As a society today one of our most challenging health epidemics is obesity. Our children are affected by increasing numbers. Obesity results in numerous other health conditions; high cholesterol and heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes, female hormonal disturbances, musculoskeletal aches and pains, gall stones, depression, just to name a few.

Why this epidemic?

Lack of physical activity and sedentary life style plus over indulgence in high and empty caloric food such as potato chips, cookies and other refined sugar products, and pop.

The solution?

There is no one answer or easy solution to weight loss. As we are unique individuals we need unique ways to combat our issues.

Here I will discuss some criteria you need to be aware of if you want to lose the extra pounds, manage your weight and live a healthy lifestyle.

The key to health management is good nutrition, adequate physical activity and exercise and positive mental attitude. In order for an individual to lose weight energy intake must be less than energy expenditure. This can be done by decreasing calorie intake or by increasing the rate the calories are burned or both.

The psychological component in obesity is related to eating in response to external cues (sight, smell and taste) and stimuli or internal emotional cues, even if the individual is satisfied. There is also the negative stigma that is attaches to being obese. The obese person learns many self-defeating, and self-degrading attitudes. They are led to believe that fat is “bad” in our society, which often leads to a vicious cycle of low self-esteem, depression, over eating for consolation, increased weight, social rejection and further lowering of self-esteem.

Counseling is necessary to change attitudes about being obese and aid in the improvement of self-esteem. It is also crucial to pay attention to emotional issues or a trauma endured by the individual in the past as well as the present issues the individual is dealing with.

There may also be an underlying physiological problem such as hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) or low serotonin levels. Lab tests and temperature charts can be used to assess the thyroid function and a blood sample can be tested for serotonin levels.

For a successful weight loss and management please consider the following:

During a detoxification period (2-3weeks) you will be on a special program eating only whole foods avoiding common food allergens such as dairy, wheat, sugar, and yeast. This can be preceded with a “fasting period” and there are numerous types of "fasts".

It is important to support the liver in this process with the use of nutrients and herbs such as dandelion root and milk thistle. It is also important to improve the process of elimination through the colon and excretion by the kidneys. Deep breathing exercises are important in cleansing the lungs.

Drainage remedies are also important from a cellular perspective in the detoxification and cleansing process. After the 2-3 weeks of "cleansing" and "detoxifying" you can begin to add other food to your diet slowly. This process will take several weeks. The reason for such careful and slow food reintroduction is to identify any food sensitivities.

Despite the hard effort and much dedication this process requires, those who successfully complete it will feel much lighter, more centered and an overall sense of well being.

If this is your first time please consider doing it under the supervision of an ND.

Fallowing this protocol and implementing the beneficial changes mentioned in to your lifestyle you will see results. Please note that this is a slow process and is not a quick fix, give yourself 3-6months to see the beneficial changes and see yourself transform and be all that you can be!