Dr. Curtis McElroy

Tag: diet

  • The Most Common Causes for Childhood Obesity

    The Most Common Causes for Childhood Obesity

    Childhood obesity is a significant problem that will not just go away.

    The lifestyle your children are living today, will determine their health 10, 20, 30, 40 and more years from now.

    No parent wants that 3 am phone call from the hospital emergency room informing them their child has suffered a heart attack or some other obesity related illness and may die.

    Children as young as five are so overweight that they cannot be children.

    When your children are overweight they may lack the motivation and physical stamina to run and play. The ability of your child to stay active is one of the essential elements of getting and staying healthy.

    Children are meant to play and enjoy life.

    Childhood obesity causes a number of health issues. Children who are overweight tend to be sick more often, miss more days of school, get behind in school work, suffer poor self esteem.

    Poor self esteem can lead to your child staying in their room playing video games and being less active.

    Obesity in children becomes a vicious cycle if someone is not willing to step in and break the cycle.

    That someone has to be you, the parent.

    A better understanding of childhood obesity can help parents make decisions that will help reverse and prevent obesity so your children can start living a happier and healthier life.

    What Is Childhood Obesity?

    Childhood obesity is a health condition.

    When obesity is diagnosed, it’s generally based on a child’s BMI or body mass index.

    The Center for Disease Control defines obesity as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. When you visit your pediatrician your child’s height and weight are ranked on a scale. The scale is then compared to the average child across the country and healthy levels.

    What Causes Childhood Obesity?

    There are actually many causes of childhood obesity. In some cases there are hereditary elements involved.

    A child may inherit a thyroid problem or another hormonal problem.

    If parents and other family members are obese, then children are more likely to be obese as well. However, there are other environmental factors that may have more significant bearing on a child’s health.

    Most commonly childhood obesity is caused by poor eating habits and inactivity.

    Many obese children live on a regular diet of starchy carbs and high fat foods.

    A fast food diet is a prime cause of obesity amongst children.

    A diet that is high in sugar, white flour and fat will quickly cause children to have imbalanced blood sugar. They’ll have blood sugar highs and lows which lead to cravings. Cravings lead to more unfortunate food choices and the cycle can quickly get out of hand.

    The problem is only further enhanced when parents are unable to or do not provide healthy options. When cupboards are stocked with junk food, children almost always choose the junk over a healthy snack.

    Couple the issues of an unhealthy diet with inactivity and you have the makings for childhood obesity.

    More and more children are left home to fend for themselves after school. When they’re home they sit on the couch and watch television. They play video or computer games.

    They’re not active outside.

    They’re not moving their body.

    They’re not playing.

    The bottom line is children are consuming way more calories than they burn.

    The calories they do consume are not providing them with the nutrients they need.

    Overweight and obese children face a life of ridicule by their peers. They face health challenges most adults cannot fathom.

    They also face a shorter lifespan.

    It’s a very sad prognosis.

    The good news is that childhood obesity can be reversed.

    Children are incredibly adaptable. They can learn hew habits. But they cannot do it alone. They need support.

    They need adults who can help them make responsible and healthy decisions.

  • What Is a Low Cholesterol Diet?

    What Is a Low Cholesterol Diet?

    Has your doctor told you that you need to go on a low cholesterol diet? Or maybe you have some family history of heart disease or other problems and you want to start early to stay as healthy as you can for as long as possible.

    A diet of this nature is one of the best ways that you can eat to protect your heart. To eat this way simply means you’re watching that you eat. You’re actively limiting the bad fats – saturated and trans fat.

    Some foods that are high in saturated fat include egg yolks, butter, meat with skin on (example fried chicken with skin), lunch meats, bacon, cheese, whole milk and sweets (also referred to as junk food).

    Foods that are very high in trans fat are foods you’ll usually find that are quick and convenient to eat. These include fast food meals, especially foods that are fried or slathered in butter or margarine that’s easily spreadable (you’ll find these packaged in tubs). Quick-to-cook foods like frozen meals are usually high in trans fat, too.

    Going on a low cholesterol diet doesn’t mean that you have to give up eating the foods you love. You have to find a cooking style to make the same dish in a healthier way. You also have to find a way to add the foods that are good for you to your diet that help you fight high cholesterol.

    Foods that are good for keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level include beans, whole grains (if you eat white bread switch to wheat), fruit and vegetables. Look for margarine that contains sterol and stanols (these are plant additives) rather than trans fat. Learn to use olive oil instead of butter.

    Replace processed, sugary breakfast meals that are high in saturated and trans fat with foods like oatmeal. Not only is oatmeal good for the heart and good for lowering cholesterol, but it also contains plenty of soluble fiber.

    Eating fiber is a great way to control your appetite, which can lead to weight loss. Having a healthy weight is a way to fight back against bad cholesterol levels. Plus, soluble fiber works to lower cholesterol. Make sure that you add foods like bananas, onions and asparagus to your diet because they also help to win the war against bad cholesterol.

    When you’re on a low cholesterol diet, you want to watch the appearance of the meat that you get. The more white (often called ‘marbling’) that you see present in a cut of meat, the more fat it contains.

    Look for meats that have less of a marbled look to them. Make sure that you add fish to your weekly menu planning. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower cholesterol. Buy fish such as salmon, tuna, or trout to aid you in getting your cholesterol lowered.

