Mayo Clinic provides an interactive guide to search for a specific disease or condition. In addition to searching for a specific condition by name, you can also search by symptom as well.

Click on any of the links, or scroll down for information on the following Chronic Diseases:

COPD

DIABETES

HEART DISEASE

DEPRESSION

ASTHMA

OBESITY

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It is caused by damage to the lungs over many years, usually from smoking. COPD is often a mix of two diseases:

• Chronic bronchitis. In chronic bronchitis, the airways that carry air to the lungs (bronchial tubes) get inflamed and make a lot of mucus. This can narrow or block the airways, making it hard to breathe.
• Emphysema. In a healthy person, the tiny air sacs in the lungs are like balloons. As you breathe in and out, they get bigger and smaller to move air through your lungs. But with emphysema, these air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch. Less air gets in and out of the lungs, which makes you feel short of breath.

COPD gets worse over time. You can't undo the damage to your lungs. But you can take steps to prevent more damage and feel better.

What causes COPD?
COPD is almost always caused by smoking. Over time, breathing tobacco smoke irritates the airways and destroys the stretchy fibers in the lungs. Other things that may put you at risk include breathing chemical fumes, dust, or air pollution over a long period of time. Secondhand smoke is also bad.It usually takes many years for the lung damage to start causing symptoms, so COPD is most common in people who are older than 60.

You may be more likely to get COPD if you had a lot of serious lung infections when you were a child. People who get COPD in their 30s or 40s may have a disorder that runs in families, called alpha₁-antitrypsin deficiency. But this is rare.

What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms are:

• A long-lasting (chronic) cough.
• Mucus that comes up when you cough.
• Shortness of breath that gets worse when you exercise.

As COPD gets worse, you may be short of breath even when you do simple things like get dressed or fix a meal. It gets harder to eat or exercise, and breathing takes much more energy. People often lose weight and get weaker.

At times, your symptoms may suddenly flare up and get much worse. This is called a COPD exacerbation. An exacerbation can range from mild to life-threatening. The longer you have COPD, the more severe these flare-ups will be.

How is COPD diagnosed?
To find out if you have COPD, a doctor will:

• Do a physical exam and listen to your lungs.
• Ask you questions about your past health and whether you smoke or have been exposed to other things that can irritate your lungs.
• Have you do a simple breathing test called spirometry to find out how well your lungs work.
• Do chest X-rays and other tests to help rule out other problems that could be causing your symptoms.

If there is a chance you could have COPD, it is very important to find out as soon as you can. This gives you time to take steps to slow the damage to your lungs.

How is it treated?
The only way to slow COPD is to quit smoking. This is the most important thing you can do. It is never too late to quit. No matter how long you have smoked or how serious your COPD is, quitting smoking can help stop the damage to your lungs.

It’s hard to quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about treatments that can help. Using medicines and support increases the chance that you will quit for good. To learn more about how to quit, go to http://www.smokefree.gov, or call 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669).

Your doctor can prescribe treatments that may help you manage your symptoms and feel better.

• Medicines can help you breathe easier. Most of them are inhaled so they go straight to your lungs. If you get an inhaler, it is very important to use it just the way your doctor showed you.
• A lung (pulmonary) rehab program can help you learn to manage your disease. A team of health professionals can provide counseling and teach you how to breathe easier, exercise, and eat well.
• In time, you may need to use oxygen some or most of the time.

People who have COPD are more likely to get lung infections, so you will need to get a flu shot every year. You should also get the pneumonia vaccine. It may not keep you from getting pneumonia. But if you do get pneumonia, you probably will not be as sick.There are many things you can do at home to stay as healthy as you can.

• Avoid things that can irritate your lungs, such as smoke, pollution, and cold, dry air.
• Use an air conditioner or air filter in your home.
• Take rest breaks during the day.
• Get regular exercise to stay as strong as you can.
• Eat well so you can keep your strength up. If you are losing weight, ask your doctor or dietitian about ways to make it easier to get the calories you need.

What else should you think about?
As COPD gets worse, you may have flare-ups when your symptoms suddenly get much worse. It is important to know what to do if this happens. Your doctor can prescribe medicines to help. But if the attack is severe, you may need to go to the emergency room or call 911.

