“What’s that you’re eating for lunch?”
“Oh, a 12 oz. ribeye wrapped in bacon with a side of scrambled eggs made with heavy whipping cream.”
“I have a salad with olives, broiled chicken, peppers, covered with virgin olive oil and lemon juice.”
“I’m eating a vegetarian lasagna made with whole wheat noodles and beef flavored tofu.”
“I juiced about 3 pounds of vegetables and fruit, then blended it in my 15 horse powered, titanium bladed, super blender, with a scoop of protein powder and ice.”
“I’m not eating today. I’m on my 2 week liquid fast and cleanse with an anti-parasitic, probiotic, intestine/colon, liver and gallbladder cleanser.”
It’s amazing to think about all the different ways and methods we have tried to lose weight. Many of us have had success to some degree with one approach or another. Just consider the number of pounds you or a family member have lost in the last, oh…..10 years. Probably a whole other you. Which begs the question, would any of these approaches be considered successful?
I know, I know, you’re thinking that for the most part they were, since you lost a considerable amount of weight. But, how successful was this approach, really? How many times did you have to re-do because the weight kept coming back? I can hear some of you staunch supporters of whatever diet saying, “It’s not the diet, I just didn’t continue to eat right.” And that is the real meat of the question. What is eating right? This is the question we will spend some time on after we look at what in the world is causing the weight gain and why some of you couldn’t lose 15 pounds if you were given a year to lose it.
First, let’s look at glandular activity. For some of you flat bellies, this sounds like an excuse we use for why us not so flat bellies are overweight. In actuality, this is the very reason weight loss is so painfully slow that it seems non-existent. In order to metabolize stored fats and utilize consumed protein, fats and carbohydrates, we must have balanced and strong thyroid and adrenal gland function. If these are weakened due to toxicity, lack of nutritional support or continual stress, losing stored fat becomes a daunting if not impossible task, while keeping new fat stores from developing is so stressful we need chocolate ice cream to get through the day. I had a lady come into my office a few years back that had continued a very stringent, low calorie diet for more than a year, walked 5 miles a day and did not lose one pound.
When I perform a hair analysis on an individual it gives me vital information concerning the internal workings of the body. Such as thyroid and adrenal gland function, how well your body is utilizing the glucose (blood sugar), oxidation rating, individual mineral levels and important ratios between certain minerals. Many of my clients are what we call slow oxidizers (slow metabolizers). These are folk that have slow thyroid function and exhausted adrenal glands. In general they have poor energy production at the cellular level and live in a constant state of fatigue. Exercise is a chore that pays little to no dividends when it comes to weight loss and consequently they do not have the stamina to keep up a long term program.
When cellular energy levels are low a person constantly craves what’s known as simple carbohydrates. These are foods that digest quickly and raise blood sugar levels (glucose); the simpler the carb (higher glycemic rating) the higher the glucose levels (the glucose is used as fuel for the cell much like gasoline for the car engine.) As these levels rise, insulin is released into the blood to carry the glucose to the cells. The problem for the slow oxidizer is that the transport system used to get the glucose into the cells does not function properly, creating an energy deficit.
Several operations come into play at this point. Insulin shuts down the release of stored fats for use as energy creating a non-competing environment for the glucose. As long as glucose remains high, insulin stays in the blood trying to get it cleared and into the cells. However, the body will not allow glucose levels to remain high since it causes inflammation resulting in a myriad of health problems. In fact, this report stated: “The study also found that even small amounts of glucose result in “profound inflammation” in these patients.” (Ajay Chaudhari, 2013). Now if the glucose can’t get into the cells the body converts it to fat and stores it, or will dehydrate the body to dilute the blood so the kidneys can filter out the excess resulting in frequent urination.
The scenario above is by far the most common among my weight loss clients, however there are more causes for weight gain than this. A hair analysis gives us a clear picture of what’s happening in the body and the changes that need to take place to correct the mineral imbalances that plague us.
Now let’s get on to the plate shall we?
We are carnivores. We are not cattle, horses, beasts, birds or fish, nor do we live in the garden before the fall of Adam. I say all this to make a point. We are not equipped to breakdown and metabolize raw vegetables (salads, broccoli, carrots, etc.). The chemical bonds between the fiber and nutrients are just too strong for our digestive track. Just look at the animals that live on grass, twigs, bark, etc., you’ll find that they have multiple stomachs or expanded digestive tracts. Heating the veggies begins an enzyme action that weakens and breaks these bonds allowing us to absorb the nutrients. Also, heating the veggies condenses their volume which allows us to eat a lot more of them. In fact, studies show that cooking our veggies provides a greater amount of energy allowing our brains to reach full development (size and neurological capabilities) (Fonseca-Azevedo, 2012). Your plate should be 65% to 70% cooked veggies. Now stop the whining, it will be ok. You can’t continue to do the same things and expect something to change. I heard a preacher say once, “Change changes things.” Oh, and let me say there is no law that’s states you can’t eat veggies for breakfast (gasp!)
Along with the cooked vegetables we need to include a good quality meat, the cleaner the better. If you can’t go out and buy organic beef, buffalo, lamb or wild game, then you must take the extra time to pray over your meal and trust the Lord by faith to take care of what you can’t. If you can’t trust and appreciate what the Lord has provided you, you shouldn’t be eating. There should be enough to take up a third of your plate. If you’ve gotten away from eating meat then my recommendation is to add a little at a time, 2 to 3 oz. three times in a week adding another serving every couple of days until you’re eating meat every day. At this point your stomach acids should have gotten stronger allowing for quicker digestion and less heaviness in the stomach and better taste for meats in general.
The last little space left on the plate is for fats and starches. FINALLY!!!! Something I will actually like! That last little space can be filled with brown rice, maybe a half of a small sweet potato (include lots of real butter) or some dried beans. This probably sounds too good to be true and it is when you consider that we’re talking about a quarter to a half cup per serving of these foods.
I know this doesn’t sound exciting or provocative, but how you prepare these foods and combine them will be up to your particular likes and tastes. Simplify your meal plan, include some mild exercise, work at keeping your blood sugar levels low and consistent and practice some patience and you’ll see that weight loss is not a myth. For those that can’t lose even following these simple steps, it may be beneficial to call my office for a hair test and find out what we need to do to get you balanced and losing weight.