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Some headache sufferers swear by a brisk walk in the cold air to clear their heads. For others, this would be a trigger to bring on a humdinger that would fell an elephant. Some leap into a hot shower at the first sign of a headache. For others, this would be just the thing to bring one on.

Both hot and cold treatments can be hugely effective with bringing relief from headaches. Some people prefer hot, some cold and some like to alternate. This is such an individual thing. You have to cautiously experiment and find out what works for you.

Why do hot and cold work so well?

It’s all to do with the muscles and the blood vessels. Many headache pains are caused by enlarged blood vessels pressing on surrounding nerves. Applying something cold to the area can help to constrict those vessels, reducing their diameter and lessening the pounding headache.

Some headaches are caused by tension and anxiety. This tightens up the muscles which then pinch nerves and enlarge blood vessels. Applying cold or heat to them (or alternating between the two) can loosen them up, releasing the pinched nerves and calming down the blood vessels.

Diversion tactics

Another great way to use get rid of a headache is to sit and soak your feet and ankles in a bowl or bucket of hot water. This works because the heat dilates, or enlarges the blood vessels in your feet and legs and helps to draw the blood away from the head. This releases pressure and calms the headache.

You may find this even more effective if you apply cold to your forehead and temples at the same time. This is because it will stop the heat from the foot-bath heating up your head as well – which is what we’re trying to avoid. When you’re finished, put on some thick, fluffy socks, to keep your feet warm and keep the blood flow diverting away from your head.

Note of caution

If you don’t own a cold pack – or you are trying out the different variations before investing in one, be careful how you apply cold.

A bag of frozen peas is ideal as it has a soothing weight to it and it molds to your face, neck or head. Be sure to wrap it in a cloth or thin towel to avoid getting ‘freezer burn’ on your skin. If you’re making your own pack from ice cubes, put them in a strong plastic bag and then wrap in a towel as before.

In either case, don’t leave the cold pack on for more than half an hour. You can always apply it again after a short rest.

Cool your brain with ice cream!

You know that piercing headache that you get when you eat an ice cream? Some people call it ‘brain freeze’. It’s not very comfortable but only lasts for a short time and is a great way to cool your brain down. It can stop a bad headache and can prevent a migraine developing further by cooling down the hypothalamus of your brain. This area is thought to be involved with the creation of migraines.

Got your ice cream ready? Put a spoonful of ice cream right into the back of your mouth. Keep it there with your tongue until it melts. If it becomes uncomfortable you’ll have to swallow it and try again.

What is the best hot or cold pack to buy?

If you’ve decided to go for a hot, or cold pack, or both so that you can alternate, there are many to choose from. They range from simple stick-on cold forehead patches, to squashy rectangular packs and fully fitted masks. Take some time to decide which will be best for you.

I’m too busy to stop and apply a pack. What can I do?

This is a common problem for full-time workers and moms at home with small children. But remember, this is a damage limitation exercise. If that headache or migraine gets a grip, you will be out of action, no matter how busy you are. There are cold packs available in the form of a band that you wear around your forehead and temples. They fasten with velcro, so you can put it on…and carry on.

My neck and shoulders are so tight and giving me a headache

Try a moist heat neck wrap. It may help to relieve that tension.

My headache is from dental problems or TMJ

Try a cold wrap that sits under your chin and fastens over the top of your head.

My whole head is throbbing and hot. Help!

Invest in a cooling ice pillow. These are also great for menopausal women or those on tamoxifen, who suffer from hot flashes and night sweats.

More vital headache.healthhows.com/Articles/Tension_Headache.php headache relief information can be found at Headache.HealthHows.com Headache.HealthHows.com , a resource rich site on headaches and their causes.

TMD, or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, is a term used to describe the structural imbalance in the jaw to skull relationship, caused by the way your teeth come together. This can lead to a group of symptoms including headaches; facial pain; jaw pain; sore, chipped, broken or worn teeth; clicking or popping in the jaw; and limited jaw movement. People suffering from TMD report chronic pain in the jaw, teeth, face, head, neck, shoulders or back or any combination of these areas. Snoring, grinding of the teeth and restricted airway are other problems associated with TMD.

Jaw misalignment can be a great source of pain for those suffering from TMD. Often, patients are unaware of the cause of their discomfort and attempt to wait out the pain, allowing the disorder to cause further damage. Speaking with a neuromuscular dentist can help identify your neuromuscular disorders. If you have long, searing headaches and a tendency to grind your teeth, the source of your discomfort could be TMD. Speaking with a neuromuscular dentist as soon as possible is highly recommended.

