CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE...
A) ADDICTION
B) ALOPECIA (HAIR LOSS)
C) ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
D) CANCER
E) DIABETES
F) FIBROMYALGIA
G) VAGAL NERVE STIMULATION
H) WEIGHT LOSS
A) A D D I C T I O N
Addiction is sometimes confused with dependence, most commonly in a pain management setting. And many chronic pain patients are undermedicated because their physicians are fearful of them becoming med-seeking, or "addicts." But someone with insulin-dependent diabetes is never considered to be addicted to insulin. Neither should someone being treated for a intractable pain condition be considered addicted to an opioid medication, such as methadone, when the drug is prescribed in therapeutic doses and supportive psychotherapy is delivered. So we need to distinguish between addiction and dependence. Until a better definition of addiction is formulated, I use the following:
Definition: The continued use of a substance or engagement in a specific behavior despite adverse physical or mental health consequences.
A very reliable indicator of addiction is a patient's rejection of an alternative to the taking of a substance: in his or her mind, nothing else is going to help, even though the alternative has helped others.
Surely it is insane to harm self. But what authority can we trust to determine if something we do is harmful? The marijuana user will understandably argue for the apparent benefits he or she experiences because the number of events and time between cause and effect is too great for the addict to make the connection between the two.
We may reject a good doctor's warning, and we may even disagree with a recovering addict that has come to learn the facts about a drug through great loss and suffering; but we cannot argue with our organs. For example, if the immunosuppressive effects of THC are predisposing you to some health problem--no matter how unrelated it appears--and you continue to use the weed, you are addicted. But you say that you only smoke it on weekends...to relax. Sorry, episodic use of a substance for the purpose of self-medicating a negative feeling at the cost of physical and mental health is addict behavior. Mentally healthy people learn to cope with stress.
Another instance is prolonged liver enzyme induction secondary to excessive alcohol use that has resulted in an abnormal blood profile, and the liver is becoming sclerotic, despite feelings of well-being. The following path applies not only to addicts but to all of us in some way. Notice that thoughts produce feelings:
(1) Experience > (2) faulty interpretation of the experience > (3) resultant belief > (4) thinking shaped by the erroneous belief > (5) ensuing feeling > (6) negative behavior (if governed by feelings) > (7) consequences > (8) blaming > (9) emotional and spiritual maturation arrested > (10) misery and predisposition to repeating the negative behavior.
The cycle formed, step six through 10, can be broken by entanglement with the criminal justice system; but upon release--if assistance is not provided to rightly interpret step 2--relapse is inevitable, sooner or later. For if the belief is unchanged, neither is the individual.
Here is a crude but good example of challenging an irrational belief, proffered by some member of the thinking minority:
If you think you are a smoker, you are not. It is the cigarette that smokes. You are merely the sucker at the other end.
Non-smokers will appreciate the humor, but the reality is grave.
Relapse: phrases like "falling off the wagon," "slipping-up," and "had a setback" all refer to negative behavior. But relapse in any type of addiction usually begins long before the actual act of using a substance that is problematic to the user. Ego mechanisms of defense--chief among which are denial, minimization, intellectualization, and rationalization--accompany erratic behavior that precedes relapse.
The most destruction of all ego defenses in this writer's opinion is rationalization, which internally enables the addict to continue self-destructive behavior with perpetuated irrational beliefs. The chameleon-like politically correct system of human-degrading communism is responsible for more deaths than all the diseases combined in the last century, and depends chiefly on man's ability to justify his practice of immorality to achieve a supposedly better end. Only by means of rationalization can the said theory of macro evolution be taught as fact without any sense of guilt. I add these points because man's increasing use of chemicals corresponds with the rising tide of "progressive" thinking, his compulsion to press on without a moral compass and rely solely on self to escape intolerable repetition, no matter how wholesome a state is enjoyed.
Choice of Therapist: Many in the field of addiction treatment argue that only a "recovering" therapist is able to address the needs of the addict patient. Unfortunately, many people seeking help for themselves or loved ones believe this statement to be true. While a recovering credentialed therapist that has developed skills to maintain enduring sobriety may relate best to an active addict, a broad knowledge of human psychology in addition to familiarity with the contributions in the addiction counseling profession is required for an accurate diagnosis, crisis intervention, delivery of comprehensive psychotherapy, and good long-term prognosis. All addicts can be "dually diagnosed," since the psychological and psychiatric etiology is intimately related to the self-medicating behavior. Fortunately, the once abysmal gap between the field of addictions and the field of mental health has begun to narrow.
Spirituality. What is being passed off as spirituality today is nothing short of incredible. Initially, the 12 steps of AA saved millions from premature death and spared their families from the ineffable heartbreak of helplessly watching alcoholism destroy life, without regard for race, age, gender or color. The 12 step program was globally embraced and continued to be used only because it proved highly effective. Now, many professionals that treat addiction seek other treatment approaches, complaining that "it no longer works."
What no longer works is the mindset that departed from the clear intent of what pioneers Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob helped frame as the Biblical, Spiritual Power behind the 12 steps. Just as medicine with the active ingredient removed is ineffective, so are the 12 steps misguided and palliative without Christ as the Higher Power, Whose name was unequivocally euphemized as the Higher Power.
Man's Higher Power must be higher than man and possess genuine power to uplift someone, such as when in the process of "falling off the wagon"; otherwise, the addict is left to depend on something no higher than what is stored in his head or the heads of other addicts. He cannot be higher than himself. If he regards his meeting group or sponsor as his higher power, who will help him cope with powerful temptation when he smells booze walking past a bar late at night? No matter how well-intended, not even inculcation with the most profound teaching is of any value if the higher power is a half-baked concept, invented by some distinguished academician. No, abstaining from materialism or meditating on a feel-good concept does not make anyone spiritual, neither does chanting some harmonious sound or engaging in an elaborate ritual.
And learning to sustain a respiratory rate of 1-2 breaths/minute on a mountain top, depriving the brain of oxygen and glucose until you hallucinate (which adherents interpret as achieving a religious experience), does not make you spiritual. Don't believe everything you hear: that kind of schizotypal mentation actually shortens your life span.
Finally, smoking a weed that turns you into a pseudo philosopher, increases prolactin levels and causes males to grow breasts!, compromises the immune system that controls neoplasm (tumors, cancer), and reverses plasticity in the frontal lobe to lower IQ is absolutely antithetical to genuine spirituality.
Definition: This writer defines spirituality as the act of engaging in a personal relationship with an Spirit Being.
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B) ALOPECIA (HAIR LOSS)
Male pattern baldness is accelerated during the winter months, when blood supply to the scalp is decreased, especially during the night. Without a good blood supply to nourish hair roots, their general health is affected and life expectancy shortened. Remember that as heat draws blood to tissue (redness of skin), so coldness causes capillaries to constrict and restricts peripheral blood blow in tissue (blanched skin). Since a significant amount of body heat is lost through the scalp, folks that are genetically predisposed to early hair lass may slow down the process by wearing a night cap, such as folks wore in 'auld tymes'.
Rogaine (Minoxidil) is now available without a doctor's prescription. But be warned that upon ceasing to routinely apply this medication, hair loss is always dramatic; and the user often ends may up worse off than when starting to use the product. In such case, the impact of hair loss on emotions is magnified; since the user is not afforded time to psychologically adjust to the hair loss.
Electrodermal stimulation, running a dense-disperse wave with multiple electrodes, delivered daily for six weeks then tapered to bi-weekly may be a good alternative; since the treatment relies chiefly on natural processes.
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C) ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
There is growing evidence that a diet promoting elevation of ketones can actually reverse Alzheimer's, even in the more aggressive, advanced early onset type. 60% of coconut oil provides the precursors necessary for the formation of ketone bodies in humans. But no more than two tablespoonfuls a day is tolerated without side-effects. A new drug is being developed to provide the ketones.
The benefits of consuming foods that elevate serum cholesterol to produce ketones in the Alzheimer's patient outweigh the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially since medicine is available to control the "bad" cholesterol.
