Before you go on a diet or start a new program of physical fitness, you really need to see a doctor. Surely you have heard it said many times, but felt that perhaps this does not apply to everyone. Here is why you should consider it.
Your body becomes use to your normal habits in more ways than you realize. When you exert more energy after being sedentary for a long time, your heart will beat a lot faster than it is used to, your lungs will work faster as well as your other organs, you will release more toxins and sweat than normal and when you come back to a resting position of your normal state, your body will feel like you have been run down by a train. It is not just your outside of your body alone that is participating in a diet and exercise plan, but each and every part within.
Obviously if you are starting out seriously obese or have an illness, or are pregnant, then you need to see a doctor to help guide you from creating internal damage from hidden conditions not obvious on the surface. If you are obese, you may have diabetes unknowingly and a wrong diet could put you in a coma. If you are pregnant and don't know you have high blood pressure tendencies, you could put both your fetus and yourself in a life-threatening situation. If you have an illness that may further compromise one of your organs which you don't know on the surface is in jeopardy, the wrong diet or move could cause internal bleeding.
So, what about those who are otherwise normal, why should they go see a doctor before a new diet or exercise routine? For the same reason as the others with obvious problems, sometimes you may have hidden factors internally which can cause serious harm or death if you change your routine quite drastically. If you take an annual physical, you should be pretty much in touch with the state of your body, but if like most you put off an office visit unless something is obviously wrong.
There are dangerous conditions which are virtually invisible on the surface. High blood pressure, heart conditions, blocked arteries, diabetes, poor circulation, lung problems and so forth may not be evident until you start a new diet or exercise program and sometimes that would be a decidedly inconvenient time to find out.
Don't use a medical condition as an excuse to avoid getting into shape! It is best to consult a doctor to rule out anything that could interfere with your progress or kill you, but even if something is found you can work around the problem with the help of your doctor. If your doctor tells you something is wrong, you must work with your doctor and follow a sensible plan. It may mean starting out slower than most people or avoiding certain types of exercises or dieting, but you still can diet and exercise properly when diagnosed so your plan won't kill you.
Most people are actually healthy enough to do a moderate diet or exercise program, but it is better to be safe than sorry. A silent killer is the label given to many illnesses that do not point to an obvious threat and many who have them look otherwise healthy. Do yourself and those who love you a favor, just double check and be on the safe side.
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