Obesity

Prevention and Treatment Diet and Nutrition Do not "crash diet." This seldom has lasting benefits and can lead to nutritional deficiencies and unhealthy eating habits. Permanent weight loss is best achieved gradually through a change in lifestyle. Switch to a whole food diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Edema Fluid retention, known medically as edema, can be caused by various disorders, including heart failure, kidney problems, and varicose veins, or too much salt in the diet. It can also be a side effect of some medicines, and can occur naturally in pregnancy and as part of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Sometimes, however, there is no apparent cause. Symptoms of the condition include increased weight, especially noticeable at the ankles and in the lower limbs, which become swollen and uncomfortable. Edema may be generalized (all over the body), or localized. Treatment Herbal Medicine - Parsley, taken either as an infusion or eaten raw (but not if pregnant), or dandelion leaves, either drunk as a "coffee" or eaten in salad are both recommended. Cut down on salt, eat lots vegetables, salads, and fruit, and drink fruit juices. Aromatherapy Lavender is very helpful. Massage and Acupressure Both of these can be beneficial. Effleurage is the most effective massage technique. Gallstones These pebble like lumps, made up of calcium, cholesterol, and other chemicals, can develop in the gall bladder, a pear-shaped organ near the liver. The gall bladder stores bile, a substance made by the liver, and supplies it to the digestive system, where, it helps break down food. Gallstones occur in up to 10 percent of the population of the Western world and are linked to a low-fiber, high-fat diet. They are more common in pregnancy, in people who are obese, and in those suffering diabetes. The condition is often hereditary. Gallstones do not cause problems unless they block the flow of bile. If this happens surgery or ultrasound treatment may be needed to remove the stone. Symptoms include pain, often at the right shoulder or at the hip, indigestion, jaundice (yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes, and urine), and fever. Treatment Diet and Nutrition Follow a low-fat, whole food diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Avoid products and animal fats. Switch to olive oil. Drink plenty of water and take a vitamin C supplement daily. Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for: Herbal Medicine Rosemary, dandelion may be prescribed. (Pregnant women should seek medical advice before taking any herbal medicines.) Aromatherapy Essential oil of Scots pine helps to ease the pain. Acupuncture This can also be helpful.