CARIB101.COM - Promoting Caribbean Entertainment And Lifestyle Worldwide!


Caribbean Recipes \| Business Directory \| Carnival \| Advertise \| RSS Feed	Sign up for the Carib101.com Newsletter

TrishaCorner.com

• Caribbean Businesses

• Caribbean Radio Stations

• Carnival Information

• Event Listings

• Marylin St. Hill

• Podcasts

• The Real Estate Pro

• Trishas Corner Recipes

• Venue Listings

Carib101.com Newsletter

Receive information on events, contests and much more!!

Sign up now!

Carib101.com Everywhere

Understanding Body Mass Index
Marilyn St. Hill- Super Fitness Model/Spokesperson

BMI, the acronym for Body Mass Index "is defined as the individuals body weight divided by the square of his or her weight." (www.wikipedia.org)
Originating as early as the 1830's, BMI really only became popular in the early 1950's and 60's. At this time, western societies were begininning to notice a growing problem of obesity.

WHY IS THE BMI USED?

BMI is used to measure how much adiposity (body fat tissue) or how little a person has on their body. Early on, BMI was used to discover sedentary (physically inactive) persons. Physicians found it helpful in giving direction for diagnosis. BMI can also be used for children. However, the formula is a little different. The initial calculation is the same but the product is compared to other children of the same age. BMI percentile is also used for children, comparing the end result with children the same age and sex.

BMI ranges for adults are as follows:

* 18.5 to 25 = OPTIMAL

* Lower than 18.5 = UNDERWEIGHT

* Over 25 = OVERWEIGHT

* Lower than 17.5 = Could indicate anorexia nervosa or a related disease.

* Over 30 = OBESE

* Over 40 = MORBIDLY OBESE

IS BMI 100% ACCURATE?

The question of accuracy is one that is asked over and over when talking about Body Mass Index. The answer is simple, No! The Body Mass Index is not 100% accurate for a few reasons. First, BMI only uses your height and weight to determine total amount of body fat, inaccurately assuming the person's muscle and bone mass. Next, BMI makes a mistake in regards to loss of height through aging. Due to this, the BMI number will increase without any change in weight. University of Chicago, political science professor, Eric Oliver says, "BMI is an inaccurate measure of weight and that academics and doctors have taken the easy way out and that at a minimum the standards of who is overweight and who is not need to be changed and that the U.S population has been forced to fit into these standards." (www.wikipedia.org)

Understanding BMI can be tricky, but understanding the importance of exercise is nothing new! Stay active and pay attention to the foods you put in your mouth. YOU can make and keep your BMI in optimal range.

Articles
	EGGS! WHAT'S UP WITH THE YOLK? The Egg. For years, it has been a myth that the yellow part of the egg, or yolk is high in cholesterol and bad for you. Or is it a myth? Well, the truth is, the yellow part of the egg is indeed high in cholesterol. However, it is high in good cholesterol. "It's not the amount of cholesterol... Read More

	WHOLEFOODS Whole foods are foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. These foods are full of essential vitamins and minerals that can help protect our bodies from chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, some cancers and diabetes. Whole foods are also full of proteins, enzymes... Read More

	OVER TRAINING In the beginning phase you learn the level of fitness of the body. During training "the targets level of fitness decreases and training becomes a catabolic process" (www.wikipedia.org) The third stage is the recovery process. The body will enter a recovery stage and will rejuvenate to the initial fitness level... Read More

	HYPERTENSION How important is it for you to know your own blood pressure? Do you know what your blood pressure is? High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for death in Canada. Why? Mainly because there are no symptoms. You will never know whether your blood pressure is high or low unless you check it... Read More

	SUSHI In North America, western sushi is the most popular. California roll, dynamite roll, caterpillar roll, rainbow roll, spider roll, salmon roll, crunchy roll and seattle roll all fall under the category of western sushi. All sushi uses rice as a base and compliments with other ingredients... Read More

	ELECTROLYTES Electrolytes! What are they? How important are they? Given the amount of times this word is mentioned in relation to exercise, my guess? Pretty important. My educated guess lets me assure you that electrolytes are extremely important for our bodies to function correctly. Electrolytes are "substances that... Read More

