Showing posts with label heart problems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart problems. Show all posts

Thursday, 20 February 2020

Obesity And Overweight: Five Diseases And Health Conditions

A health care professional can readily tell if you are obese, overweight, or healthy by simply measuring your Body Mass Index, or BMI, in short. It effectively determines your weight in proportion to your height and the further it goes outside the scope of the standard range, the greater your odds are of developing a host of critical health issues from obesity and overweight.
Accomplishing and sustaining a healthy weight is something that cannot be achieved overnight and might turn out to be a challenging task for obese and overweight individuals in the long-term. Ensuring a healthy weight through appropriate means or at least preventing yourself from gaining more weight can help overweight people reduce the likelihood of developing specific medical conditions.
Obesity is on the verge of becoming a national epidemic in the USA and is associated with several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. The grave medical condition is responsible for an astounding 18% mortality rate in the age group of 40 to 85 among American population, as observed by a health research study carried out in 2013, questioning the deeply-rooted, prevailing notion of the medical and scientific community that a mere 5 in every 100 deaths in the country are related to obesity. The new finding essentially suggests that it is as fatal as cigarette smoking, when it comes to the discussion of public health hazards, as the particular way of nicotine consumption can be linked to 20 in every 100 deaths in the USA and is acknowledged as the major preventable cause of mortality in the country.
Almost 2 in every 5 American adults were diagnosed with obesity in 2015-16, which is a significant increase from 34% in 2007-08, and its impact became more profound with a steep increase from 5.7% to 7.7% during that time. While not a single state reported an obesity rate of over 15% in 1985, as many as 5 of them registered rates higher than 35% for the year 2016.
Obesity and overweight are often associated with emotional health issues like depression. People who are either obese or overweight may also experience weight bias as well as face the stigma of the medical care services providers and others, which, in turn, can result in guilt, feeling of rejection, or shame, further worsening the prevailing problems concerning one's mental well-being.
The major diseases and health complications caused by obesity and overweight are illustrated below in brief.
I. TYPE 2 DIABETES
When the blood glucose concentration becomes abnormally high on a permanent basis, the particular medical condition is termed as type 2 diabetes. About 4 in every 5 individuals with the said form of diabetes are known to be either obese or overweight. High blood sugar levels can manifest a large number of medical conditions, such as stroke, heart conditions, eye issues, neuropathic damage, eye problems, and other health issues.
Allowing yourself to engage in periodic physical activities and reducing 5% to 7% of your weight may prevent or postpone type 2 diabetes onset in the event you belong to the risk group for the particular disease.
II. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
When the blood passes through the blood vessels in your body with significantly more force, the particular medical condition is known as hypertension, or more commonly, high blood pressure. It can cause an alarmingly great level of damage to your blood vessels, strain your heart, and help increase the odds of stroke, kidney disease, heart attack, and even death.
III. HEART DISEASE
The umbrella term heart disease is routinely used to indicate a wide and diverse gamut of medical conditions that can affect the overall well-being of the organ. If you are diagnosed with heart disease, you are at a greater risk of having heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina, heart attack, or a heart rhythm that is not considered normal. Elevated fat levels in your bloodstream, high blood sugar concentrations, and high blood pressure may increase the odds of heart disease. Blood lipids or blood fats necessarily refer to triglycerides, High-Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol, and Low-Density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol. Reducing 5% to 10% of your body mass is likely to help you mitigate the risks of developing heart disease and can help improve your blood flow, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
IV. STROKE
If there is a blockage or an incidence of blood vessel rupture in your neck or brain, it causes the blood supply in your brain to restrain all on a sudden, and the particular medical condition is known as stroke. A stroke can cause reversible or irreversible damage to your brain, resulting in partial or complete paralysis and thus, making you incapable of speaking or initiating body movements. To suffice, hypertension is recognized as being the vital cause of strokes.
V. SLEEP APNEA
Sleep apnea is a medical condition when an individual does not breathe frequently and is pretty much common in a large number of people around the globe. One may also cease breathing altogether for small intervals. If the said sleeping disorder continues to remain undiagnosed and untreated, it may increase the odds of other critical health issues, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Sudarsana Chakrabarti is a primary and urgent care doctor in Homer Glen, Illinois. She is actively engaged in health blogging over a decade and has penned umpteen blogs, articles, and guest posts concerning numerous medical complications and disease prevention/treatment, such as diabetes and blood glucose (sugar) monitoring, migraine and headaches, allergy testing, hypertension (high blood pressure), cough, rash, and sore throat, to name a few.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10215640https://ezinearticles.com/?Obesity-And-Overweight:-Five-Diseases-And-Health-Conditions&id=10215640

