Ladies and Gentlemen: a deadly epidemic is sweeping the nation. It affects young and old alike; male and female, rich or poor, it makes no distinction. Doctors are left scratching their heads in bewilderment as they are unable to make any headway against the deadly onslaught. We're talking, of course, about the obesity epidemic that is overtaking the nation. According to a national survey conducted by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 2002, sixty-two percent of American females are considered overweight; outnumbered only slightly by American males, whose obesity rate numbered at over an astonishing sixty-five percent*. And the growing number of those who fall under the age of eighteen is even more frightening - thirty-three percent according to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry**.
So, how can we actually get ahead of this disease? Research suggests that there are a number of things that we can do to help combat obesity in adults and children alike... Educate Ourselves And Our Children About Proper Nutrition.
The number one thing that we as a people can do to combat obesity is to educate not only ourselves, but our children as well, about the importance of proper nutrition. This doesn't mean that one should suddenly become a strict vegan or raw food fanatic, simply that we need to understand that there is a fine balance that needs to be maintained in our diets. Of course, plenty of fruits and vegetables are a must if we want to achieve our healthiest selves; but so are fats, sugars, and carbohydrates - all the things that the majority of fad diets require you to go without. Understanding that there is a healthy level of these so-called bad foods that need to be in our system to maintain our health, is an important part of proper nutrition.
One of the easiest ways to learn what amount of each of the different types of food you need to have in your system, and how much to feed your children, is to visit your local health department. Most state health departments have a program called W.I.C. which provides nutritional classes to mothers of infants and small children so that they can learn to better feed their families a healthy balance of foods. You can talk to your local health department and ask for the nutritional handouts which are offered in these classes, and even ask if you might attend a class or two.
Get Up And Move -
In addition to eating healthy, it is important to maintain proper activity levels. Getting the right amount of exercise for your body is a vital part of staving off obesity, and can also help to prevent other diseases and ailments which can affect those who lead sedentary lifestyles - such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more! It is important that you don't try to start a massive fitness program right away if you have previously lived a sedentary lifestyle. Although exercise is certainly good for everyone, you can easily overdo it if you're not careful. Instead, talk with your physician about what levels of exercise are safe for you at your current level of fitness. Keep in mind that running right out and joining your local gym isn't necessary, either; nor is it a must that you join every aerobics and yoga class that you can find. Your best bet is to simply increase your current level of activity (no more than is comfortable) by taking walks around your neighbourhood, or even just around your own home. Remember, any activity that gets your heart rate up is better than none at all.
Stay Positive -
Last but certainly not least, it is important to keep a positive outlook on life if you truly want to beat obesity. According to Dr. Albert Stunkard of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychiatry, and as published in 2003 by the Society of Biological Psychiatry, there is a direct correlation between depression and obesity***.
For many people it become a vicious cycle - as they battle depression, they find themselves gaining more weight; and as they gain more weight, they become more depressed. Therefore, it is important to try and keep a positive mental attitude if you truly want to fight being overweight. If you have already been battling with depression, you should talk to a mental health professional as quickly as possible. Along these same lines, many people find it difficult to stay motivated when it comes to getting healthy. It's always easier to slip back into our old, bad habits than it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle; so it is important that you find something that will help to keep you motivated on your path to overcoming obesity. There are a number of things that you can do to help remind you why you want to get healthy; for example, if you are a parent, you can place pictures of your children up on your refrigerator along with a list of all the things you will be able to do with them if you maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can also find help through weight loss hypnosis and meditation. These programs can help you to change the way you consciously look at the world and view the importance of your health; as well as help to change your subconscious attitude toward unhealthy behaviours like over-eating and being sedentary.
As you can see, learning to maintain a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to include earth-shattering changes; but it can (and will) have a life changing effect that is unlike anything you've ever experienced. Above all else, we must instill a sense of urgency in our children about the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles. They are our future after all; and their health should be as important - if not more so - as our own.
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for Health Statistics. "National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey." 2002.
