Obesity
is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissues of humans and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated with certain health conditions or increased mortality. It becomes a cosmetic issue too and people yearn for weight loss.Obesity is both an individual clinical condition and is increasingly viewed as a serious public health problem. Excessive body weight has been shown to predispose people to various diseases.Being obese and being overweight is not exactly the same thing. An obese person has a large amount of extra body fat, not just a few extra pounds. People who are obese are very overweight and at risk for serious health problems.
Obesity is typically evaluated by measuring BMI (Body mass index), waist circumference and risk factor evaluation.
BMI
Body mass index is the most simple and useful index to estimate body fat. It is calculated as follows:
BMI = Weight in Kilograms / Square of height in meters.
So BMI = Kg / square ms.
or BMI = Weight (lbs) * 703 / height (inches)2
BMI is indexed as follows for reference:
BMI < 18.5 = Underweight
BMI 18.5 – 24.9 = Normal weight
BMI 25 – 29.9 = Overweight
BMI 30 – 39.9 = Obese
BMI > 40 = Severely obese
Causes of Obesity
Overeating
When food energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, fat cells (and also to some extent muscle and liver cells) throughout the body take in the energy and store it as fat. So when the energy consumption exceeds the requirement, it causes obesity.
Additional factors causing obesity
- Genetic disorders
- Underlying illness (such as hypothyroidism)
- Eating disorders (such as Binge eating disorder)
- Certain medications (such as anti-psycotics)
- Sedentary lifestyle
- A high glycemic diet
- Insufficient sleep
- Stress
- Sudden smoking cessation
- Weight cycling – repeated attempts to do dieting to lose weight
Health problems associated with obesity
Obesity increases the risk of developing disease. Obese people are more than twice as likely to develop hypertension. The risk of medical complications, particularly heart disease, increases when body fat is distributed around the waist, especially in the abdomen. This type of upper body fat distribution is more common in men then women.
Obese women are at nearly twice the risk for developing breast cancer, and all obese people have a 42 percent higher chance of developing colorectal cancer.
Almost 80 percent of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, also known as non-insulin -dependent diabetes mellitus, are obese.
clinical diagnosis .Coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and sleep apnea , are possible life-threatening risk factors that would indicate clinical treatment of obesity.
Homeopathy remdies
Ammonium muriaticum
weight loss is especially suited to those who are fat and sluggish and whose bodies are large and fatAll mucus secretions are increased and retained. Generally suffering from respiratory troubles and associated affections of liver. Obstinate constipation accompanied by much flatus. Hard, crumbling stools require great effort in expulsion; crumble from the verge of anus.
Antimonium crudum
Obesity in young people with excessive irritabilitywith morning diarrhea suddenly become constipated or alternate diarrhea and constipation, pulse hard and rapid. Sensitive to the cold.cannot bear to be touched or looked at, sulky, and does not wish to speak or be spoken to, angry at every little attention. Great sadness, with weeping.Gastric and intestinal affections: from bread and pastry; acids, especially vinegar; sour or bad wine; after cold bathing; over-heating; hot weather.
Worse – After eating; cold baths, acids or sour wine; after heat of sun or fire; extremes of cold or heat.
Better – In the open air; during rest; after a warm bath.
Calcarea arsenicum
Complaintsaround climacteric or women approachingmenopause. The females tend to become fleshy and obese around menopause. Chilliness with dropsical affections. Cancer of uterus, affections of spleen and mesenteric glands are often found associated. Great mental depression. The slightest emotion causes palpitation of heart
Calcarea carbonica
A constitutional remedy for reducing fat, it is considered one of the most common homeopathic medicine for weight loss. The patient is FAT, FAIR AND FLABBY. Great anti-psoric remedy with increased general and local perspiration and swelling of glands, scrofulous and rachitic conditions. Persons who take cold easily.he patient feels worse by exertion, (mental /physical), ascending, cold (in every form), water, washing, moist air, wet weather, standing. The patient feels better in dry climate, lying on painful side.
Ferrum metallicum
who flush easily and have cold extremities, suffer from weakness even on speaking or walking though looking strong.Worse by – night, rest, sitting quietly and during menses.
Better by slow motion, walking slowly and in summer.
Fucus
non-toxic goiter (also exophthalmic). Digestion is improved and flatulence diminished. Obstinate constipation. Thyroid
Graphites
obesity in females with delayed menstruation. The patients are stout, of fair complexion and tendency to skin affections and constipation, fat, chilly and costive.Take cold easily. Tendency to obesity and swollen genitals with indurations of tissues.
Phytollaca
Reduces fat and false growths. It is per-eminently a glandular remedy with glandular swellings –heat and inflammations. Helps to reduce fat and thus reduce weight. It is useful in rheumatism of syphilitic origin where the pains are wandering, shifting and shooting. Burning in throat as from coal fire and cannot swallow hot liquids. sitting upright makes him faint and dizzy.
Phosphorus
It affects the nutrition and function of every tissue of body.Longs for: cold food and drink; juicy, refreshing things; ice cream > gastric pains.
As soon as water becomes warm in stomach it is thrown up.
Worse – Evening, before midnight, lying on left or painful side; during a thunderstorm; weather changes, either hot or cold.
Cold air relieves the head and face symptoms but aggravates those of chest, throat and neck.
Better – In the dark; lying on right side; from being rubbed or mesmerized; from cold food, cold water, until it gets warm.
Thyroidinum
anemia, emaciation, muscular weakness, and sweating, tingling and increased heart rate. It exerts great influence over goiter and excessive obesity and acts best in females with paleness and uterine fibroids or mammary tumors.