  • Healthy Weight Management Tips For Seniors

    Healthy Weight Management Tips For Seniors

    Obesity is a major epidemic in the Unites States and in other countries around the world.
    In fact, 1/3 of US adults and 18% of kids and adolescents are obese and at risk for serious health complications, such as, Type 2 diabetes, joint problems, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.  All of these health problems can lead to premature death.

    In addition to the serious health consequences, obesity has a substantial economic impact that affects the country as a whole. The estimated annual health care costs of obesity-related conditions was $190.2 billion in 2010, this equates to almost 21% of all annual medical spending in the United States, and the numbers only continue to rise year after year.

    Like anyone else, the senior and aging population needs to address healthy weight management and to be aware how weight gain can cause problems for their health. But, seniors can be even more vulnerable because as we age our metabolism slows and weight gain becomes that much more of an issue.

    Loss Of Lean Muscle Mass

    Have you ever watched a teenager inhale food like breaths of air and not gain an ounce? A lot of this is due to a higher metabolic rate in our younger years.

    Did you know that as we age, our metabolism begins to slow down?

    While genetics help determine our overall metabolic performance, having sufficient amounts of lean muscle mass greatly determines metabolism as well because muscle burns more calories per hour than fat, and this means that those who have lean and muscular bodies are able to burn more, even when they are at rest.

    Our overall muscle mass decreases as we age, and this slows metabolism by about 2% to 8% per decade. This can be counteracted by performing simple strength training exercises with the use of free weights or weight machines.

    Ideally strength training should take place early in life, but especially as we head into our 40s and 50s, because when you maintain lean muscle mass, metabolism is not likely to decrease as much as you age.

    Seniors, especially, are more likely to gain weight as their metabolism slows down, which, can lead to obesity and the serious health concerns related to it.

    Weight Gain

    Lack of activity is the number one cause of weight gain even when we continue to eat as we have our whole lives because of the decrease in metabolism. As our metabolism decreases so does our bodies ability to burn calories. If we keep eating the same amount of food our bodies will start to turn the excess calories into fat. The more over weight we get the less active we become. This in turn leads to more weight gain.

    Weight Management For Seniors

    The Solution

    The solution to reversing and preventing obesity is a combination of diet and exercise. A good diet will cut the number calories that you are taking in, while exercise will burn off calories that you eat. Each one will get rid of some of the excess calories. Together they will get rid of a significant amount of calories.

    A useful way to estimate potential weight loss is understanding what it takes to lose about one pound a week. 

    If you perform some form of activity or exercise enough to burn 250 calories per day and decrease your caloric intake 250 calories. This creates a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day or 3500 calories per week.

    Finding a balance between diet and exercise is the best way to get rid of unwanted weight.

    The basic formula is “calories in and calories out” or burn more than you take in.

    Diet

    To lose weight we also need to change how we eat. As we get older, our bodies start to secrete less digestive enzymes. This changes how our bodies breakdown and absorb nutrients.

    • Avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat. Fat contains more calories and can lead to high LDL (bad) cholesterol.
    • Eat small portions of food more often. The body really only needs about 300-400 calories in one sitting. Any more than that is turned into fat stores. Eating smaller portions will help with weight loss.
    • Eat more plant based foods, like fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals that the body needs, which, makes them quality calorie foods.
    • Eat more fiber. Fiber is filling and low in calories. Fiber also aids in digestion. Kale is a super plant food filled with fiber and other essential nutrients. It is very filling and can be eaten raw or slightly sautéed. There are many great plant foods that are filled with fiber, including, broccoli that can be a great weapon in the weight loss arsenal.
    • Drink more water. Many times thirst feels like hunger, and instead of drinking we eat.

    Also, drinking icy cold water helps to burn a little more calories as the body needs to warm it as it passes through.

    Exercise

    Exercise can help you to lose weight by increasing your muscle mass and speeding up your metabolism.

    There are many other practical benefits to being active aside from weight loss and building lean muscle mass. Some of these include, increased stamina, endurance, balance, vitality and agility, all of which are helpful in the senior years.

    The best exercises for weight loss are aerobic workouts and resistance training.

    Aerobic Exercise

    An aerobic workout exercises the heart and the cardiovascular system. When our heart beats faster the body burns more calories. The longer you keep your heart rate up the more calories you will burn.

    An aerobic workout strengthens the heart and it increase blood flow to the entire body. This provides the body with a rush of nutrients and energy that causes the body to burn while working out and also while at rest.

    It is recommended that you do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day, at least 3 days per week, preferably 5 times.

    Aerobic activity includes: Biking, jogging, walking, elliptical trainers, various fitness classes, just to name a few.

    Resistance Training

    Resistance training targets the muscles directly. It is used to increase muscle mass and has a longer effect on burning calories than aerobics. By increasing muscle mass we are also increasing our metabolism. This means that our bodies are burning more calories all the time, and not just during a particular workout.

    It is recommended that resistance training should consist of 8 to 10 different exercises. Each exercise should consist of 8 to 12 repetitions. Work until the muscles are fatigued, but don’t strain yourself.

    These are simple tips that anyone can follow for healthy weight management and an incredible overall health boost at any age, but especially in senior years when the effects of time on our bodies can cause serious health issues.

     

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy