The Annual Cost of the Obesity Epidemic

Obesity is no longer something that hides in the fog, waiting to be discussed over quiet dinners in shadowy corners. More than 26 percent of Americans are obese, with an additional 40 percent considered overweight, and the numbers have yet to level off. The latest research, published in the journal Health Affairs and presented at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Weight of the Nation conference in Washington, reveal that the numbers are rising, and the costs are starting to take their toll in more ways than simply upon an individual's longevity and health.

In 1998, obesity-related conditions accounted for roughly 6.5 percent of all medical spending. In 2008 those numbers exceeded nine percent, demonstrating close to a three percent gain. Not only is obesity dangerous for health, but research is demonstrating its great expense. The research published in Health Affairs showed that obese individuals spend roughly $1,400 more each year on medical expenses than individuals who are of normal weight. The overall nationwide numbers are $147 billion, nearly double the rate 1998.

And here is the really disturbing part: of that $147 billion, the costs reflect only the costs necessary to care for diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments which plague individuals who are overweight and obese. The $147 billion figure does not factor in such procedures as tummy tucks, stomach stapling, liposuction, weight-loss pills and supplements and the hundreds of other ways individuals spend their money endeavoring to find ways to lose weight. The bottom line is that obesity is costing the nation more than just their health: it is costing them their life savings.

The Study

A recent study was performed by the non-profit research group called RTI International. Their lead economist Eric Finklestein had a very blunt statement to give lawmakers in regards to the health care system: “Unless you address obesity, you're never going to address rising health care costs.”

Economists have been warning for years that obesity was a driving force behind rising health spending, but it has taken close to a decade for individuals to realize that the theories and warnings were true. And while diabetes, for example, costs $190 billion a year to treat, excess weight is the single greatest risk factor for developing diabetes. Not to mention that obese individuals suffering from diabetes are also the most difficult to treat, due to their higher risk of complications, such as foot ulcers and amputations.

30 percent – one third of the entire nation are obese. And this study did not even take into account individuals who are simply overweight, but not yet obese-this is adds another 40 percent to the already bleak picture.

The Cause

There are a wide variety of factors that contribute to the rising numbers in obesity across the nation. America has largely become a sedentary nation. Almost everyone has a car that they drive to work and/or sit at a desk for at least eight hours a day. With little time to prepare healthy meals, they subsist on a diet of quick snacks packed with preservatives and additives, such as meal bars and fast food. It is estimated that over 60% of Americans are regularly active at a gym, but the problem is that they are compensating for the workout by treating themselves to a latte or a muffin.

Obesity is considered to be a preventable cause of death. It is estimated that only 6% of all obesity cases are a result of genetics. The other 94% of individuals suffering from obesity are obese simply because they have chosen to pursue a sedentary lifestyle with unhealthy food choices.

Interestingly enough, the widespread availability of nutritional guidelines has done little to stem the tide of overheating and poor dietary choice. For example, from 1971 to 2000 the rates of obesity in the United States alone increased from 14.5 percent to 30.9 percent.

It is not completely a food issue, however. Sedentary lifestyles also play a significant role in the obesity epidemic, with a worldwide shift towards work that is less physically demanding than it was even half a century ago. Where children used to spend hours in physical activity, they are now sitting inside playing on their computers, their PlayStations, and their Wiis. Recreational sports requiring physical activity have dropped dramatically around the world as television and computer games have come to replace the physical activities of old.

Still, if you truly desire to be in good shape and not part of the problem that is contributing to the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on wasted healthcare, then taking the steps to become healthy is quite simple. Eat the right type of food, exercise regularly, and stop living your life focused upon the television and computer screen. Take control of your life, or you may find yourself winding up as a statistic.

UltraFitnessDynamics

When Eating Vegetables is not Enough

Vitamins and vitamin supplements supply specific nutrients to the human body and are vital for excellent health. Vitamin supplements are intended to offer nutritional or dietary value to those individuals who consume them, either filling in nutritional gaps or providing extra nutrients to produce a particular effect or cure a certain ailment. Therefore, supplements are usually taken to complement the daily intake of food to provide additional vitamins that the body will be able to use. Taking vitamin supplements provides an opportunity for individuals to optimize their health, especially if their diet is lacking in one or more substances.

What Are Vitamins?

Vitamins can be defined as nutrients or organic substances that the body needs to maintain normal metabolic functioning. These substances are required for appropriate functionality and ongoing health. With only a few exceptions, vitamins are not produced actively by the body; but must be ingested either through an extremely well-balanced natural diet or through supplementation. In some cases, alternative means exist for obtaining certain quantities of vitamins that can be absorbed by the body. For example, the body absorbs vitamin D from sunlight. Another example of obtaining vitamins from a source other than food is the ingestion of vitamin supplements.

