why you should be concerned about your belly fat

“Muscle mass typically diminishes with age, while fat increases. Loss of muscle mass also decreases the rate at which your body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight”  From Mayo Clinic’s “Belly Fat in Women: Taking — and Keeping — It Off“

While it’s quite true that Santa is a “jolly old elf”, the hard reality is that his belly is taking years off his life.  While everyone knows that OBESITY in and of itself is bad news, we are becoming increasingly aware that Central Obesity or Abdominal Obesity as it is sometimes called (BELLY FAT) is worse — far worse.  This is because the adipose tissue (fat) that protrudes from underneath your shirt also happens to be smothering your organs.

If you are interested in learning more about Central Obesity, simply click the link above.  Today I want to show you a few of the many reasons you should deal with your Belly Fat if you are interested in living to a ripe old age with any real quality of life.  Below you will find a list of health problems that I found to be strongly associated with Central Obesity in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.  Bear in mind that this list could have been much longer, but time restraints do not permit a “thesis”.

• BLOOD SUGAR DYSREGULATION:  Just a couple of days ago (HERE), I wrote about the manner in which Blood Sugar Dysregulation progresses from INSULIN RESISTANCE, to Metabolic Syndrome, to TYPE II DIABETES.  I would also put SUGAR / CARB ADDICTION into this category as well. Be aware that if you have Central Obesity, you are standing on the threshold of Metabolic Syndrome, which is itself, knocking on the door of a host of problems, including full blown Diabetes.  Interestingly enough, I have repeatedly shown you that virtually all NON-GENETIC health problems have roots in UNREGULATED BLOOD SUGAR.

• CARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEMS:  This category covers some serious ground, and as the #1 killer in America, deserves the attention.  Belly Fat is associated with a wide range of cardiovascular problems like HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL (low good Cholesterol), High Triglycerides, Heart Attacks, Strokes, etc, etc, etc.  Although you have always been told that the problem here was eating too much fat, this is simply not true.  Next week watch for my review of the recent cover article from Time Magazine (Scientists Labeled Fat the Enemy: Why They are Wrong).

• CANCER:  CANCER is the #2 killer in America, and is heavily associated with both SUGAR CONSUMPTION and Central Obesity (see previous link).  One of the most common types of Cancer associated with Belly Fat is BREAST CANCER.  To understand this link better, it may help to realize that ESTROGEN DOMINANCE (a significant cause of Breast Cancer) is also associated with Central Obesity.

• SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION / IMPOTENCE / INFERTILITY:  Yes I realize that these three are not always present together, nor are they always related to each other.  However, all three are related to Central Obesity and are not infrequently found in tandem.  HERE, HERE, and HERE are some links.  This is also as good a time as any to mention PCOS —- America’s number one cause of infertility.

• ALZHEIMER’S / DEMENTIA:  It does not take long to realize that both sugar intake and Central Obesity are associated with ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE and Alzheimer’s-like Dementia.

• SLEEP APNEA AND OTHER SLEEP DISTURBANCES:  The known cause of SLEEP APNEA (stopping breathing while asleep) is Central Obesity.

• DYSBIOSIS:  We know that ANTIBIOTICS cause DYSBIOSIS, which is highly associated with developing Central Obesity.  If you click the links and start reading, you’ll actually find several articles on this specific topic.

• OSTEOARTHRITIS & SPINAL DISC PROBLEMS:  Simply being overweight or Obese will put significant amounts of abnormal stress on your joints (HERE).  However, when that weight is in the form of an oversized gut, the mechanical stress — particularly on your SPINAL DISCS will be tremendous, due to massive mechanical disadvantage.

• ASTHMA:  People with Central Obesity have far more breathing problems and ASTHMA than do their normal weight counterparts.

• ADRENAL FATIGUE / FIBROMYALGIA:  Once you understand what the ADRENAL GLANDS do as well as how they become “FATIGUED“, you will better understand this relationship.

• DEPRESSION:  DEPRESSION is heavily linked to Dysbiosis (see above) as well as Central Obesity.  In the vast number of cases, taking antidepressants is simply covering symptoms, without addressing underlying causes.

• INFLAMMATION:   The vast majority of the health problems found on this list (including Obesity) are categorized as “INFLAMMATORY” problems (HERE also).  If you do not understand what INFLAMMATION is or how to stop it in its tracks, you need to spend some serious time looking at these links.

The bottom line is this folks;l this stuff is serious.  And the truth is, I could have gone on almost indefinitely.  If you do not grasp the seriousness of Abdominal Obesity and start making some SERIOUS CHANGES in your lifestyle and eating habits, you are in for a rude awakening.  You will soon be living on the Medical Merry-Go-Round, taking mass quantities of drugs, and watching life pass you by while you suffer (HERE).  The great thing is, you can turn this risk-factor on its head simply by losing the BELLY FAT.