response 297 of 378:

Mar 10 19:47 UTC 2006

i have a friend d!

response 299 of 378:

Mar 10 20:05 UTC 2006

I profoundly doubt that anybody could make a successful long-term exercise
program out of an activity they hate.  I guess maybe some people would
have sufficient self-discipline and masochism but I don't think it would
be sustainable.

I think the vital elements of any program is that:
1. You can do it, meaning that it's within your abilities and the time
   it takes is time that you have
2. You want to do it; you enjoy it enough to keep at it consistently and
   set new goals to motivate yourself
3. You can increase its intensity as your fitness increases

I enjoy walking, but it doesn't work well for me because it doesn't fit
criteria 1 and 3.  Walking enough to provide a significant health
benefit takes more time than I usually have available to dedicate to it,
and once I reach a decent level of fitness then the only way to make
walking challenging is to put on a 40-pound backpack and walk up a
mountain.  That can be fun but I can't do it every day before (or after)
work.

response 301 of 378:

Mar 10 20:45 UTC 2006

re #277
 resp:266 Ok, what are the risks? Like in a group of a 100 people who are
 morbidly obese, how many of them will be dead by the time they are say
 70 compared to a similar group of people of what you consider to be a
 healthy weight. This seems to be a difficult statistic to find but it
 seems kind of essential to me. I appreciate your good intentions though.

PREMATURE DEATH
An estimated 300,000 deaths per year may be attributable to obesity. 
The risk of death rises with increasing weight. 
Even moderate weight excess (10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height)
increases the risk of death, particularly among adults aged 30 to 64 years.

Individuals who are obese (BMI > 30)* have a 50 to 100% increased risk of
premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy
weight. 

HEART DISEASE
The incidence of heart disease (heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden
cardiac death, angina or chest pain, and abnormal heart rhythm) is increased
in persons who are overweight or obese (BMI > 25).* 
High blood pressure is twice as common in adults who are obese than in those
who are at a healthy weight. 
Obesity is associated with elevated triglycerides (blood fat) and decreased
HDL cholesterol ("good cholesterol"). 

DIABETES
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. 
Over 80% of people with diabetes are overweight or obese. 

CANCER
Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk for some types
of cancer including endometrial (cancer of the lining of the uterus), colon,
gall bladder, prostate, kidney, and postmenopausal breast cancer. 
Women gaining more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk
of postmenopausal breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remains
stable. 

BREATHING PROBLEMS
Sleep apnea (interrupted breathing while sleeping) is more common in obese
persons. 
Obesity is associated with a higher prevalence of asthma. 

ARTHRITIS
For every 2-pound increase in weight, the risk of developing arthritis is
increased by 9 to 13%. 
Symptoms of arthritis can improve with weight loss. 

REPRODUCTIVE COMPLICATIONS
Complications of pregnancy 
Obesity during pregnancy is associated with increased risk of death in both
the baby and the mother and increases the risk of maternal high blood pressure
by 10 times. 
In addition to many other complications, women who are obese during pregnancy
are more likely to have gestational diabetes and problems with labor and
delivery. 
Infants born to women who are obese during pregnancy are more likely to be
high birthweight and, therefore, may face a higher rate of Cesarean section
delivery and low blood sugar (which can be associated with brain damage and
seizures). 
Obesity during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of birth
defects, particularly neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. 
Obesity in premenopausal women is associated with irregular menstrual cycles
and infertility. 

ADDITIONAL HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risks of gall bladder
disease, incontinence, increased surgical risk, and depression. 
Obesity can affect the quality of life through limited mobility and decreased
physical endurance as well as through social, academic, and job
discrimination. 

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood
pressure, occur with increased frequency in overweight children and
adolescents compared to those with a healthy weight. 
Type 2 diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased
dramatically in children and adolescents. Overweight and obesity are closely
linked to type 2 diabetes. 
Overweight adolescents have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese
adults. This increases to 80% if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

The most immediate consequence of overweight, as perceived by children
themselves, is social discrimination. 

BENEFITS OF WEIGHT LOSS
Weight loss, as modest as 5 to 15% of total body weight in a person who is
overweight or obese, reduces the risk factors for some diseases, particularly
heart disease. 
Weight loss can result in lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and
improved cholesterol levels. 
A person with a Body Mass Index (BMI) above the healthy weight range* may
benefit from weight loss, especially if he or she has other health risk
factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes,
a sedentary lifestyle, and a personal and/or family history of heart disease.

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences
.htm

response 303 of 378:

Mar 10 21:33 UTC 2006

That is my point. The statistics are seldom presented in a meaningful 
way. For example:

"Individuals who are obese (BMI > 30)* have a 50 to 100% increased risk 
of premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a 
healthy weight." <---- this is a meaningless statistic unless one knows 
what the risk of premature death from all causes is. I mean, if 10 
people out of a 1000 die prematurely and the obesity risk doubles that 
so 20 out of 1000 die prematurely...well that is a very different thing 
than if the original risk of dying prematurely is 495/1000. See what I 
mean? 