Friday, 9 November 2018

How Massage Helps More Than Just Muscles

Think of massage and your mind will probably conjure up images of smouldering candles, soft ivory fluffy towels and all things that ooze rest and relaxation. But while massage is a popular way for many people to unwind, it also has some incredible health benefits.
Here are just a few that may surprise you:
1: It can help with lower back pain
Massage can be an effective way to treat both acute and chronic lower back pain and is often combined with other holistic exercises. Many people who book a massage do so to help alleviate pain, stiffness and soreness as a result of a chronic health condition or injury.
2: It can lower high blood pressure
Massage is widely believed to be an effective way to help control blood pressure and pre-hypertension. Getting regular massage treatment can encourage relaxation, which can help to maintain healthy blood pressure pressure levels.
3: It can help with depression and anxiety
Massage therapy is an effective way to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, as well as the fatigue that is often associated with such conditions. It is widely believed that depression can lead to heightened muscle pain and tension. Massage can result in improvements in patients displaying chronic pain and muscle tension. It can also help to reverse the depression cycle and improve energy levels.
4: It can help to regulate diabetes
Massage therapy has been used to help manage diabetes for over 100 years. It can be helpful in promoting relaxation, reducing the risk of neuropathy and helping to restore the correct use of insulin. Massage is now a popular alternative medicine for many conditions.
5: It can help to prevent injuries
Specific types of massages, such as sports massages, can play a role in supporting athletic performance and aid injury recovery while helping to prevent future injuries such as ligament traumas.
So how exactly does massage work?
Massage combines the benefits of soft tissue manipulation and the release of chemicals due to the relaxation response. Improved circulation enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the body's muscular cells. As cellular health improves, tissues can function more efficiently.
Applying pressure to the skin helps to relax muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The release of superficial layers of muscles may also affect deeper layers which can lead to both sets of muscles becoming more balanced.
When muscles, bones, or nerves are distressed, organs can sometimes become affected. Massage can benefit organs as they share neurological pathways with these muscles, bones and nerves.
Fancy a relaxing massage to unwind after a hard day's work? You could end up giving your health a boost at the same time!


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9545188https://ezinearticles.com/?How-Massage-Helps-More-Than-Just-Muscles&id=9545188

Wednesday, 7 November 2018

Exercise Is King - Again

Exercise is King
Like most mature adults, I am on high blood pressure medication. Which I find really irritating. SO I have been looking for ways to reduce my blood pressure enough to not need the chemical medications I am taking.
As always, research beckoned, where I found so many offerings that I almost got lost in the research instead of what I really intended to do.
1. I hate to admit it, but the first thing that came up was, to lose weight, taking particular note of your waist measurements, (under 40 in for men, 35 in for women), so assuming there are others out there like me, I am passing some of them on to you.
The following is from the staff at The Mayo Clinic
"Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnea), which further raises your blood pressure.
Weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing just 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) can help reduce your blood pressure.
Besides shedding pounds, you generally should also keep an eye on your waistline. Carrying too much weight around your waist can put you at greater risk of high blood pressure."
2. Then, exercise:- Just 30 mins most days of the week (I try to manage 5), can have an enormous impact and can lower your blood pressure by as much as 4 to 9 ml mercury (mm Hg). I am so up for that! Best options - walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing, or even strength training.
I think most of us can manage a walk or two and for me, if it's not an option, then I work out on some floor exercises at home. For weights I use a couple of bottles of water and sit on the edge of the sofa for leg workouts.
3. Keep to a healthy diet. It is recommended that you Be a smart shopper. Read food labels when you shop and stick to your healthy-eating plan when you're dining out, too. It's not always easy, but the benefits are huge.
Try to eat fewer processed foods. Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing. Checking the labels will show just how much sodium (salt) and sugars of various kinds are added during the processing. These are added as much to increase the shelf life of a product, which doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.
These days I've started freezing my own vegetables, which I found so much less complicated and difficult than I thought. So now I have a freezer full of frozen vegetables that contain no sugar, salt which I admittedly added to the water. But, I only blanched the veggies and used the same water for any that don't add a strong flavour to the water. So my salt use is kept to a minimum.
I then checked out some foods etc that can help with lowering blood pressure. Now I've never gone in much for flavoured teas, except green and Earl Grey, but on the research front I came across the following.
Hibiscus tea contains phytochemicals that play a role in reducing blood pressure, Soy contains Isoflavones which can also help reduce the systolic blood pressure reading (the one on top). They also help in the production of nitric oxide enzymes, which help in the relaxation of blood vessels, reducing blood pressure.
4. Quit smoking
5. Work on reducing your stress levels.
6. Every cell in the body has a receptor for Vitamin D so work on absorbing, or taking Vitamin D. This can be found first and foremost in the sun's rays. It needs to be noted that if you live more than 35% up or down from the equator, this can lead to very little being absorbed as the sun's rays are weaker. Although, exposing arms and legs to the sun for 5-45 minutes between the hours of 10am - 3pm, is usually enough to meed the daily requirements for most skin types.
It can be found in oily fish, fish liver oil and egg yolks, among others. Every cell in our bodies have a receptor for Vitamin D. It's deficiency is also linked to type 1 Diabetes, MS, high blood pressure and thyroid problems.
Thanks to Authority Nutrition at Healthline.
Overweight people can also need higher amounts of the vitamin.
Don't forget alcohol -
Generally more than one drink a day for women and for men older than age 65, or more than two a day for men age 65 and younger. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
Sadly (for me), Caffeine is also bad for blood pressure levels. But then, having reduced my intake has been quite good really, so can't complain.
Generally, Overall -
Blood pressure needs to be less than 120/80
To avoid high cholesterol - Keep numbers to less than
100 mg for LDL (bad) cholesterol.
60 mg + for HDL (good) cholesterol.
If overweight, or to prevent becoming overweight, watch waist measurements stay under 40 in - men, 35 in - women.
Exercise regularly
Eat less than 7% of calories in saturated fat.
Eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol foods.
So, if we want to avoid, or reverse our dependency on chemicals, following a diet plan that can actually help, is a no brainer really, isn't it?
A final note, Statins are partly responsible for making recipients tired and suffering from memory loss. Another reason for being able to avoid having to take such medications I think.
This research is an amazing way of finding and, where possible, avoiding the common situations many of us encounter when we reach adulthood, for some, this doesn't just mean when we are past the age of 55.
If you have any questions, or comments, or even, Heaven forbid, criticisms or corrections, I can be reached at hilary@hilaryagreen.com


