13 Steps to Effective Weight Loss
13 Steps to Effective Weight Loss
1. Be scrupulously honest with yourself! You need to be honest about your willingness to change habits for life. You need to be honest about what you are actually eating. This is where a food diary comes in handy. See number 5 below.
2. Realize everything is connected – Lifestyle! There is an absolute, incontrovertible connection between your weight and the rest of your life. It is not just about how much you eat. Your relationships, your sleep, your stress, all profoundly affect your hormones, especially cortisol, testosterone and thyroid. Excess amounts of cortisol and/or deficiencies in testosterone and free thyroid can keep you from losing weight.
If your stress hormones are high and your sleep is disturbed, you will not replenish serotonin, which can lead to cravings. If cortisol is constantly high, it can cause insulin resistance which is the biggest enemy of fat loss. Low testosterone reduces lean muscle mass and low thyroid decreases energy and slows down fat burning.
Don’t try to lose weight just by attacking your food habits. That’s a start, but it’s not the whole story. Everything is connected: from sunshine to sex to love to job to relationships. Change your life, change your weight. Look in the mirror. Develop an image of the real you!
3. Fat is not the enemy! Numerous recent studies have shown conclusively that the percentage of fat in your diet has virtually no connection to whether or not you get fat. Far more important is the amount of total calories you take in, and especially the total number of calories from carbohydrates. Processed food — and especially sugar — is far more damaging to your system than fat. Note: It is important that you eat “good fat” like that derived from salmon and virgin olive oil. Avoid deep fried foods like French Fries. Pro Form Omega-3 will provide the necessary good fat without any contaminants (always a risk with fish). Chose real butter over margarine. It is not “damaged fat.”
4. Calories are not the whole picture, but they still count! Low-carb, high-fiber diets with good fats and good protein control appetite more effectively than any other kind, but they are not a license to eat anything and everything in all quantities. At some point you need to look at the number of calories you’re consuming. Lots of vegetables will fill you up but have few calories. Slow cooked oatmeal has great fiber, will fill you up but has few calories.
5. Keep a food diary. Virtually every nutritionist agrees a food diary is the most important tool in your arsenal. Studies have shown that people who have lost weight successfully and kept it off virtually always use this tool. You should too.
6. Eat protein at every meal! Protein raises your metabolic rate and may also, through the action of specific amino acids, cause you to lose fat rather than muscle, thus helping to reshape your body and make you a more effective calorie burner. Three to four ounces at each meal at least.
The more vegetables the better! These foods are fiber rich, and loaded with phytonutrients. High-fiber foods are an essential part of any weight loss strategy. Again, old fashion slow cooked oatmeal is great!
8. Eat without distractions! Try to train yourself to eat without television or other distractions. Unconscious eating is the enemy of weight loss.
9. Exercise is not the best way to take off weight but it’s one of the best ways to make sure the weight stays off! Few people can lose significant amounts of weight just by exercising. Yet if you don’t exercise, you have a poor chance of keeping weight off. With it, you have a much better chance of having your diet be effective. Resistance training increases your metabolism and your lean body mass.
10. 90/10 rule. Eat healthy 90 percent of the time. We’ve all eaten too much food we shouldn’t have at one time but that’s no excuse for giving up. Healthy eating doesn’t have a finish line. It’s a continuum. Lapses are normal. Healthy eating becomes a habit.
11. Cook food at low temperatures. Te ingestion of high temperature cooked foods causes chronic inflammation and the formation of advanced glycation end products. Glycation can be described as the binding of a protein molecule to a glucose molecule resulting in the formation of damaged protein structures. Many age-related diseases such as arterial stiffening, cataract and neurological impairment are at least partially attributable to glycation.
12. Eat foods that are low on the glycemic index. One of the pitfalls of dieting is that it decreases your metabolism, making it harder to burn calories. But focusing on foods that minimally affect blood sugar may be key to keeping your metabolism revved up and your insulin levels low. A low-glycemic diet emphasizes healthy fats and healthy carbohydrates. Carbohydrates, such as refined sugar, white bread, white rice, potatoes, fruit juices, and many commercial breakfast cereals should always be restricted for weight loss reasons and for health reasons (blood glucose and insulin levels). These carbohydrates are more likely to leave you feeling hungry shortly after eating.
