We already know
that obesity is rising globally at an alarming rate yet we are not treating it as a disease. Instead, we
treat only the associated medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes,
high blood pressure, ischaemic heart disease, sleep apnoea, inflammatory
bowel disease, depression, osteoarthrirtis etc which are all caused by
the same underlying reasons that caused obesity. These associated
conditions are the results of untreated overweight.
There are so many health care professionals including primary care doctors and allied health care professionals have dedicated their lives trying to make people live healthier lives. In spite of these hard working enthusiastic professionals, many chronic physical disorders such as obesity are increasing globally. It is not because health care professionals are not caring about it, it is because current medical and health services are not geared to address root causes of physical illnesses. Health care systems are not designed to collect relevant data to help treat obesity. The medical billing systems do not identify obesity as an illness nor the treatment for obesity. There are in gaps in medical education and services to cure preventable diseases.
Obesity is caused by an imbalance in input and usage of fuel in the body. Each type of food and drink have different concentration of fuel and even a small portion of certain food types give a lot of calories. Excessive input leads to excess storage as fatty deposits in various parts of the body, not only under the skin but also around organs such as heart and intestine, muscles and joints. Excess weight makes the heart work harder to pump blood into tissues and causes more wear and tear in joints by carrying extra weight. Depending on what food and how much we take, the level of activity that is needed to spend those calories to bring the body into balance varies.
Even if we know a lot about science of food, we are confused with information overload and different interpretations and promotional advertisements. Unbiased accurate information is hard to find. When food industry is promoting more and more processed food with preservatives and appetizers obesity is rising at an alarming rate.
Some people gain weight or unable to lose weight even if they eat small amounts. It is not all about over eating. When we are tired and lethargic we don't feel like moving. Such mood swings can last days, weeks, months or years. Extra long working hours, lack of sleep, certain drugs and alcohol are common reasons for feeling lethargic and not having enough energy to spend time being active.
There are also emotional reasons why we tend to eat and drink more than we need. Most of these emotional reasons are hidden and unknown to the person.Their beliefs and assumptions around food may be shaped by those underlying emotions.
Sometimes the reason for depressed mood is not that obvious, specially the reason is a long standing one. Sense of unworthiness, sense of not cared and loved and not having a sense of belonging and other internal conflicts are common causes of depression. These causes feelings of discomfort and the body reacts to that depressed feelings. Emotions and body's autonomic nervous system is very closely linked and the autonomic nervous system controls all automatic functions in the body. Therefore emotions are directly influencing our physical health. When we are not balanced emotionally, our body too becomes imbalanced.
Psychological discomfort cause stress and turn into physical discomfort. It can make people over eat as a way of comforting them.
How ever much we take medicine to treat physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, heart disease, joint disease (arthritis), diabetes, sleep apnea etc without relieving the underlying stress caused by suppressed emotions, the body will keep producing symptoms affecting different parts of the body, starting from the weakest system. For example, the weakest part of the body of a smoker could be the breathing system. Most important part of treatment is to identify the reason for the symptom and to educate patients about it and not just suppressing the symptom by drug treatment.
The patients need education how to resolve their emotional conflicts and not only symptomatic relief of symptoms before they become even more seriously ill. If the underlying reason is unresolved it keeps causing disease in other parts of the body involving more and more systems while making them perpetually dependent on medications.
If health industry is not addressing root causes of obesity, advance health technology is not enough to save peoples lives. Patients need education and not medication. Their health is affected by lack of knowledge of food and drink and hidden emotional barriers. Both of these issues cannot be treated by medications or by surgery.
Advanced technology, innovative surgical techniques or drugs cannot solve issues in human mind. Medicine for obesity is education and not medication. What I mean by education is not just giving advice on eating healthy and exercising. It involves educating a person to be mindful about what they think, feel, say and do at every moment. Advice on healthy life style would not be enough to motivate people to improve self care.Education must include not only theoretical knowledge but also practical solutions to suit each individual. The knowledge is useful to raise awareness but practical solutions must be given and to eliminate negative emotions, unhelpful beliefs and assumptions.
As we advance in technologically, our lives become more automated and self awareness deteriorates. When our mind is too busy to notice body's warning signals and mind's discomforts that alert us to make a change to avoid what is harming us, the body becomes diseased. This 'unconscious living' makes us ill and dependent on expensive medical interventions rather than relying on self care to remove the cause early before it causes further damage.
