http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/ en-us Nucleus CMS v3.31 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/ http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=15 We all know now what LDL does to your body. Well, if there is a “bad”, then a “good” can’t be too far away. When I say “good”, I’m talking about HDL. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is called the “good cholesterol” because HDL cholesterol particles prevent arteriosclerosis by extracting cholesterol from the artery walls and disposing of them through the liver. It also interferes with the accumulation of cholesterol in the artery walls through the LDL cholesterol particles.
The risk of arteriosclerosis and heart attacks in both men and women is strongly related to HDL cholesterol levels. Low levels of HDL cholesterol are linked to a higher risk, whereas high HDL cholesterol levels are associated with a lower risk.
Very low and very high HDL cholesterol levels can run in families. Families with low HDL cholesterol levels have a higher incidence of heart attacks than the general population, while families with high HDL cholesterol levels tend to live longer with a lower frequency of heart attacks.
Like LDL cholesterol, life style factors and other conditions influence HDL cholesterol levels. HDL cholesterol levels are lower in persons who smoke cigarettes, eat a lot of sweets, are overweight and inactive, and in patients with type II diabetes. HDL cholesterol is higher in people who are lean, exercise regularly, and do not smoke cigarettes. Estrogen increases a person’s HDL cholesterol, which explains why pre-menopausal women generally have higher HDL levels than men do.
For individuals with low HDL cholesterol levels, a high total or LDL cholesterol blood level further increases the incidence of heart attacks. Therefore, the combination of high levels of LDL cholesterol with low levels of HDL cholesterol is undesirable whereas the combination of low levels of LDL cholesterol and high levels of HDL cholesterol is favorable. Remember to always check your cholesterol blood test for the ratio of LDL to HDL. The total cholesterol is not a good indicator of your health. You will need to obtain the split between the HDL and LDL. Thus, the total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (total/HDL) is a number that is helpful in predicting arteriosclerosis. The number is obtained by dividing total cholesterol by HDL cholesterol. (High ratios indicate higher risks of heart attacks, low ratios indicate lower risk). An average ratio would be about 4.5. Ideally, we want to be better than average. Thus, the best ratio would be 2 or 3 or less than 4.
All of this is getting pretty complicated, although I have tried my best to make it as user-friendly as possible. We all have many questions to ask our doctors, nutrition specialists, or even our dieticians. Moreover, you should pay attention to the following: Are they being clear in their explanations? This depends again on the specialist. You will need to get outside information to complement what is said between you and the medical professional. To a certain extent, books can be very helpful as well, they will allow you to know what questions to ask your doctor. For those who suffer a mild to dangerous heart attack, the first step after leaving the hospital is to get more information about the subject. Fear and ignorance can make you avoid reality. However, all the medical books available can still be difficult to comprehend when authors use medical terminology that only doctors can understand. Are there hidden secrets that they (the doctors) don’t want to share with us? They write books as if we are supposed to understand all their concepts, terminologies, and theories. Depending on how the author approaches the subject at hand, you will need to use a medical dictionary to understand the wording used in the book. It greatly confuses the reader who doesn’t know where else to turn. Although I haven’t had any heart attacks, I was curious and wanted to understand how the body works and how I can avoid such a terrible experience. A proactive approach will increase my chances of going through life without experiencing any of these ordeals. The power of information will enable me to go on and be more assertive when it comes to my health.
I am now sharing my knowledge with you and hopefully can help you understand how we can reduce the risk of becoming statistics by year’s end. Healthy eating and exercising are primary factors that will, in many cases, assure great health and reduce the LDL levels in your blood.
I’ve already mentioned some of the other factors that determine the LDL level in your blood. Some people are genetically predisposed to high LDL levels in the blood and do not voluntarily contribute (by eating at fast food restaurants) to elevated LDL levels. Others are aware of what they eat (fast food and sweets) but still go through life wondering what they did to deserve having a heart attack. Both heredity and diet have a significant influence on a patient's LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels. For example, familial hyper-cholesterolemia (FH) is a common inherited disorder whose victims have a diminished number or no LDL receptors on the surface of their liver cells. The resulting decreased activity of the LDL receptors limits the liver’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol from the blood. Thus, affected family members have abnormally high LDL cholesterol levels in their blood. They also tend to develop arteriosclerosis and heart attacks during early adulthood. In order to lower LDL cholesterol, the activity level of the LDL receptors must be increased. LDL receptor activity can be increased through diets that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats and through prescription drugs.
Lowering LDL cholesterol involves losing excess weight, exercising regularly, and following a diet that is low in saturated fat. Drugs are prescribed when diet and exercise cannot reduce the LDL cholesterol to acceptable levels. Some of my acquaintances have used medication to resolve that problem. When all your options are exhausted, the use of prescription drugs can be the only alternative.
Lowering the LDL level in your blood brings many benefits, including:
• Reducing the formation of new cholesterol plaques
• Eliminating existing plaques
• Preventing rupture of existing plaques
• Decreasing the risk of heart attacks and
• Lowering the risk of strokes

