Top 6 Ways To Maintain Optimum Health While Using Royal Jelly
Well Bee-ing UK Owner, Paul Southern and Bipolar Affective Disorder
I have suffered with Bipolar Affective Disorder for over 20 years and was diagnosed with the condition over 15 years ago. Bipolar Affective Disorder is a severe psychiatric mental illness affecting mood ranging from deep depression (low mood) and extreme mania (high mood). In severe cases, it can cause psychosis (loss of reality), suicide and death through misadventure.
When I was first diagnosed, with this condition, treatment from Psychiatrists was based purely on pharmaceutical treatment including mood stabilisers, antidepressants and antipsychotics. This definitely helped initially but there were many horrible side effects plus getting the balance of normal mood was still difficult. After a few months on the medication, I would start having manic highs again which was believed to have been triggered by the use of antidepressants. So I had to stop taking the antidepressants. Although, this did reduce the mania, I was now getting episodes of depression. As I was unable to have antidepressants, I needed desperately to find natural alternatives with few side effects that made a difference to my entire general well being as well as my illness.
So, over the last 15 years I have tried and tested out various different natural ways to remain healthy.
I truly believe that the lifestyle I adopt has made the biggest difference to my life and my illness. The more healthy you are, the greater the chance of staying healthy and recovering from any illness. Plus a healthy lifestyle can prevent many illnesses.
Many people believe that when they are ill, the best thing to do is to take a pill from your G.P. and that will resolve the problem. However, managing illnesses goes a lot further than pharmaceutical medication can offer. Medication can come with very unwanted horrible short term side effects and serious long term side effects. Medications are so specific that they only have a function that helps one area of the body reactively and also, in most cases, don’t treat the underlying condition. For example, a teenager may have acne and so is given a lotion or even tablets that specifically target the problem. Unfortunately, these can cause unwanted side effects and when stopping the medication, the problem recurs quite fast. However, dramatic beneficial changes can be seen in acne just by a simple change in diet and the effects are much longer lasting without side effects. Which option would you prefer; A change in diet or take a pill with side effects? I know which one I prefer.
WARNING: Never stop taking medication or alter the dosage without first consulting your General Practitioner.
When I was first diagnosed, with this condition, treatment from Psychiatrists was based purely on pharmaceutical treatment including mood stabilisers, antidepressants and antipsychotics. This definitely helped initially but there were many horrible side effects plus getting the balance of normal mood was still difficult. After a few months on the medication, I would start having manic highs again which was believed to have been triggered by the use of antidepressants. So I had to stop taking the antidepressants. Although, this did reduce the mania, I was now getting episodes of depression. As I was unable to have antidepressants, I needed desperately to find natural alternatives with few side effects that made a difference to my entire general well being as well as my illness.
So, over the last 15 years I have tried and tested out various different natural ways to remain healthy.
I truly believe that the lifestyle I adopt has made the biggest difference to my life and my illness. The more healthy you are, the greater the chance of staying healthy and recovering from any illness. Plus a healthy lifestyle can prevent many illnesses.
Many people believe that when they are ill, the best thing to do is to take a pill from your G.P. and that will resolve the problem. However, managing illnesses goes a lot further than pharmaceutical medication can offer. Medication can come with very unwanted horrible short term side effects and serious long term side effects. Medications are so specific that they only have a function that helps one area of the body reactively and also, in most cases, don’t treat the underlying condition. For example, a teenager may have acne and so is given a lotion or even tablets that specifically target the problem. Unfortunately, these can cause unwanted side effects and when stopping the medication, the problem recurs quite fast. However, dramatic beneficial changes can be seen in acne just by a simple change in diet and the effects are much longer lasting without side effects. Which option would you prefer; A change in diet or take a pill with side effects? I know which one I prefer.
WARNING: Never stop taking medication or alter the dosage without first consulting your General Practitioner.
My list of the Most Important Lifestyle Choices for Optimum Health.
1. Sleep – the No.1 most important thing to get right in your lifestyle. If you cannot get good quality sleep, then this has a knock on effect of every aspect of your health in a fairly short space of time. Lack of quality sleep will no doubt cause tiredness. Tiredness causes reduction in the ability to cope with stress. More stress leads to increase in your body’s adrenalin and other hormones, depleting the body and mind which ultimately leads to a reduction in the efficiency of your immune system. Once this happens you have a cycle of tiredness, irritability, getting ill regularly like catching colds, sore throats and generally feel run down. Plus you may find it hard to concentrate, put on weight by excessive sugar/fatty food cravings and then have a reduction in a desire to do things. Most adults require 6-8 hours of regular daily sleep. It varies from person to person. Some require a bit longer some require a bit less. If you sleep considerably less or more than 6-8 per day then it is recommended you speak with your G.P.
