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Tag: weight loss

  • How to achieve weight loss?

    Obesity management tips

     Obesity or excessive body fat is associated with serious health risks across the globe due to morbidities and mortalities from cardiovascular &other life style diseases. Obesity management strategies discussed here may help to prevent deaths from heart attack, stroke, fatty liver and various other lifestyle diseases.

    All over the world a large number of people suffer from obesity from various causes and there is a huge spike in obesity in the recent decades owing to sedentary lifestyles and faulty habits. In this article I discuss the most essential strategies helping weight loss for all.

     However, in people suffering from obesity due to diseases of thyroid, adrenals, pancreas etc. may have to follow an individualized therapeutic approach under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

     

    Strategies to manage obesity

    1. Dietary modification
    2. Improve physical activity
    3.  Reduce stress

    Dietary modification to achieve weight loss

    • Reduce sugars or unhealthy carbohydrate

    Obesity may get worsened by the intake of sugary beverages and fruit juices with added sugars. Beverages available in the market is full of high calories and chemical compounds endangering your health. If you are on a weight loss journey totally avoid these beverages from your life.

    • Include whole grains

    Whole grains are healthy carbohydrates if consumed in moderate amounts helps to improve the nutritional status of an individual. They include whole grain oats, whole grain rice, cereals etc. Whole grains provide essential fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that improve heart health, aid digestion, and support weight management. A dietary transition to this healthy carbohydrates has been found to be beneficial in lowering risks of type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and chronic inflammation. Most of them may contain vitamin B also which helps brain and heart health.

    • Adequate intake of fibers

    Fibers help to manage weight by causing a sensation of fullness, reducing appetite, and slowing digestion, which helps create a calorie deficit. Take around 25–38 grams fibers daily from whole foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains for better results. Over consumption of fibers may cause flatulence or gas formation inside gut. Therefore, avoid excessive intake of fibers.

    • Consume good amount of proteins

    Proteins help body building, muscle mass, easy satiety or fullness. Recommended daily intake is 1.2–2 g/kg of body weight. Major sources of protein include lean meats, eggs, low-fat Greek yogurt, lentils, tofu, and legumes.

    • Include nuts and seeds in diet plan

    Nuts are very beneficial for weight loss as well as for better nutrition as they contain high fiber, protein, and healthy fats, which increase satiety and boost metabolism. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews are the best quality nuts available all over the world.

    • Avoid saturated unhealthy fat

    Saturated fat intake cause weight gain and obesity due to its high calorie density, lower oxidation rates, and tendency to promote fat accumulation, particularly around vital organs. Saturated fat-rich foods include red meat, butter, cheese etc.  These fats if taken regularly may lead to higher waist circumference and obesity.

    • Avoid alcohol intake

    Alcohol consumption leads to excessive calories. It is always better to avoid alcohol. However, for those who are predisposed to alcohol consumption moderation in drinking is recommended and they must adopt a healthy lifestyle too to prevent obesity.

    • Drink adequate amount of water

    Consuming at least 2–3 liters (roughly 8–12 cups) of water daily helps weight loss. Drinking 500ml of water half an hour before food intake can help satiety, reduce excessive calorie intake, and thus help weight loss.

    Improve physical activity to help weight loss

    Physical exercise has crucial role in energy expenditure and in reducing fat from the body. Exercise helps to regulate hormonal imbalances also.

    Obesity is associated with imbalances in cortisol, insulin, growth hormones, testosterone and catecholamines. Physical activity has to be included into your routine to stay healthy and fit regulating hormones, sugar level and fat metabolites in your body.

      Often, we hear about the link between leptins and obesity. Leptins are hormonal secretions by the adipose tissue or body fats. Leptins in optimum amounts help to regulate appetite and hunger. This may cause easy satiety and it prevents overeating. This is due to the activity of leptins on hypothalamus. But leptin levels are directly proportional to your body fat levels. If body fat increases leptin levels also increase beyond normal limits. This may lead to leptin resistance.  In this condition people may feel excessive hunger and start overeating worsening obesity. Leptin resistance is due to high levels of leptins and it is associated with obesity, cardiovascular diseases and fatty liver.

    A few studies shows that physical exercise has beneficial role in controlling leptin resistance reducing leptin levels. However, further extensive studies are needed to validate this finding.

    Stress management for weight loss

    Obesity is associated with glucocorticoid hormone level elevation in people exposed to chronic stress. Primarily cortisol is elevated and it worsen obesity. Cortisol is capable of redistribution of fat to abdominal region and it also increases appetite and thus promote over eating.

    Apart from stress, other glucocorticoid increasing drugs, hormonal diseases like Cushing syndrome also leads to excess glucocorticoids in the body with fat deposition and obesity in central area of the body. This enhances the risk for cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome with high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc.

    Practice yoga, meditation and mind body exercises to manage stress . Physical activity also helps to relieve stress. Do exercise everyday until you sweat. This may help you feel a sense of wellbeing very easily.

    Cognitive behavioral therapy may help to reduce stress. It is an individualized psychotherapeutic treatment to change the disturbing and negatively influencing thought pattern.

