When asked to visualise a “healthy” individual, which type of person comes to mind? Just how big and weird would their bodies be? The first image that comes to mind might be of a slender individual. The majority of the time, we think that a slim body means a healthy body. But as more and more people and doctors are discovering, being skinny doesn’t equal being healthy. And here’s why.
Contrary to popular belief, one’s weight does not necessarily reflect their overall health. Contrary to popular belief, being overweight is not harmful to one’s health. More important than your weight is what you put in your mouth and how you deal with stress.
Despite One’s Weight, Health is Possible
Patients of all shapes and sizes are welcome in the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement, which advocates for an end to prejudice and discrimination based on patients’ weight.
Dr. Lindo Bacon, an extremely skinny white man, trademarked this idea. Scientists whose backgrounds more closely mirror those of the individuals HAES is intended to help are increasingly being heard. The effects of racism, anti-Blackness, and fatphobia are the topic of Marquisele (Mikey) Mercedes’s dissertation research. This has influenced the fields of medicine, science, and public health education and advocacy. From her own experience as a person of size who also happens to be a person of race, she writes about the stigma associated with being overweight.
Regrettably, not all doctors subscribe to Health at Every Size’s guiding principles. Even if obesity isn’t the problem, some doctors can nonetheless recommend losing weight. However, body image therapy can help alleviate the health risks associated with being too thin.
There are instances when the health risks associated with being underweight are more pressing than those associated with being overweight. Obesity is frequently associated with hypertension and heart problems. However, the cardiovascular system feels the direct effects of being underweight.
Fatigue, dizziness, brain fog, infertility, and a compromised immune system are just a few of the negative health outcomes that can result from being underweight. Overweight people may have a longer lifespan than their underweight counterparts, according to studies. Dieting, extreme exercise, and purging are all methods of weight loss. Malnutrition and other potentially catastrophic health problems threaten everyone.
Does Living an Active Life Matter if You’re Not Overweight?
Many assume it’s fine to maintain a trim physique even if they consume a terrible diet and never go to the gym. But even if you don’t have any obvious health problems on the surface, you still be at risk for many of the same conditions that affect the overweight and obese.
It’s common to think about health indicators like smoking, cholesterol, blood pressure, and body weight when thinking about risk factors for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer. However, a poor diet and a lack of physical activity both raise the risk for cardiovascular disease and may play a role in the emergence of certain malignancies. Consequently, the risk of getting heart disease is increased by inactivity and poor diet even in those who are not overweight and who do not smoke.
To date, there have been scant investigations into the relationship between weight and food and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is characterised by an abrupt decrease in blood flow to the heart, and problems might arise as a result. According to the study’s findings, sticking to a healthy diet and exercise routine halves the risk of developing a serious consequence (such as a stroke or death) in the six months after the initial occurrence.
A Healthy Lifestyle Has Replaced a Thin One
If you’re struggling with your mental health, body image therapy can help you make the conscious decision to regard your health as independent of your weight. The model Katie Willcox created a social media movement dubbed “Healthy is the New Skinny.” This demonstrates the superiority of prioritising health above weight loss. Eating and exercising with the sole intention of losing weight can lead to the development of eating disorders and/or an addiction to physical exertion. The goal of thinness may lead you to make harmful, unhealthy decisions. Rationalising – Insight into how rationalising plays a role in many disordered eating.
Putting Health First is a Better Choice for One’s Physical and Mental Well-being
Katie’s “happy weight” was reached once she adopted this outlook, and she continued to get modeling jobs despite her newfound contentment with her body. Focusing on getting slim or losing weight isn’t the same as prioritising health. The diets and slimming products we are sold don’t consider our health as a whole. Embracing your body and yourself as they are is healthier for you in the long run than trying to become skinny by any means necessary.
Keep in Mind That Prioritising Health is Not Required
One thing to keep in mind while discussing what it means to be healthy is that it has nothing to do with how valuable you are. Plenty of individuals are unable to get the food and medical attention they need due to several obstacles. Access to the means necessary to sustain a healthy way of life can frequently be a privilege unto itself. Everyone is deserving of love, care, and respect regardless of their efforts to improve their health. Explore the role of love and relationships in the recovery process.
Consequences of Being Underweight
The same is true for being underweight: it can negatively impact your health just as much as being overweight does. The negative impacts and symptoms of being underweight are not universally experienced by those who are underweight. While some people may not experience any symptoms of being underweight, others may.
Osteoporosis
Underweight women are more likely to develop osteoporosis, a condition characterised by fragile bones.
Issues With One’s Hair, Skin, or Teeth
Lack of essential nutrients in the diet can manifest in a variety of outward signs, including but not limited to thinning skin, hair loss, dry skin, and poor dental health.
Having a Lot of Health Problems
It’s possible that a person isn’t getting enough of the nutrients they need to fight off illnesses if they’re not getting enough energy from their food to keep their weight down. This can lead to an increase in the frequency with which one becomes ill, as well as an extension in the duration of even relatively mild illnesses like the common cold.
Irregularly Experiencing Extreme Fatigue
The amount of energy that a given food provides is quantified in terms of calories. Fatigue is one of the symptoms of not obtaining enough calories for keeping a healthy weight.
Anemia
Dizziness, headaches, and weariness are all symptoms of anemia, which is more common among underweight people.
Periodic Fluctuations
Underweight women are more likely to experience irregular or nonexistent menstrual cycles, while adolescents may experience a delay in or a complete absence of their first period. Menstrual dysfunction, such as nonexistent or irregular periods, has been linked to infertility.
Untimely Deliveries
When a pregnant woman is underweight, she has a higher chance of going into labour early, before her due date of 37 weeks.
Developmental Delays or Stunting
Nutrition is essential for kids to grow and mature with strong bones. A lack of adequate caloric intake can lead to stunted growth. The medical term for this is “failure to thrive.”
It is Okay to Get Help
Do you find yourself preoccupied with your weight? The unhealthy mindset is something our group of therapists and nutritionists can help you with. Take care of your health and stop ignoring it! If you’d like to get in touch with a therapist online for a consultation, click here. Discover the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment as a crucial aspect of addiction treatment and long-term recovery.