One or two in ten thousand, having been genetically blessed, will go through life overweight and deconditioned and somehow manage to avoid these precursors to more serious disease. But your really don't want to play Russian roulette with your health, do you? There are some things you just don't want to hear from your doctor. Unfortunately, if you do not exercise regularly and watch your calorie intake, here are a few things that you will hear sooner or later.
Elevated tryglycerides. Triglycerides, like body fat, are a necessary part of life, a major source of energy and the most common form of fat found in your body. Within normal range, they are part of a healthy body. It is when they go above the normal range that triglycerides cause problems. Although we know elevated triglycerides are connected to an increased risk of heart disease, by themselves, triglycerides do not cause symptoms. The problem arises in that elevated triglycerides are often linked together with other of the disorders such as diabetes, liver disease, metabolic syndrome etc. That is a concern. The good news is that triglycerides are normally easily controlled when you choose healthy foods, exercise and lose weight and get fit.
Elevated LDL or low density lipoprotein. LDL is essential to good health in normal range but, when elevated LDL, narrows arteries and vessels. If this was in the plumbing of your house, you would be using Drano or calling for RotoRooter. It is clogging your arteries and one day the blood will quit flowing. I think that is all that needs to be said about that.
Low HDL. This is your body;s RotoRooter. Sometime called 'good cholesterol', high-density lipoproteins (HDL) functions to transport fatty acids and cholesterol from the body to the liver where it can either be discarded or re-cycled. The hypothesis is that HDL removes LDL and VLDL from the arteries thus preventing or minimizing the likelihood of blockage or hardening. That has yet to be scientifically demonstrated but we do know that whatever the reason may be those with a high level of HDL have far less heart disease and clogged arteries. There has been no better way found to increase HDL than getting yourself fit with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Hypertension or high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force blood exerts against the walls of your arteries. It is taken at two points: It is measured when the heart beats. Refered to as systolic blood pressure (SBP), this is the highest or first number recorded. The second number recorded is called the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and it taken between beats of the heart or when the heart is at rest. The DBP measures the force that remains against the arteries after the heart has completed a stroke. Hypertension increases your risk for stroke, anuerysims (the big bubble you get in your water hose just before it blows), heart failure and kidney failure. Studies have shown significant improvement in blood pressure with as little as 5% of body weight lost.
Elevated blood glucose. A fasting blood glucose level of 100 to 125 is considered to be an elevated level of blood glucose or an impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Elevated blood glucose is considered to be a heart disease risk factor independent of of co-factors such as smoking, weight or blood pressure. Chronic fatigue, blurred vision, dry mouth and frequent uriniation may indicate elevated blood glucose. Do not ignore these signs if you have them. The good news is that you don't have to look forward to all the consequences of Type II diabetes. There is perhaps no other disease more preventable or manageable by diet and exercise if addressed early than Type II.
Abdominal Visceral Fat and total Body Fat. How serious is excess fat? It costs the American economy 130 billion dollars a year. And a more personal level, those who are obese spend almost twice as much for doctor visits as the more fit population and three times as much for medications. But to make it more personal, they are three times more likely to develop diabetes and have an overall mortality rate almost twice that of the fit population. Obesity is associated with several types of cancer, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, impaired immune system an a plethora of illnesses in consequence, elevated cholesterol, various forms of heart disease and numerous joint problems. Exercise, including resistance training to improve muscle and increase you metabolism along with healthy eating will lead to weight loss and a cure for excess fat. Aside from the fact that fat is, for the most part, metabolically inactive and pretty much literally dead weight you carry around; thus placing an extra workload on you heart, excess fat also causes pathological dysfunctions that directly effect your health, quality of life and life expectancy.
Elevated tryglycerides. Triglycerides, like body fat, are a necessary part of life, a major source of energy and the most common form of fat found in your body. Within normal range, they are part of a healthy body. It is when they go above the normal range that triglycerides cause problems. Although we know elevated triglycerides are connected to an increased risk of heart disease, by themselves, triglycerides do not cause symptoms. The problem arises in that elevated triglycerides are often linked together with other of the disorders such as diabetes, liver disease, metabolic syndrome etc. That is a concern. The good news is that triglycerides are normally easily controlled when you choose healthy foods, exercise and lose weight and get fit.
Elevated LDL or low density lipoprotein. LDL is essential to good health in normal range but, when elevated LDL, narrows arteries and vessels. If this was in the plumbing of your house, you would be using Drano or calling for RotoRooter. It is clogging your arteries and one day the blood will quit flowing. I think that is all that needs to be said about that.
Low HDL. This is your body;s RotoRooter. Sometime called 'good cholesterol', high-density lipoproteins (HDL) functions to transport fatty acids and cholesterol from the body to the liver where it can either be discarded or re-cycled. The hypothesis is that HDL removes LDL and VLDL from the arteries thus preventing or minimizing the likelihood of blockage or hardening. That has yet to be scientifically demonstrated but we do know that whatever the reason may be those with a high level of HDL have far less heart disease and clogged arteries. There has been no better way found to increase HDL than getting yourself fit with regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Hypertension or high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force blood exerts against the walls of your arteries. It is taken at two points: It is measured when the heart beats. Refered to as systolic blood pressure (SBP), this is the highest or first number recorded. The second number recorded is called the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and it taken between beats of the heart or when the heart is at rest. The DBP measures the force that remains against the arteries after the heart has completed a stroke. Hypertension increases your risk for stroke, anuerysims (the big bubble you get in your water hose just before it blows), heart failure and kidney failure. Studies have shown significant improvement in blood pressure with as little as 5% of body weight lost.
Elevated blood glucose. A fasting blood glucose level of 100 to 125 is considered to be an elevated level of blood glucose or an impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Elevated blood glucose is considered to be a heart disease risk factor independent of of co-factors such as smoking, weight or blood pressure. Chronic fatigue, blurred vision, dry mouth and frequent uriniation may indicate elevated blood glucose. Do not ignore these signs if you have them. The good news is that you don't have to look forward to all the consequences of Type II diabetes. There is perhaps no other disease more preventable or manageable by diet and exercise if addressed early than Type II.
Abdominal Visceral Fat and total Body Fat. How serious is excess fat? It costs the American economy 130 billion dollars a year. And a more personal level, those who are obese spend almost twice as much for doctor visits as the more fit population and three times as much for medications. But to make it more personal, they are three times more likely to develop diabetes and have an overall mortality rate almost twice that of the fit population. Obesity is associated with several types of cancer, high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, impaired immune system an a plethora of illnesses in consequence, elevated cholesterol, various forms of heart disease and numerous joint problems. Exercise, including resistance training to improve muscle and increase you metabolism along with healthy eating will lead to weight loss and a cure for excess fat. Aside from the fact that fat is, for the most part, metabolically inactive and pretty much literally dead weight you carry around; thus placing an extra workload on you heart, excess fat also causes pathological dysfunctions that directly effect your health, quality of life and life expectancy.
