Archive for the ‘weight loss’ Category
Dallas Weight Loss Specialist Advises Don’t Wait To Lose The Weight
If you’re overweight, I don’t have to tell you that losing weight is difficult! In my position as a Dallas weight loss specialist, I work with many individuals who are in a daily struggle to lose weight. Simply saying to someone to stop overeating is ill-advised, and can even be, if good nutritional counseling is no offered as well. Losing weight should be far more than a simple cosmetic issue. “Looking” good is of little value if a person isn’t “feeling” good, or if his or her body isn’t getting what is necessary for it to function properly. Work performance, family life, and social participation, in other words, the quality of a person’s life, is affected when he or she is unhealthy, regardless of weight issues. Living at a “healthy” weight means living a healthy lifestyle that includes good nutrition, sufficient hydration, and getting enough daily exercise.
Losing weight is essential, then, for healthy interaction in all areas of your life. But, I’d like to take a moment to focus on one particular area of the body that is more often than not the most visible confirmation of excess weight and obesity. You may have already guessed that I’m speaking of the body’s midsection. Though Santa Claus may have been jolly once a year, with that extra weight around his middle it is likely that he suffered from painful musculoskeletal problems the majority of the year! By the way, did I also mention that I’m a chiropractor? That’s why I know from years of experience that men and women, like Santa, who walk around with too much weight in their midsection, often endure back pain that is moderate to severe.
You may be wondering why so many overweight people experience back pain. In the first place, the spine was not designed to bear excessive weight. That’s not to say that the spine in not elegantly structured. But, part of its function, as it is in every other internal system of the body, is to compensate when forced to perform in ways that are repetitive and/or “unnatural.” As a person puts on extra pounds, the spine starts to distort and compress. This “reconfiguration” causes a lot of pain and discomfort. And, due to the spine’s magnificent compensating features, in due time the excess weight will push the pelvis into a forward tilt as a counterbalance. In many cases this repositioning may pinch the sciatic nerve. In fact, most people who are overweight suffer from lower back pain that is often accompanied by sciatic nerve pain.
Weight loss takes the stress off of the spine and allows it to function normally. However, though excellent reasons to lose weight, relieving back pain and sciatica are just two of the many healthy reasons to shed those extra pounds. As a healthcare professional, I believe that it is crucial that weight loss and weight maintenance occur in a natural, nutritious, and healthy way. However, as I previous stated, as a weight loss Dallas specialist, I understand that losing excess weight is not easy, and it takes time — when done in a healthy manner — even with the best of intentions. The good news is, you don’t have to lose it alone. In many areas around the country, there are centers like mine, and doctors like me, who know how to help you lose the weight you need to lose in a way that will help you to feel good as well as look good. Remember, every day your body is compensating for those extra pounds, so don’t wait to lose that weight! Your health is at risk. Don’t let excess weight keep you from living your life fully.
San Diego Chiropractor Asks: Did You Know That Just a Few Extra Pounds Can Put Your Joints on Overload?
As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. What’s an extra pound or two? Over time, those pounds can add up to a surprising number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back challenges and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts harmful stress on organs, like the heart, not to mention on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. Over half (62%) of men and women in America are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is an extremely compelling number and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).
Though we try to pretend otherwise, most of us know that the human body was not designed to carry around surplus poundage in the form of body fat. A mere excess of 20 or 30 pounds can literally overload and encumber the joints and muscles of the body. Added weight in the belly, for example, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. The tilt puts pressure on the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression hinders nerve activity. Most men and women who have a heavy midsectionsuffer from low back pain caused by a compressed sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that restrict nerves as a result of weight-bearing stresses. If not addresses, misaligned vertebra generally create new arthritic changes in the spine over time, as well as persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have already taken place.
Are you wondering how chiropractic can help? First of all, to be clear, a moderate body weight is necessary in order for the musculoskeletal system to act and respond in the way it is designed to. That said, in addition, chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve compression in the vertebral column and assist in getting motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, especially in the low back, hips, and knees. And, certainly exercise and physical activity is a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good movement. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually inhibit degenerative changes as we age.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can advise you regarding your diet and exercise choices. In addition to treating people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide expert suggestions on the particular lifestyle changes that can help a person to stay healthier, more energetic, and more active through the years. Arthritis and immobility due to aging don’t have to be unavoidable. The human body was intended for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!