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Understanding the link between mental health issues and obesity

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975 and have increased almost five times in children and adolescents”. Obesity is a major risk factor for various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and various forms of cancer. Apart from this, it can also cause mental health issues, which in turn can lead to obesity.

As such, to raise awareness about the same, every year, World Obesity Day is observed on March 4.

Link between obesity and mental health

“People with mental health problems are two or three times more likely to develop obesity and other physical illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis,” says Tara Mehta, Clinical Psychologist, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Hospitals, Mumbai to indianexpress.com.

Understanding the link between mental health issues and obesity Obesity is a major risk factors for various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and various forms of cancer. (Pic source: Pixabay)

Mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can lead a person to form poor eating and lifestyle habits. “During this time, people may resort to food as a way of coping with their emotions. This over time can lead to weight gain causing obesity,” shares Mehta.

On the other hand, eating disorders can also lead one to develop an unhealthy relationship with food, where sometimes the person may over indulge or restrict what they consume to a great extent. “People suffering from depression often complain of low energy levels. This leads to a fairly sedentary lifestyle, reducing their motivation towards exercise, further leading to weight gain”.

Impact of obesity on mental health

Obesity has a direct impact on mental health. Excessive weight gain tends to negatively affect one’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. “Depression and anxiety are commonly observed among obese people. They tend to isolate themselves socially, become conscious of what they eat in public, and lead restrictive lives,” explains Mehta.

She claims that obesity might also make it hard for individuals to perform physical tasks effectively. “Obese individuals tend to suffer from knee and ankle problems which limit their movements. Back pain is also commonly seen amongst them,” she says.

Obese individuals may also face problems with “social-occupational functioning, face loneliness and stigma in society thus impacting their overall quality of life.”

How to break this cycle

The treatment of obesity requires a holistic approach. According to WHO, the root cause of obesity in our society is a “complex mixture of dietary, lifestyle, genetic, psychological, sociocultural, economic and environmental factors.”

It suggests “restricting the marketing to children of food and drinks high in fats, sugar and salt; taxing sugary drinks, and providing better access to affordable, healthy food. In our cities and towns, we need to make space for safe walking, cycling, and recreation. We must teach our children healthy habits from early on.”

While speaking of solutions at individual level, Dr. Rajiv Kovil, Dr Kovils Diabetes and Zan Obesity Centre tells indianexpress.com, “We recommend a psychological assessment for people with excess body weight to diagnose conditions like eating disorders, or comfort eating. Then avoidance of situations or triggers to these needs to be imparted. Apart from this, the use of more positive language in our communication instead of body shaming and empathy counselling can help in overcoming the barrier.”

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Consuming this variety of bread may help reduce belly fat, says study

Bread is a staple food item in most kitchens across the globe. But did you ever link this common go-to breakfast or snack item with reduced belly fat? Well, according to recent research, whole-grain wheat bread may be linked to a reduction in belly fat or visceral fat obesity. A study published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, carried out a randomised controlled trial on 50 Japanese people to investigate the effect of the consumption of bread. “It was investigated whether a diet in which refined wheat bread (RW diet) was substituted by whole grain wheat bread (WW diet) would reduce visceral fat obesity in Japanese subjects,” stated the abstract of the study.

The Body Mass Index of the 50 participants was over the normal 23.5kg per metre square range, and they were divided into two groups. While one group of subjects was asked to consume refined wheat bread, the others had to take whole-grain wheat bread. After 3 months, the scholars found that visceral fat or belly fat had reduced significantly in the whole wheat bread group.

The results, thus, indicated that the consumption of whole wheat bread could be helpful for those watching their weight. “WW diet led to significant and safe reductions in VFA in subjects with BMI greater than or equal to 23 kg/m2. WW diet may contribute to preventing visceral fat obesity,” read the study.

How does whole wheat bread help in the reduction of visceral fat?

Before answering that question, let’s understand what exactly visceral fat is. According to experts, it is the fat that surrounds the internal organs and is linked to an increased risk of health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Commenting on the study, Sameena Ansari – Senior Dietitian and Nutritionist, CARE Hospitals, Hi-Tec City, Hyderabad, said, “Soluble fibre, like the one found in whole grain wheat bread, can help reduce visceral fat by binding to bile acids in the gut and preventing their reabsorption. This leads to the liver having to produce more bile acids which, in turn, uses up more cholesterol and ultimately leads to a reduction in overall cholesterol levels. Eating whole-grain wheat bread can also help you avoid highly processed and refined foods, which can contribute to weight gain and increased visceral fat. Whole grains are a good source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which are essential for overall health and well-being. In addition, choosing whole grain foods can also help regulate blood sugar levels, which is important for reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes”.

