Hypo-Hyperthyroid: Some Causes of Being Overweight or Hyperactive.
Body Types: Endomorph, Ectomorph, and Mesomorph
The second chapter is an important one. It is important for many reasons. Well, the first one is obvious, since it is one of the causes of being overweight, but the second is because I myself, have the disease. Hypothyroidism hits millions of Americans every year. Women can suffer from a mild temporary hypothyroidism, especially after their first child.
I’ve been dealing with this disease since my birth. Although it is under control, this disease has made me suffer many weight variations throughout my teenage years. From gaining 30 pounds, to losing them, I became the “Elastic Man”, some kind of national hero, I guess. Lucky for me, I haven’t seen any stretch marks on my body from gaining and losing this weight. For those who can’t quite understand their weight increase, I recommend making an appointment with an endocrinologist (gland specialist) and having a blood test to check it. How does the thyroid work? I am not a thyroid specialist, however, having that disease made me do a lot of research on it. Are you all ready? It’ll be technical.
Thyroid hormones enhance oxygen consumption of most body tissues and increase the basal metabolic rate and metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Thus, they exert a profound influence on every organ system and are of great importance in the development of the central nervous system. Through the hormones it produces, the thyroid gland influences almost all
of the metabolic processes in your body. Thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter that needs no treatment to life-threatening cancer. The most common thyroid problems involve abnormal production of thyroid hormones. Too much of these vital body chemicals results in a condition known as hyperthyroidism. Insufficient hormone production leads to hypothyroidism. Although the effects can be unpleasant or uncomfortable, most thyroid problems can be managed well if properly diagnosed and treated.
What Causes Them?
All types of hyperthyroidism are due to an overproduction of thyroid hormones, but the condition can occur in several ways: In Graves' disease, the release of excess hormones is triggered by an autoimmune disorder. For reasons that yet remain unknown, the body attacks the thyroid and causes it to spill out too much hormone. At other times, nodules called toxic adenomas develop in the thyroid gland and begin to secrete thyroid hormones, upsetting the body's chemical balance; some goiters may contain several of these nodules. Although rare, hyperthyroidism can also develop from pituitary gland malfunctions or from cancerous growths in the thyroid gland.
Hypothyroidism (which I suffer from), by contrast, stems from an underproduction of thyroid hormones. Since your body's energy production requires certain amounts of thyroid hormones, a drop in hormone production leads to lower energy levels. Hypothyroidism can also result when the thyroid gland has been surgically removed or chemically destroyed a treatment for hyperthyroidism. And if you are exposed to excessive amounts of iodide — perhaps from a hidden source such as cold and sinus medicines or from certain medical tests — you may be at greater risk for developing hypothyroidism, especially if you had thyroid problems in the past. If left untreated for long periods, hypothyroidism can bring on a myxedema coma, a rare but potentially fatal condition that requires immediate hormone injections.
Hypothyroidism poses a special danger to newborns and infants. A lack of thyroid hormones in the system at an early age can lead to the development of cretinism (mental retardation) and dwarfism (stunted growth). Most infants now have their thyroid levels checked routinely soon after birth. If they are hypothyroid, treatment begins immediately. In infants, as in adults, hypothyroidism can be due to a pituitary disorder, a defective thyroid, or lack of the gland entirely. Usually, a hypothyroid infant is inactive and quiet, has a poor appetite and sleeps for excessively long periods.
How can you determine if you suffer from either one of these diseases? Well, just like in the case of other medical problems, you will inevitably recognize some symptoms and your body will not be in full harmony.
Body Types: Endomorph, Ectomorph, and Mesomorph
The second chapter is an important one. It is important for many reasons. Well, the first one is obvious, since it is one of the causes of being overweight, but the second is because I myself, have the disease. Hypothyroidism hits millions of Americans every year. Women can suffer from a mild temporary hypothyroidism, especially after their first child.
I’ve been dealing with this disease since my birth. Although it is under control, this disease has made me suffer many weight variations throughout my teenage years. From gaining 30 pounds, to losing them, I became the “Elastic Man”, some kind of national hero, I guess. Lucky for me, I haven’t seen any stretch marks on my body from gaining and losing this weight. For those who can’t quite understand their weight increase, I recommend making an appointment with an endocrinologist (gland specialist) and having a blood test to check it. How does the thyroid work? I am not a thyroid specialist, however, having that disease made me do a lot of research on it. Are you all ready? It’ll be technical.
Thyroid hormones enhance oxygen consumption of most body tissues and increase the basal metabolic rate and metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Thus, they exert a profound influence on every organ system and are of great importance in the development of the central nervous system. Through the hormones it produces, the thyroid gland influences almost all
of the metabolic processes in your body. Thyroid disorders can range from a small, harmless goiter that needs no treatment to life-threatening cancer. The most common thyroid problems involve abnormal production of thyroid hormones. Too much of these vital body chemicals results in a condition known as hyperthyroidism. Insufficient hormone production leads to hypothyroidism. Although the effects can be unpleasant or uncomfortable, most thyroid problems can be managed well if properly diagnosed and treated.
What Causes Them?
All types of hyperthyroidism are due to an overproduction of thyroid hormones, but the condition can occur in several ways: In Graves' disease, the release of excess hormones is triggered by an autoimmune disorder. For reasons that yet remain unknown, the body attacks the thyroid and causes it to spill out too much hormone. At other times, nodules called toxic adenomas develop in the thyroid gland and begin to secrete thyroid hormones, upsetting the body's chemical balance; some goiters may contain several of these nodules. Although rare, hyperthyroidism can also develop from pituitary gland malfunctions or from cancerous growths in the thyroid gland.
Hypothyroidism (which I suffer from), by contrast, stems from an underproduction of thyroid hormones. Since your body's energy production requires certain amounts of thyroid hormones, a drop in hormone production leads to lower energy levels. Hypothyroidism can also result when the thyroid gland has been surgically removed or chemically destroyed a treatment for hyperthyroidism. And if you are exposed to excessive amounts of iodide — perhaps from a hidden source such as cold and sinus medicines or from certain medical tests — you may be at greater risk for developing hypothyroidism, especially if you had thyroid problems in the past. If left untreated for long periods, hypothyroidism can bring on a myxedema coma, a rare but potentially fatal condition that requires immediate hormone injections.
Hypothyroidism poses a special danger to newborns and infants. A lack of thyroid hormones in the system at an early age can lead to the development of cretinism (mental retardation) and dwarfism (stunted growth). Most infants now have their thyroid levels checked routinely soon after birth. If they are hypothyroid, treatment begins immediately. In infants, as in adults, hypothyroidism can be due to a pituitary disorder, a defective thyroid, or lack of the gland entirely. Usually, a hypothyroid infant is inactive and quiet, has a poor appetite and sleeps for excessively long periods.
How can you determine if you suffer from either one of these diseases? Well, just like in the case of other medical problems, you will inevitably recognize some symptoms and your body will not be in full harmony.
Hypoglycemia: Diabetes and Other Related Diseases
I do believe that it is important to give the basic information and understand in more detail what causes obesity in this day and age. I will not write these articles like a medical encyclopedia and bore you to tears like other blogs out there. I will make it user-friendly, and of course, a bit more sarcastic. However, for you to understand the rest of the information, you will need to bear with me and keep on reading.
Let’s start by explaining what “hypoglycemia” is.
