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DISORDERS
(Their description, characteristics or symptoms, causes, and complementary or alternative treatments)
Disorder: OBESITY
Description: Obesity is, quite simply, an excess of body fat. The calories we consume that are not needed for immediate energy are stored in the body as fat. The percentage of fat in the body is as important as body weight. Women are designed to carry a higher proportion of fat tissue in their bodies than men do. For healthy women, fat can account for as much as 25% of body weight; 17% is a healthy percentage for men.
Symptoms: Obesity – even moderate overweight – puts undue stress on the back, legs, and internal organs, which can eventually aggravate many physical problems and compromise health. Obesity increases the body’s resistance to insulin and susceptibility to infection, and causes a higher risk for developing diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and other serious health problems. Obese people often suffer psychologically as well as physically.
Incidence: At least one third of Americans are 20 percent or more overweight.
Causes: Poor diet and/or eating habits and a lack of exercise are the most common causes of obesity. Other factors that can lead to obesity include glandular malfunctions, diabetes, hypoglycemia, food sensitivities and/or allergies, emotional tension, boredom, and a simple love of food. An inadequate intake of essential nutrients can result in obesity, because if fat is not easily or adequately burned; it can accumulate in the body.
Treatments: There are three basic approaches to weight management through nutritional supplementation: (1) using diuretic herbs and nutrients to reduce water retention; (2) taking lipotropic vitamins to help reduce cholesterol and fat; and (3) using natural appetite suppressants.
Nutrients:
Supplement Dosage Comments
|
Psyllium |
As directed on label. Always take supplemental fiber separate from other supplements and medications. |
To provide fiber. Gives a full feeling, cutting down hunger pangs. |
|
Chromium Picolinate (Note: People with diabetes who take chromium should be under medical supervision.) |
200-600 mcg. daily |
Reduces sugar cravings by stabilizing the metabolism of simple carbohydrates (sugar). |
|
Essential fatty acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, and salmon oil are good choices |
As directed on label |
Use with a low-fat diet to provide essential fatty acids needed in the body and for appetite control. |
|
Lecithin |
1200 mg. 3 times daily, before meals |
A fat emulsifier; breaks down fat so it can be removed from the body. |
|
Kelp |
1,000-1,500 mg. daily |
Contains balanced minerals and iodine. Aids in weight loss. |
|
Vitamin C with bioflavonoids |
3,000-6,000 mg. daily |
Necessary for normal glandular function. Speeds up a slow metabolism, prompting it to burn more calories. |
|
Plus a multi-vitamin/mineral supplement containing the Daily Values of all essential vitamins and minerals. |
As directed on the label. |
|
Herbs:
 | Alfalfa, corn silk, dandelion, horsetail, and juniper
berries can be used in tea form for their diuretic properties.
| Aloe vera juice improves digestion and cleanses the
digestive tract.
| Cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, green tea and mustard seed
are thermogenic herbs that improve digestion and aid in the metabolism of fat.
| Siberian ginseng aids in moving fluids and nutrients
through the body and reduces the stress of adjusting to new eating habits.
(Caution: Do not use this herb if you have hypoglycemia, high blood pressure,
or a heart disorder.) | |
Recommendations:
| Don’t skip meals. This only intensifies hunger and
food cravings. It is better to eat small but nutritious meals every four hours
throughout the day to keep your metabolism stable, to maintain a full feeling,
and to avoid wide swings in blood sugar.
| Always eat breakfast.
| Make your main meal lunch, not dinner.
| At meals, put less food on your plate, chew slowly,
and stop eating as soon as you are no longer hungry. Don’t wait until you
feel full.
| Eat more complex carbohydrates that also offer protein
such as tofu, lentils, plain baked potatoes, sesame seeds, beans, brown rice,
whole grains, skinless turkey or chicken breast, and whitefish (no shellfish).
Poultry and fish should be broiled or baked, not fried.
| Eat an abundance of low-calorie raw vegetables and
fresh fruits. Low calorie vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, onions, radishes,
spinach and turnips. Low calorie, low-carbohydrate fruits include apples,
cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, and watermelon.
| Have one meal each day that consists entirely of fruit
and vegetables.
| Drink six to eight glasses of liquids daily. Water,
herbal teas, and herbal teas mixed with unsweetened fruit juice are the best
choices.
| If you must eat snacks on occasion to ward off hunger,
chose from the following: | |
Celery and carrot sticks
Low-fat cottage cheese topped with fresh applesauce and walnuts
Sugar-free whole-grain muffins
Freshly made unsalted popcorn
Rice cakes
Watermelon, fresh fruit, or frozen fruit popsicles
Unsweetened low-fat yogurt topped with granola or nuts and fresh fruit.
| The following foods should be consumed in moderation as they are higher in calories: bananas, cherries, corn, figs, grapes, green peas, hominy, pears, pineapple, sweet potatoes, white rice and yams. |
| The following sources of "good" fats that contain essential fatty acids should be consumed in moderation, no more than twice a week: avocados, olives, olive oil, raw nuts and seeds. |
| Avoid the following: |
Fried foods.
Saturated fats.
Animal fat found in butter, cream, gravies, ice cream, mayonnaise, meat, and whole milk.
Sweets, including sodas, pastries, pies, cakes, doughnuts and candy.
White flour products, white rice.
Salt.
Fast food restaurants and junk foods.
Alcohol in any form, including beer and wine.
| Avoid crash dieting. A very low calorie diet causes the metabolism to slow down, resulting in fewer calories being burned. Instead, increase your activity level. |
| Be active. Take a brisk walk every day before breakfast or dinner to burn off fat. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving whenever possible. |
| Include regular aerobic exercise in your daily routine, such as walking, running, bicycling, or swimming; in addition, do exercises for strength and flexibility, such as yoga or stretching. (Note: always consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.) |
| Learn to ride out your food cravings. They last only a few minutes. Try doing something to distract yourself. |
Considerations:
| To lose 1 pound a week (a safe and reasonable goal),
you must eliminate 3500 calories per week from your diet.
| The best way to lose weight and to maintain weight
loss is to adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle.
| Repeated crash dieting is not healthy and can increase
the risk of heart disease. Quick weight loss tends to come back rapidly.
Almost 95% of all crash dieters regain their lost weight within a year and
have to diet all over again.
| Calories derived from fat are more easily converted
into flab than calories from other sources. Only 3% of fat calories are burned
in the digestive process. By contrast, 25% of calories from complex
carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) are burned in the course of
digestion. | |
Vitamin for Life Recommended Regimen and cost:
|
Product No.59618- |
Description |
Comments |
Cost |
|
247-15 |
Fiber – Diettab |
Take as directed on label. |
$5.95/100 |
|
244-15 |
SLKB-6 Formula Capsules |
Contains Kelp, Lecithin, B6 & cider vinegar. Take as directed on label. |
$4.95/100 |
|
941-15 |
Omega 3 Fish Oil 100 mg. Softgels |
Take as directed on label. |
$7.98/100 |
|
239-15 |
Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg. Softgels |
Take as directed on label. |
$8.99/100 |
|
964-15 |
Stresstabs with Zinc |
1 tablet daily. |
$6.99/120 |
|
235-152 |
Citrus bioflavonoid 1000mg. Tabs. |
Take 3 tablets daily in divided doses. |
$4.95/60 |
Sources:
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 2nd Edition
by James F. Balch, M.D. & Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.
Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins, by the Editors of
Prevention Magazine Health Books
