Obesity in America
Posts tagged Obesity
The Link Between Obesity and Alzheimer’s
Sep 5th
In recent years studies have been done which show that there may be a possible link between obesity and Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is a disease which affects the brain and it has been discovered that the brain in people who are moderately overweight to obese have less brain tissue due to shrinkage which puts them at risk for developing brain diseases including Alzheimer’s. Due to the fact that the highest risk of Alzheimer’s is age, people who are older and obese have a much higher risk of acquiring this disease.
How Insulin Levels can contribute to Inflammation of the Brain
When individuals start to steadily gain weight typically their body slowly develops a resistance to the insulin produced by the pancreas which controls the blood sugar from becoming too high. When this resistance to the insulin starts to develop, the pancreas reacts in such a way as it produces more insulin to counteract this resistance.
When this happens insulin levels in the body can rise to dangerous levels which commonly cause the disease known as type 2 diabetes. Individuals who are obese commonly develop type 2 diabetes and high levels of insulin cause the inflammation of tissue, including the tissue in the brain.
Insulin Increases the Levels of Beta-amyloid
Sticky plaques which are known to clog the brain in people with Alzheimer’s are primarily made up of a protein which is called “beta-amyloid”. When insulin levels cause inflammation of the brain, the brain reacts by producing higher levels of beta-amyloid therefore increasing the risk of this sticky plaque build up.
People who are inactive, overweight, obese, or have certain genetic risk factors, commonly have high insulin levels which is why they may be at a greater risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease therefore, controlling weight and monitoring blood sugar may help in preventing this disease in certain individuals.
Bariatric Solutions For Severe Obesity
Sep 4th
For many people exercises and routine diets do not work, and they are unable to achieve any significant weight loss. Their efforts to lose weight are hindered by health problems such as hypertension, arthritis, hypertension, thyroid dysfunction and respiratory problems. Obesity is a problem that can have an adverse effect on an individual’s health and may reduce his/her life expectancy. The number of obese people is on the rise today and taking into consideration our fast-paced lifestyle this number is expected to rise in the coming years. If you have been finding it difficult to lose weight and have exhausted all weight loss methods, bariatric solutions may be the answer. Bariatric is a branch of medicine that offers effective and long term solutions to morbidly obese people.
Most of the hospitals that specialize in providing comprehensive and individualized bariatric solutions to meet their patient’s needs use bariatric EMR software. This software helps them record details of the patient’s medical history, medication prescribed, tests that are conducted and their results, any allergies and adverse reactions he/she may have to drugs, and weight and other medical conditions.
Bariatric EMR software is also used in clinics where the focus is on options such as offering dietary counseling to the patient along with regular monitoring and medication. This software is extremely user-friendly and health care professionals are able to enter detailed information about the patient’s condition in the system from anywhere. The patient’s primary physician is aware of any changes made to these details. Test results can be uploaded from any location and it becomes easier for the healthcare professionals and physicians to view them before they recommend a course of treatment. In fact some software makes it extremely convenient for the patient to enter their personal details without actually having to go through the clinic’s admin system.
For patients considering bariatric surgery it is important to keep in mind that this weight loss procedure is not just a cosmetic procedure. The focus or ultimate goal of any bariatric surgery is to reduce or eliminate problems that are related to obesity. Surgery is recommended only when your doctor is convinced that non-surgical approaches have not been able to help you reduce weight. Patients also need to be willing to adopt a radically different lifestyle where the focus is primarily on exercise and dietary restrictions. There is also a need to make a commitment to long term treatment and follow-ups.