“Glucose”, a type of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when blood levels of glucose drop too low to fuel the body's activities.
Carbohydrates (sugars and starches, explained later in the book) are the body's main dietary sources of glucose. During digestion, the glucose is absorbed into the blood stream (hence the term "blood sugar"), which carries it to every cell in the body. Unused glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen.
Hypoglycemia can occur as a complication of diabetes, as a condition in itself, or in association with other disorders.
The normal range for blood sugar is about 60 mg/dl (milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood) to 120 mg/dl, depending on when a person last ate. In the fasting state, blood sugar can occasionally fall below 60 mg/dl and even to below 50 mg/dl and not indicate a serious abnormality or disease. This can be seen in healthy women, particularly after prolonged fasting. Blood sugar levels below 45 mg/dl are always associated with a serious abnormality. Most of us will not let the levels reach that low. You will feel dizzy, cranky, and have low energy. I don’t recommend socializing in this state — you might make more enemies than friends.
Your body works with you to level the blood sugar and avoid going into shock. The amount of glucose in the blood is controlled mainly by the hormones insulin (secreted by the pancreas) and glucagon. Too much or too little of these hormones can cause blood sugar levels to fall too low (hypoglycemia) or rise too high (hyperglycemia). Other hormones that influence blood sugar levels are cortisol, growth hormone, and catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine). Isn’t this too technical for you? It is for me!
The pancreas, a gland in the upper abdomen, produces insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is dotted with hormone-producing tissue called the Islets of Langerhans, which contain alpha and beta cells. When blood sugar rises after a meal, the beta cells release insulin. The insulin helps glucose enter body cells, lowering blood levels of glucose to the normal range. When blood sugar drops too low, the alpha cells secrete glucagon. This signals the liver to release stored glycogen and change it back to glucose, raising blood sugar levels to the normal range. Muscles also store glycogen that can be converted to glucose. For those with different levels of diabetes, injection of insulin is important since the pancreas doesn’t work properly. Since insulin controls the blood sugar level in your body, it’s required so it won’t affect other organs in your body.
What Are the Symptoms for Those Suffering from Hypoglycemia?
A person with hypoglycemia may feel weak, drowsy, confused, hungry, and dizzy. Paleness, headaches, irritability, trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and a cold, clammy feeling are also signs of low blood sugar. In severe cases, a person can lose consciousness and even lapse into a coma.
The symptoms associated with hypoglycemia are sometimes mistaken for symptoms caused by conditions not related to blood sugar. For example, unusual stress and anxiety can cause excess production of catecholamine, resulting in symptoms similar to those caused by hypoglycemia but that are not related to blood sugar levels.
You must be wondering what the relation is between hypoglycemia and diabetes?
The most common cause of hypoglycemia is a complication of diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body cannot use glucose for fuel because either the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin or the insulin that is available is not effective. Consequently, glucose builds up in the blood instead of getting into body cells.
The aim of the treatment of diabetes is to lower high blood sugar levels. To do this, people with diabetes may follow a specific diet to control glucose intake or use insulin or oral drugs, depending on the type of diabetes they have or the severity of their condition. Hypoglycemia occurs most often in people who use insulin to lower their blood sugar. All people with type I diabetes and some people with type II diabetes use insulin. People with type II diabetes that take oral drugs are also vulnerable to low blood sugar episodes.
Conditions that can lead to hypoglycemia in people with diabetes include taking too much medication, missing or delaying a meal, eating too little food for the amount of insulin taken, exercising too strenuously, drinking too much alcohol, or any combination of these factors. People who have diabetes often refer to hypoglycemia as an “insulin reaction”.
Because they are attuned to their symptoms, people with diabetes can usually recognize when their blood sugar levels are dropping too low. They can treat the condition quickly by eating or drinking something with sugar in it such as candy, juice, or non-diet soda. People with type I diabetes are most vulnerable to severe insulin reactions which can cause loss of consciousness. A few patients with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes may develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness in which they have difficulty recognizing the symptoms of low blood sugar. For emergency use for patients with type I diabetes, physicians often prescribe an injectable form of the hormone glucagon. A glucagon injection quickly eases the symptoms of low blood sugar, releasing a burst of glucose into the blood. Emergency medical help may be needed if the person does not recover within a few minutes after treatment for hypoglycemia. A person suffering a severe insulin reaction may be admitted to the hospital so that the blood sugar level can be stabilized.
People with diabetes can reduce or prevent episodes of hypoglycemia by monitoring their blood sugar levels frequently and learning to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar and the situations that may trigger it. They should consult their health care providers for advice about the best way to treat low blood sugar. Friends and relatives should know about the symptoms of hypoglycemia and how to treat it in case of an emergency.
The best way to control hypoglycemia is through a diet similar to that used to control diabetes: a reduction in simple sugars, a large intake of complex carbohydrates, and frequent meals. Candy, sodas, and even fruit juices (which manufacturers often sweeten with lots of sugar) all are high in sugar and should be avoided, or only on extreme circumstances, as mentioned above. Foods that are high in soluble dietary fiber slow carbohydrate absorption and help prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels. For some, fruits may also be a good addition as fructose — the natural sugar in most fruits — does not require insulin to be absorbed into the body cells.
Also recommended is an increase in meal frequency. Eating more than three meals per day helps maintain blood sugar levels and prevent the onset of hypoglycemic symptoms. The menu below is a one-day meal plan that puts these hypoglycemia guidelines into action.
Breakfast
1 cup of hot whole grain cereal like oatmeal or oatbran
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 piece of fruit
Mid Morning Snack
1 slice of slice of whole wheat bread and celery sticks
Lunch
Salad with uncooked vegetables, beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, etc.), sunflower seeds, and a non-fat dressing
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 piece of fruit (strawberries or raspberries are preferable)
Snack
4 crackers (preferably whole wheat)
1 piece of fruit
Dinner
1 cup brown rice or pasta or 1 large baked potato
1/2 cup beans or tofu
1 to 2 cups cooked vegetables (good source of fiber)
Snack
1 to 2 pieces of fruit
I do believe that it is important to give the basic information and understand in more detail what causes obesity in this day and age. I will not write these articles like a medical encyclopedia and bore you to tears like other blogs out there. I will make it user-friendly, and of course, a bit more sarcastic. However, for you to understand the rest of the information, you will need to bear with me and keep on reading.
Let’s start by explaining what “hypoglycemia” is.
“Glucose”, a type of sugar, is the body's main fuel. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when blood levels of glucose drop too low to fuel the body's activities.
Carbohydrates (sugars and starches, explained later in the book) are the body's main dietary sources of glucose. During digestion, the glucose is absorbed into the blood stream (hence the term "blood sugar"), which carries it to every cell in the body. Unused glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen.
Hypoglycemia can occur as a complication of diabetes, as a condition in itself, or in association with other disorders.
The normal range for blood sugar is about 60 mg/dl (milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood) to 120 mg/dl, depending on when a person last ate. In the fasting state, blood sugar can occasionally fall below 60 mg/dl and even to below 50 mg/dl and not indicate a serious abnormality or disease. This can be seen in healthy women, particularly after prolonged fasting. Blood sugar levels below 45 mg/dl are always associated with a serious abnormality. Most of us will not let the levels reach that low. You will feel dizzy, cranky, and have low energy. I don’t recommend socializing in this state — you might make more enemies than friends.