In clinical studies, seizure disorders have also been ameliorated by intake of such fatty foods.
A prophylactic against Alzheimer's, including dementia, multiple Sclerosis, and other neurodegenerative disorders is daily intake of flaxseed oil, a source of Omega-3 safer than that found in fish oil. The incidence of Alzheimer's among those with a history of traumatic brain injury is high, so it is prudent for such folks to supplement their diet with flaxseed oil.
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D) C A N C E R
No disease seems quite as merciless as cancer, of any type. But some cancers can be arrested, even reversed.
Chemotherapy. Some good news for patients receiving chemotherapy: healthy cells in mice were found to be protected from damage when the animals were starved for a few days before undergoing treatment. Healthy cells deprived of nourishment were observed to become more resistant to stress and ceased to divide (multiply), which undermined the capacity of malignant tumor cells to metastacize. Chemotherapy targets cells that are dividing. Moreover, the common side effects of hair loss and debilitating nausea and anemia may be minimized or prevented, allowing use of more potent medications. The study was published in the April edition (2008) of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Prostate Cancer. Scientists at Merk & Co., the giant pharmaceutical company, were so confident that their antiinflammatory medication, Vioxx (now taken off the market due to a rare side effect), would one day be remembered in oncology circles as a very effective anti-cancer drug that the company enrolled 15,000 men over the age of 50 for a five-year placebo controlled study to show that prostate cancer could be prevented, even starved to death. Each volunteer received $25 for every medical exam and $100 per biopsy. Giant companies do not invest large sums of money to obtain FDA approval for an indication without good anecdotal evidence of efficacy in the treatment.
Most insightful urologists concur that testing for prostate cancer in men age 75 and older does more harm than good. Exercise is an excellent prophylactic against this form of cancer; it is also helpful in reducing an enlarged prostate. PSA readings are expected to be higher in cases of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). A high rate of acceleration in PSA production and whether 25% or more of it is protein bound are more meaningful than the total count. Men who live sedentary lives, especially those especially prone to inflammatory conditions, can expect their PSA levels to exceed 4.0, which itself is no cause for alarm. Prostate cancer has been found in men with PSA levels of 2.0 and below. If a hard spot is palpated during a rectal examination and PSA is elevated, the diagnosis is academic.
We know that cancer needs blood to survive and grow. So any pro-inflammatory agent may well be regarded as an enemy of the individual afflicted with cancer. With that knowledge, victims of this most dreaded disease can take heart in knowing that they are no longer helpless. But the enemies of the body afflicted with cancer include some otherwise important nutrients, chief among them are three B vitamins, B12, B6, and folic acid, which help normalize toxic homocystiene levels in the bloodstream by converting it to methionine, a useful amino acid. Unfortunately use of these vitamins to help arteries maintain smooth walls to prevent cholesterol forming (on rough surfaces) and promoting angiogenesis--particularly important for athletes and pregnant women--also helps feed cancer.
Stimulants generally strengthen the body's immune system, that liquid organ which plays a major role in defining sleep architecture and mediating resistance to disease. I see no option for anyone fighting cancer but to avoid anything that can be classified as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. And although depressants suppress the immune system and stimulants bolster it, a prescription for a CNS stimulant is also contraindicated for cancer.
Tilting the balance in favor of the cancer victim is not without challenge: use of a stimulant indeed musters immunity, but stimulants are also pro-inflammatory and therefore help nourish cancer; besides, stimulants also place added stress on cardiac valves, which is irreversible. Moreover, if the person with cancer suffers an autoimmune disorder, like arthritis then fortifying immunity exacerbates the condition and adds another layer of pain that may already be severe (and depressing!). So ought we counter the use of stimulants with narcotics, drugs of the morphine type? I think not. Narcotic medication depresses the CNS, which translates to suppressing one's immune system that fights cancerous neoplasm.
