A personal, reflective, and “optional” philosophical note from Dr. Tague
Humans are complex beings. And that is an understatement! What is it that makes us who we are? Are we just a bag of skin containing chemicals and chemical reactions? Or, is there an immaterial, “can’t touch it” aspect to man that makes us unique as individuals? And could the immaterial part of man influence our health and sense of well-being?
Has your scale steadily increased since COVID-19? You’re not alone. Gaining weight this past year has been epidemic, causing major setbacks to health and happiness. Many dine-in restaurants closing, gyms shutting down, and unprecedented stress has resulted in a lot of stress eating and comfort foods! Consequences were inevitable.
COVID-19 contributed to the deaths of over 200,000 Americans during the first several months of 2020. The CDC predicts 5,000 additional deaths per week for at least the next few months. Regrettably, many of these COVID-19 deaths were preventable through weight loss.
We now know that those with a BMI over 30 (the obese) have an 80% higher risk of ending up in the ICU from COVID-19 than those of normal weight. In fact, obesity seems to be the primary preventable risk factor for dying from COVID-19, and that will likely not change, even with a vaccine.
There are 3 reasons why losing weight now can be crucial for avoiding unnecessary COVID-19 complications and possible death.
If you are like me, you’ve never been more interested in your immune system and its ability to fight off infections. COVID-19 has gotten our attention! How peculiar that the same virus can cause an infection with few or no symptoms in some, but result in multi-organ failure and death in others! It’s the same virus, in the same species, but the hosts of that virus are NOT the same.
The question we are all asking is if we are in the group with a killer immune system that can knock out coronavirus as if it were a common cold, or are we more vulnerable to life-threatening complications from COVID-19. The answer to that question applies to other viral respiratory infections, including influenza. Let me explain.
Are you frustrated with trying to lose weight with hunger-producing diets and sore muscles from the gym? Are you tired of jumping from one failed fad diet to another, each time with increasing confusion and disappointment? Let’s face it, if those strategies worked, our overweight problem in America would be solved!
Most of my patients have “been there, done that” and now know that when their weight increased by 20, 40, 60 lbs or more, it became a true medical problem, requiring medical solutions for true success.
When people contact us for the first time, usually referred by a successful friend, they typically have heard about patient successes. But you may still have questions about going to Dr. Tague’s Center for Nutrition to finally get in control of your weight. Let’s look at some facts, including the use of medications as one of many tools that can be help you lose weight.
Is your scale “creeping” upwards? You’re not alone. Unwanted weight gain is epidemic and is often devastating to health and happiness. 80% of Americans are now overweight, with more people joining the list each year. Calories from food end up as fat (what we DON’T want), instead of energy (what we DO want). Calories have become a “bad guy”!
Look at common efforts to avoid calories, our source of energy:
Aging…. It’s happening to all of us, but did you know that most Americans are aging “too fast”? You see, researchers now know more than ever how to measure aging where it actually happens, at the level of our DNA. And for Americans, the news isn’t good. Americans are aging faster than necessary and there are things we can do about it. Let me explain….