| Being overweight has quite a negative impact on | | | | it’s gonna be too late. How are you gonna do |
| your health, that we all do know. But did you | | | | this when you can barely move? |
| know that it can also make you unnecessarily | | | | And when you are hit by diseases like back |
| dependent on other people? Many of the patients | | | | problems, arthritis or arthrosis, any overweight is |
| coming to me for occupational therapy after a | | | | just going to speed up the progress of the |
| stroke or with joint problems were overweight. | | | | disease by putting unnecessary strain on the |
| And it made things rather difficult for them. | | | | joints. It will lead to earlier dependence on others, |
| The excess weight gave them | | | | and the joint might need to be replaced by an |
| “double-trouble”. Firstly, with a healthy | | | | artificial one much earlier. Maybe a healthy weight |
| weight they might not have suffered the stroke | | | | could even have avoided that operation? |
| in the first place, since overweight, often going | | | | “Okay, I’m gonna lose weight”, you |
| together with unhealthy eating habits and | | | | might say. How, with your joints paining whenever |
| insufficient physical activity, is a risk factor that | | | | you move? |
| enhances the risk of many diseases (like diabetes | | | | So, rather lose that excess weight whilst you still |
| or high blood pressure and other conditions which | | | | can. No one can give you a guarantee that you |
| eventually may lead to a heart attack or stroke). | | | | won’t fall ill. After all, the overweight is not |
| Secondly, when they had fallen ill, it made life | | | | the primary cause of these diseases, it is |
| even more difficult for them. It is hard enough to | | | | “only” enhancing their risk. But with losing |
| cope with the loss of functions due to a stroke, | | | | weight you will definitely lower your risk of such |
| and excess weight most definitely won’t help | | | | diseases significantly. And you will improve your |
| to recover. Try to step into their shoes: If half of | | | | possibilities of reaching a higher level of |
| your body wasn’t working properly, if you | | | | independence, should such a disease still hit you. |
| are battling to walk and move yourself from A to | | | | You will also benefit right now from better health |
| B, wouldn’t you be thankful for every single | | | | and more self-esteem. Who likes to be fat? |
| kilo you don’t have to move? Would it not be | | | | It does not cost you much effort to maintain |
| easier to reach some level of independence when | | | | your health and independence. But once you have |
| you weighed less? And wouldn’t it be much | | | | lost them, they are not so easy to regain. |
| easier for the person caring for you, too? If then | | | | Isn’t it better to prevent than to cure? |
| you finally realize that you need to lose weight, | | | | |