Posted on May 27th, 2010
Metabolism is a physical and chemical process occurring naturally in the body to sustain life. To give you a better view on its relationship with weight gain, you should be able to understand these two important aspects of metabolism: metabolic rate and the factors affecting metabolism.
Metabolism is the rate at which your body is capable of using energy as well as burning your calories. Metabolism functions the same way in every individual. However, the rate at which the nutrients are metabolizes vary per person. Here are the two aspects of metabolism to help you in fully understanding its connection with weight gain:
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Posted on August 7th, 2008
The specific choice of medication or combination of medications depends on various factors, including your individual risk factors, your age, your current health and possible side effects. Common choices include:
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Posted on August 7th, 2008
Esophageal spasms are an uncoordinated series of muscle contractions that prevent food from traveling properly from your esophagus to your stomach. These spasms can be very painful. Chest pain is a common symptom of esophageal spasm.
Treatment of esophageal spasms in the short term may involve using medications to quickly relax the esophageal muscles. Long-term treatment may involve managing any contributing health condition, taking additional medications and altering your eating habits. In some people, esophageal spasms can lead to chronic swallowing problems and pain.
Esophageal spasms affect the smooth (involuntary) muscles in the walls of your lower esophagus. These spasms may occur in two forms:
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Posted on April 2nd, 2008
Despite appearances to the contrary, more than half of normal-weight Americans have a high percentage of body fat. And, like their overweight contemporaries, this makes them susceptible to heart disease, diabetes and other metabolic disorders, a new study says.
Men whose body fat is greater than 20 percent and women whose body fat is greater than 30 percent are suffering from “normal weight obesity,” Read the rest »
Posted on March 30th, 2008
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start kids on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
One of the best strategies to combat excess weight in your child is to improve the diet and exercise levels of your entire family. This helps protect the health of your child now and in the future.
Causes of childhood obesity
Although there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, most excess weight is caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Children, unlike adults, need extra nutrients and calories to fuel their growth and development. So if they consume the calories needed for daily activities, growth and metabolism, they add pounds in proportion to their growth. But children who eat more calories than needed gain weight beyond what’s required to support their growing bodies.
Far less common than lifestyle issues are genetic diseases and hormonal disorders that can predispose a child to obesity. These diseases, such as Prader-Willi syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome, affect a very small proportion of children. In the general population, eating and exercise habits play a much larger role.
Many factors — usually working in combination — increase your child’s risk of becoming overweight: Read the rest »