2. Water – Nearly 70% of the human body is made of water. All biological processes require water to function. If you are not drinking enough quality fluids your body will not perform as efficiently as it could do. In the climate of the general UK weather, it is recommended to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. I personally drink over 3 litres and have done for many years. It is important that the fluids you drink are not high sugar fizzy drinks like Cola or alcoholic drinks like lager – of course these are good for a treat! Mineral water or tap water is best. You can drink the water with cordial – cordials generally advise to mix 1 part cordial/4 parts water. However, I personally think that’s much too sweet. I recommend using 1 part cordial /8 parts water. You can also drink 2-4 cups of tea or coffee per day to count towards your 2 litres. But don’t drink too much caffeine as caffeine in high amounts is a diarrhetic and so can make you lose more water than you consumed. If you don’t drink enough quality fluids and you decide to drink more you will find improvement of your energy levels, alertness, skin quality, immune system, aging, bowel function, sleep, stress, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure. Also, try to drink 250mls-500mls of 1 or 2 types of ‘not from concentrate’ fruit juice per day like Orange, Pineapple, Apple etc.. This will provide the water and a really good punch of nutrition.
3. Diet – In a western world full of luxury food and a myriad of choice, it’s very saddening to see and hear the type of diet that adults and children adopt even for those who have no problems with poverty. The type of diet you eat is so important for your future. If you eat rubbish, then how do you expect your body to produce good stuff and sustain a good long and healthy life. Your body evolved over millions of years to eat the stuff nature created for it. Many processed food contains so much man made stuff, that the body has not evolved to deal with it. Not only that many processed foods lack good basic nutrition. A good diet has to consist of mainly natural food sources. This will include:-
Fresh Fruits i.e. Stawberries, Grapes, Bananas, Melon, Oranges, Pineapple, Raspberries, Apples etc.
Fresh Vegetable i.e. Potatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Sweetcorn, Peas, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips etc.
Spices i.e. Fresh Ginger, Fresh Chillies, Fresh Garlic etc.
Meats i.e. beef, lamb, pork – this should be limited to 2 portions per week.
Poultry i.e. Chicken and Turkey can be eaten daily.
Fish (not deep fried) i.e. Cod/haddock can be eaten every day
Oily Fish i.e. Mackerel , Salmon, Sardines 2-3 portions per week – if you don’t like fish you can supplement your diet with high strength EPA Fish Oil – we recommend using PuraEPA by Mind 1st as it is the highest strength on the UK market.
Quality Oils in cooking or adding to salads i.e. Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rape Seed Oil etc.
Cereals, Oats, Nuts, Fibre, Pulses
Bee Products i.e. Fresh Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen, Honey, Propolis
I recommend that you only use naturally occurring products that contain full fat, full sugar and full salt content i.e. full fat butter, cheeses, crisps, sweets. Reduced sugar/fat products taste inferior to the original product and usually have something artificial added to replace the stuff they have taken out and that can make a product worse for your health than the original product. There is no evidence that low fat/sugar products can help you lose weight, that’s why these products don’t tell you anywhere on the packaging that they will help you lose weight – most of these food products only say something like ’30% less fat’ or ‘Fat free’ then people make the assumption that the product will help them lose weight. Don’t be conned by this powerful misleading marketing! Losing weight is far more complex and takes effort – if you are not prepared to make effort and change your lifestyle, YOU WILL NOT LOSE WEIGHT!
Whilst being on a good common sense diet, there is no one food product you need to abstain from (with the exception of allergies and intolerances). You can eat any type of food you like. But of course, it’s about everything in moderation. Some foods you can eat of lot of and be very good for you i.e. fruit and vegetables but some foods you must eat less of and you should carefully monitor how much you have i.e. salt, chocolate, high sugary/fatty snacks/red meat etc.
Having a good diet will improve energy levels, stamina, sleep, bowel function, joints, skin, skin repair, aging, immune system, heart, liver, kidney, brain etc. Having a nutritious diet considerably reduces cravings for high sugary/fatty foods. A good diet reduces your chances of diabetes II, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries), heart attack, strokes, certain types of dementia and certain cancers.