Your body works with you to level the blood sugar and avoid going into shock. The amount of glucose in the blood is controlled mainly by the hormones insulin (secreted by the pancreas) and glucagon. Too much or too little of these hormones can cause blood sugar levels to fall too low (hypoglycemia) or rise too high (hyperglycemia). Other hormones that influence blood sugar levels are cortisol, growth hormone, and catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine). Isn’t this too technical for you? It is for me!
The pancreas, a gland in the upper abdomen, produces insulin and glucagon. The pancreas is dotted with hormone-producing tissue called the Islets of Langerhans, which contain alpha and beta cells. When blood sugar rises after a meal, the beta cells release insulin. The insulin helps glucose enter body cells, lowering blood levels of glucose to the normal range. When blood sugar drops too low, the alpha cells secrete glucagon. This signals the liver to release stored glycogen and change it back to glucose, raising blood sugar levels to the normal range. Muscles also store glycogen that can be converted to glucose. For those with different levels of diabetes, injection of insulin is important since the pancreas doesn’t work properly. Since insulin controls the blood sugar level in your body, it’s required so it won’t affect other organs in your body.
What Are the Symptoms for Those Suffering from Hypoglycemia?
A person with hypoglycemia may feel weak, drowsy, confused, hungry, and dizzy. Paleness, headaches, irritability, trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and a cold, clammy feeling are also signs of low blood sugar. In severe cases, a person can lose consciousness and even lapse into a coma.
The symptoms associated with hypoglycemia are sometimes mistaken for symptoms caused by conditions not related to blood sugar. For example, unusual stress and anxiety can cause excess production of catecholamine, resulting in symptoms similar to those caused by hypoglycemia but that are not related to blood sugar levels.
You must be wondering what the relation is between hypoglycemia and diabetes?
The most common cause of hypoglycemia is a complication of diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the body cannot use glucose for fuel because either the pancreas is not able to make enough insulin or the insulin that is available is not effective. Consequently, glucose builds up in the blood instead of getting into body cells.
The aim of the treatment of diabetes is to lower high blood sugar levels. To do this, people with diabetes may follow a specific diet to control glucose intake or use insulin or oral drugs, depending on the type of diabetes they have or the severity of their condition. Hypoglycemia occurs most often in people who use insulin to lower their blood sugar. All people with type I diabetes and some people with type II diabetes use insulin. People with type II diabetes that take oral drugs are also vulnerable to low blood sugar episodes.
Conditions that can lead to hypoglycemia in people with diabetes include taking too much medication, missing or delaying a meal, eating too little food for the amount of insulin taken, exercising too strenuously, drinking too much alcohol, or any combination of these factors. People who have diabetes often refer to hypoglycemia as an “insulin reaction”.
Because they are attuned to their symptoms, people with diabetes can usually recognize when their blood sugar levels are dropping too low. They can treat the condition quickly by eating or drinking something with sugar in it such as candy, juice, or non-diet soda. People with type I diabetes are most vulnerable to severe insulin reactions which can cause loss of consciousness. A few patients with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes may develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness in which they have difficulty recognizing the symptoms of low blood sugar. For emergency use for patients with type I diabetes, physicians often prescribe an injectable form of the hormone glucagon. A glucagon injection quickly eases the symptoms of low blood sugar, releasing a burst of glucose into the blood. Emergency medical help may be needed if the person does not recover within a few minutes after treatment for hypoglycemia. A person suffering a severe insulin reaction may be admitted to the hospital so that the blood sugar level can be stabilized.
People with diabetes can reduce or prevent episodes of hypoglycemia by monitoring their blood sugar levels frequently and learning to recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar and the situations that may trigger it. They should consult their health care providers for advice about the best way to treat low blood sugar. Friends and relatives should know about the symptoms of hypoglycemia and how to treat it in case of an emergency.
The best way to control hypoglycemia is through a diet similar to that used to control diabetes: a reduction in simple sugars, a large intake of complex carbohydrates, and frequent meals. Candy, sodas, and even fruit juices (which manufacturers often sweeten with lots of sugar) all are high in sugar and should be avoided, or only on extreme circumstances, as mentioned above. Foods that are high in soluble dietary fiber slow carbohydrate absorption and help prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels. For some, fruits may also be a good addition as fructose — the natural sugar in most fruits — does not require insulin to be absorbed into the body cells.
Also recommended is an increase in meal frequency. Eating more than three meals per day helps maintain blood sugar levels and prevent the onset of hypoglycemic symptoms. The menu below is a one-day meal plan that puts these hypoglycemia guidelines into action.
Breakfast
1 cup of hot whole grain cereal like oatmeal or oatbran
1 slice of whole wheat bread
1 piece of fruit
Mid Morning Snack
1 slice of slice of whole wheat bread and celery sticks
Lunch
Salad with uncooked vegetables, beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, etc.), sunflower seeds, and a non-fat dressing
1 slice whole wheat bread
1 piece of fruit (strawberries or raspberries are preferable)
Snack
4 crackers (preferably whole wheat)
1 piece of fruit
Dinner
1 cup brown rice or pasta or 1 large baked potato
1/2 cup beans or tofu
1 to 2 cups cooked vegetables (good source of fiber)
Snack
1 to 2 pieces of fruit
Understanding what is going on in your body can be a very distasteful and depressing experience. Knowledge is power, make the best of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It did become frustrating, as many other out there suffering from the same disease. I decided to learn more about it. Understanding how the body functions gave me the tools to tackle the problem more efficiently. The questions: How can I lose the weight, if my thyroid is screwed up? How can I beat the odds? How can I look better and reach my goals, my realistic goals, that is? All these questions had been haunting me for years. I’ve talked to many doctors about that specific subject (losing weight, being hypothyroid). The verdict: Eat more of the right food all throughout the day and you will naturally accelerate your metabolism and lose weight. You will burn more calories while resting and even while sitting on your butt in front of the computer. By eating six to eight meals a day, you will get your digestive system working while accelerating your metabolism and burn fat.
Exercising, ladies and gentlemen, made as well, a world of difference. Anyone who claims that you don’t really need to exercise to lose weight is full of hot air. I admit it can be difficult to wake up every morning at 5:00 a.m. and drive to the gym while half-asleep. Once you are there, you need to actually work out. However, you will get used to it. You will start seeing drastic changes in your body and feel healthier. Exercise saved my life.
I took it to the extreme though: Bodybuilding.
You are getting frustrated with your lack of control and determination to eradicate this problem. You are getting tougher on yourself. You want to change. Well, this is what it’s all about. This is not just a New Year’s Resolution but a “Life Resolution”. You want to make a change and STICK TO IT. You are not cheating others by sneaking to the kitchen in the middle of the night and eating half a cheesecake. You are cheating yourself. I realized that myself.
This is your mission: Your mission to a better life: Your mission to a healthy life. We are bright enough to send astronauts to the moon, but stupid enough to eat that poison in fast food restaurants. You will read the next chapters in the book and eventually realize what you are putting in your body every day, while they, the “Fast Food Giants” put money in their pockets. You’ve seen the TV ads about how buying drugs helps finance terrorist organizations and we hear these people say: “I killed an innocent young kid today” or “I helped bomb a restaurant downtown and killed 15 people. All of this because I use drugs.” These examples are similar. However, the context is slightly different and they go this way: “I just helped clog the major arteries in my heart”. Any questions?
