Holistic Nutrition Bytes » weight loss

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!

Life-Changing Opportunity

admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:09:46 +0000

Do you want to feel better? Are you fatigued, stressed, overweight? Struggling with allergies, PMS, or digestive troubles? Read a lot about liver cleansing/full body detox on this blog and curious about how to get started on your own?

This opportunity is for you! My colleague Karen (www.benourishedsf.info) and I are now running group detox workshops! Below is the announcement. If you are not in the San Francisco Bay Area, you have the option to run the cleanse from wherever you are, because we will be offering a conference call or webinar option for those who cannot make the classes.

Cleanses can be life-changing and can open you up to good health in amazing ways. The cleanse lasts for 21 days. Cost $125. Call 415-786-7938 for info, or visit www.benourishedsf.info (click detox workshop) for easy online sign-up.

clarity can be yours

PROGRAM DETAILS
Dates: Wednesday evenings,
May 13, May 20 & June 3, 2009
Time: 7-9pm
Location:
Nandi Yoga, 309 8th Avenue
San Mateo, CA
94401
www.nandiyoga.com
Registration:
$125 by May 1
$145 after May 1
Space is limited, so register now!

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES

• Before & After Total Body composition assessment ($50 value)

• Three group meetings led by Certified Nutritionists Mary Vance and Karen Diggs

• Carefully planned menus with delicious recipes

• Invaluable handouts, tips, information, and support

• How to transition from your cleanse onto your new healthy eating plan

• E-mail check-ins with your nutritionists

• Healthy snack demonstrations

IN JUST 21 DAYS

• Jump-start yourself to successful weight loss!

• Dramatically improve your energy and vitality

• Reduce food cravings

• Raise your productivity

• Reduce allergy symptoms and skin conditions

Please note that optional but recommended herbal and nutritional supplements and meal replacement shakes that promote detoxification are not included in registration cost.

WHY DETOX?

We are all living in a toxic world. When toxins from our food and environment accumulate in our body, we may feel tired, sick, and overweight.

Internal toxicity increases the risk of degenerative diseases, accelerates the aging process, and increases depression, allergies, and skin reactions.

This detailed and highly effective 21-day detox program is designed to gently and thoroughly flush the excess toxins from your system.

BENEFITS OF DETOX:
• Increased energy & vitality
• Weight loss
• Improve digestion
• Clear skin
• Reduce joint pain
• Ease PMS & menopause symptoms
• Prepare for healthy pregnancy & baby

Weight Loss Fever!

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:45:58 +0000

She has the fever.

Are you feeling the fever? Regardless, spring is right around the corner, and that means tiny clothes and bathing suits. I’m co-teaching a weight loss workshop right now over in Mill Valley, and it’s gotten me excited about the group dynamic. It’s easier than you think to meet your goals.

In the six sections, we cover diet, exercise (over-exercising can prevent weight loss, believe it or not), stress, sleep, digestion, and detox – the 6 key areas to address if you have trouble losing weight or want to get on a weight loss program.

Diet – the basis of the program. We recommend a gluten- and dairy-free diet for the duration of the program, because these are two of the most common allergenic foods. Lots of folks have sensitivities to gluten (the protein found in wheat) that can cause the body to hold onto weight. Even if you’re not sensitive to these foods, it forces you to consume less refined foods (white flour, pasteurized milk, cake, pasta, cookies) in favor of whole foods – good quality proteins along with lots of fruits and veggies. Many of the participants noticed a difference after the first week.

Exercise – we are lucky to have a physical therapist participating in the workshop series, and she covers the proper exercise for each individual’s physiology. The wrong types of exercise can drive hormone levels out of balance, causing weight loss resistance. Too much exercise can create excess free radical damage, the opposite of what we want to achieve, since free radical damage causes aging. Restorative exercise, proper form, and proper balance of cardio and strength are important factors. Interval training is very effective.

Stress – the cause of all human health problems. Stress raises cortisol levels, causing you to store more fat around the abdominal area. High cortisol also causes inflammation, pain, lowered immunity, unstable blood sugar (read: cravings!), and even bone loss.

Sleep – you know how you feel when you don’t get a good night’s sleep? Tired, groggy, unable to exercise and prone to cravings. If your cortisol levels are too high at night, it can affect your sleep. It turns out even one night of little or no sleep can seriously impair performance, as shown in several studies. Chronic sleep deprivation due to the inability to stay asleep or sleep enough hours can lead to insulin resistance because of high cortisol.

