Abby's

Volume 3 Issue 3

Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/510259

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 8 of 57

"Certain metabolic risk factors were closer to recommended levels in both male and female students whom we classified as fit, even if their body fat percentages were higher than desirable." Your body is designed to operate best when it's at an ideal weight, which will vary slightly from person to person. However, carrying around extra pounds will inevitably increase your risk of developing just about every chronic degenerative disease there is, so the idea that you can be significantly overweight and still be in 'optimal health' is a deceptive one. at said, obesity itself is not the underlying cause of any health problems, it's just another symptom. Most oen, the underlying cause of excess weight is an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, which leads to surging insulin (and leptin) levels that eventually results in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is one of the primary causes of a large number of chronic disease states, which is why diet and exercise are such a powerful combination for achieving optimal health. By improving your physical fitness, you can effectively: • Lower your triglyceride levels • Increase your levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL) • Lower your blood glucose levels • Normalize your insulin levels All of these suggest "metabolic fitness," which is a cornerstone of optimal health. Even older people who do endurance exercise training end up with metabolically younger hearts. How Different Types of Body Fat Impacts Your Chronic Disease Risk Despite all the health risks associated with being overweight, not all types of body fat represent an inherent health problem. Visceral fat – the fat that gathers around your internal organs in your abdomen – is known to raise your risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease, whereas subcutaneous fat – found just under your skin, which causes dimpling and cellulite – does not. Recent research has discovered that subcutaneous fat is intrinsically different from visceral fat in several ways, and produces substances that act systemically to actually improve glucose metabolism. ese findings are a perfect reminder that is order to be optimally healthy, you can't simply focus on one aspect, such as striving to fit into a size 6. You may be healthy at that size, or you might not. ere are many unhealthy strategies to lose weight, but they will NOT provide you with the benefit of protecting you against chronic disease… True health is dependent on a healthy lifestyle, which includes: • Exercising properly • Eating healthy • Avoiding toxic exposures • Managing your emotional and mental stress levels, and • Sleeping well Science has shown that good nutrition during childhood can cancel out genetic predispositions to obesity, which is a true testament to the power of your body to be healthy, as long as you give yourself the right raw material. And exercise has even been shown to be a critical part of cancer treatment, again demonstrating that your body is better able to recoup and regenerate if you actually use it. Abby's Magazine - March/April 2015 | Page 9

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Abby's - Volume 3 Issue 3