There are so many health care professionals including primary care doctors and allied health care professionals have dedicated their lives trying to make people live healthier lives. In spite of these hard working enthusiastic professionals, many chronic physical disorders such as obesity are increasing globally. It is not because health care professionals are not caring about it, it is because current medical and health services are not geared to address root causes of physical illnesses. Health care systems are not designed to collect relevant data to help treat obesity. The medical billing systems do not identify obesity as an illness nor the treatment for obesity. There are in gaps in medical education and services to cure preventable diseases.
Obesity is caused by an imbalance in input and usage of fuel in the body. Each type of food and drink have different concentration of fuel and even a small portion of certain food types give a lot of calories. Excessive input leads to excess storage as fatty deposits in various parts of the body, not only under the skin but also around organs such as heart and intestine, muscles and joints. Excess weight makes the heart work harder to pump blood into tissues and causes more wear and tear in joints by carrying extra weight. Depending on what food and how much we take, the level of activity that is needed to spend those calories to bring the body into balance varies.
Even if we know a lot about science of food, we are confused with information overload and different interpretations and promotional advertisements. Unbiased accurate information is hard to find. When food industry is promoting more and more processed food with preservatives and appetizers obesity is rising at an alarming rate.
Some people gain weight or unable to lose weight even if they eat small amounts. It is not all about over eating. When we are tired and lethargic we don't feel like moving. Such mood swings can last days, weeks, months or years. Extra long working hours, lack of sleep, certain drugs and alcohol are common reasons for feeling lethargic and not having enough energy to spend time being active.
There are also emotional reasons why we tend to eat and drink more than we need. Most of these emotional reasons are hidden and unknown to the person.Their beliefs and assumptions around food may be shaped by those underlying emotions.
Sometimes the reason for depressed mood is not that obvious, specially the reason is a long standing one. Sense of unworthiness, sense of not cared and loved and not having a sense of belonging and other internal conflicts are common causes of depression. These causes feelings of discomfort and the body reacts to that depressed feelings. Emotions and body's autonomic nervous system is very closely linked and the autonomic nervous system controls all automatic functions in the body. Therefore emotions are directly influencing our physical health. When we are not balanced emotionally, our body too becomes imbalanced.
Psychological discomfort cause stress and turn into physical discomfort. It can make people over eat as a way of comforting them.
How ever much we take medicine to treat physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, heart disease, joint disease (arthritis), diabetes, sleep apnea etc without relieving the underlying stress caused by suppressed emotions, the body will keep producing symptoms affecting different parts of the body, starting from the weakest system. For example, the weakest part of the body of a smoker could be the breathing system. Most important part of treatment is to identify the reason for the symptom and to educate patients about it and not just suppressing the symptom by drug treatment.
The patients need education how to resolve their emotional conflicts and not only symptomatic relief of symptoms before they become even more seriously ill. If the underlying reason is unresolved it keeps causing disease in other parts of the body involving more and more systems while making them perpetually dependent on medications.
If health industry is not addressing root causes of obesity, advance health technology is not enough to save peoples lives. Patients need education and not medication. Their health is affected by lack of knowledge of food and drink and hidden emotional barriers. Both of these issues cannot be treated by medications or by surgery.
Advanced technology, innovative surgical techniques or drugs cannot solve issues in human mind. Medicine for obesity is education and not medication. What I mean by education is not just giving advice on eating healthy and exercising. It involves educating a person to be mindful about what they think, feel, say and do at every moment. Advice on healthy life style would not be enough to motivate people to improve self care.Education must include not only theoretical knowledge but also practical solutions to suit each individual. The knowledge is useful to raise awareness but practical solutions must be given and to eliminate negative emotions, unhelpful beliefs and assumptions.
As we advance in technologically, our lives become more automated and self awareness deteriorates. When our mind is too busy to notice body's warning signals and mind's discomforts that alert us to make a change to avoid what is harming us, the body becomes diseased. This 'unconscious living' makes us ill and dependent on expensive medical interventions rather than relying on self care to remove the cause early before it causes further damage.
there are several ways to reduce waist size. If you are tired of hanging bellies and fat that continues to amass no matter what you do, it is time to get back to the basics. about health
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