September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
About 1 in 5 children in the United States are obese. In Arizona, 15.7% of all children ages 2 through 5 are overweight, and 14.6% of all adolescents grades 9-12 are overweight. National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month provides a chance for all of us to learn more about this serious health condition.
Keep reading for more info on Childhood Obesity and how to keep your family healthy!
Childhood Obesity FAQ
Childhood Obesity is a major public health problem that is accompanied by multiple negative consequences.
Physical Consequences
Children with obesity are at higher risk for many chronic health conditions and diseases, including: heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes.
Social & Emotional Consequences
Children with obesity can be bullied and teased more than their normal weight peers. They are also more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem.
Future Complications
Childhood obesity may itself be enough to cause future health complications during adult life including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, PCOS, infertility, asthma, orthopedic complications, psychiatric disease, and increased rates of cancer.
Tips for Parents
Providing the best environment for children to thrive begins with habits at home. There are many areas that parents can tweek to support children in healthy living:
- Be a role model! Incorporate healthy eating & exercise habits into daily family life for everyone!
- Swap the sugary drinks for water or water with some fresh fruit squeezed inside, like pineapple, strawberries or lime.
- Swap in more fruits & veggies! Carrot sticks, berries, cucumbers and oranges are all easy-to-pack nutritious snacks, full of hydration, vitamins and minerals, low in sugar and calories.
- Cook Together! Shop, chop and eat together.
- Get Moving! Find types of movement you and your children enjoy and incorporate them into family life.
Lastly, if you are concerned or have questions, make a visit to your Naturopathic Doctor so your children can be checked for weight, height and body mass index. They will have helpful suggestions and answer all your questions!
PCOS Symptoms & Info
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), as it is currently defined, is an umbrella diagnosis that encompasses a variety of underlying physiological signs.
Common Symptoms:-hair loss or hair growth in unwanted areas-oily skin or acne-infertility or repeat miscarriages-ovulation problems & menstrual irregularity-weight gain, esp. around the waist-depression, mood swings
Diagnosis usually involves 3 main signs:
- Irregular periods/not ovulating
- Excess androgen (male hormones, verified in a blood test or hair growth)
- Polycystic ovaries (verified on sonogram.)
What is My Body Doing?
PCOS often involves insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means your body is less able to send enough glucose to the cells needing fuel throughout your body. When this happens, the pancreas produces more insulin to help keep glucose levels even. The extra insulin may have several negative effects including shutting down your ovaries and leading to higher than normal levels of male hormones, called androgens, including testosterone. These hormonal imbalances are what lead to the main symptoms of pcos listed above.
Treatment is aimed at managing blood sugar and improving insulin receptor sensitization, balancing hormones, inducing ovulation if needed, reducing inflammation and increasing blood flow.
Healing Modalities include:
- Nutritional modifications – implementing herbal medicines & foods that help to desensitize insulin receptors naturally.
- Environmental factors – removing plastics, fragrances and chemicals in order to aid in liver detox. We treat the liver because it’s responsible for metabolizing many of the hormones, so detoxing it allows for optimal functioning.
- Acupuncture restores and brings balance to the whole body.
- Mayan Abdominal Massage to move blockages and increase blood flow.