Body Image, Body Smells, and Appetite Suppressants
Why do we all feel that we should be as slim as possible? It is not a surprise to most people that health studies point to popular culture as a perpetrator of body image which has corresponded to the self image and well being of women AND men.
Surprisingly though, this is not a new phenomenon.
Is it a modern trend for the wafer thin appearance of models in magazines and papers to seem so attractive to young girls and women as to push them towards anorexia, bulimia, starvation, and malnutrition?
Actually, No.
As early as the 1920s, Western societies promoted the culture of being as slim as possible, causing women to starve themselves in order to achieve having the tiny bosom and tiny waistlines that was all the rage at the time.
It was not until the time of the depression that the fuller figure reappeared in a fashion sense, but again in the 60s, fashion models such as Twiggy promoted the idea of extreme thinness being equated with beauty.
The largest body organ is actually the skin which has a large surface area. As such, it plays an essential role in the body’s breathing apparatus. The skin has the capacity to soak up many things which can be absorbed into the bloodstream. To understand this, gently drop some peppermint oil on to the base of your feet. Within a quarter of an hour, you will be tasting peppermint! Nicotine patches and those used for HRT and other medical reasons work exactly the same way, on the absorbency of the skin.
The skin can not only absorb smells, liquids, etc, it can also excrete waste products, and this accounts for us perspiring.
Given the fact that the skin acts like a semi-permeable membrane, you might wonder about the sense in writing labels for various preparations for the skin which states ‘do not swallow or ingest’. Well actually, my friend, whatever you put on your skin, does get transferred around the body, so beware of what you put on your skin.
Should you take weight loss products that are designed to curb your appetite? The answer is a resounding NO!
The major reason for weight gain is eating foods that are hard for the body to process. If your body needs more fuel, it will make you aware of being hungry. If the body doesn’t get the required nutrients from the food that you consume, the body’s brain will inform you that you are still hungry. Your health will significantly degrade if you just cut back the nutrient-poor food that you are having. Your health will suffer if you just cut back on your poor quality food over a significant period of time. This is why dieticians do not generally recommend the use of weight loss supplements.