Dr. Curtis McElroy

Author: docmac

  • Does Sedentary Disease Lead To Life Threatening Diseases

    How Sedentary Disease Is One Of The Leading Causes Of Life-Threatening Diseases

    In this day and age, it’s highly likely you find yourself in the sitting position for most of the day. But did you know that living a sedentary lifestyle is a leading cause of a number of life-threatening diseases? No matter what your profession is, doctors all over the globe agree that it’s time to start moving, or face the dire consequences.

    How Does Sitting Effect Health?

    The human body wasn’t built to sit all day. And if you engage in more than 8 hours of sitting, this starts to cause serious damage to your circulatory system. According to Dr. Erin Michos at Hopkins Medicine, once you hit 10 hours or more of sitting per day, your risk of cardiovascular disease increases dramatically. As does your risk of dying from a stroke, this is because your heart isn’t working that hard to pump the blood in your body when you sit.

    And it’s not just your heart which suffers. When you sit all day, your muscles relax, and when this happens, they absorb very little glucose from your blood, and the scientists at Harvard Health have found this to be a leading cause of diabetes.

    And sitting for long periods of time can also lead to a high risk of obesity, which comes with a whole host of additional chronic diseases that could ultimately lead to death.

    But I Work Out Half An Hour A Day?

    Unfortunately, Dr. Erin Michos says exercising for thirty minutes each day, then sitting the other 23 and a half hours isn’t going to save you from sedentary related disease. Although high level exercise has been shown in some studies to lower the risks of sedentary disease, this was only true in studies where the test subjects completed 60 to 75 minutes of high intensity activity per day. And this is a lot of exercise to squeeze into a busy work and social life.

    Dr. Michos advises wearing a fitness tracker. Even if you work out each morning, you may be surprised to find that you spend the rest of the day sedentary, and don’t make the recommended 10,000 steps a day even with your workout. So, instead of trying to make your workout longer and harder, Dr. Michos says it’s simply easier to try and become less sedentary.

    What Can I Do?

    Well first of all, in order to lower your risk of sedentary related diseases, it’s important to get up and get moving whenever you can. Of course, this can be difficult depending on your profession. This is why the doctors at Mayo Clinic recommend trying out a standing desk if this is something your boss will allow. And if it isn’t allowed in your work place, even just standing while you talk on the phone or watch TV can help lower the number of hours you are sitting per day.

    You can also take a timed break for every hour that you sit. The doctors at Harvard Health recommend setting a timer for this so you don’t forget. Also try to schedule walking meetings, walk to visit coworkers instead of calling, and plan active meetups with friends.

    Overall, no matter how you look at it, living a life where you spend your entire day sedentary is bad for your health. And although you may work out for half an hour a day, this often times isn’t enough to cancel out 8 or 10 hours of sitting.

    This is why it is critically important that you make every effort in your life to spend more time standing or walking to lower your chances of developing a chronic health condition.

     

  • Understanding Lung Disease

    Understanding Lung Disease: Lung Anatomy and Function

    Your lungs are an integral part of your body’s regular functions. They’re involved in your respiratory system, which allows you to breathe.

    Breathing supplies your body with the oxygen it needs to function, so it’s especially important to make sure your lungs are working properly, and to seek medical treatment if they aren’t.

    Lung disease can prevent your lungs from doing their job efficiently, which means organs like your heart and brain aren’t getting enough oxygen.

    Learn about the anatomy and function of your lungs to get a better understanding of the role this pair of organs plays in your overall health.

    This knowledge will also help you manage your risk of lung disease and take good care of your lungs in the event that you develop it.

    Anatomy of the Lungs

    Your lungs are a pair of organs located in your chest cavity. Your left lung is a little smaller than the right, and it has an indent called the cardiac impression that makes room for your heart. The close proximity of your heart and lungs allows for the oxygenation of blood, which then passes back into the heart.

    Each lung is encased in a pleural sac, and the different sections of your lungs are divided into lobes. The most important structures to know to better understand respiration are the bronchi and the alveoli.

    Bronchi

    The bronchi carry air from the trachea into the lungs. They branch off into smaller tubes known as bronchioles.
    Bronchi are mainly a method for the transportation of air to and from your lungs, but they also serve an important immune function. Most lung conditions that interfere with regular breathing, such as asthma and lung cancer, interfere with the regular function of the bronchi.

    Alveoli

    Your alveoli are small air sacs inside your lungs. These are the structures responsible for intaking oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide, allowing for gas exchange.

    Humans have an average of 400 million alveoli in their lungs, though this can vary depending on the size of your lungs.

    Functions of the Lungs

    Your lungs are literally involved in every breath you take. This is because they are the most important organ in the process of breathing, though they work with the help of other structures like your diaphragm and surrounding muscles.

    In addition to helping you breathe, your lungs also perform a number of related functions, many of which assist in air filtration and keeping you in healthy shape.

    Respiration

    Respiration, more commonly referred to as simply breathing, is an exchange of gas between you and your environment. You intake oxygen, which your cells need to function, and you expel carbon dioxide, which is a waste product.

    As you breathe in, the diaphragm, a muscle below your lungs, moves downward to expand the chest cavity. When air enters through your nose and mouth, it travels down your trachea into your bronchi and smaller, branching tubes called bronchioles. From here, it enters the alveoli in your lungs, which are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide as well as supplying your blood with oxygen.

    When you exhale, the diaphragm moves back upward and the carbon dioxide is expelled from your body.

    You are constantly respirating, which is why it’s so important to pay attention to your lung health. If you have any issues with your lungs, such as trouble breathing, see a medical professional right away.

