04/11/2016
OBESITY
Obesity is the nominal form of obese which comes from the Latin obēsus, which means “stout, fat, or plump.” Ēsus is the past participle of edere (to eat), with ob added to it.
Obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissues of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality. It becomes a cosmetic issue too and people yearn for weight loss.
Obesity is both an individual clinical condition and is increasingly viewed as a serious public health problem. Excessive body weight has been shown to predispose people to various diseases.
Being obese and being overweight is not exactly the same thing. An obese person has a large amount of extra body fat, not just a few extra pounds. People who are obese are very overweight and at risk for serious health problems.
Metrics
Obesity is typically evaluated by measuring BMI (Body mass index), waist circumference and risk factor evaluation.
BMI
Body mass index is the most simple and useful index to estimate body fat. It is calculated as follows:
BMI = Weight in Kilograms / Square of height in meters.
So BMI = Kg / square ms.
BMI is indexed as follows for reference:
BMI < 18.5 = Underweight
BMI 18.5 – 24.9 = Normal weight
BMI 25 – 29.9 = Overweight
BMI 30 – 39.9 = Obese
BMI > 40 = Severely obese
Causes of Obesity
Overeating -When food energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, fat cells (and also to some extent muscle and liver cells) throughout the body take in the energy and store it as fat. So when the energy consumption exceeds the requirement, it causes obesity.
Additional factors causing obesity
• Genetic disorders
• Underlying illness (such as hypothyroidism)
• Eating disorders (such as Binge eating disorder)
• Certain medications (such as anti-psycotics)
• Sedentary lifestyle
• A high glycemic diet
• Insufficient sleep
• Stress
• Sudden smoking cessation
• Weight cycling – repeated attempts to do dieting to lose weight
Types of Obesity
The fat distribution in the body is identified among the two types of obesity android &gynoid.
Android: – Android type of obesity is likened to the shape of an apple. The shoulders, face, arms, neck, chest & upper portion of the abdomen are bloated. The stomach gives a stiff appearance, as well as the arms, shoulders and breasts. The back seems to be erect but the neck is compressed and there will be a protruding chest because of the bulk in the stomach. The lower portion of the body — the hips, thighs and legs are thinner beyond proportion in comparison with the upper part. In these persons the vital organs affected will be mostly the heart, liver, kidneys & lungs. Though this type of obesity is found more in males it is common in females too. Those females, who are under hormone treatment for their menstrual abnormalities or after childbirth, are more prone to this type of obesity. It occurs in females around menopause too due to thyroid gland’s functional disturbance. In this type, the excess flesh is less likely to reduce especially in female than males. Android type of obesity is a major risk for heart damage and heart disease due to high cholesterol.
Gynoid: – In this type the lower part of the body has the extra flesh. This type of obesity is also common to both sexes though females are more affected. Gynoid type of obesity is similar to pears. The flesh is somewhat flabby in the abdomen, thighs, buttocks and legs. The face and neck mostly give a normal appearance. In some persons, the cheeks may be drawn too. As these persons grow old the whole figure assumes a stooping posture and the spine is never erect due to the heavy hips and thighs. This vital organs affected mostly are the kidneys, uterus, intestines, bladder & bowels. But the functions of these organs some times have a direct effect on the heart. In this type of obesity, exercises or dieting will not help appreciably in reducing weight.
The third type: – Besides android and gynoid, there is one more type of obesity. Some people do not belong to any of the above type of obesity. Their whole body from head to toe looks like a barrel. Their gait is more to rolling rather than walking. The fat tissues in their body hinder the movement of all the internal organs and consequently affect their brisk functioning. For them any exercise is difficult due to the enormous size of the body. So such person should follow a strict diet and do plenty of exercise.
Health problems associated with obesity
1.Obesity increases the risk of developing disease. Obese people are more than twice as likely to develop hypertension. The risk of medical complications, particularly heart disease, increases when body fat is distributed around the waist, especially in the abdomen. This type of upper body fat distribution is more common in men then women.
2.Obese women are at nearly twice the risk for developing breast cancer, and all obese people have a 42 percent higher chance of developing colorectal cancer.
Almost 80 percent of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, also known as non-insulin -dependent diabetes mellitus, are obese.
3.Obese people also experience social and psychological problems. Stereotypes about “fat” people often translate into discriminatory practices in education, employment, and social relationships. The consequences of being obese in a world preoccupied with being thin are especially severe for women, whose appearances are often judged against an ideal of exaggerated slenderness.
4.The presence of risk factors and diseases associated with obesity are also used to establish a clinical diagnosis .Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea , are possible life-threatening risk factors that would indicate clinical treatment of obesity. Smoking, hypertension, age and family history are other risk factors that may indicate treatment. Diabetes and heart disease are risk factors used in epidemiological studies of obesity.
