Why Obesity is on the Rise Despite Obsession With Exercise and Diet: Do You Know What Your BMI Is?

Understanding why obesity is on the rise despite obsession with exercise and diet, is a growing health concern around the world.    

The World Health Organization (WHO) uses a weight-for-height index in the classification of the word overweight with a body mass index (BMI) greater or equal to 25, as opposed to obesity with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. More specifically, the calculation of an individual’s BMI “is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2)”. Many people show some level of concern with respect to their weight, but may not know what is causing them to be overweight or obese.

As a person concerned about your BMI in relation to your personal obsession with exercise and diet, the article, “Calculate Your Body Mass Index” gives you the option of determining whether you are overweight or obese.

Why is this important to you as an individual? If you can determine why obesity is on the rise, despite obsession with exercise and diet in your own life, you may be able to rectify the problem and teach others how to do the same. You are probably aware of your specific areas of weakness with respect to weight loss and weight management. Global awareness begins with the individual like you and spreads to communities and countries.

Personally, you may be able to relate to the following suggestion by the WHO. The article “Obesity and overweight” argues that “the fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended”.  

More specifically, it suggests that “energy-dense foods that are high in fat” are part of the problem in conjunction with “increased inactivity”. Solving the problem globally appears to be resolvable by decreasing the energy-dense foods that are high in fat and increasing the activity level of the global population.

This article also suggests that the world population has multiple issues related to obesity, namely “the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation and increasing urbanization.”

The article “Obesity and overweight” also contends “Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.”

It would appear that globally, there are no immediate solutions and that the problem is too large in scope, but individually and collectively, the two, basic, principles of reducing energy dense foods high in fat and increasing activity are possible. The word obsession, in conjunction with exercise and diet may appear fanatical, but at the same time, these two factors are basic essentials with respect to weight loss and management.

From a medical perspective, traditional versus contemporary resolution of health-related issues with respect to obesity have not changed, although the focus may have shifted from the resolution to the cause. Focusing on the solution can help to bring about effective resolution.

Physical Problems Associated With Spinal Compression: Understanding the Nature of Spinal Compression

Spinal compression can lead to associated, physical problems that are difficult for doctors to diagnose. Part of the problem has to do with nerve blockage or interference of nerves, in conjunction with disk or bone damage that may not be immediately evident or identifiable. Understanding the nature of spinal compression may prove beneficial with respect to finding answers for persistent physical problems.   

  

What is spinal compression?

The MedTerms dictionary suggests spinal compression is “the act of exerting an abnormal amount of pressure on the spinal cord” and that spinal compression may be “due to a fracture of the spine or a tumor pressing on the spinal cord”. Collapse of the spinal column frequently results in spinal compression and pressure on the nerves protected by the spinal cord. This occurs in disease processes like osteoarthritis or osteoporosis.

Physical problems associated with spinal compression may be evident immediately, as in sciatica resulting from a lower back injury, but depending upon the extent and severity of the spinal compression, symptoms may not always be evident immediately. For example, nerve damage from spinal compression can occur in conjunction with abnormal pressure exerted on the nerves related to the function of various body organs, where the symptoms can vary considerably.

Physical problems are often evident with respect to mobility and limb function when there is spinal compression. For example, a patient may have difficulty bending or using his or her limbs. Brain damage may be apparent when there is a severe blow to the head, with resulting compression of bones in the neck. Other kinds of physical problems may be immediately evident when compression results from injuries sustained in sports, cycling or motor vehicle accidents.  Whip lash and other types of compression injuries to the neck, as well as back injuries of any kind, can result in physical problems from misalignment of the spine.

Damage to nerves accompanying compression of spinal cord can cause physical symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling or circulatory impairment. Not all physical symptoms are immediately evident after spinal compression, as there can be internal problems related to function of body organs. Spinal compression may occur in conjunction with chips of bones exerting pressure on nerves. This may cause immediate pain or pain that is only evident when a patient moves a certain way. The patient may complain of intermittent twinges of sharp pain with accompanying difficulty sitting, standing and walking.

