Big and Tall Shorts

Childhood Obesity Exists in New Hampshire! Tell Us Something We Don’t Know!

Dr. Z. — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:55:00 +0000

Well the other day I blogged about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (and the hearing is tomorrow…go to the hearing if you can!) Now we head north of the border to the Granite State.

New Hampshire is now considering House Bill 1479. This would require every school in the state to have the school’s nurse measure each student’s Body Mass Index (BMI) in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10.

This is being requested by the state Commission on the Prevention of Childhood Obesity, and the New Hampshire legislature is wants to back them up by reserving $500,000 over the next 4 years to do so.

For those who don’t know BMI is a measurement of what may be considered a “healthy weight” based on the person’s height. However, the BMI measurement does not actually measure body fat, so it is not a accurate measure of health. For example, we will use my dearly departed father (who incidentally would have been 82 today). At his heaviest, he was 450 lbs (205 kgs) and his height was 5’ 10” (178 cm). This would have put him with a BMI of 64.6. He would have been considered severely morbidly obese. However, he was a world champion weightlifter and his body fat was around 20% (half of a normal person with the same characteristics who was not physically fit). My father was by no means obese.

And there are several other arguments. It does not account for bone density, muscular mass and essentially puts everyone in a cookie cutter template.

But more importantly, it classifies children. As the bill is written, no individual data is required to be collected on these students. But it doesn’t prevent it either. I grew up in this section of the country and let me tell you, classifications and “tags” follow kids though their whole educational career. A kid tagged as fat will be treated as such. I was fat. I could have been easily inspired to work out by coaches in school. Instead, I was told that I couldn’t participate in some activities as it may be considered dangerous for someone of my size. If these assessments are cast upon students in New Hampshire, it could subject these children to years of ridicule and ostracization. Add to that the fact the girls going through puberty need extra fat to help them properly develop. Thus the term “baby fat”.

And the study doesn’t even solve the issue! The issue is they want to prevent unhealthy children. And pay half a million dollars to do it!

What the New Hampshire legislature need to do is first, adopt a non-discriminatory policy for size in education (as well as other aspects of life) and then, implement the Health At Every Size (HAES) program in the school system, state wide.

I have spoke of HAES often. Its principles are simple:

Accept and respect the diversity of body shapes and sizes.
Recognize that health and well-being are multi-dimensional and that they include physical, social, spiritual, occupational, emotional, and intellectual aspects.
Promote all aspects of health and well-being for people of all sizes.
Promote eating in a manner which balances individual nutritional needs, hunger, satiety, appetite, and pleasure.
Promote individually appropriate, enjoyable, life-enhancing physical activity, rather than exercise that is focused on a goal of weight loss.

New Hampshire is going to waste their money just to find out what everyone already knows, kids are fat. And in the process, cause a lot of heartache for the kids and taxpayers.

Massachusetts House Bill 1850

Dr. Z. — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 06:42:49 +0000

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The above text is Section 1 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. It’s the basis for so many of the rights we enjoy as Americans. The key element to the to the whole section is the last line “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” That key statement made the Bill of Right applicable to the states as well as the federal government. It was a great thought.

But in America, well, in the world, there are “textbook” definitions and there is reality. The reality is that the 14th Amendment was required to force states during the period after the United States Civil War to recognize the rights of persons of color after 300 years of oppression. They even went so far as to add the following to ensure these rights were protected:

“The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.”

That is the fourth section of the Amendment. It gives the Congress the right to make laws to enforce these rights. Thus laws such as the various Civil Rights Acts, Americans with Disabilities Acts, pay equity, equal housing, all of these laws stem from this amendment.

But why are these laws needed? Persons of Color, women, essentially everyone should already be protected under this law. The text says so. The reality is, however, that unless these rights are specified, then the rights do not exist. And that makes me very angry.

It makes me angry that there had to be a civil rights struggle, or a woman’s movement and yes, even a size acceptance movement. As an American, I find it insulting that I have to fight to get a law passed declaring that I am equal to other people. I am disgusted that there is reason to believe that I wasn’t before. I was born in this country, automatically making me a citizen, I should not be a special subset in need of protection—no one should because of the 14th Amendment—but now, much like other groups who have found wanton discrimination, such as people of color, women, and the myriad of other classes of people whom the 14th Amendment is intended to protect, I must go hat in hand to the lawmakers and beg them for the rights ascribed and endowed to me like Oliver Twist asking for another bowl of porridge.

Persons of size find themselves in lower economic strata then those that are similarly educated and considered a “normal” size. There are fewer employment opportunities if you are a fat person. I have spoken with executives in large corporations who have stated that they equate obesity with laziness. This is the essence of discrimination; formulating opinions about others not based on their individual merits but, rather, on their membership in a group with similar characteristics. As a result, persons of size need to become a protected class.

This Wednesday, January, 27th, there will be a hearing in the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development on House Bill 1850, which will prevent discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations based on height or weight. This is a chance to start a new civil rights movement…for persons of size.
So this is a call to arms…especially for those in Massachusetts, the state that I grew up in and still have many great friends in. I encourage you to attend and testify at the hearing. I also encourage you to write the sponsors of the bill, your local state representative and state senator and even Governor Deval Patrick.

Testimonials of support can also be written to:

Senator Thomas McGee
Senate Chair, Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
State House — Room 112
Boston, MA 02133

Representative Cheryl Coakley-Rivera
House Chair, Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
State House — Room 39
Boston, MA 02133

E-mails to the author of the bill, Representative Byron Rushing can be sent to Representative Rushing’s Legislative Aide, Tracy Choi. Her email is Tracy.Choi@state.ma.us

Ms. Choi is also the contact for more information on the bill and can be reached at the above email or by phone at (617) 722-2006.

If you want to write Governor Patrick, you can do so at this address:

Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Deval Patrick
State House
Boston, MA 02133

The governor can also be contacted via his webmail form here

In any case, this is the first major movement in size acceptance rights on a state level since the Elliott-Larsen Act in Michigan in 1976. So it very well could start a trend. Nevada has also been considering such legislation and more could follow. Massachussetts has been a trend setter in the expansion of human rights as of late, no matter how controversial.

This is the first step of an even longer journey. But it is one that must be made. I wish the citizens of Massachusetts good luck in this quest, as we all need you to make it a reality.

61 Size Acceptance Group Websites

Dr. Z. — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:44:05 +0000

At the forefront of any movement is an organization. Sometimes more than one. And the same can be said for the Size Acceptance movement. Previously I have listed organizations in blogs. Most prominently in 101 Resources for Big and Tall Men. In that blog, I posted specifically towards men and had a variety of resources. In this blog, I narrow the focus to groups that advocate Size Acceptance. I encourage you to explore and if they seem to mesh with your views, join.
1. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) – Founded in 1969, NAAFA is the public face of the Size Acceptance movement. As an oganization, NAAFA uses it’s resources to educate, lobby, publicize and fight for size acceptance. At the time of the writing of this article, general membership is $15 per year and supporting membership is $50. The following areas also have local chapters with active websites. Additional membership fees may apply and most require you join the national organization first.

2-6

Social Networking Sites

• NAAFA on Myspace
• NAAFA on Facebook

Local NAAFA Affiliates

•   Northern Ohio NAAFA
•   Washington DC and surrounding areas NAAFA
•   Los Angeles NAAFA
•   Hill Country (Austin/San Antonio) Texas NAAFA

7. Tall Clubs International is a social club for tall people. TCI provides a place for tall people to network and to educate the public on needs to tall people. One of the causes that TCI is a staunch supporter of is charities that are dedicated to educating, helping and fighting Marfan Syndrome, a disorder that one of the prevalent symptoms is above average height. Tall Clubs international has a large network of affiliate organizations and websites, they are listed below.

8-41

Social Media

• Tall Clubs International on Facebook

Local Tall Club Affiliates

International Tall Club Affiliates

•   Tall Club of Montreal (Montreal, Quebec, Canada Tall Club)
•   Tall People United (Melbourne, Australia Tall Club)
•   Tall Persons Club Great Britain and Ireland (Great Britain and Ireland Tall Club)
•   The Tall Club of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada Tall Club)

42. The International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) – The ISAA is an organization designed to fight discrimination against large people. Their Mission Statement is “to promote Size Acceptance and fight size discrimination throughout the world by means of advocacy and visible, lawful actions.” ISAA also targets Teen Size Acceptance through its BB Teenz, the youth section of ISAA’s “Without Measure” publication. The group also reaches out to the public through the “Without Measure” podcasts.

43-54

• PODWOM Blog – This is the blog for the Podcast of “Without Measure”, the magazine for the ISAA. The site list previous posts and links to podcasts.

