Lose weight for better health, doctor says

Orteza during the forum

A VISITING Filipino doctor warned overseas Filipino workers here to be conscious of their health and lose weight to avoid diseases such as “diabetes” and “hypertension”.

In the “Magtanong kay Dok” forum held on February 21 at the Philippine Consulate General, Romeo Orteza, neuro-trauma surgeon and also a practitioner of complementary and alternative medicine, said “diabetes and hypertension” are “metabolism syndrome”.

The forum is the first of a four-part series project of the PCG with Noble Life International.

“Kailangan gamutin natin ang dalawang (karamdaman) na ito dahil sila ay (konektado). Oftentimes, you are a diabetic individual because you’re obese at saka hypertensive ka dahil mataba ka. The objective here is that you have to lose weight,” Orteza said.

He added that body fat would make “insulin” ineffective in treating diabetes.

“Losing weight is very important because it is a triggering factor for insulin resistance. Kapag mataba ka, sorry to tell you, na hindi agad tatalab ang insulin,” Orteza said.

Hypertension, on the other hand, has two causes: cardiac output and peripheral resistance or tightening of blood vessels.

The physician said one way to avoid hypertension is to go easy on condiments especially those which have high salt content.

“Alam ninyo na kasi sa atin, typical Filipino, hindi puwedeng kumain ng walang sawsawan,” he said.

Symptoms of “pre-diabetes condition” include “increased weight in the middle section, drowsiness, increased thirst and hunger, increased sugar craving, and tingling of feet.”

Orteza said that at this stage of the disease, it is still possible to address the condition without taking medicine.

“Unfortunately, 50 percent of people afflicted with this disease don’t even know they have it,” he added.

Diabetes, he said could lead to blindness, kidney failure, and heart condition, among others.

“Statistics say one person dies of diabetes in the whole world for every 10 seconds. This is why kailangan natin ng information and education about this disease,” Orteza said.

Orteza has a clinic at St. Luke’s Medical Center at Global City in Taguig. He will also be the resource person for the next health forum at the PCG scheduled in May.