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 | Healthy Alternatives
by
Susie Cooper, ND
Board Certified Doctor of Naturopathy
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Q: I have been struggling with weight loss for many years and have been on everything you can think of, Fen Phen being the most dangerous, but I still am very overweight. Is there anything strong enough to help curb my appetite? A: Weightloss continues to be one of the most challenging areas for most people, especially during middle-age, but is a life-long struggle for others. Natural medicine and a natural diet can offer you many possibilities, not only for weight loss but also for a healthier body in general. "Losing weight" is one thing, but being healthy in the process and in the aftermath, is another thing. Most people who lost weight the wrong way, due to fad diets and strong stimulant/purging formulas, are not going to be healthy in the true sense of the word. Even though they may have lost the desired weight, their body systems could have been significantly stressed due to non-healthy ways of forcing the body into losing those pounds fast. Most of these diets also don't teach you anything about "how to eat," and many people go right back to their previous weight. This then causes more stress on the body, especially as they enter another fad-diet, and the cycle continues.
What happens with the strong stimulant formulas?
The first thing that happens is an over-stimulating effect on glandular systems, especially the adrenals. The heart and cardiovascular system is also affected, often causing shaking, nervousness, restlessness, insomnia (for which people will take sedative formulas, causing a see-saw imbalance from one extreme to the other within a 24 hour period), etc., which is misinterpreted as "energy." This is really a false energy, pushing the adrenal glands in an unnatural manner, which can lead to adrenal-stress, and down the road, adrenal burn-out.
What happens with the strong purging formulas?
The liver gets stimulated to secrete bile, which leads to a powerful purging, or laxative, effect. This effect can cause liver-dependency with prolonged use of these formulas, which is not a good thing. Also, fluid is forced out of the system fast, causing a diuretic effect, which is a good thing if done properly, but improper effects can lead to overburdening kidneys, especially if a person isn't drinking enough water.
The worst formulas of all are the ones which make the claim that you don't have to change your unhealthy diet to still get results. These are geared to stimulating and purging the system in all the manners listed above, with no thought given to the quality of foods to begin with. I have always advised folks to avoid these types of formulas, as they offer an unreal expectation and push the body in a harsh manner.
Healthy alternatives:
* Using foods to aid in fat-burning, fiber/elimination, gentle diuretic support, plus antioxidant protection during the elimination of pounds from the body. (The next article for October will be devoted to details about how to use foods in this manner.)
* Start your weight loss program with a safe and effective cleanse, which will start the process of elimination of toxins/excess fluids, etc., without over-stressing the body. Most people who have chronic weight problems also have chronic constipation problems. Healthy elimination should be 2-3 times per day, anything less than this is considered to be signs of a sluggish bowel which is holding onto too much toxic matter. Starting you program with ways to aid in elimination, without purging, is the best way to begin. Here are some suggestions:
Flax seed fiber - add this to juice, cereals, plain yogurt or in a protein shake. Start with 1 tablespoon and add a little more every few days until you are up to 1/4 cup per day. This increases fiber intake, aiding in removal of toxins from the colon. This alone will start to decrease abdominal size, and aid in digestion, and start to move excess fluids out of the body, too. The reason I prefer flax seed fiber over psyllium seed fiber is that it is more gentle, not causing gas and bloating as much, and contains natural Omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are good oils to protect the body in many ways.
There are several excellent cleansing kits available in health food stores. My favorite ones these days use supporting herbs such as triphala, marshmallow root, slippery elm, ginger root. The newest versions would include a new form of the mineral magnesium combined with a version of sodium, which has been proven to hydrate the bowel, meaning that it helps draw water into the colon to soften stool and helps the bowel to cleanse thoroughly. There is a formula by Lane Labs which contains only the magnesium/sodium formulation, and there is a boxed program by Enzymatic Therapy which includes other supportive nutrients in one 2-week kit, along with magnesium/sodium. Any formula which works with this new magnesium/sodium formulation is not habit-forming, which is very important. Herbs such as cascara sagrada, senna, and even aloe extract can all become habit-forming with long-term use (just like over-the-counter drugstore laxatives), not rebuilding healthy elimination and actually weakening the muscle of the bowel, so I usually recommend these herbs only for occasional use.
* Probiotics -- these are friendly bacteria which live in the small and large intestine. We are born with them. They become depleted over years of poor diet, excess stress or recurrent antibiotics, to name a few. When you cleanse, it is very important to rebuild them. They are important for everything from digestive problems/food sensitivities, excess constipation or diarrhea (especially important for rebalancing IBS or spastic colon) and immune system support, to energy. Choose an enteric-coated type which assures you that the most of the formula gets into the small intestine, bypassing stomach acids. Also, choose one which contains more than just Acidophilus alone, which is only one of the many necessary friendly bacteria needed.
* Liquid Chlorophyll - greens, or chorophyll-rich plant extracts, speed up the removal of toxic waste from the body, and alkalinize (countering excess acidity) organs and bloodstream. Most people don't eat nearly enough greens daily anyway (3-5 servings of dark, green leafy vegetables are recommended per day, and no, this doesn't include the lettuce on your fast-food cheeseburger!)
* Water -- I can't say enough about drinking plenty of clean water each day
in general, but especially when cleansing. Drinking 6-10 glasses of water
per day literally washes away debris from the system, aids in further
hydrating the bowel to help with easy elimination, keeps the skin glowing
and healthy, and also helps to flush retained fluid from the body. You have
to drink water in, to flush excess water out. Choose high quality well
water, filtered or spring water. (Several home water-purification systems
are very good) Distilled is very good also during the cleanse itself.
Eliminate tap water, which contains unacceptable amounts of debris and
chlorine.
More next month on foods for weight loss, and supplements to help with fat-burning, metabolism, appetite control, and more.
©Copyright
2003 by AlternativeApproaches.com
Susie Cooper ND, earned her Doctor of Naturopathy diploma in 2001, and is board certified. Susie has taught workshops in homeopathy, herbal medicine and nutrition in North Carolina for many years. She now teaches all her workshops in her shop, Blue Mountain Herbs & Supplements, 141 W. Main St., in beautiful Pilot Mountain, NC, where she may be contacted at (336) 368-5955.
The
information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or
prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational
support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health
practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.
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