Social Media

• ISAA on Facebook
• ISAA on the Fat Activist Network

Local ISAA Affiliates

•    Atlanta
•    Chicago
•    New York City

International ISAA Affiliates

•    France (in French)
•    Brazil
•    Canada
•    Middle East/North Africa
•    Philippines
•    United Kingdom

55. The Council on Weight and Size Discrimination – an organization dedicated to size advocacy and provides education on the issues with respects to employment, healthcare, insurance, disabilities, and much more.

56. Fat Rights Coalition – A newly established organization that takes proactive approaches to finding solutions to size discrimination and size acceptance. One of the truly innovative projects they have is a quarterly “think tank” which is a forum for activist to get together and discuss they best approaches to tackle size acceptance issues. This groups is also known as the Coalition of Fat Rights Activists (CORFA)

57-58

Social Media

• FRC on Facebook
• FRC on the Fat Activist Network

59. Association for Size Diversity and Health – This group is a groups dedicated to promoting the tenets of Health At Every Size (HAES) which is a overall health and wellness plan for all people that does not focus on weight loss, but on proper eating and exercise. According to their mission statement they “promote education, research, and the provision of services which enhance health and well-being, and which are free from weight-based assumptions and weight discrimination.”

60. National Organization of Lesbians of Size (NOLOSE) – A size acceptance organization for lesbians, female bisexuals and transgender persons. The NOLOSE “Manafesta” in part states that they are an organization “dedicated to ending the oppression of fat people and creating vibrant fat queer culture. We understand that all oppressions have a common root and we are committed to a broad-based struggle for human rights and social justice.”

61. Fat Activist Network – A social networking site an online meeting place for size advocates and activists to meet and exchange ideas and collaborate on promoting the tenets of Size Acceptance.

The Missing Link in Being Healthy

Dr. Z. — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:03:24 +0000

When I felt that there was something physically wrong with me, I would make it a point to go to a doctor. After all, I could get a pill to make it better, so why pass up that opportunity? If I felt that I was losing my connection with God, I made it a point to go to church. If my car was acting up, I took it to a mechanic. If my apartment was having an issue, I would call maintenance.

My history shows that I am more reactive than proactive. I never was into preventive maintenance, which has cost me in the long run, but I was a creature of convenience, and it served me ok.

I believe I have mentioned this before, but in case I have not, Last October I went through so tough times. My father had a massive stroke, my best friend had moved 200 miles away, I was having issues at work. It got too much for me. I started to literally shut down.

As a result, I went to see my doctor. I thought there was a pill she could give me. By the end of the visit, I was referred to a behavioral health facility to do what is known as an intake assessment. This is where they sit down and ask a series of questions to see whether you are suffering from some sort of mental illness.

After the three hour assessment, I came away with a preliminary (and eventually an actual) diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It was not bad enough to actually fully hospitalize me, but it was going to require intensive group therapy and eventually individual therapy.

Up until this time, I had created a Walter Mitty-esque persona because I really didn’t like myself. People who had known me for years didn’t know the real me. I was beginning to blur reality and the fantasy stories that I fashioned to create an image of…well, I don’t even know what kind of image I created or for that matter wanted to create.

I had to make a conscious effort to get well. And the first decision I had to make was to be completely honest. I went into my first day of group therapy ready to talk. I was told that some people like to watch for a day or two, I was not one of these people. I did sit back for the first half of the group to understand what I was seeing. There were recovering drug addicts, alcoholics, bi-polar sufferers, MDD sufferers, sexual abuse survivors, transgender identity issues and a lot more. But after the first break, I decided to talk.

And talk I did. I told of my plight. I talked about what was going on and what I discovered was that my problems were more than just the chain of events that was happening to at that point. They were much more deeply rooted.

I spent four months in that group. I sat in the same room 3-5 hours a day, five days a week. I made some pretty good friends. And I discovered that there was a man inside me that had a lot to offer.

As was told to me in the group and this actually is the point of this whole post, is that if we are told to eat right, exercise, not smoke, etc and it will allow you to live a healthy life. The problem is that none of that addresses mental health.

Mental health I would dare say is more important that physical health, in my humble opinion, because mental issues can manifest themselves in physical symptoms. As a result of this, I have made a change in my life in 2009, and I will continue this in 2010 and that change is that I am becoming proactive in my mental health.

