DON’T WAIT TO CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT

Eating is one of the sweetest pleasures that humans can experience.

The taste of different foods, the fun of going to restaurants, and the importance of family meals and other forms of social eating cannot be overstated.

We love to eat. It’s natural!

Problem is, many of us find that our bodies have more fat and less muscle than we would like them to have. We worry that our eating habits might be harming our health.

That’s why so many Triangle customers are glad that we offer a rational, holistic, and effective approach to weight control.

Most people misunderstand the concept of weight control. It’s the ratio of fat to muscle in our bodies that’s the most important factor in the measurement of weight. Muscle weighs more than fat, and some people who have been overly fat actually notice that their weight stays almost the same as they lost fat and gained muscle.

So, numbers on a weighing scale aren’t by themselves a total indicator of how healthy you are in relation to your weight. What’s important is to determine your “bodyfat percentage,” and calculate your “body mass index,” (otherwise known as BMI), to find out if your body contains a healthy ratio of fat and muscle.

Bodyfat percentages can be measured using devices you can buy, or you can have a physician, health club worker or health practitioner measure your bodyfat percentage.

The BMI is easier to determine: it’s calculated using a chart based on age, height, and weight. It is a generic calculation that is generally accurate, but is sometimes misleading because it was designed to apply to many people, and therefore contains averaging and other assumptions that are sometimes not wholly correct.

The BMI chart for a six foot adult male says that the person is at ideal weight if he is between 140 and 180 pounds, is “overweight” if he is between 180 to 210 pounds, and is “obese” if he is over 210 pounds.

The line between overweight and obesity is less than precise, but in general, if you are more than 30 pounds heavier than your highest ideal BMI weight, then you are generally classified as obese.

If a person is a professional athlete whose extra 30 pounds is muscle, however, these kinds of calculations are less useful and must be adjusted based on the individual’s actual fat to muscle ratio.

Most of us can only wish that we were professional athletes whose bodies are composed mostly of well-toned muscle. Many people have an unfavorable ratio of fat to muscle. This affects health in various ways. For example, fat is a storage place for toxins. The more fat, the more storage. Having too much fat and not enough muscle can affect the musculoskeletal system, balance, internal organs, digestion, elimination, and posture.

For too many people, overweight and obesity are serious health problems that result primarily from excess calorie consumption and/or insufficient physical activity. This core problem of consuming more fuel than the body burns is compounded by the types of foods that most people eat. Calories are calories, but calories that come from healthy foods are preferable to calories that come from foods laden with toxins, preservatives, chemicals, artificial flavors, bovine growth hormones, antibiotics and other additives.

Unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles account for 300,000 deaths every year in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 1994–1996 “Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals,” only 3 percent of Americans consume adequate amounts of fruit, grains and vegetables.

Poor dietary intake combines with lack of physical activity for many people. Health experts recommend at least 45 minutes of aerobic exercise five times per week, but few people reach this level of activity, which is considered a minimum.

In 1997, less than one-third of adults engaged in the recommended amount of physical activity, and 40 percent of adults engaged in no exercise at all. According to a 1999 study, 43 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 viewed television more than 2 hours per day, but less than 30 percent of them exercised an hour per day or more, and a significant percentage of young people engage in no physical activity at all.

It’s no wonder that childhood obesity is on the increase, and that adult overweight and obesity have reached epidemic levels.

Rates of obesity continue to climb in every US state except Oregon, and government policies and actions offer little hope of reversing the trend, according to a report released in August, 2005 by the Trust for America's Health.

The report titled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2005,” says more than 25 percent of adults in Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, Michigan, Kentucky, Indiana, and South Carolina are obese.

“Across the board, we have every state failing to meet the national goal of 15 percent or less of the population being obese,” explained Shelley Hearne, executive director of Trust for America's Health. “Bulging waistlines are going to cost taxpayers more dollars, and it's going to cost us in years of life and quality of life, regardless of where you live. About 119 million Americans are either overweight or obese. That's 64.5 percent of adult Americans.”

The number of obese American adults rose from 23.7 percent in 2003 to 24.5 percent in 2004. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services set a national goal that obesity would be reduced by 15 percent by 2010. An estimated 16 percent of active duty U.S. military personnel are obese, and obesity is the biggest reason for discharging soldiers.

People on food stamps and other government assistance programs are more likely to be obese compared with higher income individuals, but obesity and overweight are present in all socioeconomic and cultural groups.

The consequences of overweight and obesity are severe. They include hypertension (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides), Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, other musculoskeletal disorders, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon), chronic fatigue, skin problems, bad body odor, constipation, and various psychological disorders.

Epidemiological studies show an increase in mortality associated with overweight and obesity. Individuals who are obese have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death from all causes compared to individuals who have less fat.

