Fat Chicks Rule

How many studies now?

I think we are now up to six studies that show those who have overweight BMI live the longest.  The latest study of German people show those with overweight BMI live the longest and obesity becomes less of an issue as you get older.

This goes back to my post from July about the flawed concept behind BMI.  We really do categorize people in a very narrow range of what is considered healthy without paying attention to history, genetics, or physical characteristics.  Considering that a study just came out that suggests kids born today can live to be 100, it doesn't seem like obesity is putting a dent in life expectancies.  Of course if we include those children in the third world, the ones that die of actually preventable diseases, that life expectancy drops.

Also a recent article about a 2008 study indicates that fat people can be healthy.  I'm perfectly willing to accept gaining weight as a symptom (not a cause) of a disease, just as losing weight can also be one.  What I don't agree with is the arbitrary decision that being at the magical BMI number will make you healthy or that even losing weight will make you healthy.

Repost: Dealing with Doctors

Since it’s going to be a little crazy in the next month and a half as I try to settle my house, I’ve decided that some weeks I will be posting my old Igigi columns.

 

The best of Igigi: Dealing with Doctors

 

We’ve all been to the doctor.  We’ve all had the weight talk.  We want to trust the doctor because they’ve been to medical school and we haven’t.  And by and large, if something I can’t understand is going on in my body, the doctor is the first person I want to ask about it. But the truth is doctors don’t know everything. I know someone with Crohn’s Disease who was misdiagnosed for nearly 20 years as having a nervous stomach and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  So doctors look at your symptoms and make their best guess.  This same thing comes from weight.  Doctors are not immune from the message fat=bad.   So when a fat patient comes in complaining of what is considered a “weight related disease”  (or in some cases, any ailment), they will tell you to lose weight. It’s how they’ve been trained to think and as any competent ad man can tell you, that level of training dies a hard, ugly death.

    That being said, you still need to visit a doctor at least once a year for a physical and blood tests.  Women need to visit a gynecologist yearly as well.  Early detection of a number of maladies can be a lifesaver.  We can’t put it off because we fear the doctor will tell us to lose weight.  So here is some practically advice on dealing with the doctor.  Doctors can be a pain.  I have yet to find a good internist; the one I have is satisfactory and for many of you that might be the best you can hope for.

    The most important thing is to educate the doctor.  There is a difference between an ignorant doctor and a fat-hating one.  An ignorant doctor parrots the diet industry line because he or she doesn’t know better.  A fat-hating one may refuse to touch you or treat you.  That is a good way to gauge the difference. Be wary of a doctor who refuses to treat you until you lose weight. With patience and persistence, an ignorant doctor can be educated.

    If you are seeing a new doctor, be sure to either contact them first or speak with them before they examine you.  Let them know right away that you are quite aware you are fat; you are okay with your size; that you think that “fat” doesn’t mean “unhealthy” and that they are not to bring up your weight without your permission, end of story.  If you do Health at Every Size (HAES), be sure to share it with your doctor.  I did that with my chiropractor when he initially brought up my weight.  I told him I don’t lose weight and told him about HAES.  Not only did he never bring up my weight again, he started reading about HAES on his own.

    Remember the doctor works for you.  You are paying him to make you well.  If you don’t agree with their treatment, it’s fine to ask for another one to get a second opinion.  The doctor shouldn’t belittle you.  If I want to pay money to be insulted, I’ll get front row seats at a comedy club. I do not need that from someone who sees me naked.  Take control of your health.  We shouldn’t let a bully cause us not to enjoy life, and we shouldn’t allow a doctor to ruin our health.

Fat Tax

For the next few weeks I will be mostly focusing on house repair and moving, so blog posts will become short and sweet, usually doing headlines.

And this week we have a dozy courtesy of the State of North Carolina who like Alabama is making you  pay extra in health insurance just because you are fat.   Even if there is nothing wrong with you.    

Plans like these who punish you for supposed bad behavior can be a dangerous slippery slope not just with health care coverage but your privacy.   I have said this before.  The media, the government etc always claim being fat isn't healthy, yet do what they can to block fat people from health care and services. 

And the Fat Studies Reader is almost out! And a nice write up in Publisher's Weekly (Scroll down to get to the review). 

Worth repeating: HAES

So what's better for your body? Hating it, eating at near starvation, and over exercising to the point of injury is one possibility. Isn't it better to love it, eating normally of healthful whole foods (and occasional treats) your body agrees with and exercising your body to movement you enjoy?

The former choice is what most diets have to offer.  Most diets (yes even non-diet diets like weight watchers) encourage obsession with what you eat, hard-body exercise and fanatic devotion to the number on the scale.  (At one time during my dieting career, I weight myself every day, sometimes 2-3 times a day). The latter is Health at Every Size that focuses on eating well, moving to what you enjoy and of course healthy self-esteem.

When young women defined self-worth by their BMI, something needs to change. The APA actually has an article about Health at Every Size (HAES) and it's positive. Change is happening and HAES is becoming more accepted.

Oh and Chocolate cures everything.