Obesity

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OBESITY Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.

REMARKABLE CASE OF ENORMOUS OBESITY. DANGERS OF EXCESSIVE EATING.

A case published at the The Lancet Journal– Vol. XII - 1826 -7 – No.199 p.360 Edited by Thomas Wakley London, June 23rd, 1826 

Comments in red throughout this presentation.

COMMENTS BY:

Vilemar Magalh達es vilemar@ewi.com.br

BMI – BODY MASS INDEX A

measure of body fat is calculated by dividing an adult’s weight (in kilograms) by the square of his or her height (in meters). If you are 1.70m and 65kg BMI = 65/ (1.70 x 1.70 = 2.89) = 22,49 BMI Categories: Underweight = <18.5 Normal weight > 18.5–24.9 Overweight = 25–29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

REVEALING THE CAUSE 

This presentation intends to show that meat alone is not likely to make one fat. Hormonal imbalance can be responsible for the quantity of food one needs in order to be satisfied and to gain weight. The case herewith discussed is no doubt an example of the hardships a person with hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid goes through when not treated. Our subject is probably a man, identified as Kröcker from Berlin. The case was treated as an acute case of obesity due to excessive animal protein ingestion.

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Name: Kröcker Age: 37 Occupation: Butcher Place: Berlin, Germany. Kröcker was not fat until he was about 30 years old. He started to eat excessively and to gain weight, drink too much beer and eat too much salt. His health condition improved after he was received for treatment. Important: When he was administered iodine his appetite went back to normal and so his weight. He could have had less problems if the right diagnose were found at that time. It was not possible as scientists were able to identify hypothyroidism as a illness in 1850.

SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM a) chronic daily headache b) epigastric pain c) chronic chest pain d) intense malaise e) lethargy f) mental confusion spells g) breathlessness at rest h) bloated i) painful and tender thyroid

KRÖCKER’S DIET

He started to eat lots of meat. The more he ate, the more he wanted to eat. And most of the time he was eating or sleeping. Kröcker probably had intense malaise and lethargy not for eating meat, but as a symptom for his hypothyroidism condition.

DIET 



For a bet he has frequently devoured the boiled flesh of an entire calf in a day, seasoned only with salt, in the presence of many persons. He said once he would be able for a second. When aldosterone level gets too low, which can be common in some patients with cortisol deficiency, the kidneys will excrete too much salt, and it leads to low blood pressure; low blood volume; a high pulse and/or palpitations, dizziness and or lightheadedness when you stand; fatigue; and a craving for salt. Symptoms of low aldosterone can also include frequent urination, sweating, a slightly higher body temperature, and a feeling of thirst, besides the craving of salt. Potassium can fall, as well.

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/aldosterone/

KNOWING THE FACTS 

He would not trust himself in the sausage manufactory, as he would eat the minced meat by the pound, spreading it over bread with as little ceremony as the people spread treacle How much bread wouldn’t he eat in order to consume so much meat? The sugar of the bread has immediate absortion and the same does not happen to meat in our diet. So, what might have worsen this obesity problem, the bread or the meat?

DIET Animal food was his favourite repast  He would devour from 8 to 10 pounds of tripe at a meal or from 6 to 7 pounds of beef and sausages.  Later he got to 16 pounds of beef daily to satisfy his hunger  By way of breakast, or supper, he would eat from two to three dozen of the pettitoes of pigs  His usual drink was beer, of which he daily drank from two to three quarts.  Comments: Drinking beer interfer with the iron absortion. Therefore his thyroid problem got worse. And he was dehydrating. 

SYMPTOMS As he fed himself that way he was gradually increasing in bulk.  His breathing becoming daily more difficult. He was afraid of being completely choked.  His eyes appearing to start from his head.  Lips: dull violet color.  His power of locomotion daily diminishing  He was obliged to confine himself to his large chair and his bed.  Every now and then he was in great danger of suffocation. Graefe reported the case 

SYMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM AND NOT OF OF A MEAT RICH DIET.     

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The conjunctival lining being of a bright red color The entire countenance was of a dark crimson. The pulse was tremulous, irregular, and frequently intermittent. Complaints of great pulpitation of the heart. Although, from the immense projection of the abdomen, and the huge pendulons breasts, it was impossible to bring the hand upon the part of the chest covering it. He could only speak at intervals, and that with great difficulty. The abdomen protruded, so as to cover the upper half of the thighs; and on several parts of its imensely distended surface were round redish spots, of about the fourth of an inch in diameter, hard and painful to the touch, somewhat resembling small lipoma or fatty tumours.

