The Senior Walking Fitness Blog

Hello Everybody,

 

If you are over weight you are likely to be unhappy with your condition and determined to do something about losing some pounds. But it may help to know about obesity related health risks. Although the list is long, and ever more depressing, the good news is that you can do something about avoiding most of the problems. There is a multiplicity of illness which may or may not be related to your being over weight but here are five of the really nasty obesity related health risks.

Heart Disease.  If you are obese your heart is working harder than if you are slim. You have more body mass which means more blood for your heart to pump around. Obese people have more cholesterol in their blood vessels  which tends to clog their arteries. This can lead to heart failure due to oxygen loss as a result of a blocked artery.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure).  Weight gain increases the risk of high blood pressure which is associated with many other health issues.

Stroke.  A stroke occurs when a blood clot or ruptured artery interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. It can result in paralysis, difficulty speaking and other problems. One of the major causes of stroke is high blood pressure.

Type 2 diabetes. This is one of the most common illnesses associated with obesity and it is increasing year on year. You probably know somebody with type 2 diabetes. It is caused by insulin resistance – insulin is a hormone which delivers glucose to our cells. Fat cells are resistant to insulin which means that people who are overweight can have glucose circulating in the blood rather than being used as energy.

Dyslipidemia.  A long name for a worrying condition which can be caused by obesity. Being over weight has a bad effect on lipid levels in the blood. Dyslipidemia  occurs when bad cholesterol levels are high and good cholesterol levels low. Bad cholesterol can narrow the arteries and good cholesterol protects against heart attack. So we do not need excess of bad cholesterol.

These are just a few of the problems of obesity which can range from difficulty climbing the stairs to life threatening illnesses. But do not panic. A lot of obesity related health risks can be reduced or eliminated by just losing a few pounds. Of course you should discuss any problem with your doctor and of course in some cases medication will be needed. But you can make a big difference to your health and lifespan by just eating healthy food and exercising each day. You will look a lot better too.

See you soon,

Peter Stockwell

Cambridge UK

28 August 2011

Photo. Robert ‘Ferd’ Frank (Flickr)

Technorati Tags: health risks, heart health, lose weight, stroke risks, type 2 diabetes

Hello everybody,

 

 

 

 

To ask, ‘Does alcohol make you fat’ invites the answer, ‘It all depends’. It depends on the alcohol and how much you drink. We only have to look at English, Dutch or German football supporters to see the effects of a diet of beer and pies. But it is quite possible to drink alcohol and not put on weight – if you know what to drink and how much.

 

Most alcoholic drinks are low in sugar. A glass of red wine contains 0.60 grams. Compare this to the 40 grams, or 10 teaspoons, of sugar in a can of non-diet drink and you may think alcohol is a better deal. In some respects it is but, sadly, as well as making you fall over and wake up in jail next day, alcohol contains calories.

 

This is how many calories in popular drinks.

 

Medium white wine (small glass).                  95 Kcal

Red wine (small glass).                                 95

Champagne. (small glass).                            95

 

Whiskey (double).                                        122

Brandy (double).                                          150

Gin (double).                                               121

Beer (one pint).                                            140

Cider (one pint).                                           190

 

Our football enthusiasts would think nothing of drinking 4 pints of beer in an evening, maybe 6 or 7. They will have drunk a meal while supporting their team and not even started on the pies. Does alcohol make you fat? It depends; certainly it makes our football friends fat, but that is an extreme case. A glass of red wine with a meal will do you no harm. It might even do you good. Red wine contains resveratrol which is said to reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol, prevent blood clots and be good for your heart.

 

There is no problem in drinking in moderation while on a calorie controlled diet. My favourite Mediterranean diet encourages a glass of wine with your meal. Don’t forget, alcohol does contain calories – it will take you 20 minutes walking at 3 mph to burn off the calories in a glass of red wine. But don’t worry about the occasional party or a bottle of Champagne at the races. Just drink sensibly for your health as well as your waistline.  It is not difficult to start by drinking a glass of wine a day and end up drinking a bottle a day. That is not the way to a healthy heart or a successful weight loss program.

 

Just enjoy what you drink, know the higher and lower calorie counts and above all don’t worry too much about the question, ‘Does alcohol make you fat?’

 

See you soon,

 

Peter Stockwell

 

Cambridge UK

 

17 August 2011

 

Photo.  DigitalCzech (Flickr)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: alcohol and fat loss, alcohol calories, alcohol weight loss, calories in alcohol, diet drinking, drink thin, lose that beer belly

 

Hello Everybody,

 

 

 

If you want to know how not to get heart disease you must know what causes it. There are many reasons people suffer from heart disease and not all are preventable, but in many cases it can be avoided. If you are overweight, eat fatty food, smoke and get little exercise you are at risk.

It is a really good idea to do something about it and this involves eating less, changing to a healthy diet, getting exercise and reducing or preferably cutting out smoking. All of which is easy to write about and not so easy to do. It all depends on how much you want to live longer, and you can live a lot longer. Recent research shows that the Mediterranean diet can increase life span by up to 15 years. That is worth considering, but it won’t work if you carry on smoking.

 

So how should you look after your heart? Here are five ways to begin.

 

Cut out unhealthy fats. We all know about cholesterol and that an excess in the blood stream can lead to plaques in the arteries causing heart attacks and strokes. To drop your cholesterol levels cut the fat off meat, eat more lean meat like chicken or turkey and avoid butter and fried food. Low fat food is not always the answer; it may be high in sugar and will do little for a weight loss program. Read the small print on packets.

 

Eat fresh fruit and vegetables. There are so many fruits to choose from I am sure you have a favourite. Carry an apple or banana as a snack. It is a lot better for you than a mid morning coffee and croissant. Eat salads or lightly cooked vegetables with your meals.

 

 Eat whole grains.  Refined products are bad for you. This generally   means white foods like white bread, white pasta, and white rice. Whole grains such as brown rice and their products like granary bread are a lot better for you.

 

Eat more fish. Oily fish like mackerel or sardines is excellent food for your heart and you should eat it at least once a week. Avoid tuna, not because it is bad for you but because the stocks in the sea are overfished and at risk of extinction.

 

Take more exercise. Exercise is essential. Every day is ideal, three or four times a week the minimum. Walk or jog around the block for half an hour, cycle, swim. Do whatever you like, preferably an activity which leaves you a little out of breath. As we are often told, the heart is a muscle – give it some exercise to keep it healthy.

 

That is how not to get heart disease. The food I have suggested is all in the Mediterranean diet along with an occasional glass of wine. The healthy, long lived Mediterranean people enjoy what they eat. You can as well and it is a diet worth considering.  The good news is that it is easy to avoid many heart problems by exercise and a correct diet. Look after your heart and your heart will look after you. It sounds like a pretty good deal.

 

See you soon,

 

Peter Stockwell

 

Cambridge UK

 

11 August 2011

 

Photo. Alex Rumford (Flickr)

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: avoid heart disease, diet for heart health, healthy heart program, heart health, heart healthy foods