Consuming this variety of bread may help reduce belly fat, says study Soluble fibre, like the one found in whole grain wheat bread, can help reduce visceral fat by binding to bile acids in the gut and preventing their reabsorption. (Pic source: Pixabay)

She, however, added that reducing visceral fat requires a combination of healthy habits, including eating a balanced diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, while also engaging in regular exercise and managing stress levels.

“It’s important to note that simply adding whole grain wheat bread to your diet may not be enough to achieve significant results and that it’s crucial to adopt an overall healthy lifestyle to effectively reduce visceral fat,” she told indianexpress.com.

Not everyone can opt for whole wheat bread

While whole wheat bread can aid weight loss, it might not be advised for everyone. Ansari explained, “People who need a low-fiber or low-carbohydrate diet may need to limit whole wheat bread. While it is by no means an unhealthy food, it may not be compatible with these special diets, especially in large quantities. People with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity will also need to keep whole wheat bread off the menu, since wheat contains gluten”.

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Mediterranean lifestyle, not just diet, may greatly improve health

Much is known about the heart-health benefits of adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, with its heavy focus on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fish and healthy oils. But what about the rest of the Mediterranean lifestyle?

Short of lounging on the beaches of southern Italy or an island in Greece, could adopting the focus on relaxed, familial dining, afternoon naps and strong communal bonds also improve health?

A group of researchers explored what would happen if middle-aged and older British adults—who live about 1,500 miles northwest of the Mediterranean Sea and its convivial way of life—adopted not just the dietary but also the physical activity and social habits of their southern neighbors. And they found that the more they adhered to this lifestyle, the lower their risk of dying from cancer, cardiovascular disease and other health conditions.

The findings, presented Feb. 28 at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health conference in Boston, are considered preliminary until full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal.

“This study suggests that adopting a Mediterranean lifestyle adapted to the local characteristics of non-Mediterranean populations is possible and can be part of a healthy lifestyle,” said the study’s senior researcher, Mercedes Sotos-Prieto, an assistant professor in the department of preventive medicine and public health at the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. She also is an adjunct professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

Prior research has shown the Mediterranean-style eating pattern helps protect against cardiovascular disease, lowering the risk for heart attacks and strokes. In this latest study, researchers analyzed the impact of other Mediterranean lifestyle factors—including physical activity, rest, social habits and conviviality—on 110,799 middle-aged and older adults living in England, Scotland and Wales.

Participants were drawn from the UK Biobank, a multi-center, population-based study of people ages 40 to 75 who were free of cancer and cardiovascular disease when they enrolled between 2009 and 2012. They were followed until 2021.

A 25-point MEDLIFE index was used to score their adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle. The index was broken down into three blocks: Mediterranean food consumption (12 points), which looked at what people ate; Mediterranean dietary habits (7 points), which looked at additional factors such as whether they snacked, added salt to their meals or preferred whole grains to refined grains; and other lifestyle factors (6 points).

The last block included questions on whether people ate meals with family and friends (conviviality); engaged in physical activity with others, for example by going on walks together; how often they met with family and friends (social habits); and how much sleep they got, both at night and through naps (rest).

After a median follow-up time of 9.4 years, death records were used to compare death rates for cancer, cardiovascular disease and all other causes between those with higher and lower MEDLIFE index scores. The analysis showed the more people adhered to the Mediterranean lifestyle, the lower their risk of dying from cancer or from any cause.

Specifically, compared to those with the lowest MEDLIFE index scores, adults with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle had a 29{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} lower risk of dying from any cause and a 28{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} lower risk of dying from cancer. Higher scores for each of the three blocks of the MEDLIFE index were associated with lower cancer and all-cause death risks. Higher scores for the third block, related to lifestyle activities, also were associated with lower cardiovascular death risks.

The study highlights the important roles community and social engagement play in good health, said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of medicine and director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University in New York City.

“The Mediterranean lifestyle involves interactions with others,” she said, a component that is particularly important for people as they age. Studies have shown social isolation may increase a person’s risk of having or dying from a heart attack or stroke.

The findings emphasize why “we should be paying attention to other aspects of lifestyle, beyond just physical activity,” said St-Onge, who was not involved in the study. “Maybe we need to look at more and more of these social factors.”

One thing the study did not explore and would be of interest in future studies is the impact of stress, she said. “When you think about the Mediterranean lifestyle, you think about living at a slower pace, but this study does not seem to capture that.”

