The number of people who are obese or overweight is staggering, a bigger population than was even alive in the 1920s. Extra weight is typically associated with pain. To get started with weight loss, try these body-trimming foods.
Obesity, chronic pain & life expectancy
Three out of ten people are now overweight or obese worldwide, a total population of 2.1 billion. That figure is up from 857 million in 1980 and is greater than the entire population in 1927, which was 2 billion. Obesity is described by Harvard University and other major institutions as one of the world’s most challenging epidemics.
Obesity is linked to chronic pain of virtually every type, including arthritis, low back pain, and migraine. The problem is essentially straightforward, notes the Arthritis Foundation: additional weight adds to the amount of pressure experienced throughout the body (such as the joints in the case of osteoarthritis). What’s more, those extra pounds may take up to eight years off your life, according to a McGill University study.
Five great weight loss foods
To lose weight, focus on foods with a lot of water, especially fresh produce. “In a University of Tokyo study, women who ate high-water-content foods had lower body mass indexes and smaller waistlines,” notes Health.com. “Researchers speculate that the water in these foods may fill you up so you eat less.”
Broccoli: Broccoli also boosts your intake of fiber and calcium.
Cabbage: Along with its value for weight loss, cabbage strengthens your immune system with antioxidants such as vitamin C.
Radishes: With these veggies, you will kickstart your body with folic acid, potassium, and digestive enzymes. Be sure not to throw away the leafy tops, since they are densely packed with 500% more vitamin C than the roots.
Grapefruit: Your cardiovascular system will thank you if you put grapefruit into your diet. “[G]rapefruit contains vitamin C, folic acid, and potassium, along with pectin, a soluble fiber that may be a strong ally against atherosclerosis,” says Health.com. “To get the juiciest specimens, select fruits heavy for their size.”
Spinach: You get an increase in vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and the antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene with this vegetable. Plus, you can reduce your susceptibility to vision problems as you age with the eye-health power of lutein.
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