grow older better

Tag: overweight

  • Obesity And Your Lifespan

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    More of we older people, more than previously thought, may be shortening our lifespans due to obesity issues.

     

    The death toll of the nation’s obesity epidemic may be close to four times higher than has been widely believed, and all that excess weight could reverse the steady trend of lengthening life spans for a generation of younger Americans, new research warns.

     

    There are some studies that showed that having extra weight as we age might be a sort of protection – but in recent years all the research I have read shows that obesity shortens lives – of adults, of teens and of children.

    Me? I’d rather err on the side of not carrying around extra weight.

    Comments? Thoughts?

    Thank you…

     

     

     

     

     

  • Obesity Is Linked To Changes In The Brain

    human_brain

    What are we doing to our brains?

    Our bodies?

     

    The hypothalamus is a small almond sized structure situated just above the brain stem and controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep, and circadian cycles. These are functions in the category of homeostasis – or balance.  Look what we are doing!

    Obesity appears to be strongly linked to structural changes in the brains of rats and humans, according to new research.
     
    During a study of high-fat diets in the brains of mice and rats bred to become obese, researchers found evidence of early and lasting injury to a specific part of the hypothalamus.

    Then using brain imaging, the researchers also found signs of similar damage in the same area of the brain in obese humans.
    No one has found a cause and effect – but interesting questions are being asked and further studies will be designed.

    If obesity changes what is basically the hunger thermostat – it might explain a lot about why people keep eating even when they know it may not be good for their health.

    And this study was done on rats and adults so another question would be what happens to young children who are gaining so much weight? If their brains are also changed in not-so-good-ways by the weight, what else might that affect developmentally?

    More questions that need answers!  But while we wait for more answers, please eat healthier foods and grow older better!!

     

    Thoughts? Comments?

  • Overweight women and exercise – will it make you fit?

    Short answer – NO!

    Exercise will not cut the risk of heart disease in those who are overweight unless they also slim down, according to a study of thousands of U.S. women….

    "Even high quantities of physical activity are unlikely to fully reverse the risk of coronary heart disease in overweight and obese women without concurrent weight loss," Dr. Amy Weinstein and colleagues at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reported.

    Read about the study: can you be fit and overweight?
    [This study,     begun in 1992,  was carried out over the years and followed the women and their health issues.]

    The major finding was that exercise is important, but so is being leaner.  This is why I write and talk about weight and obesity topics a lot – especially as we head into that time of year when many people put on a few pounds more and exercise a whole lot less.

    We have an ongoing obesity epidemic in the USA as well as in other parts of the world, and here it is not only is it hurting aging women, it is killing our children who are facing diabetes and other obesity related diseases at early ages.

    PLEASE – keep your resolution to manage your weight and to be more active…you owe it to yourself and your loved ones…

    Set a good example for your kids and grandkids…

     

    P.S. Take a peek at http://bit.ly/beinghealthy for products that are good for you and good for all the "kids" in your life as well.