     Cognitive behavioral therapy in obese people motivates them to adopt healthy life style practices and habits beneficial to reduce stress as well as weight gain.

    written by dr sanjana p

    image courtesy [ freepi]

  • Mediterranean diet for preventing obesity & Life style diseases

     Mediterranean diet is a globally approved diet pattern for preventing and managing obesity & life style diseases and thus for sustaining healthy living.

    Obesity and its associated risks are the growing concern in all age groups globally as it is the root cause of various kinds of life style diseases, hormonal disorders, cancers and depression.

      Obesity is a condition which affects the quality of life and the general health of individuals as well as populations. Obesity is closely linked with diabetes and depression even in children, although genetics also plays a contributory role here. The emerging solution to preserve and sustain the health of the population is to adopt healthy lifestyle practices right from the formative years of life. Adults as well as children need to follow healthy food habits and ways for adequate physical activity to ensure better quality of life and productivity.

    In the journey towards adoption of healthy life practices, diet plays a pivotal role. Everyone is worried about the right diet for their health and clinical conditions. This is quite natural and needs advice of a health care provider or nutritionist, particularly if one is affected with life style diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, stroke and some cancers.

    Hormonal disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome in females, also has been linked with obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. This condition requires vigorous physical exercise as well as dietary modifications for reducing insulin resistance and obesity.

     Mediterranean diet is a globally approved diet pattern for preventing and managing many of the life style diseases and sustain healthy living.

    What is Mediterranean diet?

    It is a diet based on traditional diet patterns. Mediterranean diet follows the dietary patterns of people living in Mediterranean region. The diet gives emphasis to the inclusion of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Olive oil is included as a chief ingredient of most of the recipes in Mediterranean diet, it being a source of healthy fats. Fish, sea food and poultry are also included in this diet. Although not considered as mandatory, red meat and sweet is allowed occasionally.

    History of origin of Mediterranean diet &its spread

    Now, Mediterranean diet is a popular dietary choice among fitness freaks as well as with people concerned about life style diseases globally. However, it is curious to know that for many decades the diet was part of the lives of various tribes existed in the Mediterranean region.

    The Mediterranean region comprises areas of the globe around the Mediterranean Sea, having the Mediterranean climate characterized by rainy winters and dry, hot summers. It encompasses the countries around Mediterranean sea in three continents Africa, Asia, Europe and certain regions of other continents such as California, Chile, Southwestern Australia, and southern South Africa.

    It was around 1950s  that Ancel Keys, an American scientist noticed the fact that incidence of heart diseases is very low among people of Mediterranean region and he focused his research on the dietary habits of people of this region. His study is known as ‘The Seven Countries Study of Cardiovascular Diseases’.

     Later further advanced research studies conducted over the years confirmed that Mediterranean diet & dietary patterns derived from it are not only beneficial in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, but also in the therapeutic approach of obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.

    Mediterranean diet includes food ingredients having healthy, monounsaturated fat, which lowers total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins [bad cholesterol] levels in the human body.

    Nuts and seeds being an integral part of Mediterranean diet provide monounsaturated fat and are good for health if consumed in moderation.

    Th diet includes fish and seafood & legumes which provide proteins, vital minerals, vitamins and omega fatty acids to the body.

    Vegetables and fruits are important part of this diet and serve as effective antioxidants, sources of vitamins and minerals required for vital functions in the body.

    Health benefits of Mediterranean diet

    Mediterranean diet has numerous health benefits, particularly in the prevention of life style diseases.  Of late numerous studies have elucidated its role in sustaining cognitive functions of brain and nervous system.

    Mediterranean diet helps to:

    • Lower the incidence of heart diseases & stroke
    • It helps to maintain optimum weight and prevent obesity
    • It helps to reduce blood glucose levels
    • It lowers blood cholesterol
    • Mediterranean diet helps to reduce hypertension
    • Reduces the risk of development of metabolic syndrome in obese peope. Metabolic syndrome is the triad of  occurrence of high blood pressure, high levels of bad cholesterol and obesity in individuals.
    • Mediterranean diet includes ingredients that support gut microbacteria. It also improves digestive health.
    • The diet also helps in reducing the occurrence of some type of cancers. [ prostate, colon cancers]
    • Improves brain health & cognitive function.
    • Improves longevity
    • Antioxidants in mediterranean diet helps to prevent free radical injury and helps improved skin health.Antioxidants are beneficial in slowing down ageing preventing oxidative stress to skin and vital organs.
    • High fiber content help reduce bad cholesterol improving cardiovascular health and it also reduces the risk for colorectal cancers.

     

    written by dr sanjana p [copyright]

    References

    1.Wright C.M. Biographical notes on Ancel Keys and Salim Yusuf: Origins and significance of the Seven Countries Study and the INTERHEART Study. J. Clin. Lipidol. 2011;5:434–440. PMID: 22108146 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacl.2011.09.003 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22108146/

    2.      Gotsis E., Anagnostis P., Mariolis A., Vlachou A., Katsiki N., Karagiannis A. Health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: An update of research over the last 5 years. Angiology. 2015;66:304–318. doi: 10.1177/0003319714532169. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23553669/

    3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/mediterranean-region

    4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12027923/