Take Good Care of Yourself

A checklist for large-size adults who want to be healthy.

 

Put together a good health care team consisting of:

–General Practitioner
–Bodywork
–Nutritional Advisor
–Dentist/Hygienist

If appropriate, include an:

–Endocrinologist/Internist
–Podiatrist
–Ophthalmologist
–Other specialists

Know your numbers for:

–Blood pressure Cholesterol
–Fasting blood glucose
–Post-prandial blood glucose
–Hemoglobin A1C
–Others as needed

Insist on respectful health care treatment:

–Interview, evaluate, and if necessary educate each new doctor, and accept no weight bigotry.
–Listen to nutritional advice, but don’t accept diet lectures.
–Expect to be informed and educated on your condition, treatment, options, etc.
–Expect the same treatment a thin person would receive for the same condition.

If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, manage your treatment:

–Monitor your condition (e.g. blood sugar) and learn your own patterns.
–Adjust medications in consultation with your doctor.
–Get to know how your body reacts to specific foods, timing of medication, meals, exercise, etc.

Stay as healthy as possible:

–Get enough sleep, and don’t let yourself get over-tired.
–Eat when you’re hungry–don’t go without food for long periods.
–Drink plenty of fluids.
–If you smoke or chew tobacco, quit.
–Use sunscreen and avoid long exposure to the sun.
–Avoid public places in flu season, and stay home when you’re sick.
–Sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve, not into your hand.
–Wash your hands often.
–Always wear a seat belt in the car.
–Do a safety check in your house and do what you need to prevent falls and other accidents.

Eat well:

–Take all nutritional advice “with a grain of salt.”
–Pay attention to your body’s appetites, needs, demands, etc.
–Eat a variety of foods.
–If you tend to eat mostly carbohydrates, eat more protein.
–Make sure you eat some fruits and vegetables.
–Aim for 5 servings a day.
–Make the grains you eat more whole grains.
–Eat less prepared foods and more whole foods.
–Find a comfortable level of food management to fit your needs.
–Try out different approaches, and use what works for you.

Stay active:

–Experiment until you find a way of moving that feels good.
–Design yourself a movement program that fits your lifestyle.
–Find a balance between stretching, strengthening, stamina-building, and stress-reduction.

Give yourself a break:

–Find a comfortable level of self-care somewhere between total obsession and total denial.
–Recognize that your comfortable level may change.
–Make compromises: be scrupulous in one area so you can avoid an area that feels too difficult.
–Let yourself have time off from taking care of yourself if you need it.
–Avoid self-judgments-they’re not good for your health!

Medical Care for Obese Patients: Advice for Health Care Professionals

 

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Facts & Figures
Health At Every Size
Take Good Care of Yourself (currently open)
Good Nutrition
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Long Term Diet Failure
Thinness Obsession
Barriers to Treatment: A Patient’s View
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