Holistic Nutrition Bytes--San Francisco Nutrition Consultation » weight loss

How Cortisol Makes You Fat

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:13:04 +0000

I talk about cortisol a lot. Probably mention it several times every day. It’s important in my line of work, because I help people reduce stress and lose weight, and cortisol is a major player in both of these situations. First, some science.

Cortisol is one of our main stress hormones, produced by the adrenal glands. The adrenals sit atop your kidneys and are the command and control center of the body. They produce and secrete stress & sex hormones and govern thyroid hormones, sleep, stress, weight, sex drive, and metabolism. In optimum health, cortisol in normal levels has an anti-inflammatory effect in the body and impacts blood sugar, digestion, and immunity. But the human body is designed around the concept of survival rather than optimum health. When we are under stress, regardless of the source of stress, our system reacts with the intent of keeping us alive under whatever dire circumstances we may encounter. There is simultaneously a hormonal (endocrine) and brain (neurological) response to stress. Combined, this is referred to as the neuroendocrine system. The main stress hormone we produce is cortisol (actually named for its production location on the cortex, or outer edge, of the adrenal glands).

In the days when a saber tooth tiger would jump out of hiding and attack, we had two choices with which to respond: Pick up a spear and fight, or run really fast and try to get away. This is what is known as the fight or flight response. We are hard wired through our neuroendocrine system for this basic survival mechanism to kick into gear when threats appear. When the stressor appears (in this case, the tiger), cortisol shoots up to get you through the stressful situation. As these chemical messengers are produced, numerous body processes speed up, and others slow down. As cortisol is released, it travels through the blood stream and converts amino acids into sugars or glucose, our basic fuel needed to fuel our system to fight or run. Dopamine, adrenaline, and noreadrenaline levels go up, and these stimulating neurotransmitters motivate us, helping to bring us up to full speed—action mode. Not only does the flow of hormones and neurotransmitters shift, our blood supply also shifts. When under stress, we divert blood from non-critical functions like digestive tract organs and shunt it towards skeletal muscle so we can move. Even our sex hormone levels drop in response to increased production of stress hormones. Stress is no bueno for your sex life.

This scenario is not problematic in a situation where occasional stress occurs and there are extended periods of time for full rest and recovery to take place. Does that sound like modern day life? Uh, no. These days we are under constant stress, and the mechanism designed to fight off a tiger is invoked every morning and afternoon in rush hour traffic or during hectic days at work or a fight with a spouse or friend. When we experience chronic stress, the body is constantly churning out cortisol, and this can have negative physical side effects, causing anxiety, insomnia, increased fat storage (especially around the mid-section–”belly fat!”), poor digestion, inflammation, and lowered immunity (more frequent illness), to name a few. Cortisol is catabolic (meaning it breaks down) , so high levels can cause loss of muscle tissue. This is the beginning of imbalance in the body. Stress really is the root cause of disease.

Back to how cortisol makes you fat. When your cortisol levels remain high, your body thinks it is going through a hardship and that it may starve. It will begin to store more fat around the midsection for times of famine (a stress). This also increases insulin levels, and insulin is–you guessed it–the fat storage hormone. High cortisol increases blood sugar to help get you through the stressful situation, but high blood sugar = increased sugar cravings. Physiology is working against you–high cortisol triggers high insulin and high blood sugar, all of which cause increased fat. This was useful for our ancestors but works against us in modern life. If you’re consuming a diet high in sugar, flour, or grains that break down into sugar, you’re storing even more fat. If cortisol is high at night (it should be lowest at that point), you’re not sleeping or getting restful sleep, and the body interprets that as stress, and the vicious cycle continues: lack of sleep is a stress = high cortisol = high blood sugar = cravings. You ever notice how you crave sugar & carbs when you don’t sleep well?

Let’s break it down. High cortisol can be caused by the following:
-emotional stress
-poor diet (lots of sugar, booze, refined carbs)
-pain (from an injury, for example) & inflammation (from poor diet or eating foods you’re sensitive to, like wheat or dairy for most people)
-lack of sleep
-moving, new job, getting fired
-getting married OR divorced
Aside from increased fat storage, high cortisol wrecks your digestion, and the majority of your immune system is in your gut, so there goes your immunity. But that’s a story for another day. How do you get cortisol regulated?