Studies show that dieters who decreased calories while concentrating on healthy fats and carbohydrates had higher metabolisms after 10 weeks of dieting. They also reported less hunger than dieters taking in the same number of calories who ate only low-fat foods.
13. Eat protein. We can’t be certain, but our best guess is that the Paleolithic diet was approximately 30 percent protein. The chief protein sources were fish and meat. We can assume that the mammals our ancestors ate were lean. These beasts didn’t live in feedlots or graze on carefully managed pastures. They had to exert themselves to obtain nourishment and to avoid becoming the meal of some other creature. So like the hunters who hunted them, they were largely muscle. Remember: Muscle mass increases the number of insulin receptor sites in our body. It also makes clothes fit better.
Mike Clark, Clinic Director
Eating for Health – The Nut Effect
Eating for Health – The Nut Effect
By: Mike Clark
For years, savvy dieters have shunned nuts because of their high-fat content. But dieters can rejoice. The heart-healthy fats, high fiber, and phytochemical content of nuts have catapulted these nutritious nuggets into health food heaven. The key is portion control.
Over the past several years, numerous studies have shown the healthful nature of nuts. Nuts are a powerhouse of good nutrition, packed with protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, and antioxidants. And they help reduce the risks of heart disease and diabetes and help control weight.
Bad fats that pose health problems come primarily from saturated and trans fats, neither of which are found in most nuts. Instead, most nuts are loaded with good fats: — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some nuts, such as walnuts, boast a rich source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, similar to salmon.
In July 2003, the FDA approved the first qualified health claim. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease, the FDA says.
Packaging for walnuts, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios can now proudly make this claim. Cashews and macadamia nuts did not qualify for the health claim due to their higher fat content.
Pump Up the Heart
The healthy fats appear to be the secret nut ingredient that prevents heart disease. Adding to the power of the heart-healthy fats, the fiber in nuts has also been shown to lower cholesterol levels.
“Our epidemiological studies have shown eating about one ounce of nuts every day will reduce the risk of heart disease in the long run by 30%,” Frank Hu, MD, PhD, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in July 2003.
Nuts can also help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and raise HDL “good” cholesterol. “Almost all types of nuts have high amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and when you substitute this kind of good fat for carbohydrates and saturated fat, your LDL will go down,” Hu said.
Stop Diabetes
There is an epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., but research suggests that nuts may lower the risk. Women who eat nuts at least five times a week had a 30% reduction in diabetes risk over women who never ate nuts, according to a study in the Nov. 27, 2002, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers are not sure if it is the fiber, magnesium, healthy fat, or phytochemicals responsible for the lowered risk.
Dream Come True
To find a food that is delicious, nutritious, and filling is a dieter’s dream.
Several studies have shown that eating small amounts of nuts helps dieters lose weight because the fiber and protein help dieters feel full longer. Dieters are less like to overeat and more successful at losing weight.
Dieters also stick with their eating plans longer if nuts are included, according to a December 1999 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dieters did not feel like they were on a diet when they were allowed to eat nuts.
Other studies have shown that women who snack on nuts tend to weigh less than those who do not.
1 Ounce, Not 1 Pound
When you add nuts to your diet, you add the health benefits but you also add calories.
The goal is to eat nuts instead of other fat sources in the diet. Maureen Ternus, RD, nutrition expert for the International Tree Nut Council, recommends substituting nuts for other, less nutrient-dense foods.
“It is important to decrease calories from other sources, otherwise extra calories from nuts can negate the health benefits by leading to weight gain,” she advises.
A 1 oz serving of nuts contains between 160 and 200 calories, most of which come from the heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat.
The size of a 1 oz serving of nuts also varies depending on the type of nut. That’s about 47 shelled pistachios, 30 peanuts, 24 almonds, 20 pecan halves or hazelnuts, and 14 walnut halves.
