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Health Problems Associated with Obesity
It’s important to feel good about
yourself. High self-esteem is one of the keys to success in life. There’s
nothing worse than getting made fun of because of the way you look, or not
being able to fit into the clothes you like because they don’t come in your
size. For these reasons, many people tend to focus on the appearance side of
things when it comes to obesity.
Unfortunately, this is a mistaken, and deadly, perspective. On average, more
than 50% of adults in North America, the UK, and Australia are overweight.
Of these, the majority don’t face and deal with their
weight problems
because they think that admitting the need to exercise and
eat healthy means
admitting that there is something wrong with them as people.
It is one of the great tragedies of modern life that overweight and obesity
have become image issues, because the truth of the matter is that they are
serious health concerns.
Being obese means being at risk of developing a whole host of diseases as
unhealthy organs begin to struggle.
As we gain weight, it becomes increasingly likely that we will develop Type
2 Diabetes. Excess fat makes it difficult for our bodies to absorb insulin
produced by the pancreas. This causes high levels of sugar to build up in
our bloodstream.
Once we have Type 2 Diabetes, we have to spend the rest of our lives
carefully monitoring our health and dealing with symptoms such as dizziness,
blurred vision, fatigue, increased risk of infection, and for men, erectile
dysfunction. If untreated, Type 2 Diabetes can lead to seizures, blindness and organ failure.
The hard fact is that 80% of Type 2 Diabetes sufferers contract the disease
due to overweight and obesity.
Obese individuals are also at risk of developing heart disease. Elevated
levels of fat in the bloodstream (triglycerides), and high blood pressure
can eventually lead to heart attacks, strokes, angina, congestive heart
failure, and sudden cardiac death.
As we gain weight, carrying our body around and pumping blood through it
becomes increasingly difficult for our hearts. The more we clog and scar our
hearts with fat and bad cholesterol, the more likely they are to give out on
us early in life.
Furthermore, obesity puts us at risk of developing many of the worst forms
of cancer. Breast cancer, cancer of the kidneys, pancreatic cancer, prostate
cancer, colon cancer, and uterine cancer are all more likely to take hold in
obese bodies than in healthy bodies. Fortunately, even a small amount of
weight loss, and a small increase in physical activity will reduce the risk
of getting obesity-related cancers.
Sadly, as we age and become heavier, losing weight and exercising becomes
harder and harder to accomplish. We develop respiratory problems such as
asthma and sleep apnea. We suffer from arthritis, which we are increasingly
likely to developing for every few pounds that we gain. Our organs, shot
through with veins of fat, stop working properly. We experience weakness,
and decreased endurance. We put our joints under such severe strain that by
middle age, even climbing a short flight of stairs becomes a difficult, if
not impossible, task.
In these ways, obesity becomes a life path that is increasingly difficult to
turn from. Most people just gain more and more weight each year until they
inevitably succumb to one of the weight-related diseases we have just
discussed.
The best way to avoid this future is to develop
healthy eating and exercise
habits early in life. However, no one is trapped forever by obesity. Just as
small measures of weight gain decrease our level of health significantly,
small steps in the direction of weight loss can make a huge difference to
how good we feel, and to how long we live. We all owe it to ourselves, and
to our loved ones, to get off the path of disease and death, and onto the
road to health and longevity.
Just remember, even the smallest steps in the right direction make a
difference!
Menopause
Period & exercising to Lose Weight
Problems with
Menopause Hot Flushes
The Link with
Estrogen Hormone & Obesity
Using a
Sauna to lose weight
Losing Excess Weight after Pregnancy
Losing Body Fat
Through Having Liposuction Surgery
Tackling Childhood Obesity
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