First off, you should consider a saliva test to check cortisol levels, because the stages of high cortisol progressing to burn out are treated very differently, and it’s difficult to determine where you are in the spectrum. If you have the symptoms I describe, especially the belly fat + difficulty losing it, you can be pretty sure you have high cortisol or had it at one point. If cortisol is high, you can also be sure that sex hormones are low and that digestion and immunity are suffering. I have very specific protocols for treating high cortisol, and I use plant based hormones. Various adaptogenic herbs work well: ashwaganda, holy basil, schizandra, for example. Also, vitamin C is a must, as your adrenals use a lot of C. A mineral complex should be taken at night, and increase your consumption: sea veggies, leafy greens, supergreens formulas with spirulina and chlorella. If you have trouble sleeping, consider taking a supplement like Seriphos at night. It contains phosphatidylserine to support adrenal function and promote restful sleep. Obviously, you need to regulate blood sugar levels through good diet (going long periods without eating or eating the wrong foods affects blood sugar, which your body interprets as a STRESS!). Targeted stress reduction like deep breathing & yoga work well, too. Chill out!

More posts you should read: http://www.maryvancenc.com/2009/02/inflammation/

http://www.maryvancenc.com/2008/10/stress/

http://www.maryvancenc.com/2010/04/overcoming-the-weight-loss-plateau/

http://www.maryvancenc.com/2008/12/solutions-for-sound-sleep/

The hCG Diet: Miracle or Dangerous?

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:15:51 +0000

Lose 20 pounds in 20 days! Have you heard of the hCG diet? I’ve had quite a few clients ask me about this “miracle” diet that allows people to shed pounds fast and lose up to a pound a day. Of course, it is not without controversy.

hCG stands for Human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy that is made by the developing embryo after conception. It’s what’s detected in urine in home pregnancy tests. Nowadays it’s gaining popularity as use in a homeopathic tincture or injection that, combined with a very low calorie diet, promises quick weight loss. hCG is said to suppress appetite (preventing hunger on the 500 calorie a day model) and burn body fat while preserving muscle. The diet bans certain carbs, dairy, sugar, and booze, so you stick to protein and veggies with minimal fruit. Because the hCG suppresses hunger, you can stick to this strict diet without hunger or cravings. According to one website, you’re not hungry because hCG instructs the hypothalamus to release 3000-4000 calories in stored fat every day. You’re encouraged to stick strictly to the plan. I can’t confirm this, but I read in US News that if you blow it, you get back on track with an apple fast?! “If dieters slip up, they’re encouraged to compensate by drinking only water and eating nothing but six apples for 24 hours. That’s thought to help squeeze out water weight, a psychological boost to help them get back on track.”

The injections are apparently the most effective and truest form of hCG. You must get them from a doctor. One of the companies I buy products from distributes the hCG homeopathic tincture. Their products are not available over the counter, and they have high quality standards (you must have a license to buy from them). Many of the tinctures online have a reputation of being crappy or ineffective, but I took a look at the tincture and it contains the following:
-hypothalamus & pituitary to reset the hunger feedback loop in the brain
-various homeopathics to reduce hunger/prevent cravings, manage blood sugar (so you don’t feel shaky and weak at 500 calories!), support metabolic functions, and eliminate toxins

There are 3 phases to this diet. You are receiving injections or taking the tincture during the time you follow the phases. The first phase is the loading phase that happens during the first two days. During this phase, you eat all you want to “load up” enough fat, energy, and essential nutrients to sustain you during the rest of the days that you will be following the diet plan. Then comes the “Very Low Calorie phase,” the 500 calorie per day model wherein you eliminate certain foods such as sugar, carbs, and fats. NO FATS?! You’ll stick to eating lean meat per day and specific kinds of vegetables. Of course you’re also taking the hCG this entire time which is melting the fat away, especially from the chin, thighs, arms, buttocks, hip and belly. Then the latter phase is “stabilization” where you’ll increase your caloric intake to 800 for women or 1000 for men.
So it safe?