Nutty Tips
People usually eat nuts on their own, by the handful, which can be a dangerous practice. You won’t feel deprived when you top your apple or celery slices with peanut butter. Keep portions small and avoid mindless eating:
- Pre-portion nuts in small bags — a great snack to take on the go or to the office.
- Choose nuts in the shell; you will probably eat fewer since it takes time to crack them.
- Take a handful and put the package away before you start munching.
- Sprinkle nuts on a soup or salad instead of croutons or cheese.
- Snack on nuts instead of pretzels or chips.
- Top yogurt with nuts instead of granola.
Add the delicious flavor and crunch of nuts to all kinds of foods from sweet to savory. Toasting them first will bring out their flavor and enhance a simple dish.
- Top hot or cold cereal with nuts for a nourishing breakfast.
- Sprinkle nuts on top of nonfat yogurt.
- Pasta comes alive when sprinkled with chopped nuts.
- Slivered almonds do wonders for everything from chicken to desserts.
- Add crunch and satiety to bread, pancakes, waffles, or muffins with nuts.
- Mix nuts with light cream cheese for a delicious spread.
- Add nuts to popcorn for a tasty snack.
- Enhance the flavor of steamed veggies with a handful of nuts.
Go nutty with 1 oz of nuts per day. You’ll reap all kinds of health benefits.
Hint: Get the metabolism going. This helps burn food. Over the long term, the more muscle tone you have, the more calories your body will burn all day long. So do not neglect resistance training. Some experts believe that aerobic exercise prevents this reduction in muscle mass. But the facts tell a different story. Several studies show that diet and aerobic exercise both lead to a drop in muscle tissue. Aerobic exercise won’t offset the loss in lean muscle caused by dieting.
When you lose weight by dieting, roughly 7 of every 10 pounds lost over a 12-week period come from fat. Adding aerobic exercise doesn’t prevent the loss of muscle. But it does reduce it slightly.
Mike Clark, Clinic Director
Healthy Foods for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance
Healthy Foods for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance
Are there really certain foods that can help you lose weight and keep it off? We’re not talking about any so-called miracle food that “melts the fat” (does the cabbage soup diet ring any bells?). These are foods that really can help you lose or maintain weight, either by helping you to eat less or to burn more calories — or, in some cases, maybe even helping to decrease your body fat.
Experts say there are two basic categories of foods that can be considered “keeping it off superfoods” because they fill your tummy without piling on the calories: fruits and vegetables. For example, two whole cups of steamed broccoli packs a measly 87 calories. Or how about two cups of strawberry slices? They’ll add only 99 calories. Even a denser vegetable, steamed carrots, has only 140 calories per two cups. And two cups of a denser fruit, apple slices? That’s only 130 calories.
If fruits and vegetables are the “keeping-it-off superfood groups,” fiber may well be the “keeping-it-off supernutrient.” (Incidentally, the two-cup servings of fruits and vegetables mentioned above all contribute from 5 to 9 grams of fiber. An apple gives you approximately 5 grams of fiber.)
Protein is another supernutrient. It’s becoming more scientifically accepted that protein may help to curb appetite. But whether we need more than 0.4 grams per pound of body weight is still up for debate among many researchers. In any case, eat your protein first (slows digestion and lowers the glycemic index of foods that follow).
Eating enough protein-rich foods of low energy density [calories per portion] is a good strategy for increasing satiety, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Protein can slightly boost metabolism. Remember however, that eating more calories than your body needs — even in the form of protein — will promote weight gain, not loss.
Before we get to the list of “keeping it off” superfoods, let’s make sure we keep things in perspective. At the end of the day, weight loss is still about burning more calories than you take in. The advantage to these foods is that they may help you do just that — if you eat them instead of some higher-calorie choices.
