Being overweight or having obesity is more than just a problem for the way your clothes fit or how you feel about yourself. It can actually cause a lot of health concerns for you to carry a lot of extra weight. The team here at Rise Chiropractic has some information about how your health is related to your obesity.
Health Problems Related to Obesity
So, what does it actually mean to be obese? Being considered obese means that you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. If that’s you, let’s dive deeper into these complications that you can face.
You’re looking at anything from high blood pressure, diabetes, gout, and heart disease. That’s just a small list. There are so many more that we are going to touch base on in this article. Now, just because you are overweight does not mean that you are guaranteed to have these problems. It also depends on your family history and if any of these things are present.
Diabetes
Usually, when it comes to diabetes from being overweight it is categorized as type 2. If you have found yourself diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and don’t know where to start, take a deep breath. You can manage your type 2 diabetes with exercise and a low carb diet. When you are eating right and staying active, it will help you to lose weight and lower your blood sugar levels.
You also need to make sure you are taking care of yourself and getting enough sleep.
There are so many complications you can have from diabetes alone, not to mention adding obesity to that. Not taking care of yourself and paying attention to your diabetes can result in a lot of other issues.
Gout
Gout is a form of arthritis and presents itself the most in people who are obese but can happen to anyone. This happens when you have a higher amount of uric acid in your blood. It presents itself with sudden intense joint pain and limited range of motion.
It can also cause some swelling and redness. Being obese puts you at a high risk of having gout. The onset of a gout attack can happen from sudden weight changes (loss or gain). There are many medications that can treat gout and help with comfort levels.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can occur in many people. Obese or not. But, you are more likely to have high blood pressure when you are overweight. There is a range in which your top number and your bottom number need to stay below or you will be considered to have high blood pressure. Having a blood pressure of 120/80 is where your health care providers like to see your numbers.
How BMI Affects Your Blood Pressure
Your BMI plays a role in how your blood pressure. The higher your BMI the more likely you are to have high blood pressure problems. When you are at a higher body fat amount your body has to work harder to supply blood throughout your body.
The best thing to do is to be active and exercise regularly. Changing your eating habits to lose weight will greatly impact your blood pressure numbers also. Trying to do those things instead of having to rely on medication to regulate your blood pressure numbers would be so much better.
Stroke
The number one cause of a stroke is high blood pressure. As we learned above, your blood pressure can be elevated when you have excess weight hanging around. You also have to be aware that your cholesterol levels are probably high.
Strokes happen when your blood is not flowing correctly in your brain. What happens then is the brain cells there die. So when the artery that is carrying the blood to the brain gets a clot, you have a stroke. The best thing to do is try to stay active and eat a healthy diet to lose some of the extra weight. Getting some of the weight off will help the cholesterol levels and your blood pressure. That will put you at a lower risk of having a stroke.
Fertility
Being obese can affect your ability to get pregnant. There are many different difficulties you can face from trying to get pregnant, during the pregnancy, and even the lasting effects it can take on you. One reason is that it can negatively affect your hormones.
One issue is that being obese can cause you to overproduce a hormone called leptin. Leptin is produced in the fatty tissue, which can then affect the hormone levels and have trouble conceiving. The other problems you can face are PCOS, that in itself can cause weight gain and trouble with fertility.
Sleep Apnea
If you are suffering from daytime sleepiness or being very groggy through the day it could be sleep apnea. Being obese you are at a higher risk of having sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be a very scary thing when you learn that it is when you have a pause in your breathing while sleeping. Almost like subconsciously holding your breath.
When you have an excess of fat build up around your neck, it can cause issues with your air passages. It causes breathing while sleeping a difficult thing for your body to do. It makes your breathing kind of loud, snoring.
Osteoarthritis
Being obese can put a lot of pressure and strain on your joints. It can cause the joints to feel stiff or sore. All those areas that bend on your body like your hands, hips, knees, and ankles really take a hit from this.
The extra weight in these areas causes a lot of pain and discomfort. Losing weight can take some of the strain and pressure off of those areas. Although it will not cure the problem it can make it a lot more manageable.
Contact us About the Health Problems from Obesity
If you find yourself struggling with some health problems due to being obese or overweight give us a call and see what we can do for you. We are here to help you to be the best for you. Contact us now at Rise Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Jacksonville, FL. We know that the problems surrounding obesity can be hard and hard to navigate. We are here to help, we look forward to hearing from you. Call us today!
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