Knowing you have a disease that gets worse over time can be hard. It’s common to feel sad or hopeless sometimes. If these feelings last, be sure to tell your doctor. Counseling and support groups can help you cope.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about what kinds of treatment you want if your breathing problems become life-threatening. You may want to write a living will. You can also choose a health care agent to make decisions in case you are not able to. It can be comforting to know that you will get the type of care you want.

- Source WebMD

Local COPD Resources:
Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (BHMH): 207-374-2836

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes, often called non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 90% - 95% of the 21 million people with diabetes. In this article, you'll learn the basics about type 2 diabetes, including symptoms and causes, as well as type 2 diabetes in children.

What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin; however, the insulin their pancreas secretes is either not enough or the body is unable to recognize the insulin and use it properly. This is called insulin-resistance. When there isn't enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose (sugar) can't get into the body's cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, the body's cells are not able to function properly. Other problems associated with the buildup of glucose in the blood include:

• Dehydration. The buildup of sugar in the blood can cause an increase in urination (to try to clear the sugar from the body). When the kidneys lose the glucose through the urine, a large amount of water is also lost, causing dehydration.
• Diabetic Coma (Hyperosmolar nonketotic diabetic coma). When a person with type 2 diabetes becomes severely dehydrated and is not able to drink enough fluids to make up for the fluid losses, they may develop this life-threatening complication.
• Damage to the body. Over time, the high glucose levels in the blood may damage the nerves and small blood vessels of the eyes, kidneys, and heart and predispose a person to atherosclerosis (hardening) of the large arteries that can cause heart attack and stroke.

Type 2 Diabetes in Children
More and more children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Find out about type 2 diabetes symptoms in children, the diagnosis, and the treatment in WebMD's article on type 2 diabetes in childhood. If your child is at risk for childhood diabetes, it’s important to learn specific self-care tips to help prevent diabetes.

Who Gets Type 2 Diabetes?
Anyone can get type 2 diabetes. However, those at highest risk for the disease are those who are obese or overweight, women who have had gestational diabetes, people with family members who have type 2 diabetes and people who have metabolic syndrome (a cluster of problems that include high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low good 'HDL' cholesterol and a high bad 'LDL' cholesterol and high blood pressure). In addition, older people are more susceptible to developing the disease since aging makes the body less tolerant of sugars.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
Although it is more common than type 1 diabetes, the causes of type 2 diabetes are less well understood. It is likely caused by multiple factors and not a single problem.Type 2 diabetes can run in families, but the exact nature of how it's inherited or the identity of a single genetic factor is not known.

What Are the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes vary from person to person but may include:

• Increased thirst.
• Increased hunger (especially after eating).
• Dry mouth.
• Nausea and occasionally vomiting.
• Frequent urination.
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling).
• Blurred vision.
• Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet.
• Frequent infections of the skin, urinary tract or vagina.

Rarely, a person may be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after presenting to the hospital in a diabetic coma.

How Is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?
To diagnose type 2 diabetes, your health care provider will first check for abnormalities in your blood (high blood glucose level). In addition, he or she may look for glucose or ketone bodies in your urine.

Type 2 diabetes testing includes a fasting plasma glucose test or a casual plasma glucose test. You will also need to check your blood sugar levels regularly.

Complications Associated With Type 2 Diabetes
If your diabetes isn't well controlled, there are a number of serious or life-threatening problems you may experience, including:

• Retinopathy. People with type 2 diabetes may already have abnormalities in the eyes related to the development of diabetes. Over time more and more people who initially do not have eye problems related to the disease will develop some form of eye problem. It is important to control not only sugars but blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent progression of eye disease. Fortunately, the vision loss isn't significant in most.
• Kidney damage. The risk of kidney disease increases over time, meaning the longer you have diabetes the greater your risk. This complication carries significant risk of serious illness -- such as kidney failure and heart disease.
• Poor blood circulation and nerve damage. Damage to nerves and hardening of the arteries leads to decreased sensation and poor blood circulation in the feet. This can lead to increased infections and an increased risk of ulcers which heal poorly and can in turn significantly raises the risk of amputation. Damage to nerves may also lead to digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

