Everyone knows how hard it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay fit. After a hard day of work, who has time to exercise or cook a nutritious meal? Sitting down to relax and watch television is much more appealing than stopping off at the gym for a workout after leaving the office, and daily decisions become habit after a while. Years later, you realize you are buying clothes that are a size or two larger, and the cycle continues.
Millions of Americans find themselves in the same boat. What begins as just a moment of weakness and giving in to a sugar craving or fast food run becomes a way of life. Obesity is a nationwide problem, and it is only getting worse. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, more than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese, and more than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity.
Studies show that obesity increases your risk of many dangerous conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. Colon cancer is one cancer that is significantly impacted by obesity. In fact, obesity-related colon cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University is seeking to understand more about the biological link between obesity and colon cancer. A study involving mice and the drug linaclotide (Linzess) determined that medication could prevent the development of obesity-related colon cancer.
Lead researcher Dr. Scott Waldman, and a team of researchers, found that a high-calorie diet turns off the action of an integral hormone in the colon that increases the risk for cancer. Linzess turns the hormone back, reactivates it and prevents cancer cell formation even when the mice continued their high-calorie diet.
“Our study suggests that colorectal cancer can be prevented in obese individuals with use of hormone replacement therapy — much as other diseases associated with hormone deficiency, such as loss of insulin in diabetes, can be treated," said Waldman.
Although it is welcome news that there is a drug that could prevent obesity-related colon cancer, Linzess does not take away the other health risks of obesity. Excess weight causes strain on all of the systems in the body, and obese individuals are still at risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other types of cancers. The best way to prevent obesity-related disease is to prevent obesity itself (Source: Newsmax).
A healthy diet and regular physical activity is the best way to prevent obesity and to help overweight individuals lose excess weight. Government guidelines suggest that healthy adults take part in moderately intense physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week, but a study in 2003-2004 showed that only 3 to 5 percent of adults meet those recommendations (Source: NIH).
If you have been struggling with your weight, you are not alone. Talk to your doctor about getting assistance with creating an appropriate exercise and meal plan. Maintaining a healthy body weight will keep your energy levels high, keep your heart strong, prevent diabetes, and most importantly, prevent colon cancer!