Obesity – America’s Public Enemy Number One

Mon, May 25, 2020

Enjoy our weekly wellness tip from Licensed Acupuncturist, Michael Savalli, from the office of Elizabeth Martin.

Why Obesity Is America’s Public Enemy Number One

I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say the best thing you can do for your health, is lose some weight. I’m making a big assumption here, but I’ll back it up with some numbers, so bear with me. For starters, in 2017, it is estimated that 42.4% of the American population was obese. Now obese is not overweight. Obese is a medical classification, based on Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI says based on one’s weight and height, a high BMI means they are medically at risk for a number of diseases. These include Heart Disease, Stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, and some cancers. Plus all the wear and tear on their bodies from carrying all that extra weight around. Put in perspective, in 1999 30.5% were obese, and in that same period, severe obesity went from 4.7% to 9.2%. We’re not talking about a beach body here, we’re talking about threats to your health.

Now if you’re not in that 42.4%, that’s great, I hope you stay that way. You probably already have a diet that works and know that exercise and activity is the best way to maintain a healthy weight. But if you are in that 42.4%, then likely, the single most important thing you can do for your health, is to lose weight, and the best (if not only,) way to do that, is to change your diet. That’s easy enough to say, but then the question becomes, “change my diet how?”

 We tend to put a lot of blame on the individual when it comes to weight gain, but in truth, the cards were stacked against you, so I also want to tell you: It’s Not Your Fault! There are many diets out there, and the sad truth is that most of them are leaps and bounds better than what we usually eat, the Standard American Diet, (or S.A.D.). The S.A.D. was never meant to be someone’s diet, not nutritionally. It was food, made, and sold to fit a lifestyle, one that promised more leisure-time, (by selling fast-food, TV-dinners, and processed foods that don’t spoil). The irony is, instead of leisure, we got weight gain (and a host of other diseases). The next nail in the proverbial coffin is that you these days you get much much more food, (larger portions, and food is cheap). Add in creature comforts that make us less active, (cars, computers, etc.) All of these factors create an atmosphere that is very hard to navigate in terms of nutrition. Then last but not least, there’s your genetics, (also, not your fault).

Now I’m not going to pretend to be able to solve all of these problems, I’m just trying to start by putting out some information, and raise awareness. These problems all stem from problems of modern culture (hashtag, first-world-problems), and it’s not too surprising, that “traditional” based diets tend to counter a lot of these modern-diet problems. For example, in the U.S., Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites have obesity numbers in the range of 42.2%-49.6% of their populations, while Asians, have that number at about 17.4%. That’s a significant difference, and worth a closer look.

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When you cannot get into the office Acu-Pressure can be just as effective as acupuncture and insurance may cover! You will learn locations of custom acu-pressure points and will be guided through meditations. Liz has been practicing Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Medical Qi Gong, and massage since 2012 and is committed to educating her patients on ways to stay healthy and prevent disease through self care techniques.

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Meet Michael Savalli, MSOM, L.Ac

Michael is a board certified NY State Licensed Acupuncturist, who received his Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine from New York College of Health Professions.  While in this program, he also specialized in Chinese Herbal Medicine. If you or anyone you know is interested in staying healthy this season, schedule your appointment and learn how Acupuncture and herbs can boost your immunity. 

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Weight-loss in the modern world takes a total change in lifestyle.  It is a 1,000 mile journey, that begins with recognition of the problem.

With Love,

Liz

Elizabeth M. Martin, MSOM, L.Ac, LMT and the Staff at Hands on Acupuncture and Massage Therapy, P.C.