- Source WebMD

Local Diabetes Resources:
BHMH, Diabetes Self-Management Training (DSMT) Program: 207-374-2836

Heart Disease

When you think of heart disease, usually people think of coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries leading to the heart), but coronary artery disease is just one type of cardiovascular disease.Cardiovascular disease includes a number of conditions affecting the structures or function of the heart. They can include:

• Coronary artery disease (including heart attack)
• Abnormal heart rhythms or arrythmias
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Congenital heart disease
• Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
• Pericardial disease
• Aorta disease and Marfan syndrome
• Vascular disease (blood vessel disease)

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. It is important to learn about your heart to help prevent heart disease. And, if you have cardiovascular disease, you can live a healthier, more active life by learning about your disease and treatments and by becoming an active participant in your care.

Coronary Artery DiseaseCoronary artery disease (CAD) is atherosclerosis, or hardening, of the arteries that provide vital oxygen and nutrients to the heart.

Abnormal Heart Rhythms
The heart is an amazing organ. It beats in a steady, even rhythm; about 60 to 100 times each minute (that's about 100,000 times each day!). But, sometimes your heart gets out of rhythm. An irregular or abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. An arrhythmia (also called a dysrhythmia) can involve a change in the rhythm, producing an uneven heartbeat, or a change in the rate, causing a very slow or very fast heartbeat.

Heart Failure
The term "heart failure" can be frightening. It does not mean the heart has "failed" or stopped working. It means the heart does not pump as well as it should.

Heart failure is a major health problem in the U.S., affecting nearly 5 million Americans. About 550,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than 65.

Heart Valve Disease
Your heart valves lie at the exit of each of your four heart chambers and maintain one-way blood-flow through your heart.Examples include mitral valve prolapse, aortic stenosis and mitral valve insufficiency.

Congenital Heart Disease
Congenital heart disease is a type of defect in one or more structures of the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth.It affects about 8 out of every 1,000 children. Congenital heart defects may produce symptoms at birth, during childhood and sometimes not until adulthood.In most cases scientists don't know why they occur. Heredity may play a role as well as exposure to the fetus during pregnancy to certain viral infections, alcohol or drugs.

Cardiomyopathies
Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle itself. People with cardiomyopathies have hearts that are abnormally enlarged, thickened and/or stiffened. As a result, the heart's ability to pump blood is weakened. Without treatment, cardiomyopathies worsen over time and often lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Pericarditis
Pericarditis is inflammation of the lining that surrounds the heart. It is a rare condition often caused by an infection.

Aorta Disease and Marfan syndrome
The aorta is the large artery that leaves the heart and provides oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. These diseases and conditions can cause the aorta to dilate (widen) or dissect (tear), increasing the risk for future life-threatening events:

• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
• Hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Genetic conditions such as Marfan Syndrome.
• Connective tissue disorders (that affect the strength of the blood vessel walls) such as, scleroderma, osteogenesis imperfecta, polycystic kidney disease and Turner's syndrome.
• Injury.

People with aortic disease should be treated by an experienced team of cardiovascular specialists and surgeons.

Other Vascular Diseases
Your circulatory system is the system of blood vessels that carry blood to every part of your body.

Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system. These include diseases of the arteries and blood flow to the brain.

- Source WebMD

Local Resource for Heart Disease, including congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, high cholesterol:
BHMH, Registered Dietitian for hypertension and hyperlipidemia education and screening: 207-374-2836

Chronic Depression

What Is Chronic Depression (also known as Dysthymia)?
Chronic depression is a less severe form of depression but the depression symptoms linger for a long period of time, perhaps years. Those who suffer from chronic depression are usually able to function adequately, but seem consistently unhappy.

It is common for a person with chronic depression to also experience major depression at the same time - swinging into a major depressive episode and then back to a more mild state of chronic depresion. This is called double depression.

Symptoms of Chronic Depression Are the Same as Those of Major Depression and Include:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Loss of interest or the ability to enjoy oneself
• Excessive feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Loss of energy or fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating, thinking or making decisions
• Changes in appetite
• Observable mental and physical sluggishness
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Who Experiences Chronic Depression?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 10.9 million Americans aged 18 and older are affected by dysthymia.

