Wellness is a product of physical, mental and spiritual well-being that develops when taking responsibility for one’s health by making and maintaining positive lifestyle changes. Wellness is not merely the absence of disease, but it is a daily conscious decision to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle and eliminate preventable health risks.

Important preventable/changeable health risks:

• Smoking
• Hypertension
  
• High blood cholesterol
  
• Diabetes Mellitus/Insulin Resistance
  
• Physical inactivity
  
• Obesity
  

HYPERTENSION/ HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Blood pressure (BP) is defined as the pressure that circulating blood exerts on the walls of your arteries, veins and the chambers of your heart. High BP is a risk factor for cardiovascular- and kidney disease. Normal BP is on average 120/80 mm Hg. Values lower than this is not dangerous or harmful and do not need treatment in general. The goal BP for optimal cardiovascular health should be less than 140/90 mm Hg, with an even lower goal in people with diabetes or kidney disease.

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

Obesity is a common disorder in our population and being overweight has a major impact on your health and well-being. It is one of the major preventable health risks of our modern lifestyle (smoking being another). Obesity is the biggest cause for Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin resistance as well as a major predictor of heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, different  kinds of cancers, chronic fatigue, asthma, arthritis, infertility and mental unwellness.

The easiest way to screen if you are carrying excess weight is to calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). This is done mathematically by the formula weight in kg/(height in cm)². A value more than 25 is roughly classified as being overweight and puts you at risk for obesity related diseases. At Lifestylechoice, we use sophisticated methods to determine your exact body composition, lean body mass and fat percentage as well as your daily energy needs.

Obesity with its associated diseases is a chronic disease state, requiring a long term comprehensive management approach. The good news however is, that being overweight is, with the right interventions and personal perseverance, a 100% reversible condition. Your health is in your hands!

INSULIN RESISTANCE/METABOLIC SYNDROME

The Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities, including impaired glucose metabolism, high blood pressure, high insulin levels, abnormal cholesterol (dyslipidemia) and abdominal obesity. It is a precursor to type 2 Diabetes and a powerful independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (i.e. heart attach, stroke, decrease blood flow to your limbs etc.). Negative lifestyle habits, such as lack of physical exercise, diets high in saturated fat and refined sugars, all leading to weight gain, have contributed to a worldwide increase in the prevalence of the Metabolic syndrome and its associated complications.

Insulin resistance is a direct effect of, and not a cause of obesity and weight loss, a healthy balanced diet and physical exercise has clearly shown to have a favorable effect on the metabolic abnormalities associated with insulin resistance and thus obesity. If you have a BMI > 25 you are at risk of having/or developing insulin resistance. The underlying abnormal cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels puts you at risk to develop Type 2 Diabetes or suffer from a heart attack, stroke or other associated diseases should these abnormalities not be addressed. There are exact measurements and values for above abnormalities which we at Lifestylechoice will screen for and discuss and manage in detail.

CHOLESTEROL

Cholesterol is a fat found mainly in animal products (meat/diary) and is continuously produced in the body, mainly by the liver and adrenal cortex. Cholesterol is used by the body to produce essential hormones and maintain cell structure. Excess cholesterol leads to thickening and plague formation of your artery walls, putting you at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol is divided into different fractions: Total cholesterol; HDL (good cholesterol); LDL (bad cholesterol); Triglycerides (bad cholesterol). Each fraction contributes to disease/health in a unique way. You need NOT to be overweight to suffer from high cholesterol, although, being overweight and having a family member with high cholesterol, puts you at greater risk.

ENDOCRINE ABNORMALITIES

Although not that common, several endocrine or hormonal abnormalities can cause abnormal weight gain or difficulty in losing weight as well as symptoms like being tired, anxious or depressed. Some of these abnormalities include:

Thyroid abnormalities:

Thyroid hormones are very important to maintain normal metabolic cell function and energy balance of the whole body.

An under active thyroid gland can cause a slow metabolic rate with weight gain, resistance against weight loss, tiredness, faint attacks, water retention, constipation, high cholesterol, thin hair and brittle nails, depression and many more.

Over activity of the thyroid gland has quite the opposite effect of above, with symptoms including: nervousness, anxiety, palpitations, high blood pressure, abnormal weight loss, flushing, sweating, diarrhea, osteoporosis and other.

It is important to check your thyroid functions. Abnormalities can easily be identified on a blood test and are medically treated, in general, with great success.

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease, mostly involving the bones of the entire skeleton.

It is characterized by low bone mass density and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue, which leads to an increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to bone fractures, especially fractures of the wrists, spine or hips. 74% of woman over the age of 50 suffers from osteoporosis or osteopenia (milder form of bone loss). Being underweight and not having your peroid every month, also puts you at risk for asteoporosis. A DEXA bone scan is the best way of diagnosing osteoporosis and treatment or prevention of future osteoporosis are executed according to your scan results.

CANCER PREVENTION

The Cancer Association of South Africa gives estimation that 1 in 4 of all South Africans will be affected by a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Two very important causes of cancer deaths are poor dietary habits and smoking. Evidence is abundant that following a balanced healthy, low fat diet rich in specific nutrients and fiber with an active lifestyle, abstinence from smoking and loosing excess weight, reduces your risk for many  types of cancer, significantly. Early screening for some types of cancer improves disease outcome and survival.

Breast cancer      

It is of utmost importance for females, from the age of menarche (start of menstruations) onwards, to examine their breast monthly. This leads to early detection of abnormalities in breasts tissue and subsequent early and appropriate intervention.

A healthy lifestyle as well as maintaining a healthy weight plays a very important role in preventing breast cancer. A low fat balanced diet, with restricted alcohol intake as well as moderate exercise and loosing excess weight is sure to lower your risk of this cencer. 

Cervical Cancer       

A Pap smear can detect cancer of the cervix up to ten years before it appears, and if detected early is easily treated. Every sexually active woman should have a Pap smear done every 1 to 3 years, depending on their age, other risk factors as well as the result of  previous test.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and the second most common cause of cancer related death in men. There is good evidence that a diet high in fat, especially fat from red meat, is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and may even encourage progression. A healthy diet high in specific nutrients like selenium and low in saturated fats, have a strong protective effect in the development of this cancer.