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Hypoglycemia: Diabetes and other related diseases |
| Written: 2010-02-21 | |
It was actually hard for me to come up with something so exciting to talk about (yeah, right...). However, 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 this article like a medical encyclopedia and bore you to tears like many other books 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
Dan Amzallag
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Hypoand Hyper-Thyroid: Questions to be answered |
| Written: 2010-02-21 | |
The second article 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, 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. What are the symptoms then?
Hyperthyroidism:
o 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.
o Muscle weakness, trembling hands.
o Development of a goiter (presenting as a swelling on the neck).
Hypothyroidism:
o Increased weight gains, lack of energy, need to sleep more than usual.
o Lethargy, slower mental processes.
o Reduced heart rate.
o Increased sensitivity to cold.
o Tingling or numbness in the hands.
o Mild to severe pain in the thyroid gland.
o Thyroid feels tender to the touch.
o 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 synthroid. 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.
Dan Amzallag
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Our Updated blog |
| Written: 2009-02-27 | |
To all trainers and clients,
We do our best to update you with new articles and updates about the site. Our blog is full of information and TIPS on how to get healthier.
Go the the blog section of our site, located on the top right navigation part of the site, where HEALTHBLOG is located. Browse through the archives and read about fitness and nutrition. Hope you enjoy it. | |
Understanding Obesity and How to Avoid It |
| Written: 2008-10-17 |
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 todays 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 dont engage in any physical activity and another 28.2% arent 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 dont 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 CDCs 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 were 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.
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 at 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 cant do it for real.
Portion size contributes as well to the obesity problem in America. More delis 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.
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.
Again, reactive instead of proactive behavior.
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.
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 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.
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