Table of contents:
- The danger of a distended stomach, can cause dementia
- Why can a distended stomach cause dementia?
- Great tips for overcoming a distended stomach
- 1. Rearrange food choices and portions
- 2. Exercise routine
Not only does it make you look less attractive, in fact there are many dangers of a distended stomach for your health. Yes, if you have a large and distended stomach, you may be at risk for dementia, which is an impaired thinking ability. How can a distended stomach lead to dementia? This is what experts say.
The danger of a distended stomach, can cause dementia
Dementia is a group of symptoms that interfere with the cognitive function of the brain to carry out various daily activities. People with this condition are usually senile, have difficulty concentrating and understanding things.
In fact, if it is severe, people with dementia will often see or hear things that are not there (hallucinations). That is why dementia patients become apathetic, cannot control their emotions well, and lose interest in socializing.
Well, a study by the Boston University School of Medicine and published online on line in the Neurology Annals found the danger of a distended stomach can cause dementia.
From the results of this study, it is known that participants who have a distended stomach, large waist circumference, and high body fat levels experience a greater shrinkage of brain size than those who have an ideal body shape.
Why can a distended stomach cause dementia?
The dangers of belly fat, which were found in previous studies, are believed to be caused by the accumulation of body fat. In fact, fat can accumulate under the skin (subcutaneous fat) and between the organs (visceral fat).
Now, when you have a distended stomach, it could be due to a pile of fat under the skin or organs in the abdominal area. However, experts believe that people with large stomachs are likely to have high visceral fat.
In fact, it is visceral fat or extra fat that is in the abdomen which causes shrinkage of the brain size. So, if the amount of visceral fat is too much, it will stimulate inflammation in the body, which ultimately affects the brain. In addition, visceral fat can also cause unstable hormone production and make the brain's ability to decrease.
"The greater the amount of visceral fat, the smaller the brain size. This smaller brain volume results in deteriorating cognitive function and thus increases the risk of dementia, "explains Sudha Seshadri, MD, a neurology professor who participated in the study, as quoted by WebMD.
Great tips for overcoming a distended stomach
As a result of a distended stomach not only increases the risk of dementia, but also heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, eliminating a distended stomach should be your target to support a healthy life. You can check for excess belly fat by measuring the circumference of your waist with a simple measuring tape.
The standard measurement for a healthy waist circumference in women is smaller than 88 cm, while men are smaller than 102 cm. If you measure more than that, you have a distended stomach or are centrally obese.
Don't worry, to reduce a distended stomach, there are two important keys that you must run, namely:
1. Rearrange food choices and portions
Protein is an important type of nutrient for reducing belly fat. In addition, protein and fiber also keep you full longer so you will avoid snacking. You can enjoy vegetables, fruit, eggs, fish, lean meats, and nuts.
Many foods or drinks use added sweeteners. Excess sugar can increase calorie intake and increase fat buildup in the liver and stomach. So, limit foods that contain calories to reduce excess fat.
2. Exercise routine
Adjusting diet and exercise is a package that you must live with if you want to reduce your belly to the maximum. Studies show that aerobic exercise, such as walking, brisk walking, running, swimming, and the like has been shown to reduce excess belly fat. In addition, exercise also helps lower blood sugar levels and improves metabolism in the body.