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OBESITY AND WEIGHT
MANAGEMENT
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
Obesity is a serious health
condition and is on the rise according to
the U.S. Center For Disease
Control and Prevention. At least one third of
Americans are 20% overweight.
Even though this country is experiencing a fitness
craze, Americans are heavier, over-stressed, and less
likely to exercise on a regular basis. Although
Americans spend more than $34 billion a year
on weight loss programs, 95% of
those that lose weight, gain it back within
one year.
This is why losing weight has
to involve a major lifestyle change.
This article will deal with some of these changes.
Obesity has been
implicated in numerous health conditions
from high blood pressure, heart disease, gallbladder
disease, respiratory conditions, kidney disease,
diabetes, and structural stress due to more pressure on
the back, legs, and internal organs. Other
factors that can contribute to obesity are
glandular malfunctions (adrenals, pancreatic, thyroid),
hypoglycemia, food allergies, emotional tension,
boredom, and the love of food.
The most common
causes of obesity are poor diet, poor
eating habits, and lack of exercise. Sluggish
metabolism, chemical toxicity, and impaired
thermogenesis (the ability of the body to produce heat)
are the results of these dietary imbalances
and organ malfunctions.
The truths and
fallacies about obesity according to Dr.
Gus Prosch, an obesity
specialist, are designed to help you save time, money,
effort and disappointment.
They are as follows:
Truths:
·
If obese, you have a lifetime disease.
·
Your metabolic processes will always tend to be
abnormal.
·
You cannot eat what others eat
and stay thin.
·
Anyone can lose weight and stay slim provided the
causes are determined, addressed and corrected.
·
Understanding that insulin metabolism is the
key to intelligently losing weight.
·
There is absolutely no physiological
requirement for sugar or processed foods in
your diet.
·
You must address all the contributing
factors causing obesity.
Fallacies:
·
Fad diets can successfully make you lose weight and
keep it off.
·
Most physicians can make you lose weight and keep it
off.
·
Today's many weight loss programs and weight clinics
can successfully make you lose weight and keep it off.
·
Past experience shows that counting calories is a good
way to help lose weight.
·
Your weight problem is caused from overeating and/or
lack of exercise.
·
If you could only lose enough weight to get slim, you
could keep the weight of continuously.
·
There is no way that you can lose your weight and keep
it off.
Traditionally, there are
three basics when approaching weight loss
management through nutritional
supplements.
First
is reducing water retention by using
nutrients and herbs that work as diuretics. Remember
that when we do not get enough water, the body tends to
retain it.
Second, the use of
lipotropic supplements which have
the ability to reduce fat and cholesterol;
and
Third, the use of natural appetite
suppressants. And now establishing
glandular balance has been added.
Because the
typical American diet includes refined and processed
foods with high fat and sugar intake,
diet becomes the most important factor
when dealing with weight loss. A whole foods,
whole grain, high complex carbohydrate, low fat, high
fiber diet appears to be the most beneficial.
The following guidelines
have been determined to be helpful:
·
Don't worry about calories. Pay more attention
to the type of calorie. Do they come from
digestible fat, protein or carbohydrate?
·
Eat more complex carbohydrates
(tofu, beans, seeds, whole grains). Poultry and fish
provide adequate protein and improve metabolism.
·
Eat more fresh fruits and
vegetables. Incorporate a balance between
raw and cooked foods. Vegetarians have
less problems with obesity.
·
Drink at least six to eight
glasses of clean water daily. Diuretic
herbal teas can be beneficial in eliminating water
weight. Teas of red raspberry, alfalfa and
oatstraw taste good, too.
Don't drink too much with meals though. It can weaken
the digestive process.
·
Watch fat grams in the foods you
select. Eat digestible oils like extra virgin
olive oil, canola, sesame and flax. Remember it is the
liver that has to metabolize fats.
·
Restrict white flour products and refined
sweets in the form of soda, pastries, pies,
cakes, etc. Artificial sweeteners have been shown to
increase weight gain by increasing appetite and slowing
down digestion.
·
Eat more fiber. It
creates fullness, decreases hunger, and regulates blood
sugar.
Many people
believe that not eating regular meals is going to help
them lose weight quicker. This is a fallacy.
Do not skip meals; this only intensifies hunger
and slows metabolism down. Make your main meal
lunch, not dinner. This helps you to burn
off what you have eaten.
At meal times
put less on your plate, chew your food
slowly, and stop when you feel full. The body
needs food to be able to maintain thermogenesis,
which is the heat generated by the breakdown of food.
It is like a wood fire, you need to keep feeding in
wood or the fire goes out. You need to keep
your metabolic fire burning.
Of course,
exercise needs to be factored into this profile.
Without exercise weight loss comes from burning of lean
tissue and water loss. With exercise weight loss comes
from burning of fat. Walking regularly is a
good way to go.
The basic arithmetic of
weight loss is that each pound of body fat is
worth 3,500 calories.
Thus, to lose one pound
a week (a safe and reasonable goal),
you must tip the calorie
consumption/expenditure balance in your favor
by 500 calories a day.
Some essential nutrients
that can aid weight loss are:
·
Chromium
Picolinate
-- Helps to maintain better sugar
balance and reduces cravings. It helps the
pancreas/liver conversion of fat to energy.
·
Essential Fatty Acids
-- Flax seed, evening primrose and/or salmon oil help
liver functions and cellular energy. They work with
hormonal balance also.
·
Kelp -- Contains
trace mineral important for proper thyroid function.
·
Spirulina
-- This is a good source of protein and helps to
stabilize blood sugar.
·
Digestive Enzymes
-- Aid the breakdown of your foods. They breakdown
protein, fat, dairy, fiber, etc.
·
Phenylalanine --
Has shown benefits with appetite suppression but one
must use with caution if blood pressure problems exist.
·
Garcinia
Cambogia --
Contains a substance called HCA (Hydroxycitric
Acid). It helps suppress hunger but also keeps the body
from turning carbohydrate calories into fat.
I want readers to
be aware of numerous products on the market that
work to increase the process of
thermogenesis. These products contain
ephedra/ma
huang (ephedrine), kola nut
(caffeine), guarana
(caffeine) and a mix of other herbs like diuretics and
laxatives.
These products
can be helpful but must be used with guidance
due to problems associated with heart palpitations,
elevated blood pressure and overworking of the
adrenals. Use common sense and do some research on
your own. Consult with a holistic
practitioner.
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