support groups in one’s community are also good ways to manage stress after weight loss surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery is the best remedy for obesity when diet, exercise, and medications fail. But even the most successful procedures won’t lead to weight loss without the right lifestyle changes. To help achieve a healthy lifestyle and effective weight loss, one must seek professional help from health care professionals, dieticians, and psychotherapists.

With gastric bypass surgery, the stomach is reduced in size.  A small pouch is created on the top of the stomach and the middle section of the small intestine is connected to the remaining part of the stomach.  Because of the stomach is smaller in size, it could accommodate smaller amount of food and would limit the calories that it would absorb.

After the surgery, the weight loss could be dramatic.  Surveys say that patients would lose 5% of their weight immediately after their weight-loss operation.  In a year after the surgery, patients could lose 50 to 60 percent of their original weight.  Patients would be able to lose their lowest body weight two years from the time of surgery.  That is, if the patients would stick with the dietary restrictions and follow the exercise program.

There are studies showing that diabetes was forced to remission after the surgery.  This is not just about hormonal factors, the amount of weight lost by the patient has significant effects on diabetes.   In a study conducted at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, they were able to identify that weight is a factor in decreasing diabetes.  Hormones also have a factor, since the studies also showed an effect on the gut hormones.  They have a stronger insulin resistance.

In the study conducted, obese patients who have Type 2 diabetes, showed that their diabetes control improved after undergoing the surgery.  They had lower blood-sugar levels and take lower amounts of medication.  About 48 percent of the respondents were able to achieve complete remission.

It is not just the weight loss and the hormones that keep diabetes at bay.  Type 2 diabetes is often caused by diet.  A person who have undergone gastric bypass surgery, is required to follow strict diet.  Too much sugar at fat is best avoided after the surgery, since it could result into the Dumping syndrome which has vomiting, nausea, dizziness, sweating and diarrhea as symptoms.  Because of the change in diet, the individual gets to eat less food and less carbohydrates.

The results are not only significant among adult patients.  There are also studies showing that it would take a year before teen patients would be able to be off from the medication and for diabetes to go into remission. Teen who are suffering from diseases used to be only  associated with adults, like high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, would get lower counts or get significant improvements after surgery.

Experts agree that diabetes can surely be reduced by undergoing gastric bypass surgery.  However, it is not the best option nor the only option.  The gastric bypass surgery effects could fail especially if the same lifestyle before the surgery is still followed.  It is still about eating healthy and getting regular activity into your schedule.

Yoga has been touted to be a relaxation technique
which is able to tone the mind, body and spirit into
working harmoniously. Many yoga teachers and fitness
experts claim that yoga can lead to successful and
lasting weight loss.

Any weight loss program is comprised of a healthy diet
and regular exercise. However, you have to stick to
your program. This is difficult for most people as
their often hectic schedules make it hard to find
enough exercise time. This is where yoga can be
extremely fruitful.

Yoga is a very fast form of deep relaxation. Just the
most basic poses and breathing exercises will help you
deal with stress and clear your mind. This will affect
your state of mind not only toward yourself but your
whole life.

The more relaxed you become the better able you will
be to to control eating between meals. Deep breathing
exercises will help to improve your inner strength as
well as your concentration. This will help you stick
to your diet and exercise program.

Yoga tones your body and fortifies all of your
muscles. It helps to stimulate the glands that secrete
hormones which in turn increases your metabolism. As
you attain higher levels of yoga, you get faster at it
and find that it becomes easier to work off your
excess fat.

If you are extremely overweight, yoga is a very good
way of getting back into shape. It not only prepares
your mind but also your body for weight loss. If you
start your yoga sessions as well as the other required
steps to your weight loss program, you will soon
experience a lighter you and will begin to lead a much
better lifestyle.