Obesity means you are carrying way too much body weight. In today’s society, with all the fast food restaurants, busy lifestyles and many unhealthy options at our fingertips it’s easy to consume too many kilojoules in a day. Also most likely too much fat and that builds up very easily. This is exacerbated by our sedentary lifestyles, especially now being in shutdown where a lot of us have spent much time in front of our screens, at home, getting little exercise and not that far from the fridge. All this can lead to an increased risk of many diseases.
The BMI stands for body mass index and is how it is determined whether someone is obese. The BMI is calculated using a person’s height and weight. The formula is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 shows a person is overweight and a BMI above 30 suggests a person is obese.
Diseases contributed to by obesity
Heart disease
Extra weight can cause high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels putting you at high risk for heart disease and strokes. Obesity can also cause angina and chest pain. Often there are no symptoms causing some people to die suddenly without warning. Losing weight even just a small amount helps to reduce this risk.
Cancer
There are some cancers such as colon, breast, endometriosis, kidney and oesophagus cancers that can be linked to obesity, toxin overload and high kilojoule diets.
Type II Diabetes
Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to control blood sugar levels. Diabetes can also lead to heart disease, stroke, and blindness. Being overweight can put you at a higher risk to develop Type II Diabetes compared to those with normal weight. Reducing your risk of Diabetes and controlling blood glucose occurs with proper exercise, enough sleep and a balanced diet.
Gallbladder Disease
Gall bladder disease can occur from obesity however rapid weight loss can actually increase the chance of developing gallstones. A lot of these fast weight loss diets actually do more harm than good. This reinforces the idea that you need a healthy eating plan rather than a ‘crash diet’ to help you lose weight.
Gout
Gout affects the joints and is caused due to high uric acid in the blood which form into crystals deposited in the joints. Symptoms of gout include pain, redness, and swelling in joints. There are certain foods you should not eat if you have Gout and losing weight does help. Consult your natural therapist to find out what to do.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is another condition that happens in the joints. It usually affects the knee, hip, and lower back. Carrying extra weight puts extra pressure on these joints and wears away cartilage that protects them. Weight loss can reduce the stress on the knee, hip, and lower back, and get rid of the symptoms of osteoarthritis mainly because it helps to lower the acidity in the body and make the body more alkaline which assists in raising your immunity also. This can lead to leaky gut. Check out my article on leaky gut to find out other illnesses associated with leaky gut https://www.wellbeing.com.au/body/health/candida-leaky-gut-can-make-ill.html
Sleep Apnoea
Sleep Apnoea is a breathing condition associated with being overweight and obesity. This can cause daytime sleepiness and in turn can make heart disease or stroke more likely during sleep. People who snore heavily stop breathing for short periods of time so this is not an illness to be ignored.
These are just some of the many diseases caused by obesity that cause permanent health problems. That is why eating a balanced diet and making time to get regular exercise is so important. Keep your weight down and you will reduce the risk of developing these diseases. Consult your naturopath, nutritionist or natural therapist who will put you on the right track of what you need to eat to assist.
