The Magic Weight Loss Pill

 My father has struggled for many years to keep his weight within ‘acceptable’ limits for his primary care physician. For a short time, he exercised to keep the weight off. He ran road races, half marathons, marathons, went to the gym daily, etc. As long as he was active, he could enjoy eating plenty of food as he may have come close to balancing the amount of calories coming in with the amount of calories burning off. But like many, as time passed by he was unable to keep the vigorous running up do to injury, a busy work schedule, lack of motivation, and is since stable with inactivity, and as a result back to taking more food in than calories burned… As of now, he has been on a cholesterol medication for many years to keep his cholesterol within healthy limits, and by god- the rest of him has stayed healthy! His blood pressure is good, his carotid arteries are clear, no signs of heart disease, organ failure, diabetes, etc. As a result, he continues his lifestyle of choice because he doesn’t have anything wrong with him. The doctors stand with their mouths dropped, in awe of a man that is continuing to break medical convention. So as you can expect, the question becomes- Why should he lose weight? Why should he change if there is nothing wrong with him? His genes are tough, his mother and father lived a long enough life!???

I guess we can cross our fingers and hope that plan works out- I know I do everyday. However, I also worry he may not be so lucky one day, as I am sure we can all relate to. The problem with having learned a bit about medicine is I understand the process of disease does not happen over night. Symptoms are not the disease; they are the building blocks of it. High blood pressure is a measurement of force, an indicator the heart is working harder than it should. Lower than normal amounts of HDL (good) cholesterol allows LDL (bad) cholesterol to elevate and is unable to keep the arteries clean and free of debris. Blood sugar can elevate after eating a sugar rich meal but when it stays elevated, insulin builds a tolerance to an adjusted glucose level and creates insulin resistance- much the same as building alcohol tolerance through long term drinking. The illusion is there are no problems as long as the body adapts, and the body WILL adapt, (some longer than others) but the ‘stressor’ is evident.  Think of it this way: would it be reasonable to drive fast on a highway with a tire you know is thin and worn? It is easy to see the tire is living on borrowed time and it is a more reasonable action to change the tire to prevent an accident rather than continuing to drive with it. I suggest we weigh this decision making with our own health. Much like a weak tire, symptoms are red flags and indicators it is time to make change. 

The truth is, a lifetime sets the stage for chronic disease or even acute disease processes. The leading causes of death in America are preventable. Without a magic pill or vampire venom to ravage through our systems and rescue us from disaster, we are better off taking care of ourselves, if only at the very least: foundational principals such as good sleep, laughter, exercise, healthy diets (regular meals, vegetables, fiber, adequate protein), plenty of water and good digestion.