4. Exercise – This is so important because exercise increases heart rate and this means more blood is sent around the body. Blood is so full of important nutrients and also helps to clean the body of toxins. By raising your heart rate significantly several times a week from regular exercise has been proven to:
Reduce stress
Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
Boost self-esteem
Improve sleep
Exercise also has these added health benefits:
It strengthens your heart
It increases energy levels
It lowers blood pressure
It improves muscle tone and strength
It strengthens and builds bones
It helps reduce body fat
It makes you look fit and healthy
For healthy individuals it is recommended to do 3x 30 minute sessions per week. Like with most things, everything in moderation. I personally do between 2-4 hours exercise per week. If you do too much exercise and don’t give a day or 2 for your body to recover, then you could damage joints, tendons, muscles. It’s just about getting the right balance for you.
5. Smoking, Drugs & Alcohol – These are 3 of the biggest killers in the world.
i. Smoking – All doctors agree that any amount of smoking is bad for you and you will be healthier without it
ii. Alcohol – mild responsible use of alcohol can be fun and offers some small health benefits. However, are you drinking too much? For men and women in the UK the recommended maximum is 14 untis per week with 2-3 days of abstinence during a week. Abstaining for a week and then binge drinking 14 units or more in a day is not recommended and can put excess strain on your liver!
iii. A. Prescribed Drugs – Even pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by your G.P. can cause side effects and lead to illnesses later in life. The less medication you are on to keep you healthy, the better. Many people can be on medication for years needlessly. For example, many people with depression end up staying on an antidepressant for years and sometimes the patients haven’t had depressive symptoms for years. You must always check regularly with your G.P. if it is still necessary to be on your medication. Any changes you make to you medication MUST be with guidance from your G.P. or Specialist. Coming off long term medication can have some severe withdrawal symptoms and can be dangerous depending on what medication you are withdrawing from. Always ask your G.P. about withdrawals and guidance on how to safely come off the medication you are wanting to withdraw.
iii. B. Drug and Alcohol Addiction – Alcohol or Drug addiction of any kind is a problem and can lead to very serious outcomes for the addict plus it can be extremely distressing for immediate family and close friends. Even encouraging an addict to get help can be a very sensitive subject which can aggravate the problem. From personal experience, if you are concerned for somebody, the best thing to do is to give them regular, gentle encouragement and try to explain how life could be so much different and better for them. You have to select the right moments to raise this topic. Try to maintain a level of trust with the addict as an addict will no doubt lie about their habit. Certainly, this is even more difficult if the addict is stealing from you, is violent or even verbally abusive. If an addict close to you does commit serious crime like theft, or violence then it is important the Police is informed. This may seem harsh especially if the addict is a relative but it may lead to the support the addict needs. Not only that, especially if an addict’s drug taking fuels violence, the next violent act could be so severe, it leads to a fatality. Friends and family can only do so much for an addict. Ultimately, addicts have to want to make a change in their lives and unfortunately, not everybody does. TIPS. Never buy drugs or alcohol for an addict even if they are in desperation. Never lend money or give money to an addict – if they need something in particular like food, electricity, rent etc. pay for it directly yourself. Addicts will lie and deceive you to get money to feed their habit.
For further information, contact the below for advice regarding Alcohol or Drugs Addiction:-
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
http://www.talktofrank.com/
6. Obesity and Diabetes Type II – The number of Britons with diabetes has topped four million for the first time due to soaring obesity, worrying figures have revealed.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3384713/Record-4m-Britons-suffer-diabetes-obesity-levels-soar.html#ixzz3wNDI4Y2j
Obesity can cause day-to-day health problems such as:
breathlessness
increased sweating
snoring
difficulty sleeping
inability to cope with sudden physical activity
feeling very tired every day
back and joint pains.
Obesity can also cause changes you may not notice, but that can seriously harm your health, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol levels (fatty deposits blocking your arteries). Both conditions significantly increase your risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as:
coronary heart disease, which may lead to a heart attack
stroke, which can cause significant disability and can be fatal.
Another long-term problem that can affect obese people is type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that just under half of all cases of diabetes are linked to obesity. The main symptoms of diabetes are:
feeling very thirsty
going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
extreme tiredness.
Psychological problems resulting from Obesitiy
In addition to the day-to-day health problems from Obesity, many people may also experience psychological problems such as:
low self-esteem
low confidence levels
feeling isolated in society.
These can affect relationships with family members and friends and may lead to depression.