I hope that this introduction revealed some truth about society’s perception versus our own perception of obesity. I hope to have been straightforward in my comments and have inspired you to make a change. The only person to help you is you, yourself. You are the master of your own domain (no sexual connotation, as per Seinfeld episodes). You need to make a change as soon as possible. It is never too late.
You are ready to embark on a very interesting and fulfilling journey. Get ready to fasten your seatbelt. The ride will be long, somewhat bumpy along the way, but your only destination will be the one of a NEW LIFE. A healthy life.
It did become frustrating, as many other out there suffering from the same disease. I decided to learn more about it. Understanding how the body functions gave me the tools to tackle the problem more efficiently. The questions: How can I lose the weight, if my thyroid is screwed up? How can I beat the odds? How can I look better and reach my goals, my realistic goals, that is? All these questions had been haunting me for years. I’ve talked to many doctors about that specific subject (losing weight, being hypothyroid). The verdict: Eat more of the right food all throughout the day and you will naturally accelerate your metabolism and lose weight. You will burn more calories while resting and even while sitting on your butt in front of the computer. By eating six to eight meals a day, you will get your digestive system working while accelerating your metabolism and burn fat.
Exercising, ladies and gentlemen, made as well, a world of difference. Anyone who claims that you don’t really need to exercise to lose weight is full of hot air. I admit it can be difficult to wake up every morning at 5:00 a.m. and drive to the gym while half-asleep. Once you are there, you need to actually work out. However, you will get used to it. You will start seeing drastic changes in your body and feel healthier. Exercise saved my life.
I took it to the extreme though: Bodybuilding.
You are getting frustrated with your lack of control and determination to eradicate this problem. You are getting tougher on yourself. You want to change. Well, this is what it’s all about. This is not just a New Year’s Resolution but a “Life Resolution”. You want to make a change and STICK TO IT. You are not cheating others by sneaking to the kitchen in the middle of the night and eating half a cheesecake. You are cheating yourself. I realized that myself.
This is your mission: Your mission to a better life: Your mission to a healthy life. We are bright enough to send astronauts to the moon, but stupid enough to eat that poison in fast food restaurants. You will read the next chapters in the book and eventually realize what you are putting in your body every day, while they, the “Fast Food Giants” put money in their pockets. You’ve seen the TV ads about how buying drugs helps finance terrorist organizations and we hear these people say: “I killed an innocent young kid today” or “I helped bomb a restaurant downtown and killed 15 people. All of this because I use drugs.” These examples are similar. However, the context is slightly different and they go this way: “I just helped clog the major arteries in my heart”. Any questions?
I hope that this introduction revealed some truth about society’s perception versus our own perception of obesity. I hope to have been straightforward in my comments and have inspired you to make a change. The only person to help you is you, yourself. You are the master of your own domain (no sexual connotation, as per Seinfeld episodes). You need to make a change as soon as possible. It is never too late.
You are ready to embark on a very interesting and fulfilling journey. Get ready to fasten your seatbelt. The ride will be long, somewhat bumpy along the way, but your only destination will be the one of a NEW LIFE. A healthy life.
How Society Perceives You Versus How You Perceive Yourself
We all look at ourselves in the mirror (naked) from time to time to notice imperfections. We complain about it, yet don’t have the necessary motivation to make a change. If you look at the plastic surgery industry, however, some people actually do something about it. They go to extremes with liposuction or tummy tucks. How does society perceive overweight people? When people are obese, walking down the street can be humiliating for them. Others point them out and say to their young kids, and I quote: “You see this person, if you eat too much, you’ll look like him or her.” This shows how judgmental society can be.
We live in an era in which being thin is the only way to be. If you are predisposed to being overweight because of medical problems, you are well aware that those who judge have no understanding whatsoever of our situation. Surely, you’ve heard the phrase “The first impression is the only good impression.” That applies to many scenarios from job interviews to meeting the parents of your future spouse for the first time. Employers are fanatic about hiring sales people who are tall, muscular, and well mannered. Although the overweight candidate may have a better understanding of the job and what has to be done, the more muscular or thinner candidates will often have an advantage of being selected for the job. Since salespeople do represent the company as well as their reputation, employers can’t afford losing potential clients by having an overweight sales rep. Some readers will agree that society has come to a point at which whatever we do, it’s never enough. If we lose weight, we need to lose more. If we look good, we need to look better. Look at all the models whose career depends upon their bodies, the amount of pressure they have is unrelenting. They have to look a certain way upon demand. They can’t really enjoy food the way the rest of the world does. Many of them suffer from eating disorders. Some of them eat and vomit the food right before digestion can take place (bulimia), and others eat nothing (anorexia); all this to have the required figure. Now, is all that really healthy? Suffering from an eating disorder and restraining themselves from one of the pleasures of life (eating good food) will allow them to appear on the cover of popular magazines and make them impossible ideals for young and impressionable people to emulate. Will this cycle ever end? Society’s image is KILLING US. Let’s face it.
We are taking our bodies beyond the limit. We are starving to look our best or at least what society tells us is best. We are using drugs to accelerate our metabolism and burn more calories while resting. We are destroying our internal mechanisms to be thin. We’re pointing our fingers at those who have attained our ideal of the perfect body, saying how crazy they have to be to get their figures and especially dwell on all that they must have suffered along the way, but inside we all want to look like them. We try all the diets on the market hoping to lose weight and keep it off. You must have tried at least one of them; this is why you are reading this article. Probably nothing else has worked for long. You are trying to find the miracle diet, which will change your life forever and make you look the way you want. Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to reality. Each body is different. If you are genetically predisposed to be overweight or obese, it will be quite impossible to look like them. Your body is structured to be this way. You will lose weight, don’t get me wrong, but erase the possibility of being that “THIN”. It could be an unhealthy weight for your body type. I speak based on experience. I was overweight during my teenage years. My classmates saw me as an obese young boy with no friends. Young kids can be so cruel. Being teased all through grade school into high school can destroy your confidence. My only vice was my love for food. It became my best friend. It took over my world. Instead of doing something to change my eating habits and maybe my social life, I was becoming fatter. I didn’t find any alternatives; it seemed there was no way out. High school was the toughest years of my life. I am not the only one that suffered the same cruel treatment. Millions of overweight kids everywhere in the world are being teased at school. Pressure on these kids is everywhere. They are being teased and at the end of the day go back home and turn to food for consolation and comfort. They are then getting heavier and their parents usually don’t know how to help. It becomes a vicious cycle, like in my case. I had no one to turn to. I was alone, like many others suffering from obesity. Society perceives you as being a weak individual with no control. We look at food and jump on it as if it might be the last time we see it or taste it. I was like that. My parents used to cook great Mediterranean food and I made sure to empty my plate and ask for seconds and thirds. I did have a control problem. My weight had difficulty of controlling itself as well. I was getting bigger and fatter. So the cycle goes on and on. I continued eating, thinking that it was impossible for me to lose weight since I was suffering from a medical problem (I have a thyroid deficiency). Adding both situations together made me gain an enormous amount of weight and it was difficult to lose it. Solution: I set myself realistic goals, reevaluated my food addictions, and learnt more about thyroid deficiency and how the human body works. I analyzed the situation and took control. I would not let food take control of my life. What did I need to do next to make a change? I went for a visit to my endocrinologist. He checked my thyroid, explaining in more detail the problems I faced and how to work around them. Then the question became how was I going to play with Mother Nature and beat the odds. Suffering from a thyroid deficiency makes you prone to gain weight since the thyroid, the gland that control your metabolism, slows down and doesn’t function like a normal one. Since your metabolism is slowed down, you have the tendency to store fat from the food you eat. So calories are not burnt as fast and instead, are stored for later use. In return, you gain more weight, although you eat a small quantity of food. You can be on a very strict diet, but still gain weight. Been there, done that.
