“It may be difficult to understand how some people cannot seem to control how much food they consume. Still, food addiction is a very real problem affecting more people than many of us realize.” states Addiction Helper.
Being overweight can cause several health problems, the kind that will have you suffering in misery. The same also applies to pregnant women. Excess weight can cause either short-term or long-term medical problems not only for themselves but for their child as well.
If you are overweight and are not changing things for the better, it is high time that you do. If you are still not convinced about the dangers of being overweight and obese, here are 6 reasons that will make you think otherwise.
1. High Blood Pressure
With every heartbeat, blood flows throughout the body via your arteries. Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes within the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension if left unchecked can cause serious problems like a stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease.
When it comes to measuring blood pressure, 120/80 mm Hg, or 120 over 80, is normal. The top number is identified as systolic blood pressure while the lower number is identified as diastolic blood pressure. As for how to tell when you have high blood pressure; it is when the top number is 140 or higher while the lower number is 90 or higher.
2. Type-2 Diabetes
Type-2 diabetes is a disease which causes the blood sugar levels to rise significantly, even higher than what is normal. It is worth noting type-2 diabetes is primarily responsible for stroke, kidney disease, blindness, heart disease, and amputation. The disease was revealed to be the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2009.
Even though it is the most common type of diabetes, it is not to be taken lightly. Genes and family history play a bigger role than you can imagine in causing type-2 diabetes. Other risks include excess body weight around the tummy, poor diet and low activity levels.
3. Cancer
Cancer is a killer, and there is no doubt about it. It occurs when cells from a part of your body grow abnormally. This abnormal growth can not only cause internal damage, but cancer itself can spread to other parts of the body. Keeping this in mind, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S.
4. Stroke
When blood flow stops flowing to a certain part of your body it causes a stroke which then causes the brain cells to die. The most common type of them all, ischemic stroke, takes place when a blood clot blocks the artery responsible for carrying the blood to the brain. There is another type of stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures.
5. Heart Disease
Heart disease is a term used to describe different problems associated with the heart, but the most common of them all occurs when a blood vessel responsible for pushing blood to the heart becomes narrow and hard. This prevents the heart from getting all the blood it needs to function properly. Other problems can affect how effectively the heart pumps and so on.
If you are suffering from a heart disease of any kind, you could possibly suffer from a heart failure, angina, abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest.
6. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a common medical problem that causes stiffness and pain in the joints. This medical condition is often caused by an injury or aging, and mostly affects the joints of the hips, knees, lower back, and hands.
As long as you are overweight you could suffer from any of the aforementioned problems, and others too; like sleep apnea, fatty liver disease. Even though you might not be obese or overweight, it would still be wise to lose weight to ensure you get the perfect hourglass figure and remain as fit as a fiddle.