Keisha Shakespeare, Freelance Writer
Endocrinologist and president of Diabetes Association of Jamaica Professor Errol Morrison. - PHOTO BY KEISHA SHAKESPEARE
A COLLEAGUE OF mine who was always teased about the size of his stomach said, "Man must have guts". True but not 'gut' (belly).
Belly fat in men has predominantly taken over the lives of many men. It is not exclusive to 'fat men', but also men who are slenderly built. In the Jamaican society men who have belly fat are said to be men that are wealthy. However, what is wealth without health?
Dr. Errol Morrison, honorary president of the Diabetes Association of Jamaica, explains exactly what Belly fat is from a medical stance. " Belly fat is the centripetal (deposition of fat around the waist area). This is different from the fat around the hips. The whole concept of belly fat related to the paunch, beer or rum belly attributed to drinking a lot of alcohol. Belly fat also comes with age and possibly heredity, nature versus nurture."
"Belly fat is also genetically determined, how we eat and not enough exercise. Sometimes what we see may not be belly fat in some people but lack of muscle toning and weak abdominal muscles," he added.
Belly fat can be a health risk because abdominal fat is active. It functions like a separate organ, releasing substances that can be harmful to your body such as free fatty acids that impairs your ability to break down the hormone insulin and too much insulin in your system can lead to diabetes.
"Fat disposition is increasingly recognised as an indicator of certain diseases. The International Task Force on obesity (based in England and studies problems of obesity worldwide) has indicated that an abdominal girt (waist measurement) of 90cm or 30 inches is an absolute indicator of diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart attack and strokes," explain Dr. Morrison.
According to an article in Men's Health Magazine, "Artery-clogging cheeseburgers don't discriminate, so when you're overweight, the 'gunk' that gums up the blood vessels leading to your heart and brain also gums up the vessels that lead to your genitals. Plaque forms on the inside of your arteries, narrowing the passageways through which blood must follow. Your blood vessels can become so clogged in your pelvic area that a sufficient supply of blood can't get through to form an erection. Increased fat equals decreased blood flow. Decreased blood flow equals softer (or no) erections. Clogged blood vessels have the same effect on women, leading to decreased lubrication, sensitivity, and sexual pleasure."
Dr. Morrison also explains that, "belly fat in and of itself does not cause impotent. However, belly fat in a setting where you get hardening of the arteries which can be associated with impotence."
" However, in my practice I have dealt with a lot of individuals with belly fat. And there has not been a particular pattern that states that people with belly fat has a low sexual drive than anyone else," he added.
CORTISOL
Lately, researchers have found a link between stress, tension, and excess belly fat; high levels of cortisol a stress hormone that causes excess body fat to accumulate around your waist and tummy.
Cortisol is released by the body's adrenal glands in response to either physical or emotional stress. Stress causes the body to overproduce cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels compromise other hormones, including insulin, serotonin, and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Cortisol also decreases our metabolism, increases hunger and cravings, imbalances blood sugar (glucose) levels, and signals the body to store excess fat.
" Excessive levels of cortisol will not occur in the normal person. However, if someone has sustained overproduction of cortisol that is constantly aroused then that will trigger the production of excess fat," explained Dr. Morrison.
Some individuals secrete more cortisol than others in response to the same source of stress. Researchers have developed tablets such as cortislim, lipocourt, relacore among others that contains harmones formulated to control cortisol, naturally boost metabolism, burn fat, curb appetite and cravings, and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. (These drugs are not available in Jamaica)
Like anything that is taken in excess there are side effects.
" If these hormones are taken in excess over a long period of time the body would store excess carbohydrate as fat that is deposited centrally around the waist," noted Dr. Morrison.
"Other side effects include: over producing of the adrenal gland (Cushing's disease), swelling up of the face and neck, and thinning out of the legs (one will look like a barrel on sticks). Cortisol tablets are usually used to inhibit the cortisol level in ones body to reduce belly fat," added Dr. Morrison.
To reduce the excess secretion of cortisol, Ruthlyn Mclarty, counsellor at Family Life Ministry suggests the following to have a less stressful day.
1. Practice regular exercise
2. Practice relaxation techniques; deep breathing, self-control and walking away from situation that will cause you to get angry.
3. Try to be patient with delays and interruption in your daily routine.
4. Try to develop coping strategies that will aid in daily interruptions and anxiety.
5. Try to create a stress free home environment. Help out in the home; don't leave all the work on one person because this will cause the other person to complain. You can have a daily, weekly, or monthly planner to help with chores.
6. Develop and practice time management skills. Don't take on too much responsibility at a time. This will push you to have demanding deadlines and that will create stress and frustration.
Sources: www.significantweightloss.com <http://www.significantweightloss.com>
www.menhealth.com <http://www.menhealth.com>
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