Lose Weight to Control Diabetes and Other Chronic Diseases

Introduction

If you are obese, you may be at increased risk for a number of chronic diseases. But you stand a good chance of reducing your risk if you understand the relationship between obesity and chronic disease.

Diabetes

People who are obese are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which your body does not process sugar properly. The cells become insensitive to insulin, which makes it hard for sugar to move into the cells after you have eaten. As a result, the sugar stays in your blood and builds up to unhealthy levels.

In many cases, losing weight can help to improve blood sugar levels. Successful weight loss for diabetes requires making improvements to your diet and getting regular exercise.

High Blood Pressure

If you are obese, you may be at risk for elevated blood pressure. This increase in blood pressure is in part related to the extra weight that you must carry around and the demand for extra blood to meet growing demands.

The high-calorie, high-fat and high carbohydrate diets that are often associated with excessive weight gain can cause plaque buildup in your arteries and may also be a factor in developing high blood pressure.

Reducing your intake of those foods and losing the excess body fat can help to lower your blood pressure.

Heart Disease

Obesity puts you at serious risk for a heart attack due to the increased work that your heart must perform in order to get blood to your vital organs. Chances are, you will also have a great deal of plaque in your arteries as a result of consuming large amounts of trans fats and saturated fats.

Eating large amounts of refined carbohydrates could also lead to increased plaque due to high levels of triglycerides in your blood.

Losing the excess weight and substituting foods that are high in unsaturated fats for trans fats and saturated fats can help to reduce your heart disease risk.

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If you are obese and need to lose weight or need guidance on choosing the right foods for your condition, talk to a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians are the healthcare professionals most trained and qualified to provide nutrition counseling and consultation in matters related to diet and weight loss. To find a registered dietitian, visit the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org and click on the link to 'Find a Dietitian."

Choose Unsaturated fats for A Healthy Heart

You’ve been warned about eating too much fat. That is because fats are high in calories, which could cause you to gain unwanted weight. Compared to carbohydrates and protein, which provide 4 calories per gram, fat contains 9 calories per gram. That’s more than twice as many calories as carbohydrtes or protein.

The other problem with fat is that most commonly eaten foods that are high in fat are either fried foods or baked goods that are made with white flower. These foods are usually low in fiber and other essential nutrients. So, you get a lot of calories but little nutritional value.

Clearly, controlling your fat intake is essential to controlling your weight. That does not mean that you have to avoid fats. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should get 25 to 35 percent of your calories from fats.

But not all fats are created equal. There are trans fats, saturated fats, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.

Trans fats are the worse fats because they can damage your heart and blood vessels. Saturated fats are also bad, though not as bad as trans fats.

On the other hand, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you. They help to keep your total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels down. Keeping your cholesterol and triglyceride levels down is important because high levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, resulting in a heart attack or stroke.

Choose your fats wisely. It will do your heart good.

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Have you read the Daily Diet Guide?