Keeping It Off Superfoods
1. Green Tea
Go out of your way to indulge in a tall glass of iced green tea or a mug of hot green tea when you get the chance. Here’s why: In a recent study, volunteers who drank a bottle of tea (fortified with green tea extract) every day for three months lost more body fat than another group who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Except for the different teas, their overall diets were similar. Researchers suspect that the catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat.
2. Soup (broth- or tomato-based, that is)
Calorie-containing liquids generally are less filling than solid foods, but soups are the exception, says researcher Richard Mattes from Purdue University. In Mattes’ study, participants were fed 300-calorie servings of various soups before eating their lunches (they could eat as much lunch as they wanted). Mattes found that the study participants tended to take in fewer total daily calories on days when they had the soup, suggesting that eating low-calorie soups (the broth- and tomato-based ones) before meals may reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.
Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, director of nutrition for WebMD, agrees that lower-calorie soups (that is, tomato- and broth-based varieties) are highly satisfying.
“If you have soup before a meal, it helps control hunger and you eat less,” she says.
3. Low-Calorie Green Salads
Having a low-calorie salad — not to be confused with salads brimming with cheese, croutons, high-fat dressings, and so on — as a first course can help you feel fuller and reduce the calories you eat during that meal, according to a study by Rolls. She found that eating a small low-calorie salad tended to cut calories eaten at the meal by 7%, and a larger salad by 12%. But the study found the opposite is true with high-calorie salads. These increased the calories eaten during the meal by 8% for a small salad, and 17% for a larger salad.
Just how low-calorie can a green salad be? Consider that two cups of fresh spinach leaves, 10 slices of cucumber, one medium tomato, and 1/4 cup of grated carrot has a grand total of 67 calories (along with a hefty 5.5 grams of fiber).
4. Yogurt
Yogurt is a dairy food, and several studies have found that including dairy products as part of an overall lower-calorie diet may give you a weight-loss advantage. Still, some scientists aren’t convinced, pointing to other studies that show no strong effect between dairy and weight loss. However, we do know that the HEB Bulgarian Yogurt w/Live Acidolphilus (particularly with added blueberries and walnuts) is a great food!
One recent study looked at a group of obese adults who ate three, 6-ounce servings of fat-free yogurt a day as part of a diet reduced by 500 calories from their normal intake. The study found that this group lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat than another group of participants who ate the reduced-calorie diet without emphasizing calcium-rich foods. Even more impressive: the yogurt eaters also lost 81% more stomach fat.
More needs to be learned about the mechanism responsible for this increased loss of body fat, but in the meantime, consider giving yogurt a little more respect. At the very least, a light yogurt may help you stave off hunger due to its combination of protein and carbohydrate. Six ounces of plain, low-fat yogurt contains approximately 9 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates (from milk, not sugar), and 311 milligrams of calcium. It’s also a great vehicle for healthy additives like fruit or omega-3-rich flaxseed.
5. Beans
Beans help you feel full longer, which means they may work to curb your between-meal appetite. They also give you a big fiber and protein bang for a minimum of calories. One-half cup of pinto beans or kidney beans has around 8 grams fiber and 7 grams of protein, all for about 110 calories.
6. Water
Water is a keeping-it-off superfood because it’s a great alternative to other, calorie-containing beverages. When you drink beverages that have calories (say, fancy coffee drinks or sodas) you are not likely to compensate by eating less food. Mattes’ research suggests that people who drink liquid carbohydrate (in the form of soda) are more likely to consume more calories than their bodies needs, compared with people who ate the same amount of solid carbohydrate (in the form of jelly beans).
Water is necessary for life, and you should be drinking it throughout the day. You can get your water via unsweetened green tea, flavored unsweetened mineral water, regular water with lime or lemon, or cucumber.
7. Light Diet Shakes
While diet shakes are not the solution to weight loss or maintenance, research shows that they might help. Women who had lost weight on a reduced-calorie plan that included meal-replacement beverages maintained their losses after a year by drinking at least one diet shake a day in place of a meal, according to a study done by Clinical Research laboratories (and funded by Slim Fast Foods). The study authors concluded that the one-shake-a-day strategy might be helpful for people that have difficulty changing their eating habits.