Now being aware of the importance of maintaining an aggressive immune system in a body fighting cancer yet prescribing a known and therefore contraindicated carcinogenic and immunosuppressive agent, such as marijuana, surely constitutes insanity in any thinking person's mind. A few short years ago, writing a script for government grade THC (Dronabonil) in oncology would have amounted to medical malpractice, even patient abuse, and in my estimation conduct that borders on slow euthenasia. How far we have slipped! The benefit of using psychoactive marijuana as an anti-emitic (or anything else) is exceedingly outweighed by the increased threat to the cancer patient's life. Much safer and efficacious anti-emitics and appetite boosters are available. Of course, if the malignant condition is unquestionably terminal, concern about the safety of the drug is moot. Why degenerative schizotypal mentation is so pervasive in California--so ready to lead the way in anything unwholesome, such as legalization of marijuana--is a matter begging the critical attention of scientific researchers in the mental health field.
We must conclude that inhibiting blood supply to affected tissue is the sanest approach we have today for combating cancer. As I did for autoimmune disorders, I will post a list of "Friends" and "Foes" for cancer as soon as time permits. For now, let the interested reader make note of L-Tyrosine and foods rich in content of this amino acid: Tyrosine is a particularly insidious enemy of anyone diagnosed with melanoma (Braverman & Pfeiffer). Any CNS depressant (analgesics, hypnotics, tranquilizers) and vitamins B12, B6, folic acid, prolonged anxiety and chronic sleep deprivation round up the leading foes. Colloidal calcium, vitamin D, bioflavanoids, plant derived magnesium, laughter, and consolatory religious faith are among your best friends.
STRESS MANAGEMENT
Supportive psychotherapy. That oncologists so rarely refer their shocked patients and family members for supporting counseling is indeed saddening. Protracted anxiety can cause the body to deplete vital stress hormones and psychological depression is well documented to dangerously compromise the immune system. The mental health field is rife with New Age concepts, depending on reification and care of the so-called "inner child." But delivery of adjunctive stress management by a sober therapist can improve the prognosis of the cancer patient from uncertain to favorable. Psychophysiological Response Therapy (a variant of biofeedback therapy) is a powerful treatment modality that objectively helps restore emotional equilibrium, thus removing somatoform elements that impede healing.
TAYLOR'S PRACTICAL DEFINITION OF ANXIETY: THE PERCEIVED INABILITY TO COPE WITH UNCERTAINTY.
ALTERNATIVE/COMPLIMENTARY MEDICINE
Photoluminescence Therapy. Many outrageous claims have been made by practitioners of alternative medicine, also known as complimentary medicine. But among the weeds you can always find a flower or two. Photoluminescence therapy (PLT) may be one such flower. In PLT, a portion of the subject's blood is taken from the body, placed under ultraviolet light then injected back into the body. As a result, the immune system is vitally reorganized. Because the procedure for PLT is simple and cheap, research dollars are tragically being directed toward more profitable (and usually palliative) therapies. If your doctor is keeping up with the research literature and sufficiently open-minded, you may ask him or her about a trial of PLT, which some clinicians report dramatic results when delivering intervention for a variety of cancers, AIDS, systemic viral and fungal infection and a number of other diseases.
Acupuncture. So prevalent is the melding of New Age delusion with Acupuncture that many mainstream practitioners understandably shy from referring patients for this type of therapy. But it is proverbially unwise to throw the baby out with the bathwater. A skilled and experienced acupuncturist may well be able to help the body cure itself. Using a traditional Chinese treatment plan for the common cold, I once cured myself of the flu! I was truly surprised when my sneezing stopped, nose stopped running, eyes stopped watering, and gums and joints stopped aching, all in less than two hours. For a moment I thought I had found a quick remedy for the most common infection. But alas, even though I precisely recorded the approximately 40 meridian points I used, I was never able to replicate my success. Never in my life had I suffered less than 10-12 days with a cold or flu.