If you are interested in the field of neuromuscular dentistry, it is important to be aware of the intricate details involved in diagnosing the source of patient pain and discomfort.

leadingdentists.com/ www.leadingdentists.com You can visit leadingdentists.com www.leadingdentists.com to learn more about eliminating jaw pain.

Much has been written and said about diets and detox, but here we are going to present a simple 24 detox diet to cleanse your system, make you feel better and revitalise you with energy, its simple and very effective.

This 24 hour detox diet can be used after a period of over-indulgence, or when you awake feeling poorly and will revitalize you quickly.

This detox diet should not to be used everyday.

24 Hour Detox Diet Basics

The basis for this detox diet is 4 glasses of ‘fresh’ pomegranate juice, slow-cooked brown rice, a high-power vegetable salad, and 200 grams of raw almonds.

The combination will give you all the vitamins and minerals you need for your day, clear your body of toxins and oxidants, and give you plenty of energy to face the world. You will also lose a minimum of 600 grams to 1 kilo depending on your height and body weight.

Detoxing to cleanse your body

The pomegranate is a very powerful (the most powerful) anti-oxidant we know of in any food.

It has been shown to reverse and even prevent some cancers and heart disease.

The almonds will supply all the calories, oils, and proteins you need, without feeling hungry.

The salads are for bulk and all the vitamins and minerals that are gained from the eating of salads and vegetables.

The brown rice is also a wonderful antioxidant, and source of many vitamins and minerals that can be readily absorbed by the body.

The rules of this detox diet are simple:

1. No coffee or tea, or any soft drink. The ONLY liquids that are allowed are the 4 glasses of pomegranate juice and much water as you can drink.

2. If you are a smoker, try to stop for the 24 hours, or if you cannot, limit the cigarettes to as few as possible, and try not to inhale, but smoke the cigarette as you would a cigar.

3. Take a hot shower or bath both in the morning and in the evening, scrubbing the skin with a brush, loofa, or special skin cloth that will stimulate good blood circulation. Also going to a sauna is a wonderful idea. Spend as much time there as possible, taking your food with you.

4. Do not cheat; follow the diet plan. Eat ONLY when you are hungry, not by the clock.

5. Exercise by any means (walking may be the best) for at least 45 minutes during the day. This is very important.

Detox diet Morning Meal

One glass of pomegranate juice, with a handful of the raw almonds. Do not overfill your stomach; when you are about 50% satisfied, stop.

Detox diet Mid-morning Snack

One bowl of the brown rice, with some natural soya sauce, and some tofu if you feel you need protein. One glass of water.

Detox diet Lunch

One glass of pomegranate juice and a mixed green salad, as much as you wish. A dressing of virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, and salt may be used.

Detox diet Mid-Day Snack

One glass of pomegranate juice, with a handful of the raw almonds. Do not overfill your stomach; when you are about 50% satisfied, stop.

Detox diet Diner

The last glass of pomegranate juice and a large bowl of brown rice.

No more food should be consumed with this detox diet.

You will have taken over 1200 calories, and a host of wholesome and healthful nutrients with this detox diet if followed exactly.

Moreover, you body will have had 24 hours to rid itself of the toxins absorbed by over-indulgence, or simply daily city life (stress, pollution and processed food products).

During the day When using this detox diet feel fantastic and alert.

We advise to not follow this detox diet more than one day weekly, as it is not effective as a general everyday diet. It is however highly effective as a quick pick me up and cleansing diet.

for more sensible diet and nutrition advice

Visit our website for free articles, downloads, features and magazines

net-planet.org/health.html net-planet.org/health.html

Writing this from Dallas, Texas one of the ragweed hotspots
of the nation, I’m particularly aware of “allergies” and
the havoc they can cause. Here are some facts about allergies:

More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. Ragweed pollen is probably the largest single seasonal allergen in North America. It is estimated that one square mile of ragweed plants would release 16 tons of pollen in one season. Even skin contact with ragweed can cause dermatitis.