Well, the short answer is that it’s too soon to tell. My opinion is that a 500 calorie a day diet is not safe. Rapid weight loss can cause gallstones, and hCG is implicated in blood clots, constipation, and even leg cramps (probably because it may cause mineral imbalance). Also, if you’re basically starving yourself and tricking your body out of hunger cues, of course you’ll lose weight. Obviously the point of the tincture or injections is that it rids the body of fat, prevents hunger & prevents blood sugar instability so you don’t pass out, but not everyone will react the same. I’ve heard of a fainting case, and in another case, a woman gained back all the weight she worked so hard to lose. The other issue is that you’re not working to change your behaviors. You’re going “on” a diet and then transitioning back to whatever eating plan you were on before. I preach strongly against diets. In fact, I despise the concept. I teach my clients what foods are right for their unique individuality, and teach them how to eat in a way that’s sustainable for life. It’s not something you go on or off. Your old habits clearly weren’t working in the first place. Losing weight is a complex issue, and there are many factors (hidden food allergies or adrenal/thyroid dysfunction, for example) that need to be explored and solved for weight loss to be maintained.

I also think there is a lot of bogus hCG out there, so if you do elect to try this diet, you must make sure you’re purchasing the tincture from a reliable source–either a doctor or nutritionist that supplies certified product–or that you’re getting the injections from a trusted doctor.

In short, I cannot recommend this diet due to the fact that I don’t agree with its tenets–the loading, the starving, and the lack of uncovering behaviors or physiological reasons that have caused weight gain or prevented weight loss. To me, this is an example of the “magic pill” syndrome that our society thrives on–quick fixes. This is not holistic. I can imagine this potentially as a last resort for obese folks who have a lot of weight to lose–they can get down to a manageable weight working with a doctor or nutritionist and then get down to the nutrition education. But it just doesn’t feel right to me to recommend that someone who has 30 pounds to lose eat 500 calories a day. If someone is experiencing difficulty losing weight, there may be physical reasons behind it: thyroid, adrenal, digestive, detox, or deficiency issues that must be addressed. I just can’t get behind that magic pill philosophy. And there’s a lot of risk involved in the hCG diet plan, which is why most reputable health organizations don’t endorse it.

Twinkie Diet = Weight Loss?

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 23:40:50 +0000

Do you count calories or fat grams to lose weight? Is a calorie just a calorie? You may have recently read about the nutrition professor who lost 27 pounds by eating twinkies and junk food. His point is basically that one loses weight by cutting calories–no matter where they come from.

While it’s true that cutting calories leads to weight loss, but where calories come from counts more. This professor’s cholesterol dropped, which probably is a result from him simply dropping weight and reducing inflammation, BUT long term, this is not sustainable and certainly not healthy. Of course there is a difference between calories from organic protein, fruits, and veggies versus twinkies and junk food. But, as nutritionist and personal trainer to the stars JJ Virgin says, “The body isn’t a bank account–it’s a chemistry lab.”

She also says: “There is more to losing weight than merely creating a caloric deficit, especially when you focus on fat loss rather than overall weight loss. Your body is both a chemistry lab AND a history book. Food is information. It can tell your body to burn fat or store it, build muscle or burn it, balance blood sugar or send it spinning!”

What this means is that based on what you eat, certain hormones are released in the body that cause blood sugar imbalance, high cortisol, & fat storage (if you eat refined junk). And if you wait til you are starving to eat and your blood sugar is low, causing you to binge and overeat, you trigger a bigger insulin response. And insulin is the fat storage hormone. Plus, when blood sugar drops, cortisol spikes, also triggering fat storage. If you are eat a diet high in refined carbs like white flour, baked goods, and packaged/processed junk food, you also trigger a bigger insulin response = fat storage. If you’re eating unrefined whole foods meals with veggies and organic protein, and you’re eating regularly–every 4 hours–your insulin will regulate and your body will burn fat rather than store it. Think of it this way: sugar or glucose is your body’s main source of fuel, so if you’re eating a high carb/high sugar diet, even if they are unrefined grains or good carbs, it’s all breaking down into sugar. When your body gets what it need for fuel, it stores the rest. And since this diet triggers a higher insulin response, more is stored. When you focus on protein & veggies, stored fat is burned for energy because you are not providing your body with a lot of sugar.

When you skip meals or wait til you’re starving to eat, your cortisol (main stress hormone) spikes, causing increased fat storage, especially around the middle section. High cortisol can affect your menstrual cycles, cause sugar cravings, and cause bone loss. When you eat matters, too. Late night snackers are more likely to gain weight: eating late or at odd times during the night trigger more hormonal imbalance. Too much ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and not enough leptin (the I am full hormone) are produced.

