We love hearing from our customers. Every time you purchase, a few weeks later, we'll send you an email. An opportunity for you to tell us what you think about our products or site!
We love hearing from our customers. Every time you purchase, a few weeks later, we'll send you an email. An opportunity for you to tell us what you think about our products or site!
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from the CDC, approximately 40% of adults in the USA suffer from obesity, and this number has been on the rise over the last several decades. According to a recent study, obesity is the leading cause of preventable death in the USA.
When you put numbers to that, we are talking about over 70 million Americans – and another 99 million who are overweight, possibly on the path to becoming obese. Over $100 billion is spent each year on healthcare for obesity-related health conditions.
This is, by far, one of the most significant factors in American health today.
Most people are aware that obesity significantly increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but there are many other risk factors associated with excess weight – including a weakened immune system.
And no, we are not trying to body shame anyone who is curvier or rounder than the social norm on Instagram – you can look attractive regardless of your body shape. At BodyHealth, our goal is to help you feel and look your best, be in excellent health, and have the freedom to live your life to the fullest, and that means speaking some hard truths on occasion.
[1,2]
Understanding Obesity
According to the CDC, there are several classifications of weight based on your body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by comparing your height and your weight, and it breaks down into the following categories:
BMI
Weight Status
Below 18.5
Underweight
Between 18.5 and 24.9
Normal
Between 25.0 and 29.9
Overweight
Between 30.0 and 39.9
Obese
40.0 and above
Extremely obese
To calculate your BMI, you can use the adult BMI calculator or the child BMI calculator offered by the CDC – which will give you an immediate idea of where you stand.
Of course, you must take the idea of BMI with a grain of salt. Athletes and gym junkies tend to weigh more than a “normal” weight but are extremely healthy – so you cannot take BMI from an online calculator at face value.
[3]
How obesity affects your health
Obesity impacts almost every aspect of your health. It places your body in a state of chronic inflammation and significantly increases your risk of developing many life-altering and deadly diseases.
Obesity and Inflammation
According to Gökhan Hotamisligil, the chairman of the Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, obesity is essentially an inflammatory disease. In a recent publication, he stated:
“You’re activating the immune system without a legitimate pathogen. You’re constantly activating your immune system at a low level in such a way that it releases chemicals that start contributing to inflammation.”
Chronic inflammation is itself a precursor to severe physiological and neurodegenerative disorders.
[4,5]
Obesity and Your Heart
Excess fat cells stored throughout your body require added blood flow and increased circulation, which puts extra stress on your heart and leads to high blood pressure – the leading cause of stroke in the USA. It is also linked to high LDL (bad cholesterol), which results in plaque buildup in your arteries, restricting blood flow and dramatically raising your risk for a heart attack.
Obesity is also a leading cause of diabetes, as it greatly increases the number of pro-inflammatory cytokines, hormones, glycerol, fatty acids, and other substances that are known to trigger insulin resistance. Excess fat in your abdominal area is a particularly high-risk form of obesity.
Statistically speaking, men and women who suffer from obesity are up to 80 times more likely to develop type II diabetes.
[6,7]
Risks Associated with Diabetes
According to the CDC and other leading research groups, those who suffer from obesity are significantly more likely to experience or contract one or more of the following life-threatening conditions:
Depression, anxiety, and other forms of poor mental health
Pain and lethargy
Urinary incontinence
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Back pain
Sadly, many of these conditions are becoming increasingly common among younger people as obesity rates rise in our youth.
[8,9]
Even a few pounds can make a difference
Now, you might be reading this and think, “well, I might have a few extra pounds, but I’m not obese, so these risks don’t apply to me.” While there is some truth to this, research has revealed that being even 10 pounds overweight can significantly impact your health and raise your risk of developing various health conditions.
In fact, studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between an increase in BMI and an increase in health risks. According to a study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine that evaluated over 150,000 individuals, some astonishing risk factors were identified. Women with a BMI between 22 and 24.9 (which is still in the normal range) have DOUBLE the risk of diabetes compared to women with a BMI of between 18.5 and 21.9. These same BMI levels come with a 40% increased risk for high blood pressure and a 30% increased risk of high cholesterol and colon cancer.
Again, BMI is not the only index that matters – athletes and people in excellent shape can have a “high BMI” as the result of high muscle density and muscle mass. If you are not an athlete and you have some extra pounds, you are likely very aware of it and are trying to do something about it.
[10]
How YOU Can Lose Weight Today
Losing weight is not always easy.
It can be a serious challenge to drop the excess fat and get your body into shape. There are hundreds of popular diets that all claim to work miracles, but the truth is that every person is unique – and what works for one may not work for another.