An allergy is “…a heightened sensitivity to a foreign substance (called an “allergen”) which causes the body’s defense system (the immune system) to overreact when defending itself. Normally, the immune system would only react if a harmful substance such as bacteria attacked the body. But for people with “allergies,” their own immune system is working too hard and it reacts even when relatively harmless substances such as pollen are present. The severity of an allergic reaction can vary from mild discomfort to life threatening situations.” [Source: www.pollen.com]

Because of this assault on the immune system, it’s crucially important to take supplements that nutritionally support the immune system. By the previous definition, you can see that an already assaulted immune system becomes further weakened with allergens. Our immune system is our health, our first line of defense for bacteria, for instance, and our ONLY line of defense for viruses. While we have antibiotics for bacteria, there is no know cure for a virus, as you know.

It’s smart to prepare ahead of time by getting the necessary information. Sign up at pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp and be alerted in the morning of conditions likely to exceed the trigger point, the point where most allergy sufferers will start to experience symptoms.

If you have a website, you can be of service to others. Probably 25% of your website visitors suffer from allergies. At pollen.com/Pollen.com.asp, you can get the html to put a pollen alert box on your website – either a zip code entry box or for any town in the U.S.

The most extreme allergic reaction is called “anaphylactic shock.” Immediately after contact the individual will suffer difficulty breathing, itchiness, welling of the lips and throat, and drop in blood pressure, and finally collapse. If you’ve ever suffered anaphylactic shock, you should
carry injectable adrenaline from your doctor and keep some at home as well. Have the 911 number handy, and seek medical attention immediately.

It’s also important to know that subsequent contact with a particular allergen can be much worse then the first time; for instance, if you’re stung by a bee. Instead of building up “resistance,” you build up “sensitivity.” That’s why people talk about their allergies coming on suddenly. Everything’s fine, they’re 30 years old, and one night they have beer and shell fish and end up in the ER. “Out of the blue,” we say. “It never happened before!”

Likewise, normally innocent foodstuffs such as peanuts, which don’t bother one person can actually kill someone else who’s susceptible. One way to determine what you’re allergic to is to see your personal physician
and get an allergy test.

Allergic conditions include:

(1) Hay fever and allergic asthma. Pollen from grasses, ragweed and trees, mold and dust can all cause respiratory and nasal problems.

(2) Eczema. A special form of skin reaction. Cement dust is
particularly likely to cause this.

(3) Urticaria (itchy hives). Most of us get this from nettles. You can also get this from strawberries, seafood, cheese; it depends.

Once the allergy is established, you must remove the cause or avoid it. Here are some tips:

1. Wear hypoallergenic gloves.

2. Use a filter in the vacuum cleaner to remove dust mite
droppings and an air filter on your A/C which you clean
often. Also clean the ducts.

3. Remove heavy drapes and bedspreads from the bedroom
and replace with blinds. Take up old carpeting and replace with tile or wood flooring. Do not use area rugs.

4. Keep your immune system built up with a product like Arbonne’s DefenseBuilder or rebuild it with Get Well Soon Dietary

5. Use protective clothing when handling material such as cement.

6. Use a filter face mask when in dusty areas and when mowing the lawn in high pollen areas.

7. Check food labels for potentially allergenic ingredients such as peanut products, wheat, gluten and corn. Again, an allergy test from your personal physician can alert you to potential problems.

It is extremely important that you avoid irritants such as mineral oil, fragrances of any sort, and impure ingredients in your cosmetics, shaving cream, makeup, and skin lotions. What you put on your skin irritates there, and then is absorbed into your blood stream where it causes further problems. Choose well-researched, dermatologist-approved, fragrance and mineral-oil free, scientifically-proven nutritional supplements, cosmetics, lotions and shaving cream.

There is some evidence that allergen sensitivity builds from a too-early introduction to certain substances. Consider the generation born in the late 40s that is basically allergic to orange juice because of having been introduced to it in the hospital, virtually at birth since there was no other way to prevent scurvy at the time and it was considered good medicine. No pediatrician these days would recommend you give orange juice, egg white and other things to your child before the age of one year. Continue this prudent and safe care by using only safe baby products for skin and bath.

Living with allergies and allergens is a 24/7 prospect for all of us. You can’t move away from them, and you can’t get rid of them all, so eliminate the offenders that you can since the effect is cumulative, and stay informed.

©Susan Dunn, MA, EQ coaching, susandunn.cc susandunn.cc, mailto:mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc sdunn@susandunn.cc. Individual coaching, business programs, EQ Alive! #1 rated program to increase your EQ – simple, no memorizing, it works. Email for information, and free ezine.

Studies have shown that effectively changing our lifestyle involves journaling out food, exercise and daily thoughts.

