Health is a holistic state of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It encompasses maintaining a balanced diet, regular physical activity, mental clarity, emotional resilience, and supportive relationships. True health also includes spiritual fulfillment and environmental harmony. Achieving optimal health requires a proactive, preventive, and integrative approach across all life domains.
“How long will it take me to lose weight?”
It’s a common question—and an understandable one. If you’re making the effort to change your habits, it’s natural to want to know when you’ll start seeing results. But the answer isn’t a simple number or timeline. In fact, it’s a bit like asking, “How long is a piece of string?” The truth is: it depends.
Originally published in STAT News on April 22
Imagine a clinical trial involving sedentary, overweight adults. One group continues their inactive lifestyle, while the other begins an intensive regimen of daily running, calisthenics, and sports. After just a week or two, participants in the exercise group would likely feel sore, fatigued, and possibly even show a temporary drop in performance. No one would seriously conclude from this short-term snapshot that exercise is harmful. It’s clear we’d need a longer trial to understand the benefits of physical activity.
In the mid-2010s, there was an overwhelming sense of optimism in the medical and public health communities—a belief that we were on the brink of solving the global obesity crisis. The answer, it seemed, wasn’t a pharmaceutical breakthrough or a revolutionary diet plan, but rather bariatric surgery. Popularized through shows like My 600-lb Life, which chronicled extreme weight loss journeys, these procedures seemed like a miracle. Patients lost hundreds of pounds, reversed diabetes, improved mobility, and often gained back years of life. For a while, it looked like obesity had met its match.
In today’s health-conscious world, few topics stir as much confusion and debate as cholesterol and its link to clogged arteries. With mixed messages from the media, evolving scientific research, and a wide range of dietary advice, it’s no wonder many people are left wondering: Is cholesterol truly the villain behind heart disease? Let’s break it down and find clarity amid the chaos.
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