A complete physical exam is important when there are physical problems associated with spinal compression. Spinal r-rays will often confirm spinal collapse, compression of disks and pressure on nerves. At times, a chiropractic adjustment may help to resolve spinal problems associated with misalignment. Appropriate exercises may help to strengthen muscles in such a way that body alignment is improved or corrected. Nutritional deficiencies may be correctable with appropriate dietary supplementation. 

Physiotherapy may be beneficial for compression of the spine. Surgical intervention may be required for severe, spinal compression or the removal of bone chips that are exerting pressure on nerves.

While each medical situation is different, seeking professional medical advice for physical problems associated with spinal compression is advisable.

Surprising Things That Impact Strokes: Prevention of a Stroke?

Understanding the nature of cerebral vascular accidents can help you to save your own life, as well as the lives of those you love, or others. Perhaps you have a predisposition towards strokes because or your age, current health status or prolonged immobility. When something increases your likelihood of having a stroke or your stroke risk, it can have serious consequences. In other words, there are surprising things that impact stroke risk.

The article “What is a stroke? What causes a stroke?” defines stroke as “a condition in which the brain cells suddenly die because of a lack of oxygen.” According to the article, “this can be caused by an obstruction in the blood flow, or the rupture of an artery that feeds the brain.”

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel ruptures, as in a subarachnoid hemorrhage or a cerebral hemorrhage. An ischemic stroke occurs if an embolus, more commonly known as a blood clot, blocks the blood flow to the brain.

The word impact plays an important role in the prevention of strokes. For example, an infant with a defective artery may suffer a brain injury during a difficult birth. The impact of the injury results in a stroke, whereas a normal birth might not have resulted in a stroke. 

On the other hand, there are normal, healthy people who are not normally prone to strokes.

Hemorrhagic strokes from head injuries in sports, cycling or motor vehicle accidents happen unexpectedly. Immediate medical assistance is important with respect to the prevention of strokes resulting from or following an injury

Any kind of prolonged inactivity can result in ischemic strokes that occur as a direct result of blood clots forming in the body and breaking loose. When a person undergoes surgery, the resumption of his or her activity, as quickly as possible, can help to prevent these kinds of strokes.

There are major life style factors that impact stroke risk or increase the possibility of having ischemic strokes, namely heavy drinking, excessive smoking and substance abuse, including the use of cocaine. Anything that causes a high, cholesterol level or an elevated blood pressure can also increase the likelihood of strokes. 

Dietary management is a crucial factor with respect to decreasing stroke activity. For example, a diet that includes tomatoes regularly has high levels of lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces the likelihood of strokes. Anyone who is overweight, obese or suffers from diabetes can reduce their risk of strokes by weight loss and appropriate, long-term, dietary management with increased physical activity.

A Mediterranean diet is highly recommended by the Mayo Clinic, where heart health leading to strokes may be problematic.   

“The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating - plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps even a glass of red wine - among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.”

Medication can play an important role in reducing the potential impact of strokes, particularly when it concerns blood pressure regulation.

Caution is important with respect to the use of any medication and particularly, hormones. Over-the-counter medications like entrophen (ASA) can reduce the likelihood of clot formation that could lead to stroke activity, but at the same time, caution is important with respect to potential hemorrhagic activity related to the excessive use of ASA.

Those with a known, high stroke potential should seek professional medical guidance to avoid the surprising things that impact stroke risk. 

Do Doctors Listen to Their Patients: Your Doctor and the Art of Listening

Listening is an art and many doctors, as well as others, have the gift of listening. Most patients who are serious about living healthy will testify to the reality that their doctors are excellent listeners, while some may state exactly the opposite. In other words, personal experiences with doctors in terms of their listening ability or skills, can vary considerably.

What does to listen mean? The article "Listening Skills" suggests that "Listening means paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages."

Professional and non-professional communication can be problematic at times, but doctors are excellent listeners. In other words, they do know how to listen to patients and have other kinds of effective communication skills, as well. Remember that a doctor is a doctor, because he or she is a medical professional and knows his or her reputation depends upon his or her inter-personal relationships with patients, including you.

Does your doctor really listen to you? Consider the following suggestions if you think that your doctor may not be listening to you, or may not understand what you are saying.

Before your office visit, write down what you want to tell your doctor or need to report to him or her. When you put your symptoms and requests in writing and keep them right in front of you while you are talking, you can address each concern individually or collectively, as a whole. You also have the option of showing him or her, what you have written down. Make certain that what you have written is concise and easy to read. Using point form is generally a good idea.

