We often help patients lose weight, but that is more of a side-benefit of them getting healthier. We are all familiar with side-effects, the often dangerous unintended consequences of taking prescription drugs. Well, getting healthier has side-effects as well. They include, sleeping better, more energy, clearer skin, better detoxification and yes, you guessed it, easily arriving at your ideal weight (weight loss for most but not all).
Our rule is simple:
As you become healthier, your body will naturally arrive at its ideal weight.
Rather than focus solely on losing weight and following the latest fad diets, I instead focus on answering the question why the body is holding onto extra (or not enough) weight in the first place.
When discussing weightloss, the obvious place to begin is diet and exercise. Exercise is essential for health, not just to maintain a healthy weight but also for optimal cardiovascular function, blood sugar handling, as well as brain function. A whole food based diet, rich in vegetables, healthy fats, and protein is also necessary for a healthy, fit body.
But what if that is not enough? When that is the case, we have found three main factors that cause someone to plateau in their weight loss efforts, or to be stuck on the starting blocks.
The first is toxicity.
We are exposed to over 20,000 toxins every day. They are in our food, air, water, cleaning supplies, furniture, cosmetics, detergents.. Over time, constant exposure to toxicity stresses the body’s organs of detoxification including the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowels, and skin, requiring a higher intake of nutrients to support these detoxification pathways. If our diet doesn’t keep up with the increased demands, the body will not keep up with the toxic load.
Unable to get rid itself of the toxins, the body makes the intelligent decision to hide them where they can cause the least damage and destruction to vital organs like the heart and brain. They are stored in the fat cells. Thus, months or years later when you go to the gym or on a diet to lose weight, your body must be able to detoxify the toxins still stored in the fat cells. If the organs of detoxification aren’t up to the task, the body will “resist” losing the fat to keep the toxins locked safely away.
The first step to healthy weight loss is supporting the organs of detoxification. Detoxification requires many nutrients including: minerals such as copper, sulphur and zinc; whole food vitamin complexes B and C; sufficient proteins and amino acids; as well as fiber, just to name a few.
In our office, every “weight loss” program includes an evaluation of your body’s ability, or inability, to safely and healthfully detoxify.
The second is stress.
Like a bear before hibernation, a body under stress will hold on to extra weight and calories, storing them for the uncertainty that lies ahead. Prolonged stress leads to elevated cortisol levels, which lead to increased belly fat and even more weight gain.
Also, it is well known that a stressed body craves junk foods. Research has shown that patients with mental illness increasingly reach for carbs and sugars just before suffering an attack. White trash foods like pastries, pasta, bread, donuts, cookies, ice cream as well as chocolate, caffeine, fatty foods and sugary soft drinks are often the junk foods of choice. When under stress, the body craves a short-term energy boost from junk food at the expense of long-term health.
By holistically addressing the cause of the stress and resulting cortisol dysregulation, a major impediment to healthy weight loss is removed, allowing you to more easily hit your health goals.
The third is chronic inflammation.
What if the extra weight you are carrying is not, in fact, fat? In addition to fat, extra weight can be caused by swelling, holding onto extra water and even bloating. In these situations, the solution is not typical weight loss maxims of more exercise and eating less. Instead, the cause of the inflammation needs to be found and addressed. Examples of stressors causing chronic inflammation in the body include food intolerances (wheat, dairy, corn and soy are among the most common), stealth pathogens such as yeast, bacteria and viruses that have evaded the body’s defenses, as well as environmental toxins. It is imperative to first handle and clear the underlying cause of inflammation before embarking on a weight loss program as doing otherwise will set you up for failure and frusteration.
Instead, by holistically addressing the goal of weight loss, you will not only achieve your goal more easily, but you also will maintain your target weight once there. This will cause you to lose weight as a side benefit creating a healthier body.