** American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, AACAP.org, No. 79 Published Jan. 2001
*** Dr. Albert Stunkard, 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. 1 August 2003, Volume 54, Issue 3, pps. 330-337
For more information on how to maintain a positive lifestyle that is conducive to losing weight and achieving proper health, visit us on the web at http://fatfreedom.wordpress.com - Every week we update you with new facts and figures, as well as tips and tricks for achieving the freedom from being overweight that you desire!
by Jessalynn Coolbaugh
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessalynn_Coolbaugh
So, how can we actually get ahead of this disease? Research suggests that there are a number of things that we can do to help combat obesity in adults and children alike... Educate Ourselves And Our Children About Proper Nutrition.
The number one thing that we as a people can do to combat obesity is to educate not only ourselves, but our children as well, about the importance of proper nutrition. This doesn't mean that one should suddenly become a strict vegan or raw food fanatic, simply that we need to understand that there is a fine balance that needs to be maintained in our diets. Of course, plenty of fruits and vegetables are a must if we want to achieve our healthiest selves; but so are fats, sugars, and carbohydrates - all the things that the majority of fad diets require you to go without. Understanding that there is a healthy level of these so-called bad foods that need to be in our system to maintain our health, is an important part of proper nutrition.
One of the easiest ways to learn what amount of each of the different types of food you need to have in your system, and how much to feed your children, is to visit your local health department. Most state health departments have a program called W.I.C. which provides nutritional classes to mothers of infants and small children so that they can learn to better feed their families a healthy balance of foods. You can talk to your local health department and ask for the nutritional handouts which are offered in these classes, and even ask if you might attend a class or two.
Get Up And Move -
In addition to eating healthy, it is important to maintain proper activity levels. Getting the right amount of exercise for your body is a vital part of staving off obesity, and can also help to prevent other diseases and ailments which can affect those who lead sedentary lifestyles - such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more! It is important that you don't try to start a massive fitness program right away if you have previously lived a sedentary lifestyle. Although exercise is certainly good for everyone, you can easily overdo it if you're not careful. Instead, talk with your physician about what levels of exercise are safe for you at your current level of fitness. Keep in mind that running right out and joining your local gym isn't necessary, either; nor is it a must that you join every aerobics and yoga class that you can find. Your best bet is to simply increase your current level of activity (no more than is comfortable) by taking walks around your neighbourhood, or even just around your own home. Remember, any activity that gets your heart rate up is better than none at all.
Stay Positive -
Last but certainly not least, it is important to keep a positive outlook on life if you truly want to beat obesity. According to Dr. Albert Stunkard of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychiatry, and as published in 2003 by the Society of Biological Psychiatry, there is a direct correlation between depression and obesity***.
For many people it become a vicious cycle - as they battle depression, they find themselves gaining more weight; and as they gain more weight, they become more depressed. Therefore, it is important to try and keep a positive mental attitude if you truly want to fight being overweight. If you have already been battling with depression, you should talk to a mental health professional as quickly as possible. Along these same lines, many people find it difficult to stay motivated when it comes to getting healthy. It's always easier to slip back into our old, bad habits than it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle; so it is important that you find something that will help to keep you motivated on your path to overcoming obesity. There are a number of things that you can do to help remind you why you want to get healthy; for example, if you are a parent, you can place pictures of your children up on your refrigerator along with a list of all the things you will be able to do with them if you maintain a healthy lifestyle. You can also find help through weight loss hypnosis and meditation. These programs can help you to change the way you consciously look at the world and view the importance of your health; as well as help to change your subconscious attitude toward unhealthy behaviours like over-eating and being sedentary.
As you can see, learning to maintain a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to include earth-shattering changes; but it can (and will) have a life changing effect that is unlike anything you've ever experienced. Above all else, we must instill a sense of urgency in our children about the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyles. They are our future after all; and their health should be as important - if not more so - as our own.
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for Health Statistics. "National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey." 2002.
** American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, AACAP.org, No. 79 Published Jan. 2001
*** Dr. Albert Stunkard, 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. 1 August 2003, Volume 54, Issue 3, pps. 330-337
For more information on how to maintain a positive lifestyle that is conducive to losing weight and achieving proper health, visit us on the web at http://fatfreedom.wordpress.com - Every week we update you with new facts and figures, as well as tips and tricks for achieving the freedom from being overweight that you desire!
by Jessalynn Coolbaugh
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessalynn_Coolbaugh
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