It does not have to be anything fancy, though; the important thing is that you allow yourself freedom to express your thoughts and feelings about anything that is happening in your life right now. Remember, any form of self-monitoring will help you manage your total well being better.

Emotional eaters need to expand the food journal to include feelings on why they eat a particular food item, because it’s not only important to track how much you eat, but also why and when you eat it. Identifying the feelings and issues that trigger and accompany overeating is an important step toward developing healthy eating patterns.

Keeping up with your journal is a great motivator and helps you be aware of exactly what and how much you are eating.

Paying attention to detail

Change! To some it’s down right scary and changing our daily lifestyle habits can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to begin. The secret to permanent change involves an important step called awareness.

You now know why journaling is an important tool in changing your habits but simply writing it down is not enough. You must become aware of your habits; ask yourself what is this habit exactly? How is this bad habit or group of bad habits affecting you? How is this habit affecting others? For example, smoking often has negative effects on others as well as on you.

What I want you to do is track your food, movement and feelings on paper for one week and make no changes to your diet or movement habits. Once you have one weeks worth of journal entries you will think of one small change you want to incorporate into your lifestyle according to your journal entries.

Remember the more detailed you are at the beginning stages of the change process it will greatly help you to change your habits more effectively and permanently!

Nelson Roque is a Fitness/Body Mind Weight Loss Mentor who has lost 75 lbs; he is also a sports nutritionist who focuses on total body well-being.

For more information please visit the following website for daily inspiration and motivation to get your journey of a healthy active lifestyle started.

theweightingroom.com theweightingroom.com

If you have any questions, concerns or need help with getting motivated / inspired you may contact me at mailto:nelson@theweightingroom.com nelson@theweightingroom.com

A fear of the dentist is common

Millions of people suffer from dental phobia. Most people who find out that they are not alone are shocked to see how common this phobia really is.

The fear of the dentist is a strong fear but is actually quite harmless. Mature adults are often aware that there dental phobia is irrational, but this fear is often hard to overcome when just thinking about going to the dentist causes fear, anxiety, and panic attacks. Study show numbers as high as 25% of the population of North America suffers from fear of the dentist

“A fear, or phobia, traditionally defined as an irrational and exaggerated fear of dentists and dental procedures. Some controversy exists with regards to whether the fear is “irrational”, as dentist phobia is most commonly caused by previous bad experiences. Furthermore, there appear to be several subtypes of dental phobia, which to date have not been adequately described and categorized, for example “fear of dentists” versus “fear of specific dental procedures”, needle phobia, and dental phobia resulting from previous, perhaps unrelated, abuse. Not all of these fears can be deemed irrational. Dentist phobia may better be defined as an extreme and persistent fear which results in the individual’s avoidance of attending a dentist at all costs, unless possibly when a physical problem becomes overwhelming. “
Source: wikipedia

It is very common for people suffering from dental phobia to miss their dental appointments. They will come up with any reason to miss it, including mystery illnesses. The problem with this is that without proper dental treatment the problem with your teeth will only get worse. The fear of the dentist usually starts in childhood, often from a dentist who may have accidentally hurt the child, or from a visit to a dentist who is used to working with adults only.

It should not be forgotten that a fear of the dentist plays in your mental and emotional states; it can affect your business and your social life.

What you can do to minimize or eliminate a fear of the dentist

Look for dentists who specialize in treating people with anxiety disorders. These dentists often approach their practice from a physiological point of view. This may include relaxation or visualization exercises for the patient.

Many dentists also help reduce patient fears through the use of drugs. This is great for people who can not seem to get over their fears. You simply go in sit down, take a pill and fall asleep. When you wake up your dental work is done, and although you may feel a little sleepy, you are ready to go home without any stressful memories.

Talk to your dentist about your fears, they may not know that you have them, there is nothing to be ashamed of. If this does not help you are always free to shop around. I used to be afraid of the dentist, and then I moved to a new city and found a new dentist who I talked to about my fears. This dentist had worked with many patients who have a fear of the dentist and he helped me to fear safe and relaxed and actually enjoy my trip to the dentist.

The author is a health writer and avid traveler. To learn how to overcome
your fear-phobia.com fears and phobias visit our
fear-phobia.com/uncategorized/fear-of-the-dentist/ fear of the dentist site today.

You’re driving to work on a cool morning listening to your stereo when all of a sudden you feel intense heat. You know that you don’t have a fever – you were feeling great just a minute ago. And yet there is no denying the severe heat you feel inside your body. The sudden feeling of severe warmth is unexplainable. That’s when you realize that what you are feeling are hot flash symptoms.