That being said, there are two factors that apply to everyone, and that can help you lose weight and stay healthy:
Eat healthy foods: A diet rich in vegetables and protein, but low in processed carbs can provide your body with the nutrition it needs without the excess calories that get stored as fat.
Exercise each day: Even 30 minutes per day of exercise can make a significant impact on your energy levels, physique, BMI, and overall health. You don’t need to transform into a gym junkie overnight or start training for an Ironman triathlon – you can simply go jogging or running, do some at-home workouts, and take on the problem in easy steps that you are comfortable with.
There are also many advanced nutritional products available that help to support your body’s natural metabolism of fat, such as Healthy-Thin Energize from BodyHealth. You may also benefit from our Optimum Weight Management Program, which is designed to help you sustainably lose up to 20 pounds within 23 days.
Whatever you do, every effort you make toward achieving a healthy, normal weight for your body supports your health – it is not just a point of vanity!
Dr. David Minkoff graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 1974 and was elected to the “Phi Beta Kappa” of medical schools, the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Fraternity for very high academic achievement. He then completed both a Pediatric Residency and Fellowship in Infectious Disease at the University of California at San Diego.
He worked at the University of California and Children’s Hospitals in San Diego as an attending physician in infectious disease while conducting original research on Ribaviron, a broad spectrum anti-viral agent to fight disease. He also co-directed a neo-natal intensive care unit and worked in emergency medicine.
In 1992, Dr Minkoff’s wife Sue, a Registered Nurse, became interested in nutrition and health and began to go to lectures from some of the experts in the field. At the time, Dr Minkoff was pretty fixed in his view of traditional medicine and it took a lot of convincing to get him to come to one of these lectures. After hearing Dr Jeffrey Bland speak, Dr Minkoff had a eureka moment and began pursuing the alternative field with a vengeance. Based on this new knowledge Dr Minkoff and his wife set up a small clinic in 1997 to help some friends with their medical problems. What began as an experiment blossomed into Lifeworks Wellness Center, one of the most successful clinics for complementary medicine in the United States. In the process, he gained expertise in Biological medicine, integrative oncology, heavy metal detoxification, anti-aging medicine, hormone replacement therapy, functional medicine, energy medicine, neural and prolotherapy, homeopathy and optimum nutrition. He studied under the masters in each of these disciplines until he became an expert in his own right. Dr Minkoff is one of the most in demand speakers in the field and wrote an Amazon best selling book called The Search For The Perfect Protein.
The demand for the products and protocols he discovered became a catalyst for founding BodyHealth.Com, a nutrition company that now manufactures and distributes cutting-edge nutritional solutions for the many health problems of today. Dr. Minkoff writes two free online newsletters, “The Optimum Health Report” and ”The BodyHealth Fitness Newsletter”, to help others learn about optimum health and fitness.
Dr. Minkoff is an avid athlete himself and has completed 44 Ironman Triathlons. To keep his fitness maximal, he lives the lifestyle he teachers to others and tries to set an example for others, so they can enjoy a life free of pain and full of energy.
by Dr. David MinkoffFebruary 24, 20216 min read0 Comments
So-called “energy drinks” litter the shelves in health food stores and grocery stores. Each brand promises to deliver the energy boost you need for workouts or just to make it through the day.
The sad truth is that most commercial drinks and drink powders come with a steep price to your health.
Most of the popular brands contain stimulants such as caffeine and high levels of sugar. They make you feel jittery and wired, with a crash that comes soon after.
by Dr. David MinkoffJanuary 28, 20216 min read0 Comments
If you wake up feeling tired and groggy, suffer from an afternoon crash, or simply live with a general feeling of lethargy – you are not alone.
According tostatista.com:
Only one in seven Americans wake up feeling fresh each day
45% of Americans who sleep seven to eight hours per night report feeling exhausted at least three times per week
Only 20% of Americans who sleep well report feeling alert and refreshed all the time
Another survey found that 60% of Americans feel more tired over the last 12 months than ever before, especially with the huge socioeconomic shift that has so many people now working from home.
by Dr. David MinkoffJanuary 14, 20214 min read0 Comments
If there is anything society has come to realize over the last century, it is that women are just as powerful, smart, ambitious, and capable as men. And while society as a whole is still catching up as far as true equality, the facts are evident when you look at some of the most incredible and influential people today.
When it comes to fitness, however, men and women arenotthe same. The natural, physiological differences necessitate unique approaches to achieve optimal results. While the fundamental science behind attaining a shredded, lean physique is basically the same for both sexes, the exact steps and application require careful consideration.
Signup for the BodyHealth Newsletter and get a FREE digital copy of "The Search for the Perfect Protien" by Dr. David Minkoff and discover the key to weight loss, depression, fatigue, insomnia, and osteoporosis!
