Starting Over Again
The first few weeks of the New Year is quite naturally a time to refresh, to start again, to make resolutions (and break them!). Changing your lifestyle, increasing your activity level, and improving your diet, is often at the top of many people’s list. Doctors talk about the “cycle of change”, the thought processes we go through, moving from thinking about making a change, to a determination to get started, and then a commitment to seeing it through. Whatever stage of this “cycle” you’re in, it always pays, in my experience, to kick-start your journey by deciding what it is you want to achieve; working out how you achieve it will soon follow.
Some months ago one of my patients, Martin, came to see me for a regular blood pressure check. Disappointed that his BP was too high, and wanting to avoid taking medication for as long as he could, he asked me what else he could do to bring his blood pressure down naturally. Less stress? Less salt? Less alcohol? Stopping smoking? Answer: all of the above. But we also discussed weight loss. The numbers surprised him. Losing just 10% of your body weight, over a 3-6 month period (that’s about one and a half stones for a typical heavy bloke) would drop blood pressure by about 10 points, fasting blood sugar by up to half, and cholesterol by 10%. Add to that a possible 30% decrease in cancer risk, and the benefits are easy to understand.
Martin left my office with something to think about. He knew what he wanted to achieve. The hope of improving his health, and fitness, without talking any medication inspired him to do something about it. He moved from the “contemplation” stage, to the “action” stage. Three months later he came back to see me. Looking good, he was one and a half stones lighter, blood pressure normal, and had a lower cholesterol level. He was a happy man. His next challenge is to move to the “maintenance” stage, and keep the weight off. I’m certain he will. He knows has too much to gain by keeping control over his weight, and too much to lose if he doesn’t.
Dr Ian Campbell
Starting Over Again
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By Dr Ian Campbell January 2011
The first few weeks of the New Year is quite naturally a time to refresh, to start again, to make resolutions (and break them!). Changing your lifestyle, increasing your activity level, and improving your diet, is often at the top of many people’s list. Doctors talk about the “cycle of change”, the thought processes we go through, moving from thinking about making a change, to a determination to get started, and then a commitment to seeing it through. Whatever stage of this “cycle” you’re in, it always pays, in my experience, to kick-start your journey by deciding what it is you want to achieve; working out how you achieve it will soon follow.
Some months ago one of my patients, Martin, came to see me for a regular blood pressure check. Disappointed that his BP was too high, and wanting to avoid taking medication for as long as he could, he asked me what else he could do to bring his blood pressure down naturally. Less stress? Less salt? Less alcohol? Stopping smoking? Answer: all of the above. But we also discussed weight loss. The numbers surprised him. Losing just 10% of your body weight, over a 3-6 month period (that’s about one and a half stones for a typical heavy bloke) would drop blood pressure by about 10 points, fasting blood sugar by up to half, and cholesterol by 10%. Add to that a possible 30% decrease in cancer risk, and the benefits are easy to understand.
Martin left my office with something to think about. He knew what he wanted to achieve. The hope of improving his health, and fitness, without talking any medication inspired him to do something about it. He moved from the “contemplation” stage, to the “action” stage. Three months later he came back to see me. Looking good, he was one and a half stones lighter, blood pressure normal, and had a lower cholesterol level. He was a happy man. His next challenge is to move to the “maintenance” stage, and keep the weight off. I’m certain he will. He knows has too much to gain by keeping control over his weight, and too much to lose if he doesn’t.
Tags: fitness, healthy weight, prescribed medicine, responsibility