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Have you ever wondered how most people gain weight other than consuming too much calories? There are so medical reasons or conditions that make people gain weight. Medically, there are so many conditions that induce weight gain coupled with the high-calorie foods we eat and drink daily.
Hormonal imbalances, deficiencies in vitamins, iron, and magnesium, etc., as well as some medications we live on cause weight gain which we are unaware of. “Whether it’s hormonal, a medication side effect, or something else, too often we put the onus on the individual, and there are factors that sometimes justify a doctor’s help.”
Some Medical reasons people might gain weight are but not limited to;
Stress In Weight Gain
So many emotional and physical disorders have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, nervousness, worry, immune system disturbances, hypertension and many more. So many times, stress, depression, and anxiety are moods that get along very well. Individuals handle their low moods differently and so do people react to their moods differently. Stress plays an aggravating role in any part of the body so far as diseases are concerned. Stress, as we all know, impacts one’s mind and well-being.
When stress aggravates, cortisol is produced by the adrenal gland. Most often people battling stress tend to overeat. Why is that? The Cortisol improves motivation to eat and increases one’s appetite generally. That is why Stress increases your appetite for fats and sugar cravings especially, thereby leading to weight gain.
There are other closely related issues linked to stress that causes weight gain, excess alcohol, insomnia, etc. Close friends and family, one’s hobby, social support groups and stress management help decrease the urge of overeating during stress.
Fatigue
The human body needs rest, sleep especially when the body is tired or exhausted. The lack of enough sleep from fatigue can lead to weight gain. How is that? Being fatigued and sleep-deprived has serious consequences like weight gain. Every human being is supposed to have eight to nine hours of sleep daily to make the body regulate and maintain your energy levels. Being fatigued and not making up for it by sleeping regularly tend to make you feed on high-calorie foods and drinks. Just so you have the energy to cope with your daytime alertness. It is worst when much of physical activities are not done to burn the excess calories acquired.
Edema
Edema is a condition commonly referred to as fluid retention. Edema is a condition where an excess of watery fluid is collected in the tissues of the body. The tissues of the body become swollen as a result of the fluids. Fluid retention causes rapid weight gain as a matter of fact; it may be a sign of a disease of the liver, heart or kidney. However, pregnancy, standing for long hours and premenstrual are times when one can experience fluid retention. It is very important a physician is consulted when one starts noticing signs of weight gain, unexplained weight fluctuations, joint stiffness, swollen of some body parts (ankles, hands, and feet especially).
Aging
Aging comes with weight gain due to a hormonal decline, which further causes a rather dormant lifestyle. Why do we gain weight as we age? As we age, our metabolic rate decreases as a result of a decrease in our physical abilities. The metabolic rate declines with age as body fats increase drastically in both men and women. Staying inactive as you age and consuming the same amount of food and drinks leads to weight gain. When this happens, muscle mass is greatly affected. One has to be more conscious of his physical activities to burn calories than dieting to beat the slow metabolic rate especially with consuming low carbohydrates instead take more protein, fiber foods, and water.
Hypothyroidism
In older women especially, one can have a good appetite with a well-balanced diet but still have weight gain. This form of weight gain which is unexplained can be linked to thyroids not producing enough hormones to balance your rate of metabolism. However, a few women with hypothyroidism don’t gain weight. “Because patients with an underactive thyroid tend to have a very low basal metabolic rate, one of the most noticeable symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain and difficulty losing extra pounds.” Hypothyroidism is quite easy in treating. Visit a doctor for the most effective treatment by simply taking a thyroid hormone pill.
Cushing Syndrome
Cushing syndrome is a condition caused by high levels of the cortisol hormone. One major reason for this condition to happen is taking too much glucocorticosteroid medicine.
Cushing’s syndrome occurs when the body’s tissues are exposed to excessive levels of cortisol for long periods of time. Other people develop Cushing syndrome because their bodies produce too much cortisol. Cushing syndrome often involves high blood pressure and obesity. Very common symptoms of this condition include a round or full face, thin skin with easy bruising, and weight gain, especially at the upper body. Women may also get increased facial and body hair as well as menstrual irregularities. Men may develop erectile, fertility problems and a lost desire for sex. Children with this condition are often obese and get to have a slowed growth rate. With the help of a physician and close supervision will prescribe medication to control symptoms.
Vital Nutrients
Hormonal imbalances, deficiencies in vitamins D, B12, K2, iron, and magnesium, etc., as well as some medications we live on, can cause weight gain which one may be unaware of. The unhealthy high carbohydrate, high-fat protein, fast foods, and sugar diet does more than enough harm than good. Rather low in vitamin D, iron and magnesium bring your level of energy down. You will then find ways of increasing your metabolism with sugar diets.
Bowel Movement
Constipation is a result of slow bowel movement. It is important for proper digestion to take place so that the body gets energy, growth and cell repairs. With bowel movement, it is ideal that one eats and it gets digested and the unwanted remains get discharged as feces. But with digestive issues, lack of or slow movement of the bowel leads to weight gain. Low Vitamins, magnesium and iron deficiency slow your metabolic rate. And the digestive system is where vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are absorbed. It is very good to take vitamins, iron, magnesium, etc and fiber foods as well as water for hydration for your digestive to work fast to increase your metabolism.
