If you’ve been eating a healthy diet and exercising, but your weight is on the rise, there could be an underlying medical issue that has you concerned. Maybe it’s a hormone condition, or another factor altering your body’s physiology without you knowing it.
Obesity is a disorder that develops when you consume more calories than you burn off. That excess can be stored as fat, which is harmful to your health. There are several major factors that cause obesity, including genetics, social and economic influences, and environmental conditions.
1. Diet (the amount of food and drinks consumed)
Eating too many calories is one of the most common causes of obesity. Americans consume a large number of calories every day from foods and beverages that are high in fat, sugar, salt and alcohol. Combined with a lack of exercise, this can lead to obesity and a higher risk of other diseases.
2. Physical activity levels:
Most adults in the United States are overweight or obese, and they should be getting regular physical activity to keep their weight at a healthy level. Increasing physical activity is important for the prevention of chronic disease, such as heart disease and diabetes.
3. Hormones:
Women’s bodies go through hormonal changes at different times throughout their lives, and these changes can affect the amount of fat they store. For example, oestrogen levels drop during menopause and perimenopause, and this can increase the chances of women gaining weight.
4. Medicine:
Taking certain medications can also cause weight gain, including antidepressants, antipsychotics and diabetes medication. It’s best to talk with your healthcare provider about this possibility before you start taking any new medications, since these drugs can alter your appetite and metabolic rate.
5. Age:
Ageing increases the likelihood of obesity because it decreases the body’s ability to convert calories into energy and decreases muscle mass. In addition, ageing decreases the rate at which the body burns fat.
6. Stress:
A stressful lifestyle can cause you to eat more and burn less calories, and it can make it harder to stick with a healthy diet and regular exercise routine. It’s important to get plenty of sleep, especially during the night, and reduce your stress as much as possible.
7. Junk foods:
A junk food diet is often low in nutrients and high in fat, calories and sugars. It’s also difficult to digest and metabolise, which means that your body spends more energy breaking down the food and sending it to fat storage instead of burning it for energy.
8. Liquids:
Drinking liquids such as soda, juice, tea and coffee can also increase your calorie intake. These drinks are often high in sugar and salt, and they can cause you to feel hungry even after the initial satiety has worn off.
9. Unhealthy diet:
A poor diet that is high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables and full of fast food and oversized portions contributes to obesity. This type of food is often found in convenience stores, and it’s hard to avoid it.
How to Recover From Back Pain
The back is one of the most common areas to suffer from pain and inflammation. But with a few key strategies, you can take control of your back pain and get back to living your life.
The Health Back
A major cause of back pain is poor posture and sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Changing your seated position and doing some gentle exercise can help you regain your natural back arch, which helps relieve pressure on your lower spine.
Spinal cord workout stretching
A spinal cord workout is a series of exercises that help improve your spinal flexibility and strengthen your core muscles, which reduces the stress on your back. The best way to do a spinal cord workout is with the guidance of a physical therapist, who can provide you with specific instructions.
Using the right exercise techniques to stretch your spinal cord can also prevent future back injuries. This is especially important when you are trying to recover from a herniated disc.
Knee-to-chest stretches are a simple yet effective way to elongate your spine and decrease pain. Start with your legs straight and then gently bend them in toward your chest as you press your back to the floor. This stretch can be done two to three times on each leg and should be performed twice a day for maximum benefit.
Strengthening your abdominal muscles can also be beneficial to relieve back pain by helping to ease the strain on the spine and reducing stress in your stomach area. However, it is very important to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program.
Walking can be a great way to get your heart pumping and stimulate blood flow, which helps increase the circulation of nutrients to your body’s tissues. Try walking for short periods of time, such as 15 to 20 minutes a few times a day. If you are able to do this without worsening your symptoms, you may be able to move into more strenuous activities sooner.
Sleeping correctly can also be an important factor in recovering from back pain. Make sure to choose a good position that is comfortable and doesn’t stress your spine, such as a flat or fetal position.
Limit sitting to no more than 30 minutes at a time, and do not sit in the same position for longer periods of time. Sitting causes increased pressure on your lower spine and can increase inflammation, which can aggravate back pain, says Rami Hashish, Ph.D., a body performance and injury expert.
Avoid lifting heavy or awkward objects if you are suffering from back pain. Lifting heavy, awkward or improperly positioned objects can put extra strain on your lower back and can lead to further injury.
A diet that contains plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins can be helpful in recovering from back pain. But don’t eat anything that is highly inflammatory, such as high-fat or refined sugars and processed foods, because these can make your back pain worse.
KNOW MORE : Online supplement