How Is Chronic Depression Diagnosed?
If you are depressed and have had symptoms for more than two weeks, see your doctor or a psychiatrist. Your provider will perform a thorough medical evaluation, paying particular attention to your personal and family psychiatric history.

There is no blood, X-ray or other laboratory test that can be used to diagnose dysthymia.

A mental health specialist generally makes the diagnosis based on the person's symptoms. In the case of dysthymia, these symptoms will have lasted for longer and be less severe than in patients with major depression.

What Treatments Are Available for Chronic Depression?
Chronic Depression is a serious but treatable illness. Some people with dysthymia may do well with psychotherapy or "talk" therapy alone. But in some cases that is not adequate and your doctor may prescribe antidepressant medication as well.

- Source WebMD

Local Resources for Chronic Depression:
Acadia Hospital, Blue Hill, Mental Health Clinic at BHMH: 207-374-2836

Asthma

No one really knows the causes of asthma. What we do know is that asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. The causes of asthma symptoms can vary for different people. Still, one thing is consistent with asthma: when airways come into contact with an asthma trigger, the airways become inflamed, narrow, and fill with mucus.

When you have an asthma attack, spasms of the muscles around the airways, inflammation and swelling of the mucosal membrane lining the airways, and excessive amounts of mucus contribute to airway narrowing. This makes airway resistance increase and the work of breathing more difficult, causing shortness of breath, cough, and wheezing. You may have a cough because of the irritation inside the airway and the body’s attempt to clean out the accumulations of thick mucus.

So why do you have asthma and your friend doesn’t? No one really knows for sure. We do know that allergy plays a role in many people with asthma but not in all. As with allergy, you can blame your family history, as there is a strong genetic component for asthma.

If you or a loved one has asthma, it’s important to understand the many triggers or causes of asthma. Once you identify and reduce exposure to the specific triggers or causes of asthma, you can take an active role in controlling your asthma and reducing the frequency of asthma attacks. For example, if you find that allergies are the cause of your asthma, you may have allergic asthma. Being aware of allergies and avoiding them can significantly reduce the frequency or severity of asthma attacks. Or if environmental pollution seems to cause your asthma, it’s important to stay indoors during periods of heavy air pollution. Try to find the specific triggers or causes of your asthma, and then plan to avoid these triggers and have better asthma control.

Here are the most common causes of asthma:

Allergies
Eighty percent of people with asthma have allergies to airborne substances such as tree, grass, and weed pollens, mold, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroach particles. In one study, children who had high levels of cockroach droppings in their homes were four times more likely to have childhood asthma than children whose homes had low levels. Asthma exacerbation after dust exposure is usually due to dust mite allergy.

Food and Food Additives Trigger Asthma
While it’s not common for food allergies to cause asthma, food allergies can cause a severe life-threatening reaction. The most common foods associated with allergic symptoms are:

• Eggs
• Cow's milk
• Peanuts
• Soy
• Wheat
• Fish
• Shrimp and other shellfish
• Salads & fresh fruits

Food preservatives can also trigger asthma. Sulfite additives, such as sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite, are commonly used in food processing or preparation and may trigger asthma in those people who are sensitive.

Exercise-Induced Asthma
Strenuous exercise can cause a narrowing of the airways in about 80% of people with asthma. In some people, exercise is the main trigger for their asthma symptoms. If you have exercise-induced asthma, you will feel chest tightness, coughing, and difficulty breathing within the first five to eight minutes of an aerobic workout. These symptoms usually subside in the next 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, but up to 50% of those with exercise-induced asthma may have another asthma attack six to 10 hours later.

Heartburn and Asthma
Severe heartburn and asthma often go hand-in-hand. Recent studies show that up to 89% of those with asthma also suffer from severe heartburn, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD generally occurs at night when the sufferer is lying down. Normally a valve between the esophagus and stomach prevents stomach acids from backing up into the esophagus. In GERD, the valve does not function properly. The stomach acids reflux, or back up, into the esophagus; if the acid reaches into the throat or airways the irritation and inflammation can trigger an asthma attack.

