Stay away from your smartphone, keep obesity at bay – TheHealthSite

Are you glued to your smartphone for more than 5 hours a day? You may be suffering from smartphone addiction. This is not good. A recent study says that the more time you spend on your smartphone, the more you may be at risk of obesity.

According to a study at the Simon Bolivar University in Colombia, students who use their smartphones for five or more hours a day are at increased risk of developing obesity. They are also likely to have other lifestyle habits that increase their risk of heart diseases.

For this research, scientists enrolled 1060 students of Colombia. Among these, 700 were girls and 360 were boys. Also, the participants were of an average age of 19 years and 20 years, respectively. Researchers noticed that the risk of obesity increases by 43 per cent when a smartphone was used for five or more hours a day. This is because, participants falling in this group were twice as likely to consume more sugary drinks, fast food, sweets and snacks than those who used phones for less than five hours. Also, they were likely to indulge less in physical activities.

This clearly shows that though smartphones serve multiple purposes, like giving you access to countless services, information and entertainment sources, they also ruin your overall well-being. Notably, spending too much time on smartphone has been found to inculcate sedentary behaviours in you and reduce your time of physical activity. These factors can potentially increase your risk of premature death, diabetes, heart disease and different types of cancer.

OTHER CAUSES OF OBESITY

A person is obese if his body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher than that. Here are some causes of obesity you should know about.

Genetics

Genes play a significant role in deciding the amount of body fat you store, and where that fat is distributed. It also helps the body to convert food into energy and decides how your body burns calories during exercise. So, if obesity is in your genes, you can hardly do much about it. But, intense exercise, a strict control on your diet, and a disciplined life can be helpful in this regard.

Unhealthy diet

A diet jam-packed with calories, deficient in fruits and vegetables, rich in fast food and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contribute to weight gain. So, it is advised to avoid foods like sport juice, candies, burgers, french-fries, pizzas, etc.

Age

Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and an inactive lifestyle leads to obesity. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. If you don’t consciously control diet and become more physically active with age, you may gain weight.

Lack of sleep

Not getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase appetite. This may also lead to craving for foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates. This eventually contribute to weight gain.

COMMON MEDICINAL HERBS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Supplements and botanicals are also an integral part of naturopathy. Let us look at some the common herbs that can help in weight loss.

Mangosteen

A study revealed that a blend composing extracts of the flower heads from Sphaeranthus indicus and the fruit rinds of Garcinia mangostana was effective in inhibiting new fat cells from forming while promoting break down of existing fat cells. Apart from weight loss, mangosteen has many other health benefits as well. It has antioxidants that help fight cardiovascular diseases.

Betel leaves

Right from maintaining oral hygiene to treating gastric ulcers to controlling blood sugar levels, betel leaves are highly versatile. And now research says that these leaves are useful in weight loss as well. Animal studies have shown that extract of betel leaves along with cowpea (seed) could significantly reduce body weight and BMI.

Caralluma

This succulent plant (cactus) found wild in India and consumed as cooked vegetable or pickle, has been found by Australian researchers to decrease appetite, consequently contributing to weight loss. It also curbs abdominal obesity.

Gymnema (gurmar)

This herb is an effective natural remedy for diabetes, besides being used for arthritis, anaemia, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, asthma, constipation, microbial infections and indigestion. It has diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties. The herbal extract is used in dietary supplements since it reduces body weight, blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

Coconut oil

Switching over to coconut oil (or even olive oil) may help you shed some pounds. Coconut oil contains fewer calories as compared with other oils and have antibacterial and antifungal properties. They are also thermogenic, which means, they increase the body’s metabolic rate, leading to burning of more fat.

Milk thistle

If the root cause of your weight gain is liver problem, milk thistle may be the medicinal herb for you. Milk thistle extracts are useful as medicinal herbs in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis (liver inflammation), and gallbladder disorders. This can also lower cholesterol levels, reduce insulin resistance and also reduce the risk of breast, cervical and prostate cancers. It has antiviral properties.

Bitter melon (karela)

Do you have type-2 diabetes? Then bitter melon might help reduce weight by curbing the diabetes progression. Bitter melon can improve insulin sensitivity and also lower cholesterol.

Similarly, cinnamon, fenugreek, bilberry, vitamin C, Maitake mushroom, omega-3, green tea, green coffee and host of other spices and condiments can help. Supplements like vitamin C, chromium and zinc are also useful in weight loss.

Published: August 2, 2019 1:05 pm | Updated:August 2, 2019 1:21 pm