As a board certified physician, specializing in bariatrics as well as restorative and functional medicine, I have seen firsthand the devastation of metabolic syndrome and obesity. The article published by the Tribune really hits the nail on the head. With the ongoing national debate on health care, one thing is certain. We will not be able to afford our own illness. If we are not in a state of wellness and maximal health, it will be too expensive in all ways, including financial, physical as well as emotional.

As a bariatrician, specializing in the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome, I see obesity as more than a social problem. There is an indisputable link between high insulin blood levels and premature death in America. Since the surgeon general has put us all on a low-fat diet, the rates of obesity have nearly tripled and the rate of diabetes has doubled.

There is much debate on which diet is the best, either low-fat or low-carbohydrate. As this debate continues, we do know the effect of high insulin. When we consume refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars, we do see an elevation in insulin, either now or later as we age. When the insulin level increases, we will see fat accumulation in our body’s tissue storage system, namely the central abdomen and the liver. The end result is obesity, an increase in hunger and cravings, and then decrease in activity. There you have it – metabolic syndrome!

Obesity is not merely overeating. I see patients every day that eat less than I do but still gain weight. The key is the insulin level. Obesity is really caused by a hormonal imbalance that sneaks up on us related to the choices of food that we consume. There is truly a hormonal component and once defined, I see tremendous improvement in people’s health.

This is truly an exciting time to practice medicine. I am excited by my fellowships in functional medicine and restorative medicine. It is truly exciting to be able to explain to people why they have hypertension and other common disorders and how they can alleviate these common conditions, thereby reducing their risk of stroke and heart disease, chronic fatigue, mood swings and a general state of poor health. When people reduce their risk of major life-shortening disease, this is what makes my job rewarding. When I am able to speak to their primary care physician and together create a treatment plan of stopping many if not all of the patient’s medications, then I consider my job life-saving or life-altering. That is why I became a physician. To save and improve lives is the oath that I took in 1993.

Many people are truly afraid of the debate on health-care reform. I would argue that there is no better time to embrace your health, grab hold of wellness and make the move to a better state of optimal living and wellness. Weight loss is just a side effect of optimal living and wellness.

• Dr. Michelle Haendiges is a Kokomo physician.