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Health &
Fitness Tips Newsletter,
May 9, 2000
In this issue
- Tip of the Week
- Beware of the "Silent Killer"
- Question of the
Week
- Product of the
Week - The Protein Revolution Bar
- Special
Announcement (New Site Features)
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Tip of the Week
Beware of the "Silent Killer"
Some 50 million Americans have high blood pressure, often referred to as the "silent killer" because there are no
symptoms until after it has done serious damage. High blood pressure increases your risk for heart attack, stroke and congestive heart failure.
Though high blood pressure or "hypertension" is most common after age 60, new evidence shows why even young people should monitor their blood pressure. It can be done in a doctor's office with a blood pressure cuff. Measured as two values, systolic (the top number), is pressure inside the arteries when the heart beats and diastolic (the bottom number), is the pressure between beats.
Ideal blood pressure is 120 over 80 or lower. High blood pressure is above 140 over 90. Recent studies at the National Institutes of Health show that the top number (systolic) is more important than previously thought. High reading of the top number, even if bottom number (diastolic) is normal, is called "isolated systolic hypertension and should be treated.
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Question of the
Week
Question:
I am 5'6" and weigh 110 lbs. I am thin, (extraordinarily so in my legs and arms) but have a small "pot belly". Without losing weight in unnecessary areas, what do I have to do to lose the weight in the abdominal area? I am not convinced exercise alone will do the trick. I can eat whatever I like and do not gain weight. I would appreciate your input.
Answer:
Abdominal exercise will certainly help tone the abs and in many cases, result in "washboard abs". If you have been doing ab exercises regularly for at least a year but are not getting results, you may be one of the many who have a genetic predisposition to a "pot belly," as you so aptly put it.
It's important to stress here that we always advocate diet and exercise to control weight and muscle tone. Nine times out of ten, it works. It will not always give you a totally flat stomach if you are so predisposed but it can certainly help.
We here at HFT are beginning to think half the world wants a flatter belly, based on the questions we receive. It's a tough but not unsolvable problem. Most often, overweight people have a belly because that's where the body stores excess fat, especially in women and middle-aged men. You did not say if you are male or female. From your height and weight, we're assuming you're a woman. So let's look at some options you have.
It sounds like you are thin and happy with your weight in general. Our first choice for you is to build up your upper body (arms, shoulders, chest and back) in order to "balance" the body's overall symmetry. Broader upper body gives the illusion of narrower lower body (including the stomach). It will give the illusion of better proportions. You may also want to build up your legs to add a more balanced look. Continue doing multiple abdominal exercises as that will help tone the muscles beneath the layer of fat. It may also produce results, however slowly.
We never like to advocate surgery of any kind unless it is the absolute last resort. People have a tendency to want a "quick fix" or a magic pill that will give instantaneous results. Fitness and weight control do not work that way. We like to remind people to look at how long it took to get that way (overweight or flabby or just plain out of shape). It didn't happen overnight. And neither does the cure.
Having said that, we have analyzed your situation carefully and think that you may have a familial tendency to a "pot belly." Since you are not overweight and do not need to lose another pound, an option for you may be abdominal surgery.
We have conferred with many qualified Board Certified plastic surgeons who will absolutely not perform abdominal surgery on someone who is overweight, out of shape or just plain lazy, seeking instant gratification. We don't think that is the case with you.
Therefore, liposuction is another, somewhat simple, option. A qualified and Board Certified plastic surgeon with a large experience inserts a tube under the skin of the abdomen and "sucks out" the liquid fat. If you have no abdominal sagging, nothing further is necessary. You will see a difference immediately and healing is rapid. The procedure has been greatly improved in the past five years and is relatively inexpensive.
Another option you have is "body sculpting" through abdominal surgery. Great advancements have been made in "tummy tucks" as they are popularly referred to. You must go to a highly qualified plastic surgeon (Board Certified) who has done hundreds of these procedures. The "tummy tuck" is done by cutting into the abdominal skin and removing excess fat and skin, then stitching it up again. Often this is done in conjunction with liposuction, particularly if there is great sagging of the muscles, usually found in older people. Healing time is anywhere from four to six weeks. It could be longer or shorter, depending upon what must be done. This is expensive and is considered major surgery needing a good anesthesiologist.
A word of warning here: it is imperative that you choose a highly experienced surgeon for either of these procedures. Though the statistics are good, there are still many unqualified people out there who call themselves surgeons who do not have the necessary judgment or experience to perform what could become complicated surgery.
Check our Health & Fitness Home Page for more health tips on exercise and weight loss and just plain healthy living. And let us know how you're doing. Good luck.
The HFT Staff
NOTE: If you would
like to see your question featured here, please submit to: questions@health-fitness-tips.com
Product of the
Week
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Special
Announcement
To help you in your quest to stay fit in the new millennium, Health &
Fitness Tips has added current headlines and news from the world's premiere
news sources. Our health and fitness related news is updated every 15
minutes as it arrives, so you get the most current information. We hope you
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