A marijuana joint might seem an odd starting point in the search for weight-loss secrets.

Yet a compound switching off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis looks set to become the world’s first blockbuster anti-obesity medicine, with sales tipped by analysts to top $3 billion a year.

The only medicines in the UK specifically licensed for the treatment of obesity are called orlistat and sibutramine. Orlistat works by reducing the absorption of the fat you eat. Sibutramine increases the feeling of fullness when you eat by boosting levels of the chemical, serotonin, which is naturally made in your body.

Both these drugs have been clinically proven to help people lose weight. They are only prescribed if you are obese or your weight is causing you health problems. You will also have to show that you have seriously attempted to lose weight by diet, exercise etc.

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Summer picnics are a great time to enjoy the outdoors with your family, friends or special loved one. With eating and drinking being the central activities it is easy to get side tracked with the social aspect and pay little attention to what you are consuming and in what quantities. This can lead to unwanted summer weight gain. So whether your idea of a picnic is a backyard barbecue or lunch in the park, you’ll want to take stock of the following healthy picks for the perfect picnic.

Potato and Pasta Salads

Most picnics feature at least one selection of traditional potato salad and pasta salad loaded with creamy mayonnaise, packed with unhealthy fat and calories. Did you know that a serving of only 1 cup can have as high as 300 – 400 calories? One way to make these summer picnic staples a healthier selection is to add lots of fresh crisp vegetables such as red and green peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes, green onions, broccoli, zucchini and your other favourite veggies. Another is to use a no-fat mayonnaise or better yet cut the mayonnaise in half and mix it with an equal amount of low-fat plain yogurt. This will save loads of excess fat and calories but still give it that creamy texture. The added vegetables will spruce up the nutritional value while lowering the calories per serving since you’ll be eating less potatoes or pasta per serving and more lower calorie vegetables. Just think, the more colourful you can make it the better.

Bean Salads, Cole Slaws and Green Salads

Oil based bean salads and cole slaw can have half the calories with only 150 – 200 calories per 1 cup serving compared with the same size serving of creamy potato and pasta salads. Therefore, go easy on the potato and pasta salads and fill your plate with more of the bean salad and coleslaw. This is an easy way of cutting calories without going hungry. If a fresh green salad is available, start by eating that first. Go easy on the dressing to avoid unnecessary calories. Offer the host to bring a green salad so you know that you will have that as one of your choices. If you are the one hosting the event, be sure to include a large green salad as one of your selections. Don’t put the dressing on ahead of time and allow people a selection of dressings. That way people can put as much dressing as they like.

Sweets

Typical picnic sweets include the traditional rich chocolate brownie, wedge of apple pie with ice cream, chocolate cake, chocolate chip cookies and squares galore. If you have a sweet tooth, you’d better think twice before diving right in. That single slice of apple pie alone could carry a whopping 450 calories and that doesn’t include the scoop of ice cream which can add another 250 calories easily. That’s 700 calories in just a few bites that could be higher than the calories in the burger with bun you just finished eating. If you can’t resist the dessert table, you’d better be sure to have at least one healthy selection available. Your best bet is to bring your own fruit platter so you know for sure you will have something healthy to choose from to satisfy your sweets craving and avoid over-indulging on the less healthy choices. Include lots of selection such as strawberries, mango slices, peaches, plums, grapes and cherries. Be sure to include all your favourites with lots of variety so you can truly enjoy it and feel proud of yourself afterwards for not over-indulging in the high sugar, high fat and high calorie choices.

Activity

Your summer picnic doesn’t have to only be about eating and drinking. Why not incorporate some fun physical activity? Leave a few Frisbees lying around and you’ll be surprised how many will pick them up and start throwing them around. Set up some badminton nets. If you have a pool, be sure to get everyone to bring their bathing suits and get some pool volleyball going. Make it fun so that it doesn’t even feel like exercise.

Is there such a thing as longevity food? Is there one answer that can fit us all? Can we consume certain foods in mass quantity in order to live longer? Are these foods the same for everyone?

Many people are in the habit of jumping from one “fountain of youth” food to another, hoping to stave off aging.

Unfortunately, no such food exists. The main reason is that people have differing physical constitutions and require different foods in order to stay in good health or to be immune to disease. It’s much better to select foods that pertain to your specific constitution, genetic profile and susceptibilities (family history). A foods’ longevity or “fountain of youth” factor really depends on whether your body needs it.

For example, if you’re susceptible to hypertension you should eat foods that can either prevent it or lower blood pressure. According to Chinese medicine, those foods that would be good for a hypertensive constitution would include celery, peanuts, garlic, jellyfish, and seaweed. If you are susceptible to hepatitis you should consume foods that would help prevent this particular disease. Such foods may include malt, tea and button mushrooms. As you can see, these foods are not the same for each disease.

So, when you’re reaching for your new “fountain of youth” food (that you may consume each day in larger quantities), ask yourself, “Is this food good for my specific constitution?” If you don’t know or you would like an analysis, it is best to consult a professional that deals with this specifically.

With careful planning, a vegetarian diet during pregnancy can provide all the necessary vitamins, minerals, protein, and other nutrients you need.

Your body requires a little more protein during pregnancy, and this is easily provided by following a healthy, varied vegetarian diet.However, if you are vegetarian, you should take extra care to ensure you have an adequate intake of two nutrients that are particularly important during pregnancy - iron and calcium.

Good sources of iron include:

• pulses

• bread

• green vegetables

• fortified breakfast cereals

Try to have some food or drink containing vitamin C, such as a glass of fruit juice, with any iron-rich meals as this helps your body to absorb the iron. Avoid drinking tea with iron-rich foods as this reduces absorption.

If theiron level in your blood becomes low, your GP or midwife will advise you to take iron supplements. The best sources of calcium are dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt. Aim to have three servings per day. Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contain as much calcium as whole milk. The Vegetarian Society is a good source of information about healthy vegetarian diets during pregnancy.

There are some non-dairy sources of dietary calcium, such as dark green vegetables, sesame seeds and some fortified soya products, but generally calcium is not as well absorbed from these foods so, if you do not eat dairy foods, then it is a good idea to take a supplement.