More information:
MP08—Association of a Mediterranean Lifestyle With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study From UK Biobank. www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/?_ … 825/presentation/200

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American Heart Association

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How ‘Simple 7’ Lifestyle Habits Can Lower Women’s Dementia Risk

Women make up about two-thirds of the people who have dementia.
Researchers say women can lower their risk for the disease by adopting 7 healthy lifestyle habits recommended by the American Heart Association.
The daily habits include being active, having a balanced diet, and maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Women who follow seven healthy habits might lower their risk of developing dementia, according to new research presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 75^th Annual Meeting this week.

In their study, researchers followed 13,720 women for 20 years to analyze their risk of developing dementia. They examined Medicare claims at the end of the study to determine who received a diagnosis.

The women received a score for seven health factors, with 0 corresponding to “poor” and 7 as “excellent.” The average score at the beginning of the study was 4.3. At the 10-year follow-up, it was 4.2.

At the 20-year follow-up, 1,771 women had been diagnosed with dementia.

After adjusting for factors such as age and education, the researchers found that for every increase of one point in overall score, the participant’s risk of dementia decreased by 6{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f}.

One limitation of the study is that researchers did not receive information that allowed them to see how changes in healthy habits, such as quitting smoking, influenced the risk of dementia.

The findings also have not been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal.

The researchers used the American Heart Association’s “Life’s Simple 7” lifestyle habits for their study.

Those seven factors are:

“The good news is, this isn’t an all-or-nothing situation,” said Dr. Joel Salinas, a behavioral neurologist and researcher at NYU Langone Health and chief medical officer at Isaac Health in New York.

“You don’t need to be the healthiest person. Even if people have a good score in one or two areas, they are receiving some benefit. Any improvements incrementally improve your long-term health,” he told Healthline.

“If you change your habits, you will receive some health benefits. The earlier you make those changes,” Salinas added. “The longer you keep the new habits, the better. The intent is to find an easy way to keep track of your health.”

“Dementia is an overall decline in cognitive ability, usually impacting short-term memory (learning/recall new information) and another cognitive ability (or more), such as decline in executive skills (organization, decision making) or language, or visual-spatial skills,” says Karen Miller PhD, a neuropsychologist and geropsychologist as well as the senior director of the Brain Wellness and Lifestyle Programs at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in California.

“In dementia, these declines typically impact one’s ability to be completely independent (i.e., the person may have difficulty managing finances or medications, difficulty/impairment in driving, etc.),” she told Healthline.

Women make up about two-thirds of people with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2021 report.

One reason is that women live longer than men and dementia typically appears after age 80. Other possible explanations, according to Cognitive Vitality, a program of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, include:

Higher education is associated with lower rates of dementia. Many older women today were not afforded the same educational opportunities as men.
Dementia is linked to depression, and more women have depression than men
People who exercise are less likely to develop dementia and women exercise less than men

When women develop dementia, they decline faster than men do. Therefore, they can have a more severe illness.

Dementia occurs when neurons in the brain stop working or interacting with other brain cells, according to the National Institute of Aging.

Everyone loses some neurons as they age, but people with dementia have a more significant loss.

While many people over 85 have dementia, it is not considered a normal part of aging.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, but it is not the only one.

A few other types of dementia include the following:

Some people can have a combination of two or more types of dementia.

Signs and symptoms of dementia include:

Experiencing memory loss, poor judgment, and confusion.
Difficulty speaking, understanding, and expressing thoughts, or reading and writing.
Wandering and getting lost in a familiar neighborhood.
Trouble handling money responsibly and paying bills.
Repeating questions.
Using unusual words to refer to everyday objects.
Taking longer to complete routine daily tasks.
Losing interest in normal daily activities or events.
Hallucinating or experiencing delusions or paranoia.
Acting impulsively.
Losing balance and problems with movement

It is important to note when symptoms are worsening, experts say.

“When people start noticing these symptoms, in themselves or a loved one, it may be time to see a doctor. The same is true for new changes, new symptoms, or a worsening of previous symptoms. There are some treatments – that can’t cure or reverse the damage. Still, they can possibly slow the progression of the disease, such as aducanumab and lecanemab,” Salinas said. “New treatments are another reason to see a doctor.”