5.Obesity is bad news for both body and mind. Not only does it make a person feel tired and uncomfortable, it can wear down joints and put extra stress on other parts of the body. When a person is carrying extra weight, it’s harder to keep up with friends, play sports, or just walk between classes at school. It is also associated with breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea and problems with hips and knee joints that may require surgery.
Tips for Weight Loss
• The best way to avoid these health problems is to maintain a healthy weight. And the keys to healthy weight are regular exercise and good eating habits.
• To stay active, try to exercise 30 to 60 minutes every day. Your exercise doesn’t have to be hard. Walking, swimming, and stretching are all good ways to burn calories and can help you stay fit. Try these activities to get moving:
• Go outside for a walk.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk or bike to places (such as school or a friend’s house) instead of driving.
• If you have to drive somewhere, park farther away than you need to and walk the extra distance.
• Tackle those household chores, such as vacuuming, washing the car, or cleaning the bathroom – they all burn calories.
• Alternate activities so you don’t get bored: Try running, biking, skating.
• Limit your time watching TV or playing video games; even reading a book burns more energy.
• Go dancing — it can burn more than 300 calories an hour!
• Eating well doesn’t mean dieting over and over again to lose a few pounds. Instead, try to make healthy choices every day.
• Soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks are loaded with sugar; drink fat-free or low-fat milk or water instead.
• Eat ample amount of fruit and vegetables every day.
• Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
• Don’t eat meals or snacks while watching TV because you’ll probably end up eating more than you intend to.
• Pay attention to the portion sizes of what you eat.
• If you want a snack, try carrot sticks, a piece of fruit, or a piece of whole-grain toast instead of processed foods like chips and crackers, which can be loaded with fat and calories.
• Eat when you’re hungry, not when you’re bored or because you can’t think of anything else to do.
Homeopathic Remedies for Obesity / Weight Loss
1.Calcarea carbonica
A constitutional remedy for reducing fat, it is considered one of the most common homeopathic medicine for weight loss. The patient is FAT, FAIR AND FLABBY. Great anti-psoric remedy with increased general and local perspiration and swelling of glands, scrofulous and rachitic conditions. Persons who take cold easily, grow fat, are large bellied, with large heads and pale skin. Craving of eggs is marked with heat as well as coldness of single parts of body. Obesity in children.
The patient feels worse by exertion, (mental /physical), ascending, cold (in every form), water, washing, moist air, wet weather, standing. The patient feels better in dry climate, lying on painful side.
2.Ferrum metallicum
Obesity with anemia, face puffy, with pitting of flesh. Best adapted to young, weakly persons, anemic and chlorotic, with pseudo-plethora, who flush easily and have cold extremities, suffer from weakness even on speaking or walking though looking strong. Pallor of skin, mucus membranes and face.
Worse by – night, rest, sitting quietly and during me**es.
Better by slow motion, walking slowly and in summer.
3.Ammonium muriaticum
This Homeopathic medicine for weight loss is especially suited to those who are fat and sluggish and whose bodies are large and fat with large buttocks, fatty tumors and thin legs. All mucus secretions are increased and retained. Generally suffering from respiratory troubles and associated affections of liver. Obstinate constipation accompanied by much flatus. Hard, crumbling stools require great effort in expulsion; crumble from the verge of a**s.
4.Thyroidinum
It produces anemia, emaciation, muscular weakness, and sweating, tingling and increased heart rate. It exerts great influence over goiter and excessive obesity and acts best in females with paleness and uterine fibroids or mammary tumors.
5.Antimonium crudum
Obesity in young people with excessive irritability and fretfulness together with a thickly coated white tongue. All the conditions aggravate by heat and cold bathing. Tendency to grow fat. For children and young people inclined to grow fat, for the extremes of life. Old people with morning diarrhea suddenly become constipated or alternate diarrhea and constipation, pulse hard and rapid. Sensitive to the cold. < After taking cold. Child is fretful, peevish, cannot bear to be touched or looked at, sulky, and does not wish to speak or be spoken to, angry at every little attention. Great sadness, with weeping. Longing for acids and pickles. Gastric and intestinal affections: from bread and pastry; acids, especially vinegar; sour or bad wine; after cold bathing; over-heating; hot weather.
Worse – After eating; cold baths, acids or sour wine; after heat of sun or fire; extremes of cold or heat.
Better – In the open air; during rest; after a warm bath.
6.Graphites
Tendency to obesity in females with delayed menstruation. The patients are stout, of fair complexion and tendency to skin affections and constipation, fat, chilly and costive.Take cold easily. Tendency to obesity and swollen ge****ls with indurations of tissues.