What Types of Vitamins Are There?

Two different types of vitamins exist – water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Typically, water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins are found in different types of foods. This is the main reason why it is important to eat a varied diet.

Fat-soluble vitamins can be obtained by eating fatty foods. They are found in liver, butter, dairy products, and certain types of fish. The body stores these fat-soluble substances within the liver until such time as it needs them. The four fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

Water-soluble vitamins can be obtained by ingesting a variety of vegetables and fruits. Since they are not stored in the body but are used immediately, it is necessary to ingest these vitamins on a regular basis. Typically, any excess water-soluble vitamins are eliminated by the body after it absorbs what it requires. The list of water-soluble vitamins includes vitamin B_6, vitamin B_12, vitamin C, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin or vitamin B₂, and Thiamin or vitamin B₁. Since water-soluble vitamins are easy to eliminate through bodily waste, individuals are less likely to overdose on them.

Vitamin Supplements

Avoiding a nutritional deficiency is almost impossible. The sad reality is that the majority of individuals do not consume sufficient varieties of unprocessed foods to ensure adequate nutrition. Vitamin supplements may be used to complement the daily diet in an effort to provide the body with essential nutrients. From healthy skin to strong teeth and bones, vitamins offer the body an opportunity to maintain health and well being. High premium quality vitamin supplements are readily absorbed by the body and provide an added advantage as well. They can be purchased in particular quantities designed to treat a particular condition and restore specific areas of a person’s health; and are often used to counter medical imbalances and disorders.

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A Nutritional Supplement a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Nutritionists present guidelines on dietary values in foods for the general public, and the experts hope that the general public will follow such guidelines to maintain a healthy diet. Those who meticulously follow the guidelines are likely to have flawless skin, a healthy heart, impeccable health and significant energy. Unfortunately for a variety of reasons, the majority of the public cannot or do not follow the recommendations of the experts. Some are too busy to prepare the suggested menus and would rather flock to fast food outlets on their way to and from the daily commitments of work and family. Others may have dietary restrictions, allergies or preferences that prevent them from maintaining a well-balanced diet.

Consult an Expert

Knowledgeable experts on health and fitness will explain the benefits of quality nutritional supplementation to assist individuals in search of optimum health. The information is available from a variety of sources, but some of the best consultants are pharmacists, nutritionists, naturopaths and qualified fitness experts. They will explain the products available (usually on specialized websites dedicated to health and fitness). Optimum fitness requires an excellent and highly nutritious diet, plus a well-planned exercise routine.

Nutritionists and other medical experts often recommend the use of vitamin and mineral supplements as insurance against nutrients missing from an individual’s diet. Although most individuals endeavor to eat nutritiously, they do not always achieve this goal. Some individuals do not even come close to meeting basic nutritional guidelines in their existing diet. Adding the missing nutrients in the form of supplements is an advisable practice for most individuals and a necessary step for those individuals who have poor nutritional habits. Overuse of these products is possible, but if used correctly the supplements should not produce a health risk.

Wise individuals will select special products that meet their specific medical and nutritional needs. For many, taking a daily multivitamin may be insufficient or result in a nutrient overdose, as it encourage the over-consumption of some nutrients and the under-consumption of others. Many vitamins and minerals are present in unprocessed foods; however, including appropriate amounts of these substances in the diet through natural foods is often difficult. Quality supplements provide the nutrients in a balanced, synergistic, optimized fashion. Quality of components is far superior to large quantities of poorly absorbed or inferior quality ingredients.

Choosing the correct nutritional supplement is an important decision. Overdose and over-consumption of vitamins and minerals is linked to a wide variety of illnesses, so one premium multivitamin/mineral complex is far superior to a dozen bottles of less expensive but poor quality individual components that are poorly manufactured and lacking in many nutrients that aid in the absorptions and utilization of the nutrients by the body. I recommend Bionx Multivitamin/Mineral Complex

Following specialized nutritional therapies may also be beneficial in producing very positive results, as many vitamins and minerals are specifically linked to the treatment of different illnesses.

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Weight Loss via Natural Cleansing

Interest in weight loss has never been higher, and it is easy to understand why as America’s obesity epidemic has become front-page news. But as story after story illustrates, individuals who “diet” rarely lose the weight permanently. Too often their weight ends up on the so-called ‘yo-yo’ path, rising and falling as the new miracle diet or pill of the month is used than abandoned, in the search for the perfect simple solution. To make matters worse, doctors have discovered another hidden danger to this type of dieting: nutritional deprivation.

An Alternative to Traditional Dieting

Nutritional cleansing is one way to jump-start a healthy eating plan, while flooding the body with the crucial vitamins and nutrients to avoid a drop in metabolic rates. A quality nutritional cleanse will provide fluids, vitamins and minerals to naturally enhance energy levels and eliminate toxins from the body. Individuals often report feeling brighter and more “alive” because the body is not taxed by the digestive process and it receives the necessary nutrients for maintenance and purification.

