Yo! How's Your Immune Function?
Just about everyone knows that yo-yo dieting - repeatedly losing and gaining weight - isn't very effective in the long term, certainly not if you're interested in stability and stress reduction.
After all, who wants to go through the frustration of dropping 10 or 20 pounds for a friend's wedding, then putting it all back on (and more), then dropping it again to fit into a particular pair of pants, then gaining it back again?
Well, the reality is that far too many people are on yo-yo diets these days, and the consequences might expand (no pun intended) beyond simple weight loss and weight gain. According to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, repeatedly losing and gaining weight in cyclical fashion may actually reduce long-term immune function, and the reduction is proportionate to the amount of times the person has intentionally lost weight.
Of course, this is significant because the immune system is essentially the body's line of defense against infection, illness and disease. When the immune system is low, your chances of getting sick are high - the lower your immunity, the greater the risk of acquiring anything from a common cold to cancer.
Maintaining a weight appropriate to your body height/type and following a sensible, moderate exercise and diet regimen are the keys to keeping immune function high - and they're great ways to stay happy and healthy, too! Your chiropractor can evaluate your current situation and, if necessary, recommend a permanent weight-loss strategy.
Reference:
Ulrich C, et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2004;104:892-94, 903.
To read more about general health, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.