Here is what I think. I think it is possible that even with a doubled 
or even tripled risk of premature death, fat people are MORE likely not 
to die prematurely than they are to die prematurely. They just are more 
likely to die prematurely than someone who isnt obese. 

 

response 305 of 378:

Mar 11 00:50 UTC 2006

If I loose weight and my blood pressure and blood sugar levels drop along with
it, I am in serious trouble.  I have low blood sugar and low blood pressure.
When I was in the hospital for my surgeries in late 2003 and mid 2004 I had
real problems with the nurses and blood pressure.  Since I am overweight they
would always pump the machine up into the 200 range.  My normal pressure runs
in the neighborhood of 105/60. 

Right after STeve's stroke in 2001, our Dr felt that we both fit the profile
of becoming diabetic and put us on a preventative medication without checking
my blood sugar levels.  I didn't think much about it since it is in my
records.  Within a couple of days I was shaky, nauseated, couldn't
concentrate, etc.  I realized what was going on and quit taking them, sent
email to him telling him so and why.  He agreed.

Just because you are overweight doesn't mean that you get the all or any of
the problems associated with it.  Unfortunately, even the medical profession
tends to have the preconceived negatives of being overweight.  The only real
problem I have that can be contributed to my being overweight is the arthritis
in my knees, and only a portion of it.  They were going bad even before I put
on the weight, may actually be part of the reason why I put it on in the first
place.  My knees have been a problem since my early teens, I was very active
in my youth and damaged them often.  The pain in the knees slowed me down as
exercise hurt.  Walking started to hurt before I was 25, I gave up biking
because of it.  I continued to walk until about the time of the June 2004
surgery.  By that point they hurt all the time, moving or not.  Exercise
becomes the last thing you want to do when every step, every movement is
agony.  Even turning over in bed can cause me to wake up crying with the pain.
It then becomes an evil cycle -- no exercise - weight gain, weight gain - more
pain - less exercise.  I seem to have curtailed the gain, now to work on the
loss.  I did do physical therapy in a heated pool a couple of times a week.
It helped with the stiffness and some weight loss, but not the pain. 
Unfortunately, with the semester change my free hours no longer matched the
pool's open hours.  A normal pool doesn't work, cold water causes the muscles
to tighten rather than relax.  The therapy pool is kept at 90 degress, most
people won't tolerate that kind of temps in a pool.

response 307 of 378:

Mar 11 01:09 UTC 2006

Mostly knees, with the hips and ankles joining in on occasion just for fun.
I was having some pain in my right wrist last night while I was working on
a needlepoint piece.  I am hoping that it was because I had the frame leaning
against my desk rather than mounted in its stand (no room for the stand at
the moment)

response 309 of 378:

Mar 11 03:28 UTC 2006

Therapy helped a bit with the overall stiffness, but not the pain.  My
insurance allows 60 PT sessions per problem per calendar year.  If I have to
go beyond that, med sport has what they call a "transitional" program. 
$50/month up to $400/year anytime the pool is open, but not with a therapist.
The pool is open basically all day Mon-Fri with limited hours on Sat.  My
problem is that I need the therapist and he is only in the pool area for two
hours a day Mon-Fri.  Unfortunately, I am in class (working classes) during
those times this semester.  Maybe next term as I am currently planning on not
taking classes and the classes being offered that I would cover are evening
classes.

It is also unfortunate that we have been unable to find anything that will
take care of the pain.  OT drugs don't work, nisads don't work, muscle
relaxants don't help.  The only thing the Dr can offer at this point is
narcotics.  For the moment, I will live with the pain.  I need to be able to
drive, both the car and computers.  I need my brain firing without the
interferance of narcotics.  If the pain gets too much worse, or I get to the
point that STeve and the kids can't put up with the moods caused by the pain,
I will consider narcotics, until then I will put up with it.

response 311 of 378:

Mar 11 09:16 UTC 2006

gad dam str8!

response 313 of 378:

Mar 11 20:44 UTC 2006

taking a shot of a good 12 year old scotch or some other liquor of your 
choice before bed might help.  You that Nyquil's primary ingredient is 
alcohol.  

response 315 of 378:

Mar 11 22:51 UTC 2006

cyklone, no its not.  alcohol is a downer, you drink it and it goes to 
your brain and reduces activity in the central nervous system.  It 
reduces brain activity, which is what has to happen to induce sleep.  
Why do you think they put it in nyquil?

response 317 of 378:

Mar 12 00:53 UTC 2006

I suspect that the alcohol in NyQuil interacts with the other drugs in
NyQuil which in turn induces drowsiness. Alcohol itself can also do the
same thing but if IRC, when people go to sleep after drinking, the
quality of sleep is negatively effected. 

response 319 of 378:

Mar 12 01:21 UTC 2006

Alcohol is a preservative, which is why it may be in some liquid medications
such as mouthwash.

response 321 of 378:

Mar 12 02:16 UTC 2006

huh. and all of this time, I thought the alcohol helped the NyQuil knock
folks out.