WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PANTS?©

Before we begin the article about weight gain and weight loss, please read the following warning. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information listed here is not evaluated by the FDA. Herbs and supplements might alter prescription drugs. Please visit your healthcare practitioner for specific information and before you begin any kind of weight loss program.

WEIGHT LOSS:

The other day while I went into a bookstore and ran into the “weight loss” section. I saw row after row of diet and weight loss books. Even I felt a bit overwhelmed about the choices that were there. Wanting to lose weight is big business nowadays with books, DVD’s, prepared food packages, special internet programs, TV shows, gadgets to keep track of calories, special diet pills (some that include 4 pages of warnings!) and numerous other tools.  

I often get asked the question by my clients: “What would be helpful for me to do in order to be able to lose some weight?” So I figure an article about the latest research regarding weight and weight loss, as well as some tips and suggestions for the average airline pilot. One warning before you begin reading this article, there is no quick fix to this issue (i.e. “the rice diet”, “eat an apple a day diet”, “just workout 7 minutes per day on our new $700 machine”etc.). Weight gain and weight loss is a very complicated matter and the more research we do in this area, the more we realize how complicated it is.

WHY CRASH DIETS DON’T WORK

How does this scenario sound? A woman, let’s call her Julia, gets up one morning and looks at herself in the mirror. She decides that she is getting a bit heavy around the hips and middle and gets out the scale. She weighs herself and indeed, she has gained 20 lbs from the last time she looks at a scale. Julia is bummed out. “What happened?” she wonders. I don’t eat that much. Come to find out, Julia is in her late 30’s and was promoted about a year ago in her job. Her job requires her to sit at her desk more and is definitely more stressful due to added responsibilities. Julia is also required to attend more social events that include dinner and drinks. So Julia goes on a diet. She tells herself that it is not going to be that hard to lose 20 lbs. She did it before by severely cutting down her food intake; the so called “crash” diet. Initially she loses some weight but then she plateaus and the weight loss stops. She eats even less and pretty soon she is tired, cranky, and does not feel like exercising anymore. Her PMS is in full swing and the daily issues of her life are getting to her. Where in the past, Julia was upbeat and friendly; she is now grouchy and upset at even the little stressors in life.  What happened to Julia happens to millions of people who try to lose weight. Why? What is causing this problem? Why can Julia not lose weight by going on a diet? Why did she get tired and fatigued?  The answer lies in a little known hormone called leptin. 

LEPTIN; WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

Leptin is one of the most powerful hormones in the body. It is secreted by the fat cells in the adipose tissue of the body. The adipose tissue is the fat area in the buttocks, abdomen, and thighs. Leptin is secreted and used in the brain (hypothalamus) as the signal to determine how much fat (“fuel”) we have in storage. So when a person eats food, some of that gets converted to fat. The fat cells send out a signal in the form of leptin to the brain and the brain gets the message: “We have enough fat in reserve, you can stop eating now.” Then the body can speed up the metabolism and go for example for a run. Later on in the day, the signal to the brain does not contain enough leptin and the brain gets the message that we need more food. We then eat a meal to replenish the fat in the adipose tissue and the adipose tissue sends out a signal with the leptin to stop eating, as we have enough fat replenished.

Ah hah, you are thinking, so if the problem is low leptin, why don’t we just drink some leptin (or snort it for those with oral fixations) and the brain will receive the leptin and think it has eaten enough and the pounds (or kilograms for the metric types) will just fall off our body.  Alas, my friend, if it would only be that simple! As it turns out, overweight people have too much leptin! What? Did you not just tell me that when the brain senses enough leptin, it sends a signal to quit eating? Yes, however, what we have here is a more complicated system. In overweight people, the body has become leptin resistant! The adipose tissue gets the fat and stores it, sends out the leptin signal to the brain that it has enough fat in reserve; however the brain has become “deaf” to the signal and does not receive the message. Just like our upper airline management… deaf to our signals.

LEPTIN RESISTANCE:

So the adipose tissue sends out the leptin signal but the brain does not receive it (something like the e-mails you send to management). The brain sends a signal to hang on to all the fat, as it is worried that we will starve to death (a nice hold over from the cavemen days). We look in the mirror and determine we are still fat and decide to eat even less. The little food that the fat cells receive are now all being stored, as the brain thinks it really needs to hang on to every little fat molecule, as it is mighty worried now we will starve to death. This is all due to the leptin signal not being received by the brain.

So let us revisit Julia and her crash diet. Initially when Julia reduces her food intake, her metabolism is still at reasonable normal level and the fat cells burn fat for energy. However, when the reduced calorie continues, the leptin levels drop and the brain thinks it goes into starvation mode. It now hangs on to every fat cell it can hang on to and converts every new calorie to stored fat cells. In order to preserve even more energy, Julia’s metabolism slows way down and Julia feels sluggish and tired. Julia has tried to yo-yo diet before and her brain remembers it, like an elephant. Ah hah it says, less food at the horizon; I think I will hang on to every calorie and convert it to fat even more. Leptin and the hypothalamus are in it for the long haul. You can’t fool these with a short term diet plan. What if Julia would start eating normal again? Because of her leptin resistance, the brain still thinks it does not have enough fuel (“fat”) for storage and hangs on to the increased calories as well. In either case, Julia will store fat and gain weight. What a bummer!

ADRENALINE AND INSULIN RESISTANCE:

If you thought that this is the only bad news, read on. There is adrenaline resistance and insulin resistance as well to complicate matters even more.

Let’s go back to our somewhat fat friend, Julia. Remember Julia got a new job that was more stressful? Julia now produces more adrenaline, a normal response to a stressful event. This stimulates the fat cells to release energy to deal with the situation. However, the fat cells eventually get tired of all that adrenaline and become resistant to the excess adrenaline. So instead of releasing the fat to burn it for fuel, the fat remains stored and weight gain begins. As more stress happens, more adrenaline gets released, and more resistant her body becomes and the more the body hangs on to the fat.

Insulin resistance is another problem. The normal cycle is as follows: when you eat, the pancreas gets a signal to release insulin which is the signal for the fat cells to release leptin. Leptin rises and the pancreas gets a signal from leptin to stop producing insulin. When the body becomes insulin resistance, the leptin signal from the adipose tissue does not reach the pancreas (“the telephone is off the hook”) and fat keeps being stored due to the continual outpouring of insulin from the pancreas. If the problem does not get resolved, type II diabetes can result.

WHITE ADIPOSE TISSUE

White adipose tissue consists of at least 30 % immune cells. When the body is in balance, having some immune cells in stored fat, is excellent. However, when having a lot of adipose tissue, TNFa (tumor necrosis factor alpha) gets produced, which in a small amount is beneficial. However, in large amount, it is a known to aid in cancer production cells, arthritis, heart disease, and decreased immune system. A decreased immune system leaves you open to all kinds of other problems and more susceptible to get sick (especially when stressed).

ANY OTHER BAD NEWS?

Yes. For example, excess alcohol consumption is followed by excess food consumption, due to our friend the leptin hormone. Conversely, excess food consumption is followed by excess alcohol consumption. They are tied together. Now add the stress component and this problem becomes even more overwhelming.

Julia is stressed from her job, has a drink and gets hungry. She overeats on ice cream. Now Julia feels really bad about eating a whole tub of ice cream and gets a craving for another drink. The food/alcohol cycle has started. Recently more clinics that help people kick the alcohol habit, have instituted a diet and exercise program with much better results. They found that the sugar cravings were a huge part of the problem. For example, www.healthrecovery.com has a lot of information on a different alcohol program, claiming the highest recovery rate in the USA due to their natural supplement program.

Candida infection will also cause sugar cravings. Candida is a bacterium that normally lives in the gut in harmony with some of our good bacteria. However, stress, bad diet, lack of sleep, antibiotics, and other factors can allow the Candida bacteria to flourish and eventually release from the gut and spread all over the body. Also Candida consumes sugar and turns it into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde can cross the blood/brain barrier and damage the brain cells. This causes a person to have cravings, brain fog, feeling fatigued, and depressed. There are ways to get Candida infections out of the body, please check with your health care professional, especially alternative therapist specialize in Candida infections. Expect to have to go on a yeast-free and sugar free diet for at least 3 weeks.

www.candidasupport.org is one of the many websites dedicated to candida infections.

MSG and ASPARTAME

Julia thinks that drinking a diet Coke and eating beef jerky will help her lose weight. However, diet Coke has Aspartame. Aspartame is a nerve stimulator and produces methanol. Methanol produces formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is an exotoxin like acetaldehyde and affects the brain and the ability for the body to detoxify. It can also cause digestive upset and allergy symptoms. If interested in reading more about Aspartame go to: www.dorway.com. Be aware that aspartame is in almost every chewing gum nowadays. It is also in many foods such as low  or no sugar yoghurt, low or no sugar ice-cream, and low or no sugar candies!

Instead of drinking sodas, Julia should drink more water in order to hydrate her system and her cells as well as allow for more detoxification. So Julia switches to water, but gets bored with it and starts putting in a powder called Crystal Light. But lo and behold, Crystal Light has Aspartame as one of the listed ingredients. So Julia goes from the frying pan into the fire.  

What about beef jerky? Julia loves beef jerky! However, beef jerky often has MSG. MSG causes glutamate neurotoxicity and actually makes a fat person fatter as it down regulates the hypothalamic appetite suppression and, thus, increasing the amount of food a person eats. MGS is also implicated in a variety of allergy and immune responses. If interested in reading more about MSG and it’s variety of names such as hydrolyzed protein, yeast extract, and my favorite “natural flavoring.” www.rense.com.

So look for beef jerky that is MSG free or make your own with a dehydrator (remember those?) and the elk you just shot with your bow and arrow!

NOW WHAT?