Of course, it’s hard to beat the convenience factor of diet shakes. If you go for a diet shake, choose types that have more fiber and less sugar. ASK NATURAL BIO HEALTH FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. SOME DIET SHAKES ARE NOT GOOD.
8. High-Fiber, Whole-Grain Cereal (ALSO SPROUTED WHOLE GRAIN)
We’ve all seen those whole-grain cereal commercials ad nauseam. But the keeping-it-off potential value of a good whole-grain breakfast cereal is worth mentioning. Whole grains in general help boost fiber and the nutritional value of your meal, but many studies done on their relationship to weight loss have specifically involved breakfast cereals (many funded by cereal companies).
A recent Purdue University study suggested that having a portion-controlled serving of ready-to-eat cereal (with 2/3 cup skim milk plus a 100-calorie portion of fruit) as a meal replacement may promote weight loss. Other research that looked at data on over 27,000 men over an eight-year period found that as whole grain consumption went up, weight gain over time went down. Another study followed more than 74,000 women (aged 38-63) for a 12-year period and found that those with the greatest increase in dietary fiber gained an average of 3.3 fewer pounds than those with the smallest increase in fiber.
One of the easiest ways to give your daily diet a whole-grain boost is to have a bowl of higher-fiber whole-grain cereal as breakfast or a snack. Eat protein first.
9. Grapefruit
Maybe there was something to the old grapefruit diet after all: A recent study found that grapefruit may help encourage weight loss and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Study participants who ate a grapefruit at each meal for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds (some in the group lost as much as 10 pounds), while a comparison group that didn’t eat grapefruit lost 1/2 pound, according to a recent pilot study by Scripps Clinic in San Diego. The researchers noticed that after the meals, the grapefruit eaters also had reduced levels of insulin and blood sugar.
The American Institute for Cancer Research notes that “there’s no scientific evidence to support that grapefruit enzymes burn away fat.” And according to the American Dietetic Association, “if you lose weight when you add grapefruit to your eating plan, it’s probably because you’re substituting it for another food that has more calories.”
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. One pink/red grapefruit takes a bit of time and effort to eat, and it adds 3.5 grams of fiber with only 74 calories. Keep in mind that grapefruit can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications, so check with your pharmacist if you’re taking medication.
Mike Clark, Clinic Director
Does Your Sleeping Pill Make You Gain Weight? Yes, It Can.
Does your sleeping pill make you gain weight? Yes, it can.
By Mike Clark, Education Director of NBH Lifetime Health Weight Loss Centers
“The sleeping pill Ambien seems to unlock a primitive desire to eat in some patients, according to emerging medical case studies that describe how the drug’s users sometimes sleepwalk into their kitchens, claw through their refrigerators like animals and consume calories ranging into the thousands.” Dr. Mark Mahowald, Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center in Minneapolis
Although this is somewhat old news, it is important to be reminded of this side effect of ambien. The findings that a sleep-related eating disorder is one of the unusual side effects showing up with the widespread use of Ambien was substantiated by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., who have made similar findings.
Stephanie Saul, author of an article titled “Study Links Ambien Use to Unconscious Food Forays, noted observed that the study of ambien was first examined in 2006. Yet, millions continue to take ambien and other sleeping drugs, even when natural solutions are available. Spurred in part by consumer advertising, more than 26 million prescriptions for Ambien were dispensed in this country in just one year.
Stephanie Saul noted that’s “most of the people who use Ambien say the drug puts them to sleep, and they wake up without incident. But several doctors and a number of patients say that sleep-eating is one of a variety of unusual reactions to the drug. The reactions range from fairly benign sleepwalking episodes to hallucinations, violent outbursts and, most troubling of all, driving while asleep. This subject was explored in an article in The New York Times.
The Food and Drug Administration responded to a Times reporter’s query that it would “monitor” the drug’s safety record. Nothing has changed since 2006.
