Obesity Facts

Obesity means that you have an unhealthy amount of body fat. Overweight and obesity are defined using a tool called Body Mass Index (BMI). If your BMI is 25-29.9, you are in the “overweight” category. If your BMI is 30 or above, you are in the “obese” category. In general, the higher your BMI is above 25, the greater your weight-related health risks.For Indians BMI of 23 onwards is dangerous.

BUT for Indians the cut-off limit of Normal BMI is 23 ! Yes and above 26 consider yourself as Obese !

Waist Circumference of >90 cms in Indian male and > 85 cms in Indian Females is really bad What causes being overweight and obesity ?

The main causes of being overweight or obese are eating too much and/or not being active enough. If you eat more calories than your body burns up, the extra calories are stored as fat. Other factors include your genes (obesity tends to run in families), your metabolism (how your body processes food), your racial/ethnic group, and your age. Sometimes an illness or medicine can contribute to weight gain.

What are some of the serious health problems linked to obesity?

If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. The good news is that losing weight can improve your health problems

Overweight and obesity are linked to: Heart disease. Heart disease includes heart attack, heart failure, and angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart). Stroke. Most strokes are caused by a blood clot blocking an artery that takes blood to the brain. Diabetes. Overweight people are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as people who are not overweight. Cancer of the gallbladder, breast, uterus, cervix, and ovaries(for women). Overweight men are at greater risk for developing cancer of the colon, rectum, and prostate.

Gallstones or gallbladder disease. Gallbladder disease and gallstones are more common But rapid weight loss itselfcan cause gallstones.
Osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints). most often affects the joints in your knees, hips, and lower back. Weight loss may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Gout (by excess uric acid). Gout is a joint disease. Gout is common in obese people.
Breathing problems, including sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep). Sleep apnea causes a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep and to snore heavily. Sleep apnea may cause daytime sleepiness and even heart failure.
High blood cholesterol. High total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides-all bad for heart;obesity is linked to low HDL cholesterol (“good cholesterol”).
High blood pressure. Obese adults are twice as likely to have high blood pressure as those who are at a healthy weight.
Complications of pregnancy.. Obese women are more likely to have problems with labor and delivery.
Irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. Abdominal obesity is linked to polycystic ovary syndrome, a cause of infertility in women.
Psychological and social effects, such as depression and discrimination. One of the most painful aspects of obesity may be the emotional suffering it causes

Starting To Exercise
The journey of a thousand leagues starts with a single step.
You may have heard this proverb. Exercise is like that.
We all have got plenty of reasons NOT to exercise.
-Too old “Doc I am already 50! What do you expect from me?”
-Too fat, “joints not co-operating, bones are aching”
-Too weak physically or mentally
-Too sick or Diabetes uncontrolled
-Too busy “Oh! All that MNC culture (with) Cruel Corporate Boss (es) extracting every breath out of you”.
-Too tired/fatigued/exhausted.
But surely it's never too late. With very few exceptions, even if you're disabled / injured you can still improve your level of fitness. And once you get going, you'll be amazed that how quickly your excuses disappeared. If you really want to make a change, just pack more activity into your daily routines. Park a block or two, farther away from the entrances at the office/mall. Plan an after-dinner walk with someone you want to talk to. Ride a stationary bike while you watch the morning or evening news on your idiot box.
Lots of people think of exercise programs the way they think of diets and related cosmetic reasons. They plan to get in shape for a certain event or occasion say marriage. Or they join an exercise class hoping it will help them lose 5 or 10 pounds. Even weight loss clinics, which I call the Biggest Fraud in Medicine, propagate the Idea of a fixed quantum of weight loss for a fixed quantum of Fees!
I am dead against the very idea of saying Pay 5000 bucks and get 5Kgs weight loss! This is absurd and ridiculous. We have to sell an idea of Lifestyle change. My call is “Change your self for a better tomorrow and a better life, no short term goals or targets.
“But physical activity and healthful eating are habits we need to stay with over the long haul. That doesn't mean doing the same exercise or eating the same meals forever.This, you learn by frequent encounters at Dr.Lalwani’s Clinic. You may enjoy trying new forms of physical activity, in the same way new recipes are fun. Or you may find an activity that works for you and stay with it.
The first step to fitness is a visit to the doctor. Before you begin any exercise program, get a thorough medical exam. The exam should check:
Blood pressure.
Blood fat levels.
Glycohemoglobin and current blood glucose level.
Health of heart and circulatory system.
Body composition (fat versus lean).
Eyes.
Feet.
Your doctor should help determine your level of fitness. Types & level of exercise or exercise programs good for you should be carefully decided. Some complications of diabetes make certain types of physical activity bad choices. The benefits of an exercise program need to outweigh the risks.
This is an exercise plan that takes into account your current level of fitness, special health concerns, and your diabetes treatment plan. Your doctor is your best resource.
Set Goals
Goals give you something specific to work toward. Reaching a goal marks your success. Setting new goals with long term vision, keeps you going.

Ask yourself: Do you want to---
* Feel better?
* Move easier?
* Lose weight?
* Get stronger?
* Have more energy?
* Reduce stress?
* Stay fit while learning to live with diabetes?
* Reduce your risk of diabetes complications such as heart disease?
* Get your doctor or partner to stop nagging you?
* Once you know the answers, you plan to exercise, talk with your doctor about realistic ways to reach your goals.