Nutritional cleansing which mandates significant quantities of water to be consumed, which aids both in maintaining metabolic rates and eliminating toxins and the layer of fat cells encapsulating same. The more fluid consumed, the more efficiently the metabolic process operates, and hence the greater number of calories used.

Bodies work optimally, as would be expected, when they are not battling a host of impurities. From chlorine and fluoride in our water, carbon monoxide and particulate matter in our air, chemicals and preservatives in the foods we consume, the burden of our modern environment places tremendous strains on our bodies, depleting our resources. A nutritional cleanse is one way to eliminate those toxins, allowing the body to function as a well-tuned engine, provided that the individual embarks upon a largely unprocessed source of nutrition, a premium multivitamin/mineral complex, antioxidants and a consistent fitness regimen. If these steps are taken, and periodic purification through nutritional cleansing is undertaken, the risks of obesity, invading toxins and associated diseases may be significantly curtailed. While of course genetic factors may come into play, reducing the levels of toxins in the body is one very simple way to reduce the risks associated with disease and illness.

Rest as Important as Exercise

Nutritional cleansing requires rest to enable the body to maximize the benefits of the cleansing ritual. Rest has several important benefits for in any weight loss plan. It allows the body to devote the necessary resources to eliminating toxins and impurities. If one considers the unprecedented number of pollutants in today’s world, it is apparent that significant work is required of the body to eliminate such toxic build-up. Since it is impossible to avoid all forms of toxicity present in the modern environment, steps not required in the past are now a necessity in today’s world of pesticides, automobile emissions, contaminated water supplies, generically-enhanced foods, and hormone-injected meats.

Two natural hormones, leptin and ghrelin, have been shown to be a critical factor in one’s perception of hunger and these hormones are directly affected by the amount and quality of sleep. Give yourself the gift of sleep – for many reasons – but particularly during a deep nutritional cleanse. The results may well amaze you in their efficacy and speed.

When considering your weight loss goals and strategies, consider nutritional cleansing as a way to start yourself on the path to a leaner, stronger you. We strongly recommend ISAGENIX Cleansing Programs, click for more details.

THE DANGERS OF OBESITY

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States and is a serious issue in most developed countries. Starting with the Industrial Revolution, labor-saving inventions were welcomed into our homes and workplaces, making us far more productive, but also far more sedentary. We no longer beat the rugs; we vacuum carpeting. We do not chop wood; we turn up the thermostat. Rather than walk to town or ride a horse, we drive a car. And we rarely cook foods from scratch, rather we are far more likely to buy packaged foods for convenience, or have a meal in a restaurant.

The Silent Killer

But hidden in the midst of such convenience exist some recently-discovered dangers. Eating more and moving less has created millions of Americans who are overweight, and tens of thousands who have reached the level of obesity. Obesity is defined by the National Institutes of Health as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. For someone 5’10” tall, that would equate to weighing over 209 pounds. “Overweight” according to the BMI index, would be between 174 and 208 pounds, or a body mass index of 25 to 29.9.

The most dangerous aspect to obesity is that, in essence, it is a nearly silent killer. Weight is usually gained slowly enough so that the body adjusts, and the effects are not felt for some time. Additionally, many of the most dangerous effects of obesity are hidden inside the body: the strain on the heart, narrowed arteries, and increased blood flow are not easily recognizable symptoms, and hence are easily ignored. But sooner or later, if left unchecked, these tiny cracks in the foundation of one’s health will result in devastating consequences.

Obese individuals have a 50% to 100% greater chance of dying from a given cause than those of normal weight. To make matters worse, extra poundage stresses the body, compromising the immune system, causing such individuals to more easily fatigue, and depressing the immune system. Thus, when an obese individual catches a cold, the flu, or other illness, he or she has far fewer resources for fighting the disease.

Obesity stresses the lungs as well as the heart, resulting in more labored breathing. Reduced lung function may lead to an increase in colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Being overweight and obese has also been shown by several studies to be linked to an increased risk of cancer. Often the specific tie between the cause and effect has yet to be identified, but research indicates that factors such as decreased immune system functionality or increase in the amount of adipose tissue, (where cancer cells are often found) may well play a significant role. Lack of exercise is also a proven risk factor, especially for breast cancer. A study by the Women’s Health Initiative showed that even 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking may reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 18%.