The more I study FM, the more I am persuaded that people who meet the criteria for a diagnosis of this disorder chronically suffer non-restorative sleep architecture. In healthy subjects, most of high amplitude/slow wave (delta) sleep occurs in the first half of the night, so that the cooling of the brain can trigger release of special neurohormones that work like a maintenance crew in the second half of the night. In the second half, most of paralytic REM sleep occurs, which is the only time during the five stages of sleep that muscles fully relax and allow the maintenance crew to do its work. Picture a sponge that is squeezed and placed under a tap: without releasing the tension, water cannot fully access the deeper part. FM patients dream mostly in the first half of the night, the opposite of what follows in regenerative sleep. Many sleep medications are non-restorative, despite their ability to knock you out for 10 hours; and typically benzodiazepines negatively affect short-term memory.
Anyone who has suffered a bout of serious jet lag, such as when crossing several time zones flying East, can get an idea of what folks with FM endure: perpetual jet lag that often impacts how people respond in relationships.
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E) D I A B E T E S
It's official: Diabetes is now curable through weight loss.
Glucose damages capillaries, which then fail to nourish nerves endings. Following the usual diabetic neuropathy, the person loses feeling in the extremeties, such as the toes. Without distal sensitivity, injuries are easily overlooked. Gangrene leads to amputation, and diabetics just don't heal well. If they are smokers, they often lose the limb.
One very effective treatment for wound care is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO). A few years ago, a dear friend of mine was scheduled for limb amputation, after repeated debriding that failed to heal. He called on me for support. I recommended a second opinion. He said he had already obtained three. I then referred him for HBO Tx. His surgeon allowed three days. The wound began to dramatically heal. Two years later, he still had both legs and ambulated without any abnormality in gait. But I noticed he was still smoking. No amount of pleading or persuasion could move him to respect his body. He died a year later from heart failure. Despite genuine care for his family and friends, he simply cared more for his cigarettes.
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F) F I B R O M Y A L G I A
The more I study FM, the more I am persuaded that people who meet the criteria for a diagnosis of this disorder chronically suffer non-restorative sleep architecture. In healthy subjects, most of high amplitude/slow wave (delta) sleep occurs in the first half of the night, so that the cooling of the brain can trigger release of special neurohormones that work like a maintenance crew in the second half of the night. In the latter half, most of paralytic REM sleep occurs, which is the only time during the five stages of sleep that muscles fully relax and allow the maintenance crew to do its work. Picture a sponge that is squeezed and placed under a tap: without releasing the tension, water cannot fully access the deeper part. FM patients dream mostly in the first half of the night, the opposite of what follows in regenerative sleep. Many sleep medications are non-restorative, despite their ability to knock you out for 10 hours; and typically benzodiazepines negatively affect short-term memory.
Anyone who has suffered a bout of serious jet lag, such as when crossing several time zones flying East, can get an idea of what folks with FM endure: perpetual jet lag that often impacts how people respond in relationships.
One observation I have made in my practice regarding fibromyalgia is that the achy condition never appears to affect aggressive individuals: only the nicest people seem to be capable of being afflicted. Repressed anger?
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G) V A G A L N E R V E S T I M U L A T I O N ( V N S )
In 1999, the author developed a means of eliciting parasympathetic nerve system response by superficially stimulating the vagus nerve (VN), proximal to the carotid artery in the neck (left side). Intensity of current delivered (square wave with a negative spike, 0.4 ms-0.7 ms) was observed to be more significant when measuring physiological changes than the type of waveform or pulse frequency: continuous, intermittent, dense disperse, and waves with steady ramping at frequencies between 6Hz and 32 Hz. Fluidity of salivation and mild miosis were noted. Decreased RR, peripheral vasodilatation, increased skin temperature, and a rapid drop in HR were recorded with the J&J I-410 thermal sensor, pneumograph, and photoelectric plethysmograph. The most dramatic change was a drop in HR, which fell 10 bpm in < less 20 seconds. Statistically significant changes in physiological response were recorded without pattern or consistency--5 in every 12 treatments (41%); but the inconsistency may be attributed to the difficulty experienced in specific electrode placement.
Devising a means of holding the dual electrodes in place remained a challenge. Neither a circular padded collar nor use of a velcro strap with foam pillow were accommodating. Accurate placement of the poles in the non-invasive procedure is critical to obtaining the therapeutic response. Palpation of the carotid area was found to be an unreliable method for consistently identifying the target VN site.