OK, now that you have told me what does not work for Julia (and probably me), what can I do to lose weight and feel better? If you made it this far in the article you might want to read a book called: Mastering Leptin by Byron Richards. This article is heavy on the information gleamed from this book as well as information found at Life Extension Foundation at www.LEF.org. This website has a tremendous amount of health information, both traditional and alternative. Mastering Leptin is not fluffy reading. It is very heavy on the science behind weight loss and a variety of health ailments. The book quotes 5 rules to aid you in weight loss, so let us look at those first and then discuss other health reasons that can interfere with weight loss and feeling good.

RULE 1: Do Not Eat After Dinner & Before Breakfast

Let say you have dinner at 6pm, after which your leptin level rises and tells your brain you have had enough to eat and you are no longer hungry. Leptin levels continue to rise until they peak around midnight when you are (hopefully) asleep. Because your brain and body continuously need fuel to operate, even asleep, it starts using the food you ate for fuel. However, eventually if no other food source is available, it starts dipping into the fat reserves and burning fat. By the time 8 am rolls around the body is burning fat like crazy in order to keep the body supplied and the leptin levels have dropped to their lowest levels. The brain gets a signal to start eating something (breakfast) to replenish the ready food supply. However if you are leptin resistant, the leptin levels peak way to early and your body gets the signal to start eating again much sooner, so you eat a hefty midnight snack and fat burning never takes place.

Therefore, if at all possible, allow 11 – 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. Also try not to have dinner late and go to bed. If possible do not eat late at night and after a big meal, walk around a bit to get your metabolism going. I remember as a kid we would have to go on a “forced march” after a big dinner. Maybe my mom instinctively knew something about kick starting our metabolism.

RULE #2 EAT THREE MEALS PER DAY AND DO NOT SNACK

When we eat, 40% of the calories go directly to the body for use and 60% get stored in order to be able to use later. No weight loss is possible until the insulin level drops and the liver gets the message to quit storing fuel and start releasing glucagon, which then gets converted into glucose for fuel. The liver also makes sugar (“fuel”) from stored fat and makes fatty acids that muscles use for fuel. If the muscles do not need these fatty acids (no exercise being done), they are turned back into triglycerides (yep the one and the same who are a major cause of our heart problems).

Therefore not snacking between meals allows the liver to spool up and burn fat. So ideally, if we eat a good meal, there is no need to snack until we eat another meal again. If you actually feel hungry again after just a couple of hours, try to figure out why. What kind of meal did you eat? Ideally the meal should have had fiber and protein and little fillers and unhealthy fats. I am picturing our crew meal already! In either case, it is important to realize that what you eat for lunch, will impact whether you get hungry again real quick or have enough calories in your body until dinner.

We can usually get away with snacking when we are young but something happens when we hit 30 and beyond… those snacks just seem to pack on the pounds and now we know why! So, if at first you cannot make it through the day without snacking, evaluate what you eat for your meals (especially your breakfast), and try to reduce the snacking to one snack and make it a healthy one that does not promote rapid insulin rise and drop. This is caused by sugary snacks without any protein.

RULE #3 DO NOT EAT A LARGE MEAL AND EAT SLOWLY

It is important to slow down while eating and chew thoroughly. First of all chewing allows the stomach and GI to get more from the food you eat. Next, when you slow down the message: “We have had enough to eat” comes through about 10 – 20 minutes later. So if you eat really fast, you tend to overeat as the message comes too late.

If you travel around the world, you will notice that the portions in America tend to be huge compared to other countries. Was the advice of our mothers: “Clean your plate” really good advice? Maybe in the old days, but with portions as big as they are nowadays.. maybe not.

An experiment was recently done in which people had the choice to eat whatever they wanted on a plate in front of them, and consistently if the plate had more food, they would finish everything on their plates and therefore people who were served bigger portions, would eat more! Back away from the buffet!  J

Eat smaller meals (so the stomach can shrink and your brain can adjust to the new portion size) and eat slower (so the brain can send the “I am full signal” sooner). If you have a hard time with slowing down at first, take a 5 minute break during the meal and the “full signal” will hopefully catch up with you. Maybe the Europeans were right to make an event out of a meal!

RULE #4 EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST WITH PROTEIN

Having a good protein rich breakfast in the morning increases your metabolism and reduces your craving a couple of hours later for snacks.  Ideally you should be able to eat protein such as eggs (real ones and both egg yolk and white) or something similar. If you skip breakfast because you have no hunger, it could be because your system is overloaded with toxins and too sluggish to get started. Try a bowl of oatmeal with some fruit.

If you cannot do a warm breakfast like that, try a protein drink made of soy, rice, or whey protein. Or try toast with real almond or real peanut butter without sugar (no not the entire jar.. just a little bit)  for breakfast and some fresh fruit. Protein not only serves as a fuel source, but also allows toxins to adhere and detoxify the body.