STARTING HIS TREATMENT Height: 5’4” high  The circumference of his abdomen: 5’5”  The circumference of his thigh: 2’4”  The circumference of the calf of his legs: 1’7”  The circumference of his breasts: 1’8” and were 8” long.  When he started his treatment with Graefe, he was weighing 400 pounds. 

CHAMBER’S SMELL Although the chamber in which he lay was kept very clean, and his linen frequently changed, the odour exhaled was exceedingly offensive and resemble much the smell of a dissecting room, or a butcher’s shop, on the evening of a hot day.  Comments: Fat people do not have to smell bad. And it happens when the fat person does not or can not clean himself well. Some of them have difficulties cleaning their bodies after defecating for not being able to reach the parts to be cleaned. 

KRÖCKER He was bleeding copiously and frequently and for that he was given large doses of calomel (comments on next slide), and the substituition of fasting for his enormous stuffing. "The appeal is that [fasting] is quick, but it is quick fluid loss, not substantial weight loss," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS, founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Weight Loss Management Center. 

(THERAPY COMMENTS: CALOMEL (QUICKSILVER) 

A drug based on mercury

Indication: a) Variety of physical and mental ailments, b) Laxative and disinfectant, c) Treatment for syphilis.

It is highly toxic. Its toxicity is made worse because the mercury accumulates over time as a poison within the body.

It was believed to be an effective purgative and helped release the 'impurities' from the sick patient.

Side effects: the loss of hair and teeth permanently

MEDICINE 



Purgative medicines were frequently given. Having purgative one can develop electrolyte imbalance and dehydration which can be serious. If blood potassium becomes deficient, one can have symptoms such as weakness, fating or rapid heartbeat and it can result in death.

DIET Strictly vegetable diet and vegetable acids  4 weeks later he was reduced to about 316 pounds. 

When vegetables are taken too largely, and for too long, they are apt to produce irritation of the gastro - intestinal mucous membrane, to lessen the appetite and disturb digestion, and, partly through this effect, and partly, in all probability, through a direct depression of the circulatory function, to impair the organic processes generally, and thus occasion paleness, general weakness, and emaciation. Read more: http://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medicadrugs/Treatise-Therapeutics-Pharmacology-Materia-MedicaVol2/III-Vegetable-Acids.html#ixzz1yfddsGhe

IODINE 

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During 4 months he took large doses of iodine to accelerate absorption, he was reduced to about 267 pounds. When thyroid hormone levels are too low, the body's cells can't get enough thyroid hormone and the body's processes start slowing down. As the body slows, one may notice that he feels colder, tires more easily, the skin gets drier, he becomes forgetful and depressed, and starts getting constipated. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/iodine_deficiency.html

AUGUST 10, 1826

He was active, cheerful  Able to resume his former business  He was reduced to 209 pounds  Good health  Appetite moderate 

HYPOTHYROIDISM CHECKLIST(I) ____ I am gaining weight inappropriately ____ I'm unable to lose weight with diet/exercise ____ I am constipated, sometimes severely ____ I have hypothermia/low body temperature (I feel cold when others feel hot, I need extra sweaters, etc.) ____ I feel fatigued, exhausted ____ Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic ____ My hair is coarse and dry, breaking, brittle, falling out ____ My skin is coarse, dry, scaly, and thick ____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice ____ I have puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face ____ I have pains, aches in joints, hands and feet ____ I have developed carpal-tunnel syndrome, or it's getting worse ____ I am having irregular menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent) ____ I am having trouble conceiving a baby ____ I feel depressed ____ I feel restless ____ My moods change easily ____ I have feelings of worthlessness ____ I have difficulty concentrating ____ I have more feelings of sadness ____ I seem to be losing interest in normal daily activities ____ I'm more forgetful lately http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm

HYPOTHYROIDISM CHECKLIST

(II)

____ My hair is falling out ____ I can't seem to remember things ____ I have no sex drive ____ I am getting more frequent infections, that last longer ____ I'm snoring more lately ____ I have/may have sleep apnea ____ I feel shortness of breath and tightness in the chest ____ I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen ____ My eyes feel gritty and dry ____ My eyes feel sensitive to light ____ My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me dizzy/vertigo and have headaches ____ I have strange feelings in neck or throat ____ I have tinnitus (ringing in ears) ____ I get recurrent sinus infections ____ I have vertigo ____ I feel some lightheadedness ____ I have severe menstrual cramps http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm

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