Morbidity from obesity may be as great as from poverty, smoking, or problem drinking. Modest and large weight gains are associated with significantly increased risk of disease. For example, a weight gain of 11 to 18 pounds increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes to twice that of individuals who have not gained weight, while those who gain 44 pounds or more have four times the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A gain of approximately 10 to 20 pounds results in an increased risk of coronary heart disease (nonfatal myocardial infarction and death) of 1.25 times in women and 1.6 times in men. Higher levels of body weight gain of 22 pounds in men and 44 pounds in women result in an increased coronary heart disease risk of 1.75 and 2.65, respectively. In overweight and obese women, the risk of developing endometrial cancer is increased by more than six times compared to women who have healthy weight. Overweight and obesity are also known to exacerbate many chronic conditions such as hypertension and elevated cholesterol.

Overweight and obese individuals also may suffer from social stigmatization, discrimination, and poor body image. They are often unable to participate in sports, recreation, and other activities.

Although obesity-associated morbidities occur most frequently in adults, important consequences of excess weight as well as antecedents of adult disease occur in overweight children and adolescents.

Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to become overweight or obese adults; this concern is greatest among adolescents. Type 2 diabetes, high blood lipids, and hypertension as well as early puberty and orthopedic problems occur with increased frequency in overweight youth. Another common consequence of childhood weight problems is shaming and discrimination.

Some people try to blame their weight problems on genetics, and it’s true that genes can directly cause obesity in disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome.

Some illnesses, prescription hormones, and pharmaceutical drugs may lead to obesity or weight gain. Obesity-inducing illnesses include Cushing's disease, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Drugs such as steroids, painkillers, sedatives, and antidepressants can cause weight gain.

Still, almost all scientists and doctors agree that overweight and obesity most result from an imbalance caused by eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity, rather than from genetic disorders or other factors.

Overweight and obesity are almost always a result of an imbalance created by diet and lack of sufficient activity over a long period of time. The total cause of imbalance for each individual may be due to a specific combination of several factors, including individual behaviors, environmental factors, and genetics, but controllable behavior is almost always the key to controlling weight.

Yet, it is difficult to control dietary intake, because society is so focused on eating and because the food industry is so skilled at pushing us to buy its unhealthy products.

As shown in the book “Fast Food Nation,” and the movie “Supersize Me,” there’s a worldwide multi-billion dollar junk food industry that profits greatly when you eat bad food.

Food advertising and outlets are everywhere, seeking to entice you to eat ice cream, pizza, hamburgers, tacos, sugar products, candy and other manufactured foods, almost all of which contain “empty calories” that provide little nutritional value, while making you fat.

Foods that are high in unhealthy fats and added sugar have lots of calories. Unhealthy fat has almost twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein. Also, compared with calories that come from carbohydrates or proteins, calories that come from fat are more easily used by your body to make body fat.

Foods high in calories from fat and/or added sugar include:

• Pastries, doughnuts, cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, pies
• Most crackers and chips
• Cheeses and most dairy products (note that milk is for baby cows, not humans)
• Cooking oils, margarine, butter, lard, shortening
• Cream, ice cream
• Fried foods, many meats, hot dogs and luncheon meats
• Soda and fruit-flavored juices.

Many of these products contain chemicals, toxins, hormones, and other additives that create health problems that are separate from their contribution to overweight and obesity. It’s a toxic mix that we control because we decide what goes in our mouths. We have the power to just say no to unhealthy foods offered by greedy industries that care more about profit than they do about providing us with proper nutrition for maximum health.

The junk food industry is allied with the medical industry, which makes lots of money treating people who have created health problems by eating junk food.

So-called modern society is offering more food choices, but many of those choices are bad for your health. Pre-packaged foods, fast food restaurants, and soft drinks are more and more accessible. While such foods are fast and convenient they also tend to be high in fat, sugar, and calories. Choosing many foods from these areas may contribute to an excessive calorie intake. Some foods are marketed as healthy, low fat, or fat-free, but may contain more calories than the fat containing food they are designed to replace. It is important to read food labels for nutritional information and to eat in moderation.

Finding healthy foods is getting harder and harder. Until 200 years ago, all fruits and veggies were organic. Now, we pay a premium for greens and vegetables produced without the use of poison and other additives. Even in “health food stores,” many of the items contain non-natural additives.

Portion size of many junk foods has increased in the last three decades, resulting in increased calorie consumption. If the body does not burn off the extra calories consumed from larger portions, fast food, or soft drinks, weight gain occurs.

Many people experience eating dependency or addiction. People with weight problems often have family members who are overweight. They’ve learned to eat when they’re lonely, sad, bored or under lots of stress. Some people eat because they are pressured to do so by their family or friends. Others use food for recreation, or eat just because they see food is available.

