63% of adults attempt to manage their weight every year. They face a daunting task that includes, lack of central regulation, misinformation, aggressive lobbying and marketing from food manufacturers, an endless array of nutritional products, services, diet plans, books and weight management clubs, all promising a quick fix.
WHAT WE DO KNOW
Eat less & exercise more is not the answer.
Allopathic medicines' fascination with the principle that nutrition is simply a matter of balance, therefore gluttony and sloth are to blame, is completely flawed. It is however still the dominant theory in current medical circles, fitness clubs and products.
A calorie is not a calorie
We know today that nutrition is much more about storage, and that what we eat is more important than how much you eat, and if we eat a traditional Western diet, it may well be more important, BUT what we do with what we eat is the key driver. Our bodies treat calories from different foods differently and metabolize them differently.
The role of processed food and refined sugar in particular is an important issue that has to be addressed together with insulin resistance as well as the role of fibre.
Pic 1 - This was part of a Super-Bowl add sponsored by Coca Cola in 2013
Genetics
Genetics play an increasingly important role in the development of personalised weight control strategies.
By reporting on responsiveness to diet and lifestyle interventions,
carbohydrate and saturated fat responsiveness; mono- and poly-unsaturated fat intake; exercise responsiveness, eating behavior's and effect of circadian rhythms, genetics is a powerful tool when customizing nutritional interventions .
Feed your gut.
Your gut health is a fundamental part of any sustainable weight control solution. Everything you eat is either fighting disease or contributing to it. We have 10 trillion cells in our body but 100 trillion bacteria, they outnumber us 10-1.
Understanding the impact of food and the microbiome is a must. Absolutely vital to a healthy microbiome is quality fibre (both soluble and insoluble). Fibre positively impacts glycemic control and the health of your microbiome.
Protect your liver.
Toxicity is a poorly understood component of sustainable weight control. Understanding both the external toxin load on our bodies from food, the role of the liver as the primary detoxification organ, as well the cell dilution mechanism that increases fat cell number to mitigate fat soluble toxin exposure is really important.
Toxins in food can overwhelm the liver. These include
Cadmium.
Glyphosate.
Ethanol.
Trans-fats.
Branched-chain amino acids.
Fructose.
Unfortunately, these compounds are highly abundant in ultra processed food so removing processed food is the only answer.
Protect your brain
Chronic inflammation, compromised immune function are two of the many factors linked with weight control issues. Oxidative stress & Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a role as the critical factor linking obesity with its associated complications.
The Western diet which typically consists of;
Ultra processed food products.
An elevated intake of omega-6 fatty acids (which promote inflammation).
Insufficient in brain-essential omega-3 fats.
Excessive sugar and sodium.
Reduced micronutrient intake.
High intake of refined carbohydrates.
The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio consistent with Western-type dietary patterns has been shown to be a primary contributing factor to the premature development of all chronic disease including metabolic dysfunction, heart disease and stroke, neurodegenerative diseases, addiction, and depression.
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH IS THE ONLY LONG TERM SOLUTION.
Applying Functional Medicine support for weight loss can help you push past the roadblocks that many people experience. Functional medicine uses an integrative approach to weight loss that looks at the underlying contributing elements of individual weight gain to support long-term success. Our goal is to understand what health factors are causing your struggle with weight and then help you make the appropriate adjustments within all areas of your lifestyle, nutrition, and whole health.
What are you waiting for?
How would it feel to take back your health? No more feeling helpless, or searching for answers from professionals who honestly don’t have them. Find out how Functional Medicine can help you.