After leaving the group, I retained an individual therapist. And I really lucked out to because she was the first person I found on my insurance list and she is nothing short of amazing. She has helped me though the death of my father, my distorted thoughts that I carry about myself, professional issues and much more.

As my group therapist used to tell me, give up your idea of what it should be and allow things to happen as they should (or for you Trekkers out there “the Universe will unfold as it should). I have strived to do that and my life has improved immensely in all aspects. Professionally, personally, spiritually, physical health, etc. my life is much better now than it was when I walked into my first group session November 3, 2008.

My point is that we cannot forego being proactive in out mental checkups. MDD is by far the largest underlying reason for suicide than any other mental disorder and is more common than anyone thinks. And as we all know, if you are a large person, we have some sort of mental health trauma in our past, even if it’s just the people that made fun of us. That can really affect self esteem and lower our own idea of our self worth.

So I will continue my mental health check-ups with my therapist and I will continue to build my self esteem, character and develop who I really am. I will continue to root myself in the reality of what is and not the fantasy of who I want to be. That is not to say I won’t strive to be better or try and make a dream or to come true, but I will not live in fantasy.

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery.

But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

~ Max Ehrmann, 1927

Diet is a Four-Letter Word

Dr. Z. — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Diet…that evil four-letter word that makes everyone cringe. The work has been much maligned in not only the fat-o-sphere, but in society in general. The main definition of diet is “The usual food and drink of a person or animal.” It has morphed into being equated with weight loss. And that is a shame.

Weight loss, in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing either, if it’s done right. (And I know that I will catch hell for that statement.) Weight loss can be beneficial if done properly and gradually. What I don’t like is the fact that an industry of charlatans and shysters has co-opted the innate need to “fit in” and have developed it into a cookie cutter template for how everyone should look.

Furthermore, that same template is applied by the medical profession. The use of BMI and weight-height ratios have made some peoples’ lives “living Hells” trying to find a way to get down to a weight that is listed on a piece of paper that defines how much they should weigh. It takes out a number of factors that can’t be accounted for on paper.

But I am setting out to reclaim the word “diet” for everyone. Instead of “I am on a diet.” My new statement will be “My diet consists of…”

Also, I am returning to healthy eating if it kills me. As a lap band patient, I find that I am prone o eat foods that digest easy and give me little resistance. So, my diet currently consists of (see, I told you I would use it) such items as mashed potatoes, ice cream, chocolate (that digest particularly well) and convenience store cappuccinos. Not very healthy.

I plan to add vitamin and mineral supplements to my regimen. Lots of Whey protein as well. I need to consume over 100 grams of protein a day and I’m not getting that with my current habits. As far as vitamins, I will shun the multivitamins for several supplements. They worked for my Dad, they’ll work for me.

I guess that what I am trying to get across is that I am not dieting; I am not going to buy into the hype. I am developing a plan for healthy living. That includes exercise, healthy eating, cleaner living, physical and mental check-ups, and not worrying about where I should be weight wise or when I should be there. In 15 months I have dropped over 210lbs (95kgs). I did the lap band out of necessity because I had serious health issues that I have discussed in previous blogs. But I am still 450 lbs. I am now mobile and I am better than I have been in a decade. Everything now is gravy, so to speak.

I am also researching. I am currently reading (and will probably be referring to this book a lot in 2010) Dr. Linda Bacon’s book Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight. I have mentioned this before, and I have read it, but now it’s time to implement it.

I may lose weight (quite frankly, I don’t see how I can’t) but my goal is to feel better physically. That will take some work. And after a lifetime of sitting back and allowing society to dictate how and who I should be, I am taking control and I am dictating the terms. My terms!

Exercise in the 2010 Decade

Dr. Z. — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:30:58 +0000

Another year and another decade will come to a close in 4 days, and as such, I will use the next few days to review where we’ve been and where we are going both personally and as a society. Today I will look at exercise. Now you may ask yourself “what would a man who allowed himself climb up to almost 700lbs (320kgs) know about exercise?” Well, the ironic answer would be “plenty.”

I grew up surrounded by strength sports. My father was a multiple champion in sports such as weightlifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, arm wrestling, strong man and odd lift sports. He later went on to help create and sit on the board of directors of many organizations in these sports, even serving as President of the National Powerlifting Committee of the Amateur Athletic Union and it eventual offshoot, the United States Powerlifting Federation.

