Is Obesity in the Eye of the Beholder?

This is what Sherry Rauh believes may be the case in her WebMD feature "Is Fat the New Normal?"
She notes that 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese which makes being seem like heavy the "average" body type. This is becoming more true as "the average American is 23 pounds heavier than his or her ideal body weight."  The problem with this is that people tend to "equate 'normal' with average" and we are left with the idea that it is normal to be overweight, which may be detrimental to the health of many people.
Another interesting point that Rauh makes is that being overweight has a lot to do with where you live and who you associate with as people ten to emulate what they are used to. This means that they best thing that you can do for those around you is to be a healthy role model. If you tend to eat well and get regular exercise your positive actions have a good chance of rubbing off on thse closest to you!
Read all of Rauh's article here: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/is-fat-the-new-normal

Thirsty?

As we stated yesterday - summer is here! And so is the heat. Read up on dehydration today so you can can avoid it in the future.

Dehydration can be a factor in many health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, kidney stones and failure, failing vision, prostate problems, and ulcers. Many health experts believe that most Americans are in a constant state of being partially dehydrated. In simple terms, we don’t drink enough pure water.

What Causes Dehydration?

Classic dehydration can be caused by overexertion, excessive sweating, and just plain lack of drinking enough liquids. You can also get dehydrated from drinking too much caffeine and alcohol. If you do consume large amounts of these, be sure to drink extra water. Also, drink plenty of water if you are overweight and exerting yourself. Remember that you can get dehydrated in wet, humid heat just as easily as in dry heat.

If you are constantly thirsty, check for diabetes. Symptoms of dehydration include:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Dry skin and mouth
• Dark urine, and not voiding often enough
• Constipation
• Poor digestion, as enzymes don’t function as well without enough water in the system
• Overweight
• Eczema
• Premature aging and wrinkles, sags, dark circles under the eyes, listless skin tone
• Low blood pressure, causing dizziness upon standing
• Being overly acidic
• Urinary infections
• Aching joints, particularly in the big toe
• Nausea
• Lethargy
• Skin that doesn’t snap back upon being pinched, particularly on the back of the hands (known as turgor)
• Edema
• Toxemia
• Hunger and stomach pain

Stay healthy and hydrated this summer with Boku Super Food