When we think to ourselves “I must lose some weight”, it is often in context of appearance, perhaps for an upcoming special event or to look great in a bathing suit – and these are valid considerations.  Weight certainly  impact self-confidence, mood, and one’s sense of sexual desirability and desire for physical intimacy.  But far beyond that, weight is at the root of so many medical symptoms and conditions, including:

1 – Hypertension: When one is overweight, each extra pound requires that new vessels be added to feed the new tissue, greatly enhancing the burden of work on the heart.

2 – Diabetes:  With excessive weight comes a decreased efficacy of insulin, known as “insulin resistance.”  This metabolic problem is proportionate to the degree of body fat carried by an individual and is the precursor to diabetes.  As insulin resistance advances with increasing weight, the pancreas must work harder to put out more insulin.  Eventually, this escalation exhausts the pancreas, and the necessary insulin must be supplied via injections.  Complications of elevated blood sugar can potentially involve nearly every system and organ in the body:  the brain, kidneys, blood vessels, limbs, nerves, and eyes.  All are intensely vulnerable to diabetes.  And, as a double-whammy, the extra output of insulin in the early phase causes yet additional weight gain, and hence, rapidly increases insulin resistance.  This Catch 22 situation can only be alleviated by losing weight under supervision.

3 – Breathing/Sleep apnea:  It is mechanically difficult to breathe when the chest is burdened with restrictive weight, and sleep apnea/snoring are often associated with excessive pounds.

4 – Fatigue/Lethargy:  It is simply not pleasant to lift a heavy body and move it from place to place.  Overweight encourages an inactive, stagnant, and often isolated lifestyle, and inhibits exercise.

5 – Joint pain/discomfort: Inflammation due to overweight and the mechanical burden of weight on the musculoskeletal system almost inevitably lead to joint problems.

6 – Inflammation: This is a global issue, and a simple fact.  To be overweight, without ANY OTHER medical diagnosis is inherently to be inflamed, typically with an elevated cardiac CRP, a sensitive marker for cardiovascular risk.  Inflammation is an underlying factor in nearly all serious conditions, including auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Put it all together, whatever may initially lead one  to seek weight loss, overweight is an enormous, health risk and detracts from a daily feeling of vitality and wellness.  Working towards, achieving, and maintaining a normative body weight is perhaps the most important steps you will ever take to improve your current and long-term health outlook. Any proactive health plan that does not include or sidesteps the achievement of optimal weight is surely missing one of THE MOST CRITICAL AND ACCESSIBLE pieces of total health.  Substituting medications to mask the fallout and discomfort of overweight may be necessary in the short term, may even be lifesaving, but, for long term health, it is essential to work with a professional trained and experienced in this field to establish a healthy goal, and work steadily towards its achievement.  Many options exist.  Talk with a physician versed in these options and get to work ASAP.  Your body, and those who love you, will thank you.

Robin Ellen Leder, M.D., was mentored by Robert Atkins, M.D., author of The Atkins Diet. She has been providing alternative medical care, including intravenous treatments, for more than 30 years at A Better Alternative Medical Center, in Hackensack. She trained with Dr. Robert Atkins of The Atkins Diet fame, and has guided thousands of patients to achieve their optimal weight using her vast knowledge of the field.