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How Does Obesity Affect the Body?

How does obesity affect the body?

In this looks-obsessed society, many people think that overweight is an appearance issue. Being overweight is actually a medical concern as it can affect the health of a person. It can cause diabetes and hypertension and also affect the joints, sleep, energy and mood.

As per the Ayurveda aspect:

In Ayurveda, it has been clearly mentioned that the basic 7 seven elements that govern the body are called as dhatus. Out of these seven dhatus, one dhatu is meda (fat). The excessive accumulation of meda in the body channels leads to obesity.

Obesity Treatment in Ayurveda

How overweight can be defined?

Obesity is a chronic and serious disease that has effects on body systems. Being overweight increases the risk of developing some serious conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and joints, and bones related disorders, etc. In some of cases, it may also lead to disability or early death.

When there is too much fat accumulation in the body, it causes various disorders in the body.

Obesity is epidemic and it can affect the kids, teens as well as the adults.

What are the causes of being overweight or obesity?

Obesity tends to be caused due to genetic factors. Most people have a genetic tendency to gain weight more easily. Genes influence the body’s type and size. Chances increased to 25% if one or both the parents are obese. Several environmental factors also play an important role in it.

Most of the people are gaining too much weight or becoming overweight because of the unhealthy food (like eating fast foods and preserved foods) and family habits (eating meals in front of the TV instead of sitting on the dining table). Overeating in combination with a sedentary lifestyle also leads to obesity. Consumption of foods that contain high calories, low nutrients, beverages, and less activity contributes to the obesity epidemic.

Metabolic factors also play an important role in determining weight gain. A hormone called peptide regulates the appetite and triggers hunger and gives you a feeling of fullness after eating the food.

What are the impacts of obesity on the body?

Obesity can cause various health-related conditions that hamper the daily lifestyle and make the person physically, mental and socially inactive.

It includes

Heart disease:

Accumulation of the fat tissue in the body needs nutrients and oxygen content that are required for the circulation of more blood to the fat tissue through the blood vessels. This increases the workload of the heart on the vessels. More circulation of blood means more pressure on the walls of the arteries which increases the blood pressure.

American heart association has stated that obesity is a major risk factor for the heart-related disease. People with obesity are at a greater risk for coronary artery disease. It also means that obese people have a higher risk of heart stroke or heart attack. Severe obesity is also associated with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).

Diabetes mellitus:

Obesity is the main cause of type 2 diabetes and it usually begins in the adult stage but due to improper diet and lifestyle, it is now occurring in children. High blood sugar levels can also cause heart disease, kidney disease, blindness, and stroke. Obesity causes insulin resistance, thus elevates the blood sugar level.

Sleep apnea:

Sleep apnea causes the people to stop breathing for a short period which causes an interruption in the sleep throughout the night and causes sleepiness. This may lead to snoring and is also associated with restricted breathing. An overweight person may have the chance of accumulation of fat around the neck. It makes the airway smaller which makes the breathing loud or difficult.

Bone-related problems or joint damage:

Obesity contributes to the number of disorders of bones and joint tissues. It increases the risk of personal injuries and accidents. It mainly affects the knees and hips because of the stress put on the joints by being overweight. People with heavy weight or obesity have higher levels of substances that cause inflammation. This may increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

Causes of Obesity

Cancer:

Women who are suffering from obesity are at an increased risk of cancer such as breast, colon, uterus and gall bladder. Men with obesity have a higher risk of prostate and colon cancer etc.

Fatty liver:

Obesity is the main cause of the fatty liver and non-alcoholic liver disease which cause scarring of the liver and result in the alteration of the liver functions and have a higher risk of liver cirrhosis and liver failure. Symptoms include retention of fluid, indigestion, abdominal pain, etc.

Psychosocial effects on the body:

In this culture with the idea of physical attractiveness is to be thin, those who are obese or overweight suffer various disadvantages. These are blamed for their health or condition. It is not easy for an overweight person having a lower income or having fewer or no romantic relationships. Disapproval may lead to discrimination, bias or torment.

Some other common health problems:

Gall bladder stones:

Accumulation and buildup of bile harden the gall bladder and forms gall stones. This condition can be painful and according to the symptoms and duration, it may require surgery.

Muscle and joint pain:

Wearing and tearing of the joints by any injury, carrying extra weight or accidents may lead to arthritis in adults.

Depression:

People who are obese or overweight are likely to be depressed and the person may lose his/her confidence and have a lower esteem level.

What are the symptoms of obesity?

BMI more than 30 (BMI defines as the accumulation of the excessive fat content in the body)

Excessive perspiration
Snoring
Breathlessness
Pain in joints and back region
Tiredness
Unable to cope with sudden physical activity
Low confidence level

What are the complications of being overweight or obesity?

Due to excessive fat accumulation, there will be constant pressure on the veins and arteries which may lead to atherosclerosis, heart attack or myocardial infarction.
Improper blood circulation to the brain may lead to a stroke.
Infertility is the main complication of obesity.
The person might feel socially unacceptable and has a lower esteem level which results in depression.