How are your own listening skills? Listen closely to what your doctor is telling you in response to what you have stated, as he or she may have heard and understood what you have been reporting, but you may need further confirmation of that fact. He or she may need to restate it for you, so that you know he or she really has been listening.

In other words, perhaps you were not listening closely enough to his or her response to you, in order to recognize the fact that he or she did hear what you were stating. He or she may have used language that you did not understand. You can ask him or her to explain or clarify further, anything that you did not understand.

Be aware that your doctor may already have diagnosed your problems and is several steps ahead of you, while you are still elaborating upon your symptoms, thinking that he or she may not have listened to you initially.

At the same time, your doctor may be multitasking because of his or her busy schedule. What your doctor appears to be preoccupied with, may be filling out essential forms for your lab work or other tests you need. You must provide a requisition in order to have many treatments and procedures. He or she may also be writing out prescriptions for medications for you, or making notes on your file about other possible options or specialists.

If you really do not think your doctor is listening, ask if he or she has heard and understood what you have stated. You may need to have him or her explain it further, or in more detail. Perhaps his or her nurse may be able to answer some of your questions.

When you are visiting the doctor, allow him or her to ask questions, rather than repeating everything you have stated previously. You will likely find that he or she has understood what you stated, even though he or she is not responding the way that you anticipated.

Be prepared to be open to discuss new and different treatments, ideas and concepts, with your doctor. Remember that you have come to him or her for medical advice. Your health is important to him or her.

Ignore negative criticisms from other family members or friends, with respect to your doctor's ability to listen. Expect that he or she will be listening carefully to you, and will hear and understand what you are saying.

Remember that your doctor may be extremely busy at any time, but you are the patient with the doctor at that moment, and his or her focus is primarily on you, not on others, or something else. Be aware that he or she may be or become weary, too.

A second opinion can be helpful to you if you are seriously questioning your doctor's ability to listen to you, or to hear and understand your problems. Ask him or her to arrange for a second opinion, and he or she will probably not hesitate to do that for you.

In the meantime, concentrate on building a strong, positive relationship with your doctor and trust that he or she will be alert to what you say, as well as your needs. This always includes your need to have him or her listen to what you are stating or reporting.

The Convenience of Thinking For Yourself: It is a Gift, the Convenience of Thinking for Yourself

What a marvelous reality it is that you are able to think for yourself. If you compare how the human mind thinks metaphorically with the flight of an eagle, you will begin to see the reality that the human mind functions in amazing ways, and appreciate the convenience of being able to think for yourself.

To what height does an eagle soar

Beyond the world and even more?

Is there one man, who's keeping score?

What mystery the mind does pour,

Though grounded on a human floor;

Sometimes it's peace, but oft it's war.

Who holds the key to wonder's door?

One apple, peeled right to the core;

A truth that some will e'er ignore

Though traces lie within folklore

Still coupled in a lion's roar;

The human book, that page, who tore?

Consider your thought process for a moment. 

The freedictionary.com suggests that your thought process is "the process of using your mind to consider something carefully."

"This really is convenient!" you might suggest. "I actually think for myself!"

There is so much more to it than that. Certainly you have the ability to think for yourself, but you can also think in such a way that you can comprehend the reality of man landing on the moon. You can think about the simple things in life.

"I can think things through! I can act upon my own thoughts rather than having to rely on the thoughts of someone else."

Imagine for a moment, what it would be like if you were not able to think for yourself. Someone else would have to do all of your thinking for you. That would not be any fun at all and may involve medical ethics. It could turn into a horrific scenario for you without intervention on your behalf. It might be inconvenient for you, as well. 

Consider this simple example.

"Here is a glass of water."

What if you could not think for yourself?

Would you realize that you need to have a drink of water, probably not! Maybe you would not even understand how to accept it from the hand of the person who offered it to you. If you did figure out how to take the glass in your hand, would you comprehend that you should drink it, or actually know how to drink it?

What if you did not want a glass of water?

For example, perhaps someone else had already given you a glass of water. You don't really need or want another one. Would you be able to refuse it?

