Obesity is a buzzword in the United States everyday. Michelle Obama has championed the anti-pediatric obesity epidemic and white sugar has become synonymous to illicit drugs.
But....NOT ENOUGH fat can lead to infertility in females. Every woman needs a certain amount of body fat to produce hormones necessary for nerve cell regeneration and fertility (such as estrogen & FSH ). A certain percentage of body fat tells the brain that 'the body in question' will be able to carry a fetus to maturation. It's quite simple: reproduction is Darwian and historically, nothing but a means to the survival of a species. Only the strongest, healthiest women could carry a fetus to term in the past. Now, with modern medical miracles, women who categorically would not fit into 'strong and healthy' are able to bear children.
Women who overtrain or diet to the extent that their overall BMI is below a healthy level tend to have either no menstrual cycles or poor cycles. This is because they do not have enough fat to keep their hormonal levels optimal. The brain sees this as an unfit body for reproduction.
Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day: Both obesity and abnormally underweight women have problems with conception. If you are an exercise psycho who measures out every morsel before it goes into your mouth and you can't figure out why you're not getting pregnant - do yourself a favor: don't look in the mirror; try going to a nutritionist and reliable personal trainer: together you'll formulate a plan that will work for your lifestyle and get your hormones and menses back on track.
Showing posts with label anorexia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anorexia. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Chronic Constipation
How many people do you know that walk around all day with their faces in a grumpy grimace? How many folks do you speak with that constantly have halotosis, possess a permeation of odors oozing from their pores, belly bloating or really bad acne?? Here in Manhattan, we've lots of people walking the streets with these signs and symptoms of chronic constipation. Chronic constipation can be painful, anti-social and lead to toxic buildup in the body. The causes of chronic constipation can be one of many: poor diet, abuse of enemas and other 'detox' drugs, anorexia, stress, obstruction in the bowels, chemotherapy....the list can be lengthy.
In my practice, chronic constipation is a typical complaint of many a new patient. Whether this is the chief reason for their visit or just one of many conditions they are suffering, I treat chonic constipation with a variety of tools...acupuncture, chinese herbal formulas, diet exercise - whatever the patient needs, they receive. Recently, I had one patient tell me that for over 30 years, there was only one bowel movement every 3 weeks or so for this person. After 2 months of weekly treatments, this patient is experiencing 2 bowel movements per day. There is no more bloating, weight gain, halotosis and there is now a boost of energy and quality of life not experienced until this point of life.
Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day: If you or someone you know suffers from chronic constipation, make an appointnment today and get some relief!! No need to walk around like a grump!
In my practice, chronic constipation is a typical complaint of many a new patient. Whether this is the chief reason for their visit or just one of many conditions they are suffering, I treat chonic constipation with a variety of tools...acupuncture, chinese herbal formulas, diet exercise - whatever the patient needs, they receive. Recently, I had one patient tell me that for over 30 years, there was only one bowel movement every 3 weeks or so for this person. After 2 months of weekly treatments, this patient is experiencing 2 bowel movements per day. There is no more bloating, weight gain, halotosis and there is now a boost of energy and quality of life not experienced until this point of life.
Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day: If you or someone you know suffers from chronic constipation, make an appointnment today and get some relief!! No need to walk around like a grump!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Everybody's Grandma
An old woman who I called 'Grandma' once told me this: "Kelley, no matter what, everybody has to have something to eat". Simple, concise, a true-ism....words I've never forgotten. 'Grandma' had raised several children as a single parent when that type of lifestyle was not the norm. Not only did she feed her family, but she made sure everyone who came to her door also had something to eat. I think of her often and with love.
From time to time, after having a wonderful meal at a fab restaurant, I'd have my 'doggie bag' on my lap, sitting on the train - already looking forward to the leftovers. And from time to time, I'd encounter a 'homeless' person passing through the car, looking for some change, and telling some story of how they arrived at their predicament in life. I've always offered my leftover meal, told them what it was and how good it was; it was always accepted with gratitude and a 'God bless you'. Grandma's words would just shout out in my mind....everybody has to have something to eat--simple, nothing more, nothing less.
Nutrition is a strange bird...some of us have been on 'diets' our entire lives; always struggling with that extra 5, 10, 15 pounds of too much of whatever it is that we indulge in. Other people deliberately starve themselves or purge after gorging themselves, so they can see every bone in their body. We have choices to eat or not eat...unlike many humans who strive everyday to get a bowl of rice into their bellies.
Nutrition is fuel; we need to eat so that our bodies can produce proteins, fats, hormones, strong bones and brain cells, red and white blood cells; we need to maintain homeostasis. When we do not feed ourselves properly (whether this be from overeating or starving), we become infertile, our brain cells die, our bones become brittle, our vital organs fail, we look far older than we are, we become ill, we die.
We are an accident of birth - we are lucky to have a roof over our heads, think about what we'd LIKE to eat for dinner, whether we should go to the gym or go get that cake from the bakery. Take advantage of your good luck today, eat well, honor your body and share your good fortune with someone who has none. Keep two pieces of fruit in your gym bag. After your workout, eat a piece of fruit and if you see someone who has nothing, offer them that second piece of fruit. You'll do something healthy for yourself, and for someone else who really needs it!
'Grandma' wasn't my grandmother, she was everyone's grandma.
From time to time, after having a wonderful meal at a fab restaurant, I'd have my 'doggie bag' on my lap, sitting on the train - already looking forward to the leftovers. And from time to time, I'd encounter a 'homeless' person passing through the car, looking for some change, and telling some story of how they arrived at their predicament in life. I've always offered my leftover meal, told them what it was and how good it was; it was always accepted with gratitude and a 'God bless you'. Grandma's words would just shout out in my mind....everybody has to have something to eat--simple, nothing more, nothing less.
Nutrition is a strange bird...some of us have been on 'diets' our entire lives; always struggling with that extra 5, 10, 15 pounds of too much of whatever it is that we indulge in. Other people deliberately starve themselves or purge after gorging themselves, so they can see every bone in their body. We have choices to eat or not eat...unlike many humans who strive everyday to get a bowl of rice into their bellies.
Nutrition is fuel; we need to eat so that our bodies can produce proteins, fats, hormones, strong bones and brain cells, red and white blood cells; we need to maintain homeostasis. When we do not feed ourselves properly (whether this be from overeating or starving), we become infertile, our brain cells die, our bones become brittle, our vital organs fail, we look far older than we are, we become ill, we die.
We are an accident of birth - we are lucky to have a roof over our heads, think about what we'd LIKE to eat for dinner, whether we should go to the gym or go get that cake from the bakery. Take advantage of your good luck today, eat well, honor your body and share your good fortune with someone who has none. Keep two pieces of fruit in your gym bag. After your workout, eat a piece of fruit and if you see someone who has nothing, offer them that second piece of fruit. You'll do something healthy for yourself, and for someone else who really needs it!
'Grandma' wasn't my grandmother, she was everyone's grandma.
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