Hot flashes are a condition typically present during menopause, which can occur for several years before and after you cease menstrual bleeding. Hot flash symptoms are primarily caused by hormonal changes. Although in some cases, hot flashes can occur in people who have a rigorous lifestyle or those who are taking certain medications.

Here are the most common hot flash symptoms:

1. Sudden redness of the skin, commonly noticeable on the face and the upper body.

2. Intense heat, despite the coolness within your environment. This feeling is different than heat from outside the body – it feels like it comes from within. The heat can vary between women, and even with hot flash episodes. It may be gone after a few moments and then recur a few minutes later.

3. Excessive sweating may be felt when you experience hot flash symptoms. This is not the ordinary sweating common with heavy exercise. Instead of hot sweats, you may go through cold sweats. This is especially common during the night, when you may experience what are usually called “night sweats.”

4. Night sweats will often cause difficulty in getting a good night’s sleep.

Other accompanying hot flash symptoms apart from the above are:

1. Heart Palpitations

2. Nausea
3. Dizziness
4. Anxiety
5. Headaches
6. Shortness of Breath

After experiencing redness of the face and upper body, a feeling of severe and unexplainable hotness, as well as discomfort, is almost certainly a hot flash when all of those symptoms end with a chill. Experts say that a “chill” is often the culmination of a hot flash.

Hot flash symptoms vary from one person to another. To get an accurate picture of your menopausal symptoms and their severity, it is a good idea to keep a diary. You can record in your diary the times, length, and severity of each symptom as it occurs.

Fortunately, most hot flash symptoms can be treated quite easily with a combination of lifestyle changes and herbal medications. A first line of defense is to eliminate spicy foods, alcohol, coffee, and smoking. Make sure you are eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and fresh vegetables. Increase your exercise and practice deep breathing. Just these steps alone will often greatly reduce hot flash symptoms.

If you are still suffering symptoms, try one of the many herbal remedies for hot flashes that are readily available at most health food stores. Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose Oil are herbs that are very effective in reducing hot flash symptoms. Finally, consult with your doctor for additional suggestions and help in navigating your journey through menopause.

Discover how YOU can find survivemenopause.com/blog/natural-remedies-for-hot-flashes/ relief from hot flashes and survivemenopause.com/blog/try-these-proven-natural-cures-for-hot-flashes/ menopausal symptoms without Hormone Replacement Therapy at Linda Bruton’s Survive Menopause site. Pick up your free special report “Coping with Hot Flashes the Natural Way” (a $27 value) by clicking here:
survivemenopause.com survivemenopause.com

Can you still remember the very first time you had your first cigarette? Probably you can’t. You probably cannot even recall how many cigarettes you have already lit today. Smoking, like any other addiction, can consume a person. The main drawback of smoking is the adverse effect it has on a person’s health.

There are numerous reported cases of lung cancer caused by second hand smoking. People working in bars and restaurants who haven’t even smoked a single cigarette in their whole lives have been diagnosed with lung cancer caused by cigarette smoke. Exposure to heavy cigarette smoke at the workplace is a spiteful work hazard.

Surely, you realize that by smoking you are not only jeopardizing your own health but that of the people around you as well. Most often the people that are most affected by your addiction are the very people whom you love. Studies show that spouses of heavy smokers have a higher death rate compared with non smokers’ spouses.

How do you start? Most often the challenge for a lifetime change is gargantuan but your motivation to change should be even more enormous in order to come up victorious.

Motivation is the secret to stop smoking for good. Any technique than can keep you motivated to go on with your fight against smoking is worth trying. The following may help you get through your struggle and may actually help you get closer to your objective that is to stop smoking and live a healthier life.

1. It can help if you tell everyone around you like your friends, officemates and relatives that you are trying to stop smoking. This will serve as a control measure and places a social pressure on you to keep focused and stay with your goal. Other smokers may not like to agree with you and may not be on your side to help you get through. They probably will want you to fail because your success may put pressure on them to stop smoking as well. So be ready to face such enmity.

2. Give yourself a penalty for every cigarette that you light. This could be an unpleasant but essential chore.

3. Always remind yourself of the benefits of quitting. How quitting can give you and your loved ones longer lives to live. Think also of the penalties you are going to endure every time you fall back. Every time you are tempted to light a cigarette, picture yourself lying thin and sick with lung cancer or chronic bronchitis.