We all look at ourselves in the mirror (naked) from time to time to notice imperfections. We complain about it, yet don’t have the necessary motivation to make a change. If you look at the plastic surgery industry, however, some people actually do something about it. They go to extremes with liposuction or tummy tucks. How does society perceive overweight people? When people are obese, walking down the street can be humiliating for them. Others point them out and say to their young kids, and I quote: “You see this person, if you eat too much, you’ll look like him or her.” This shows how judgmental society can be.
We live in an era in which being thin is the only way to be. If you are predisposed to being overweight because of medical problems, you are well aware that those who judge have no understanding whatsoever of our situation. Surely, you’ve heard the phrase “The first impression is the only good impression.” That applies to many scenarios from job interviews to meeting the parents of your future spouse for the first time. Employers are fanatic about hiring sales people who are tall, muscular, and well mannered. Although the overweight candidate may have a better understanding of the job and what has to be done, the more muscular or thinner candidates will often have an advantage of being selected for the job. Since salespeople do represent the company as well as their reputation, employers can’t afford losing potential clients by having an overweight sales rep. Some readers will agree that society has come to a point at which whatever we do, it’s never enough. If we lose weight, we need to lose more. If we look good, we need to look better. Look at all the models whose career depends upon their bodies, the amount of pressure they have is unrelenting. They have to look a certain way upon demand. They can’t really enjoy food the way the rest of the world does. Many of them suffer from eating disorders. Some of them eat and vomit the food right before digestion can take place (bulimia), and others eat nothing (anorexia); all this to have the required figure. Now, is all that really healthy? Suffering from an eating disorder and restraining themselves from one of the pleasures of life (eating good food) will allow them to appear on the cover of popular magazines and make them impossible ideals for young and impressionable people to emulate. Will this cycle ever end? Society’s image is KILLING US. Let’s face it.
We are taking our bodies beyond the limit. We are starving to look our best or at least what society tells us is best. We are using drugs to accelerate our metabolism and burn more calories while resting. We are destroying our internal mechanisms to be thin. We’re pointing our fingers at those who have attained our ideal of the perfect body, saying how crazy they have to be to get their figures and especially dwell on all that they must have suffered along the way, but inside we all want to look like them. We try all the diets on the market hoping to lose weight and keep it off. You must have tried at least one of them; this is why you are reading this article. Probably nothing else has worked for long. You are trying to find the miracle diet, which will change your life forever and make you look the way you want. Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to reality. Each body is different. If you are genetically predisposed to be overweight or obese, it will be quite impossible to look like them. Your body is structured to be this way. You will lose weight, don’t get me wrong, but erase the possibility of being that “THIN”. It could be an unhealthy weight for your body type. I speak based on experience. I was overweight during my teenage years. My classmates saw me as an obese young boy with no friends. Young kids can be so cruel. Being teased all through grade school into high school can destroy your confidence. My only vice was my love for food. It became my best friend. It took over my world. Instead of doing something to change my eating habits and maybe my social life, I was becoming fatter. I didn’t find any alternatives; it seemed there was no way out. High school was the toughest years of my life. I am not the only one that suffered the same cruel treatment. Millions of overweight kids everywhere in the world are being teased at school. Pressure on these kids is everywhere. They are being teased and at the end of the day go back home and turn to food for consolation and comfort. They are then getting heavier and their parents usually don’t know how to help. It becomes a vicious cycle, like in my case. I had no one to turn to. I was alone, like many others suffering from obesity. Society perceives you as being a weak individual with no control. We look at food and jump on it as if it might be the last time we see it or taste it. I was like that. My parents used to cook great Mediterranean food and I made sure to empty my plate and ask for seconds and thirds. I did have a control problem. My weight had difficulty of controlling itself as well. I was getting bigger and fatter. So the cycle goes on and on. I continued eating, thinking that it was impossible for me to lose weight since I was suffering from a medical problem (I have a thyroid deficiency). Adding both situations together made me gain an enormous amount of weight and it was difficult to lose it. Solution: I set myself realistic goals, reevaluated my food addictions, and learnt more about thyroid deficiency and how the human body works. I analyzed the situation and took control. I would not let food take control of my life. What did I need to do next to make a change? I went for a visit to my endocrinologist. He checked my thyroid, explaining in more detail the problems I faced and how to work around them. Then the question became how was I going to play with Mother Nature and beat the odds. Suffering from a thyroid deficiency makes you prone to gain weight since the thyroid, the gland that control your metabolism, slows down and doesn’t function like a normal one. Since your metabolism is slowed down, you have the tendency to store fat from the food you eat. So calories are not burnt as fast and instead, are stored for later use. In return, you gain more weight, although you eat a small quantity of food. You can be on a very strict diet, but still gain weight. Been there, done that.
Corporate America has to get involved. For every dollar spent on the prevention of obesity and the promotion of fitness, corporations will see many more back in reduced healthcare expenses. “Fitness awareness must start in school, not the workplace,” says Foreyt. “We have to help adults, of course, but the future depends on the kids, who now spend more time watching TV than they spend in school.” Kids are the ones who eat the most unhealthy snacks since most of their days are spent in school or an after care program where fatty snacks are readily available. Education is not fulfilling its purpose. We have to teach these kids good eating habits to assure a good future for them. We see academic curricula that include sex education for seventh, eighth and ninth graders. How about more attention to health education, followed by support from the school systems? How about removing all unhealthy snacks in vending machines from schools and other academic institutions? The following study devotes an entire chapter to the vending machine industry as well as the damage done to the health of children. Educating students about healthy eating habits in school will prevent obesity in these children, soon to become adults.
The damage doesn’t stop here though. Processed food also damages your health. All fast food companies are making money by destroying your health. The amazing thing is that people continue ordering the same food day after day for lunch and sometimes even for dinner. Adults are participating and becoming negative role models in this epidemic. We are all very busy with our schedules and are unable to find time to eat properly. This is where education starts. All corporations and academic institutions should offer seminars to their employees or students and take the time to fulfill the needs of the population by helping them understand the importance in becoming, being, or staying healthy.
Nowadays anyone who desires to lose weight to protect his or her health is virtually alone in the process. Doctors, insurance companies and the government don’t offer any help. Here are some statistics that might shock you. Between 1989 and 1996, Americans ate an average of 163 more calories a day and has gained 15 pounds since 1980. Only 1 in 5 adults eats the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables. A total of 22% of Americans get the recommended weekly amount of physical activity. Now the big shocker: 120 million Americans are overweight or obese. With commuting (with cars or public transportation) from home to school or work, more Americans have reduced the trips they take on foot by 42 percent. No wonder their activity levels have dropped drastically. Many people don’t feel the need to lose weight since their doctors have repeatedly mentioned to them that they are in perfect health. If their blood pressure and cholesterol levels are stable, the majority of doctors will not urge patients to lose weight until the patients already have an obesity-related disease. Why are these doctors opting for a reactive instead of a proactive attitude? Why wait for these patients to develop diabetes or worse, medical problems, before reacting to the present situation? “The medical profession has ignored obesity since forever,” says Arthur Frank, M.D., who runs the George Washington University Weight Management Program in Washington, D.C. Most doctors, just like the rest of society, have viewed being overweight as a failure of character, not a medical condition. To them obesity means that people eat too much and have no self-control.
