The Top 3 Things You Can Do, Starting Right Now, To Lose Weight And Win The Battle Against Obesity

Obesity is defined "clinically" as being 30 pounds or more over your ideal weight and is recognized, in North America - especially the U.S., to be a major killer taking 300,000 lives each year from heart attack, stroke, cancer and diabetes which have ALL been strongly linked to obesity. Think about that and put it in proper perspective.

* 52,000+ American soldiers died in Viet Nam during that 10 year war
* 35,000+ Americans die each year from car collisions
* 100,000+ Americans die each year from prescription drugs

But...

300,000+ Americans die each year from obesity-linked diseases. And that isn't my uneducated guess, that's the number given in the 2001 Surgeon General's Report.

The report also said that 31% of Americans are obese.

With a population now of around 300 million people that means 93 million Americans are walking time bombs due to the health risks of obesity. People who may die prematurely from a disease directly linked to being obese. And unfortunately the problem has continued to become worse with obesity now taking a foothold in children.

An estimated 14% of children under 18 are obese.

Instead of eating to live people, more than ever, are living to eat and that fact, along with poor nutrition (Fast Food), is causing a major problem.

What can you do right now, today, to wage war on obesity and lose weight?

Here are 3 strategies that you probably won't take seriously until you are told you have an obesity-linked disease and even then, you may not do anything to help yourself. But, if you are ready to take control of your life and health these 3 things could save your life.

1) Change your eating habits. Eat to live instead of living to eat. Which means:
a) Eating smaller meals 3 - 5 times daily
b) Exercising portion control
c) Cutting useless, empty calorie foods from your menu
d) Consuming less calories than you burn daily

2) Get Moving!
a) Walk at least 30 minutes per day to burn calories
b) Take the stairs not the elevator
c) Participate in a physical sport at least 3 times per week

3) Use safe diet products to help you:
a) Burn fat
b) Suppress appetite and curb cravings
c) Block excess carbs and fat and
d) Cut calorie consumption...

Doing the things mentioned above will pretty much guarantee you reach your weight loss goals...Even if it takes you a little longer than you first forecasted. And, by continuing to adhere to this new, healthy lifestyle you'll keep your lost weight off and continue to enjoy a healthier life.

New Epidemic in America: Fatty Liver Disease

There's a medical condition that is frightening physicians and patients alike because it is growing much more common. Called Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD or hepatic steatosis), it affects about a third of the American adult population (13% of children) and the numbers are rising. Many are unaware they have this problem, since in and of itself it rarely causes symptoms, but NAFLD can progress and, though it is rare, when it does it can lead to serious liver damage or even death.

INTEMPERANCE IS THE PROBLEM

A fatty liver has long been associated with long-term and excessive alcohol consumption, but this "non-alcoholic" version of the disease is not about drinking -- it's believed that its main cause is poor diet, notably, one loaded with simple sugars and complex carbohydrates.

Exactly how NAFLD develops is still being studied, but there seems to be a connection between disease progression and the combination of a sedentary lifestyle and metabolic syndrome. In Sweden, researchers asked 18 healthy, normal weight people to consume two meals loaded with carbohydrates and sugar a day, as well as to restrict their physical activity for one month, with the goal of a 5% to 15% increase in body weight. After just one week participants had elevated blood levels of ALT, an enzyme that when elevated indicates NAFLD. In another study, at Saint Louis University, researchers fed sedentary mice a diet that was 40% fat and included lots of high-fructose corn syrup. After a month, they too showed signs of liver damage and also had the beginnings of glucose intolerance, a marker of type 2 diabetes.

FAT GETS STUCK

Brent Tetri, MD, professor of internal medicine at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and an expert on NAFLD, was the lead author of the mice study. He explains that one of the liver's functions is to turn carbohydrates into fat and send it off to be stored in adipose (fat) tissue as fuel reserves. This is the normal metabolism in action, but when people consume excessive amounts of carbohydrates -- in particular from calorie-dense high-sugar and fatty foods -- it overwhelms the liver's ability to function, thereby slowing the delivery of fat into storage. The converted fat therefore lingers, clogging the liver. It is important to note that the fat in the liver is not what was consumed in food... rather it results from the liver's conversion of carbohydrates from food into fat. Insulin resistance increases the problem even further, resulting in yet more fat accumulation in the liver.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

At present there is no easy and truly reliable means to test for liver damage, just a test that measures levels in the blood. This is typically included in the routine blood tests conducted as part of adult exams. If you have children who are overweight and sedentary, request this test for them as well, given how pervasive obesity and poor eating habits have become.

Fortunately, it isn't difficult to protect your liver and it is possible to reverse liver damage if you catch it early. It is, however, the same song we always sing, which people hear all the time and yet disregard... following a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the best strategies for maintaining a healthy liver, along with a healthy everything else. Dr. Tetri suggests following a Mediterranean diet with plenty of vegetables, some fruit and some whole grains, olive oil and fish. People with any damage to their livers should avoid alcohol, but Dr. Tetri says others can safely enjoy a moderate amount of red wine.

Limit fast food and sugar-laden deserts/snacks to once a week or so. Avoid trans fats, as these challenge the liver. Drink water instead of soda. Personally, I was horrified to hear from Dr. Tetri that the sugar from high-fructose corn syrup in just two super-sized sodas amounts to more than you could possibly hold in your hands... that's a visual to call upon when you need help saying "no." High fructose corn syrup, especially in high quantities, suppresses the satiety mechanism in the brain, the one that tells you "that's enough, stop eating." Dr. Tetri suspects that the reason people can polish off huge burgers and piles of French fries is the high-fructose corn syrup in the soda that comes with the meal.

Drugs and some not-so-good-for-you supplements may also be contributing to the surge in liver damage. Acetaminophen in high doses can be extremely toxic to the liver. Also, several popular herbal supplements (Dr. Tetri specifically mentioned kava kava, for weight loss, and germander, ironically used to support liver function) have potential to harm the liver. If you are concerned about liver health, consider working with a physician trained in the use of natural substances to promote health -- there are supplements that might be quite effective when used properly, including milk thistle and possibly Vitamin E and other antioxidants.


Source(s):

Brent Tetri, MD, professor of internal medicine, division of gastroenterology and hepatology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine.