O BESITY Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or
excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.
Slide 3
R EMARKABLE C ASE OF E NORMOUS O BESITY. D ANGERS OF EXCESSIVE
EATING.
Slide 4
Comments and personal conclusions are typed in red throughout
this presentation. A case published at the The Lancet Journal Vol.
XII - 1826 -7 No.199 p.360 Edited by Thomas Wakley London, June
23rd, 1826
BMI BODY MASS INDEX A measure of body fat is calculated by
dividing an adults weight (in kilograms) by the square of his or
her height (in meters). If you are 1.70m and 65kg BMI = 65/ (1.70 x
1.70 = 2.89) = 22,49 BMI Categories: Underweight = 18.524.9
Overweight = 2529.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Slide 7
R EVEALING THE CAUSE This presentation intends to show that
meat is not likely to make one fat, but hormonal imbalance can be
responsible for the quantity of food he needs to eat in order to be
satisfied and to gain weight. The case herewith discussed is no
doubt an example of the hardships a person with hypothyroidism or
underactive thyroid goes through when not treated. Our subject is
probably a man, identified as Krcker from Berlin. The case was
treated as an acute case of obesity due to excessive animal protein
ingestion.
Slide 8
Name: Krcker Age: 37 Occupation: Butcher Place: Berlin,
Germany. Krcker was not fat until he was about 30 years old. He
started to eat excessively and to gain weight, drink too much beer
and eat too much salt. His health condition improved after he was
received for treatment. Important: When he was administered iodine
his appetite went back to normal and so his weight. He could have
had less problems if the right diagnose were found at that time. It
was not possible as scientists were able to identify hypothyroidism
as a illness in 1850.
Slide 9
S YMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM a) chronic daily headache b)
epigastric pain c) chronic chest pain d) intense malaise e)
lethargy f) mental confusion spells g) breathlessness at rest h)
bloated i) painful and tender thyroid
Slide 10
K RCKER S DIET He started to eat lots of meat. The more he ate,
the more he wanted to eat. And most of the time he was eating or
sleeping. Krcker probably had intense malaise and lethargy not for
eating meat, but as a symptom for his hypothyroidism
condition.
Slide 11
DIET For a bet he has frequently devoured the boiled flesh of
an entire calf in a day, seasoned only with salt, in the presence
of many persons. He said once he would be able for a second. But
when aldosterone level gets too low, which can be common in some
patients with cortisol deficiency, the kidneys will excrete too
much salt, and it leads to low blood pressure; low blood volume; a
high pulse and/or palpitations, dizziness and or lightheadedness
when you stand; fatigue; and a craving for salt. Symptoms of low
aldosterone can also include frequent urination, sweating, a
slightly higher body temperature, and a feeling of thirst, besides
the craving of salt. Potassium can fall, as well.
http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/aldosterone/
Slide 12
KNOWING THE FACTS He would not trust himself in the sausage
manufactory, as he would eat the minced meat by the pound,
spreading it over bread with as little ceremony as the people
spread treacle How much bread wouldnt he eat in order to consume so
much meat? The sugar of the bread has immediate absortion and the
same does not happen to meat in our diets. So, what might have
aggraved this obesity problem, the bread or the meat?
Slide 13
D IET Animal food was his favourite repast He would devour from
8 to 10 pounds of tripe at a meal or from 6 to 7 pounds of beef and
sausages. Later he got to 16 pounds of beef daily to satisfy his
hunger By way of breakast, or supper, he would eat from two to
three dozen of the pettitoes of pigs His usual drink was beer, of
which he daily drank from two to three quarts. Comments: Drinking
beer interfered with the iron absortion. Therefore his thyroid
problem got worse. And he was dehydrating.
Slide 14
S YMPTOMS As he fed himself that way he was gradually
increasing in bulk. His breathing becoming daily more difficult. He
was afraid of being completely choked. His eyes appearing to start
from his head. Lips: dull violet color. His power of locomotion
daily diminishing He was obliged to confine himself to his large
chair and his bed. Every now and then he was in great danger of
suffocation. Graefe reported the case
Slide 15
S YMPTOMS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM AND NOT OF OF A MEAT RICH DIET. The
conjunctival lining being of a bright red color The entire
countenance was of a dark crimson. The pulse was tremulous,
irregular, and frequently intermittent. Complaints of great
pulpitation of the heart. Although, from the immense projection of
the abdomen, and the huge pendulons breasts, it was impossible to
bring the hand upon the part of the chest covering it. He could
only speak at intervals, and that with great difficulty. The
abdomen protruded, so as to cover the upper half of the thighs; and
on several parts of its imensely distended surface were round
redish spots, of about the fourth of an inch in diameter, hard and
painful to the touch, somewhat resembling small lipoma or fatty
tumours.
Slide 16
STARTING HIS TREATMENT Height: 54 high The circumference of his
abdomen: 55 The circumference of his thigh: 24 The circumference of
the calf of his legs: 17 The circumference of his breasts: 18 and
were 8 long. When he started his treatment with Graefe, he was
weighing 400 pounds.