Despite all the benefits of being physically active, most people are sedentary, and this causes many health problems. Muscle burns calories, and fat stores them, so people who do no exercise usually have bodies that lack muscle and therefore have low metabolism.

The modern world is all about getting rid of work, making life “easier” and more luxurious. Technology has created many time and labor-saving products and devices, including cars, elevators, computers, dishwashers, and televisions. Instead of walking or riding a bicycle, most people use cars, even for short distance errands a few feet from their home or workplace. We have become strangers to physical activity and our bodies. According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in 2000 more than 26% of adults reported no leisure time physical activity.

Regular physical activity is good for overall health. It decreases the risk for colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It controls weight, builds healthy bones, muscles, and joints; reduces falls among the elderly; and helps to relieve arthritis pain and other chronic conditions. The ability to burn calories by running, swimming, biking, dancing, doing martial arts and otherwise increasing heart rate and breathing is important for people seeking control over their weight.

Weight loss is one of the most powerful ways to achieve better health. Randomized controlled trials have shown that weight loss (as modest as 5 to 15 percent of excess total body weight) reduces the risk factors for at least some diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease. Weight loss results in lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and improved lipid levels. While few published studies have examined the link between weight loss and reduced disease or death in the long-term, current data suggests that this link exists.

Studies have shown that reducing risk factors for heart disease, such as blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, lowers death rates from heart disease and stroke. Therefore, it is highly probable that weight loss that reduces these risk factors will reduce the number of deaths from heart disease and strokes. One study shows that weight loss, healthful diet, and exercise prevent development of type 2 diabetes among persons who are overweight or obese.

The Diabetes Prevention Program created by the National Institutes of Health confirmed significant reductions in risk of developing type 2 diabetes among obese subjects with impaired glucose tolerance- when those individuals changed their diet and did more exercise.

Exercise and eating healthy foods in the proper amounts are crucial to helping your body achieve its proper weight.

Triangle Healing Products specializes in products and services that facilitate weight management.

Indeed, digestive health and total internal cleansing are the core features of our three-part Triangle health program.

This program starts with the realization that overweight, obesity and lack of muscle derive from long-term problems. Our customers tell us that they most benefit when they begin their weight control program with a total cleanse of their internal systems.

This cleansing, which utilizes herbs, minerals, and other safe substances, removes toxins, fat, debris and other material from the body.

During the cleanse process, customers benefit from detoxifying foot spas from Platinum Energy Systems, as well as sessions in our Sunlight Saunas Far Infrared saunas.

Muscles and Fitness

As the body sweats out and otherwise eliminates fat and toxins, customers educate themselves about healthy eating, exercise, dietary choices, and rehabilitation by studying books and other materials from our selection of the latest health, nutrition, and anti-aging publications.

We’ve seen people lose unwanted pounds and inches while increasing their vitality and enjoyment of life.

The anti-aging connection is important to remember. Studies show that perhaps the most effective anti-aging intervention is “calorie deprivation.” That’s right, as difficult as it may be for those of us who love food, a consistent body of scientific evidence demonstrates that long-term under-eating frees the body of expending its energy on digestion, keeps internal organs healthy, enhances energy, and creates an overall feeling of health, despite the hunger pangs, of course!

Triangle also offers two of the most useful appliances that a health-seeking person can have: juicers and water distillers.

As you will find out by purchasing “Gary Null’s Ultimate Anti-Aging Guide” at our store, freshly-made juice derived from organic greens and fruits is a potent phytochemical medicine and cleanser that also tastes great.

Using fresh juices as part of a cleansing and rejuvenation program is a highly efficient way to purge fat and toxins from your system while restoring healthy minerals, vitamins, enzymes and other beneficial compounds.

Triangle has the best juicers available- Green Star, which features advanced technology that gets all the healing elements into the juice efficiently and intact.

Distiller water is necessary because almost all bottled, filtered and tap water contains pollutants that store in the body, where they create disease and interfere with weight loss and internal cleansing.

We sell inexpensive portable and high-output distillers that provide you with the purest water you can drink, water that purifies your body as it satisfies your thirst.

Triangle also offers various types of high quality “probiotics,” which contain “beneficial microbes” that create natural, properly-functioning conditions in your digestive tract while replacing harmful microbes that colonize your insides due to improper diet, use of antibiotics, and other factors. The use of probiotics improves digestion and assists in absorption of nutrients from food.

Whether you want to be a vegetarian, vegan, meat-eater or just eat a moderately-healthful diet that has a little bit of everything you like, Triangle has products and information that can help you fight the battle of the bulge in ways that are effective, safe and natural.

Overweight and obesity are avoidable epidemics that rob millions of people of health. You have the power to control your diet, increase your exercise, clean your insides, and experience a leaner, happier, better-looking, more energetic life.

Contact Triangle today to find out how to lose fat, gain muscle, look better and live longer.