	WHAT ABOUT GLUTEN? Gluten is a protein included in various foods like breads, flours, frozen yogurt, cereals, salad dressings and even dried fruit. People with Celiac disease (also known as Coeliac disease) have "an abnormal immune reaction to partially digested gliadin..."Read More

	UNDERSTANDING BODY MASS INDEX BMI, the acronym for Body Mass Index "is defined as the individuals body weight divided by the square of his or her weight." (www.wikipedia.org) Originating as early as the 1830's, BMI really only became popular in the early 1950's and 60's. At this time, western societies were begininning... Read More

	LETS BEAT OBESITY Maintaining a healthy weight can mean life or death. Obesity is a disease that Canadians face. Statistically people who are overweight, do not live as long as those who maintain a “normal” weight... Read More

	ARE YOU A VEGETARIAN? Are you a vegetarian? “A vegetarian is someone who chooses not to eat meat, poultry, fish or by products of meat and fish, such as gelatin” (The Vegetarian Cookbook, pg. 10) There are different types of vegetarians. For instance, lacto-ovo-vegetarians allow eggs and dairy products in their diets... Read More

	PESTICIDES Pesticides, most commonly known as being used in grocery stores and any other company that manages food, have been around for quite sometime. As early as the 15th century, toxic substances like arsenic, lead and mercury were being used by farmers who would apply these chemicals ... Read More

	THE DANGERS OF LOW-CARB DIETS For several years there has been a craze called "the low-carb diet". The assumption that follows low-carb diets is that if you eat little or no carbs, you will lose weight. True? Yes! Effective? No? Best method? No? Long-term? Gosh no! Lets look deeper into why. Read More

	THE BENEFITS OF A PERSONAL TRAINER The article you are about to read is a special story to me. As a personal trainer, I consider it my duty to inform the public about how beneficial a personal trainer can really be. Everyday I help, educate and motivate clients. I dish out efficient workouts that help them get closer and closer to reaching their ultimate goal. Read More

	HEART HEALTH On February 20th and 21st 2009, the Trillum Health Centre Foundation held their annual 24-hour spin. The spin is held every year to raise money for the Hazel McCallion Centre for heart health, "the Trillium Health Centre's newly named, regionally acclaimed, advanced cardial care program" (www.24-hourspin.com), in Mississauga. Read More

	TIME FOR AN ENERGY BOOST! Improved energy levels is the number one desire for some. Attaining higher levels is possible, but not without knowledge, focus and ofcourse, change. In this article, you will learn ways in which we lose energy and ways in which we can gain more. Read More

	ELIMINATE CRAVINGS FOR GOOD! Everyone gets cravings. Whether it's late at night or in the middle of the day, there's a time in everyones life when they just feel like chocolate, or something salty or something sweet. What is a craving? Well, a craving is "a strong desire for particular foods or types of food." Read More

	GO NATURAL! As the winter months progress, so does the chance of catching a virus. Once a cold hits, most of us run straight to the drugstore for a quick fix. Is this the best solution? Some might argue no. People such as holistic specialists or ... Read More

	STRESS Consider your stress level. Where do you place on the stress scale? The anxious feeling controls everyone at one time or another. Stress can arise from bad situations, but you can also feel stress from good sitautions. Read More

	STRENGTH TRAINING: WHAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW! Strength training, also referred to as weight training is one of the best things you can do for your body and health. There are a tremendous amount of benefits to incorporating this type of exercise. Regardless of age or gender, everyone needs to lift weights. Read More

	SUPERFOODS! Essential for healthy living, superfoods should be added to every diet. Adding superfoods to your daily meals will change your whole life! Superfoods have been proven to prevent (and in some cases) reverse diseases like hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and some cancers. Read More

	TO SLEEP OR NOT TO SLEEP? How many hours of sleep do you get a night? Millions of canadians suffer from lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation is "a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep." (www.wikipedia.com) Meaning, the sleep that your body should be getting, it's not getting! Read More

	HOW SAFE IS YOUR CHICKEN? Chicken! A popular choice by many at dinner or lunch. High in protein, low in fats and carbohydrates, chicken has many benefits and is a very important part of many peoples diets. However, with several cases of illness and death due to meat and poultry consumption, there are some things you should know! Read More

	WHY EGGPLANT? Anyone who decides to consume a healthy and balanced diet, first struggles with the question, What do I eat? Eggplant, not always at the top of the list, has many nutritional benefits. Read More