RULE #5 CHANGE & REDUCE CARBOHYDRATES

Carbs are easy fuel but do not necessarily last long and you will feel hungry again sooner. Reducing carbs does not mean no carbs, but the general American diet has a significant carbs ratio. See if you can cut back on carbs and get some more healthy proteins. For example, let’s say our girlfriend Julia is going out for a nice Italian dinner. Instead of having 3 pieces of bread to begin with, a cocktail, and a calamari appetizer, she eats one piece of bread, forgoes the cocktail and shares the appetizer with several other people. She then orders the Chicken Marsala instead of a heavy pasta dish with a glass of red wine. To top off the dinner, she has a cup of tea and two bites of desert that she shares, instead of the entire piece of cheesecake. Radical? Maybe for Julia, but not so radical in the big scheme of things.

There are also different types of carbohydrates and they are rated in the glycemic index (GI). Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health. Low GI diets have been shown to improve both glucose and lipid levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2). They have benefits for weight control because they help control appetite and delay hunger.Look under www.glycemicindex.com for an entire listing of low GI foods.

Besides Leptin there are many other peptides involved in hunger and appetite. One of them is Ghrelin.  Ghrelin presence in the stomach sends a signal to the brain (using Neuropeptide Y) to increase our appetite; more ghrelin, bigger appetite. If no food is eaten in about an hour, ghrelin goes away. Also if food is eaten, ghrelin stops. Interesting is that in overweight people, ghrelin level is higher (higher appetite) and stays high (continued signal to be hungry). Recent research has indicated that Ghrelin levels stay high with the consumption of fats, drop low and then become high again with the consumption of carbohydrates, but drop low and stay low with consumption of protein.  

EXERCISE

Normal cell production turns a calorie into 35% heat and 65% energy in the form of ATP. ATP can be used for energy that is required (walking, talking, breathing, etc.) The latest research indicates that we have a protein called the uncoupling protein (UCP), which turns a calorie, into 100% heat (disposes of a calorie). UCP3 is primarily in muscle cells and the brown adipose tissue (which is different from the white adipose tissue) and under the influence of leptin. Leptin ensure that excess fat is converted by the UCP3 into 100% heat. However, when a person is leptin resistance, UCP3 cannot be as efficient in the conversion and more fat is being put into a cell, despite the fact that our cells do not need any more fat.

Do aerobic exercise first thing in the morning or between meals (at least 2 hours after the last food input) in order to activate the UCP3. Also UCP3 is more effective if you can perform exercise at a sustained rate instead of working really hard for a short period time. Try to find a comfortable pace that you can sustain and UCP3 will activate and fat burning will occur.

After you finish exercising, do not eat, until you get a hunger signal. It is ok to drink water but avoid eating until you are actually hungry. This allows fat burning to occur longer. However, do not wait with eating if you are hungry. You do not want the body to think you are going into crisis mode and it will hang onto the fat again.

Obviously there are going to be times that you are not able to exercise. Instead of being depressed about it, just realize that things will interfere with you desire and ability to exercise and eat right.

WHAT OTHER THINGS INTERFERE WITH WEIGHT LOSS?

DRUGS

Certain drugs cause weight gain or the inability to lose weight. Check the side-effects of the drugs you take or go on the internet and Google the drugs. There is a lot of third-party website information available, not just the manufactures. Consider discussing the drugs you take with your doctor. Do you still need to be on them? Is the dosage appropriate? Are there any other drugs that can do the same things, without severe side-effects? Can you take natural supplements that are just as effective? A good website with a lot of (free) information is www.LEF.org.

SLEEP

Lack of sleep or inability to fall asleep is a huge health issue. Sleep issues can cause weight gain. When you are awake during the time that you really are suppose to sleep, you tend to eat, which does not allow your body to enter the fat burning time. Also if you are awake, melatonin does not get made, which is, by recent research, an aid in the battle against cancer. Melatonin also helps leptin to stay within its release rhythm.

Do not underestimate the lack of sleep we suffer on a regular basis. A recent research indicated that folks with irregular sleep patterns such as nurses, firefighters and pilots have a 60% increased chance of some types of cancer.

Tryptophan is the precursor to 5-HTP which is the precursor to Serotonin which is the precursor to Melatonin. Sometimes just taking some melatonin will give a short term sleep relief (various dosages from 300 mcg to 10 mg). Alternatively 100 mg of 5-HTP taken an hour before bedtime can provide a good night sleep. However, if sleep is an issue, there are a lot of things that can be explored. Discuss your concerns with your healthcare professional.

NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Neurotransmitters are chemical signals in the body. Some examples are dopamine (involved in our pleasure/reward system), serotonin (feel good), acetylcholine (focus), norepinephrine (energy), GABA (our natural brake), endorphins (feel good), and neuropeptide Y (resilience to stress). There is a lot of recent research being done on neurotransmitters and one might think by now we can have a pill that can just fix the one or two neurotransmitters that are too low or too high. Not so fast Einstein! Neurotransmitters have a variety of balances and you have to be careful in adjusting them. For more information on this subject visit www.neuro-relief.com and click on “Institute of Education” tab and you can get your fill of relevant information on neurotransmitters and their impact. If you are the technical type, there are “technical bulletins” that have great easy to read information on a variety of issues (#24 discusses weight loss). A really good article on neurotransmitters and weight loss:

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/dietcure.htm

• Low serotonin causes trouble with weight loss. If you increase your serotonin, it will reduce the emotional aspect of over-eating and can also reduce cortisol (a stress hormone see below). Serotonin does not cross the blood-brain barrier and therefore you can not take a pill containing serotonin. When we eat high glycemic foods (GI- index) such as white rice, bagels, sugar, etc., we deplete our reserves of serotonin. For example, a breakfast consisting of a muffin or bagel with cream cheese or jam, and a glass of fruit juice, will cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. This results in a release of serotonin in the brain, giving us a warm, fuzzy feeling as the carbohydrates are rapidly converted to glucose (sugar) by our digestive system. High levels of sugar are now circulating in our bloodstream, which signals the pancreas to secrete insulin to help bring down these high levels of sugar. The problem begins when the insulin pushes the blood sugar levels down to levels too low; in essence, it “overshoots.” The result is a rapid decline in serotonin levels and a quick drop in energy. This results in more craving for sugar and carbs. If you think you might eat when you feel blue or down, it might be emotional and serotonin related.
• You can try take supplements such as Royal Camu (from the camu-camu plant), Tryptophan (a precursor to 5-HTP), or  5-HTP (a precursor to serotonin). SSRI drugs such as Prozac, prevents serotonin from depleting, hence SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor).  
• Also a supplement called Relora blocks cortisol and can potentially address the emotional hunger due to low serotonin. 
• L-Glutamine is an amino acid that can reduce the cravings
• Low levels of another neurotransmitter, dopamine can cause you to feel overwhelmed and not interested in your usual activities such as cooking a healthy meal, exercising, and going to work, etc.
• You can try taking L-Tyrosine, which is converted to L-dopa, which in turn is converted to dopamine in the brain (with the help of vitamin B-6 and C). Dopamine converts to norepinephrine for energy.
• Low levels of the amino acid GABA (our natural brake) does not allow the body to throttle back its adrenaline amount, making you feel stressed and anxious.
• Take GABA in the morning and afternoon if you feel “speedy” and anxious.
• Low levels of L-Histadine have been implicated with weight issues, sleep issues, and immune system issues due to allergy responses.
• L-Histidine is the precursor to L-Histamine and can be taken as a supplement.

UNFRIENDLY VISITORS

Pilots might classify unfriendly visitors as a FAA inspector performing an enroute check, but our bodies can also be host to many visitors (friendly and unfriendly).

• Adenovirus #36 can cause weight gain. Recent research (Google it, if you like) has found a link between obesity and viruses and parasites. I found several effective ways to rid your body of these parasites and viruses. You can do a detoxification diet such as www.drnatura.com has listed. If you want to go on a detox diet, have an experienced naturopath help you. You can also visit a Vibe Machine listed at www.vibemachine.com. The vibe machine sets up a higher frequency using inert gasses. Viruses, bacteria, and parasites don’t like these higher frequencies and tend to leave the body. Make sure you drink plenty of water after a session (one session is not more than 5 minutes and most people only need about 3 or 4 sessions).  
• Detoxification of liver. If the liver is over taxed, problems can occur, including inflammation and weight gain. www.curezone.com/cleanse/liver  is a good website to get information about a liver cleanse. Discuss a cleanse with your health practitioner prior to starting one.
• Candida infections. As mentioned earlier, Candida infections (yeast, thrush) can leave you feeling craving sugars and with a brain fog. Clearing Candida can be potentially done with an anti-fungal pill, however, it still leaves the body susceptible to the next Candida attack (when you are stressed, take anti-biotics, or your partner still has it). A candida cleanse is a must.
• Pre and Probiotics. To help keep our unfriendly visitors in check, consider supplementing your diet with prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes.
• Prebiotics consist of non-digestible food that stimulates the actions of the probiotics in the gut. You can find it in soybeans and unrefined wheat for example. You can also take it as supplements by looking for FOS and inulin.
• Probiotics consists of “good” bacteria such as acidophilus and bifidus that keep the “evil” management bacteria in check. You can find these naturally occurring in good yoghurt (labeled with live cultures). However, your natural healthfood store has many good supplements in the refrigerator section. If you have trouble with tablets, bio-K has a liquid variety.  Check out www.naturalsolutionsmag.com and search for probiotics. They have some pretty good articles about it.
• Digestive Enzymes. Enzymes in the gut and stomach help with digestion of our food. If your diet is not stellar (or your body has suffered from diet stress for a long time), digestive enzymes might be very beneficial. Also, it is to be believed that digestive enzyme production in the body reduces as we age. These enzymes such as pancreatin (which has trypsin [digesting proteins], amylase [digesting carbs], and lipase [digesting fats]), cellulase (breaking down fiber), and lactase (breakdown of diary) help breakdown our foods in order to get more nutrients from them as well as improve are general health. The December 2007 magazine issue of www.LEF.org has a very interesting article on digestive enzymes.

