A new report published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology challenges the conventional definition of obesity, and urges a shift from the reliance on Body Mass Index (BMI) to a more nuanced approach. This is supported by over 50 global medical experts. The report also recommends splitting the term "obesity" into two categories: "Clinical obesity" and "Pre-clinical obesity". This aims to improve diagnosis and treatment for over a billion people worldwide living with obesity.

Clinically Obese

This applies to individuals whose obesity has progressed to a disease state, manifesting in organ damage, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or other health complications. These individuals could also experience symptoms like breathlessness, joint pain, or impaired daily functioning. Treatment also involves medical interventions, including weight-loss medications or surgery.

Pre-Clinic Obese

Whereas the term "pre-clinic obese" refers to those who are overweight but not yet exhibiting health issues. While they may be at risk of developing obesity-related conditions, their organ function and overall health remain intact. What they need is preventive care, which includes dietary guidance, counselling, and regular monitoring to avoid and reduce future health risks.

What does the study say?

The study, led by Professor Francesco Rubino from King's College London emphasizes that obesity is not one-size-fits-all condition. This means it should rather be treated as a spectrum as some individuals maintain normal organ function despite being classified as obese. There are others who may face severe health complications too. However, the current method of calculating obesity based on BMI often leads to misdiagnosis or inadequate care.

The report also states that BMI, while is useful for analyzing population trends, is a flawed unit of measuring individual health. Therefore, there is a need to redefine obesity, and healthcare professionals can provide more precise care by distinguishing those who need immediate medical intervention and those who require preventive strategies.

Limitations of BMI, Why It Falls Short?

BMI is used to classify individuals as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, or obese based on their height and weight. It is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by health in meters squared. However, there are reasons while it falls short.

•Muscle vs Fat: Athletes or muscular individuals often have high BMIs despite the low body fat

•Fat Distribution: BMI does not measure fat around the waist or organs, which could be more dangerous to one's health.

•Individual Health Variation: It also overlooks the specific health conditions such as heart diseases or diabetes, or any other, while evaluating a person's category in terms of weight.

ALSO READ: Is It Time To Say Goodbye To BMI?

Scope Of Study

By redefining obesity, the study could transform the approach to diagnosis and treatment. It can focus on individual health risks rather than BMI alone. Healthcare providers can also offer tailored care. This also will ensure hat weight-loss medications like Wegovy or Mounjaro are prescribed only to those who genuinely require it.

As per Professor Louise Baur from the University of Sydney, a Children's obesity expert said that this redefinition allows both adults and children to receive more appropriate care while reducing over-diagnosis and unnecessary treatments.

Sleep is a cornerstone of health. When we sleep good, we feel good. However, people often view sleep as expendable, they trade it to work more hours, or spend time with loved ones, or any other recreational activity. While these things are important too, they should not come at the expense of your health as it can lead to other issues you may not be prepared for.

When we go to sleep, we hope to wake up and feel refreshed, as sleep is like a reset button for your body. Media has given us a view of waking up, where the person is happy and energetic as soon as they get out of bed, however that is not entirely right. Everyone feels a little sleepy when they first wake up. It's called sleep inertia, and it's normal. Think of it like your brain needing a few minutes to boot up.

The sleep foundation suggests that you may feel better after 15 to 90 minutes, which is due to sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is the grogginess and disorientation you may feel right after waking up. You may also have had a bad night's sleep, which may cause you to be tired in the morning. However, if you're getting plenty of sleep and still wake up tired every single day, that's different. This kind of tiredness, where you're always dragging, is a sign that something might be wrong. Don't just ignore it. Talk to your doctor to figure out why you're so tired all the time.

Could The Food You Eat Cause You To Wake Up Tired?

Eating spicy food right before bed can cause heartburn. The Cleveland Clinic explains heartburn is like a burning feeling in your chest, and it happens when stomach acid goes back up into your throat. This can make it hard to fall asleep, and if you do fall asleep, it can wake you up. So, if you eat spicy food late at night, you might wake up feeling tired and groggy. Try to avoid eating spicy meals close to bedtime. It's better to eat them earlier in the day so your stomach has time to digest them before you try to sleep.

Eating Sugary Foods

According to 2019 study published in American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, eating sugary foods or drinks before bed can really mess with your sleep. When you eat sugar, your body gets a quick burst of energy. This burst of energy can make it harder to fall asleep because your body is wide awake. Also, if you do fall asleep, the sugar can cause you to wake up during the night. Try to avoid sugary snacks or drinks before bed. Instead, try a light, healthy snack if you're hungry. This will help you sleep better and wake up feeling more rested.

Other Lifestyle Habits That Cause Restless Sleep

Looking at your phone or tablet right before bed can keep you awake. The Cleveland Clinic explains that the bright light from these screens, called blue light, tells your brain it's daytime. This makes it hard to fall asleep. Also, looking at social media can make you feel worried or stressed. If your mind is racing with thoughts, you won't sleep well. Try to turn off your screens at least an hour before bed. Instead, try reading a book or listening to calming music. This will help you relax and fall asleep faster.

Your Mental Health Can Also Be A Reason For Poor Sleep

If you're worrying about things when you're trying to sleep, you won't sleep well. When you're stressed or anxious, your mind keeps going over and over the same thoughts. This makes it hard to relax and fall asleep. If you're having trouble sleeping because of stress, try doing relaxing things before bed. Things like taking a warm bath, meditating, or doing deep breathing exercises can help. If you're still having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor. They can help you find ways to manage your stress and sleep better.

