Obesity

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37.     It is clear from the high incidence of globesity that people are overeating in relation to their energy needs and growth (in case of children). Further, the cheapness, easy availability and heavy marketing of energy-dense foods make overeating easy to do, coupled with an increasing reliance on unhealthy snacks and ready to eat meals, which make selecting healthy foods harder. Healthy eating messages by the government and NGOs are drowned by the fat advertising budgets of large multinational companies which are usually aimed at children to spoil their taste buds for natural food.

38.     A person of medium build requires about 30 calories per kg. body weight daily. And if one is serious about not being obese and unhealthy, he/she must ensure that any surplus intake of calories is burnt with regular exercise on daily basis or better still don’t consume extra calories at all.

39.     Some persons, especially old, who are lonely, unhappy, bored or unloved, those who are discontented with their families or social or financial standing, usually tend to overeat as eating is a pleasure and solace to them; but at the cost of their health.

 Food Cravings

40.     Sugary, carb-rich foods, chocolates, sweets raise the level of feel good chemicals, like endorphins, in your body. The trouble with eating high sugar foods is that sugar enters your blood stream very quickly and causes a rush of insulin along with a rush of endorphins. If there is a sudden rise in sugar levels, the insulin breaks it down very quickly, leading to a drop in both sugar and endorphins. This leaves you feeling worse than before and you may crave for more sugary foods to boost your mood, setting up a vicious cycle of food cravings, weight gain, fatigue and mood swings which is usually hard to break but not impossible.

41.     Eating a balanced nutrient rich diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds will help you break this cycle of cravings, sugar and weight grain. This is because eating well, not only nourishes your body but regulates your blood sugar levels so that you don’t get those lows, when you crave sugary pick ups. Your energy levels are less likely to dip, which means you are less likely to crave foods that you don’t need or are not good for you.

 Food Intolerances

42.     If you eat the same food everyday, for years, you can often become sensitive to those very foods, sometimes referred to as food intolerances. And, usually, the foods we crave are the same ones that lead to weight gain. It is again a vicious cycle. Food intolerances can have a direct effect on the assimilation of nutrients, digestive organ function and weight management. The more common foods such as wheat, corn, sugar, dairy, are often implicated as food intolerance triggers. It is easy to become food intolerant these days, especially if you eat too many chemically altered and processed foods. When you eat intolerant foods everyday, you cause a drastic slow down of metabolism. Digestive enzyme function is impaired which means that your body will not break down fat properly. In addition, by eating the same foods everyday, you limit your intake of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. So always rotate a variety of foods.