Dr. Carlos H. Schenck, a sleep disorders expert in Minneapolis and the lead researcher on the 2006 study, estimates that thousands of Ambien users in the United States experience sleep-related eating disorders while taking the drug.
Over the years, we have treated clients in our hormone and weight loss programs who take sleeping pills and/or anti-depressants. It has been our experience that multiple side effects can occur including weight gain and sugar and carbohydrate (bad carbs) cravings. Sadly, many of their concerns can be safely addressed with natural proteins like 5HTP, Kavinace, Magnesium, and even Epsom Salt baths. Many sleep issues are hormonal related.
The millions spent by the big Pharma companies would make their anti-depressant drugs and their “sleeping” drugs sound like the magic answer to everyone’s sleep and life issues. The ads do list – in a rapid fire voice – all of the dangers, including suicide, anxiety, etc. However, they do this while showing pleasant, peaceful people in a euphoric state.
The drug’s growth into a product worth $2.2 billion in annual sales in the United States has been fueled partly by consumer advertising. Sanofi-Aventis spent $130 million to advertise the product in 2005, more than double the $61 million it spent in 2004, according to figures released by TNS Media Intelligence. It continues to grow in sales and advertising.
Some examples of the effect of ambient on certain clients include the following:
- A woman in Salinas, Calif., whose case is to be included in the Minnesota study, said she would awaken to find candy bar wrappers next to her bed and Popsicle sticks on the floor near the refrigerator. She blamed her husband and sons before finally believing their claims that she was eating at night, unaware.
Worried that she would choke, “my son was so afraid at night, he’d come sit by the bed and watch me,” said the woman, Brenda Pobre, 54. Despite seeing several doctors, Ms. Pobre did not link Ambien to her nocturnal eating until after she gained 100 pounds.
- Among sleep-eaters, the desire for food can be tremendously powerful. One woman in the Minneapolis area whom Dr. Schenck treated, Judie Evans, said she began taking Ambien while recovering from back surgery. At the time, she was in a full body cast and needed assistance to get out of bed.During this time, Ms. Evans, who is 59 and lives alone, began to notice that food was missing from her refrigerator. She accused two nursing aides who were caring for her of stealing food. It was not until her son came to spend several nights that Ms. Evans said she realized that despite the body cast, she was getting up to eat while she was asleep. “During the day, I couldn’t even make it to the bathroom by myself,” Ms. Evans said.
The first night her son was there, he found her standing in the kitchen, body cast and all, frying bacon and eggs. The next night he found her eating a sandwich, Ms. Evans said, and sent her back to bed. Later that same night, her son arose to find her standing in the kitchen again. “I had turned the oven on,” she recalled. “I store pots and pans in the oven and I had turned it to 500 degrees.”
Ms. Evans said her problems ended when Dr. Schenck diagnosed Ambien-induced sleep-related eating disorder.
IF YOU ARE TAKING ANY PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, CONSIDER THEIR EFFECT ON YOUR WEIGHT AND YOUR HEALTH.
An Important Key to Weight Loss: Sleep
An Important Key to Weight Loss: Sleep
By, Mike Clark, Clinic Director, NBH Lifetime Health
“You can lose weight without changing what you eat or doing one minute of exercise! … Nutrition and exercise are important! But there’s another key to weight loss — and most people don’t even know about it. It’s sleep.”
In an article titled “Sleep Tips: How To Sleep Better, Lose Weight, And Live Longer”, Dr. Mark Hyman states that “besides eating whole foods and moving your body, getting enough sleep is the most important thing you can do for your health.” He further states that “On the flip side, sleep deprivation makes you fat — AND leads to depression, pain, heart disease, diabetes, and much more.”
He goes on to say that 70% of people have sleep issues. “The era of Starbucks has been surpassed by an era of prescription stimulants to keep people awake and functioning, like dexadrine and Ritalin — otherwise known as “speed” or amphetamines.”
At the Lifetime Health Weight Loss Centers, we have seen thousands of clients who are overweight and who have sleep issues. Generally, they either have trouble falling asleep or have trouble staying asleep. Many are on sleep medications. They may wake up several times during the night. In most cases, they complain of waking up tired in the morning and lacking energy.