The best diet for weight loss is organic protein, lots of veggies, 2 servings of fruit daily (or even one), and nuts & seeds. Proteins & good fat are essential for energy & satiety. Eat within and hour of waking, and eat every 4 hours. Stop eating 3 hours before bed, and have your largest meals at lunch & breakfast. This will trigger the proper hormonal response, balance cortisol & blood sugar, and burn fat!

There is No Magic Pill

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:59:06 +0000

The FDA recently voted against releasing weight loss drug Qnexa, citing safety concerns. The drug is a combo of an amphetamine and an anticonvulsant (!); in trials, memory lapses, suicidal thoughts, heart palpitations and birth defects were reported as side effects. (Ed note: yowza, I would hate to have been one of those clinical trial participants!) In other news, Lorcaserin, another weight loss drug that delivers serotonin to the brain, will likely be approved due to a good safety record so far. Serotonin helps to regulate appetite, mood, sleep, and sex drive.

Look, people. There is no magic pill. Period. If you take a prescription weight loss pill, you are subjecting yourself to numerous side effects, some of which may have not shown up in clinical trials–yet. Remember Vioxx, the arthritis drug that was pulled off the market after people died from heart attacks & strokes? And Avandia, the diabetes drug that just got yanked due to risk of heart problems? Pharmaceutical drugs carry a high risk of side effects, and even if the FDA deems them “safe,” we are still the guinea pigs: clinical trials often do not last long enough to assess the scope of potential side effects.

Here is a revelatory idea: diet & lifestyle change. Before you stop reading, consider this: even if you are obese, thinking that no diet has worked for you, it’s time to uncover the underlying reasons for your obesity. Are you addicted to food? Can’t stop binging? Sugar addict? It’s no different from alcoholism or any other addiction–it is physiological & behavioral, and a pill won’t cure that. Uncover the reason behind your addiction: are you low in neurotransmitters (like serotonin) that regulate appetite? Do you have low thyroid? Do you have alcoholism in your family (same mechanism: sugar sensitivity issues that lead to binging on food or booze)? Have you been overweight all your life? It takes more than a drug to affect lasting change. One must learn behavioral changes, specifically, how to nourish vs nurture one’s self with food. Switching from comfort eating processed foods (think potato chips, cookies, fast food, ho-hos, ding-dongs) to nutrient dense whole foods (think organic meat, leafy greens, seasonal fruits–grains will be contraindicated if you have a sugar sensitivity, as grains break down more quickly into sugars), perpetuating the trigger food sugar craving cycle. The key is to remove your trigger foods (foods that cause you to binge, like sugar, bread, pasta, alcohol, or often all of these). Fix underlying imbalances that contribute to your addiction, like neurotransmitter or hormonal imbalance, and eat nutrient-rich foods instead of nutrient-void foods that leave you constantly hungry.

Work with a nutritionist to replace the refined foods in your diet with foods that are right for your physiology. Eating processed, refined foods with sugar or corn syrup will exacerbate your cravings and leave you constantly hungry and constantly eating, frustrated, moody, irritable, and fatigued. But education about being in tune with how to feed your body is not something that comes with a pill. There is no substitute for doing the work! So get out there, figure out what you should be eating & get moving with exercise.

Million Dollar Weight Loss Secret!!!!

admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 05:38:52 +0000

Summer’s almost here, and I admit it: I’ve put on a few pounds over the last couple months. I want to lose about 5, so I’m putting myself on a diet. What kind of a nutritionist puts herself on a diet, you ask? One that has been slipping and eating too many grains, I suppose. My thai noodle habit was getting a bit out of control, and I need to rein it in. Because I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t been cooking at home as much, and takeout is a killer with too many carbs and unhealthy oils. Bad!

Do you want me to share the million dollar weight loss secret that I get paid hundreds of dollars to tell people? Here it is: (drum roll). GRAINS MAKE YOU FAT. So does sugar (duh). Also included in the fat list is anything refined (think packaged, processed foods, corn syrup, refined sugars and baked goods; even that organic scone from the bakery was made with white flour, which is refined and bleached.)

