There is little debate that obesity is a problem that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Researchers from Brown and Yale Universities have found that even small amounts of natural weight loss can translate into significant health benefits, including prevention of developing type 2 diabetes. Even if you gain the weight back over time, the benefits your body receives from the naturally lost weight can contribute to better health outcomes in the long run.
The Processed Foods Addiction
For many Americans, the idea of simply taking a pill to lose weight is an attractive one. However, using medication to control your weight has potential side effects that can contribute to developing other health problems. In order to avoid side effects such as flatulence, diarrhea, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure and others, the better approach is to change your eating habits and increase your physical activity.
Ridding yourself of a diet that is high in processed foods can be a major step toward improving your eating habits. Researchers at Yale University state that through brain imagery, they have come to understand that foods high in sugar actually create addiction signals in the brain. If you eat highly processed foods regularly, you could be feeding an addictive habit linked to sugar. This is one of the key reasons shifting to a healthy diet and eliminating processed foods can be so difficult.
The benefits of losing weight are significant. Eating a diet rich in brightly colored fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain products and water is the best way to break the addiction cycle when it comes to foods. Researchers found that being physically active improved blood pressure and cardiovascular health substantially. Additionally, for people with glucose intolerance who have not yet developed diabetes, losing weight improves blood sugar to normal levels.
The benefits of losing weight are not just short term. Individuals who lose weight and gain it back find that health improvements last for up to a decade even after the weight returns. Changing eating habits is not an easy process. Keeping your home stocked with healthy foods is a major step. Other helpful interventions include keeping a food log, removing unhealthy foods from the pantry and refrigerator and developing an exercise plan that is interesting and realistic.
– The Alternative Daily
