Sunday, January 3, 2016 | The Newnan Times-Herald — 1D
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Safe and healthy ways to shed those extra pounds
Maintaining a healthy weight is a great way to avoid sickness and disease. According to the Obesity Education Initiative, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, as people become overweight and obese, their risk for developing a host of ailments, including coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and hypertension, increases. But the consequences of being overweight or obese are not only physical. Psychological side effects like anxiety and low self-esteem have been linked to overweight and obesity as well. With such serious consequences linked to being overweight, it’s no wonder so many men and women are looking to shed pounds. As adults embark on their weight loss journeys, they can expect to encounter a host of “miracle” solutions to weight loss that will promise skinnier waistlines seemingly overnight. But the best way to lose weight is to do so safely and nutritiously. • Avoid short-term diets. Many adults know someone who has experience with a “get-thin-quick” diet that promises to produce slimmer waistlines in a matter of days or weeks. While such diets might actually be able to deliver on their promises, short-term diets rarely lead to long-term weight loss. When attempting to lose weight, men and women should want to shed pounds and keep those pounds off. Short-term diets may require dieters to make unreasonable sacrifices to pro-
A host of ailments, including type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and hypertension, can be reduced or even avoided by mainting one’s weight.
duce rapid weight loss. But such sacrifices can rarely be made over the long-haul, and doing so might even be unhealthy. Approach your diet as a long-term commitment that requires a lifestyle change, not temporary and difficult-to-maintain restrictions. • Eat only when you’re hungry. Eating only when you’re hungry may sound obvious, but many people eat as an emotional response to difficult situations, while others may eat as a way of dealing with boredom. If you routinely respond to stress by eating, find a healthier way of coping, whether it’s going to the gym for a workout or taking the dog for a walk. In
addition, don’t respond to boredom with food. If boredom is setting in, pick up a book or call a friend and plan an activity together. You may be surprised to learn how much weight you can lose when you limit eating to only those times when you are truly hungry. • Eat at home. Even though many restaurants now provide calorie information on their menus, dining out does not afford adults the opportunity to control their diets as much as eating
EXTRA POUNDS, page 2D
Glaucoma does not always exhibit symptoms
Start today to improve your chances of living a long, healthy life.
Healthy habits
As the human body ages, certain things might not work as well as they used to. Though no two individuals are the same, there are certain things people expect to deal with as they age. Changes in vision are one thing many people associate with aging. Some people maintain perfect vision throughout their lives, while others’ vision deteriorates and conditions begin to develop. Though not exclusive to the elderly, glaucoma is one such condition many seniors must deal with. But even though risk for glaucoma increases as a person ages, that doesn’t mean younger men and women should not familiarize themselves with this condition and learn its symptoms and characteristics. In fact, glaucoma can be present for years before it’s recognized. This only further highlights the importance of understanding this condition so, should it appear, it can be effectively treated as soon as possible.