Humans evolved on a hunter-gatherer “Paleo” diet of protein, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and minimal fruits. We are not really designed for a diet high in grains. And what does the traditional food pyramid tell us? That the majority of the foods we eat should be grains: bread, bagels, pasta, rice, and other “whole grains.” Is it a coincidence that obesity & diabetes are at an all-time high? Boy are we missing the mark. Grains like wheat, white flour, rice, bulgar, cous cous, rye, barley, oatmeal, millet, and corn (yes, corn is a grain) break down into glucose, which triggers your body’s insulin response. Insulin helps usher glucose into the cells for use. Your body uses this sugar as its primary form of energy, but when you get too much from eating grains at every meal, the excess is stored as fat. And if you’re eating sugar and/or sodas on top of that, all this excess sugar begins to build up in the bloodstream because the cells don’t want anymore. So then you become “insulin resistant” and you have high blood sugar because the cells shut their doors to more sugar, and this sets you up for diabetes. And you gain weight. And you have energy spikes and dips. And high blood pressure. And you probably feel like shit. This is the obesity epidemic, explained. We as a nation are on a weight gainer diet, big time.

The paleo diet is the fastest way to turn this around. And no, I’m not talking about Atkins. Gross. I’m talking about the base of every meal being leafy greens like kale or chard, a good serving of protein like organic chicken, grass fed beef, or wild fish, and good fats like olive oil or avocado. Even a square of dark chocolate for dessert. Bonus: this type of diet can get you off the sugar & carb comfort food craving train. If you’re not having blood sugar crashes, you won’t crave sugar.

For dinner tonight, I cooked ground lamb sauteed with garlic and cumin. Then I cooked a bunch of kale in the oil leftover from the lamb. The base of my meal was kale, topped with the ground lamb, topped with avocado slices. I drizzled some miso mayonnaise over it for an extra kick. Delicious. And I’ve already lost 3 pounds.

Overcoming the Weight Loss Plateau

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:42:42 +0000

Have you been happy on a weight loss plan, only to reach a stubborn plateau? Read on for some solutions.

1. Do you know your hidden food allergies? They can cause the body to hold onto weight. Most common are milk, eggs, and gluten. Try removing these foods for 2 weeks and then introducing them back in, one at a time. If you react with bloating, fatigue, or congestion, you are allergic.

2. Change up your exercise routine. Vary it between cardio, strength, and stress relief like yoga and deep breathing. Interval training WORKS best.

3. Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch, and a pauper at dinner. Make dinner your smallest meal: you don’t need caloric energy in the evening when you are preparing for bed. Breakfast should be your largest meal, as you need the energy to get through the day. Eat 3 hours before bed so you do not go to bed with a full stomach. Avoid late night eating!

4. Try a cleanse! Toxins cause the body to hold excess fat. Toxins are stored in fat cells, and the body uses fat as a buffer to protect the organs from the toxins. Doing a gentle full body cleanse can help the health of your liver and can cleanse unwanted toxins. Talk to me about doing a cleanse! I run them in groups and privately with clients. You do not have to live in San Francisco.

5. Are you eating “diet foods?” Dump them! Low fat or fat free or sugar free foods are highly processed. Sugar replaces fat, or aspartame (a toxin) replaces sugar. These diet products are not whole foods, and sugar raises insulin, which causes the body to store more fat. Avoid!

6. Are you getting 8 hours sleep? Too little sleep can raise cortisol levels, which causes blood sugar instability. The result? Carb cravings! Too many carbs = weight gain.

7. Good segue into my next point: are you a vegetarian who has reached a weight loss plateau? Or gained weight on a vegetarian or vegan diet? You are not eating right for your physiology. I can’t tell you how many overweight vegetarian or vegan clients I’ve had that began to lose weight immediately upon changing their diet to meet their needs–and this includes high quality animal protein and good fats. Eating too many grains or high carb foods can cause weight gain.

8. Check thyroid function and assess digestive function (bad bacteria can cause your body to hold onto excess weight). Take a good quality probiotic. A cleanse can help digestive health, too.

We run holistic weight loss workshops in San Francisco, and I run them with private clients. I help people uncover the hidden reasons they’re not losing weight. Ask me for more details. Good luck!

New Year

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:26:42 +0000

One of the most common resolutions for a new year is to lose weight. (NOTE: this post is not entirely about weight loss). Of the people who make resolutions, roughly 45 percent (around 100 million folks) vow to lose weight. Is this you? Maybe your resolution is to eat better, exercise, be a better person? Resolutions can be good. On the one hand, striving to better yourself is a great goal. Gyms and yoga studios are packed in January! On the other hand, when March rolls around and the momentum has worn off, how do we get back on track Or stay on track?