4. You will definitely save a lot of money by quitting. Think of how much money you will be saving and buy yourself a gift out of that money. Something that you would really like to have or have been wanting for years.

5. Always bear in mind that there will be times when you will feel anxious, uneasy or unable to concentrate and smoking will not be the way out of these situations. You can take a walk or jog and have some fresh air. You can go window-shopping and look for that special gift you want for yourself out of the money you will save from quitting. These will ease your tension.

6. The effects of withdrawal may make you feel horrible but always keep in mind that you will feel way much better soon.

By stopping your addiction now, you are giving yourself and those you love longer chance to live and enjoy life together.

Michael Russell
Your Independent stopsmoking-guide.com/ Stop Smoking guide.

Penis enlargement is tried out by many men. Most of the times it is to give something more to their beloved partner. There are also other reasons why penis enlargement proves to be really useful; firstly it boosts the man’s confidence while having sex. High rate of confidence means high level of satisfaction.

High level of satisfaction always goes a long way, where relationships are concerned. Satisfaction always means a happy partner and a chance to make a relationship last life long. These reasons are enough for all those who would want their beloved to stay with them for ever.

People also looking out for more fun try penis enlargement, it is better to use some penis enlargement information available on the Internet so that they can choose the right way for penis enlargement.

There are quite some numbers of methods available. However, not each one of these is suitable for all. Therefore, before trying out a method it would be better to collect as much information available for penis enlargement as much possible.

There are certain things that you can clarify with penis enlargement information

The time required for each of the method, if you are a very busy person it would be better you decide trying something which takes almost no time like penis enlargement liquid medicine or pills. Penis enlargement is possible within a minute.

If you are skeptical about taking pills and liquid medicine, and you have enough time on hands, then you can try out other methods like massaging your penis with a penis enlargement cream or lotion. This technique requires you to follow a regular time for massage without which there will not be enough effect.

If you are a fitness freak, you can try different penis enlargement exercises that are aimed at helping you with penis enlargement without having to take any medicines.

If you love gadgets then the extender just be the one for you, you can try this device but do try finding out more penis enlargement information about this gadget before you go ahead and buy it.

Penis enlargement information is displayed on most of the websites which deal with penis enlargement products. These websites also have doctors advising which ones are the best in the industry. You can also try out blogs where users have posted their personal experiences. These will surely help you arrive at a decision.

Personal experiences will also let you know what people found difficult and things that require to be avoided. You will also find small but useful tips regarding penis enlargement which you can use when you try out your method.

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With the growing trend in obesity, childhood is now often the time when weight problems start. In fact, amongst children and teenagers obesity has already reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the developed world. This is an area of growing concern amongst health care professionals, as obese children and teenagers are more likely to become obese adults than are their thinner friends.

In addition, obese children are also have a shorter life expectation than would otherwise be the case, with the result that many of today’s youngsters will die before their parents. And what parent wishes to outlive his or her children?

The illnesses associated with obesity include diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, infertility and depression. Children who are obese could find themselves suffering from these conditions as young adults unless steps are taken to help them lose weight.

There are many reasons for childhood obesity and these need to be dealt with sensitively. Young people are just finding their identity and harsh criticism can undermine attempts to get them to lose weight. However, they should be encouraged to take as much responsibility for their eating habits as possible.

Enabling children to understand the consequences of unhealthy eating as early in life is important, as this can help avoid overweight, but what if they are already addicted to junk food? Families need to work together on this and parents should set a good example by what they eat themselves and should get their kids involved in shopping and cooking. It is also crucial to remember that children are still growing and so must not be deprived of essential nutrients. Therefore very restrictive diets should be avoided, except in extremely severe cases of obesity, and then only under medical supervision.

Parents should also make a point of listening to their children and taking time to discover the underlying reasons for their offsprings’ overeating. Kids, like adults, eat for psychological reasons and it’s important to be aware of any causes of unhappiness, such as bullying or too much pressure to do well at school.

It is important to address the problem as early as possible, as it becomes more difficult to deal with the more overweight the child becomes. In the early stages, it may be possible to get things back on track with a few changes in diet and a bit more exercise, both of which can be undertaken by the whole family. However, if overweight has become a serious problem, it is essential to enlist professional help. Obesity, childhood or otherwise, is a major health risk and combating it involves adopting a healthy way of life for ever, not just until an acceptable weight has been reached.

© Waller Jamison 2007

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