These are great benefits, but how can you increase the HDL level in the blood?
The first step in increasing HDL cholesterol levels (and decreasing LDL/HDL ratios) is lifestyle modification. Yes, lifestyle modification. Not just a fad diet that has been promoted adequately on TV or through books. These diets will make you lose and gain weight all your life but do not address the more serious issue of health. You’ll go on the diets, lose the weight, feel healthy and able to eat everything you want, you will eventually want to cheat a little bit, of course, and you will most probable regain the weight loss that you have been struggling to lose over the past few months. Not bad for a “diet”. I am the perfect example. It happened to me and I hope it doesn’t happen to you. It is frustrating to feel like a yo-yo and find yourself back to square one. What needs to be done?
Regular aerobic exercise, loss of excess weight (fat), and giving up smoking increase HDL cholesterol levels. Regular alcohol consumption (such as one drink a day: red wine is a great help) also raises HDL cholesterol. Alcohol is believed to increase the level of the less important sub-type of HDL cholesterol. Because of other adverse health consequences of excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol is not recommended as a standard treatment for low HDL cholesterol.

Unfortunately, the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis is more complicated than just lowering LDL cholesterol or increasing HDL levels. Reducing one’s level is only half the battle against arteriosclerosis. Individuals who have normal or only mildly elevated LDL cholesterol levels can still develop arteriosclerosis and heart attacks even in the absence of other risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In many clinical trials to lower LDL cholesterol there were patients who followed the assigned diets, faithfully took their cholesterol-lowering medications, successfully lowered their LDL cholesterol to target levels with exercising, but still suffered progressive arteriosclerosis and heart attacks. It is clear that while lowering LDL cholesterol below target levels (150 is acceptable, 200-210 is borderline but still manageable, and over 240 is dangerous) is an important step, there are other factors involved that are far too complicated to discuss in this book.
New research indicates it might be okay to increase fat intake (Atkins followers are smiling right now) and that certain high-fat foods (healthy fats) are actually good for you and may even help you lose weight and keep it off according to Mindy Hermann, RD (5. Foot notes, Source: Shape, August 2002). Research shows that by eating controlled portions of healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts and salmon (Omega III fats), and lots of fiber-rich foods and protein, you may find it easier to lose weight rapidly. However, you should not limit yourself to eating solely fats and protein. Carbohydrates are also a part of the deal, but, of course, must be eaten earlier in the day. According to a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes too many unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats) from meat, dairy products, desserts and junk foods (cakes, crackers, cookies). These fats fall into the category of saturated fats. Fats are classified as saturated or unsaturated according to their chemical structure. Saturated fats are derived primarily from meat and dairy products and can raise blood cholesterol levels. Some vegetable oils made from coconut, palm, and cocoa are high in saturated fats. On the other hand, most other vegetable oils are high in unsaturated fats. Unlike saturated fats, unsaturated fats do not raise blood cholesterol and can sometimes lower cholesterol. Olive and canola oil are high in monounsaturated fats, which may have a protective effect against coronary heart disease.
Healthy fats to add to your diet: monounsaturated fats found in nuts and peanut butter, olive oil, olives and avocados. Eating more of these foods can actually lower your chances of coronary heart disease.