My father pushed me away from this however, wanting me to focus on education, which he always believed was the key to success. And to a large extent, I agree. But experience allows the mind to develop its own ideas of what success is and what the keys to it are.

Unlike my father who was blessed with unbelievable strength and incredible intelligence (the US Army tested his IQ at 167) I was only blessed with the intelligence. I am not as smart as my father was, but I can have a few good ideas now and then.

My father was a huge believer in the combination of anaerobic and aerobic exercise. He also was a huge proponent of water resistance training. My dad made it a point that before every workout he would stretch. He would also begin every lift by starting out with and “empty bar” workout. For example, if he was going to squat, (and he held several world records in the squat including one that stands to this day of 58 repetitions with 310lbs (140kgs) that he set in 1952.) he would start with just the empty weight bar (a standard 7’ (213.36cm) weight bar weighs 45lbs (20kgs)). He would do 100 reps with that before he would start his work out. To his credit, he never had an injury from working out. He wasn’t a big believer in running, but he loved walking and power-walking, he would even do so with 10lb (5kg) dumbbells in each hand.
He would bemoan the television fads of things like Jane Fonda Workouts or seeing guys that would work to “sculpt” their bodies through selectorized or stack weight machines. He was a big believer in balance.

And that is what I hope the next decade is about. Balance. We need to use weights. We need aerobic exercise. Yoga, Pilates, free weight, band resistance are all good, but too much of one is not. I hear people talk about how they are working on their arms one day, legs the next and something different the next day. Or they will talk about how they do aerobics or yoga every day. And quite simply in our society, in 2010, where we do not have to forage for out food or walk 10 miles to get anywhere or work in physical jobs that push our bodies to the limit, we need balance. Whether that balance is a bit of each type of workout each day or alternating the exercises on different days, our bodies need it all.

And we need to be consistent. Our bodies need the same level or better of exercise all the time or it will turn on us. And I am not talking about turning “flabby” or whatnot, I am talking about internally. Bones, organs, blood and oxygen circulation. These are all dependent upon exercise.

I hear some people mention how they can’t exercise, and I say that’s a crock. My dad at 75 years old whose knees literally went out (he worked construction all his life and that was the reason, no due to exercise) would still sit in his chair and work on his arms. He could even lay in bed and do leg lifts.

He worked out in some way shape or form until his stoke a year ago in October. He lay frustrated in a hospital bed because he could not work out until he passed away on April 6th of this year and the age of 81.

So among my many resolutions this year, it to start a balance work out regimen. It will have to be after some surgery I am having in April, but I will do it.

And my goal is not to be thin, and I have to state that because someone will inevitably think I am pimping for the diet and exercise industry. My dad exercised all the time. He was 5’ 10” (178cm) and he weight would fluctuate between 250 – 450lbs (110 – 205kgs) Not a thin man by any stretch of the imagination (although in his younger days—way before I came along—he was sculpted). I want to be healthy. Period.

So, I encourage everyone to not make the resolution to diet, not to go to the gym and pump some iron. I encourage you to look around for a whole body solution. And that will include healthy eating, as well as other wellness activities which I will touch on later this week.

After a Long Absence

Dr. Z. — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:26:27 +0000

So a lot has happened to me since I made my last post. One of the more significant things is my steady weight loss. Now I am not a poster boy for weight lost nor do I advocate it for everyone. And I have stated this several times before. This was a personal decision based on a number of factors. But I am happy to say it is working. My pre-surgical weight was 623. My current weight is 440. That’s 183 lbs in 15 months. I am more mobile. I am in less pain. I sleep better and I get lots of complements about my hard work.

I always find it funny how people think I am working hard. I don’t exercise. I certainly don’t eat any healthier. I just eat less. And my desire not to vomit makes me want to eat even less that I do.

But other things have happened too. I have finally purchased a new vehicle, well, at least new to me. If you go the Huge Comfort site you will see in the automotive section I have some cars for big people listed. The Dodge Grand Caravan and the Chrysler Town and Country are listed there. Well, I got a “cousin” of these models, the Plymouth Grand Voyager. These aren’t made anymore as Chrysler discontinued the Plymouth brand, but there are lots of used ones available and I will be adding this to the listings in the near future. But I must say that it is the roomiest and most comfortable vehicle I have driven in years.

