Chapter 1: Apples and Pears Body shape is the closest thing we have to a medical crystal ball. This one simple piece of information is more important than weight for predicting your risk of heart disease or stroke. It can foretell your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes 10 to 20 years before blood tests show a problem with blood sugar, and it is as powerful as family history for revealing a tendency toward breast cancer, endometrial cancer, or osteoporosis. The good news is that this crystal ball only shows what is likely to happen; our health destiny is not written in stone. We have the power to improve the course of our lives in spite of our shapes...if we are willing to take action. But body shape tells us much more than our risk of future disease. Want to understand the reasons for your cellulite, bloated belly, depression, low self-esteem, menopausal hot flashes, gestational diabetes, or varicose veins? In many cases, everything you need to know can be found in the measurements of your waist, hips, and buttocks. Ever wonder why exercise never slims your "thunder thighs," or why you gain weight when you're under stress, or why diets never seem to work for you? Again, body shape reveals all. Once you understand what body shape means, how it is formed, how it changes, and how it relates to your health, the effect is like ripping off a blindfold. Finally your stomach and thighs make sense. Finally you know what you have to do to lose weight more easily. Finally you can put medical problems in context and really know what to do to improve them. Finally you can appreciate and understand your body as it is, while still nurturing it to become stronger and healthier than ever before. That's the power of body shape, and it's as easy as knowing the difference between apples and pears.