Many doctors nowadays, lack knowledge in the field of nutrition. It seems they never took the time to study this section of their medical textbooks. Where did they go wrong? Are we educating our doctors properly in that field, or is it left to nutritionists and dietitians to take care of obesity in our country? Medical schools should add nutrition classes to their curriculum. Currently only about a third of U.S. medical schools require aspiring physicians to take nutrition classes, even fewer teach students how to help patients lose weight. That’s not to say that there aren’t doctors out there trying to tackle America’s epidemic. However, most of them think the same: “Helping patients lose weight doesn’t pay.” Insurance companies will cover the cost of insulin once your obesity has led to diabetes and they’ll pay the medication for treating your high cholesterol. They’ll even cover the cost of your triple bypass once your arteries are clogged due to the poor diet you’ve maintained for years.
How can we fight this disastrous disease and some of the problems we discussed earlier?
Probable solutions:
• We need to educate our children in schools around the country and limit or eliminate unhealthy snacks (in vending machines) from their schools.
• We must encourage restaurant owners to implement healthy menus for their customers and demand healthy menus from fast food restaurants all over the United States by eliminating processed meat and cheese from their establishments.
• We must demand that health insurance companies cover more of the medical expenses for diets and health foods prescribed by doctors.
• We must convince Congress to pass a bill that allows us to deduct fees for personal training in gyms around the country.
These are mere examples on how we could make our country a healthier place to live.
You have chosen a path, ladies and gentlemen, a path to a healthy lifestyle. You will master the principle in which good health and nutrition needn’t require eating like a bird. You only need to eat right: at the right time of the day with a healthy combination of foods.
This book will show you:
• That you don’t get fat because you eat a lot, but because you make poor food choices.
• How to manage your food intake while making sure that you burn fat with the help of a well-balanced exercise regimen.
You’ll realize there are no miracle cures to be had from the companies who promise you success if you only use their products. You will probably lose some weight temporarily, but it will come back. Sometimes you even gain more than what you lost during the diet.
This book is not a diet, in and of itself, it is a new way of eating which will allow you to manage your weight and will not deprive you of the pleasures of life.
You’ll regain the full energy levels that you had in your younger years just by slightly changing your eating habits.
Our mission, if we wish to accept it, is to prevent and eradicate every form of diseases related to obesity in our country. We must implement the program in corporate America and help employers and employees in the workforce learn how to eat with health in mind. We must educate our children in schools around the country and eliminate unhealthy snacks from their schools. We must encourage restaurant owners to implement healthy menus for their customers. We must demand healthy menus from fast food restaurants across the United States which will make it possible to order a meal that does not contain processed meats and cheeses. Let’s lobby Congress for a bill to invest more money in helping those who want to make a dietary change in their lives. We must force health insurance companies to cover most of the medical expenses for diets and health foods prescribed by doctors. We need to be able to get tax breaks so we can deduct expenses for personal training in gyms around the country. These are mere examples of how to make our country a healthy place to live.
The damage doesn’t stop here though. Processed food also damages your health. All fast food companies are making money by destroying your health. The amazing thing is that people continue ordering the same food day after day for lunch and sometimes even for dinner. Adults are participating and becoming negative role models in this epidemic. We are all very busy with our schedules and are unable to find time to eat properly. This is where education starts. All corporations and academic institutions should offer seminars to their employees or students and take the time to fulfill the needs of the population by helping them understand the importance in becoming, being, or staying healthy.
Nowadays anyone who desires to lose weight to protect his or her health is virtually alone in the process. Doctors, insurance companies and the government don’t offer any help. Here are some statistics that might shock you. Between 1989 and 1996, Americans ate an average of 163 more calories a day and has gained 15 pounds since 1980. Only 1 in 5 adults eats the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables. A total of 22% of Americans get the recommended weekly amount of physical activity. Now the big shocker: 120 million Americans are overweight or obese. With commuting (with cars or public transportation) from home to school or work, more Americans have reduced the trips they take on foot by 42 percent. No wonder their activity levels have dropped drastically. Many people don’t feel the need to lose weight since their doctors have repeatedly mentioned to them that they are in perfect health. If their blood pressure and cholesterol levels are stable, the majority of doctors will not urge patients to lose weight until the patients already have an obesity-related disease. Why are these doctors opting for a reactive instead of a proactive attitude? Why wait for these patients to develop diabetes or worse, medical problems, before reacting to the present situation? “The medical profession has ignored obesity since forever,” says Arthur Frank, M.D., who runs the George Washington University Weight Management Program in Washington, D.C. Most doctors, just like the rest of society, have viewed being overweight as a failure of character, not a medical condition. To them obesity means that people eat too much and have no self-control.
Many doctors nowadays, lack knowledge in the field of nutrition. It seems they never took the time to study this section of their medical textbooks. Where did they go wrong? Are we educating our doctors properly in that field, or is it left to nutritionists and dietitians to take care of obesity in our country? Medical schools should add nutrition classes to their curriculum. Currently only about a third of U.S. medical schools require aspiring physicians to take nutrition classes, even fewer teach students how to help patients lose weight. That’s not to say that there aren’t doctors out there trying to tackle America’s epidemic. However, most of them think the same: “Helping patients lose weight doesn’t pay.” Insurance companies will cover the cost of insulin once your obesity has led to diabetes and they’ll pay the medication for treating your high cholesterol. They’ll even cover the cost of your triple bypass once your arteries are clogged due to the poor diet you’ve maintained for years.
How can we fight this disastrous disease and some of the problems we discussed earlier?
Probable solutions:
• We need to educate our children in schools around the country and limit or eliminate unhealthy snacks (in vending machines) from their schools.
• We must encourage restaurant owners to implement healthy menus for their customers and demand healthy menus from fast food restaurants all over the United States by eliminating processed meat and cheese from their establishments.
• We must demand that health insurance companies cover more of the medical expenses for diets and health foods prescribed by doctors.
• We must convince Congress to pass a bill that allows us to deduct fees for personal training in gyms around the country.
These are mere examples on how we could make our country a healthier place to live.
You have chosen a path, ladies and gentlemen, a path to a healthy lifestyle. You will master the principle in which good health and nutrition needn’t require eating like a bird. You only need to eat right: at the right time of the day with a healthy combination of foods.
This book will show you:
• That you don’t get fat because you eat a lot, but because you make poor food choices.
• How to manage your food intake while making sure that you burn fat with the help of a well-balanced exercise regimen.
You’ll realize there are no miracle cures to be had from the companies who promise you success if you only use their products. You will probably lose some weight temporarily, but it will come back. Sometimes you even gain more than what you lost during the diet.
This book is not a diet, in and of itself, it is a new way of eating which will allow you to manage your weight and will not deprive you of the pleasures of life.