Digestion – the cornerstone of good health. If you’re not digesting well, you’re not absorbing nutrients from your food, so you’ll crave more food until your body gets what it needs. If you’re not absorbing proteins, your body won’t have amino acids, the raw materials from which it makes neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine that regulate mood and cravings. If you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria (candida) you may experience sugar cravings because sugar feeds yeast! Dysbiosis, or imbalance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, can lead to leaky gut, malabsorption, and increased food allergies, all of which cause weight gain or weight loss resistance. Balance your inner ecology, heal leaky gut, and restore healthy digestion for successful weight loss.

Detoxification – I’ve honored the liver many times in this blog. Your liver detoxifies your entire body, metabolizes hormones and cholesterol (congested liver = high cholesterol), and aids in blood sugar balance and digestion. An overworked, sluggish liver means a backup of toxins in the body, unbalanced hormones, allergies, headaches, irritability, and weight gain. Toxins cause the body to hold onto weight to buffer the toxic effects. Clearing your liver’s detox pathways can dramatically enhance weight loss.

We’ll be running these workshops every couple months, so contact me for more info if you want to sign up. The class includes total metabolism testing, recipes, individual attention based on your concerns, and group support!

New Year’s Cleansing

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:57:30 +0000

Happy new year, everyone! January is famous of course for resolutions, one of the most popular being weight loss. The start of a new year is a good time to reverse the celebratory eating that the holidays bring, but there are several different ideas to consider.

If you want to lose weight, consider adding a detoxification component into your plan. Toxins from food and chemicals from your environment cause the body to hold onto excess weight, so if you have trouble losing or keeping weight off, or if you suffer from allergies, headaches, PMS, or skin troubles, this could be a good consideration for you.

Do you always feel hungry and deprived when dieting? Don’t beat yourself up: it’s not always a question of willpower. You may be eating foods that are wrong for your physiology, or you may be low in critical neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine) that can lead to weight gain or cravings. Amino acid therapy using 5-HTP, the precursor to serotonin, used together with tyrosine, is effective for weight loss.

Do sugar cravings sabotage your weight loss efforts? Consider a candida cleanse. Yeast or candida overgrowth can cause powerful sugar cravings; after all, sugar feeds yeast, so an overgrowth of this bad bacteria can drive you to crave sugar or refined foods. Aside from sugar (and even alcohol) cravings, do you suffer from frequent yeast infections, bloating, poor immunity, “foggy” thinking, or if you have taken antibiotics or birth control pills, consider a candida cleanse.

Scientists estimate 70% of our population – both men and women – suffer from candida. These infections can proliferate due to weakened immune systems, mineral deficiencies, and acidic blood, conditions that together create an environment where pathogenic yeast and fungi can thrive, causing infections. Eating a poor diet high in refined, processed foods, taking antibiotics or other drugs, drinking alcohol, and parasitic infections can lead to candida overgrowth.

If you suspect you have candida, take the following steps to be yeast free. First off, the diet: remove gluten (bread contains yeast, and removing glutens will reduce intestinal inflammation) and all refined and processed foods (anything in a box!) and sugars from your diet. This should include all fruits and fruit juices and alcohol. Avoid mushrooms (fungus) and tomatoes as well. Pick a time when you feel you’ll have the least temptation. Plan on doing this diet for 3-4 weeks ideally. It’s ideal to add probiotic rich foods like cultured vegetables or kefir and also high quality fats such as coconut oil (has anti-pathogenic qualities), flaxseed, and olive oils. Get plenty of mineral rich leafy greens!

Along with the diet, take an anti-candida supplement that contains all or most of the following: caprylic acid, pau d’arco, berberine, grapefruit seed extract, zinc, biotin, olive leaf extract. In addition, take oregano leaf extract in a tincture or capsule form. Oregano leaf is an ideal candida killer. You can often find it in anti-candida supplements, but I like to take it separately for maximum effectiveness.

You can stay on the supplements for 4-6 weeks, then follow up with a high quality probiotic supplement to help restore a healthy balance of gut flora. Also, try some stress relief: meditation, yoga classes, walking, gardening, whatever relaxes and rejuvenates you.

A word of warning: some people will feel worse before they feel better. If you fee achy, flu-like, or nauseous, you could be reacting to the yeast dying off, which overwhelms your body and your liver. Try a liver support tincture or cut the supplements in half or stop them and gradually start back up again. Imagine it – you could be a different person by February! Free from cravings and on your way to losing all the weight you want.