Certain clues that suggest reflux as the cause of asthma include the onset of asthma in adulthood, no family history of asthma, no history of allergies or bronchitis, difficult-to-control asthma, or coughing while lying down.

If your doctor suspects this problem, he or she may recommend specific tests to look for it.

Smoking and Asthma
People who smoke cigarettes are more likely to get asthma. If you already have asthma and you smoke, it may make your symptoms such as coughing and wheezing worse. Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of wheezing in their babies. Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy also have worse lung function than those whose mothers did not smoke. If you have asthma and you're a smoker, quitting is the most important step you can take to protect your lungs.

For more detail, see WebMD’s article on Smoking and Asthma.

Sinusitis and Other Upper Respiratory Infections
Much like asthma causes inflammation in the lining of the airways, sinusitis causes inflammation in the mucous membranes that line the sinuses. This inflammation causes the mucous membranes in the sinuses to secrete more mucus – also similar to asthma. When the sinuses get inflamed, the airways respond similarly in many people with asthma, leading to asthma symptoms. Prompt treatment of a sinus infection is often necessary to help relieve asthma symptoms.

Infections and Asthma
Cold and flu, bronchitis, and sinus infections can cause an asthma attack. These respiratory infections can be viral or bacterial and are a common cause of asthma especially in children under age 10. This airway sensitivity that causes the airways to more easily narrow can last as long as two months after an upper respiratory infection. It’s thought that anywhere from 20% to 70% of asthmatic adults have coexisting sinus disease. Conversely, 15% to 56% of those with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or sinusitis have evidence of asthma.

For more detail, see WebMD’s article on Infections and Asthma.

Medications and Asthma
Many people with asthma are sensitive to medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ketoprofen (Orudis) and beta-blockers (used to treat heart disease, high blood pressure, and glaucoma). If you know you’re sensitive to these medications, make sure your doctor has the medication/asthma problem documented on your chart, and always talk to your pharmacist about this reaction before taking a new medication.

For more detail, see WebMD’s article on Medications That May Trigger Asthma.

Aspirin and Asthma
About 10% to 20% of people with asthma have sensitivity to aspirin and possibly a group of painkillers called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn). These drugs are frequently used to treat pain and reduce fevers.

Asthma attacks caused by any of these medications can be severe and even fatal, so these drugs must be completely avoided in people who have known aspirin-sensitive asthma.

For more detail see WebMD’s article on Aspirin and Asthma.Other Causes of AsthmaIrritants . Many irritants, including tobacco smoke, smoke from wood-burning appliances or fireplaces, strong odors from perfumes, cleaning agents, etc., are all irritants that can trigger asthma. In addition, air pollution, occupational dust or vapors can also trigger an attack.

Weather. Cold air, changes in temperature and humidity can cause asthma.

Strong emotions. Anxiety, crying, yelling, stress, anger or laughing hard can trigger an attack.

How Do the Causes of Asthma Make It Worse?
In people with asthma, the airways are always inflamed and very sensitive, so they react to a variety of external factors, or "triggers." Coming into contact with these triggers is what causes the symptoms of asthma -- the airways tighten and become inflamed, mucus blocks the airways and results in a worsening of asthma symptoms. An asthma attack can begin immediately after exposure to a trigger or several days or even weeks later.

There are many causes of asthma. Reactions to the causes of asthma are different for each person and vary from time to time. Certain causes of asthma may be harmless to some people but contribute to inflammation in others. Some people have many causes of their asthma while others have no identifiable ones. Recognizing and avoiding the specific causes of asthma, when possible, is an important way to control asthma. Keep in mind, however, that the best way to control asthma is with asthma medicines.

How Do I Identify What Causes My Asthma?
Determining what factors were present when your asthma symptoms started is the first step to identifying the causes of your asthma. Although there are many different asthma triggers, you may not react to all of them. Some people have only one cause or trigger, while others have many causes.

Many causes of asthma can be identified through a history of reaction and skin or blood testing. Your doctor may also recommend using a device called a peak flow meter. The peak flow meter measures how much and how quickly air is exhaled from the lungs. It can alert you to changes in your breathing and the onset of asthma symptoms.

