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More Benefits of Weight Loss
EILEEN M. BARR, D.O.
More Benefits of Weight Loss
Since body weight has a profound impact on health, it is not only beneficial to lose weight for energy and confidence, but for disease prevention and improved longevity. Obesity is linked with conditions that cause death. These include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, high cholesterol and some cancers. You have the ability to live longer by obtaining a healthy weight.
Heart Disease:
- The strain of extra weight makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body.
- Untreated hypertension makes damage to blood vessels likely. High blood pressure risk is multiplied threefold by obesity and elevates the risk of heart disease nearly sixfold.
- For every pound of weight lost, blood pressure drops an average of 1mm hg.
- Even a 5% loss of body weight can reduce triglycerides (fats in the blood) which are linked to vascular and heart disease.
- Weight loss improves cholesterol levels- including harmful LDL cholesterol that contributes to plaque buildup.
- HDL cholesterol helps remove plaque from arteries and increases with exercise and weight loss.
Cancer:
- Types of cancer that have been linked to obesity include cancers of the breast, colon, esophagus, gallbladder, kidney and uterus. (According to the National Cancer Institute) If each American were to lose 2 pounds, nearly 100,000 new cases of cancer could be prevented!
- Remember that fat cells are metabolically active tissue that produces hormones that can then drive the development of cancer.
- Fat cells can also increase low-level chronic inflammation, which can promote cancer.
- Simply sitting more than six hours a day can increase cancer risk by 34% in females and by 17% in men. Rates are even higher if one does not exercise regularly.
Reflux:
- Heartburn that occurs more than three times a week is diagnosed as GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). Obesity makes this condition more likely. Corrosive stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus and can lead to Barrett’s esophagus. This can change the esophageal lining and possibly lead to cancer.
Sleep Apnea:
- With this condition, a person temporarily stops breathing many times during the night. It affects 3% of Americans.
- This condition can lead to daytime sleepiness, hypertension, heart attack, stroke and diabetes.
- While obesity is not the only cause of sleep apnea, volunteers who lost 9 lbs experienced fewer episodes of apnea and reduced progression of the disease.
Some other Medical Conditions related to Obesity:
- Headaches
- Early dementia
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Asthma
- Kidney disease
- Leg and Ankle swelling
- Lymphomas
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Depression and Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Gallstones
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Pancreatitis
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Infertility
- Erectile dysfunction
- Neuropathy
**If you are having difficulty losing weight, reach out and allow us to help you with the complicated disease of Obesity.**
EIGHT HORMONES THAT EFFECT WEIGHT
Sleep Tight
While the demand for energy drinks is up, and the claims of mental sharpness and resilience echo in the minds of the COVID-19 tired public, caution should also play a major role. While manufacturers need to follow safety limits for caffeine, most dietary supplements are not regulated and can easily make false healthy claims. Some energy drink ingredients must be self-regulated. As always I encourage you to read labels!
Many recognize that weight gain occurs more easily after forty and distributes in different areas of the body. There are many reasons why including activity level and body response to it, eating habits, hormones, fat storage changes, genes, smoking habits and more.
Whenever we’re told that weight loss can also mean muscle loss, heavy weights and crowded gyms may come to mind. While strength training is a critical part of maintaining our weight loss efforts, slowly and correctly doing any exercise is very important.
Vitamin B1: also called Thiamin, Vitamin B12: also called Cobalamin, Folic Acid: also called Folate. *Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin D, 25-OH, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH), Vitamin A, Plasma Retinal, Vitamin E, Plasma Alpha-Tocopherol, Vitamin K
Explore what your hunger has to tell you. Focus on feeling great and the looking part will follow. You can’t make anyone healthier. That decision we all come to on our own. Worst-case thinking makes life harder. Expect things to go smoothly for a change.
For some individuals, a gym membership offers motivation, companionship and education. There is the ability to learn techniques that are properly geared to your ability level. The wide variety of classes and equipment keep members challenged and hopefully interested in physical activity.
Explore what your hunger has to tell you. Focus on feeling great and the looking part will follow. You can’t make anyone healthier. That decision we all come to on our own.
While we are aware that weight is affected by multiple factors, some can’t be changed (genetics). However, there are far more factors that CAN be adjusted like behaviors and decisions.
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