Obesity is simply too much body fat.
Normally, a person who is 20% over the normal weight for their
age, sex, build, and height is considered obese. According to the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, a person's weight is healthy if it
falls within the acceptable range for his or her height and age; if the
pattern of fat distribution does not place the person at increased risk
for certain diseases; and if the person has no medical problem for which
a doctor recommends that the person lose some weight. How much a person
weighs is only part of the story, however. Perhaps more important than
weight is the percentage of fat in the human body. For healthy women,
fat can account for as much as 25% of body weight when pregnant or
breastfeeding; 17% is a healthy percentage for men. Women's bodies
are designed to carry a higher proportion of fat tissue to make sure
there is plenty of fuel for both pregnancy and nursing.
The average human body has
between 30 to 40 billion fat cells in it. Most of the extra calories we eat that we do not need for immediate energy are stored
away as fat. If we were still "hunter/gatherers" like our ancestors,
the fat would provide a needed food store for times when no food is
easily available. In fact, some
researchers believe that our seemingly innate love of high-calorie and
fatty foods may be a holdover of a survival tactic from long ago, when we needed to store food for energy. But in modern society, storing energy as fat is no longer
required for most people. Normally, Americans wait no more than 4 hours between meals. So instead of being a valuable survival mechanism, the body's ability to store fat now is more likely to have a
very negative effect on health. As fat accumulates, it crowds
the space needed by the body's internal organs. Obesity even moderate
overweight puts stress on the back, legs, and internal organs, and this can eventually
cause many physical problems and compromise overall health.
Obesity increases the body's resistance to insulin and vulnerability to infection, and puts one at
high risk for developing coronary artery disease,
diabetes,
gallbladder disease,
high blood
pressure, kidney disease,
stroke, and other serious health problems that can result in premature death.
Both complications in pregnancy and liver damage also are more common in overweight
people. Obese persons suffer psychologically as well as physically, because our society tends to
relate beauty,
intelligence, and even success with being thin, and negative things
like laziness, ignorance, and others with being fat. The most common causes of obesity are poor diet
and eating habits combined with a lack of exercise. Other factors that can
contribute to obesity include: glandular malfunctions, diabetes,
hypoglycemia, emotional tension, boredom, and a simple love of food. Obesity has also been linked to
food sensitivities and/or allergies. Food your body cannot use or that is a poison to your system is stored
in the tissues and causes water retention. Ironically with all the
extra food, poor nutrition may be an important factor in obesity.
When there is inadequate intake of certain essential nutrients, fat is not easily or adequately burned and
can accumulate in the body. Obesity is a serious health problem and, according to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, it is on
the rise in the USA. Over 34% of Americans are 20%
or more overweight. Even though this country has gone through several fitness crazes in recent years,
Americans today are fatter, more stressed out, and
less likely to get regular exercise than they were 10 years ago. And if we are getting fatter, it isn't because we have stopped trying to lose weight. National surveys
estimate that at any given time, 25 to 50 % of adult Americans are on some sort of diet, and we spend
more than $30 billion dollars each year on diet aids, books, and remedies. Unfortunately, even those who lose weight
often put it back on. It is estimated that 67% of those who lose weight regain the lost pounds within
a 3 to 5 year period.
Traditionally, there are three basic approaches to weight management: through nutritional supplementation.
The first is the use of diuretic herbs and nutrients to reduce water retention. The second is the use of
lipotropic vitamins, which have the ability to reduce
high
cholesterol and fat. Third is the use of natural appetite suppressants. Permanent weight loss, however, requires a lifetime commitment to a healthier lifestyle in general including food/diet,
regular exercise, and improved mental spiritual
outlook.
Nutrient /
Supplement |
Importance
( 1 - 10 ) |
Helpful notes |
Cleansing |
10 |
helps clear out toxins and heavy
metals in the digestive system which can be a factor in weight problems and in appetite problems. |
Essential
omega acids |
10 |
These acids are found in
omega fatty acids from fish
oil, flax seed oil, and borage seed oil. They are required for
good health and may also be used in a "low fat" diet to make sure you are getting
the essential fatty acids which are needed by every cell in your
body. They also benefit with appetite control. |
Multi-vitamin
and Mineral supplement |
10 |
contains vitamin E, vitamin B ,
vitamin C,
magnesium, manganese, selenium, and zinc which all are helpful in
both the treatment and prevention of obesity and weight
disorders. A daily supplement will provide nutrients required
for good
general health and well being. |
Guggul |
9 |
herb from India that
helps with obesity, high cholesterol levels and
it also protects against the development of hardening of the arteries. |
Bioflavonoids |
8 |
bioflavonoids are needed for
normal glandular function and they also help speed up a slow
metabolism thus allowing calories to be burned up faster. |
Carotenoids |
8 |
Generally, a carotenoid
mixture combined with a complete multi-vitamin with good mineral content is needed for balanced
nutrition. Poor diet is the normal cause of deficiency in
carotenoids as people eat less good quality fruits and vegetables. |
Inositol |
8 |
helps the human body burn fat |
Lecithin |
8 |
helps break down fat to be removed
from the body |
Methionine |
8 |
aids in fat breakdown |
vitamin C |
8 |
required for general health and normal glandular
operation. It works well in combination with the Bioflavonoids |
L
Carnitine |
8 |
helps with breaking up fat
deposits in the body. Common as a supplemental aid for losing weight. |
Riboflavin |
8 |
vitamin B2 needed to burn calories |
Niacin |
8 |
vitamin B3 aids with sugar
cravings |
Pyridoxine |
8 |
vitamin B6 helps the metabolism |
vitamin
B12 |
8 |
required for good digestion |
Zinc |
8 |
enhances effectiveness of body
insulin and strengthens the body's immune system. |
Other Changes To Make
-
drink 6-8 glasses of steam distilled or
filtered water a day
-
eat 50% raw fruits and vegetables (organic is best)
-
nuts, seeds, and whole grains are good
-
juice is good (make your
own with a juice machine)
-
do not worry as much about calories as eating the right foods
-
carrot and celery sticks are good to use as a snack
-
a colon cleansing can be very helpful - (do several times each year)
-
do not drink coffee, alcohol, soda pop, other junk food drinks
-
do not eat processed foods white sugar, white flour, etc...
-
use stress relief like going for walks in the park
(or the 10/90 rule - see
Stress)
-
brown rice is good to eat
-
avoid red meat and animal fats
-
reduce dairy products cheese, milk, and others
-
fast a few days a month
-
get at least 8 hours of sleep
-
exercise light to moderate amounts
-
avoid artificial sweeteners like Aspartame and NutraSweet
-
do not smoke and avoid second hand smoke
-
do not skip meals - just eat better and not as much at each meal
-
do not chew gum - it can cause you to feel hungry
-
do not watch too much TV try reading a book or something else
|