Obesity is too much body fat, an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in the body.
In the last sixty years obesity has become an epidemic; billions of people, children included, are clinically obese.
Most common causes of obesity:
- eating too much, overeating
- frequency of eating
- moving too little, physical inactivity, laziness
- sedentary lifestyle
- a diet high in carbohydrates, animal protein, fat, sugar, processed dairy (drinking cow's milk) and meat
- medications; steroids, diabetes drugs, antipsychotics
- technology addiction and slavery leading to psychological imbalance
- not dealing with our emotions properly and not knowing how to control our mind
- genetics
- diseases
Being obese can increase the risk of developing health conditions including:
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- diabetes type 2
- heart diseases including stroke
The cause of obesity can be seen as an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.
The calorie is a unit of energy, amount of heat energy (from Latin 'calor' = heat).
If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C (depends on the atmospheric pressure and the starting temperature).
Kilojoules (kJ) are the metric measurement of calories.
Obesity means too many calories from food and drinks and too little activity.
Childhood obesity
Childhood obesity has become an epidemic. Many diseases are linked to obesity. Obese children are more likely stay obese into adulthood (especially if the whole family is obese). There is higher risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases.
Lifestyle of many obese families :
- consumption of large portions of unhealthy foods (processed food, sugar, dairy, white flour, comfort foods...)
- sedentary lifestyle, laziness, no motivation, no willingness to improve their lives because they don't know how (their mind is usually dull = not properly trained)
- technology addiction - TV, computers, cell phones, video games......... that leads to zero physical activity and motivation, unhealthy body and brain
- eating habits = late dinners, eating a lot before going to bed, eating lot of snack food, eating snack food in children's room, not having healthy breakfast in the morning.......
snack food = chips, ice cream, pizza, cakes, pastry.......
- parents usually don't cook at home (too tired, no motivation, no knowledge), instead take out food or eating out (fast food popular chains), it is faster
- lack of physical activity, stressful parents - stressful children
- drinking too much sodas, fizzy water, processed juices and milk instead of pure alkaline water
This lifestyle can lead to stress, addiction, diseases, mental unbalance, unhappiness even to suicide later in life.
Food addiction
Processed unhealthy foods have a powerful effect on the centers of the brain. Food addiction involves the same neurotransmitters and brain centers as drug addition, sex addiction, alcohol addiction or negative thoughts addition.
Food addiction is an uncontrollable urge to eat food that does not relate to feelings of hunger. It could be also a response to stress or emotions like anger or sadness.
Food addition is increasing in the world among (young) people because it can be harder than drug addition to beat. Food is everywhere - logos, billboards, ads, fast food restaurants in shopping malls, coffee stations - we are constantly solicited using our phones, computers, TV's, ads in magazines, we can't escape. We are totally ruled by huge food companies.
Addictive food examples: high-fat, salty, sugary, processed, food in packages.
Ice cream, cow's milk, pizza, french fries, burgers, soda, chocolate and more
Eating sugar often releases dopamine, causing extremely strong addiction. Your brain is in charge.
Brain reward centers:
Dopamine
Dopamine is an organic chemical called " feel good hormone". It is a neurotransmitter that the nervous system uses to send messages between the nerve cells. Dopamine is made in nerve cells bodies within ventral tegmental area of the brain. It is released in the nucleus accumben (the brain pleasure center). Dopamine creates feelings of pleasure, reward which motivates you to repeat a specific behavior.
High dopamine in the body: aggressivity, high activity, ADHD, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and more
Low dopamine in the body: Parkinson's disease, Depression, low sex drive, problems with motivation and concentration. Foods that helps to increase dopamine are nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, quinoa, oats
Other diseases linked to dopamine imbalance are Schizophrenia, Autism, Multiple Sklerosis, dementia, restless leg syndrome
How to have healthy dopamine levels in the body?
- exercise (walks, aerobic, yoga,Tai-chi.....)
- massage
-meditation
- get enough sleep
- practice self-love, kindness
Serotonin
Another neurotransmitter, produced in neurons in the midline of the brainstem. But about 95% of serotonin is produced in our intestines. Serotonin is a hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being and happiness. Serotonin is our mood regulator that plays role in many processes in the body like sleeping, eating and our digestion. Serotonin improves mood and memory, regulates digestion, relieves pain and helps wound healing.
Lack of serotonin: depression, anxiety, hormonal shifts, poor nutrition, poor memory, chronic stress, headaches
Too much of serotonin: diarrhea, seizures, shivering
How to have healthy serotonin levels in the body?
- exercise
- have enough sunlight
- eat healthy diet, anti-inflammatory foods and nuts, seeds and more
How to change, how to be healthy?
Eating processed food, sugary, salty, food full of toxins and chemicals has an impact on our brain. Dopamine is released and it affects other hormones and the thyroid as well. Weight gain is trigged and it affects our organs including the heart, liver and the kidneys.
Let's be willing to change, let's make a plan. Change the diet, change the lifestyle, eat less and switch to whole foods plant based diet. Write a diary of your feelings, mood, and food you eat. Go slowly, say goodbye to dairy, meat, sugar - day by day you can make a new step.
How much are you willing to change?
How much are you willing to exercise?
How much are you willing to try yoga and meditation?
Are you going to stop supporting big capitalist food companies by not buying their processed packaged food full of toxins?
Affirmations:
I release past guilt and negative feelings about eating.
I'm free from old patterns and habits that involved food.
I'm making healthy choices toward myself because I love myself.
It is safe for my to go beyond my parents limitations.
I'm at peace with my own feelings.
With healthy foods I nourish my body, my brain, my organs for the day ahead.
I eat well so I can live well.
Comments