Polyunsaturated fats found in vegetables oils, foods made with vegetables oil, nuts and all types of fish (Omega III fatty acids: salmon, sardines, mackerel and sea bass). Omega III mostly helps boost the health of your heart and lowers your risk of other cancers. The next few lines in this chapter are for those “Atkins users” who haven’t burnt this book yet.
What fats are to be avoided? As mentioned previously, saturated fats are dangerous for your health: They are found in all cheeses except the fat-free variety, whole milk and dairy products, meat and poultry. Saturated fats have been linked to coronary heart disease, clogged arteries, weight gain, and colon cancer.
There also is trans fat that is found in hydrogenated, semi-solid oils like margarine and shortening, all processed foods (Yep! You’ve guessed that one: Fast Food Restaurants - and I am not going to mention corporate names). Trans fat will raise blood cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol - and increases your chances of developing heart disease.
We’ve mentioned the good and bad cholesterol and their effect on the body. We also mentioned some of the advantages of increasing the good cholesterol (HDL) level in your blood. However, blood tests reveal more than just the typical HDL and LDL levels in your blood. You also have the triglyceride levels, which is the level of fatty contents in your blood.
Whether elevated triglyceride levels in the blood leads to arteriosclerosis and heart attacks is controversial. While most doctors now believe that an abnormally high triglyceride level is a risk factor for arteriosclerosis, it is difficult to conclusively prove that raised triglyceride by itself can cause arteriosclerosis. However, it is increasingly recognized that elevated triglyceride is often associated with other conditions that increase the risk of arteriosclerosis including obesity, low levels of HDL-cholesterol, insulin resistance, and poorly controlled diabetes.
We’ve mentioned previously how to lower LDL, increase HDL and now, you probably expect me to tell you how to reduce triglyceride levels as well. Okidoki!
The first step in treating hyper-triglyceridemia (again with the “hyper” prefix: high triglyceride level) is a low fat diet (Ha! Atkins) with a limited amount of sweets, regular aerobic exercise, loss of excess weight, reduction of alcohol consumption, and giving up smoking. In patients with diabetes, meticulous control of elevated blood glucose is also important.
When prescription drugs are involved, always make sure to consult your physician. It is important not to combine the wrong drugs. You might experience negative side effects while using them.

Finally, we’ve gone through this chapter and you are still awake, I think! For some, you are curious to find out more about possible solutions to change your life in a positive way. You are looking forward to read the next chapters. For others, you are already on your way to the fridge for your midnight junk food snack, and the book is on its way to the garbage disposal, or the bonfire. For the curious ones, I wish you a journey of great knowledge for the chapters to come, and for the junk food addicts, just make sure to recycle me. Since you don’t care much about your health, at least make sure to protect the environment.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=15 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:04:08 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=14 In the preceding chapters, we mentioned some causes related, but not in exclusivity, to obesity.
However, being overweight or obese can also cause other problems in your body. Eating too much of the wrong foods can be detrimental to your health. Duhhhhhhh! Some diets out there encourage you to exclude all the carbohydrates from your diet and eat solely proteins and fats. For some, the weight loss is quick, however, continuing such a diet can be dangerous. The reasons are quite simple and scary as well. The following information about heart disease and what causes it is blunt and straightforward.

