Natural weight loss remedy to prevent overweight health risks.

While the consequences of obesity are generally well documented and accepted amongst medical practitioners, for people who are considered overweight health risks are somewhat more controversial. It is however important to acknowledge that being overweight (according to the BMI) does increase the risk of those complications shared by obesity. Studies have shown that the chances of death increases between 20 and 40 percent in people classified as overweight.

If you are overweight health risks you are at risk of developing include:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Certain cancers
• Asthma
• Snoring
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Loss of libido
• Pregnancy and birth complications
• Depression
• Liver disease
• Reduced immune system function
• Swollen joints and fluid retention
• Muscular aches and pains
• Gout

In addition,psychological wellbeing is also affected and self esteem issues are often the result. If you are overweight health risks that affect your psychological wellbeing include depression, anxiety, guilt and poor self image.

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Body mass index is determined by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared and multiplying by 100. It can also be calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiplying by 705.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements are classified as follows:

Underweight: BMI below 18.5
Healthy weight: BMI between 18.5-24.9
Overweight: BMI between 25-29.9
Obese: BMI 30 or higher

A BMI score that is above 25, is considered overweight and your risk of weight-related health concerns increases from this point.

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• Genetics – Some people are genetically more likely to gain weight than others. Obesity and weight-gain tend to run in families and while this is largely due to the poor family eating habits, it also points to a specific genetic link.
• Metabolism - Some people have faster metabolic rates than others do. Poor dietary habits, little exercise and crash diets all slow down the metabolism and make weight loss difficult.
• Crash diets - When we diet or drastically reduce our intake of food, our bodies "think" that we are starving because there is a famine or lack of food available. The body then goes into crisis mode and slows down metabolism in order to conserve or make the most of the little food it is getting. The longer the 'famine' lasts, the slower your metabolism will become. Sooner or later (because we are depriving our bodies of essential nutrients) we will be forced to 'binge' or break our diet. When this happens, the body 'hangs on' to every bit of fat, carbohydrate or 'storable' food taken in, because the metabolism is still slow and the body will want to lay in 'provisions' for any future famine by storing food 'just in case'. The more we crash diet, the more our bodies become convinced that our food supplies are unreliable and the more they will therefore tend to store fat. When this happens, we will put on weight even while eating a normal, healthy diet.
• Psychological – Comfort eating is common problem that causes weight-gain. This can sometimes be due to boredom and inactivity, but is often linked to depression and low self esteem. Because food is often used as a reward or connected with a pleasurable experience, it becomes associated with good feelings and before long, food becomes akin to an emotional addiction.
• Sociocultural factors – Modern living often means a diet of fast foods and quick energy needs. This can lead to weight-gain and many people find they soon become overweight due to inactivity and years of eating the incorrect foods.
• Sedentary lifestyles – Lack of physical exercise is one of the leading causes of weight gain. With the introduction of computers, television, TV games and other technological advances that make life "easier", we find that there is little necessity or even opportunity for physical exercise.
• Medical conditions – There are some medical conditions that can cause weight gain and obesity, for example: Hypothyroidism; abnormalities or injury to the hypothalamus region in the brain; Cushing's disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a common hormonal disorder in women.
• Side-effects of certain medication – Some prescription medications can cause you to gain weight. Examples include: corticosteroids; certain female hormone treatments including some oral contraceptives; some antidepressants, and other psychoactive drugs, including certain antipsychotics, lithium, and antiseizure agents. Weight gain due to medication is usually temporary and generally does not lead to obesity proportions.
• Pregnancy – While weight gain during pregnancy is expected and essential for a healthy baby, many women struggle to lose weight after childbirth, commonly referred to as "pregnancy weight".

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In an effort to lose weight, some people turn to prescription or over the counter medicine to control appetite and help them to 'starve' the extra weight off. Many of these products contain stimulants which raise heart rate and can cause anxiety and other health problems. Even some so-called 'natural' products contain ephedra and other harmful stimulants. Ultimately the body suffers and the lost pounds often return with a vengeance after the product is stopped. 

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If you find that being overweight is linked to emotional issues, it is well advised to confront and deal with your emotions head on. Consider some form of psychotherapy to help you identify emotional triggers and come up with positive alternative ways to cope.

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Lifestyle changes should be the first treatment option when you wish to lose weight. While changing years of bad habits is not an easy thing to do, it is not as complicated as many people think, and once you adopt a healthy lifestyle, your body will feel the benefits and you may wonder how you got this far without it. Try incorporating the following tips into your daily life:

• A healthy and balanced diet that includes all food groups in moderation.
• A regular exercise routine
• A positive and healthy mental approach to food
• Identifying and dealing with emotional connections with food

The important thing to remember about a change in lifestyle is that it is a gradual process and so be patient and don’t expect immediate results!

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There are many herbal and homeopathic remedies can help you reach your goal weight in a healthy and effective manner. Herbs such as Garcinia cambogia, Taraxacum officinalis, Glycorrhiza glabra, and Capsicum minimum are especially known for boosting metabolism functioning and stimulating the digestive system, while helping to curb food cravings.

In addition, the sea vegetable Fucus vesiculosis contains a concentrated source of minerals including iodine, which assists in the production of thyroid hormones necessary for maintaining healthy metabolism in all cells of the body.

Homeopathic remedies such as Kalium Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate and Calcium Fluoride also help to improve metabolism while assisting in the breakdown of dietary fat. When used regularly, these natural ingredients can help to assist your body in weight loss while also helping rid your body of harmful toxins. The result is a slimmer, more energetic and healthier you!

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• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day and try beginning each meal with a glass of water. This ensures that you are getting enough fluids through out the day, and it tends to take the edge off of an active appetite.
• Cut down on the sugar! We often consume much more sugar than we are aware of on a daily basis. Try cutting out the sugar in your tea and coffee and find an aspartame-free alternative if you need to satisfy that sweet tooth.
• Watch what you cook and how you cook it. Choose baking and steaming over roasting and frying and always look for the lower fat food products. You can cook or flavor with lemon juice, herbs, garlic or ginger to your heart's content. You can also use Oriental spices like turmeric, chili, masala, etc - but no MSG! Moderate amounts of salt are OK, but don't overdo it!
• Try to have your main meal at midday, so that you have a chance to digest it. You should try avoiding food for at least 4 hours before bedtime, as once you are in bed, you have no opportunity to burn off those calories.
• Eat according to an eating plan. By planning healthy meals in advance, you will be less likely to eat unhealthily on the spur of the moment.
• It is a good idea to keep a daily record of your meals - it helps you to commit yourself and to be able to identify where things go wrong.
• If you are tempted to deviate from your eating plan, get up and DO something! Go for a walk, visit a friend, write an email, put on some music and dance - anything! But, most importantly, get away from the food that is tempting you!
• Avoid calorie-counting, food weighing and obsessive weight watching! These things tend to stress you out and tend to trigger emotional eating spurges.
• Try your best not to 'cheat' or 'lapse', but if you do - don't despair! Don't give up in misery and guilt. Accept that you are human; give yourself a 'pep talk' and start afresh!
• Identify free foods which can be eaten as much as you like, such as apple, raw carrot, celery sticks, raw mushrooms, and cucumber.
• Reward yourself with something other than food when you make progress with your goal weight.
• Become active and take up a physical activity that you enjoy! Learn to love exercise and see it as something you get to do for yourself, and not as a must-do chore. Even 30min a day will help to increase your metabolism.
• Remember to love your body, and what ‘god gave you’. No one is perfect, but if you address your weight from a health point of view, success can be that much easier to achieve! Eat to live, don’t live to eat

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