Here are some shocking statistics regarding American girls and teens when it comes to their feeling about their bodies:
53% of American 13 year old girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen. (National Institute on Media and the Family)
98% of girls feel there is an immense pressure from external sources to look a certain way (National Report on Self Esteem)
This is evident when you look at plastic surgery statistics, which rise annually. Approximately 17.7 million women have had cosmetic procedures, up 2% from last year. Breast augmentation continue to be top procedure followed by liposuction.
Other research has studied adult women’s perception of their bodies, noting that teens do not necessarily develop body positive beliefs. 86% of all women, in fact, are dissatisfied with their bodies, noting primarily that they wish they weighed less.
Body positivity is a new-ish coined term that can mean appreciating your body in spite of its flaws, possessing a sense of confidence, acceptance and loving yourself the way that you are. It means enjoying life beyond your “meat suit” and being kind to yourself, careful with your internal thoughts and accepting physical changes lovingly that may happen naturally due to aging and pregnancy.
Negative body image is associated with an increased risk for depression, eating disorders and other mental issues. Research suggests that having a negative body image is associated with an increased risk for some mental conditions including depression and eating disorders.This altered negative view of self is frequently formed early in life. Women experience depression at higher rates than men, and it’s thought that negative views of their bodies may be one main factor in this gender disparity.
The media infuses into our society a “thin ideal,” which is unattainable for most people. Airbrushing and photoshop intensify this idea of unnatural perfection that drives consumers and viewers into a self-hating frenzy.
So, how are some ways to increase body positivity? According to Dr. Nili Sachs, who is a body image expert, cultural anthropologist and author:
Dr. Sachs' book Booby-Trapped, How to Feel Normal in a Breast-Obsessed World, further discusses our media and cultural-obsessed body-perfection-seeking enigma.
It’s important while being body positive to also be body responsible. Accountability for our health and happiness is a part of body positivity. Simply accepting that you will never be an airbrushed, cellulite-free, size zero model is not enough.Taking action to be the healthiest you is essential for your wellness.
Instead of focus on subcutaneous fat, our society needs to shift more toward understanding the impact of visceral fat. Visceral fat is fat stored within the abdominal cavity and around vital organs, such as the liver, stomach and intestines. It can have detrimental effects on arteries
Visceral fat is a type of body fat that's stored within the abdominal cavity. It's located near several vital organs, including the liver, stomach, and intestines. It can also build up in the arteries and affect multiple bodily systems. High visceral fat is associated with metabolic abnormalities, diabetes, inflammation and inflammatory-related diseases and may be linked to heart disease and cancer.
Visceral fat is not the “pinchable” kind that muffin-tops over your jeans. It’s hidden deeply and actually is living tissue, able to disrupt your hormone balance and even effect your cholesterol levels. The more visceral fat you have, the higher your chances for endocrine issues, diabetes and heart disease. Visceral fat also increases cortisol levels, impacting chronic stress levels and putting an extra demand on your adrenal glands.
A body positive and responsible action plan includes being mindful of not just your subcutaneous fat but visceral fat, which affects your overall health. Way to reduce visceral fat include exercise, managing stress levels (yoga, restful sleep, hot baths, downtime, connecting with nature, etc) and a diet that is low in sugar and processed foods.
Here are some supplements to help you reach your body positive goals:
- Methyl Multi without Iron: Provide support for your nutritional needs with this multi-vitamin which contains methylated forms for greater absorption and utility as well as essential minerals that help support a variety of functions.
MicroActive CoQ10 Enhanced with MicroPQQ an Shilajit: This unique complex contains highly bioavailable forms which are universally absorbed with much higher effectiveness levels when compared to standard CoQ10 & PQQ alone. The combined ingredients are clinically-studied with results showing improvement in short-term memory, focus and cognitive health. Enhanced with shilajit, this ideal anti-aging ingredient has many health benefits: Mitochondrial energy booster, increases exercise endurance and overall fitness level, up-regulates steroidogenic genes (Patent Pending), up-regulates genes for collagen synthesis (Patent Pending) and Improves the bioavailability of CoQ10.
BioActive B12: Our formulation contains three bioavailable forms of B12:
Methylcobalamin - Assists methylation, brain & nerve health, circulatory & immune systems, reducing homocysteine.
Adenosylcobalamin - Aids in muscle recovery, mitochondrial support, repairing the myelin sheath.
Hydroxycobalamin is a precursor form of vitamin B12 converted in the body to both methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. This form of B12 helps in pain sensitivity, chronic fatigue, brain fog and detoxification
MicroActive Oligonol: Derived from lychee fruit extract and green tea, Oligonol is the world’s first low-molecular-weight polyphenol and winner of the prestigious Nutracon “Top Evidence-Backed Product of the Year” Award. Unlike other antioxidant formulas and skin supplements, our antioxidant complex uses clinically studied ingredients backed by 30 human clinical trials with multiple anti-aging benefits. It addresses the three major causes of aging: poor blood circulation, cell oxidation and inflammation.
Our formulation is a 12-hour sustained release formula with improved uniform absorption. 2.39x GREATER bioavailability than regular Oligonol – which means you only need ONE CAPSULE a day to get an equivalent of 239mg Oligonol (the dose required for visceral belly fat reduction)
Just Relax: As a convenient drink mix, Just Relax is formulated to provide a peaceful, calm and relaxed state of body and mind. Just Relax contains a blend of ingredients that support the body’s natural synthesis of catecholamines, the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, hormonal balance, and healthy glucose metabolism.
Sources:
https://milled.com/nectar-bath-treats/9-body-positivity-tips-from-dr-nili-sachs-8z9nHurxv-EFkrNn
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402
https://heartofleadership.org/statistics/
https://centerforchange.com/battling-bodies-understanding-overcoming-negative-body-images/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320929#how-to-get-rid-of-visceral-fat
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-most-dangerous-fat-is-the-easiest-to-lose/
https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/the-dangers-of-visceral-fat/