The Weight of the Nation
The centerpiece of THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION campaign is the four-part documentary series, each featuring case studies, interviews with our nation’s leading experts, and individuals and their families struggling with obesity. The first film, CONSEQUENCES, examines the scope of the obesity epidemic and explores the serious health consequences of being overweight or obese. The second, CHOICES, offers viewers the skinny on fat, revealing what science has shown about how to lose weight, maintain weight loss and prevent weight gain. The third, CHILDREN IN CRISIS, documents the damage obesity is doing to our nation’s children. Through individual stories, this film describes how the strong forces at work in our society are causing children to consume too many calories and expend too little energy; tackling subjects from school lunches to the decline of physical education, the demise of school recess and the marketing of unhealthy food to children. The fourth film, CHALLENGES, examines the major driving forces causing the obesity epidemic, including agriculture, economics, evolutionary biology, food marketing, racial and socioeconomic disparities, physical inactivity, American food culture, and the strong influence of the food and beverage industry."
National Women's Health Week
Whether you are in your 20s or your 70s, if you are a woman, there are certain medical tests that you should have to help promote health and a feeling of well-being. Women spend so much of their time caring for others (their children, their spouses, their aging parents) that they often forget to take care of themselves. This list is not necessarily comprehensive; there are other tests that many doctors would recommend as part of routine care. But these are the most common.
- Blood pressure check. Starting at age 18, have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. High blood pressure can cause stroke, heart attack, kidney and eye problems, and heart failure.
- Mammogram. You need a breast exam by your doctor during every annual check-up, and a mammogram every year beginning at either age 40 or 50, depending on your doctor and your risk factors.
- Pap smear. To check for early signs of cervical cancer, all women need this test every one to three years, depending on their risk factors.
- Cholesterol test. Every five years beginning at age 20, and more frequently as you get older. Heart disease is the number one killer of women over 25 in the U.S., so you need to make sure you're not at risk.
- Diabetes tests - Have a test to screen for diabetes if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- Body mass index. The Body Mass Index or BMI is a measurement based on a woman's height and weight, to give you some idea as to whether a woman (or man) is overweight or underweight. A BMI of 25 or greater indicates a woman is overweight.You can also calculate your BMI here.
- Colon check. Every five to 10 years beginning at age 50, unless you have risk factors.
- Blood Pressure. Your blood pressure should be checked every year beginning at age 20. High blood pressure is one of those things from which you probably won't have symptoms, and you probably won't know you have it unless you get your blood pressure checked frequently.
- Bone density test. Osteoporosis is a thinning of the bones; its precursor, osteopenia, indicates that there is evidence that thinning of the bones is beginning. Many doctors are recommending that, as women enter menopause, they get a bone mineral density test to look for evidence of osteoporosis, especially if there's a family history of the disease.
- Skin exam. In order to pick up skin cancer as quickly as possible, your doctor should take a good look at your skin every year, and perhaps more often if you have a history of skin cancer, family history of it, or a lot of moles.
- Eye exam. Most women who have normal vision assume they don't need to have their eyes checked. But this isn't true. You need to look for things such as cataracts, glaucoma and early signs of diabetes. So have your eyes checked every one to two years, at least, by age 40.
- Dental exam. This is another area that people forget, but gum disease and tooth decay can not only affect your smile, but can cause other medical problems. So get your teeth cleaned every 6-12 months.
To learn more about National Women's Health Week please visit their site here.
Obesity and Super Obesity Rates Expected to Increase
A new report by the
American Journal of Preventative Medicine estimates about 42 percent of the
American population will be obese by 2030, this is up from the current rate of 36%.
The report suggests an additional 30 million Americans will be obese in 18 years. This level of obesity would cost an additional $549.5 billion in medical expenditures that would hinder efforts to contain the costs of healthcare. Extra weight takes a significant toll on health. It increases the risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, many types of cancer, sleep apnea and other debilitating and chronic illnesses. According to Kenneth Thorpe of Emory University, obesity has been one of the biggest contributors in driving up health care spending over the past 20 years.
The study also suggests
that about 11 percent of the population will be severely obese by 2030. Severe
obesity (or morbid obesity) is defined as having a BMI of 40 or higher. This
category also includes people with a BMI greater than 35 who are already
experience health issues related to their weight.
BMI For Adults Widget
The good news is, this is a problem that can be addressed!
According to the study, if the obesity rate stays at 2010 levels instead of rising to 42% as predicted, then the country could save more than $549.5 billion in weight-related medical expenditures from now till 2030.
Successful dieters demonstrate common behaviors, for instance, they:
•Follow a low-calorie,
low-fat diet of about 1,800 calories a day.
•Keep track of food intake.
•Count calories, carbs or
fat grams or use a commercial weight-loss program to track food intake.
•Walk about an hour a day
or burn the same calories doing other physical activities.
•Eat breakfast regularly,
often including whole grains and low-fat dairy products.
•Limit dining out to an
average of three times a week, and fast food to less than once a week.
•Eat similar foods often
and don't splurge much.
