oh!!! wo-(man-ia)
edition 5 july‘2014
From the Doctor's Desk
1. If someone is trying to lose weight, is giving up
food the correct way?
3. How safe are surgical procedures like liposuction,
silicone implants and laser surgeries for correcting
body issues?
Giving up food is definitely not the right way to lose weight. It
sometimes seems like it is the only option, but when you see the
consequences, it really isn’t the best choice. People who crash
diet usually end up becoming pale, weak and susceptible to many
health related issues like Anemia, Poor immunity – causing
increasing chances of infection in the body.
Mostly surgeries are not recommended for cosmetic issues of
weight. Bariatric surgery is a branch that deals with surgeries
which helps in losing weight which is advised for morbidly obese
people, which means it is for people who cannot lose weight by
any other means like exercise or diet control. This for the people
for whom obesity is causing health issues that could be fatal.
These are for people whose BMI is greater than 40. Laser
surgeries, thought safe, should be done only if needed.
Otherwise, exercise and following proper diet is the best way to
maintain a healthy lifestyle
Body needs nutrients to function, that we usually devoid our
body of, when we crash diet. This decreases the overall health. It
also affects the daily work and routine resulting in lassitude,
fatigue and little willingness in doing daily activities as the
energy intake becomes low to sustain throughout the day. So
losing weight by giving up food is a strict no-no.
4. As a doctor, what would you suggest is a healthy
way of living??
The best advice in losing weight as given by many health
programs is by eating the same amount you eat, with added
nutrients and fiber content. Add exercise to your daily
routine. You don’t need to compromise on food; instead,
exercising 45 min a day, 4 times a week will save you from all
health related problems like heart diseases, high cholesterol,
hypertension etc. Any cardio activity aids your heart to be
active and pumping. It is very good for your cardiovascular
system which helps in burning calories. This in turn helps you
feel good, fresh and stress free all day. So for a healthy body,
exercise and proper nutrition is the only way. The best way
you to lose weight, is to eat right.
A healthy way to lose weight would only be to eat along with
exercise, as I have mentioned before! And yes, definitely eat, but
eat right. Frequently and in small proportions. By giving the body
the nutrients it need in small intervals works very well. The body
burns the food we eat from internal body function which is
known as the Basal Metabolic Rate. This rate determines how
your body processes food. This is one of the main reasons why
people who eat in large amounts are still thin and fit. This is
because their body utilizes every bit of what they eat which
means they have a better BMR – Basal Metabolic rate.
When we eat in small amounts and in frequent intervals we
keep the body working and it keeps burning the calories
thereby increasing our BMR. Also eating healthy means we need
to make sure the fiber intake is more and there are
comparatively less carbs in our diet. Carbohydrates should not
be done away with completely as they are very important too.
Having more fruits, vegetables, oats, daalia and whole grain
food items which involve good amount of fiber ensures good
health. Drinking lots and lots of water can help you get rid of
toxicities that you always wanted to get rid of. It is good for
preventing constipation too. At least 5-10 glasses of water a
day is recommended.
2. Tell us about the disorders which are food related
persistent in teenagers and people who are obsessive
about their body image??
Two types of food disorders that are very common are Bulimia
and Anorexia nervosa. This condition is very common in
adolescent girls and boys who are desperately trying to lose
weight in a short period of time. Out of the two disorders
mentioned, Bulimia is more common and comparatively less
dangerous.
Bulimia