The solution to tackling obesity is a very complex one indeed. Worryingly, many people who are overweight or obese don’t regard themselves as having a medical condition. How do you raise the matter with your family or friend with whom you are concerned without offending them? If you are somebody’s partner /friend etc. and you are concerned, it is possible to raise your concerns to them in a sensitive way. However, you cannot force people to change and ultimately adults make their own choice. Gentle, regular encouragement is always a good option.
If you are a parent and your child is obese, then it is your responsibility to do everything within your power to solve the problem – there is much help offered by the NHS. Obesity has severe long term effects in the same way smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction has. If your child was smoking or taking drugs, then I’m sure many parents would take much swifter action than if the child was obese. But why should this be? All of these problems are as serious as each other.
BMI (Body Mass Index) Range
Healthy = 18-25.
Overweight = over 25
Obese = over 30
Morbidly Obese = over 40
I personally have a BMI of 24, which is in the healthy range. I get frustrated when people make comments like ‘oh you’re just naturally slim’ or ‘I could never be that slim’. Firstly, I’m not naturally slim. In the past I have been over weight but never by a large amount because I have never let myself get beyond a certain size. Over the years, as one gets older, the metabolism slows and I have had to reduce my daily meals size in order to cope with this. At first, this reduction causes you to feel hungry, feel tired, moody etc. but as you persist, over weeks your stomach will reduce in size, which is good because you will start to feel more full from eating less.
Some peoples’ diet consists of very good nutrition but the main problem is portion control. The amount that some people eat for their dinner amazes me. It is just not necessary to eat so much. Some people just need to reduce the amount they eat on a daily basis by about 1/3 to make a big difference. It’s just simple common sense.
Then we have the comment ‘ I could never be that slim’. Who are you trying to kid? Only yourself it seems. The levels of obesity is not a natural occurrence of evolution. It is a problem created by man. In all of mans’ evolution, we have never seen such levels of obesity. If you believe you could never be that slim, then take a holiday somewhere where you are forced to survive from living off the food you can grow and hunt yourself. I’m telling you, you will be that slim! It’s all about the desire and determination to lose weight, the want to change your lifestyle, to be healthier, to live longer and to be on the earth longer to grow with your children and their children. If you know you are obese and you have a family, who are you thinking about when you chose a lifestyle that could kill you 10-20 years earlier than if you were healthy? Do you really want to see your loved ones and may be their children or is that not a big enough reason to improve your lifestyle?
The big question is, what are your priorities?
2. Water – Nearly 70% of the human body is made of water. All biological processes require water to function. If you are not drinking enough quality fluids your body will not perform as efficiently as it could do. In the climate of the general UK weather, it is recommended to drink at least 2 litres of water per day. I personally drink over 3 litres and have done for many years. It is important that the fluids you drink are not high sugar fizzy drinks like Cola or alcoholic drinks like lager – of course these are good for a treat! Mineral water or tap water is best. You can drink the water with cordial – cordials generally advise to mix 1 part cordial/4 parts water. However, I personally think that’s much too sweet. I recommend using 1 part cordial /8 parts water. You can also drink 2-4 cups of tea or coffee per day to count towards your 2 litres. But don’t drink too much caffeine as caffeine in high amounts is a diarrhetic and so can make you lose more water than you consumed. If you don’t drink enough quality fluids and you decide to drink more you will find improvement of your energy levels, alertness, skin quality, immune system, aging, bowel function, sleep, stress, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure. Also, try to drink 250mls-500mls of 1 or 2 types of ‘not from concentrate’ fruit juice per day like Orange, Pineapple, Apple etc.. This will provide the water and a really good punch of nutrition.
3. Diet – In a western world full of luxury food and a myriad of choice, it’s very saddening to see and hear the type of diet that adults and children adopt even for those who have no problems with poverty. The type of diet you eat is so important for your future. If you eat rubbish, then how do you expect your body to produce good stuff and sustain a good long and healthy life. Your body evolved over millions of years to eat the stuff nature created for it. Many processed food contains so much man made stuff, that the body has not evolved to deal with it. Not only that many processed foods lack good basic nutrition. A good diet has to consist of mainly natural food sources. This will include:-
Fresh Fruits i.e. Stawberries, Grapes, Bananas, Melon, Oranges, Pineapple, Raspberries, Apples etc.
Fresh Vegetable i.e. Potatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, Sweetcorn, Peas, Leeks, Onions, Parsnips etc.
Spices i.e. Fresh Ginger, Fresh Chillies, Fresh Garlic etc.
Meats i.e. beef, lamb, pork – this should be limited to 2 portions per week.
Poultry i.e. Chicken and Turkey can be eaten daily.