Sagittarius Horoscope Today, February 25, 2023: A healthy lifestyle ahead | Astrology

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21)

Daily astrological prediction says, sagittarius people are creative and successful because of their independent spirit and drive to take charge of situations. If you work hard and do your job well, you will get noticed by important people. If you had a family to help you, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything. For the sake of your loved ones, it’s in everyone’s best interest that you craft a sublime rhythm in your life. Today is a good day for native Sagittarians to make money through property and money deals. Buying a home or inheriting one from a relative appears to be a feasible option. An adventure abroad could be just the thing to ignite your creativity. Because you always try your hardest in school, you eventually succeed. Although you aren’t ready, you’ll do fine in the situation at hand. Sagittarius students have a good chance of doing well on a significant exam. There will come a time when a friend from the past will come to you for help with their investments. They can benefit from hearing your opinion or receiving your counsel.

Sagittarius Finance Today

Financial success could be attained with the help of a Sagittarius native’s brilliant ideas. Going on a business trip could be an opportunity to expand your professional network. Obtaining a loan at the right time is crucial for the company’s growth.

Sagittarius Family Today

Due to a child’s misbehaviour, you will have to make serious efforts today to bring the family back together. To find a solution, show some compassion and understanding. It’s time to kick back and take it easy at a relative’s house.

Sagittarius Career Today

You must realise your full potential now to advance your career. You’ll get far in your career if you can keep the energy up and make the most of your communication skills. The Sagittarius’s willingness to take chances would impress even their harshest critics.

Sagittarius Health Today

A healthy, well-rounded diet is a great tool for modern living. Developing strong bones and lungs are just two benefits of regular exercise. Maintain a regular exercise routine.

Sagittarius Love Life Today

Sagittarius natives need to adjust their methods if they want to introduce maturity and a fresh perspective to romantic ties. You may finally be able to end that love-hate relationship once and for all.

Lucky Number: 11

Lucky Colour: Brown

By: Manisha Koushik, Dr Prem Kumar Sharma

(Astrologer, Palmist, Numerologist & Vastu Consultant)

Email: support@askmanisha.com, psharma@premastrologer.com

Url: www.askmanisha.com, www.premastrologer.com

Contact: Panchkula: +91-172-2562832, 2572874

Delhi: +91-11-47033152, 40532026

Importance of moisturisation for your palms and tips to keep them healthy | Health

Arms are normally neglected in our self-care routines. Rather, they must be nourished with adore and a nutritious dollop of moisturizer. The pores and skin on the leading of our palms has less sebaceous glands, selling dryness at a faster rate. Not to ignore the continual hand washing and sanitizing that we apply which draws out even far more humidity from the pores and skin. And when hygiene is a great exercise, we ironically conclude up detrimental our pores and skin barrier with all the handwashing with out moisturising it afterwards. Just as we saturate our confront publish-cleansing, our arms require the identical moisturisation. If we neglect to do that, the pores and skin there stays defenceless, ensuing in flakiness, itchiness, tremendous dry and undernourished skin. (Also go through: Hand hygiene dos and don’ts: 8 expert recommendations to clear and hygienic palms )

Anita Golani, Founder iORA and Aromatherapist, shared with HT Lifestyle, the worth of moisturisation for palms and ideas to preserve them nutritious.

Relevance of moisturisation for palms:

1. Aids fight ageing: Just like eyes are the mirror to our soul hands expose our age. It is a person of the visible signals supplying absent our age and also who desires crumpled palms? As a result, a fantastic hydrating hand product builds up the skin’s dampness ranges, encourages pores and skin elasticity and also helps prevent premature wrinkling.

2. Bonus cuticle treatment: Dry, outgrown cuticles can be a true pain. When you utilize your hand cream, your cuticles are tended to in the process. So, you get rid of 2 difficulties with just one option.

3. Will help you destress: There’s no running absent from all life’s DRAMA, is there?! And although you usually run out of time, it is absolutely necessary to take a swift split during the working day for some self-care. A very simple observe of making use of hand cream to your arms and massaging the nerves right away relieves some strain. There are a ton of stress details on the palms of our fingers – which when massaged, chill out all the nerve tension down.

Essential hand-care recommendations:

Stay clear of alcohol-based handwash and swap to natural and organic kinds. The same suggestion goes for hand balms. Alcoholic beverages-no cost prebiotic palm balms can support not only secure your palms but also nourishes your cuticles, gives nail treatment and retains your hands germ-absolutely free on the go! A ought to-have products in your travel bag for confident.
Concentration on products and solutions and hand cream formulations that restore your skin barrier as very well. There are also some formulation that help de-tan your skin.
Re-apply your hand product all over the working day for final treatment.
Do not forget about to use your hand product at night, that is when it works the best.

Adhere to these recommendations as a healthful way of life follow to achieve softer, nourished palms. So, each and every time you shake fingers with someone, they expertise a softer greeting from you!

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