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Patients Articles
Losing Weight for the
Summer Beach Season
When the summer beach season arrives, large numbers of both
men and women begin to lose weight.
One of the most frequent questions of patients is if they are
overweight, if they are fat, if they are attractive. Seemingly
there are many methods to take off weight, but most of them
don't work or they have complications that can cause many
health problems.
And excess weight is an aesthetic problem…
…And a health problem.
Because do you know that one of the first organs to suffer
from excess weight is the heart?
Currently, through all the means, dozens of diets are
explained to us all with wonderful promises. We will speak
about the real advice that will help us to lose weight, to be
healthier, more beautiful, and therefore happier.
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Q
– Dr. Peñafiel, what is the secret to losing weight?
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A – Just one: to have a good reason to do
it. |
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Q – And what is a good reason?
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A – The best of all: to like yourself.
Now let’s look at some other reasons.
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P -We Know that there are
dangerous diet regimens. Some have even been known to cause
death. We have found some very famous ones in our
documentation. Could you give us a quick comment on each one
of them?
We will see, let us begin:
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Q
– The Atkins diet? |
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A – The diet of the Dr. Atkins authorizes
one to eat only proteins and fat, and to avoid sugars
and milk products. It is dangerous. In United States
they have baptized it as a passport to a heart attack.
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Q – The Mayo Clinic diet? |
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A – The Mayo Clinic, in Minnesota, is a
very prestigious medical center. The diet denominated
this way has nothing to do with the clinic. It contains
an excess of eggs. Therefore it can increase
cholesterol. |
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Q – The Scarsdale diet?
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A – It is a hyper proteic diet, that is
to say rich in proteins (lean meats, shellfish, etc.)
and poor in sugars and fats. It is not bad, but it
should not be abused without medical control: fifteen
days as a maximum (lack of carbohydrates that give us
the necessary energy). |
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Q – What about amphetamines?
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A – They alter the nervous system
creating excitability, addiction, and later, depression.
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Q – Diuretics? |
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A – They make you urinate, which means,
loss of water but not of fat. |
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Q – Thyroid Extracts? |
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A – They fuse the muscles, not the fat.
They cause anguish, insomnia, and depression.
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Q – “Magic” pills, “miraculous” products,
etc.? |
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A – There is nothing else. Or they are
not very effective substances in themselves, or in
combination with the previous ones. It is necessary to
be very cautious with them. |
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Q – Then what is a good diet regime?
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A - Like we said, good motivation – and a
medical expert.
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- Supposing that we begin an appropriate diet, can we learn
something that helps us to lose a few kilos, to stay in shape?
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– The formula of the ideal weight according to the
height? |
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A – There are many, but not any good
ones. Height is only a data. The appropriate weight
depends on many factors. |
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Q – Should we lose a lot or a little?
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A – Rather to lose slowly: 500 to 1000
grams per week. And to not be obsessed: to be weighed
only once a day, not during the first days of
menstruation (retention of water), at the same hour, on
the same scale, with the same clothes.
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Q – Should we eat many or a few times a
day? |
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A – You should eat at least 3 times a
day. And slowly: the stomach takes 20 minutes in sending
the message to the brain that it is satisfied.
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Q – And to drink? |
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A – It’s indispensable; at least a liter
and half a day. Water, juices, teas, light drinks. The
juice of lemons or of vegetables prevents constipation.
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Q – This week a new surgical intervention
has been discussed that consists of extracting part of
the intestine to lose weight. Can you tell us about it?
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A – That procedure was described more
than 25 years ago. It was disregarded because it is
dangerous. It resulted in death in several cases by
causing the inability to digest. |
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Q – And once we have lost weight, how can
we keep it off? |
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A – With a positive, very optimistic
attitude – a new appearance motivates one stay thin.
Visit your hairdresser or beautician or buy some new
clothes. Practice some form of physical exercise
regularly, even if it’s only light exercise, such as
walking. Socialize with old or new friends. Discover new
activities in the city, the country, or on the beach. In
summary, to live.
Daniel Peñafiel S., M.D. |
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