VNS implants are used in cases of intractable seizures and major depressive illness, and patients with anxiety disorder tend to suffer complications from post-surgical scar tissue development. sVNS is non-invasive and may have the potential of offering a more practical means of quieting or balancing the autonomic nervous system of subjects suffering chronic SNS hyperarousal, which is associated with inflammation in many autoimmune disorders. Other diseases exacerbated by anxiety, such as hepatitis, may also be ameliorated by prophylactic doses of sVNS. The therapy might be delivered by an office trained family member. To date, the investigation of sVNS has been limited to self-administration, due to lack of resources and required FDA approval for formal study of population sampling. The clinician working in the trenches is afforded no such luxury as free time for developing new technology or access to funding for lab study. It is hoped that others in position to conduct clinical trials in this field will become interested in what may be a very effective approach for inducing spontaneous relaxation through sVNS.
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H) W E I G H T L O S S
Americans are unique in more ways than one. They have become the fattest people on the planet. So severe is the problem of obesity that it is now the exception to see a person that is not overweight in the US.
The chief cause of obesity is not "junk food" but lack of emotional maturity. Blaming food for weight gain is like blaming a gun for the crime and not the criminal. We are a nation of people that do not wish to take responsibility for our behavior. The ability to delay gratification is an adult coping skill, one of the few things that separate us from behaving like children. Offer a child a choice between eating dessert and eating a nourishing meal...between playing and doing homework...between being paid first for, say, cutting the grass, or cutting the grass and then getting paid. If not for the parental-like employer, most American employees would opt for a paycheck first as evidenced by the rampant credit card debt.
Obesity is virtually a sure-fire way of developing diabetes. So naturally weight loss is a "cure" for this very dangerous disorder.
Never in human history have children been obese, save when an untreated medical condition like hyopthyroidism is the cause. Controlling the behavior of self-medicating negative feelings with processed, starchy, high-glycemic index carbohydrates and starchy foods requires a balance of emotional and spiritual maturation.
Myth: You should not exercise after a meal.
Fact: Unless you have gorged yourself to a gut-rupturing level, cardiovascular exercise--almost any activity that causes you to breath at an accelerated but constant rate--immediately after consuming a meal will give you a better return for your effort. Move...before the glucose is converted to triglycerides and insulin unlocks the lipid cells to store the unused energy source as fat. You will need to work five to 10 times harder in order to lose weight after the rise is blood sugar is converted to fat.
Myth: walking is a good way of burning up stored fat.
Fact: Going for a stroll is wonderful, but you would need to walk 20 miles every day to noticeably lose weight. Even then, you would lose an inch around the waist mainly because you are walking and not eating more. I have never known anyone to lose weight by going for a pleasant walk, an hour or so after dinner. Besides, if you eat junk food, especially sweets, you cannot expect results. Athletes that routinely train hard can get away with eating products made with flour and sugar. Some folks with an anxiety disorder, like OCPDs, who medicate themselves with excessive work or study, also can eat "fast food."
Myth: If I strictly follow my diet for six days, I can eat anything I want one day a week.
Fact: This belief implores failure, since cravings are perpetuated by maintaining regular familiarity with problematic food. If you self-medicate stress with a particular substance and relapse periodically, expect yourself to be discouraged by lack of success in losing weight. Imagine an alcoholic recovering from related problems by limiting his intake of ethanol to once a week.
Myth: Chromium Picolinate is an effective "fat burner."
Fact: No reliable clinical study has shown this claim to be true. And I have not known anyone to lose any noticeable weight investing in so-called fat-burners. Companies without a conscience also peddle topical preparations.
Myth: Nutritional protein bars sold by popular weight loss programs are helpful.
Fact: Very rarely do people lose weight using these products, and I am utterly amazed whenever they do lose a pound or two; since all the deceptively labeled bars I examined were loaded with sugar, an antinutrient that leaches the liver of nutrition, which in turn signals the brain to crave for nutrition, which the brain interprets as need to eat more. Most weight loss companies engage in marketing practices that make the typical used car salesmen look honest. For example, the folded flap on a Slim Fast bar appears to indicate that the contents are nutritious. But hidden under the flap is a list of the actual ingredients. The FDA regulate that the ingredients in any food product must be listed by volume. I counted six different types of sugars in a Slim Fast bar, and the first ingredient was...sugar!