Another strange happening for me is that I am starting to get noticed by women again. And not as the “safe” guy. This is not only interesting for me as I have really been out of the dating scene for several years, but women that I have previously deemed unapproachable are approaching me. So this may make some interesting fodder for more blogs, although that has yet to be determined.

I get asked a lot about how it feels to be thinner, and the answer is I don’t feel thinner. Quite frankly, I don’t think I will ever see myself as thin. I am 440 pounds. That is still 250 lbs over what doctors consider healthy. Although I suspect they are talking out of their asses on that. But When I go someplace where no one knows me, I am still the fat guy. And that is a fact. I am fat. And I am still treated as fat people are. So until fat people are treated as people, I will continue this blog. However infrequent or frequent that may be.

Huge Comfort Links Restored!

Dr. Z. — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:43:39 +0000

The last week or so has seen some issues with our Huge Comfort website. As of today, the site is restored and the links are up and running. If you notice any problems let us know at ffourthcircleenterprises@gmail.com.

Heart (and Other) Conditions and Tall People

Dr. Z. — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:22:58 +0000

I spend a lot of time dedicating this site to those who are fat, but weight is not the only thing that health problems can be associated with. There is a condition that affect some tall people called Marfan Syndrome.

In short, Marfan Syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. It is characterized by long limbs, thin fingers and above average height.

There are many conditions that are caused by Marfan Syndrome including:

Aortic Disorders
Cysts
Cystic medial necrosis
Deviated septum
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Osteoarthritis
Emphysema
Eye iris coloboma
Flat feet
Gigantism
Heart palpitations
Hernias
Hypermobility of the joints
Kyphosis (hunched back)
Leaky heart valve
Learning disability
Malocclusion
Micrognathia (small lower jaw)
Mitral valve prolapse
Myopia (near sightedness)
Obstructive lung disease
Osteopenia (low bone density)
Pectus carinatum or excavatum
Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
Retinal detachment
Scoliosis
Sleep apnea
Stretch marks not from pregnancy or obesity
Teeth crowded
Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)

In the above list, the most common issues that Marfan Syndrome suffers encounter are heart problems. So if you suspect you have or do have Marfan Syndrome, regular check ups with you cardiologist are imperative. Over the last few years, treatment for Marfan has improved dramatically, resulting in increased life expectancy. And new treatments are looking more and more promising in finding a cure. As of right now however, the treatments for the disease are limited to treating the actual symptoms encountered by the patient.

But the heart is not the only organ affected. Since this is a tissue disorder, all organs and even the skeletal system are affected. Even the spinal cord is at risk. In extreme cases on Marfan, patients can be relegated to a wheelchair due to the weakening in the skeletal system and spinal cord.

However, if you see one or more of the above symptoms, do not assume that it is Marfan Syndrome. There are several other conditions that are similar to Marfan Syndrome, but are actually a diffent disease. Some of these include:

Congenital Contractural Arachnodactyly (CCA) or Beals Syndrome
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Homocystinuria
Loeys-Dietz Syndrome
MASS Phenotype
Shprintzen-Goldberg Syndrome
Stickler Syndrome
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia, type 2B.

So it is best that if you feel you are suffering from any of these symptoms to consult a physician as they can make the best determination of what you may have.

If you would like to learn more about Marfan Syndrome, I recommend visiting the following sites:

National Marfan Foundation

Marfan Association UK

Size Friendly Doctor Database

Dr. Z. — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:09:01 +0000

Finding a size friendly doctor can quite honestly and bluntly be a pain in the ass. I know this from personal experience as I had several doctors that would harass me about my weight, tell me I am a prime candidate for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc and then tell me when my results of my physical came back, that I had better numbers then they (the doctor) did. I even had one doctor lie to me and tell me that I had Type 2 Diabetes only to try and prescribe medication that had a side effect of weight loss. After changing doctors, it was revealed her notes and my tests showed no signs of Diabetes.

A few years back, there was very little information of what to look for when searching for size friendly (aka fat friendly) doctors. That is no longer the case. However, there still is a lack of a comprehensive database of specific doctors that are considered size friendly.

Big and Tall Shorts and our sister site Huge Comfort are working to correct that and we ask for your help. If you have a size friendly doctor that you wish to add to our new database that we are creating, we ask that you submit it to us. In the meantime, we have listed links on the site to help you in finding doctors that are size friendly in your area. To help find a doctor or to get more information on how to add your recommendation to the database we are creating, click here.