One of the main and pressing issues that we all face is weight maintenance. Whether we want to admit it or not, most – NOT ALL of us are struggling with weight issues. While some people have problems of not being able to “put on weight”, a lot of us battle this problem.
Most of the times, this is intentional weight gain, because of poor diet or lack of exercise; but there are others who face unintentional weight gain without increasing consumption (of food or liquid) and without decreasing activity levels.
This unintentional weight gain may be periodic, continuous or even rapid. However, it is very important to pay close attention to your body’s changes at all times. Even if it’s not the health condition, the medications used to treat the illness may have an undesirable side effect of weight gain- antipsychotic drugs, mood stabalisers, antidepressants, steroids, medications for hormonal imbalances such as hypothyroidism, increased cortisol production and Cushing’s syndrome, autoimmune diseases, fluid retention, meds for corticosteroids or even birth control pills. Weight gain may also occur during the menstrual cycle (for women) where there is a lot of retention and bloating.
Some of the symptoms to pay attention and look out for include shortness of breath, fever, skin sensitivity, difficulty breathing, rapid weight gain, changes in vision, swollen feet and heart palpitations. Now one may assume that everything is all right with them and neglect these symptoms but it is very, very important to always stay vigilant of these signs.
Why does this happen? A very good question, indeed- we all would want to know!
This is because certain medicines such as corticosteroids alter/change the body’s electrolyte and water balances and even metabolic rate. Steroids decrease the body’s ability to flush out sodium from the body. Therefore many people who take steroids have reported of increase fat in the abdomen, neck and face. Even if you CAN CONTROL the steroid driven weight gain, it is likely to look HEAVIER because of the redistributed FAT!
Medicines used to treat depression, anxiety and other antidepressants may ALSO lead to weight gain because of the side effect of appetite changes. As a result of this side effect of such medicines, anything and everything that looks appetising becomes a craving and this is DEFINITELY not healthy and close to fruits or vegetables.
Besides the fact that being overweight leads to many health complications such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, infertility, psychological problems, diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, certain types of cancer and arthritis; it is very important to deal with weight issues SIMPLY for the fact that it will lead to better self confidence, boost your self esteem, look and feel better about yourself!
So when you are armed with all the knowledge about how weight gain is a potential side effect for taking medicines you can make smart choices to deal with it!
Nutrition should form more of a part of improving health. There are strategic methods to deal with such issues and a diet plan needs to be devised on extreme exercise plans and a drastic decrease in calorie intake!
So, how can one fight this battle with their Weight?
- Pay Close attention to the amount of sodium intake: Although, it is a healthy choice for everyone to avoid excessive sodium in the diet, people who are taking anti- depressants and/or steroids may want to pay extra close attention to the amount of sodium they have in their diet.
So, what this means is that, they should avoid canned foods, processed foods and fast food; as they are often packed with sodium. It is very important to choose low-calorie foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits, eat foods that are rich in fibre, choose foods that are slow to digest carbohydrates and make sure that have drink a lot of water.
2. Add more potassium to your diet: Potassium, a very important body mineral for both electrical and cellular functions can be found in foods such as fruits, whole grains and fruits. By NOT having enough potassium in your diet, not only will it lead to your muscles feeling weak but also abnormal heart rhythms.
It also flushes out sodium from the body and leads to other health benefits such as reduced blood pressure, osteoporosis prevention and protection against stroke. Some of the potassium rich foods include bananas, avocados, coconut water, spinach, black beans, beets and edamame.
3. Have small, frequent meals throughout the day: As medicines (specific ones) can increase your appetite, it is important to break up the food intake into smaller yet frequent meals. Instead if having three MASSIVE meals, you can integrate non-starchy veggies –volume rich foods. Having six small meals –that are healthy are recommended.
4. Stay Active: Staying active is important for everyone and is important not only for weight loss but also weight maintenance. Its important to bear in mind the your health condition and current symptoms.
5. Get quality sleep: Now, one may wonder how sleeping can help but people who are taking medicines such as steroids as it is face insomnia and issues with their sleep pattern.
This leads to an increase in appetite, which is NOT AT ALL good when you want to lose weight. Quality sleep is not only good for a healthy mind but also one effective way to prevent weight gain.
6. Consult your doctor: It’s very important to stay in touch with your doctor/neurologist or whoever is prescribing you medicines. Sometimes, certain medications lead to weight gain and there may be alternatives or treatment protocols that you could use to maintain your health. For instance certain medications such as Dichorate ER 750 Mg may lead to an increase of weight and there may be an alternative you can use such as Lacosam 100Mg or Zonegram 200 Mg that may lead to weight loss.