HORMONES

Ah, hormones; we love them and we hate them! We can blame a lot of our behavior on hormones and their too high or too low levels. Some of these levels can very much affect our ability to lose weight (or give us a tendency to gain weight).

• Having low testosterone, low access to free testosterone, or an undesirable ratio of testosterone with estrogen, can cause trouble losing weight (for both men and women). As we age, as much as 40% of our testosterone tends to turn into estrogen (with the help of the aromatase enzyme, located in the fat cells). Low testosterone causes a variety of health issues such as lethargic feelings, no sex drive, irritability, depression, and diabetes. Listed below are some things to look at with the aid of a healthcare professional.
• Avina sativa (wild oat grass) can increase total testosterone and free up stored testosterone.  Some people has such a low testosterone, that actual testosterone in the form of a patch get prescribed. Women can take avina sativa but in a much lower dosage then men need it.
• Green tea inhibits the aromatase enzyme (more flights to Japan?). This enzyme seems especially sensitive to the most widely used pesticide (atrazine).
• Calcium and Magnesium. A lack of calcium and magnesium might contribute to the activity of the aromatase enzyme. It might be helpful to take a supplement that has both calcium and magnesium.
• Precursor hormones. DHEA and Pregnonolone are precursors (“mother hormones”) to progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. DHEA usually decreases as we age and taking DHEA and/or pregnonolone can potentially alleviate a variety of these age related issues, including weight gain due to out of balance hormones.
• Progesterone and Estrogen hormones. On the female end, these hormones can quite frequently be out of the normal range during certain times of the month, causing a variety of issues, including weight gain. Leptin and the female hormones have a relationship and leptin resistance can cause hormonal issues to increase and vice versa. By the way, estrogen is a bit confusing as it has three types: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Low levels of estriol have been known to cause post-partum depression, MS symptoms, and an increase in PCOS.
• Bio-identical hormones. These hormone creams can be applied under the supervision of a healthcare professional. For example www.angelfoodsinc.com has both a progesterone and estrogen cream (estriol) that can be used to re-regulate the hormone levels at certain days in the month. This is not the same as the Premarin, which is made from horse urine (which sounds disgusting).
• Cortisol is a hormone that is released in the body during times of high stress in order to store food (dating back to the cavemen days). High stress levels trigger the release of cortisol hormones that can not only increase appetite, but can also affect how the body stores and metabolizes fat. When a person gets stressed and they are younger,  the cortisol levels return to normal quite rapidly, however as we age these high levels of cortisol linger around for much longer, producing more weight gain (who me stressed?):
• 7-Keto-DHEA and DHEA is a good product to try in conjunction with a stress reduction program. If you ever want to check your DHEA level, www.LEF.org has blood test you can order to check it.  
• Relora blocks cortisol production. Relora is a blend of magnolia and phellodendron extracts that works naturally to tackle the stress/diet connection.
• Other supplements to consider if in a high stress situation is B & C vitamins (such as Emergency C packet).

• There is an interesting product available that also tackles the stress/weight loss issue. Visit www.luminahealth.com and look under the weight loss drops.  This product has a variety of trace minerals, amino acids as its primary ingredients. I would not take more than 3 drops per day to start off with.

• Of course I can always suggest that you should reduce your stress. However, that is easier said that done. I can write an entire article just on stress reduction and stress management. Needless to say, stress causes the body to not function at an optimal level. There are many good programs that can reduce how you deal with stress. My website www.brainintegration.org has quite a few listed.

THYROID T3/T4 OFF

• The hypothalamus, located in the brain just above the pituitary gland, secretes thyrotropin-releasing hormone, which triggers the pituitary to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). When the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood reaches a certain level, the pituitary will produce less TSH. The thyroid gland secretes two significant hormones: thyroxine (T4) at 93%, and triiodothyronine (T3) at about 7%. The liver converts T4 to T3. Any one of these mechanisms can be off and cause issues. Lo and behold, turns out that leptin aids in controlling the thyroid (did we not tell you that leptin is one powerful hormone!).
• When our bodies are in a stressful situation, it can affect our adrenals or our thyroid. When we burn out our adrenals, the thyroid can be next. The thyroid is also very sensitive to outside toxic chemicals and can produce fatigue, irritability, dark circles (from phenolics), excess mucus (from a sluggish lymphatic system), and stiff limbs. If your thyroid is off, either alternative or traditional thyroid medication could assist in weight loss, once the T3/T4 is stabilized. Thyroid and L-Tyrosine supplements are available.
• The symptoms of hypothyroidism are gradual and can include facial expressions dull, the voice hoarse, eyelids droop, and the face and eyes become puffy and swollen. Hypothyroidism can cause a number of other conditions, such as allergies, skin problems, fatigue, nervousness, gaining or losing weight, brittle nails, dry skin, GI problems (constipation), infertility, mental sluggishness, low immune function, depression, and intolerance to cold. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can cause anemia, low body temperature, and heart failure (and of course it causes hair to grow in your ears when you are older!). If you suspect a thyroid problem, go to www.lef.org and read about their traditional and alternative approaches to this issue. Before a successful weight-loss program can be accomplished, the thyroid (and possibly the pituitary gland as well) have to be normalized. Some of the recommendations:
• Iodine, Selenium, L-Tyrosine, Melatonin, DHEA, CoQ10, Multi-vitamin including Vitamin A/B complex, B-12, magnesium, manganese, zinc
• Thyroid complex supplement
• Thyroid medication, review your current one or discuss adjusting your T3/T4 levels).

