| There are regular news reports of our rapidly | | | | 6) Sleep Apnea: Without a sleep study, it's hard to |
| expanding waist lines and the problems obesity cause. | | | | diagnose this problem. You may notice that you aren't |
| Aside from the social aspect, many of us still ignore it. | | | | feeling rested when you wake up, it could be from this |
| Worse, some of us take the wrong path to weight | | | | problem. If your spouse or other household members |
| loss and end up frustrated and regaining any poundage | | | | tell you that you snore and/or it seems like you stop |
| we've struggled so hard to lose. | | | | breathing for several seconds, that's another clue. This |
| Each of the separate diseases below can strike | | | | condition gets worse with obesity, and it is a life |
| anyone, whether you are at a healthy weight or weigh | | | | threatening problem. |
| more than you should. Obesity increases the risk for | | | | Most articles or segments on a news program end by |
| each. | | | | saying "so you should eat a healthy, low fat diet and |
| 1) Diabetes: Type two diabetes is almost always | | | | get plenty of exercise." There's more to it than that, |
| associated with obesity. It involves insulin resistance, at | | | | and here are some of the things I've found helpful in |
| least at first. Medications can help you use the insulin | | | | my own struggles with weight control. |
| produced in your body better, but they have side | | | | 1) Count All the Calories: Write down what you eat. |
| effects. If sugar levels can't be stabilized by these | | | | Keeping a food journal is an eye opening affair. I use |
| medications, you may become insulin dependent. | | | | an on-line calculator that has not only grocery items |
| 2) Gallstones: There are two ways this painful and | | | | with nutrition counts, it even has restaurant and frozen |
| potentially life threatening condition can be developed. | | | | entree information. What's even better, this calculator |
| Being overweight is one. Going on a crash diet is | | | | can tell me everything I've burned, so I know when I've |
| another. Slower weight loss is a better idea, though if | | | | had enough to eat or if I should eat more. Don't forget |
| you are being treated by lap band or other supervised | | | | to calculate sleep; you'd be surprised how many you |
| very low calorie diets, there are things that can be | | | | burn. |
| done. | | | | 2) Eat Enough: Your best bet is to keep the deficit at |
| 3) Gout: It's a painful form of arthritis caused by | | | | ten percent. Having a drastic difference can lead to |
| excess uric acid in the blood stream. It forms into | | | | several problems. Gallstones are more likely, and it is |
| crystals that get dropped off into the joints. Those | | | | possible you will even gain some weight. Your blood |
| whose weight is higher than the normal range are at | | | | sugar will also fluctuate dramatically, which is not a |
| higher risk. | | | | good thing...especially if you're diabetic. |
| 4) Heart Disease: Fat and cholesterol deposited in your | | | | 3) Exercise: Watching what you eat is important, but |
| arteries can cause heart problems. The more you | | | | you have to get your body moving. Check with your |
| weigh, the more likely you are to develop the problem. | | | | doctor to find out what you can do safely. Choose |
| This process can also cause high blood pressure and | | | | activities you actually enjoy, and choose more than |
| strokes. | | | | one so you don't get bored. |
| 5) Osteoarthritis: Wear and tear on the joints is likely to | | | | 4) Avoid Fad Diets: Most of them are another term for |
| be increased. This problem can start at a much | | | | crash diets. Some of them can create problems; low |
| younger age, and be harder to repair. Most insurance | | | | carb diets increase your risk of gout and can raise |
| companies balk at the idea of doing joint replacement | | | | cholesterol levels dramatically. |
| on young people. | | | | |