that can have a lasting impact A long and healthy life is the ultimate goal for many people. While a host of factors beyond a person’s control, such as genetics, impact how long that person lives and how susceptible to certain medical conditions he or she may be, there are many things men and women can do to improve their chances of living long, healthy lives. • Keep working. While many working men and women dream of the day when they can leave the daily grind behind once and for all, they might want to think more about a second career than a long, carefree retirement. A study from British researchers published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that each extra year that men and women work was associated with a six-week delay in the onset of dementia. While men and women may want to retire from their professions, finding second careers or volunteering close to full-time hours may improve their long-term health and quality of life. • Stay on your toes. A healthy diet is a key component of a healthy lifestyle,
but diet alone is not enough to promote a long and healthy life. According to the Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library, the risks associated with a physically inactive lifestyle are considerable. Such risks include a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and coronary heart disease and even a greater risk for certain cancers. In addition, physical inactivity can add to feelings of anxiety and depression. Inactivity tends to increase with age, so men and women aiming for long and healthy lives should make physical activity a vital part of their daily lives. • Get your whole grains. Whole grains may be another key ingredient to a long and healthy life. Numerous studies have shown that increasing whole grain consumption can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Researchers who conducted a systematic review of studies examining the link between whole grains and type 2 diabetes prevention in 2007 found that eating an extra two servings of
HABITS, page 2D
What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is a term used to refer to a group of conditions that can cause damage to the optic nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for carrying visual information from the eye to the brain, and oftentimes optic nerve damage is a result of increased pressure in the eye. In the United States, glaucoma is the second most common cause of blindness. What role does intra-ocular pressure play? The eyes are filled with fluids that help maintain pressure in the eye. That pressure is called intra-ocular pressure, or IOP. IOP is not a bad thing, but high IOP is a risk factor for glaucoma. Measuring IOP is fairly easy. Doctors will use a tonometer to measure IOP, but men and women should know that normal IOP does not necessarily mean a person does not have glaucoma, nor does high IOP mean a person does have glaucoma. While high IOP is a risk factor for glaucoma and controlling IOP is a focus of glaucoma therapy, there is more to diagnosing and treating glaucoma than just focusing on IOP. What causes high IOP? The eye produces a fluid called the aqueous humor which is used to bathe and nourish the various parts of the eye. This fluid typically flows out of the eye through channels in the front of the eye in an area called the anterior chamber angle.
Glaucoma can be present for years before it’s recognized.
When the flow of the aqueous humor is blocked or slowed, the fluid gets trapped in the eye and then IOP builds, at which point damage to the optic nerve can occur. Are all cases of glaucoma the same? Not all cases of glaucoma are the same. In fact, there are four major types of glaucoma. * Open-angle, or chronic, glaucoma: Openangle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma. The cause is unknown, but an increase in eye pressure occurs slowly over time as the pressure starts to push on the optic nerve and the retina at the back of the eye. This type of glaucoma tends to run in families, so men and women who have a parent or grandparent who has had openangle glaucoma should not miss appointments with his or her eye doctor, even if vision seems normal. This is especially important because most people with open-angle glaucoma have no symptoms until they begin to lose vision, though gradual loss of peripheral vision may occur. * Angle-closure, or acute, glaucoma: Angleclosure glaucoma occurs when the aqueous humor is suddenly blocked. This is very noticeable, as it causes instant and severe pain as the IOP quickly increases. Risk for angle-closure glaucoma increases for those who have already had it in one eye. Symptoms include decreased or cloudy vision, nausea and vomiting, seeing rainbow-like halos around lights, and reddening of the eye. * Congenital glaucoma: Congenital glaucoma is present at birth and results from an abnormal development of the f luid outf low channels in the eye. Symptoms are typically noticed when the child is a few months old. These can include cloudiness of the front of the eye, enlargement of one or both eyes, sensitivity to light, tearing, and reddening of the eye. * Secondary glaucoma: Secondary glaucoma results from other conditions, including uveitis, a condition where the middle layer of the eye, known as the uvea, swells and causes irritation. Secondary glaucoma can also result from systemic diseases and drugs such as corticosteroids.
How to overcome excuses and commit to working out
According to The Department of Health and Human Services, exercising thirty minutes per day is recommended, even if broken up into three, 10-minute sessions.
Staying healthy requires a daily commitment. It is not always easy to get out of bed for those early-morning workouts or jump on the treadmill at the end of the night when you finally have some free time, but such efforts are a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle into your golden years. Many men and women know there are plenty of excuses to skip workouts. Overcoming such excuses can sometimes be difficult, but there are ways to ensure you stay on the right track toward a healthy lifestyle. Excuse #1: I don’t have enough time to exercise. Shortage of time is a factor for many busy individuals. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends the
average person get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. Thirty minutes per day can easily be broken up into three, 10-minute sessions. Take the stairs, jog on your lunch hour or do deep-seated squats while preparing dinner. It’s easy to fit in daily exercise if you’re willing to be creative. Excuse #2: I’m too out of shape. Getting back into shape is a prime motivator for exercise. However, fear of being able to keep up or personal body image issues sometimes keep people from exercising. There are workout
WORKING OUT, page 3D