Putting on a few pounds here and there is normal and not a big deal, but when your waist starts to widen and you get bigger with your clothes, excess weight can become a big health problem. Belly fat is not healthier than you think because visceral fat is stored when you consume too many calories and are not physically active. It’s dangerous because visceral fat sits deep in your abdomen, and although you can’t see it, it wraps around your vital organs and has been linked to serious health problems like stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, and more. The good news is that when you lose belly fat, you lose visceral fat, and eat this, not that! Health spoke with Megan Mescher CoxDO Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Lifestyle Medicine, and Obesity Medicine with Dignity Health St. John’s Hospital who explains how to get rid of abdominal fat. Read on and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure signs you’ve already had COVID.
Dr. Cox explains: “Most of us use waist circumference as an indicator of belly fat. For women, a waist circumference of more than 35 inches is considered an unhealthy amount of belly fat. The shape The easiest way to measure is to get a flexible tape measure and hold one side at your navel, wrapping it around your body. It’s important to measure at navel level.”
Dr. Cox tells us: “Fat that accumulates in the belly is most strongly associated with health problems, especially heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver. Fat in the abdominal cavity, known as visceral fat (also known as as “belly fat”) is metabolically active: it releases hormones and inflammatory factors. These hormones and inflammatory factors lead to increased inflammation, which is a confounding factor in the development of heart disease and diabetes, among others.”
“Our body will produce varying levels of hormones in response to external stimuli,” says Dr. Cox. “If we live a life where we are commonly stressed, our stress hormone cortisol can be elevated. This can result in the formation of more abdominal fat. Similarly, if we don’t have time to relax regularly, we will also see an increase in cortisol.”
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting 150 minutes of exercise a week, and Dr. Cox says, “This helps build muscle, which increases a person’s basal metabolic rate. This will help break down fat even when a person isn’t exercising.” The building exercise is especially good at this.”
According to Dr. Cox, “Fiber intake is inversely related to waist size and abdominal fat. To put it another way, the more fiber a person eats, the lower the waistline and abdominal fat.” There are numerous reasons for this, but especially notable is that fiber allows the bacteria in your gut to form a protective layer that can physically block some absorption of dietary fat and cholesterol. of the hormone insulin, and when insulin levels are more stable there is less chance of hyperinsulinemia.One of insulin’s jobs is to help store sugar, which increases fat and especially belly fat.Furthermore, foods high in fiber are usually healthier choices: vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, and whole grains — foods that also have no cholesterol and are low in fat.”
Dr. Cox says, “This helps reduce belly fat buildup by reducing foods that are a major contributor to belly fat buildup. These foods introduce inflammation, fat, cholesterol, and significant calories that need to be stored in the body and further stimulate the inflammatory response in someone’s body.
heather newgen
Heather Newgen has two decades of experience reporting and writing on health, fitness, entertainment and travel. Heather currently works as a freelancer for various publications. Read more about Heather