After the FDA required food labels to list the ingredients by volume and sugar became a negative term, attorney's hired by food manufacturers cleverly devised a means of disguising the ingredients, placing brackets around "enriched" foods, which contain "less than 2% of RDA." Less than 2% is practically nothing. And less than 2% could be anything above a minute trace! As a result, consumers were (still are) deceived into believing that the sugar listed is not the second ingredient. Among other names for sugar are sucrose, fructose, honey (as if not fattening), corn syrup, corn starch, modified food starch, maltose, dextrose, disacharride, and "other carbohydrates."
Myth: Just two spoonfuls of sugar in my coffee every morning is OK.
Fact: Not if you are obese. Take a glass jar and fill it with 60 teaspoons of sugar. Where do you think all that unused energy source will go every month after being converted to glucose in your bloodstream? Refined sugar is also acts as an antinutrient, and thereby causes cravings for nutrition, which the brain interprets as hunger. Don't torture yourself.
Myth: A good diet is the best way to achieve and maintain healthy weight.
Fact: Initially, changing what you eat is the only safe way to lose unwanted pounds; since most obese people are unable to exercise. What you eat is more important than how much you eat. The simplest yet an effective way to lose weight is to eliminate all flour-based products and sugar from your diet. Learning to associate the negative consequences of eating or drinking a particular substance with the sight, smell and taste of it actually modifies the way the brain works. Once belief is affected, thoughts that elicit feelings lead to permenant change in the behavior. Most folks need professional assistance to achieve the latter. We change habits not because of what we learn but what we feel... experience.
Myth: Even though I am obese, I can still be a loving person.
Fact: This kind of thinking guarantees obesity, diabetes, and premature death. I find it hard to swallow that anyone willing to risk suffering a life-threatening disease that is related to obesity--such as diabetes or cancer--can honestly say he or she cares much for others or self. Placing someone who loves you at risk for the heart-breaking experience of attending your funeral is hardly an act of love.
Myth: Weight loss program advertisements that guarantee you will lose 15 lbs in two weeks are safe.
Fact: Such claims are legally dishonest and dangerous if you weigh less than about 300 lbs. The endocrine system is stressed, even damaged, if weight is lost too rapidly. Most of the weight lost by morbidly obese individuals in the first weeks is retained water. Rapid weight loss also causes harmful slowing of metabolism. The faster the weight loss, the sooner you will put it back on. Notice such ads do not guarantee you will lose 15 lbs of fat. When you approach your ideal weight, you need to focus on inches and not pounds; for as fat is replaced by muscle--which is denser--your size will shrink without much change in weight.
Myth: Cutting back on fatty foods will help me lose weight and lower my cholesterol.
Fact: As a general rule, fat causes cholesterol, unused carbohydrates cause fat, and protein only causes weight gain in the form of increased muscle tissue if you visit the gym several times a week. Only 1/3 of cholesterol comes from diet; the body makes the rest from which to make steroids in people suffering an anxiety disorder or chronic stress.
Myth: If I skip meals, I'll lose weight faster.
Fact: Extending the amount of time between eating slows down metabolic rate and causes your body to hoard. Eating once a day, especially if you only eat in the evening (then immediately become a couch potato), can actually cause weight gain. Eating a piece of high fiber fruit or fresh vegetable every 45 minutes or so between meals--that exclude anything made from flour or sugar, even honey--will serve as kindling to keep your metabolism fired up. Be warned that even a fresh potato is equivalent to 1/3 cup of sugar in the blood.
If you are obese, picture yourself as a big log that frequently needs kindling to maintain a flame and burn down that log. On embers, the log just smolders...until the next meal. Another analogy would be to look at yourself as a big, elastic car: if you fill 'er up and don't go for a drive, the car will only get bigger.
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This page last updated March 5, 2008
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