BMI or body mass index, is the measure of body fat with respect to your height and weight. It is important to get your BMI checked, as it is responsible for your physical fitness. It is applicable for everyone over the age of 20.
BMI was derived from a mathematical formula. It was formulated in the 1830s by Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetelet (1796-1874). He was a Belgian mathematician, astronomer, statistician, and sociologist. BMI is a number that denotes the amount of fat that is present in the body divided by weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. You can measure your BMI using a BMI calculator.
Here’s how you can calculate your BMI!
BMI = weight(kg) / height2 (m2) (Metric Units)
BMI = 703*weight(lb) / height2 (in2) (U.S. Units)
Why it is important to know your BMI?
Knowing your BMI could help a doctor determine your overall fitness and your risk of developing chronic diseases. It helps one categore themselves into 3 basic states of fitness. BMI calculator helps one determine whether you are underweight, average/ideal or overweight/ obese
It is different for each gender!
It is possible for two people to have the same BMI even if they have different body types. A man could have a BMI of 21.2 and still look buff while a woman too can have the same BMI and look slim and slender. As a matter of fact, women are known to have more fat content in their bodies while the men are known to have more muscle mass.
Even babies upon their birth undergo a BMI check. It determines their physical health.
The ideal BMI!
Following are the various measures of BMI that can help you analyze your fitness level.
Underweight- The BMI which falls lesser than 18.5.
Ideal Weight- The BMI which ranges between 18.5-24.9 is considered as normal BMI.
Overweight- The BMI which ranges over 30. The people whose BMI falls in this category, are known to be obese or overweight.
Limitations of BMI
Scientifically, BMI is the weight of the fat content in the body and not the actual body weight. So, factors like age, sex, race and ethnicity can have an influence on the relation between the fat content in the body and the BMI.
How to maintain a healthy BMI?
The mantra to be followed here is to monitor your daily activity and keep a tab on your diet. The only way one can maintain a healthy BMI is by exercising regularly and eating the right kind of food.
Chronic migraine is a condition where the affected person experiences at least 15 headache days a month. It is observed that at least 8 out of these 15 days are migraine headaches with severe symptoms, and this pattern of discomfort remains consistent for 3 months. Initially, it may not be a frequently occurring episode, however, with time, the episodes may get regular with chronic headaches. If left untreated, this condition can affect a person’s life.
Causes
Several factors determine the onset of this kind of migraine. One of them includes a steady increase in the frequency of episodic headaches. Over-the-counter treatment options that are used to treat frequent headaches stop affecting over time, leading to side effects that develop into chronic headaches. Some other factors that can put an individual at a high risk of developing this condition include mood disorders like anxiety or depression, snoring, excessive caffeine intake, ongoing disturbed sleep patterns, and a history of stressful life events causing emotional or physical trauma. An unhealthy lifestyle leading to an increase in the body mass index (BMI) can also be a causal factor.
Symptoms
There is no difference between symptoms of chronic migraines and episodic migraines. However, the only thing to notice is the increased frequency of episodic headaches in a month. Some typical symptoms of this illness can be observed for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Transitioning symptoms (episodic to chronic migraines)
Diagnosis
A health professional will take a look at the affected person’s health history. If needed, the doctor may ask questions that help understand the migraine patterns. The questions include how and when the migraines begin, how long they last, are there any notable physical factors or triggers that worsen the condition, and where the location of the pain is.
The professional may also ask for a detailed history of other health conditions like anxiety, depression, lifestyle choices that may trigger these headaches, any treatment options used, and possible side effects that could be factored into the diagnosis. Based on the results, appropriate treatment methods will be advised and implemented.
Treatment options
Most of the treatment methods focus on managing the symptoms, the migraine attacks, and reducing the episodes and pain.
One of the treatment therapies includes focusing on lifestyle changes.
Some other treatment options for managing migraine attacks include:
Other techniques include:
Also, maintain a headache diary and note down the possible triggers and the number of migraine attacks in a month. If there’s a notable increase in the attacks, consult a doctor at the earliest. Knowing the triggers can help the doctor chalk out an effective treatment plan.
Preventive treatments and methods
Apart from treatment options that help manage the symptoms, there are preventive treatment methods that reduce the episodes of these headaches to a certain extent. These include using beta blockers and other therapies. One such treatment method also includes using an Allergan product named BOTOX®, which doctors recommend for those 18 years and older. The intravenous treatment method is administered around the neck or the head, where the migraine pain usually affects the person. This ten-minute procedure is not painful and can prevent headaches for three months. The procedure takes place in a doctor’s clinic under close supervision.
Chronic migraine can be painful and disrupt everyday life activities, so choosing the right treatment plan is crucial. Get all the information from a licensed health professional and seek the best possible treatment plan according to a detailed diagnosis.
Exercising is a treasure trove, making one achieve optimum health, among other benefits. With daily exercise, one can also expect better concentration and a massive energy boost to last throughout the day. The best part? One does not have to pay for a gym membership to access these benefits. Workouts can be simple and highly effective, even when done at home. So, here are some easy at-home exercises one can add to their daily routine:
Squats
Squats boost one’s core strength and lower body flexibility. One can start by standing straight, with the feet slightly apart. Then, they will need to brace their core and bend their knees as if they were sitting on an imaginary chair. While bending down, the chest and chin must be up, and the hips must be pushed back. The knees must not be outward or inward, and the thighs must be parallel to the ground. After holding this pose for a second, one can rise and repeat.
Dumbbell rows
Useful for the back and other upper body muscles, this exercise involves holding a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand and bending forward at the waist, with the back at a 45-degree angle with the ground. The back and neck should be straight as an arrow, and the arms should hang down. Then, one can gently pull the dumbbells up by bending one elbow and stopping just below the chest. One can follow the same steps on the other hand and alternate between the two.
Planks
Planks help tone the abdominal muscles and stabilize the abs without straining the back. Here, one should first plant their toes and hands on the floor while keeping their back straight, parallel to the ground, and their abdomen tight. For beginners, the plank position should be held for 20 seconds, with each subsequent one held for longer durations as the strength increases.
Push-ups
Push-ups strengthen the chest, triceps, shoulders, and core trunk muscles. First, one should get down on all fours and place their hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. After straightening the arms and legs, they can lower their body until their chest almost touches the ground before lifting themselves back up.
Walking
Walking helps burn calories, strengthen the heart, and improve blood flow. Gentle walking or rapid, brisk walking can be great warm-up exercises as well.