Fish (not deep fried) i.e. Cod/haddock can be eaten every day
Oily Fish i.e. Mackerel , Salmon, Sardines 2-3 portions per week – if you don’t like fish you can supplement your diet with high strength EPA Fish Oil – we recommend using PuraEPA by Mind 1st as it is the highest strength on the UK market.
Quality Oils in cooking or adding to salads i.e. Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rape Seed Oil etc.
Cereals, Oats, Nuts, Fibre, Pulses
Bee Products i.e. Fresh Royal Jelly, Bee Pollen, Honey, Propolis
I recommend that you only use naturally occurring products that contain full fat, full sugar and full salt content i.e. full fat butter, cheeses, crisps, sweets. Reduced sugar/fat products taste inferior to the original product and usually have something artificial added to replace the stuff they have taken out and that can make a product worse for your health than the original product. There is no evidence that low fat/sugar products can help you lose weight, that’s why these products don’t tell you anywhere on the packaging that they will help you lose weight – most of these food products only say something like ’30% less fat’ or ‘Fat free’ then people make the assumption that the product will help them lose weight. Don’t be conned by this powerful misleading marketing! Losing weight is far more complex and takes effort – if you are not prepared to make effort and change your lifestyle, YOU WILL NOT LOSE WEIGHT!
Whilst being on a good common sense diet, there is no one food product you need to abstain from (with the exception of allergies and intolerances). You can eat any type of food you like. But of course, it’s about everything in moderation. Some foods you can eat of lot of and be very good for you i.e. fruit and vegetables but some foods you must eat less of and you should carefully monitor how much you have i.e. salt, chocolate, high sugary/fatty snacks/red meat etc.
Having a good diet will improve energy levels, stamina, sleep, bowel function, joints, skin, skin repair, aging, immune system, heart, liver, kidney, brain etc. Having a nutritious diet considerably reduces cravings for high sugary/fatty foods. A good diet reduces your chances of diabetes II, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis (clogging of arteries), heart attack, strokes, certain types of dementia and certain cancers.
4. Exercise – This is so important because exercise increases heart rate and this means more blood is sent around the body. Blood is so full of important nutrients and also helps to clean the body of toxins. By raising your heart rate significantly several times a week from regular exercise has been proven to:
Reduce stress
Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
Boost self-esteem
Improve sleep
Exercise also has these added health benefits:
It strengthens your heart
It increases energy levels
It lowers blood pressure
It improves muscle tone and strength
It strengthens and builds bones
It helps reduce body fat
It makes you look fit and healthy
For healthy individuals it is recommended to do 3x 30 minute sessions per week. Like with most things, everything in moderation. I personally do between 2-4 hours exercise per week. If you do too much exercise and don’t give a day or 2 for your body to recover, then you could damage joints, tendons, muscles. It’s just about getting the right balance for you.
5. Smoking, Drugs & Alcohol – These are 3 of the biggest killers in the world.
i. Smoking – All doctors agree that any amount of smoking is bad for you and you will be healthier without it
ii. Alcohol – mild responsible use of alcohol can be fun and offers some small health benefits. However, are you drinking too much? For men and women in the UK the recommended maximum is 14 untis per week with 2-3 days of abstinence during a week. Abstaining for a week and then binge drinking 14 units or more in a day is not recommended and can put excess strain on your liver!
iii. A. Prescribed Drugs – Even pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by your G.P. can cause side effects and lead to illnesses later in life. The less medication you are on to keep you healthy, the better. Many people can be on medication for years needlessly. For example, many people with depression end up staying on an antidepressant for years and sometimes the patients haven’t had depressive symptoms for years. You must always check regularly with your G.P. if it is still necessary to be on your medication. Any changes you make to you medication MUST be with guidance from your G.P. or Specialist. Coming off long term medication can have some severe withdrawal symptoms and can be dangerous depending on what medication you are withdrawing from. Always ask your G.P. about withdrawals and guidance on how to safely come off the medication you are wanting to withdraw.
