5 Steps to Help Beat Obesity in the New Year

BY Eleni Delfakis, MS, RD, ACHS Instructor Introduction to Nutrition

It’s hard to follow the news without reading or hearing about obesity and the risks associated with it. The United States is still trailing behind most industrialized countries, as over 65% of the population is now suffering from being overweight or obese.

As a nation, we need to reallocate more of our resources towards health programs and education, and provide incentives to companies that promote good health. Physical education in schools should reflect changing currents in sports trends to keep kids interested in staying fit. However, even without any help from our government, we can all take serious steps to ensure the safety of the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the quality of our food.

To be healthy, you must think healthy. To lose body fat, think positively about losing the extra pounds and give yourself the time you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Frantic overly restrictive dieting prevents the delivery of essential nutrients needed to maintain good health.

Here are 5 steps that I recommend to help you reach your goal:

1. Purchase fresh and organic food products whenever possible, which means food that is free of nitrites and other preservatives, pesticides, chemicals, and hormones.
2. Cook at home with whole foods. Each whole food contains one ingredient; it is unprocessed and unrefined. Over 75% of the diet should come from whole foods, with a good balance of foods from all the food groups and from a variety of textures and colors.
3. Consume low-fat yogurt and foods rich in fiber (such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) on a daily basis. These foods will keep your digestive track in good working order by eliminating the toxic by-products of digestion. Adults need 25-30 grams of fiber per day. For children, a good way to determine how much fiber they need is to calculate their age + 5.
4. Replace red meat with wild caught salmon or small fish, nuts, and legumes at least two times per week.
5. Consume small portions (3-4 ounces) of meat or poultry three times a week. Unless you’re a muscle-bound body builder you don’t need more. Also, remove the skin from the chicken and all visible fat from meats prior to cooking. Eating small portions and maintaining ideal body weight may help prevent the onset of Type II Diabetes.
   

For 10 more steps you can take to help best obesity in the new year, read the full-text article available in the January edition of the ACHS holistic health newsletter, The Reporter, available online HERE.

The Obesity Epidemic

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. It affects virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups.

Increased consumption of more junk food with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced or no physical activity, have led to obesity rates that have risen three times or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and China.The obesity epidemic is not restricted to industrialized societies; this increase is often faster in developing countries than in the developed world.

Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for serious diet-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer. The health consequences range from increased risk of premature death, to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life. Of especial concern is the increasing incidence of child obesity.

Childhood obesity is already epidemic in some areas and on the rise in others. An estimated 22 million children under five are estimated to be overweight worldwide. According to the US Surgeon General, in the USA the number of overweight children has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has trebled since 1980.

The problem is global and increasingly extends into the developing world; for example, in Thailand the prevalence of obesity in 5-to-12 year olds children rose from12.2% to 15-6% in just two years.

Please take a look at the following report that will show you graphically what we are talking about and how obesity is exploding in the USA:


http://health.msn.com/reports/obesity/default.aspx

What can you do about it?

First excercise! Even walking if done constantly ( 30 minutes or more daily ) is good for you. This epidemic has also been helped by the large degree of physical inactivity. If you can get a pedometer ( step counter ) from a store and start counting steps ( over 10,000 a day is recommended ) because it is very easy to kid yourself that you have "walked" for that day. FOr short trips, do not take your car out, try to walk. For long distances, try parking your car not that close to where you need to go ( provided weather is good ).

Then start to eat healthy. The best food is cooked from scratch. It needs to include some source of protein ( eggs, milk, soy, meats, legumes), salads ( with very little or healthy dressings such as vinegar and olive oil ) and fruits.

Carbohydrates ( pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, pastries, cookies, crackers and also cereal such as the so infamous cheerios ) are linked with insulin resistance ( which is linked with diabetes ), so try to use them very sparingly. Certainly if you have to eat them, try whole grains first ( whole grain food will not taste good at first. It will require you to chew better, it will be raspy to your throat, but in the long run good for you ).

Certainly try not to eat the unnecesary junk foods and junk drinks such as fried foods, sodas, juices, excessive alcohol, etc.

Please take a look at this video from Canada. Here in the USA things are even worse.



Until next time!