Sleep Deprivation / Poor Sleep Quality
Those who are sleep deprived or have poor quality of sleep, may also be drinking several diet or regular sodas during the day (or sweetened tea, “energy drinks,” or other sugar laden drinks). They may not even know they are doing this for energy. Their poor sleep quality is a major cause of their fatigue or low energy. This in turn leads to increased weight, particularly around the middle.
When you are sleep deprived, your cortisol rises — and so do all its harmful effects, including brain damage and dementia, weight gain, diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis, depressed immunity, and more. In more severe instances, this can result in adrenal fatigue.
Classic symptoms of adrenal fatigue include (1) wake up in the morning tired, (2) need a stimulant (could be coffee) to get you going, (3) have difficulty performing daily functions and (4) have very low energy. See upcoming article on adrenal fatigue.
The reality is that most of us need at least eight hours of restful sleep a night. We may be able to function on more, but less is not healthy.
The Sleep Cure?
Unfortunately, there is not magic sleep cure. However, at the Lifetime Health Weight Loss and Hormone Centers, we have seen great success with the use of natural products, used singularly or in combinations. These might include a protein product that works to lower stress (very high success rate for improving sleep), natural magnesium that helps calm the body before sleep, and biodientical hormones in appropriate cases. We have found that even the “mother’s remedy” of Epsom Salt baths can help.
Hormone deficiencies or imbalances are an underlying cause of many sleep issues. It may be as simple as adding the correct level and type of melatonin to the night time regimen. Thyroid issues can lead to sleep issues. Low progesterone levels is a significant cause of poor sleep quality in women.
Since sleep issues to not respond to a one size fits all program, we examine and test each client to ensure that he or she is receiving the proper natural remedy to ensure success. Diagnostic testing can pinpoint many problems including sleep apnea. Sometimes, there may be a short trial and error period with our natural products. Our goal is not only a good night’ sleep but to eliminate the need for sleep medications (that often cause serious side effects).
If you are still having trouble sleeping, you may be evaluated for other problems that can interfere with sleep, including food sensitivities, menopause, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heavy metal toxicity, and, of course, stress and depression. Also, testing for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea may be appropriate.
To learn more, read Dr. Hyman’s article “Sleep Tips: How To Sleep Better, Lose Weight, And Live Longer”.
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Reduce Belly Fat by Lowering Cortisol with DHEA
Reduce Belly Fat by Lowering Cortisol with DHEA.
Natural Bio Health clients are well aware of the multiple benefits of DHEA, which range from increased energy and reduced heart disease risk to greater fat loss and better immune function. DHEA has also been shown to improve mood and reduce belly fat.
How does it reduce belly fat – and fat in general? It does this by helping to reduce the stress hormone cortisol. Many of us have experienced an increase in what it is termed “emotional eating” when we are stressed. We may have also noticed that we do not sleep as well when we are stressed. Both of these experiences often lead to increase in belly fat.
Aging and Cortisol.
A third reason for increased belly fat — and an increase in weight overall — is aging. Cortisol, a naturally occurring hormone, is one of the few hormones whose levels in the body increase with age. This increase in cortisol can lead to potentially damaging consequences that have been linked to depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other maladies.. An increase in cortisol can also lead to weight gain. DHEA, on the other hand, like most beneficial hormones, decreases with age.
Note: A low level of cortisol, or “cortisol resistance”, can lead to adrenal fatigue. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include a very low energy, loss of motivation and poor sleep quality.
A Critical Answer to Belly Fat: Decrease Cortisol and Increase DHEA.
DHEA has been shown to be a repair hormone. When cortisol goes up, DHEA typically goes down. Both are produced in the adrenal glands. This imbalance can lead to adrenal fatigue. It can also lead to weight gain, particularly around the middle. Adding DHEA to your hormone program and/or weight loss program can provide many benefits, including decreased cortisol and decreased fat.
