My Journey!

Nkiru Oh

Yes, I am embarking on a journey! Am sick and tired of  wasting my time! And how best to undertake this journey than to share my steps with the world knowing that it is a joy to share good tidings! See, I've been wanting to do this for long! Procrastination is the number one killer of success! Many procrastinate but it's never a good thing to do. So after all these years, I made up my mind to change! I have made several attempts before. But this one is like no other.

I am talking about a journey to weight loss! Fear is not always bad. Fear can be a motivator. Yes, I have allowed my fear of Type 2 Diabetes and other obesity-related diseases to force me to change for the better! Added to that is my fear of being crippled with Arthritis such that I'll not be able to wear my block high heels! Did you just say am vain? No dear, I ain't vain. Just being real! Delay can be dangerous! Yesterday, finally, I joined Nutrisystem! Yes, for weight loss! Oops! You thought it was some sort of a grand thing I was about to share with you? Well, to me, this is incredibly grand! This is great! Unbelievable! Super indeed! It is a journey of a lifetime! As we get older, our perspectives change. We become more health conscious. Moreover, any one logging about one hundred pounds, or more, of excess weight will understand what am talking about and why I am ecstatic and out of myself for my action! Yea, I don't look like a blob, right? I know...thanks! But truth be told, I am too heavy for my height! And that is very risky!

See, I don't want to use ugly names to describe me or my weight. I am a very beautiful woman inside and out! It's as simple as that! No one is gonna tell me or make me see me otherwise cos I need only me to validate Me! Thank goodness, I do not have any health issues! But it's sort of foolhardiness for me to wait until I fall sick to lose some weight. Besides, I need to motivate all those people who believe in me and look up to me. So yesterday, March 5, 2012, I took a quantum leap. I ordered my first 28-day Nutrisystem plan, and I've been congratulating me ever since! As Lao Tzu rightly said, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. I've taken my first step. Yea, lemme receive my order first, then I'll take take it from there! And that, to me, is so cool!

I am embarking on a long journey. I know it is tedious but I intend to return better, healthier and happier. Would you like to journey with me? Talk to your doctor first, then join me from wherever you are. Let's do it together. For us! For health! For those looking up to us! Two heads, more ideas, more tips, more fun! Sure you realized I did not call it dieting? Yes, cos I don't want to set me up for defeat and failure! Won't want to bore me to death before I even start! Calling it a diet or dieting makes it look like a chore or some type of punishment! Naaa, not at this age and stage of my life! I'll rather call it lifestyle modification, lifestyle changes, eating healthier, healthy eating, being more health conscious, or the like. I'll rather term it my journey, 'my awakening'. Wish me safe journey. Be happy for me please! Join me! Share your health tips too! Will keep you posted...

"There is a great meaning in life for those who are willing to journey."-Jim England

MEN AND DIABETES...and Women Too!

Nkiru Oh

Disclaimer: this write-up is not meant to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care professional. It is merely to raise awareness about Type 2 Diabetes!

I recently discovered one more reason why I should always love and be thankful for being a woman! After reading the BBC news article of 10/3/2011, titled "Men 'more prone to type 2 diabetes", am like, "thank God I am a woman!" Men must be wondering why I am jubilant. Let me clarify please. I ain't happy because men are more prone to developing diabetes. Am ecstatic because having extra subcutaneous fat on the behind and hips are beneficial, at least for once! Yippee!

According to researchers, men are 'biologically susceptible' to diabetes. How? Why? They store their fat in their liver and waist, two bad areas for fat storage! Women, on the other hand, are said to be endowed with more fat storage havens on their thighs and hips! Yes, thighs and hips as opposed to the liver and the waist! Due to this difference in fat distribution, the researchers opined that whereas men "need to gain far less weight than women to develop the condition...women need to accumulate more fat overall than men to develop the harmful fat deposits linked with diabetes." Mmmm...! And when I remember another finding that women who breastfeed for long have decreased risks of some cancers, I went wow, women are the bomb! Mothers with flat boobs can rejoice after all! Yea, their flat boobs have paid off, and exponentially too!

But before all the heavy-set ladies get carried away, let us remember that storing our excess fat in those two aforementioned areas have their health risks also! Besides diabetes, think about severe joint problems! Imagine being crippled by arthritis! How about being at higher risk for chronic conditions as hypertension and high cholesterol; coronary heart disease; stroke; gallbladder disease; some cancers, yes for example, colon, endometrial,etc; sleep apnea and other respiratory problems? You bet these are killer diseases if left unchecked! Gosh, what a jab! So what next? I have started to work on my excesses! Can't afford to not wear my block-heeled shoes! Diabetes scares the crap outta me too! You might as well start on yours. Seems nice if we share our ideas and compare notes later! What do you think?

The Glasgow University research team also found that men developed diabetes at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than women. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BMI is a number "calculated from a person's weight and height...[which] provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems." It is a tool for indicating weight status in adults in relation to height. BMI ranges are as follows (from CDC):

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5—24.9	Normal
25.0—29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	Obese

Some classify BMI of 40.0 and above as Morbidly (deadly) Obese. Below are guides to calculating BMI (from CDC):

Measurement Units	Formula and Calculation
Kilograms and meters (or centimeters)	Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2 With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Since height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters. Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 165 cm (1.65 m) Calculation: 68 ÷ (1.65)2 = 24.98 [ie. 68/1.65=41.212/1.65=24.977=24.98]
Pounds and inches	Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703 Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65") Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96  [ie 150/65=2.307/65=0.0355x703=24.95=24.96]

Note that 1foot=12 inches; 1kg=2.2lbs

Also, note that BMI is not a diagnostic tool! It is only one factor related to risk for disease. To assess one's likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends looking at two other predictors:

• One's waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases). [40ins or less for men; 35ins or less for women. Note that waist circumference is measured around the navel and not below the waist...*wink*]
• Other risk factors one has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity.

Consider the following too: as per CDC:

At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men.

At the same BMI, older people, on average, tend to have more body fat than younger adults.
Highly trained athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness.

In effect, both men and women need to be aware of the issues at stake and how to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The disease is caused by too much sugar in the blood. This happens when the body stops making enough insulin or becomes unable to utilize the insulin produced to regulate sugar levels in its various organs! Anyone who is overweight should try to avoid gaining additional weight. And, being overweight with other risk factors (such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high blood pressure), pose more risk! Weight loss is advised. Even a small weight loss (just 10% of one's current weight) may help lower the risk of disease. But please consult with your physician about the best weight loss regimen for you!