No, is a very important word. If you could not think for yourself, would you be able to understand the word no? Could you act on it?

People who become totally disabled can have a lot of difficulty responding to others, but many of them are still able to think for themselves and have the ability to decide whether they might want a drink of water, but not all of them, unfortunately. Those who have suffered severe trauma, or have sustained head injuries could have problems thinking for themselves. So do many elderly people whose faculties are gradually diminishing. Those who are dying may not be able to thinks for themselves either.

You may not stop to think how convenient it is that you can think for yourself. You should celebrate that reality in your life and enjoy that faculty fully while you still have the ability to enjoy it. Far too often, you may tend to take it for granted.

The human mind has a wonderful capacity to function in ways that you or others don't really understand completely. Many times, people unknowingly allow their mental faculties to become altered in some way through the excessive use of alcohol or drugs. Once the damage is done it may not be reversible.

While it is convenient to be able to think for yourself, it is important that you are always aware of the reality that this ability could be stripped from you, at any time in your life. It truly is a gift so you must always use it wisely.

Not Having Any Children: Have Faith When Desire Is Not Enough

Desire does not guarantee fulfillment, nor has desire ever offered the promise of its own fulfillment. Every child can attest to that, as can every teenager and adult, regardless of his or her age. Think for a moment about how many females never have their conscious or unconscious desires filled. The same is true with respect to those females wanting children, who are advised that for medical reasons, or whatever, they can't have children, which comes as a shock to many.

Having no children sounds like a horrible verdict that can seem like the worst fate in the world, particularly because family means everything to most people. Not having children is a departure from the norm, both in terms of actual numbers and with respect to moral and ethical guidelines for society, where the continuation of family life is very important in terms of survival of the human race.

There is also an adverse, blame game invariably associated with the guilt, real or imagined, that breaks up homes and marriages when females cannot have children. In reality, most expect to have children and when their expectations are not met, for whatever reason, it can be mentally and emotionally devastating.

At the same time, no female really knows the path that her life is destined to take, either on a short term or long term basis. Sometimes there are nasty curves on the road of life that include not having the blessing of children.

Of course, there are females who do not want children for various reasons too, even while others who cannot have children yearn for fulfillment as mothers. There are other females, who keep on having children, one after the other, even though they do not really want them and cannot provide for them properly. Somehow, this does not seem fair, but it is a harsh reality.

Potential grandmothers often want grandchildren, whether their daughters want children or not.

Not having children can seem like a curse, but can also prove to be a blessing in disguise, leading to other options for fulfillment of maternal desires. Many childless females take on professional roles that involve children on different levels, like teaching or nursing. Options, like adoption or foster children, are possible, as well.

But there are times when not having children is preferable, particularly when there are abusive relationships wherein children might be subjected to senseless suffering. Not all females are necessarily suitable candidates for motherhood, particularly when there is ongoing abuse with alcohol of other addictive substances. Not all females are mentally and emotionally stable enough to raise children, even though they think that they may be good mothers.

Every female imagines a perfect world in one way or another, sometimes with children, but not always. That perfect world may be one that is childless. 

Sometimes, desire is simply not enough, regardless of one's desires for a family, even when it includes manipulating all of the viable medical or surgical options that are available. At times, the impossible just takes longer.

With all of the hungry children in the world, the role of other mother can bring the kind of maternal fulfillment that a female needs and desires in a humanitarian sense of the word.

Faith in God's promises may be the final solution to the dilemma of childlessness, as there is the reality of spiritual children.  

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The Worst Day of My Life Ended Up The Best: Best Days Only, Please

Worst days are the ones that should not happen, or should they. Aren't best days the ones that we are supposed to have? Everyone loves those!

Somewhere, in the law of unwritten law of life events including health, there must be a clause that prohibits the worst day of my life from ever happening. Unfortunately, that is not the case. But if the worst day of my life ended up the best, the prohibitive clause might be dropped with my permission.

The scale of life seems to incorporate a healthy balance of worst day and best day scenarios into its unwritten laws. To keep that balance in sync, it appears almost inevitable that at some point in time, the worst day turned to the best day, or at least, that should be possible.

Then, there arises the question of how many worst day scenarios each person is entitled to experience in a lifetime. The expressions, the worst and the best, would suggest that there can only be one allotted to each person. That's no fun at all!