The Good News

The good news is that weight is a situation individuals can control. Changes in diet, increases in exercise, talks with a doctor, and evaluation of the many products available to assist in the quest for lower weight can all have a positive impact. Taking control of your weight is the first step in reducing the dangers of obesity to your overall health. Nutritional cleansing has been shown by abundant anecdotal evidence to drastically reduce the level of obesogens present in the body. With the absence of these toxins, the body no longer needs to hold on to the associated fat needed to protect its vital organs. This results in a measurable drop in body fat levels which in turn leads to weight loss. Isagenix Cleansing Programs will give you the head start you need. Order now

Antioxidants

Antioxidants – you hear the word bandied about in the press and on television, but what are they? Supposedly they are good for you, but good in what way? Here are answers to some of the most frequently-asked questions about antioxidants.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are naturally-occurring substances found in many foods; they are generally referred to as a member of the vitamin family, and they help protect the body against damage from free radicals. Technically, an antioxidant is any product that slows or prevents the oxidation of other molecules. When oxidation occurs, free radicals are released; it is these free radicals that damage cells in the body. Antioxidants form a ‘buffer’ between the body and such free radicals.

Oxidation within the human body is now being widely studied. It is believed to potentially play a part in, or even be a main cause of, various diseases from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s to cancer and strokes. If the body can be protected from the progression of these diseases, or even their onset, individuals would live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.

Different Types of Antioxidants

We are all familiar by now with the most well-known of the antioxidants, vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. Although found in both plants and animals, it is abundant in citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons, but also in often-overlooked products such as papayas and strawberries.

Melatonin is another antioxidant that significantly impacts overall health. Melatonin has been shown to have an effect on the sleep cycle, and individuals with low melatonin levels often experience poor sleep length and quality. Melatonin easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, allowing its beneficial aspects to enter the cerebrospinal fluid and thereafter the brain. Supplementation with melatonin has been shown to be effective in the treatment of cluster headaches as well as migraines. There is early evidence of interaction with the human immune system, though studies are still being conducted to discover the full extent of this interaction.

Benefits of Antioxidants

Even if all the effects of antioxidants are not yet known, what we do know is that antioxidants form an important part of the human body and thus are of crucial importance to overall health. At therapeutic levels, the beneficial effects of antioxidant supplementation may lessen the effects of aging and disease. Even at maintenance levels, antioxidants may help maintain the body at peak condition and vigor.

In addition to the damage wrought by free radicals within the body, external contact with chemicals, heavy metals, tobacco and poisons – just to name a few – expose an individual to a barrage of aging compounds. Antioxidants are the first level of defense. They protect the body from free radicals, and at therapeutic levels may even help repair existing damage.

To ensure that one is consuming adequate amounts of antioxidants, it is wise to consider the use of antioxidant supplements such as The Ultimate Antioxidant from Baseline Nutritionals which provide rich benefits from various plants and herbs. While supplements should not be used as a substitute for unprocessed fruits and vegetables, they are essential for a less than optimal diet.

Meal Replacement Powders

As the incidence of obesity in the American public has reached epidemic proportions, more and more individuals have begun searching for a way to lose weight that fits within their hectic lifestyles. With time for exercise often difficult to find, reducing our food intake is the next best option.

Meal Replacement Powders

The most significant barrier to weight loss is food consumption. Reducing portion size, eliminating comfort foods, and relinquishing long-held habits are difficult for most. Endeavoring to conduct one’s daily affairs while famished is not the answer. And this is precisely why meal replacement powders can assist dieters. Meal replacement powders are high-protein; nutrient-dense, low-fat powders intended to be mixed with milk, fruit juice, or water to create a complete and filling balanced meal. Rather than take the time to prepare a meal or, worse yet, consume highly processed foods, one can quickly and easily prepare a healthy meal replacement shake that will satisfy cravings and satiates appetites in a healthy manner which support the nutritional requirements of the body at a very low caloric expense.

Furthermore, quality meal replacement powders have a low to moderate amount of carbohydrates, which may aid individuals with risk factors for diabetes to moderate their blood sugar levels. Of course, one of the greatest risk factors for type 2 diabetes is obesity, and many who lose sufficient weight have seen their diabetes disappear as well. Additionally, meal replacements are low in sugar and cholesterol, two components that nearly everyone, not simply diabetics, should endeavor to minimize in their diets. Premium meal replacement powders have vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, with no artificial additives and only high-quality ingredients. Thus while losing weight; one is nourishing the body with healthy nutrients to enable optimal cognitive and physiological functionality.

The Numbers

How many calories does the average meal replacement powder consist of? Most meal replacement powders contain 250-350 calories per serving. Compared with the average fast-food meal consisting of 800-1000 calories, the majority of which are composed of sugar and fat and the benefits of meal replacement powders are easily discerned.

While fruits, nut butters and other ingredients can be added to the meal replacement drink for variety, it is advisable to monitor the calorie count. With this caveat, it is clear that meal replacement powders/shakes like IsaLean are one of the easiest ways to continue to move towards enhanced health.