Slide 17
C HAMBER S SMELL Although the chamber in which he lay was kept
very clean, and his linen frequently changed, the odour exhaled was
exceedingly offensive and resemble much the smell of a dissecting
room, or a butchers shop, on the evening of a hot day. Comments:
Fat people do not have to smell bad. And it happens when the fat
person does not or can not clean himself well. Some of them have
difficulties cleaning their bodies after defecating for not being
able to reach the parts to be cleaned.
Slide 18
K RCKER He was bleeding copiously and frequently and for that
he was given large doses of calomel (comments on next slide), and
the substituition of fasting for his enormous stuffing. "The appeal
is that [fasting] is quick, but it is quick fluid loss, not
substantial weight loss," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, CNS, founder
and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's
Weight Loss Management Center.
Slide 19
(T HERAPY COMMENTS : C ALOMEL (Q UICKSILVER ) A drug based on
mercury Indication: a) Variety of physical and mental ailments, b)
Laxative and disinfectant, c) Treatment for syphilis. It is highly
toxic. Its toxicity is made worse because the mercury accumulates
over time as a poison within the body. It was believed to be an
effective purgative and helped release the 'impurities' from the
sick patient. Side effects: the loss of hair and teeth
permanently
Slide 20
M EDICINE Purgative medicines were frequently given. Having
purgative one can develop electrolyte imbalance and dehydration
which can be serious. If blood potassium becomes deficient, one can
have symptoms such as weakness, fating or rapid heartbeat and it
can result in death.
Slide 21
D IET Strictly vegetable diet and vegetable acids 4 weeks later
he was reduced to about 316 pounds. When vegetables are taken too
largely, and for too long, they are apt to produce irritation of
the gastro - intestinal mucous membrane, to lessen the appetite and
disturb digestion, and, partly through this effect, and partly, in
all probability, through a direct depression of the circulatory
function, to impair the organic processes generally, and thus
occasion paleness, general weakness, and emaciation. Read more:
http://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-
drugs/Treatise-Therapeutics-Pharmacology-Materia-Medica-
Vol2/III-Vegetable-Acids.html#ixzz1yfddsGhehttp://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-
drugs/Treatise-Therapeutics-Pharmacology-Materia-Medica-
Vol2/III-Vegetable-Acids.html#ixzz1yfddsGhe
Slide 22
I ODINE During 4 months he took large doses of iodine to
accelerate absorption, he was reduced to about 267 pounds. When
thyroid hormone levels are too low, the body's cells can't get
enough thyroid hormone and the body's processes start slowing down.
As the body slows, one may notice that he feels colder, tires more
easily, the skin gets drier, he becomes forgetful and depressed,
and starts getting constipated.
http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochures/iodine_deficiency.html
Slide 23
A UGUST 10, 1826 He was active, cheerful Able to resume his
former business He was reduced to 209 pounds Good health Appetite
moderate
Slide 24
HYPOTHYROIDISM CHECKLIST (I) ____ I am gaining weight
inappropriately ____ I'm unable to lose weight with diet/exercise
____ I am constipated, sometimes severely ____ I have
hypothermia/low body temperature (I feel cold when others feel hot,
I need extra sweaters, etc.) ____ I feel fatigued, exhausted ____
Feeling run down, sluggish, lethargic ____ My hair is coarse and
dry, breaking, brittle, falling out ____ My skin is coarse, dry,
scaly, and thick ____ I have a hoarse or gravely voice ____ I have
puffiness and swelling around the eyes and face ____ I have pains,
aches in joints, hands and feet ____ I have developed carpal-tunnel
syndrome, or it's getting worse ____ I am having irregular
menstrual cycles (longer, or heavier, or more frequent) ____ I am
having trouble conceiving a baby ____ I feel depressed ____ I feel
restless ____ My moods change easily ____ I have feelings of
worthlessness ____ I have difficulty concentrating ____ I have more
feelings of sadness ____ I seem to be losing interest in normal
daily activities ____ I'm more forgetful lately
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm
Slide 25
____ My hair is falling out ____ I can't seem to remember
things ____ I have no sex drive ____ I am getting more frequent
infections, that last longer ____ I'm snoring more lately ____ I
have/may have sleep apnea ____ I feel shortness of breath and
tightness in the chest ____ I feel the need to yawn to get oxygen
____ My eyes feel gritty and dry ____ My eyes feel sensitive to
light ____ My eyes get jumpy/tics in eyes, which makes me
dizzy/vertigo and have headaches ____ I have strange feelings in
neck or throat ____ I have tinnitus (ringing in ears) ____ I get
recurrent sinus infections ____ I have vertigo ____ I feel some
lightheadedness ____ I have severe menstrual cramps
http://thyroid.about.com/cs/basics_starthere/a/hypochecklist.htm
HYPOTHYROIDISM CHECKLIST (II)