We have all heard the phrase ‘your eyes are the window to your soul’, while souls may be a stretch, your eyes can reveal a lot about your health, especially your heart health. The primary function of our eyes is to see, so people often wonder why they must go through eye checkups for their heart health.

According to UChicago Medicine, when our blood vessels aren't working right, it can show up in our eyes, especially in the retina. The retina is like a screen inside our eye that shows how our blood is moving. If there's a problem, our eye doctor can see changes that we can't see ourselves. This means that an eye checkup can sometimes find heart problems before they get serious, because our eyes give clues about our overall health.

During an eye exam, doctors look at both the outside and inside of your eyes. They use a special tool to check things like your pupils, the lens, the retina, and the optic nerve. By doing this, they can spot signs of various health issues.

What All Can An Eye Exam Tell?

During the eye exam, your doctor will use tools like ophthalmoscope to take a better look at things like your pupil reflex, lens of your eyes, the optic nerve and the retina. Here are some conditions your eyes can reveal,

Hypertension

High blood pressure can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, leading to problems like bleeding, blurry vision, and even vision loss. Ophthalmologists can see signs of high blood pressure in your eyes, sometimes even before you know you have it. They look at the size of your eye's blood vessels; if they're not the right size, it can be a warning sign. Often, people don't know they have high blood pressure until their eye doctor finds these signs.

Diabetes

Eye exams can also reveal blocked arteries. If doctors see small clumps in your eye's blood vessels, it could mean there's a problem with the arteries that carry blood to your head or heart. Diabetes is another condition that can be spotted through eye exams. High blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels in your eyes, leading to vision problems. Catching diabetes early through an eye exam can help prevent serious complications.

Other Health Issues

Eye exams can also uncover other health problems like arthritis. Inflammatory diseases can cause eye inflammation, leading to pain, redness, and vision loss. Even dry eyes can sometimes be linked to these conditions.

Can Eye Diseases Mean Heart Troubles?

If your Ophthalmologist notices marks left by the dead cells in your eyes known as RIPLs, which are Retinal Ischemic Perivascular Lesions. According to Journal of American Heart Association these are tiny marks on the back of the eye, caused by a lack of blood, can tell us if someone might have heart problems due to poor blood flow.

Sometimes, these marks mean you had an eye stroke, which happens when blood flow to your eye is blocked. If you have many marks, it might mean you have heart problems like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. However, not all marks mean you had an eye stroke. This is why one must make sure to get regular eye check-ups.

In the recent years there have been questions about the potential of ivermectin which is used to treat cancer. These questions have surged, so have the misinformation. This was originally used as an anti-parasitic drug and it gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, with claims that it could treat the virus. However, these claims have been debunked by many different scientific studies. The US Food and Drug Administration also notes that no clinical trial data found ivermectin to be effective against COVID-19 in humans. Now, a new wave of discussions suggest that the drug could treat cancer. How true is that? Let's find out.

What Ivermectin Is Actually Approved For?

Ivermectin is a well-established medication that is highly effective—against parasite. It was developed to treat topical parasitic infections and has been widely used for conditions like river blindness and scabies. The drug's significance is treating these diseases was so profound that researchers who studied it won the Nobel Prize in 2015.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ivermectin tablets for treating specific parasitic infections in humans. It is also available as a lotion to treat lice and as a cream for rosacea. Additionally, veterinarians also use it to prevent and treat parasitic diseases in animals. however, none of these uses include cancer treatments.

The Misinformation Around Ivermectin

Even though there has been a lack of scientific evidence, ivermectin gained popularity as a cancer cure. The influential platforms are to be blamed. There is also a podcast episode which features a well-known actor, Mel Gibson who suggested that the drug helped people recover from Stage 4 cancer. The podcast was called "The Joe Rogan Experience". The episode received millions of views and thus lead to a spike in interest and misinformation surrounding ivermectin's potential benefits.

What added more to the controversy is that lawmakers in multiple states have proposed and even passed legislation that has made it easier to obtain ivermectin without a prescription. While this could seem like a step to expand and extend treatment options, medical experts have pointed that this could lead to misuse of an unproven drug to treat serious conditions like cancer.

What The Science Says About Ivermectin and Cancer?

As of now, there is no solid evidence that ivermectin can cure or even treat cancer in humans. There are some laboratory studies that suggest that ivermectin could kill certain cancer cells under specific condition. This was led by Dr Peter P Lee, the chair of the department of immuno-oncology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. However, these findings are preliminary and do not indicate that the drug is effective in real-world cancer treatment.

There are studies in human cells that also suggest that ivermectin could trigger immune response that could be beneficial in fighting cancer. Research in mice has shown that while ivermectin does not shrink tumors, it could be combined with existing cancer immunotherapy. Scientists are also trying to explore whether it is at all effective for cancer treatments. However, all these studies are still at their early stages.

Are There Any Risks In Using Ivermectin For Cancer?

Neurological issues: High doses can lead to blurred vision, confusion, and even seizures.

Drug interactions: Ivermectin may interfere with the way the body processes other medications, such as blood thinners, potentially leading to dangerous side effects.

Toxicity risks: Overuse can cause toxicity, leading to central nervous system damage, coma, or even death.

Delaying proven treatments: Perhaps the most dangerous risk is that some patients may forgo or delay effective cancer treatments in favor of an unproven drug, allowing the disease to progress unchecked.