“Heart disease is caused by narrowing of the arteries that feed the heart. Like any muscle, the heart needs a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients, which are carried to it by the blood in the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become narrowed or clogged by cholesterol and fat deposits, a process called arteriosclerosis, they cannot supply enough blood to the heart, the result is coronary heart disease (CHD). If not enough oxygen-carrying blood reaches the heart, you may experience chest pain called angina. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by total blockage of a coronary artery, the result is a heart attack”.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body and that your body needs to function normally. It is present in cell walls or membranes everywhere in the body, including the brain, nerves, muscle, skin, liver, intestines, and heart. Your body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs. If you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream, the excess is deposited in arteries, including the coronary arteries, where it contributes to the narrowing and blockages that cause the signs and symptoms of heart disease.
What Makes Your Cholesterol High or Low?
Your blood cholesterol level is affected not only by what you eat but also by how quickly your body makes LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein: also called “bad cholesterol”) cholesterol and disposes of it. In fact, your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, and it is not necessary to take in any additional cholesterol from the foods you eat.
Many factors help determine whether your LDL-cholesterol level is high or low. The following factors are the most important:
• Heredity. Your genes influence how high your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood. Your body might be genetically predisposed to produce higher LDL than other individuals. One specific form of inherited high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people is familial “hypercholesterolemia” (yep! the “hyper” prefix again), which often leads to early heart disease. However, even if you do not have a specific genetic form of high cholesterol, genes do play a role in influencing your LDL-cholesterol level.
• What you eat. The main nutrients in the foods you eat make your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level go up: saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals. Saturated fat raises your LDL-cholesterol level more than anything else in your diet. Eating too much saturated fat is the main reason for high levels of cholesterol and the high occurrence of heart attacks in the United States. Reducing the amount of saturated fat you eat is a very important step toward reducing your blood cholesterol levels.
• Weight. Excess weight tends to increase your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high LDL-cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it. Weight loss also helps lower triglycerides and raise HDL (High Density Lipoprotein; also called “good” cholesterol) levels.

• Physical activity/exercise. Regular physical activity may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. Sex can be a part of it as well. So, yes! You are doing some physical activity. Congratulations! For those allergic to sex (extremely low libido, for instance), get your butt to the gym ASAP. It can only have great benefits for your body!

• Age and sex. Before the age of menopause, women usually have total cholesterol levels that are lower than those of men of the same age. As women and men get older, their blood cholesterol levels rise until about 60 to 65 years of age. After the age of about 50, women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.

• Alcohol. Alcohol intake increases HDL (“good”) cholesterol but does not lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Doctors don't know whether alcohol also reduces the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, lead to high blood pressure, and raise triglycerides. Because of the risks, alcoholic beverages should not be used as a way of preventing heart disease. This is bad news for those who were looking for a good excuse to drink, and I quote: “This is my 20th glass of wine, but it’s good for my heart!”

• Stress. Stress over the long-term has been shown in several studies to raise blood cholesterol levels. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat in these foods contributes to higher levels of blood cholesterol.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=14 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:03:07 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=13 Hyperthyroidism:
• Weight loss despite increased appetite (I guess 40% of our population would love to suffer from hyperthyroidism). Increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, nervousness, and excessive perspiration.
• Muscle weakness, trembling hands.
• Development of a goiter (presenting as a swelling on the neck).

Hypothyroidism:
• Increased weight gains, lack of energy, need to sleep more than usual.
• Lethargy, slower mental processes.
• Reduced heart rate.
• Increased sensitivity to cold.
• Tingling or numbness in the hands.
• Mild to severe pain in the thyroid gland.
• Thyroid feels tender to the touch.
• Pain when swallowing or turning your head