7.Phytollaca
An important Homeopathic medicine for weight loss. Reduces fat and false growths. It is per-eminently a glandular remedy with glandular swellings –heat and inflammations. Helps to reduce fat and thus reduce weight. It is useful in rheumatism of syphilitic origin where the pains are wandering, shifting and shooting. Burning in throat as from coal fire and cannot swallow hot liquids.
General soreness, lameness, bruised feeling over whole body causes the patient to groan. Intense prostration, sitting upright makes him faint and dizzy.
Mother tincture is used for weight reduction.
8.Fucus
A good remedy for obesity and non-toxic goiter (also exophthalmic). Digestion is improved and flatulence diminished. Obstinate constipation. Thyroid enlargement in obese people.
9.Calcarea arsenicum
Complaints in fat women around climacteric or women approaching menopause. The females tend to become fleshy and obese around menopause. Chilliness with dropsical affections. Cancer of uterus, affections of spleen and mesenteric glands are often found associated. Great mental depression. The slightest emotion causes palpitation of heart
10.Capsicum
Suits nicely those people who are of lax fibers, weak, diminished vital heat, fat/obese, indolent and have no vital heat or no reactive force. General uncleanliness of body and opposed to physical exertion. Burning pains and general chilliness with marked tendency to suppuration in every inflammatory process are found.
11.Phosphorus
Persons of waxy, translucent skin, half anemic, young people growing too rapidly, fair, blondes, quick and hemorrhagic diathesis. It affects the nutrition and function of every tissue of body. It causes pseudo-hypertrophy of muscles. Adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin, delicate eyelashes, find blond or red hair, quick perceptions, and very sensitive nature. Young people, who grow too rapidly, are inclined to stoop who are chlorotic or anemic; old people, with morning diarrhea. Hemorrhagic diathesis; small wounds bleed profusely from every mucous outlet.
Longs for: cold food and drink; juicy, refreshing things; ice cream > gastric pains.
As soon as water becomes warm in stomach it is thrown up.
Worse – Evening, before midnight, lying on left or painful side; during a thunderstorm; weather changes, either hot or cold.
Cold air relieves the head and face symptoms but aggravates those of chest, throat and neck.
Better – In the dark; lying on right side; from being rubbed or mesmerized; from cold food, cold water, until it gets warm.
12.Lac defloratum
Useful in obesity and where diseases are associated with faulty nutrition. Sick headaches with intense throbbing, nausea and vomiting, prostration and all complaints aggravated during me**es.
13.Kali bichromicum
It is specially indicated for fleshy, fat, light haired complexioned people with scrofulous or syphilitic history. Symptoms tend to increase in the morning and all pains migrate quickly with rheumatic and gastric symptoms alternating. Catarrhal stage of all mucus membranes.
14.Pulsatilla
It is per-eminently a female remedy with tendency to obesity in mild, gentle, yielding females who are sad, cry easily and weeps when talking. The symptoms are changeable and contradictory. The patient seeks the open air and feels better in it.Thirstlessness and chilliness in fat females. Aversion to fatty foods, still grows obese. Adapted to persons of indecisive, slow, phlegmatic temperament; sandy hair, blue eyes, pale face, easily moved to laughter or tears; affectionate, mild, gentle, timid, yielding disposition – the woman’s remedy.
Weeps easily: almost impossible to detail her ailments without weeping. Especially, in diseases of women and children.
Women inclined to be fleshy, with scanty and protracted menstruation.
Worse – In a warm close room; evening, at twilight; on beginning to move; lying on the left, or on the painless side; very rich, fat, indigestible food; pressure on the well side if it be made toward the diseased side; warm applications; heat.
Better – In the open air; lying on painful side, cold air or cool room; eating or drinking cold things; cold applications.
15.Sepia
Obesity in females with weakness, yellow complexion and bearing down sensations. Pains extend down to back and patient chills easily. Obesity in menopausal females with hot flushes and perspiration.
Particularly sensitive to cold air, “chills so easily;” lack of vital heat, especially in chronic diseases.
Anxiety: with fear, flushes of heat over face and head; about real or imaginary friends; with uterine troubles.
Great sadness and weeping. Dread of being alone; of men; of meeting friends; with uterine troubles.
Indifferent: even to one’s family; to one’s occupation, to those whom she loves best.
Greedy, miserly.
Worse – In afternoon or evening; from cold air or dry east wind; sexual excesses; at rest; sultry moist weather; before a thunderstorm.
Better – Warmth of bed, hot applications; violent exercise.
16.Senega
Especially suited for persons of lax fibers who tend to become obese and also to children who are chubby in appearance. These children usually suffer from repeated respiratory catarrhal affections where rattling cough and profuse mucus but difficult raising are characteristics.