Ask your doctor or asthma care provider if using a peak flow meter would be helpful to you as you narrow down the causes of your asthma

- Source WebMD

Local Asthma Resources:
BHMH Asthma nurse educator: 207-374-2836

Obesity

What is obesity?
Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. Having too much body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke.

Because of these risks, it is important to lose weight even if you do not feel bad now. It is hard to change eating habits and exercise habits. But you can do it if you make a plan.

How do you know if you are obese?
You can use a measurement called a body mass index, or BMI, to decide whether your weight is dangerous to your health. The BMI is a combination of your height and weight. If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, your extra weight is putting your health in danger. If you are Asian, your health may be at risk with a BMI of 27.5 or higher.¹

Use the Interactive Tool: Weight and Health Risks to check your body mass index.Where you carry your body fat may be as important as how many extra pounds you have. People who carry too much fat around the middle, rather than around the hips, are more likely to have health problems. In women, a waist size of 35 in. or more raises the chance for disease. In men, a waist size of 40 in. or more raises the chance for disease.² In Asian people, health problems are seen with a smaller waist size. In Asian women, a waist size of 32 in. or more raises the chance for disease. In Asian men, a waist size of 36 in. or more raises the chance for disease.¹ 

What causes obesity?
When you take in more calories than you burn off, you gain weight. How you eat, how active you are, and other things affect how your body uses calories and whether you gain weight.

If your family members are obese, you may have inherited a tendency to gain weight. And your family also helps form your eating and lifestyle habits, which can lead to obesity.

Also, our busy lives make it harder to plan and cook healthy meals. For many of us, it's easier to reach for prepared foods, go out to eat, or go to the drive-through. But these foods are often high in fat and calories. Portions are often too large. Work schedules, long commutes, and other commitments also cut into the time we have for physical activity. There is no quick fix to being overweight. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in.

You've tried diets, but you always gain the weight back. What can you do?

Focus on health, not diets. Diets are hard to maintain and usually do not work in the long run. It is very hard to stay with a diet that includes lots of big changes in your eating habits.

Instead of a diet, focus on lifestyle changes that will improve your health and achieve the right balance of energy and calories. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you take in. You can do it by eating healthy foods in reasonable amounts and becoming more active. And you need to do it every day.

Little steps mean a lot. Losing just 10 lb can make a difference in your health.

Make a plan for change. Work with your doctor to develop a plan that will work for you. Ask family members and friends for help in keeping with your plan. Ask your doctor to recommend a dietitian to help you with meal planning.

When you stray from your plan, do not get upset. Figure out what got you off track and how you can fix it.  

How can you stay on your plan for change?
It is hard to change habits. You have to be ready. Make sure this is the right time for you. Are you ready to make a plan and stay on it? Do you have the support of your family and friends? Do you know what your first steps will be? Becoming healthier and staying that way is a lifelong effort.

Most people have more success when they make small changes, one step at a time. For example, you might eat an extra piece of fruit, walk 10 minutes more, or add more vegetables to your meals.

Studies show that people who keep track of what they eat are better at losing weight. Keep a notebook where you can write down everything you eat and drink each day. You may be surprised to see how much you are eating. Use a calorie counter to add up your calories. (You can find calorie counters online and at bookstores.)

As you keep track of calories, look at whether you skip meals, when you eat, how often you eat out, and how many fruits and vegetables you eat. This will help you see patterns that you may want to change.

You may want to write down the amount of physical activity you've had each day and compare the calories you burned to those you took in. Use the Interactive Tool: Calories Burned to see how many calories you burn through daily activities.

Can you take medicines or have surgery?
Surgery and medicines do not work by themselves. Most people also need to make changes in what they eat and how active they are.

Before your doctor will prescribe medicines or surgery, he or she will probably want you to work on diet and activity for at least 6 months. Even if your doctor gives you medicines or recommends surgery, you will need to keep your new healthy habits for the rest of your life.

- Source WebMD

Local Weight Control Resources:

BHMH, Registered Dietitian, : 207-374-2836
Bucksport Senior Center, 207-469-3632