TO YOUR HEALTH
Weight Loss With Functional Medicine
• Often hungry • Light-headed and weak with long breaks without food • Tremors and increased appetite during eating; difficulty reaching satiety. Diagnosing high levels of insulin should be done with venous blood (a normal blood test; after levels are determined, monitor- ing can be done with blood from a finger prick), and a glucose tol - erance test. If blood glucose drops too much 2 hours after ingesting the glucose drink, it indicates insulin resistance and its overpro- duction. High levels of insulin or sugar can also be related to high levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, and possibly to a fatty liver. Functional Medicine Approach To Obesity Weight loss and management from a Functional Medicine per - spective involves taking the full picture of the person’s current health status, and using the results of comprehensive testing to address
BY HELENA AMOS, M.AC., L.AC., EURO. PHYSICIAN
The struggle with weight loss and weight control is a deep- ly personal one. From the clinician perspective, I see patients so often who have tried every variation and plan for diet and ex- ercise and still nothing works, leaving patients frustrated and feeling helpless. Why does this happen? Often, the problem is much deeper than can be solved simply by diet and exercise. The fact is obesity is a chronic disease of a metabolic nature that leads to excessive development of fat, which leads to cardiovascu- lar disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease and more. The conventional thinking has largely been that a seden- tary lifestyle and overeating are the main causes of obesity; howev- er, not everyone who overeats and doesn’t exercise is overweight. BMI, or BodyMass Index, is how obesity is typically assessed. This is calculated by weight in kilos divided by height in meters squared. For adults, a person’s BMI is considerednormal or healthy if it falls between 18 to 25; 25 to 30 is the overweight range; low risk obesity falls within 30 to 35; moderate risk fall between 35; and over 40 is considered severely (high risk) obese. And it should be noted these classifications could vary depending on muscle mass with similar height and weight. That’s why BMI is not very reliable as a sole measurement. Lately we also take waist measurements into consideration. Normally, inwomen, this should not exceed 31”; and 37” in men. An example to consider: if a woman has a pear-shaped body, she would not necessarily be obese; but a woman shaped like an apple would be very dangerously ob ese. The Role of Fat (Pun Intended!) As it turns out, fat is a particularly important endocrine organ. When fat builds up on the abdomen, it’s not only immediately be- low the skin surface, but can also be around organs such as the liv- er, stomach, pancreas, etc. The question becomes how much fat is surrounding these organs; excessive internal fat can hinder the activity of these organs. This can lead to: cardiovascular dis- ease; diabetes; hypertension; osteoarthritis; infertility; gout; can- cer; low levels of sex hormones (progesterone, estradiol, testos- terone); and can even reduce life expectancy by up to 12 years. With this information, obesity is now considered to be a hormonal metabolicdisease,withcauses attributed to: 1) lowsecretionof fat burn - ing hormones; 2) low level of vitamins and microelements responsible for fat metabolism; 3) high secretion of fat building hormones such as cortisol andinsulin;4) chronicovereating; and5) lowphysical activities. High levels of cortisol and insulin are problematic for weight loss and weight control, among other issues. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Under stress, in small dosages, it acts as a fat burning substance; however, during chronic stress, it creates fat expansion, particular- ly around the waist. Insulin is a hormone required for absorption of glucose into the cells. Increasing waist measurements by even half an inch means you will require more insulin to perform the same amount of work, and over time, cells become resistant to insulin receptors. So, the key doesn’t fit the lock. As a result, glucose cannot penetrate those cells starving for energy, and extra glucose built up in the blood turns into fat tissue. Extra insulin creates all kinds of inflammation and growths such as cysts, skin tags, even tumors and cancerous growths. Following are the clinical signs of high insulin level: • Hyperpigmentation of elbows, underarms, creases, back of the neck • Ability to pinch greater than 1 inch of skin • Sweet cravings
the dangerous insulin levels, as well as the other contributing fac- tors to the why and how those levels reached the point of high risk and severity. Controlling insulin levels can then be done with prop- er diet and healthy eating habits, as well as with lifestyle chang- es, nutritional & hormonal supplements, and even acupuncture. The first line approach is an appropriate diet and healthy eating and lifestyle routines. Consider the following tips: • Do not skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast can set the body up on an insulin level high for the whole day. Instead, be sure to have a daily breakfast that includes protein and good fat, such as an omelet, yo- gurt, low fat cheese, nuts/nut butters, and lean organic turkey breast and more; for vegans/vegetarians, include a protein powder with full amino acids. • Do not have snacks. Frequent snacking triggers insulin production throughout the day, increasing the opportunity for fat formation. Eat 3 times a day. • Eat complex carbs only during the first part of the day. Your dinner should be protein and good fat, and include low glycemic veggies (there are plenty to choose from!): carrots, greens (spinach, kale, collards, beet), green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and many more.
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PATHWAYS—Summer 21—11
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