Whether or not you make resolutions, a new year is always a good time to take a mental inventory. Do some emotional cleansing. What’s working for you? What patterns are you holding on to? What do you want to let go of? It’s easy to get stuck and feel comfortable. But sometimes the “all or nothing” approach can backfire. For some, taking smaller steps to achieve a goal works better. What has worked best for you in the past? Cold turkey, or easing into it? Honestly, in my years of experience working with clients, the cold turkey jump-right-in approach is more successful, especially when it comes to weight loss or cutting out certain foods (sugar, for example). Sugar has such a drug-like effect on the body that tapering down can actually make cravings worse.

Here are a few tips (I love lists):
1. If you’re looking to lose weight, don’t go the fad route. Avoid the grapefruit diet, the South Beach Diet, and cabbage diet, or the liquid cleanses. These work–temporarily. But you haven’t corrected the underlying cause of your weight gain, or addressed new eating patterns. Although it’s easier said than done (eat less and exercise more), if you’ve tried diets before and failed, consider that stress hormonal imbalances, digestive issues, food allergies, and detox issues can all affect your ability to lose weight. Consulting with a nutritionist can help you identify what foods are right for you (hint: eating too many carbs at breakfast–even oatmeal–can cause you to crave sugar in the evenings), and testing can identify hormonal or digestive issues.

2. Be realistic about setting up a routine. If you’re going to start exercising, starting out running every day might not be the best option. Your body responds best to different types of exercise, and interval training works better than pounding the pavement for hours. Better for your joints, too.

3. Keep a journal for your triumphs and defeats. You can learn a lot about yourself by going back and reading old entries. Also–see how far you’ve progressed!

4. Enlist the help of a buddy — and use him/her for support!

5. Reward yourself when you meet quarter or half way goals. Make it a shopping spree, a short trip, a weekend getaway with friends. Something to look forward to and to keep you on track.

6. Also, remember: it’s not easy, but getting through the first 21 days is the hardest part. It takes that long to break a habit and establish new habits. Regarding weight loss, there is no reason you need to constantly fight cravings. Are you waking up thinking about pasta, cake, cookies, sugar, chips? It could be low serotonin or dopamine. It could be low adrenal hormone levels. It could be a digestive infection, like candida albicans overgrowth. There are many, many physiological reasons that people have cravings and have trouble managing weight. It’s not just a case of low willpower. Find out the underlying reasons for your habits or health concerns.

Happy 2010!

Announcing…. A Weight Loss Program that WORKS!

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Stop Dieting & Start Losing Weight!
Six Weeks to Holistic Weight Loss
with Certified Nutrition Consultants Karen Diggs & Mary Vance

Are you a chronic yo-yo dieter? Do you struggle with cravings? Can’t lose those last 10 pounds no matter what? Do you want to lose weight, have more energy, and look and feel younger?

Be your own success story! Join our 6-session group workshop, lose weight, and finally meet your goals. Our holistic and clinically proven methods will help you discover the physiological and emotional reasons you’re not losing weight, and we’ll put you on the track to success.

How you will benefit from this incredible weight loss program: *Overcome your inability to lose weight!
*Look fabulous and feel great.
*Experience dramatically increased energy and vitality.
*Stop yo-yo dieting and regain control of your body.

What you will receive in this program:
*Learn the 3 secrets to lasting weight loss
*Metabolism and body composition testing
*Handouts, coaching, personal & email support from your nutritionists
*Learn the best types of exercise for weight loss. You’ll be surprised!
*Personalized recommendations for herbal and nutritional supplements that facilitate weight loss (at additional cost).
*Uncover the hidden reasons you’re not losing weight.

Program Info Meeting Dates:
Wednesday evenings at 7pm beginning January 27, 2010.
4 in-person meetings; 2 teleseminars
January 27, February 3, 10 (teleseminar), 17, 24 (teleseminar), March 3

Invest in Your Health: Only $397. Tuition includes six meetings, materials, handouts, recipes, meal plans, metabolism testing, snack demos, and email check-ins.
Location: 450 Sutter St, Union Square, San Francisco
For more information, call 415 921 6699

Lose Those Last 5-10 Pounds

admin — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:56:28 +0000

Losing weight is hard. But look at all your options! Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, countless ephedrine-fueled diet pills, The Special K diet (replace 2 meals with special K cereal. Of course you’ll lose weight–you’re only consuming about 1200 calories daily). The main thing these diets have in common is that they do not address the underlying reason behind the weight gain or inability to shed weight. And they do not change your habits; they merely offer a magic pill or 3 highly refined meals delivered to your door (what happens when you go off the meals, in most cases? You can guess).