Weight Loss – 7 Food Items That May Help You Lose Weight Naturally

Overview

These days people are having problems with increased body weight and health conditions due to it. Today nearly 1 out of 5 people in developed countries are overweight.

Weight gain is when the bodyweight increases, it involves an increase in muscle mass, fat deposits and excess fluid such as water, etc. Weight gain can be the cause of serious medical issue or may be due to wrong lifestyle and diet

If a lot of weight is gained due to the accumulation of body fat, one may become overweight or obese. The body mass index measures the body weight in proportion to the square of the height and it defines the ratio in optimal, insufficient and excessive body weight.

Sometimes you may unintentionally increase your weight without increasing your food intake but decreasing the physical activities.

There may either be 3 types of fluctuations.

These are:

1) In some cases, weight fluctuations occur periodically every now and then due to menstrual cycles in most of women.

2) Rapid weight gain is often a side effect of some medications, can also lead to unintentional weight gain.

3) Continuous weight gain is an issue of gaining weight due to varying factors like overeating and advancing age.

Here are some additional factors of gaining weight like hormonal changes, during the time of menopause and other factors also noted in the case of women such as pregnancy and after delivery, they gain weight.

Most people are unsure how to lose weight safely and naturally and at this time, everyone is fighting with body weight.

Ayurveda suggests some home and natural remedies that may help in weight loss but before moving forward we also need to take some extra steps which should be added in weight loss trends to avoid continuous weight gain

A person should eat easy to digest food and take the light evening meal
Drink hot water to help cleanse the digestive tract and blockage and flush out the impurities of the body
Avoid eating highly processed, packaged and junk foods
Move your body. Indulge in some physical activities and yoga
Limit your intake of added sugar

7 Food Items That May Help You Lose Weight Naturally

1. Cinnamon Tea and Honey

Like honey, cinnamon has many medicinal properties; it contains antioxidants which help to improve health in various forms. It can help to improve metabolism and improve insulin function, thereby helps in weight loss

Boil a cup of water,
Add1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder and let it cool.
Now add a teaspoon of raw and organic honey in it

2. Avocados

This fruit is high in carbohydrates and rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, and potassium. People who eat avocados on a daily basis tend to have low BMI and avocados can be the perfect addition to vegetable salad. It is a good appetite suppressant.

3. Herbal Green Tea

It is considered to be one of the healthiest beverages on the planet. One of the most recommended beverages which help in weight loss. Green tea is full of antioxidants. These antioxidants boost metabolism and beneficial in weight loss. These days’ people more rely on Green tea among all the healthier beverages which have also been proven effective.

4. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

It helps to boost our metabolism and helps to lose weight by burning more calories in a day. It has also found to satiate the hunger for longer period of time. Consuming coconut oil every day can burn fat especially belly fat but it is also a fact that finding organic, un refined and virgin coconut oil is difficult

b: It can be considered the alternative of olive and margarine oil for cooking food; and can be added to the salads as well. Adding a teaspoon of coconut oil in the boiling water for every half cup of rice helps to reduce calories if you eat it on daily basis.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is produced through 2 steps of the fermentation process.

The acetic acid present in apple cider vinegar may promote weight loss in several ways:

It lowers the level of blood sugar
Reduces fat storage like fat stored in belly or liver fat
Burns fat
Improves metabolism so it helps to decrease fat and sugar production in the liver
Suppresses appetite. Acetic present in it may suppress centers in the brain to control appetite so the food intake is relatively reduced.

6. Oatmeal

Oatmeal itself can help you lose weight. After eating oatmeal, people feel fuller and less hungry in comparison to other cereals. The fibers and loads of nutrients contained in it are also beneficial for the digestive system.

The snack bar is also to be made by oats which is nutritious but at the same time void of carbohydrates and calories.
Homemade bread and pancake made up of oatmeal flour add to the taste as well as help in weight loss

7. Nuts

Nuts are extremely healthy, they are full of nutrients and antioxidants, may prevent weight gain. Mid day craving can be managed by some of the nuts:

Almonds are considered to be as a pre-workout meal, those who’re looking to shed some weight, almonds can be beneficial for them. They contain the amino acid, which helps you to burn more carbs and calories during the workout.
Walnuts are high in unsaturated fat which is healthier for the heart. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, magnesium and antioxidants. It suppresses your unnecessary craving and stimulates your body to lose weight faster.
Pistachios have fewer calories as compared to most of the nuts. Their high fiber content allows you to feel full without overeating.

Eating all these above foods can help to shed your body weight. But nature has given us many more organic food items as well.

In Ayurveda, piperine present in pepper enhances the metabolism. Taking a pinch of pepper along with honey and lemon in hot water can help in quick weight loss by boosting the process.

There are more such remedies taken from ancient Ayurvedic science that are herbal and natural and helpful for those who are searching for weight loss techniques in modern science which might give some sort of side effects to your body