Posts Tagged ‘Obesity’

Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

Obesity As Protection Against Metabolic Syndrome, Not Its Cause
The collection of symptoms that is the metabolic syndrome—insulin resistance, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and a greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke—are all related to obesity, but, according to a review in the March 9th issue of the Cell Press publication Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, not in the way you probably think they are.In fact, says Roger Unger of the …

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Obesity statistics indicate that it is the biggest health threat that confronts America today. This warning comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity currently results in an estimated 400,000 deaths annually. It also costs the nation a crippling $122.9 billion.

This disease significantly reduces the quality of life among adults in our nation. This disease creeps right into the fabric of our lifestyle and can cause us to become a nation of social misfits. Other serious health diseases like hypertension and diabetes can result sooner or later when obesity is present.

February is Heart Month. This is a good time to remember that cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada. Cardiovascular diseases include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure and congenital cardiovascular defects.

How do you reduce the risk of heart disease? Physical activity, healthy eating, maintaining or losing weight and not smoking are the answers. These lifestyle choices are free, attainable and fend off heart disease as well as obesity.

An unbelievable one third of American adults between the ages of 45 to 54 have cardiovascular disease. Those who are 65 and older account for more than 83% of deaths from cardiovascular disease. When we age, gain weight, stop moving and allow obesity to take over, the risk of becoming on of the obesity statistics steadily increases.

In the US alone 30% of the population is classed as being obese. That stands at over 60 million people. Another 50 million people go on a diet each year. Sadly, only 5% of these individuals will keep the weight off long term.

Are you one of those dieters? Are you still unhappy with the way you look and feel? Are you aware that Proactol can help you achieve a much healthier lifestyle? The confidence you will gain from feeling healthy is priceless.

People who become obesity statistics are usually affected in all areas of their life. But we can come to grips with this problem. We must begin to embrace the belief that we can do it. With consistent application, things will slowly begin to turn around for us.

As soon as we decide to walk hand in hand with success, and embrace responsibility for our decisions, positive things will begin to happen. By taking responsibility for everything in your life, you will begin to gain more control. Stay in control of your life from here on in. Seek at all times the mastery of your cravings, and you will eventually conquer it.

We all accept that having good health is a number one priority. There are unfortunately times when this priority gets a little mixed up. At these times the health and obesity of people become mixed up. In order to ensure your health obesity should be controlled with certain methods. These methods can be both that of the traditional form and that of weight reduction surgeries.

You will find that there are a number of these possible surgeries which can be done. To find out if you are an individual who needs to have one of these obesity surgeries you can get an opinion from your family doctor. As this person is well aware of your personal health and lifestyle the advice that you get will paint a realistic picture of your health obesity surgery being one possible outcome.

Now before you decide to have one of these many weight reduction surgeries performed you should understand exactly what is done to help you lose weight. You will need to see the advantages and the disadvantages which can be found in these different surgeries. For your health obesity surgery might need to be conducted past a certain weight limit.

This weight limit occurs when a person’s body weight jumps into the morbid obesity range. Now even though there are people who suffer from this complaint there are weight reduction surgeries like bariatric surgery, gastric bypass surgery and others. These surgeries coupled with a healthy lifestyle and healthy yet small intakes of food will help the morbidly obese individual to lose the excess pounds.

While many of today’s technological advances can help us we still need to understand that for our health obesity is not an option to look forward to. The health problems which can occur are ones like difficulty breathing, heart problems, stomach ulcers and more. In order to remove these obstacles to our health obesity concerns should be looked at carefully and dealt with.

The saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” can be seen to be true as it pays to have a healthy lifestyle. To keep this saying true in your life you should see that health obesity problems are far from your life. Keeping this maxim as your mantra for a good life you should see the best options that you have at your disposal.

Even though you can go through with one of the weight reduction surgeries you may want to experience life in the normal way. And keeping fit and healthy means that you will not experience any health obesity related problems.

Last week, I wrote to you about the dangers of using Statin drugs to lower cholesterol in high-risk children (“The Answer to Childhood Obesity? Ayurveda! NOT Statin Drugs”), and because I’m devoted to helping our children achieve balance and health in their lives, this week, I’m continuing my three-part series on the topic of childhood obesity. 
 
CHILDHOOD OBESITY IS NOT JUST A “FAT” OR “LAZY” PROBLEM!
 
I’ve encountered so many people who look at an overweight child and immediately begin pointing fingers at them, labeling them as “fat” or “lazy.” Then they turn to the parents and accuse them of letting their children eat too much junk food or of not encouraging their children to be more active. What better example of this stereotype is there than the infamous glutton “Augustus Gloop” and his mother, a woman who proudly supports his overeating, in the popular Willy Wonka movies?
 
AUGUSTUS GLOOP AND OTHER OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN NEED TO HAVE THEIR DOSHAS CHECKED!
 
Even the most active children with proactive parents can struggle in the fight to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Rather than shame children or stuff them with “diet” foods (or worse, drugs and chemicals), we should employ safe, natural Ayurvedic methods to gently guide them toward a healthier lifestyle.

The first step on this path is determining your child’s dosha.
 
”DOSHA” WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR CHILD’S GOVERNING LIFE FORCE?
 
A “dosha” – as many of you already know – is a Sanskrit word translated as “governing principle.” Everything in nature is composed of the five glorious elements of air (known as “Ant” in Ayurveda), space, fire, water, and earth. Combinations of these elements with three forces (doshas) to keep them in the right relationship with each other, dictate all functions of the body, mind and universal consciousness. There are three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha, and knowing which dosha is predominant in your child will give you a more effective way of responding to his or her physical, nutritional, spiritual and emotional needs.

Here’s a quick and handy list you can use to determine which dosha your beautiful and unique child possesses:
 
THE VATA CHILD:

• Busy, busy, busy!
• Active imagination and happy to be lost in fantasy
• Naptime = “No! I don’t wanna!”
• “Ants in the Pants” – fidgety and always moving
• Eat lots of small meals
• Will “hide” but rarely “seek”: like to participate but feel intimidated by lead roles
  
THE PITTA CHILD:

• Creative!
• Follow the leader: like to play in groups and lead the games
• Eat good meals and will get cranky if they’re late
• Prone to rashes and food allergies and sensitivities
• Temper, temper: get frustrated easily but will forget it fast and move on the next enterprise
• Play hard, nap hard
• A “model employee”: like to do important jobs and do them right!
  
THE KAPHA CHILD:

• Participate joyfully!
• “I’m not ‘It’!”: observers rather than leaders
• Memory masters: will remember every fact and repeat them if you ask
• “I’d rather be playing”: napping takes a backseat to fun
• Very contented overall
• Watch out for imbalance: can become very possessive of Mom, Dad and his or her belongings
 
NOW YOU KNOW YOUR CHILD’S DOSHA. THE NEXT STEP?
 DIAGNOSE THEIR WEIGHT PROBLEM!