Lab Tests:
At Natural Bio Health, we always recommend a lab test to determine your levels of DHEA. We also recommend a 24 hour cortisol test to check your stress levels. There is no reason to “guess” about your health or to self-medicate.
Further, since DHEA is a hormone, we recommend the prescription form of DHEA and follow-up labs to determine how effectively your body is responding to the treatment
For more information on DHEA, and Cortisol, visit www.nbhlifetimehealth.com.
Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays
Healthy Eating Tips For The Holidays
Temptation is looming on the horizon! But you can resist and make it through the parties and family dinners without overeating. You just have to plan ahead and then stick to your plan. Here are some ideas to help you.
• Avoid the high fatty foods.
• Don’t go to a party on an empty stomach. Either eat something at home to partially fill you up or stop at a local grocery store to buy a fresh salad and eat it in the car if that’s all you have time to do. This fills you up enough so you’re not grabbing at every hors d’oeuvre you’re offered.
• Watch your alcohol intake. It’s one of the biggest contributors to weight gain. Pick what you drink carefully. The fancy cream style drinks are much higher in calories than a glass of wine.
• If you do indulge in a rich appetizer or dessert, walk it off the next day.
• Remember: A minute on the lips equals a month on the hips!
Need Energy? Magnesium Might Be Your Answer.
Are you feeling tired? Stressed out? You are not alone!
It is the holiday season and we are all supposed to be happy and full of energy. After all, we have a million things that we just must get done. We have shopping to do, gifts to buy, rooms to clean, parties to attend, trees to decorate and more and more. During all of this we are supposed to smile, make sure everyone else is happy and be ready to do it all again the next day.
One way to boost your energy is to increase your intake of magnesium. Unfortunately, eating a balanced diet doesn’t always provide the extra energy you need to counteract a slight deficiency of magnesium.
Magnesium is a mineral that is integral in more than 300 biochemical body reactions. It even helps in breaking down glucose into energy, so your energy can fall if your magnesium level is low.
Magnesium deficiencies can cause the body to work harder because the heart rate is higher, requiring more oxygen to accomplish physical tasks than if the magnesium levels are sufficient. The recommended daily requirement of magnesium is about 300 milligrams for women and 350 milligrams for men.
An ample amount of this mineral combats stress and hypertension (high blood pressure) and boosts energy levels.
Magnesium also relieves muscle cramps, and helps prevent arrhythmia.
Everyone loses magnesium in the course of daily life, and everyone should supplement with magnesium.
Healthy Hints for the Holidays (and non-holidays).
Eat a rainbow of colors and plenty of whole grains. Colorful produce and whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, a wealth of disease-fighting phytonutrients, very few calories, and virtually no fat. Fruits and vegetables are chock full of fiber, vitamins C, A, and K, folate, and potassium. The deeper the color, the richer the nutrients and the potential for greater health benefits.
Whole grains not only provide an excellent source of carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but researchers have found more phytonutrients that help fight cancer, heart disease, and prevent diabetes. Whole grains are digested more slowly and therefore are more satisfying for a longer period of time. Read the label and choose foods made of 100% whole grains. We recommend you choose a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Look for whole grain sprouted cereals now available at HEB and other places.
Eat walnuts (or almonds or pecans). Olive oil and walnuts decrease the onset of inflammation and oxidation in the arteries after a high-fat meal, but walnuts preserve the blood vessels’ flexibility while olive oil does not, according to a recent study. The study attributed much of the beneficial effect to the alpha-linolenic acid found in walnuts. This nutrient is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Nuts also give you energy and help burn fat so are helpful for losing weight.
Remember: A hand-full not a can-full.
Fish Oil (Omega 3). The study points out that authorities such as the American Heart Association recommend that Americans eat at least two fish servings a week, preferable oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol, the “good” kind that helps keep arteries clear. Because of their health-promoting abilities, omega-3 fatty acids have received recognition from some of the top medical organizations in the world including, the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, World Health Organization, United Kingdom Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, European Society for Cardiology, and The British Nutrition Foundation.
Mike Clark, Clinic Director