•Watch fewer than 10 hours
of TV a week.
•Weigh themselves at least once a week.
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The Importance of Balanced Hormones
Omnihealth Medical proudly partners with ZRT Labs to determine individuals hormone balance. The following information is provided by ZRT Labs
Hormone Balance – The Key to Health
You've probably heard more about hormones and hormonal imbalances recently - as researchers have become more aware of evidence showing this may be the root cause of many chronic health issues you could be experiencing.
Your hormones should exist in harmony with each other. When levels of each hormone are in the right proportions, body systems are stable. When balance is lost, hormone deficiencies and excesses can cause chronic symptoms and disorders, and raise risks for disease.
A whole host of symptoms may signify an imbalance:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Weight Gain
- Irritability
- Infertiliy
- Mood swings
- Loss of libido (sex drive)
- Depression
The symptoms of hormonal shifts occuring in our bodies can be very strong and can even make you feel out of control at times.
If you have tried to figure out what is happening or perhaps treated your symptoms in ways that don't seem to work, testing your hormones may be the first step to feeling better.
Saliva and blood spot testing reliably identify hormone imbalances. Hormones exist in harmony with each other – partners in a delicate balancing act. When levels of each hormone are in the right proportions, body systems are stable. When balance is lost, hormone deficiencies and excesses can become toxic to the body causing unwanted symptoms, disorders and disease.
If you are struggling with any of the symptoms related to an imbalance in hormones give our office a call, we welcome the opportunity to discuss hormone balancing with you.
10 Simple Ways to Eat Less
1. Use smaller plates
A full plate sends the signal that you’re eating a full meal and a partially full plate looks like a skimpy meal, regardless of the actual quantity of food.
Using smaller plates and filling them up is a proven way to eat less without noticing.
2. Serve yourself 20% less
The mindless margin is about 20% of any given meal. In other words, you can eat 80% of the food you’d normally eat and probably not notice, so long as no one points it out to you. You could also eat 20% more—not a bad idea if you’re scooping vegetables. If you have those smaller plates mentioned above, serving yourself a little less should be just as satisfying.
3. Use taller glasses
Just like less food looks like more food on a smaller plate, height makes things look larger than width, even when the volumes are the same.You can cut down on your liquid calories by choosing taller glasses rather than shorter, fatter ones.
4. Eat protein for breakfast
People love to hype breakfast eating as a miracle weight loss cure, but only breakfasts high in protein have been proven to suppress appetite and reduce subsequent eating throughout the day. Skip the waffles and head to the omelet station instead.
5. Eat three meals a day
I bet you thought eating many small meals was better than eating three bigger ones throughout the day, but the data tells us otherwise. Though skipping meals can make controlling your appetite more difficult, eating more than three meals a day has not been shown to have an benefit and be worse for appetite control. Eat when you’re supposed to and you shouldn’t need any extra food.
6. Keep snacks out of sight or out of the building
Study after study have shown that people eat a lot more when is food visible rather than put away where it can’t be seen, even if they know it is there. Research has also demonstrated that the harder food is to get to, even if the extra effort is just removing a lid or walking to the cabinet, the less likely you are to eat it. The work extra forces you to question the value of your action, and this gives you the opportunity to talk yourself out of a decision you may regret later.
To avoid extra snacking keep tempting foods out of sight, or better yet, out of the house. On the flip side, keep healthy foods prominently displayed and easy to reach.
7. Chew thoroughly
If you’re someone who chews the minimum number of times before swallowing or adding another fork full, chances are you’re eating substantially more at every meal than those who chew slowly and thoroughly. Slow down, chew each bite (counting your chews can help develop the habit) and watch as you fill up faster on fewer calories.
8. Don’t eat from the package
Your stomach can’t count. When you can’t see how much you’re eating you’re more than a little likely to lose track and consume double or even triple the amount you’d eat if you took the time to serve yourself a proper portion. Use a plate, or a bowl, or even a napkin, just make sure you get a good visual of everything you’re going to eat before taking your first bite.
9. Don’t eat in front of the TV
For the vast majority of us, distracted eating is overeating. The end of a show or movie is another powerful cue signifying that a meal is over, so parking in front of the TV with your plate a movie is probably not the best idea. With the invention of DVR, there’s no reason you can’t take twenty minutes to sit down and have a proper meal before enjoying your shows.
10. Don’t pay attention to health claims
But wait, isn’t healthy food supposed to be better for you? In theory, yes. But truly healthy food—vegetables, fruits an other unprocessed foods—rarely have labels at all. Instead foods with health claims tend to be processed junk repackaged as better for you alternatives.
Even worse, research from Wansink’s lab has shown that people drastically underestimate the calories in foods with visible health claims on the packaging. People also tend to eat more food overall as a result of this miscalculation. He refers to this effect as the “health halo,” and it’s a recipe for packing on the pounds. For real health, stick to humble foods without labels.
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Diabetes Risk Test
Twenty-five percent of Americans with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. Take this text to know your score, you could be at risk.
Know Your Score
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