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9883912https://ezinearticles.com/?Exercise-Is-King---Again&id=9883912

Sunday, 30 September 2018

7 Health Problems Connected With Obesity

Often people blame junk or processed foods for their obesity problem. If a person weighs more than 20% of the normal weight considering his/her height, then he/she is considered as an obese person.
However, you need to keep in mind that not every obese person would have all these health issues. Also, the risk of developing health issues increases, if someone in your family suffers from it.
Check out some health issues that are connected to obesity or overweight people.
1. Heart Problems
Excess fat can make an individual more inclined to have high BP and elevated levels of cholesterol. Both of these conditions are top reasons behind the occurrence of different types of heart problems or stroke. Fortunately, even losing a small amount of weight can decrease the odds of getting affected by heart problems or a stroke. You can lower the chances of heart issues by simply losing around 10% of your bodyweight.
2. Type 2 Diabetes
The majority of people who get affected by Type 2 diabetes suffer from obesity. You can take various steps to reduce the odds of getting affected by Type 2 diabetes, such as,
• By losing weight
• Having a balanced diet
• Exercising regularly
• Sleeping adequately
If you already have Type 2 Diabetes, then you can control the levels of blood sugar by staying more active physically and by losing weight as well. More physically active means that you require less medication to control your diabetes.
3. Gallbladder Disease
If an individual is overweight, then the chances of getting a gallbladder infection and gallstones are higher. Unexpectedly, weight reduction itself, especially fast weight reduction or loss excessive weight, can make you more prone to getting affected from gallstones. However, you'll be less likely to get gallstones if you lose weight around 1 or 2 kilograms per week.
4. Cancer
It's quite shocking to know that different types of cancers that are connected with body parts such as colon, breast, kidney, endometrium, and esophagus are connected to obesity. A few examinations and researches have seen connections among cancers of the gallbladder, pancreas, ovaries, and with obesity problem.
5. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a joint problem that affects the hip, back, or knee of the patient. Due to the excess weight, extra pressure is put on the joints, which damages the cartilage eventually. You can reduce the stress on your lower back, knees, and hips by simply choosing weight loss, which may also improve your osteoarthritis condition.
6. Gout
The joints of an individual are affected with this health condition. This problem occurs when there's an excess amount of uric acid present in the blood, which eventually converts into crystal form that gets stored in the joints. You'll be surprised to know that gout affects fat or obese more compared to healthy people. In fact, the chances of getting gout increase if a person is overweight. However, you need to consult your doctor if you already have gout and planning to lose weight.
7. Sleep Apnea
It's true that sleep apnea is connected with obesity problem. Sleep apnea is a breathing problem that develops snoring problem is disruptive breathing while sleeping. Sleep apnea is often the reason behind daytime drowsiness and increases the odds of stroke or heart problems. However, it has been seen the proper weight loss improves sleep apnea significantly.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9922241https://ezinearticles.com/?7-Health-Problems-Connected-With-Obesity&id=9922241