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Why Your Waist Size Is So Important for Your Health


While a lot of people place emphasis on losing weight, you don’t see much as much press about waist size. However, the fact of the matter is that having a suitable waist size is even more important than being the right weight. This is because a big waist circumference is linked to a variety of health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and other obesity-linked disease. What’s more, a study found that people with bigger waist sizes had twice the risk of dying compared to people with smaller waistlines. This shows how dangerous it can be to have a big waist.

To clear things up, the waist is the area between the bottom of your ribs to the top of your hips. You may call this your abdomen or belly area. Most of the time, people with large waists tend to have an apple-shaped body, as opposed to a pear-shaped body when more of the body fat is stored in the hips. If you have an apple-shaped body, you should certainly measure your waist size and ensure that it is not too big.

You must be wondering what a ‘large waistlineâ? means. In general, if you are a man and your waist circumference is more than 37 inches, and if you are a woman and your waist circumference is more than 32 inches, you already have a higher risk of contracting diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. The risk is heightened even more if your waistline is above 40 inches (for men) and 35 inches (for women). So, try your best to reduce your waist size to below the mentioned levels.

A bigger waist means more of your fat is stored in your abdomen, on and around your organs. This can impair the ability of your organs to function properly, which is why many health problems afflict people with bigger waistlines.

It’s important to know that you cannot target weight loss to happen around your waist only. The only way to drop the fat is to eat a lower-calorie diet and do regular exercise to burn overall fat. Generally, fat burns off last from the abdomen, so you will have to work on it if you are going to reduce your waist size.

It won’t be easy, but for your health’s sake, strive to achieve a healthy weight as well as a healthy waist size.


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New York Big Gulp Ban Overturned



I just saw breaking news that the American Beverage Association was successful in having the New York ban on large sugary drinks overturned. Apparently the judge in the trial found that the mayor of New York was overstepping his boundary and that the ban was arbitrary and capricious.

Why Ban Large Soft Drinks?

Well I like a sugary soda as much as the next guy but overturning this shows that the American Beverage Association cares less about the health of it’s customers than it does about some small profits from giant drinks.New York Big Gulp Ban Overturned

I am sure that everyone recognizes that something as big as a Super Big Gulp can not be good for anyone and in writing about this in the past I have found that most people would agree. Every now and then there is someone saying that they drink a couple of the really big bottles of pop a day (2 liter bottles here in Canada) and that there is no problem.

Yes there is a problem.

Our bodies are not meant for that much sugar at one time. Especially since the north american population in much more sedentary than it has ever been in the past. That much sugar, let alone all the other chemicals is not only going to make you unhealthy but also lead to Diabetes and obesity. There is no reason that anyone needs that kind of drink and I agree with Mayor Bloomberg this kind of drink should be banned.

I know that people will come back and comment below that it is anyones right to do whatever they want and that the state can not lrgislate what we can and can’t drink but this is also a very wrong premise. As people get fatter and fatter they get sicker and sicker and this only causes more stresses on society and the health care system that needs to look after them.

We all know people that left to their own devices will hurt themselves and this is an example of just nudging the giant soft drink away from the person that will be harmed by it. I hope the law is rewritten to get the ban back and I also hope that the American Beverage Association will be shamed into turning away from trying to stop these kinds of laws that will only help their customers.

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Surgical Weight Loss: Options, Benefits and Risks

While regular exercise and a healthy diet is recognized as the ideal way to maintain a normal weight, there are some individuals for whom weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery is the only option remaining. People who are morbidly obese and have tried and failed to lose weight using conventional methods are turning to surgical weight loss as a solution. Bariatric surgery is recommended only for people with severe obesity; that is, with a body mass index above 40. Weight loss surgery is also offered to people with BMI between 35 and 40 if they also suffer from obesity-related health problems such as diabetes or sleep apnea.

Surgical Weight Loss Options

When diet, exercise or weight loss medications are not enough to reach and maintain a healthy weight, people who suffer from severe obesity can resort to a number of surgical options for weight loss:

* Gastric Bypass. A gastric bypass allows you to lose weight in two ways: first, by limiting the amount of food ingested and second, by reducing the amount of nutrients you absorb from your food. This is done by creating a smaller stomach pouch which is attached to the lower part of the small intestine. The smaller stomach holds less food so you feel full sooner. Also, fewer calories are absorbed because the food bypasses a portion of the stomach and small intestine.

* Lap Banding. This surgical weight loss procedure uses an adjustable band inserted in the stomach to give a feeling of fullness and limit the amount of food consumed. The lap band can be tailor-made for the patient. It is also adjustable after surgery so that you can eat more or less food as needed.

* Gastric sleeve. This type of stomach reduction surgery is one of the newer options for surgical weight loss. It makes the stomach smaller by removing up to 85% of the stomach, leaving only a narrow, banana-shaped tube. With a smaller stomach, you will feel full even with less food. This weight loss surgical procedure is safer compared to gastric bypass because it does not rearrange the digestive anatomy. It may also be safer than lap banding since no foreign objects are introduced into the digestive system.

Benefits

* Quick and effective weight loss. Most patients start to lose weight immediately following surgery. In general, patients lose weight rapidly within 6 months to one year. Weight loss often continues until two years after the surgical procedure., and few patients regain it.

* Improved health conditions. A number of studies found that weight loss surgery can return blood sugar levels to normal in patients with type 2 diabetes. There is also an improvement in obesity-related health conditions such as sleep apnea and high blood pressure.

* Psychosocial adjustment. As patients reach a more normal weight, their self-esteem and self-image also improve and they are better able to function in society.

Risks

* Side effects. Patients may experience vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, flatulence, and dizziness.

* Nutritional deficiencies. Surgical weight loss may be accompanied by nutritional deficiencies including anemia and osteoporosis.

* Complications. After weight loss surgery, some patients may suffer from complications such as abdominal hernias, infections, gallstones, or breakdown of the staple line used to make the stomach smaller.

* Lifestyle changes. Bariatric surgery often requires permanent lifestyle changes for significant and lasting weight loss.


Surgical Weight Loss: Options, Benefits and Risks

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