The question also arises as to what constitutes a worst day-best day scenario. If there is truly only one of each, then, being selective about designating any day as the worst day or best day must be the singularly most important life decision that anyone could possibly make.

In reality, everyone has worst days and best days, quite regularly. No one is likely to place those on a scale of any kind to measure their emotional weight, or to depict them as a continuum to evaluate them in any other way.

Life is not really about checks and balances, even though with respect to worst day, or best day scenarios, while we do experience them at times, we seldom resort to weighing one against the other. In other words, we can have the worst day without it also being the best day of our lives.

Thus, we do not need to live in fear of necessarily having the inevitable counter balance of a worst day scenario, simply because of a best day scenario, or vice versa. Life does not work like that. It is far too unpredictable to even suggest that happens.

Worst and best are merely subjective-objective judgments or decisions that we make, based upon our understanding of life itself and our sense of values, internal or external. No one else will have the same judgment of anything, or make the exact same decision about it, so be prepared to defend your case if you make an arbitrary judgment or decision of that nature.

Remember that as a human being, you are entitled to make judgments in terms of worst and best, as are others. Comparative judgments are often quite revealing and can vary as in being perceived from one generation to another. In other words, your idea of worst and best may not be the same as your parents or grandparents. The same is true with respect to children and adults.

Also, remember that you can always change your mind about anything! Coping with a worst day scenario, by simply turning it into a best day scenario may be the best thing that you can possibly do for yourself and others! Learning how to do that is an art in itself.

I Miss the Inner Child: Treasure Your Inner Child Spirit

Upon reflection about Alzheimer's disease, it seemed that the bright light that twinkled in the elderly woman's blue-grey eyes had disappeared, overnight. It was almost like there was only the outer shell of her spirit left, rather than her true inner spirit.

What had happened to her?

"I miss the inner child," I thought to myself, watching the deep emptiness that continued to flood her entire being.

Later, reflecting more deeply upon what was happening with her, I had mixed thoughts and feelings. As much as there is always a certain degree of inevitability to any lengthy illness, it is coupled with sadness. There is no easy way to see this kind of a phenomenon happening in someone you know and love.

What I saw in this particular Alzheimer's patient reminded me of a huge, grey squirrel with his front feet on the screen door, peering into the kitchen through the screen door. It was as if there was no one at home in that animal, as it was a vacant stare.

What had happened to its inner child? What had happened to the inner child in this woman?

It is the spirit of the inner child that gives life and meaning to all of existence. Without it, there seems to be a huge void. It is not that a void has anything wrong with it, in itself. Contemplation of a void can allow a filling of the heart, mind, soul with invigorating life, as well as brand new thoughts and ideas, but a void has its own unique time and place.

It just seemed that somehow, it was not appropriate here, as a possible stage in the life of an aging, Alzheimer's patient.

The inner child spirit portrays a unique element of life, invariably radiating a wonderful vibrancy that resounds everywhere. No one can question its reality, or its revolving door of truth that in turn shapes the world. It is not limited to infants or children. This is also evident in teenagers, as well as in adults of any age. Somehow, there is a child-like innocence of spirit that takes everything for granted in a powerful, positive, constructive and trusting manner. There is no fear mongering. But even fear responses like fight and flight were not registering with this woman, as they would with the inner spirit of the child of any age. Nothing was registering, but how could that possibly be?

Can the human body become just a shell?

The smiling face of the elderly woman was gone and in its place, simply a gray mask with a totally vacant, incomprehensible stare. Were no thought processes happening?

Would it be possible to restore that inner child to this woman? If I missed it, would others, too? Was there some magical formula that would ever bring it back? Unfortunately, no, barring a miracle, but that is always a possibility.

One might wonder what caused the inner child in this woman to flee. Was it medication induced? Was there inner conflict that could not be resolved? Was it related to suffering, loss or grief, or was it merely an inevitable stage in the progression of her illness?

As a universal phenomenon, the disappearance of the spirit of the inner child is not uncommon as it is noted all around the world. It may take many years of in-depth research to understand the phenomenon itself, and why it happens. Perhaps it signifies the various stages of the fleeting nature of life, sometimes more evident in some people, or more specifically Alzheimer's patients.