iii. B. Drug and Alcohol Addiction – Alcohol or Drug addiction of any kind is a problem and can lead to very serious outcomes for the addict plus it can be extremely distressing for immediate family and close friends. Even encouraging an addict to get help can be a very sensitive subject which can aggravate the problem. From personal experience, if you are concerned for somebody, the best thing to do is to give them regular, gentle encouragement and try to explain how life could be so much different and better for them. You have to select the right moments to raise this topic. Try to maintain a level of trust with the addict as an addict will no doubt lie about their habit. Certainly, this is even more difficult if the addict is stealing from you, is violent or even verbally abusive. If an addict close to you does commit serious crime like theft, or violence then it is important the Police is informed. This may seem harsh especially if the addict is a relative but it may lead to the support the addict needs. Not only that, especially if an addict’s drug taking fuels violence, the next violent act could be so severe, it leads to a fatality. Friends and family can only do so much for an addict. Ultimately, addicts have to want to make a change in their lives and unfortunately, not everybody does. TIPS. Never buy drugs or alcohol for an addict even if they are in desperation. Never lend money or give money to an addict – if they need something in particular like food, electricity, rent etc. pay for it directly yourself. Addicts will lie and deceive you to get money to feed their habit.
For further information, contact the below for advice regarding Alcohol or Drugs Addiction:-
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
http://www.talktofrank.com/
6. Obesity and Diabetes Type II – The number of Britons with diabetes has topped four million for the first time due to soaring obesity, worrying figures have revealed.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3384713/Record-4m-Britons-suffer-diabetes-obesity-levels-soar.html#ixzz3wNDI4Y2j
Obesity can cause day-to-day health problems such as:
breathlessness
increased sweating
snoring
difficulty sleeping
inability to cope with sudden physical activity
feeling very tired every day
back and joint pains.
Obesity can also cause changes you may not notice, but that can seriously harm your health, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and high cholesterol levels (fatty deposits blocking your arteries). Both conditions significantly increase your risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as:
coronary heart disease, which may lead to a heart attack
stroke, which can cause significant disability and can be fatal.
Another long-term problem that can affect obese people is type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that just under half of all cases of diabetes are linked to obesity. The main symptoms of diabetes are:
feeling very thirsty
going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
extreme tiredness.
Psychological problems resulting from Obesitiy
In addition to the day-to-day health problems from Obesity, many people may also experience psychological problems such as:
low self-esteem
low confidence levels
feeling isolated in society.
These can affect relationships with family members and friends and may lead to depression.
The solution to tackling obesity is a very complex one indeed. Worryingly, many people who are overweight or obese don’t regard themselves as having a medical condition. How do you raise the matter with your family or friend with whom you are concerned without offending them? If you are somebody’s partner /friend etc. and you are concerned, it is possible to raise your concerns to them in a sensitive way. However, you cannot force people to change and ultimately adults make their own choice. Gentle, regular encouragement is always a good option.
If you are a parent and your child is obese, then it is your responsibility to do everything within your power to solve the problem – there is much help offered by the NHS. Obesity has severe long term effects in the same way smoking, alcoholism, drug addiction has. If your child was smoking or taking drugs, then I’m sure many parents would take much swifter action than if the child was obese. But why should this be? All of these problems are as serious as each other.
BMI (Body Mass Index) Range
Healthy = 18-25.
Overweight = over 25
Obese = over 30
Morbidly Obese = over 40
I personally have a BMI of 24, which is in the healthy range. I get frustrated when people make comments like ‘oh you’re just naturally slim’ or ‘I could never be that slim’. Firstly, I’m not naturally slim. In the past I have been over weight but never by a large amount because I have never let myself get beyond a certain size. Over the years, as one gets older, the metabolism slows and I have had to reduce my daily meals size in order to cope with this. At first, this reduction causes you to feel hungry, feel tired, moody etc. but as you persist, over weeks your stomach will reduce in size, which is good because you will start to feel more full from eating less.
Some peoples’ diet consists of very good nutrition but the main problem is portion control. The amount that some people eat for their dinner amazes me. It is just not necessary to eat so much. Some people just need to reduce the amount they eat on a daily basis by about 1/3 to make a big difference. It’s just simple common sense.
Then we have the comment ‘ I could never be that slim’. Who are you trying to kid? Only yourself it seems. The levels of obesity is not a natural occurrence of evolution. It is a problem created by man. In all of mans’ evolution, we have never seen such levels of obesity. If you believe you could never be that slim, then take a holiday somewhere where you are forced to survive from living off the food you can grow and hunt yourself. I’m telling you, you will be that slim! It’s all about the desire and determination to lose weight, the want to change your lifestyle, to be healthier, to live longer and to be on the earth longer to grow with your children and their children. If you know you are obese and you have a family, who are you thinking about when you chose a lifestyle that could kill you 10-20 years earlier than if you were healthy? Do you really want to see your loved ones and may be their children or is that not a big enough reason to improve your lifestyle?
The big question is, what are your priorities?