INSULIN OFF

• Insulin helps change sugar and other foods into glucose, which fuels your body. With type I diabetes you do not make enough insulin (juvenile diabetes) and with type II diabetes, you do not use it properly and have too much.  Too much insulin drives fat into cells, prevents fat from being released from cells, and makes people chronically hungry. The most immediate and noticeable effect of excess insulin production is unwanted weight gain. High insulin levels contribute not only to obesity, but also to the disease states associated with being overweight.  Eating foods with low glycemic index is crucial to the reduction in excess insulin (which causes type II diabetes) www.lowglycemicdiet.com
• If you suspect an upcoming insulin problem, visit www.lef.org and read about their traditional and alternative approaches to the issue. For example, fruit juice is high GI index and should be avoided, while eating an apple raw is low GI and should be eaten. Also increase fiber has been known to decrease the hunger pains and reduce insulin.
• Hoodia work within the satiety center by releasing a chemical compound similar to glucose but much stronger. The hypothalamus in the brain receives this signal as an indication that enough food has been consumed and this in turn stunts the appetite. This is a physical response not emotional.  

• Fiber is important in this case.  Take with plenty of water about 5 minutes before eating a meal. Do not take without adequate amount of water otherwise choking can occur. Wellbetx and Slimstyles fiber combinations are some that are commonly used.  Look for soluble (guar, pectin, and glucomannan) and insoluble (flaxseed, phyllium).
• Very interesting research has been done recently regarding the link between insulin problems and low testosterone level. To read more about this link go to the magazine tab of July 2007, www.LEF.org
• Pinebark pycnogenol (anti-oxidants) decreases blood sugar levels and has had some good research lately.
• A well rounded multi vitamin with minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and chromium (reduces craving).
• CoQ10 has had a lot of research lately in stabilizing blood sugar and heart benefits.
• Cinnamon can avoid blood glucose spikes

CHRONIC INFLAMMATION

• Chronic inflammation is starting to get more and more exposure as a prime contributor to the inability to lose weight. There is an excellent article about it on www.LEF.org , Magazine November, 2005 (I love this free website with great information!)
• When chronic low level inflammation occurs in the body, weight loss is practically impossible, even with reduced caloric intake and increased exercise.  Excess weight leads to low-grade chronic inflammation, which leads to mildly elevated C-reactive protein, which can lead to heart disease, excess body fat, out of control appetites, cravings, diabetes, and inability to lose weight. In fact, fat storage is now considered an active endocrine organ and produces a hormone, called adipokines.
• Adipokines are like messengers with the bad pro-inflammatory information. Therefore excess body fat is more like a tumor that sends out messages to increase inflammation and accumulate more fat. Before you can lose weight, chronic inflammation has to be under control. This can be accomplished with eating certain foods, avoiding certain foods, and taking certain supplements. Trans fats, food and environmental allergies, insulin resistance, and celiac disease can all promote inflammation.
• Essential Fatty Acids (EPA, DHA, GLA, Omega – 3, -6, -9) are important good fats to have, as well as the ratio. Too much Omega – 6 is a problem too. The brain needs good oils to function, as it is primarily fat. However, it tends to get more “bad fat” then good. If you do not eat a lot of fish (NRT anybody?), consider a good supplement such as UDO’s Choice or Wild Salmon Oil. Put it in the freezer and then there will be no side effect like burping.  GLA can be found in Evening Primrose Oil. EPA and DHA can be found in a regular supplement.
• Vitamin D-3 is getting more and more attention as a great immune system fighter. Try to get 20 minutes of sunshine with no sunscreen per day or take Vitamin D-3.
• Alpha lipoic acid (ALA). In addition to its function as a powerful antioxidant/anti-inflammatory, ALA increases the body’s ability to take glucose into the cells. What makes it effective as an antioxidant is that it works on both water and fat-soluble free radicals, which are the cause of damaging oxidative processes.  ALA recycles Vitamin C, E, and CoQ10. Take with meals.
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine is a water-soluble nutrient, very much like a B vitamin, that allows us to convert fat into energy. This is an important nutrient for weight loss. This amino acid boosts mitochondrial energy production through its ability to facilitate fatty acid transport across the membrane into the cell where they are burned as energy. Take with fish oil supplements. Do not take after 3 p.m., to prevent any difficulties with sleeping. 
• CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) also helps block the absorption of fat and sugar into fat cells (adipocytes). It even induces a reduction in the actual size of the fat cells as well as reduces levels of TNFa. Take with meals. Do not take at the same time as fiber.
• CoQ10 also works synergistically with other antioxidants to elevate cellular levels of vitamins C and E and glutathione and to help regulate blood sugar and enhance insulin sensitivity. CoQ10 also maximizes the burning of foods for fuel, helping to normalize fats in our blood. If taking statins (Lipitor), CoQ10 effectiveness gets reduced, therefore take more CoQ10. Take with water after a meal.
• Korean Pine Nuts has shown to decrease hunger, digest food better, and give a feeling of full. Look at www.LEF.org for more information and articles.
• Chromium helps decrease inflammation, thereby unlocking the enzymes that aid in fat metabolization. Chromium not only affects blood sugar and insulin levels, it can also help normalize blood lipids such as triglycerides and cholesterol, increasing levels of the HDL “good” cholesterol and lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides. Take with meals.
• Colostrum. This bovine extract can be useful in improving the immune system and reducing the low-level inflammation. Take on empty stomach with water. Do not take if lactose intolerant or have dairy allergies.
• Oxidative stress. This occurs when a pair of oxygen molecules split in two and one becomes highly reactive called a free radical. Free radicals produce wrinkles, damage DNA and wreck havoc with your metabolism. Taking anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C & E reduce the amounts of free radicals. Also certain teas, vegetables, red wine, pure cocoa and certain supplements (for example fish oil) reduce free radicals.

