| We only have to look at a Titian painting
| |
| | bloodstream. Cytokines lead to a
|
| to recognize that at one point in the
| |
| | communication breakdown between body
|
| history of Western culture, fat was
| |
| | cells and insulin which leads to
|
| considered beautiful. Before the 20th
| |
| | excessive insulin production by the
|
| Century, corpulence was touted as a sign
| |
| | pancreas, creating a situation that is a
|
| of wealth and luxury, largely because
| |
| | literal "time bomb" for heart disease. In
|
| most people were barely surviving on a
| |
| | addition, this excessive insulin
|
| meager existence.
| |
| | production can raise fibrinogen
|
| Ironically, now in our era of affluence
| |
| | concentrations in the bloodstream, thus
|
| and plenty, we have to contend with the
| |
| | allowing blood to clot more easily, a
|
| health and economic problems of obesity.
| |
| | situation that is a direct risk factor
|
| We have a population in North America
| |
| | for heart attacks and strokes.
|
| that is more than 55% overweight. More
| |
| | Because of their size, obese individuals
|
| than 20% of those overweight are
| |
| | are more often than not sedentary in
|
| considered obese, a situation which
| |
| | lifestyle. Inactivity in and of itself is
|
| proves to be an economic burden on our
| |
| | also a coronary risk factor. Data from
|
| Health Care system because of the
| |
| | more than 88,000 women in the Nurses'
|
| coronary risk factors associated with
| |
| | Health Study shows that a lean sedentary
|
| obesity. In 2004, total national health
| |
| | woman had 1.48 greater risks for coronary
|
| expenditure in the USA was $1.9 Trillion
| |
| | heart disease than a slightly heavier but
|
| or $6,280 per person.
| |
| | physically active woman.
|
| Why is obesity a risk factor for heart
| |
| | However, the same study also showed that
|
| disease?
| |
| | obesity alone is a risk factor, in fact,
|
| Among obese individuals, triglyceride
| |
| | an even greater risk factor than
|
| levels are unusually high, while HDL
| |
| | inactivity because coronary disease risk
|
| levels tend to be low; both of these
| |
| | was highest for women who exercised the
|
| situations are risk factors for heart
| |
| | least and had the greatest waist-to-hip
|
| disease. A recent study involving tissues
| |
| | ratio. The conclusion that obesity itself
|
| collected from autopsies of 3000 men
| |
| | is a risk factor is also supported by a
|
| (15-34 years old) who had died of
| |
| | study of 5881 overweight and obese
|
| external causes (not heart related)
| |
| | individuals which showed that being
|
| identified an association between obesity
| |
| | overweight increased the risk of heart
|
| and coronary atherosclerosis.
| |
| | disease by 34%, while being obese
|
| Abdominal fat which characterizes obese
| |
| | increased the risk to 104%.
|
| individuals is also an area of concern. A
| |
| | What can we do to help someone we know
|
| study of 1300 Finnish men (42-60 years
| |
| | who is obese or dangerously overweight?
|
| old) suggests that abdominal fat is an
| |
| | Acknowledgement of the problem is the
|
| independent and major risk factor for
| |
| | first step. Very often, individuals are
|
| coronary events. Several reasons have
| |
| | in a state of denial about the
|
| been suggested for this: a) stomach fat
| |
| | seriousness of their weight situation. A
|
| is continually released into the
| |
| | visit to the doctor or a healthcare
|
| bloodstream in the form of
| |
| | professional who deals with the morbidly
|
| artery-clogging fatty acids; b) abdominal
| |
| | obese is essential. So are visits to a
|
| fat also releases compounds that
| |
| | nutritionist, fitness consultant and body
|
| facilitate risk factors such as
| |
| | work therapist. Only then can the
|
| atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and
| |
| | individual be presented with options
|
| inflammation; c) abdominal fat initiates
| |
| | viable and necessary for his or her
|
| biochemical events that lead to insulin
| |
| | situation.
|
| resistance, a precursor of Type 2
| |
| | In severe cases of obesity, surgery would
|
| diabetes and heart disease.
| |
| | be part of the solution. Lifestyle
|
| Obesity is often a precursor to metabolic
| |
| | changes that include exercise and healthy
|
| syndrome, a dangerous health situation
| |
| | eating are more than essential. Just as
|
| that is manifested through a cluster of
| |
| | critical are bodywork therapies that can
|
| symptoms—excess body fat, insulin
| |
| | uncover some of the real issues behind
|
| resistance, low HDL cholesterol, high
| |
| | addictive eating. Learning to read body
|
| triglyceride levels and high blood
| |
| | cues of hunger, depression, stress is
|
| pressure—all risk factors for
| |
| | equally important for re-mapping a new
|
| coronary events. People with metabolic
| |
| | life and a whole new cartography of food
|
| syndrome release immune system messengers
| |
| | and consciousness, body and mind.
|
| called "cytokines" into their
| |
| |
|
