Obesity is in the news again and that is because it is more than a surface issue; it is an international, detrimental health risk.

Obese individuals are at higher risk of premature death as opposed to average-weight individuals.

Why?

Obesity is linked to numerous acute health risks among them:    

• ·       Diabetes   
• ·       High B.P
• ·       Stroke/Heart disease
• ·       Gallbladder disease and gallstones
• ·       Cancer
• ·       Sleep apnea    

Doctors unanimously consent with the fact that the more obese an individual is, the higher their risk to health problems. Individuals who are overweight may benefit from numerous health benefits by losing excess weight.

Many doctors recommend that anyone who is slightly above their normal weight limit (20 %) ought to work on shedding off excess weight particularly if they exhibit the following risk factors:    

Chronic ailments family history:

Individuals whose family has a previous history of diabetes or heart disease should be cautious since they are susceptible to developing these conditions especially if overweight.    

Pre-existent ailments:

High cholesterol levels of cholesterol, as well as blood sugar, or even high B.P are among various signs that can hint obesity-related diseases.   

 "Apple" shapes:

Individual whose weight is mainly concentrated just around the tummy might be at a higher risk of getting diabetes, heart disease, as well as cancer compared to other individuals of similar weight but who are otherwise ‘pear’ shaped (weight is concentrated more on their butt and hips).    

Fortunately, even the slightest loss of weight can inspire substantial health improvements like bringing down the cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

So here are some of the most common health risks of obesity:    

•  Stroke and Heart Disease     

Stroke as well as heart disease rank as among the most prominent causes of disability and even death for individuals in the USA. Obese individuals are more likely to suffer from high B.P, which is a significant risk factor for stroke as well as heart disease.    

Significantly high cholesterol levels may also result in heart disease not to mention it is often associated with obesity. Being overweight is also a primary contributor to angina (pain in the chest resulting from reduced oxygen to the heart.) as well as suddenly succumbing to stroke or heart disease without any symptoms or signs.     Luckily, shedding off a little weight can bring down your chances of developing stroke or heart disease. Cutting down your weight even by the slightest of percentages can bring down your chances of heart disease development.    

•  Diabetes  

 Type 2 diabetes compromises the ability of your body to regulate blood sugar. Diabetes is a significant contributor to heart disease, blindness, stroke, as well as early death. Overweight individuals are twice more susceptible to developing diabetes (type 2) as opposed to healthy weight individuals. To diminish your chances of getting diabetes, you should exercise more and lose some excess weight.      Alternatively, if you already have diabetes, shedding excess weight as well as getting in shape can help in regulating levels of blood sugar. Furthermore, boosting your overall physical activity can similarly help you minimize the diabetes medication you are taking.    

•  Cancer    

 •  Sleep Apnea    

This is an adverse breathing condition that is closely allied to obesity. This ailment can lead to heavy snoring not to mention a person stopping to breathe for short time frames during their sleep. Moreover, sleep apnea can also cause daytime sleepiness as well as heart failure.     Susceptibility to sleep apnea goes synonymously with the increase in body weight. Therefore, weight loss alleviates sleep apnea.    

Summary:   

While there are numerous health risks and risk factors associated with obesity, the good news, however, is that you can regulate them by changing your lifestyle. If you are suffering from obesity, you can benefit from a weight-loss program from your physician. With an objective of shedding between 5 and 10% of your present body weight, you can effectively reduce your risk of developing any obesity-related health risk.    

Mayfair, we care.

Source Links:   

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000348.htm    https://www.onhealth.com/content/1/health_risks_associated_with_obesity

Every one of us has probably heard countless times that exercise and a full body check-up is good for us in more than one ways.

Maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle is one of the most challenging tasks in our modern lives. There are so many pressures from our profession, social lives, personal, family issues and others.

These matters are something all of us have to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes it can get difficult trying to find a good balance between all these equally important aspects of our lives. While others are good at finding a balance, some will struggle throughout their entire lives. 

