obesity

The US Center for Disease Control has said obesity is on the rise, with more than 1/3 of Americans obese. Americans today are fatter, more stressed, and no more likely to exercise regularly than they were ten years ago. And yet, national surveys have shown that at any given time 25-50% of Americans are on some form of diet (see diet scams) and we spend over $30 billion each year in dietary aids and remedies. It is estimated that 2/3 of people regain lost weight in 3-5 years. Any person who exceeds the normal weight by more than 20% for their age, sex, complexion and height is considered obese. Perhaps more important is the percentage of fat in the body. For women, fat can account for up to 25% of body weight, while 17% is a healthy percentage for men. Women’s bodies are designed to carry a higher proportion of fat tissue to ensure there is enough fuel for pregnancy and lactation, even if food is scarce.

The average human body has 30 to 40 million fat cells. Most of the extra calories we eat that we don’t need for immediate energy are stored as fat. If we were still “hunter/gatherers” like our early ancestors, fat would provide a necessary food reserve for times when food is not available. But, in modern society, storing energy in the form of fat is no longer necessary for most people. So instead of being a valuable survival mechanism, the body’s ability to store fat has profound negative effects on the body. As fat accumulates, it fills the already reduced space occupied by internal organs. Obesity increases the body’s resistance to insulin and susceptibility to infection, and puts one at much higher risk of developing coronary artery disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke and other serious health problems that can result in preterm labor. death. Pregnancy complications and liver damage are also more common in people who are overweight.

The most common causes of obesity are lack of exercise and a poor diet. Other factors that can lead to obesity: diabetes, glandular malfunction, hypoglycemia, emotional stress, boredom, and a simple love of food. Ironically, poor nutrition may be a major factor in obesity. When a constant supply of vital nutrients is not absorbed, fat is not burned easily or properly and can accumulate in the body. Also, toxins, excess salts and acids that your body cannot use are stored in the tissues and cause fluid retention. The best way to lose weight, and virtually the only way to maintain weight loss, is to adopt a more active and healthy lifestyle, a lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise. This will give you more energy and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, while also allowing you to lose weight. According to the American Dietetic Association, “scientific data suggest a positive relationship between a vegetarian diet and a reduced risk of obesity.” – Journal of the American Dietetic Association 97 (1997), p. 1317-1321

Recommendations:

• We suggest a high-quality whole food supplement, such as VITAFORCE(TM) which is complete and made from whole foods. This provides organic, whole food nutrients that will provide the body with a rich variety of nutrients needed to alleviate cravings and lose weight. For example, vitamin C has been shown to help people significantly reduce weight. Nutritional Health, 4(1), 1985, p. 25-28
• We also suggest digestion-enhancing enzymes that aid in the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients.
• Don’t worry so much about how many calories you’re consuming, but about eating the right foods. Try to eat a minimum of 50% raw foods using vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, kale, lettuce, onions, radishes, spinach, and turnips.
• Eat large amounts of the following fruits, apples, cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, and watermelon. Eat more complex carbohydrates that also provide protein, such as whole grains, vegetables, tofu, lentils, baked potatoes (without seasoning), sesame seeds, beans, brown rice.
• Eat the following foods in moderation, bananas, cherries, corn, figs, grapes, peas, pears, pineapple, sweet potatoes, and yams.
• Drink plenty of fresh “live” juices. Juices are packed with concentrated nutrients that are easily absorbed and have almost zero calories and fat. This is a great way to speed up metabolism, as fresh juices are very rich in metabolic enzymes.
• Drink 6 to 8 glasses of distilled water a day. It’s common to confuse food cravings with dehydration. When you’re hungry, try drinking a glass of water and wait ten minutes to see if the craving goes away.
• Consume small amounts of organic, cold-pressed flaxseed oil; this provides essential fatty acids that are important for weight loss.
• Try to eat 4-6 small meals per day. This will speed up metabolism and prevent excessive fat storage.
• Drink wheatgrass to curb your appetite, as it is a highly nutritious whole-food fuel that supports metabolic functions; algae are also beneficial.
• Be active; walk briskly every day before breakfast and/or dinner to burn fat. Walk or bike instead of driving whenever possible. Also, be sure to get regular aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, bicycling, or swimming, and do stretching and flexibility exercises, such as yoga. This is the best way to remove fat from the body and maintain muscle tone. Water aerobics is great for people who are overweight and find it difficult to run or walk. A person who gains muscle will have a higher metabolic rate than a person of the same weight with a lower muscle to fat ratio, this is because it takes more calories to maintain muscle tissue than fat tissue.
• Make your main meal lunch, not dinner, and your last meal should be no later than 6:00 p.m.
• do the full detox program for weight loss to lose weight and achieve phenomenal health results.

Things to avoid:

• Eliminate saturated fats from the diet. Never eat animal fat found in butter, cream, sauces, ice cream, mayonnaise, all meats (red meat/chicken/turkey/lamb, etc.) and fish, milk, eggs, cheese, etc. Do not eat fried, processed or junk foods.
• Do not eat any white flour products, salt, or white rice.
• Do not consume sweets such as soda, cakes, pies, pastries, donuts, or candy. Skip all forms of refined sugar, including white sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup from the diet. Sugar triggers the release of insulin which then activates enzymes that promote the passage of fat from the bloodstream into fat cells. The American Cancer Society found that people who regularly use artificial sweeteners (Equal, Sweet ‘N Low, NutraSweet) tend to gain, not lose, weight. These substances appear to increase appetite and slow down the digestive process. Use organic barley malt sweetener instead of sugar, this is also beneficial for those with diabetes or hypoglycemia.
• Do not consume alcohol in any form, including beer and wine. Alcohol inhibits fat burning from fat deposits.
• Do not buy food on an empty stomach, as you will be tempted to buy forbidden foods and often buy more food than you need. Do not chew gum as it starts the digestive juices flowing and makes you hungry.
• Completely avoid deceptive snack foods that promise zero fat but are full of chemicals, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Although these foods may appear to be fat-free, the unnatural ingredients will alter your body’s chemistry and hamper any attempt to lose weight.

References:

1) James F. Balch, MD, Phyllis A. Balch, NCC, “Prescribing for Nutritional Healing” (1997)

2) GJ Naylor, et al., “A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ascorbic acid in obesity”, Nutritional Health, 4(1), 1985, p. 25-28 3) “American Dietetic Association Position on Vegetarian Diets”, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 97 (1997), p. 1317-1321