Your doctor and diabetes educator should help you plan:

- The best times to exercise.
- When to test your blood glucose levels and what your test results mean in terms of exercise.
- How to avoid problems with low blood glucose levels.
- How to inspect your feet before and after exercise.
- Other specific health concerns.

- Here's how this might work. Suppose you have non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes and are overweight. You work in an office and drive to work. You don't have an exercise plan. Your doctor says that if you lose some weight and start to exercise, you may be able to improve your blood glucose control.
After your physical exam and an exercise stress test, the doctor says you can start a walking program.
Your health goal: to lose 5 Kgs.
Your fitness goal: to stay with a regular walking program for 3 months, building up to 20 minutes of walking three times a week.
Current fitness level: couch potato.

How to proceed ?

Now you need to break your fitness goal down into smaller steps. Make your goals realistic, measurable, and achievable. Your long-term goal is to walk for 30 minutes three times a week. Your short-term goal is to walk 10 minutes without stopping three times a week for a month.

Write your goal down. Keep a log, or diary, of your exercise. You can buy a special notebook, write on your calendar, or make a note in your blood glucose record book/your PDA or your Smartphone. You might also want to jot down how you feel while exercising, or any problems you have.

This gives you something to look over when you're ready to make changes. When your goal period is up, look at your log. Were there good days and bad? Did you start feeling different? As you set your new goal, use your log to decide on changes.

Ask Yourself ?

Do you need to reduce your level of physical activity? Or are you ready to move up a notch?
Discuss changes with your health care team. Be sure to reward yourself when you reach a goal. Knowing that physical activity is something you'll do for the rest of your life can help. You can take the long view. If your first attempt doesn't work, try again. Do something different. Join a class or a mall walkers club. Think about what you enjoy doing and find a fitness activity that matches.
Do you like to exercise to music? To TV? Alone or with friends? Outdoors or indoors?

There are so many choices, you can find something to enjoy.
Fringe Benefits
Regular physical activity is good for your health & also brings fringe benefits such as: Better looks. Making new friends. Escaping from the daily monotonous drill. Learning new skills. Reducing stress & anxiety. Bringing more resilience in your personality Getting better agility, flexibility and reflexes Getting to know and love yourself-this improves your overall Diabetes management and you get better treatment results!

Still, it is humane that after you've been exercising for a while, you go through a spell where your motivation slips. Anyone who has a long term exercise program has 'off' days, times when he or she just doesn't want to stick with it. Or you may have a setback due to illness, injury or some personal loss.
When it happens to you, don't take it for failure. Give yourself a break. Review your exercise log book. Read an inspirational book. Try a new activity. Join a new class even a hobby class. Celebrate your past successes. Treat yourself to something; get a new to outfit to wear for you exercise -- a new T-shirt, even new pair of shoes. Before you know it, your exercise slump will be over and you are back on the tracks!

Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking account for 440,000 deaths, or nearly 1 of every 5 deaths, each year in the United States. More deaths are caused each year by tobacco use than by all deaths from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined.
Cancer
The risk of dying from lung cancer is more than 22 times higher among men who smoke cigarettes, and about 12 times higher among women who smoke cigarettes compared with never smokers.Cigarette smoking increases the risk for many types of cancer, including cancers of the lip, oral(mouth) cavity, and pharynx; esophagus; pancreas; larynx
(voice box); lung; uterine cervix; urinary bladder; and kidney.
Cardiovascular Disease (Heart and Circulatory System)
Cigarette smokers are 2-4 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease.
Cigarette smoking doubles a person’s risk for stroke-Brain attack & paralysis.
Cigarette smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels (arteries).
Respiratory Disease and Other Effects
Bronchitis & Emphysema : a ten-fold increased risk of dying from chronic obstructive lung disease. About 90% of all deaths from COPD are attributable to smoking.

Infertility: an increased risk for infertility, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).Low sperm count ,Erectile Difficulty.

Osteoporosis : Postmenopausal women who smoke have lower bone density and increased risk for hip/spine fracture.
Smoking & Diabetes
Tobacco has many bad health effects, particularly for people with diabetes. No matter how long you've smoked, your health will improve after you quit.
Nicotine, the drug in tobacco, is one of the most addictive substances known. Besides the physical addiction, many smokers also become psychologically hooked on cigarettes.
So kicking the habit is hard - but worth the work. There are many methods you can try to help you quit and stay away from smoking for good. People keep smoking for two reasons. First, nicotine is highly addictive. Often, a person who quits smoking goes through withdrawal.
Symptoms of withdrawal include: being irritable, sweating, having headaches, diarrhea, or constipation, as well as feeling restless, tired, or dizzy. Withdrawal is usually the worst on the second day after quitting, and it gradually lessens with time.
Second, many people become psychologically tied to smoking. It is part of their daily ritual. It helps them wake up in the morning, comforts them when they are upset, and rewards them for a job well done. Smoking also has pleasurable physical effects. It relaxes people and perks them up.
These factors make it easy to smoke and hard to quit. The pleasures of smoking start within seconds of lighting up; the bad effects can take years to make themselves known. On the other hand, when you try to quit, your first experience is the bad feeling of withdrawal. Only later do you begin to enjoy the benefits of quitting, such as having more energy
BUT ONE THING IS SURE –SMOKING HURTS YOU & KILLS SLOWLY…….!
For all your lifestyle changes ask for help at P. G. Medical Center.