You may have seen a recent television film about a man who weighed half a ton. He ate so much and was so fat that he was unable to get out of bed or even turn himself over. He could hardly move his head and was buried under layers of fat.
How did he eat? He had a wife who fed him whatever he wanted and she was literally feeding him to death. The film pictured many other people who were also so fat that they could not leave their beds. They ate enormous quantities of food but were in complete denial and blamed the situation on their genes. A kind surgeon who performed fat-busting operations on these people admitted that the surgery would only last for a limited period of time and that his patients would then return to their old eating habits and regain all their lost weight back. One man lost a huge amount of weight, appearing slim and handsome, and was used in an advertisement for exercise videos. But even he put all his weight back on again. He was determined to regain control, but alas his diet would always begin tomorrow. The fact was that he had lost weight only to put it back on again that he just began to wonder if it was all worth the effort. These people really do try hard and need support not condemnation. Invariably when someone is eating so much that they become bed-ridden, there is someone who is callusing with them and helping them to overeat.
If you feel that you fall into this category, accept that you have a problem. Accept that you are eating too much for your own good. Seek help from an expert — which is what they are there for. Surgery is not a cure-all, but it can help in extreme cases — but only if you are prepared to change your eating habits and get some help so that you do not continue to be reliant on food for emotional support. Start talking about your problem — you may need to consult your doctor to refer you to a therapist — or you could talk to a good friend or family member.
Weight watch
Curb your appetite
If you’re trying to cut down on your food intake, try using smaller dishes. This will force you to serve smaller potions, which in turn equals fewer calories. Make sure you follow a balanced diet with my Healthy Eating Guide — just mail for a free copy to: [email protected]
Recipe of the week
Asian Stir Fry
Serves 6
Ingredients
3/4 lb salad shrimp, thawed
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 c onion, sliced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cup snow peas
1 1/2 cups red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
2 tbsp vegetable broth
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
Place drained shrimp in a bowl. Add salt and cayenne to shrimp. Toss well. Heat oil in a wok on high. Sauté shrimp stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Place sautéed shrimp back into the bowl leaving the liquids in the wok. Combine the onions and garlic in the wok and sauté, about 3 minutes. Add peas, vegetables and broth to the wok. Reduce heat to medium and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Return shrimp to wok, add lemon juice and cook for 1 more minute.
Ask Alva
Thank you for the guidance you offer in your column. I have dark circles near my eyes. I tried putting cucumber on my eyes but still they don’t fade away. Could you please tell me what causes them? — Nadia
The skin of your eyelids is thin and contains little fatty tissue. Blood that passes through large veins close to the surface show through the skin producing an accentuated bluish black tint when one is tired or pale during menstruation and the later part of pregnancy. With ageing the discoloration may become more obvious and permanent.
Other important causes are:
• Lack of sleep
• Hyperpigmentation
• Excessive vascularization due to medication like retin A
• Visible blood vessels due to fat loss, thin, ageing skin
• Hereditary thinness or superficial vessels
• Iron or other vitamin deficiency
— Alva