What is the next step after noticing these symptoms? GO SEE A DOCTOR. Many of us would rather watch a football game rather than sit down at the doctor’s office. But let’s face it, it’s your health. Your endocrinologist can diagnose hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism by testing the levels of thyroid hormones in your blood. He or she will measure hormone secreted by the thyroid itself and of the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), a chemical released by the pituitary gland that triggers hormone production in the thyroid. When you are hypothyroid, higher quantities of TSH are circulating in your blood as your body attempts to foster increased production of thyroid hormones. The reverse is true with hyperthyroidism in which TSH levels are below normal and circulating thyroid-hormone levels are high. The normal level should vary between 0 and 4. Above that level, you might suffer from hypo-thyroidism- and below the normal level from hyperthyroidism.
Thyroid hormone production can be suppressed or halted completely with a radioactive iodide treatment, antithyroid medication, or surgery. If you doctor decides that radioactive treatment is best, you have to swallow a tablet or liquid containing radioactive iodide in amounts large enough to damage the cells of your thyroid gland and limit or destroy their ability to produce hormones. Occasionally more than one treatment is needed to restore normal hormone production, and many patients develop hypothyroidism because of this procedure.
Moreover, yes, you will be radioactive. You will probably be put in “quarantine” for several days and not get close to any family member. You wouldn’t want to be another “Chernobyl”, would you? Unless, of course, you dislike your wife or husband and in this case you can always keep it a secret and let her or him be irradiated as well. Let’s move on…
After the normal six hours wait at your doctor’s office, the doctor places an instrument over your neck to measure how much of the radioactive iodide has gathered in your thyroid. If the results of this test suggest that the gland is collecting excessive amounts of iodide, the doctor may then conduct a radioactive iodide uptake scan. In this test, the doctor uses a special film to create a picture that shows the exact location of the radioactive iodide in your thyroid gland. The scan will reveal, for example, if the iodide is collecting in adenomas, indicating that the nodules are responsible for the excess hormone. If the scan shows that the iodide is spread equally throughout the tissue, the whole thyroid is involved in the excess production.
Some doctors believe that blood tests may not be sensitive enough to detect milder forms of hypothyroidism. Instead, they advocate monitoring your body's basal (resting) temperature. To track your basal temperature accurately, you must closely follow certain guidelines: Shake the thermometer below 95° F at night and place it where you can reach it without getting out of bed. The following morning, before you get out of bed, take your temperature under your armpit for 10 minutes while staying as still as possible. Keep records of your temperature for at least three days. (Women should do this during the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, as their basal temperature may rise during the latter half.) The normal basal body temperature ranges between 97.4° F and 97.8° F. If your basal temperature is consistently low, you could be mildly hypothyroid. If you have one or more adenomas, your doctor will want to keep careful records of when they were first found and how they develop, since not all adenomas produce excess thyroid hormone. In fact, most of these nodules are not malignant, especially if they remain the same size over long intervals. (Cancerous tissue, by contrast, will undergo noticeable growth.) Nodules that appear suddenly are typically fluid-filled cysts and are often benign. They can be evaluated with a non-invasive ultrasound exam. If blood tests indicate that, the nodules are producing excess thyroid hormone, and if you have other symptoms, your doctor will treat you for hyperthyroidism.
What are the available treatments out there for the disease?
For thyroid disorders stemming from the over- or underproduction of thyroid hormones, both conventional and alternative treatments offer varied methods to restore hormone levels to their proper balance. Conventional treatments rely mainly on drugs and surgery. Alternative treatments attempt to relieve some of the discomfort associated with thyroid problems, or improve the function of the thyroid gland through a variety of approaches ranging from diet supplements and herbal remedies to lifestyle changes and special exercises. You should always receive a professional evaluation for any thyroid disorder; most of these conditions require a course of treatment beyond the scope of home-care alone.
Treating hyperthyroidism requires suppressing the manufacture of thyroid hormone while hypothyroidism demands hormone replacement. Conventional medicine offers extremely effective techniques for lowering, eliminating, or supplementing hormone production. Before you decide which treatment is best for you, your doctor will make an evaluation based on your particular thyroid condition as well as your age, general health, and medical history.
Hypothyroidism calls for a lifelong regimen of thyroid replacement. No surgical techniques or conventional drugs can increase the thyroid's hormone production once it slows. Although hormones from animal extracts are available, doctors generally prescribe synthetic forms of thyroid hormone, such as levothyroxine. Side effects are rare, but some people experience nervousness or chest pain while taking these drugs. Usually adjusting the levels of medication will alleviate any unpleasant effects. If you have diabetes, make sure that you and your doctor discuss any possible interactions or other complications.