You’ll regain the full energy levels that you had in your younger years just by slightly changing your eating habits.
Our mission, if we wish to accept it, is to prevent and eradicate every form of diseases related to obesity in our country. We must implement the program in corporate America and help employers and employees in the workforce learn how to eat with health in mind. We must educate our children in schools around the country and eliminate unhealthy snacks from their schools. We must encourage restaurant owners to implement healthy menus for their customers. We must demand healthy menus from fast food restaurants across the United States which will make it possible to order a meal that does not contain processed meats and cheeses. Let’s lobby Congress for a bill to invest more money in helping those who want to make a dietary change in their lives. We must force health insurance companies to cover most of the medical expenses for diets and health foods prescribed by doctors. We need to be able to get tax breaks so we can deduct expenses for personal training in gyms around the country. These are mere examples of how to make our country a healthy place to live.
The beginning of the Obesity plague:
While the United States may be the richest country in the world, it also tops the list as the most extreme when it comes to obesity per capita. Far too often ignorance is regarded as bliss when it comes to food and its effect on the body. Many people adhere to diets and eating patterns that have no positive effect on the body or fail within a few months.
Staying on a diet has become one of the hardest tasks in today’s society, and sometimes it is even harder than maintaining a successful marriage. Many of us in search of the perfect body and perfect health all too often find that the results of our efforts and objectives fall short of our expectations. We try diet after diet only to realize, down the road, that we have spent an average of as much as 20% of our annual budget on the futile pursuit of reaching what we consider to be our ideal weight. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers obesity to be a disease, the government is spending roughly $16 million annually on programs that prevent obesity by promoting nutrition and physical activity. In comparison, it spends almost $100 million on programs that control tobacco addiction. Margo Wootan, D.Sc., a nutrition scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., claims “Poor diet and inactivity kill as many people as tobacco. The investment in nutrition and physical activity programs pales in comparison to their impact on health”.
According to the CDC, 56.4% of U.S. adults are overweight. Depending on the year being surveyed, a “hefty” 19 - 28% of the population is officially obese. These numbers have jumped by 61% over the past decade, because 27% of us don’t engage in any physical activity and another 28.2% aren’t regularly active.
Can this disease place itself in the ranking alongside the category of HIV-infected people? Obesity, which now is considered a national disease, claims its victims after decades of weakening their hearts, blowing holes in their arteries, suffocating their organs and grinding their joints. Aside from being publicly shunned, many doctors don’t know how to treat obesity. Obesity is not just a national case of bad eating habits; obesity is a real disease and a public health crisis.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends approximately 1% of its annual budget on obesity research. In 2001 it designated $226 million for the study of obesity. By comparison, it allotted $2 billion for research concerning cardiovascular disease and diabetes (diseases in which obesity is the major risk factor). So what is it that causes people to become grossly overweight? Is it heredity so that we are destined to be obese for the rest of our lives? Is it a lack of motivation to push ourselves to the gym every morning and eat healthier to reach our ideal weight? “Promoting healthy lifestyles should be a national priority,” declared Frank Vinicor, M.D., and Director of the CDC’s Diabetes Program. These days, public health officials have enough on their plates without having to worry about the junk food on ours.
Obesity, an enormous challenge for the country, is a deadly disease that must be eradicated. There are a myriad of diets on the market that attempt to inspire individuals and communities to enlist in the fight against fat. In terms of annual costs of this disease for the country, every year an estimated 300,000 Americans die from obesity-related causes. The direct cost of obesity and inactivity accounts for nearly 10% of all healthcare expenses. The “Fat” epidemic has reached such a high level among the U.S. population that obesity now has the potential “to bankrupt our country,” warns John Foreyt, Ph.D., Director of the Nutrition Research Clinic at Houston Baylor College of Medicine. “People are living longer, but we’re living fatter with chronic health problems and reduced quality of life.” If the current trends continue, “half of America will be obese by 2010,” says Todd Whitthorne, producer of the syndicated show Healthy Living with Dr. Cooper. That is eight more years before 150 million Americans are at enormous risk. This is a truly discouraging statistic.
“Obesity levels have increased sixty percent across the nation since 1996 affecting more than seventy million Americans,” reports ABC News. Many blame overeating for this increase but food is only part of the problem. What many don't realize is that the never-ending supply of labor saving and prepared food has greatly attributed to the obesity problem by actually changing the environment (due to increased technology) that we work and live in.
Obesity is such a major problem in the United States that the number of obese Americans is higher than the number who smokes, use illegal drugs, or suffer from physical ailments. It has been linked to multiple health issues that plague our nation such as diabetes and heart problems. Not only have machinery and labor saving devices changed the work environment, more Americans than ever work in offices or other sedentary settings where employees do not have time for physical activity throughout the day due to their work environment.
Along with the lack of physical activity at work, technology has also led to decreased levels of physical activity in our leisure time. Many Americans work so many hours each week that they prefer spending their limited time off relaxing.
One way of relaxing is taking the shortcuts that technology offers us. These shortcuts appear all through our lives and we may not even know it. If you pay attention, you will notice that many Americans choose to use an escalator or elevator instead of using the stairs. We would rather drive our cars than have to walk or ride a bicycle anywhere. Instead of going outside to play, many children sit at home watching television or playing video games that are available in abundance these days. This lack of enthusiasm for physical activity worries many experts. These experts wonder whether “the simple act of walking will be eliminated by devices that make maneuvering in urban environments easier.” (foot notes:2.Willis)
And of course, technology has changed our environment so much that it affects the food that we eat. Instead of eating the types of food that are part of a balanced diet, many Americans choose to eat unhealthy, cheap, and convenient food. Instead of making a meal at home, we would rather go out to a fast food restaurant where we don't even have to get out of our cars to eat. If we do choose to eat at home, we have the convenience of frozen dinners that we can prepare while watching TV. Or we can have food delivered to us. All around our new environment are vending machines that give us easy access to junk food and candy. It is this easiness of getting food that technology has given us that has greatly attributed to America's obesity problem.
Finally, technology has caused many to believe that actions do not have consequences. If someone is overweight, doctors will be able to fix it with such things as liposuction. There are constant advertisements on TV about new inventions that claim to slim you down in just five minutes a day. People believe that taking certain types of drugs will take off weight without having to exercise. However, this has proven very dangerous with such drugs as Fen-Phen, which causes permanent heart problems. We are programmed to always look for the quick fix in life, and solving a weight problem is not an exception.
Getting fat is deeply ingrained in American culture. Physicians and public advocates have had little to offer overweight Americans but the same “eat less, exercise more” message. The problem is not the message. It is indeed the solution to combating obesity and losing excess pounds. “The average person who is obese knows what they are supposed to eat,” says Charles Billington, M.D., a leading obesity specialist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “They can do it conceptually, but they can’t do it for real.”
Portion size contributes as well to the obesity problem in America. More deli’s and fast food restaurants are offering more, for less. The “Big Meal” concept is ingrained in the American culture. The original muffin was 2 oz, now it has increased up to 4 and 5 oz. It seems it (the muffin, of course) had been injected with anabolic steroids.
What is shocking is the fact that hospitals, which are supposed to promote a healthier environment for patients, have opened their doors to fast food joints. In San Diego, St. Louis, and Chicago, you can be admitted for a triple bypass surgery and then, before checking-out of the hospital, can stop by the fast food counter and order a Big Mac. Not a bad strategy for re-clogging your arteries.