The math is pretty easy: you’ll lose weight if you eat less and exercise more, taking in fewer calories than you are burning. But the physiology isn’t always that easy. You may find it difficult to lose weight if you are overly stressed and have high cortisol, low thyroid hormone, bad bacteria overgrowth in your gut, or too many toxins stored in the body from your environment, lifestyle, or food supply. Or you may hit a plateau, meaning you can’t lose those 5-10 pounds. Here are a few tips.

1. Sorry, but you have to exercise. With that said, change up your routine so that your body doesn’t get used to your exercise pattern. Always integrate strength training into your routine for 2-3 days a week–it boosts metabolism and increases bone density. Interval training is very effective. Instead of running 5 miles, try sprinting for 1 minute and jogging for 2 in intervals. Do this only for 30 minutes, and your performance will increase dramatically over jogging at the same pace for an hour. Plus, long term jogging is extremely hard on the joints.

2. Reduce stress. If you have high or low cortisol due to chronic stress, you will have low thyroid hormone, so no matter what you’re doing, you won’t lose weight. Take time each day for meditation/deep breathing/yoga/whatever relaxes you. Consider adaptogenic herbs to boost adrenal hormone levels, which will normalize thyroid. Try a combo of ashwaganda, rhodiola, licorice root, schizandra berry. Also try tyrosine to boost thyroid levels naturally.

3. Correct dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is a fancy way of saying your gut is off balance. We have billions of bacteria living in our intestinal tract: some good, some bad. When the bad overtake the good due to poor diet, antibiotic or birth control use, or too much sugar, it wreaks havoc on your body chemistry and can prevent weight loss. Take a high quality full spectrum probiotic, do an herbal digestive cleanse, and eat more probiotic food: cultured vegetables and krauts, miso, kefir, rejuvelac, kombucha.

4. Remove gluten, dairy, soy for 8 weeks. These are the most common allergenic foods, and if you consume foods to which you are sensitive/allergic, it affects everything from hormone balance to gut ecology (see above), sabotaging weight loss efforts. If you’re really feeling adventurous, cut out refined sugar for this period too. You’ll be amazed by how much your energy will increase. Your cells need glucose to function, but too much is stored as fat.

5. Try a 2-3 week liver cleanse. Your body stores toxins in your fat cells to protect your organs (smart!), and when these toxins build up, you cannot shed weight because your body knows when the weight comes off, the toxins will recirculate in the blood stream, and you’ll feel crappy. If you’re very toxic, you’ll feel somewhat crappy on a liver cleanse, but this means it’s working! Eliminate gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, coffee, and sugar for 2-3 weeks. Eat seasonal, organic whole foods and lots of leafy greens. Ask me about our detox workshops, or click the workshops tab above for more.

Good luck and stay motivated! Don’t weigh yourself every day–only once a week.

Want Nutrition Consultation?

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:54:23 +0000

Have you been wanting to consult with a nutritionist, but you haven’t found the time, or you’re wondering what is involved?

Are any of these troubling you?

*fatigue
*overweight
*mood swings/depression
*PMS
*headaches
*joint pain
*foggy thinking
*insomnia
*acne or skin irritations

I can help you reduce or even remove these issues from your life–for good!

Or have you been trying to lose weight, embark on a cleanse, or get healthier but just don’t know how to take the first step? Or are you wondering what you should be eating? Would you like to fine tune your diet and receive personalized attention dedicated to improving your health & lifestyle?

Look no further. I have a very exciting free opportunity for you! I have joined forces with certified nutritionist and therapeutic chef Karen Diggs (www.benourishedsf.info). We focus on women’s health, weight loss, and detoxification in our practice. To celebrate our new partnership, I am offering you a 30 MINUTE FREE NUTRITION CONSULT by phone. That’s right, absolutely free.

This offer is valid for the next six weeks. Please contact me (click link) to sign up. All that is required of you is to fill out an introductory questionnaire about your health concerns. Tell your friends and colleagues about this fabulous opportunity. Sign up for your 30 minute free nutrition consult today!