Thyroid Disease and Supplements
Many supplements available to the public will help you lose weight. You will find many of them advertised in magazines and health food stores. I know of some professional bodybuilders who use thyroid supplements to accelerate their metabolism to lose more fat before competition. I would not recommend it. Long-term use of thyroid supplements (T3) without really needing it can cause your thyroid to produce fewer hormones on its own, which, in the long run, can be detrimental to your body. But who am I kidding? Professional bodybuilders use even worse supplements to enhance muscle size and boost metabolism. If liver failure is the least of their concerns, I guess thyroid failure doesn’t bother them either.
You’ve heard of some supplements promising you the body of an Adonis with a washboard stomach. Be cautious. These products are not recommended for people suffering from thyroid disease and they can damage other organs as well.
The herb ephedra (which is found in all dietary product and weight loss pills) and its extracts ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine, found in over-the-counter cold remedies, can cause nervousness, insomnia, headache, and high blood pressure. Alkaloids, including substances such as caffeine, morphine, and quinine, which increase blood pressure and heart rate, all are to be avoided.
An astounding 17.2 million Americans buy diet potions and pills hoping to lose weight. Most of these products are worthless — some are downright dangerous.
In this chapter, I explained why hypothyroid individuals suffer from weight increase, although they are careful with their eating. Thanks to research and development, it is possible to adequately control any kind of thyroid disease. With just a small pill, you can live a normal and healthy life. This means it is possible to control your weight and get your metabolism up and running.
However, thyroid disease is not the only cause of weight problems. If, for instance, your endocrinologist doesn’t find any problem in your thyroid, you should go further with your research and find out what type of body you have.
When it comes to individual health and fitness, people are as different as two peas in a pod are similar. Each person is born with a certain body type, which falls into one of three general categories.
The endomorph has a rounder body. The muscles are not well-defined. Weight is gained in most of the problem areas, and their where… The metabolism is slower. Those with this body type don’t necessarily suffer from hypothyroidism.
The mesomorph tends to be naturally lean, with a body that looks fit even without exercise. When weight is gained, it is usually in the abdomen. This body type has a moderate metabolism. This is actually a body that many people want.
The ectomorph has a long, slender shape, not very muscular, with a higher metabolism.
These three descriptions are very general, and most people will be the combinations of the first two or the last two. It is quite rare to find a combination of endomorph and ectomorph, but it can exist.

Gaining unnecessary weight should be the responsibility of those who put the wrong food in their mouth. If you do suffer from thyroid disease (mostly hypo), you shouldn’t make yourself believe that you have an excuse for gaining weight. With today’s medicine, thyroid disease shouldn’t be the direct cause of your weight gain. Being endomorph should be taken as a positive note. Yes, you can gain some weight, however, you can also gain muscle faster than other body types. Also, be careful with what you eat, since you know you can gain fat faster. With all this information at hand, you can either feel sorry for yourself, or get your butt to the gym and start working out.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=13 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:00:37 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=12 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.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=12 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:04:37 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=10
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
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=10 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:31:40 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=8 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.

]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=8 Tue, 5 Aug 2008 12:36:05 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=6 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.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=6 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:10:03 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=4 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.
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=4 Sun, 6 Jul 2008 16:17:09 -0500 http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=3 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.”
]]> General http://fitnesstrainersnetwork.com/blog/nucleus331/index.php?itemid=3 Tue, 6 May 2008 20:11:06 -0500