Is Obesity Hereditary?

In an issue of HR Magazine, there appeared an article entitled, “Obesity is not Hereditary.”

The problem of the “fat” person, began the article, has become paramount importance in the last few years with the trend towards physical fitness as evidenced by the jogging craze.

Physical fitness is always linked with health. The aim of any physical fitness program is not merely to make a person physically fit, but healthy as well, since health, physical as well as mental, is very important.

Hence, an overweight person cannot be physically fit because excess fat is unhealthy. What should we do, then?

Many reducing clinics attempt to cure obesity by curing only the symptoms and never bother to look at the cause, continues the article.

And that cause is FOOD.

There are other factors which may be held responsible for obesity, such as hormonal imbalance and physical inactivity, but the root cause is still food.

No one was ever born overweight. Obesity is never hereditary.

Every overweight person must re-learn correct eating habits, create a new lifestyle based on wise food choice, and have enough physical activity.

Bariatric psychologists (those specially trained in the field of weight control) suggest behavior modification techniques to control obesity. Psychology defines behavior modification as the correction of disorders in human behavior by the application of the principle of learning. It contends that the individual, through his lifetime, develops a distinct mode of behavior or habits.

All habits, good or bad, are the products of learning and are embedded in one’s subconscious. In the same manner that computers can be programmed and de-programmed, so habits can be unlearned and new ones be acquired.

Researchers suggest you accept the fact that your weight will fluctuate (the yo-yo effect), but to keep the string short – no more than three pounds – when the scale goes up more than three pounds, step back and watch your diet.

From Organic Consumer Report, here are some vegetables to slim you down:

• Asparagus has high vitamin content that stimulates the kidneys.
• Cabbage acts as roughage to the diet, cleaning the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
• Carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A and carotene which speeds body metabolism.
• Celery is rich in calcium and other trace minerals that enrich the blood; it is low in calories and can be eaten in unlimited amounts.
• Cucumbers decongest fat cells and provide needed water to eliminate toxins.
• Garlic provides essential oils to the body.
• Lettuce is high in vitamin and water content.