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

I am sure that after reading this article you are scratching your head to try to figure out what to do. My suggestion is to find a health care professional who has experience with weight loss and it’s variety of causes. Remember, if you only have a hammer then everything is a nail! So, if your healthcare professional has only used his hammer (stating: just eat less fat, for example), then everything he/she suggest has to do with the nail

Some other interesting things you can do in conjunction with the items listed above:

• Drink more water. Water helps you feel full and helps hydrate your cells.
• You are what you eat. If you cannot eat healthy on the road, eat healthy at home. Consider going organic (some fruit and vegetables have 40% less nutritional values than the same foods that our parents ate). You know those annoying little labels on your apple? Well, a 4 number code mean, that it is grown traditionally. A 5 number code starting with 9, means the apple is grown organic and a 5 number code starting with 8, mean the fruit or vegetable is GMO (genetically modified).
• Aroma Therapy. Interesting research has been done lately on smells and how it affects our brains. Smells such as vanilla, peppermint (for sweet cravings), jasmine, lavender and ylang ylang (for stress and depression), and green apple have been known to reduce food cravings. Essential Oils can be applied during a massage, in the bathtub, on an oil burner, in a steamer, on your pillow, or you can just snort it.
• Brush your teeth. Research has been shown that just brushing your teeth, delays your desire to eat again. Go figure! Just don’t use Chinese toothpaste with lead.
• Eat according to your blood type (A, B, O, or AB). This food approach encourages you to eat more of some foods and less of others, depending on your blood type. For example, I am Type B, so if I want to lose weight, I should avoid eating corn and lentils, but eat a lot of eggs and greens. www.drlam.com is an example of a website with information on blood type eating.
• Eating according to your metabolism. You can have a metabolism that favors proteins over carbohydrates, or one that favors carbohydrates over proteins, or a mixed metabolism. The next variable is speed. You can have a fast, slow, and medium metabolism. In essence, there are 9 different metabolic types. So if you are a person who favors proteins over carbohydrates, your ideal meal should always have more protein then carbohydrates, in order for you body to be at its peak. www.metabolictypingonline.com is an example of a website with information on determining your metabolic type. You can also check outwww.healthexcel.com will provide an extensive profiling with advisors, including some cancer diet advisors and www.intonutrition.com does some profiling
• You can check your pH value of your body with an easy pH strip such as those sold on www.pH-ion.com. If you are too acidy (many of us are), a host of problems occur as well as make weight loss more difficult. Consult a good health care practitioner to determine the best course of action to take, in order to make your body more alkaline (some of the suggestions are already listed in this article such as digestive enzymes, detoxification, more fruits and vegetables, etc).
• Genetic profiling is another twist on the “blood type” eating. www.genotypediet.com uses 6 different profiles to determine the types of foods that are better for your type based upon recent research into body type, blood type, physical appearance, and various other factors.
• Juicing and eating raw.  Eating raw foods are often sighted as a way to make your body healthier. For example, macro-biotic diets and ayurvedic both use a lot of raw foods. www.sunfoods.com
• Lastly, visit www.veryfunnyads.com and type in Reebok in the search engine.

I have gathered a lot if information for you to read. Be aware not all these recommendations are for you. What works for Suzy, might not work for Bill. That is why it is important to do some research regarding your body and your needs. This article can be used as talking points with your health care professional or for you to do research on.

Wishing you good health.

Jolanda Witvliet

Certified BAT and BIT Therapist

© this article is copy written 2008 Brain Integration, LLC. All rights reserved. 

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Disclaimer: this information is not evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please visit your health practitioner for specific information.  Herbs might alter prescription drug doses.