Look What’s Making You Fat Now!

GREENandSAVE Staff
Posted on Thursday 27th August 2009

According to an analysis conducted by RTI International individuals weighing eighty pounds or more above their healthy target weight can reduce their life expectancy by three to twelve years. A new study indicated that obesity also can severely impact your brain. As you get older, the extra weight you are carrying around makes your more prone to diseases such as Alzheimer’s as it causes you’re the size of your brain to shrink.

Most people know that a balanced diet and regular exercise will help keep the weight off, however there are three things that also need to be monitored in order to make sure the weight stays off, and more serious health risks do not arise.

Chemicals

The word obesogens is seldom heard in the news, but scientists believe that these “endocrine disrupting chemicals” could be a major problem for your diet if ingested regularly. These chemicals are mistaken for hormones by the body and throws-off your metabolism. The endocrine system regulates the body’s reproduction, development and metabolism and the chemicals known as obesogens, even when ingested in minute concentrations can mess your whole system.

These chemicals include bisphenol A, which is used in some plastics and the linings of soda cans; pesticides, which can be used as a predictor for childhood obesity, increasing the likelihood; dioxins, which rain down on areas close to smokestacks and other large emission factories; and phthalates, which are found in plenty of plastics, fragrances and other consumer goods. The last one on the list there has been banned in many children’s products as they have been proven to lower boy’s testosterone levels.

Stress

While professionals are still striving to understand the full details of the stress-weight gain cycle, there already appears to be evidence that stress and weight gain are mutually reinforcing, whereas weight gain may lead to stress and vice versa. This is evident in the fact during our most stressful times many individuals have the desire to reach for comfort foods, which are most often chock full of fats and sugars.

Sleep

Scientists are still grappling for the reason why, but they are sure that those who lack enough hours of deep restless sleep are more likely to pack on the pounds. Losing sleep affects the metabolism, and may make one feel hungry when they do not need to eat. It has been noted that when we do not get enough sleep, our bodies metabolize more lean muscle and less fat, meaning that even with exercise, we may not be able to shed those unwanted pounds without a proper night’s sleep. The Body Mass Index has been shown to increase dramatically when one’s sleep is interrupted or deprived. Experts say that from 6.5 - 9 hours of sleep a night is optimal, depending on your own body chemistry.

It is not too difficult to manage these three things in order to remain healthy, as organic foods and natural ingredients will ensure that your body’s metabolism will continue working the way it was intended to. And as for stress and sleep, that is up to you to manage your personal life and strike a good balance between work and play to give yourself a proper period for regeneration and to maintain a positive mental state.

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