For those who struggle a lot, there is the possibility of mental stress which may lead to mental health issues at a later stage in their lives. In dealing with this problem, many health professionals have recommended the use of exercising as a major mechanism for dealing with stressful life and ultimately improving your mental capacity in dealing with the pressures of life.

Exercising is onerous at times when we just don’t feel like it, but it has numerous benefits besides building muscles and burning fat because it can be the most effective way of eliminating stress and improving your mood. 

Making it a habit

Getting regular exercise can help your body produce brain chemicals called endorphins that are known to improve mood. You don't even need to participate in an intense exercise, a brisk 20-minute walk should be enough to help your body produce these feel-good chemicals.

The best way of making the most of exercise is to find one that you enjoy and that you will carry out regularly to help maintain your fitness levels as well as your mood. This will also improve your overall health, which is another thing to feel good about. 

Keeping a consistent exercising routine will help improve your mental health and will, in turn, increase your capacity to juggle between your profession, family, social and all the important activities that make life worth living.

While this benefit is quite obvious, many people do not have the discipline to carry it through for a consistent period of time.  Statistics made available by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that people suffering from mental problems such as depression, amounts to about 300 million.

That is a huge and shocking number by all standards.

Fortunately, this is a problem that can easily be avoided if people took matters into their own hands. (http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression)  By exercising, a person is able to improve his or her mood, reduce symptoms of stress, anger, and depression, and ease anxiety and reduce cognitive decline.

Endorphins are hormones in the body that help improve your mood when the body inactive. Exercises such as running, jogging or walking are a few routines that can help you increase your endorphins.  Another form of hormones that improve your mental alertness is neutrophils and monoamines. This is related to the white blood cells. The white blood cells improve on your immune system with assistance from the neutrophils and monoamines.

Mayfair, we care.

World Alzheimer’s Month 2018 is September

Alzheimer’s disease affects over 50 million people worldwide and is ranked among the top ten leading causes of death that cannot be prevented or treated. Statistics further show that it is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. The theories that follow are yet to confirm whether the disease is associated with protein build-ups in the brain, known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles.

Alzheimer’s causes an erosion of neurons responsible for the transmission of messages within the brain. Although it may take many years for these changes to take effect, many symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be spotted earlier. 

Over the years there has been a lack of understanding and knowledge surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and people have failed to offer the type of support that other conditions attract.

It is in this regard we appreciate the works and hearts of those willing to honour the month of September which marks the 7th World Alzheimer’s Month.

A global campaign that began in 2012 it is aiming to raise awareness of the disease as well as challenge the stigma surrounding dementia.  World Alzheimer’s Month 2018 is an initiative sponsored by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) to unite people living with dementia, opinion leaders, families and caregivers, researchers, medical experts, including media.

How we can help

This September is an opportunity for you, including businesses and charities to hold events that raise awareness concerning the effects of dementia. Participants of this awareness campaign can join the rest of a global family by getting campaign materials from ADI.

For those who are unable to organize their own event, they can participate in events organized by their National Alzheimer’s Aid.    

How to participate

Share a message Social media especially Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat or Instagram is with no doubt one of the most effective and easiest ways to share a message. This is an interactive option where you can raise awareness by posting a note that is informative and straight to the point.

You can write a note on a paper and take a photo to share an experience about a loved one, or an inspiring story you may have come across. Use hashtags to effectively pass the message out there, for example, #RememberMe or #WAM2018.

Make an audiovisual A picture speaks a thousand words, but an audiovisual speaks a million. A good number of previous videos used in Alzheimer’s disease campaign have gone viral. Having a short and simple video that puts the point across is important. Remember to use the hashtags to make it easier to increase your views on social platforms. Audiovisuals have also played a major role in raising funds for the awareness campaign. 

There’s plenty of information online and offline to educate your followers. Posting a fact-a-day about Alzheimer’s disease including other dementias is recommended.

Apart from postings, you can acknowledge the September occasion by wearing purple ribbons and wristbands.

As we continue to learn more about the disease and raise awareness, it is important to include regular exercise, healthy diet, healthy social relationships and challenging mental activities to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mayfair, we care.