Your Belly & Fat Heart Attackts ! – By Dr Gotabhaya Ranasinghe
Source : Dr Gotabhaya Ranasinghe facebook
Did you know belly fat raises the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart attacks?
Over the years, I’ve noticed that the majority of Sri Lankans, men and women alike, carry belly fat. It has now become a fairly common sight.
Most Sri Lankans start gaining belly fat after they are past their mid-twenties. However, it is disappointing to learn that the majority of them are ignorant of the dangers that belly fat can cause. Some people believe that belly fat is common as people age, while others believe that having a big belly enhances a person’s personality.!
People gain belly fat primarily because of sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets that contain large amounts of sugar, bad fats, carbohydrates, and rice in practically all 3 meals.
Did you know that in Sri Lanka, the ideal waist circumference should measure 80cm or below for a female and 90cm or below for a male?
In the majority of people, 90% of body fat found in a layer just below the skin is Subcutaneous fat. This fat is the kind of fat that feels soft when you poke it. The remaining 10%, often known as visceral or intra-abdominal fat, is hidden beneath the strong abdominal wall.
Visceral or intra-abdominal fat is located in the regions around the intestines, liver, and other organs. Additionally, it is kept in the omentum, a tissue flap that covers the intestines and sits beneath the abdominal muscles. As the omentum fills with fat, it becomes firmer and thicker., !
● Visceral fat releases free fatty acids into the bloodstream and liver forming cholesterol.
● Visceral fat produces proteins called cytokines that create low-level inflammation. This is a risk factor for heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
● Visceral fat also sparks the production of Angiotensin, a protein that tightens blood vessels and raises blood pressure.!
Numerous studies have shown that the risk of heart disease is nearly doubled in people with large waists that contain belly fat. Every 2 inches of fat gain, even in healthy individuals, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.
A number of other heart diseases are negatively impacted by the increased visceral-fat volume. It is linked to increased triglyceride, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels as well as lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels.?
– Increased belly fat may result from a diet high in added sweeteners, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages.
Sugar molecules make up carbs or carbohydrates. We Sri Lankans typically prefer eating rice for all our three main meals and consume large amounts of carbohydrates.
Avoid sugar and lessen the consumption of carbohydrates as much as you can!
– Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is linked to weight growth and abdominal fat. Try saying no to alcohol!
– Artificial trans fats may increase belly fat and have a strong link to poor heart health. Avoid fatty food!
– A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise cause weight gain and a rise in belly fat. I advise you to engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week to avoid health hazards.
– Consume a diet high in protein. Moderate body weight and reduced belly fat are linked to high protein intake. Try to include high protein-containing food such as eggs, lentils, lean meat & beans in your meals.
– A diet high in refined grains and poor in fiber may increase the likelihood of weight gain and increased levels of belly fat. You can include lentils, beans, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, oats, seeds & nuts in your daily meals.
Choose red rice instead of polished (white) rice which contains a lower amount of carbohydrates. Sri Lanka is a country rich in agriculture and offers a wide variety of nutritious vegetables. Ensure to add these to your daily meal plan. & !
The time has come to make health-promoting choices about what you eat and how much you exercise to help you lose belly fat and avoid the associated health hazards.
So let’s start to eat healthfully and exercise regularly and stay on the right track!