The average child is exposed to 10,000 food advertisements a year and spends more time in front of the TV than on any other activity, except sleeping. “We have spent years and years trying to figure out why an individual is overweight and almost no time thinking about why the nation is overweight,” says Kelly D. Brownell, from the Yale Center of Weight and Eating Disorders. His answer: “It’s the environment.”
While the United States may be the richest country in the world, it also tops the list as the most extreme when it comes to obesity per capita. Far too often ignorance is regarded as bliss when it comes to food and its effect on the body. Many people adhere to diets and eating patterns that have no positive effect on the body or fail within a few months.
Staying on a diet has become one of the hardest tasks in today’s society, and sometimes it is even harder than maintaining a successful marriage. Many of us in search of the perfect body and perfect health all too often find that the results of our efforts and objectives fall short of our expectations. We try diet after diet only to realize, down the road, that we have spent an average of as much as 20% of our annual budget on the futile pursuit of reaching what we consider to be our ideal weight. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers obesity to be a disease, the government is spending roughly $16 million annually on programs that prevent obesity by promoting nutrition and physical activity. In comparison, it spends almost $100 million on programs that control tobacco addiction. Margo Wootan, D.Sc., a nutrition scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C., claims “Poor diet and inactivity kill as many people as tobacco. The investment in nutrition and physical activity programs pales in comparison to their impact on health”.
According to the CDC, 56.4% of U.S. adults are overweight. Depending on the year being surveyed, a “hefty” 19 - 28% of the population is officially obese. These numbers have jumped by 61% over the past decade, because 27% of us don’t engage in any physical activity and another 28.2% aren’t regularly active.
Can this disease place itself in the ranking alongside the category of HIV-infected people? Obesity, which now is considered a national disease, claims its victims after decades of weakening their hearts, blowing holes in their arteries, suffocating their organs and grinding their joints. Aside from being publicly shunned, many doctors don’t know how to treat obesity. Obesity is not just a national case of bad eating habits; obesity is a real disease and a public health crisis.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) spends approximately 1% of its annual budget on obesity research. In 2001 it designated $226 million for the study of obesity. By comparison, it allotted $2 billion for research concerning cardiovascular disease and diabetes (diseases in which obesity is the major risk factor). So what is it that causes people to become grossly overweight? Is it heredity so that we are destined to be obese for the rest of our lives? Is it a lack of motivation to push ourselves to the gym every morning and eat healthier to reach our ideal weight? “Promoting healthy lifestyles should be a national priority,” declared Frank Vinicor, M.D., and Director of the CDC’s Diabetes Program. These days, public health officials have enough on their plates without having to worry about the junk food on ours.
Obesity, an enormous challenge for the country, is a deadly disease that must be eradicated. There are a myriad of diets on the market that attempt to inspire individuals and communities to enlist in the fight against fat. In terms of annual costs of this disease for the country, every year an estimated 300,000 Americans die from obesity-related causes. The direct cost of obesity and inactivity accounts for nearly 10% of all healthcare expenses. The “Fat” epidemic has reached such a high level among the U.S. population that obesity now has the potential “to bankrupt our country,” warns John Foreyt, Ph.D., Director of the Nutrition Research Clinic at Houston Baylor College of Medicine. “People are living longer, but we’re living fatter with chronic health problems and reduced quality of life.” If the current trends continue, “half of America will be obese by 2010,” says Todd Whitthorne, producer of the syndicated show Healthy Living with Dr. Cooper. That is eight more years before 150 million Americans are at enormous risk. This is a truly discouraging statistic.
“Obesity levels have increased sixty percent across the nation since 1996 affecting more than seventy million Americans,” reports ABC News. Many blame overeating for this increase but food is only part of the problem. What many don't realize is that the never-ending supply of labor saving and prepared food has greatly attributed to the obesity problem by actually changing the environment (due to increased technology) that we work and live in.
Obesity is such a major problem in the United States that the number of obese Americans is higher than the number who smokes, use illegal drugs, or suffer from physical ailments. It has been linked to multiple health issues that plague our nation such as diabetes and heart problems. Not only have machinery and labor saving devices changed the work environment, more Americans than ever work in offices or other sedentary settings where employees do not have time for physical activity throughout the day due to their work environment.
Along with the lack of physical activity at work, technology has also led to decreased levels of physical activity in our leisure time. Many Americans work so many hours each week that they prefer spending their limited time off relaxing.
One way of relaxing is taking the shortcuts that technology offers us. These shortcuts appear all through our lives and we may not even know it. If you pay attention, you will notice that many Americans choose to use an escalator or elevator instead of using the stairs. We would rather drive our cars than have to walk or ride a bicycle anywhere. Instead of going outside to play, many children sit at home watching television or playing video games that are available in abundance these days. This lack of enthusiasm for physical activity worries many experts. These experts wonder whether “the simple act of walking will be eliminated by devices that make maneuvering in urban environments easier.” (foot notes:2.Willis)
And of course, technology has changed our environment so much that it affects the food that we eat. Instead of eating the types of food that are part of a balanced diet, many Americans choose to eat unhealthy, cheap, and convenient food. Instead of making a meal at home, we would rather go out to a fast food restaurant where we don't even have to get out of our cars to eat. If we do choose to eat at home, we have the convenience of frozen dinners that we can prepare while watching TV. Or we can have food delivered to us. All around our new environment are vending machines that give us easy access to junk food and candy. It is this easiness of getting food that technology has given us that has greatly attributed to America's obesity problem.
Finally, technology has caused many to believe that actions do not have consequences. If someone is overweight, doctors will be able to fix it with such things as liposuction. There are constant advertisements on TV about new inventions that claim to slim you down in just five minutes a day. People believe that taking certain types of drugs will take off weight without having to exercise. However, this has proven very dangerous with such drugs as Fen-Phen, which causes permanent heart problems. We are programmed to always look for the quick fix in life, and solving a weight problem is not an exception.
Getting fat is deeply ingrained in American culture. Physicians and public advocates have had little to offer overweight Americans but the same “eat less, exercise more” message. The problem is not the message. It is indeed the solution to combating obesity and losing excess pounds. “The average person who is obese knows what they are supposed to eat,” says Charles Billington, M.D., a leading obesity specialist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “They can do it conceptually, but they can’t do it for real.”
Portion size contributes as well to the obesity problem in America. More deli’s and fast food restaurants are offering more, for less. The “Big Meal” concept is ingrained in the American culture. The original muffin was 2 oz, now it has increased up to 4 and 5 oz. It seems it (the muffin, of course) had been injected with anabolic steroids.
What is shocking is the fact that hospitals, which are supposed to promote a healthier environment for patients, have opened their doors to fast food joints. In San Diego, St. Louis, and Chicago, you can be admitted for a triple bypass surgery and then, before checking-out of the hospital, can stop by the fast food counter and order a Big Mac. Not a bad strategy for re-clogging your arteries.
The average child is exposed to 10,000 food advertisements a year and spends more time in front of the TV than on any other activity, except sleeping. “We have spent years and years trying to figure out why an individual is overweight and almost no time thinking about why the nation is overweight,” says Kelly D. Brownell, from the Yale Center of Weight and Eating Disorders. His answer: “It’s the environment.”