do You Live to Eat?

How would you respond if you were asked whether you live to eat or eat to live? Just like the Greek philosopher Socrates said 2,400 years ago, many people believe that they should eat to live. Also, there are many who believe they live to eat. These people do not say it out loud but show it through their actions.

If your body mass index (BMI) is below 25, it is likely you are at a normal weight. A BMI of 25 or more indicates you are overweight. Obesity is when BMI is 30 or more. There are many people who fall in the two latter categories.

A survey taken two years ago reported that one in five Mongolians (15-64 years old) were overweight, and one in ten were obese. UNICEF also produced a report which said that one in every five children in Mongolia under the age of five was obese. The only Asian country that had more obesity among children than Mongolia was Indonesia.

Unfortunately, obesity has become the sixth leading cause of death, and it can increase the risk of developing heart and lung diseases, strokes, high cholesterol, and diabetes. It does not matter how you answer the question about whether or not you live to eat or eat to live. What matters is whether people fully understand how to live a long, healthy life and what actions they are taking to do so.

SECRET TO LIVING A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE

I had the opportunity to visit Igelosa Center, a life science community in the Swedish village of Igelosa, and meet with the well-known doctor Stig Steen, who has done cardiothoracic surgery on approximately 10,000 people in the last 40 years, mostly lung and heart transplants.

Dr. Stig Steen, who originally comes from Norway, is 68 years old today and has five children. He speaks with humility and smiles frequently. Stig has made great contributions to medical science. For example, a fluid he invented is used for transporting human organs and has saved thousands of lives. Stig says that although being overweight is said to be caused by eating too much and moving too little, it is also related to eating disorders, such as eating at irregular hours, or going without food for an extended period of time. Eating disorders are triggered by emotional instability. He illustrated the point by noting that the top three reasons why people go to the doctor in Western countries are sleep disorders, emotional stress, and being overweight. Being overweight and dealing with obesity are not only related to the food we eat. Stig noted that maintaining a normal...