    Regulating and Protecting Your Body

    Respiration may be the most obvious function of your lungs, but it’s far from the only one. Your lungs also serve many other regulatory and protective functions.

    Your lungs assist in balancing your body’s pH levels by reducing acidity caused by carbon dioxide buildup. If there is too much carbon dioxide, your lungs will react to this by expelling more.

    Your lungs can also protect against respiratory infections. Lung membranes secrete immunoglobulin A, an antibody, which protects against airborne viruses and bacteria. Similarly, mucus in your lungs can trap and remove bacteria and dust particles.

    How Lung Disease Disrupts Regular Functions

    Lung disease often makes it harder for respiration to occur. Conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can obstruct airflow to and from the lungs, resulting in shortness of breath.

    Other lung conditions may target the tissue in your lungs, such as pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary hypertension, another lung condition, can impede blood circulation in the lungs, which can cause adverse effects on your heart.

    How Lung Conditions Develop

    Many forms of lung disease come from genetic issues and can affect you for your entire life. Others develop gradually over the course of your life due to poor health habits or age.

    For example, lung cancer is typically a result of frequent smoking, while other lung conditions may come from infections that scar the lungs. Taking care of yourself is a key part of avoiding long-term lung damage.

    Final Thoughts

    Your lungs play an important role in providing oxygen to the organs and cells in your body. This is why it’s so important to prioritize your physical fitness and monitor your lungs for any changes that might affect their regular functions.

     

     

  • How To Successfully Implement A Ketogenic Diet

    How To Successfully Implement A Ketogenic Diet

    A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and adequate protein diet that can help you to reach your weight-loss goals as effectively as you desire. Apart from weight loss, the keto diet may improve heart rate, lower blood pressure, and protect brain function.

    The most efficient way of reaching the expected results from the keto diet is by learning the best methods of implementing it correctly, understanding the pros as well as cons of a keto diet, and knowing how it works.

    7 common mistakes you need to avoid when starting a keto diet.

    1. Increasing your fat intake and cutting off carbs too quickly.
    2. Not eating enough protein.
    3. Limiting low-carb vegetable intake.
    4. Not drinking enough water.
    5. Depriving yourself of sleep.
    6. Neglecting your fiber intake.
    7. Failing to prepare yourself for the side effects such as the keto flu.

    Examples of foods to avoid on a keto diet.

    Foods high in carbs should be limited or avoided altogether when you are on a keto diet.

    Some of the foods to avoid are:

    • Beans and legumes.
    • Low-fat products.
    • Grains or starches.
    • Unhealthy fats.
    • Sugary foods.
    • Starchy peas.
    • Sweet potatoes.

    5 important things to know before starting a keto diet.

    1. You may lose too much weight in the first few weeks.
    2. Stepping up your physical activity can help you get into ketosis.
    3. You may experience side effects such as bad breath, tummy ache, and skin rash.
    4. Your insulin sensitivity may improve.
    5. Testing ketone levels and adjusting your diet suitably is important for effective results.

    Examples of best foods to eat on a ketogenic diet.

    • Low-carb vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, kale, and lettuce.
    • Meat and poultry.
    • Fatty fish. For instance, salmon and tuna.
    • Nuts and seeds.
    • Healthy oils such as avocado oil and coconut oil.
    • Omega-3 eggs.
    • Whole avocadoes.
    • Plain Greek yogurt.
    • Unsweetened coffee.
    • Butter and cream.

    Step by step guide to successfully implementing a ketogenic diet.

    1. Identify your primary goal.

    The only way of successfully implementing the keto diet and getting the results you are expecting is by identifying your primary goal and working towards reaching it. So, ask yourself these questions: Why am I on a keto diet? What do I intend to achieve by being on a keto diet? Is it weight loss, improved health, or muscle gain?

    Identifying your primary goal will help you to take the appropriate steps and stick to the diet to reach your aim.

    1. Calculate your daily calorie intake.

    Calculating your daily calorie intake will help keep you on the right path and enable you to make necessary adjustments where needed.

    A keto diet is only successful when you know how many calories a day you need to eat to reach your main goal. Therefore, know how many calories you need per day to lose weight, calculate your calorie intake, and make changes where needed.

    Experts suggest that you aim for 70% fat, 10% carbs, and 20% protein from total daily calories to reach your keto goals.

    Ensure you eat the right amount of keto-friendly foods so that you can see the expected results and avoid eating fewer or more than what is required.

    1. Have a keto menu and stick to it.

    The most efficient way of successfully implementing a keto diet is by having a keto diet meal plan and sticking to it. Planning your keto menu daily or weekly helps you to save time, avoid foods that aren’t keto-friendly, and choose keto-friendly foods that will help you to achieve your keto goals.

     

    Countless websites and apps have different keto menus that are both efficient and easy to follow.

    Carb Manager is an example of one of the best apps that have tons of keto recipes you can try. The app also allows you to track your calorie intake, ketones, and so much more.

    1. Prepare for the keto flu and cure it.

    The keto flu is one of the common side effects to expect and prepare for when going on a keto diet. The keto-flu symptoms may appear a few days after starting the ketogenic diet. Noticing the symptoms before the flu worsens will help you to remedy it.

     

    The symptoms include irritability, nausea, stomach ache, headache, foggy brain, sleeplessness, vomiting, and constipation.

    Increasing your water intake, eating more fiber, prioritizing sleep, eating adequate fat, as well as increasing your sodium, potassium, and magnesium intake will help you to fight the keto-flu symptoms.

    The best way of fighting the keto flu is by avoiding high-intensity exercise and doing light exercises.

    The keto flu normally lasts for a week or one month in severe cases. However, it is possible to start the keto diet and not get the flu.

     

     

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy