College life is one of the most exhaustive periods of my life. Some say that being a college student was fun and full of enjoyment without even thinking your grades. But that was definitely wrong! How can you enjoy life if you’re always thinking your major subjects? Can’t sleep with that numerous baby theses and a lot of reports, quizzes, and tests in your head? These are not for fun. It looks like you’re entering in a Fun House. As you can see outside, it has a lot of childish and fancy designs yet when you go inside, you’ll see so much frightening things and sounds there. That’s the college life for me. I can’t even imagine that life will be like this. Before, when I was in high school, though I’m too busy, I have time for sleeping. Now, because of the far distance and my schedule, I feel very sleepy as I going home. Sometimes I forget to do my assignments and even doing household chores. My parents are always scolded me every time I didn’t make those chores. And because of these, I tend to eat more as I feel the hunger.
By that, I feel very uncomfortable with my appearance. Some say that I’m fat and some are not. I also have a lot of critics because of my weight. I feel so wraggler as I heard those criticisms and every time I see myself in a mirror. I feel so insecure because of my waist line which is not accurate with my age and I lose my self-confidence too. As of now, I’ve enrolled in a production management named MAJESTIKA to enhance my self-confidence and be motivated to reduce my weight. But there were times that people saying I am fat enough. They fell regrets ‘because I’m a talented girl yet I was too fat.
Maybe it’s my other personality. I admit that I’m not that kind of person. What I mean is I’m not insecure, emotional and self-pity. I’m a jolly person and I don’t care what people might say. But in this matter, I think I’m just dragging out the nature of me --- the nature of being a woman.
Actually, I can’t even think of a topic with this thesis because every time I do this, I tend to sleep. Until one night, while I’m watching the television with the program of “The Correspondents”. The topic was all about obese people. At first, I laughed but sooner, I’ve realized if that will be happen to me, what should I do? And a lot of echoes came to my mind --- those criticisms, mocks, and prejudgments. I feel so sad thinking that it’s not impossible to happen.
Eating is one of the happiest to do in life specially when there are delicious foods in your table. According to Dr. Deneros, Western Country influenced our eating habits. In western Country, there are a lot of fast foods everywhere and since they have the high technology gadgets, machineries and appliances, they tend to depend their lives unto it. They don’t even walk; instead, they’re always looking for a car, elevator and escalator. Even the simple thing such as watching the television, they used remote control. Because of crab mentality, we were inclined of their culture. As you can see, there are a lot of restaurants, eateries and fast foods here in our country even in the rural one. Because of our addiction in eating, we can have a lot of illness, maladies and even syndromes.
Being obese is just like of being malnourished. But do you know that there’s a short-term and long-term of effects of being overweight? According to the International Journal of Obesity, The American Obesity Association and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, being overweight has its consequences and obesity in particular is very dangerous. Being overweight or obese puts an individual to the high risk health conditions. She/he may have gallbladder disease, heart disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), osteoarthritis, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome and even cancer.
For the short-term effects, we have the carpal tunnel syndrome and daytime sleepiness. According Shannon Erstad MBA/MPH, carpal syndrome is a condition of pain, tingling, and other problems in your hand because of pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. The median nerve and several tendons run from your forearm to your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve controls movement and feeling in your thumb and first three fingers (not your little finger). According to the American Obesity Association, 70% of the carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers were overweight. Together with this is the daytime sleepiness.
This kind of Sleep disorder has a tendency of taking the risk of having sleeping while driving. There are different kinds of sleep disorders that may also cause of insomnia. These conditions generally cause a long-term insomnia. Some of these are:
IDIOPATHIC INSOMNIA - or a childhood insomnia which starts early on in life and results a lifelong sleep problems.
CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA - it is a complex disorder. It may cause of brain injury, heart failure, high altitude and low oxygen levels.
RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME - a condition of creeping of the leg while sleeping.
PERIODIC LIMB MOVEMENT DISORDERS - a condition of unusual timing of sleep (e.g. sleeping early, waking up early. Sleeping late, getting late)
SLEEP STATE MISPERCEPTION ---a condition in which the patient can’t sleep without any objectives.
INSUFFICIENT SLEEP SYNDROME - a condition in which the patient has insufficient sleep because of her/his environment and lifestyle choices.
INADEQUATE SLEEP HYGIENE - a condition of an individual having a poor sleep or no sleep preparation habits.
Other effects of being an overweight are gout, respiratory problems, reproductive disorders that can cause infertility, liver disease, back pain, gynecological complications, pancreatitis, and incontinence. There was a term I’ve learned from that documentary program that I’ve watched. This is the “Yoyo Syndrome”. It is a syndrome of which the patient can have an unusual changing of body weights. I think, this syndrome affects me because every time I had a diet, I lose my weight but after a week I tend to eat more again and then, I gain my weight. On the other hand, we also have the most alarming effect of it. This is the cancer. Mostly of the overweight persons had been diagnosed of having cancer of the breast, esophagus, colon, uterus and kidney.
During Stone Age, and 1600’s, heavy women signified as fertile and healthy. But now, we don’t accept that concept of being obese. We can’t even considered then as beautiful in today’s society. In fact, most of our celebrities in TV and in any kind of media are slimmed and thin. For these, fat persons increased their pessimistic view of self-image, and often fall into a self-hatred and depression. Just like me, in order to look beautiful in facebook and friendster profile, I used to make “pa-cute” poise in the camera and wear black or dim colored shirts; dress, pants and shorts lo look so slim and hide those bulky fats on my tummy.
Fortunately, obesity is entirely treatable. Some individuals may treat themselves through medications and surgeries while others can only take a few lifestyle changes to enjoy a healthier weight. Just like in the situation of Noel, one of the respondents of Mr. Abner Mercado, who’s undertaking a kind of Neurological Surgery which is Bariatric Surgery, or so called as weight loss surgery in which aids those people who are endangered. To achieve this, the size of the stomach must be reduced by implanted medical device (gastric banding) or through removal of a portion of the stomach (sleeve gastrectomy or biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch) or by resecting and re-routing the small intestines to a small stomach pouch(gastric bypass surgery). It will not affect the appetite of a person but it can limit the food intake because the food can’t absorb easily unlike before. With this case, I cried while imagining that way of surgery that may also happen to me.
But how can we say if we are overweight or malnourished? Well, get first your weight in kilogram and your height in meters then divide both. The quotient will be corresponding to the given below:
• Underweight =
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
(Woo! Thank God! I’m normal. )
Last week I experimented myself by eating with half rice. Yet it’s not effective because every time I’m on diet, my father always cooks delicious foods that are hard to resist. Next day, I tried to drink water, but I feel so addicted in water. I don’t know why but I think I need to drink and drink and drink till my tummy’s sink. And every time I used to walk in and get some exercise, I sweat very much together with my asthma. I feel so embarrassed but I think its working because my metabolism acts so fast.
According to an article of Ms. Kim Beardsmore, an Independent Herbalife Distributor, weight loss coach and author of the online magazine Weight Loss Health, drinking water is a natural appetite suppressant and lack of water can lead to over eating. So, when you think you are feeling hungry, your body may in fact be signaling to you that you are thirsty! If you are not consuming enough water each day and you feel hunger pains, chances are, your body really is crying out for water. These are some tips that I did and some are the things that we must do also:
1. When you wake up you will often be thirsty because your body loses water while you are sleeping through breathing and perspiration. Drink a large glass of water with a slice of lemon for zing.
2. Drink another glass of water with breakfast or a cup of herbal tea before setting off the day.
3. Mid morning - snack on a piece of juicy fruit such as orange, rock melon, watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew. Have a glass of water and perhaps try a dash of herbal aloe juice which is wonderfully soothing to the digestive system.
4. Lunch - think of soup or have a glass of water before your meal, or perhaps a herbal tea.
5. Mid afternoon - While you are preparing your evening meal, drink a glass of water and snack on some crunchy fresh vegetables.
6. Evening - Sip a glass of water before your meal with a dash of your favorite fruit juice for flavor.
7. After dinner - before bedtime drink your final glass of water and sleep well!
There are so many ways of losing weight but many of us are trying to do a quick fix first --- taking specialized pills, supplements and any tablets and capsules that may lessen your appetite. Apparently, this method may cause atrophy of muscle tissues which looks even more horrendous than cellulite.
Losing weight is one of our problems in life. It’s hard to do but it can be possible no matter what. Maybe I’m not yet done with this kind of procedure but I think someday I will prove that I can make a difference. When we are fat, we often used to think of its negativity than the positive outcomes. When we are in diet, All we think about is food because we are thinking not to think about it! Again, according to Dr. Deneros, before eating something, think first. “Is it for nutrition? Or is it for pleasure?” then if it’s for nutrition, eat it and if it s for pleasure then avoid it. You don’t need to eat foods because you want. Eat foods because you need it.
One of the problems of human beings is that when we don’t like something about the world and about ourselves, we spend more time on thinking about it. We consume more of our thoughts and less for our actions.
