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If you want to “kickstart” your New Year's weight loss efforts, then consider getting a boost with the HCG diet. Although it has been around for about 50 years the diet is getting more attention than ever and for good reason. Losing up to a pound per day for 20 days is evidence enough that it works. HCG is no miracle but it does come close!
In my experience, the HCG diet is a good starting point for long-term healthy nutrition as it eliminates sugar and junk food, allows for lean proteins, veggies and fruits, while it helps us to see that our current portion sizes are way out of control.
Another thing I like about the HCG diet is that it gets people away from sugars, dairy and gluten. After a few weeks without sugar, it will lose its appeal and be easy to resist from that point forward. Gluten and dairy are common food allergens. For this reason alone most people feel highly energized throughout the program — many feel way better than they did before they started.
HCG is “human chorionic gonadotropin,” a hormone that women produce in pregnancy which, amongst other things, helps to mobilize fat stores to ensure sufficient energy for mom and baby. The HCG diet involves taking a daily dose of the HCG hormone while eating a limited calorie diet.
One of the first questions people ask is “will I get hungry?” on the diet. No, since the HCG seems to increase the body's ability to access energy stored in those stubborn fat reserves, patients on the HCG diet will break down enough fat for needed energy beyond the limited calorie diet. As a result they don't feel hungry.
A second question is how much overweight do you need to be in order to consider the HCG diet? There is no certain weight to qualify… Whether patients are 10 pounds or 100 pounds overweight the HCG enables the body to break down excess fat. We have had several patients lose over 100 pounds, while most lose 20-40 pounds, and some have needed help losing the last stubborn 10 pounds. We've even had a few patients successfully lose immovable fat accumulations without losing any weight.
Another big concern is whether the weight will stay off. Most of us have done crazy crash diets in the past, with no long-term benefit. After a 20-day cycle of the HCG diet, there follows a critical three-week stabilization period of eating higher calories combined with low sugar and low starches. This teaches your body to burn fat readily, and after that, so long as reasonably healthy patterns are maintained, there is no rapid rebound weight gain.
KEEPING WEIGHT OFF HOLISTICALLY
I first came across and studied the HCG diet over 10 years ago. As there is not much published literature on the diet I was initially reluctant to implement it into clinical practice. Over the years I met other doctors, both allopathic and naturopathic, that prescribe the HCG diet in their practices. After hearing their experiences were nothing but successful, it was encouraging to proceed.
A second hurdle for me in starting to prescribe the HCG diet was having a program that would address the whole person. The HCG may be the “catalyst” that people need to really get the weight off but it is critical to address all the underlying reasons that people have excess weight to begin with.
In order to maintain healthy weight, people need to take a holistic approach that really addresses both the body and the mind. A medical program should consider the hormone, digestive and immune systems. For many patients the excess weight is an embarrassment that plays havoc with their self-esteem. For others, food is a comfort or psychological tool that interferes with healthy eating habits. Addressing both the physical and mental aspects of metabolism and weight gain are important for successful weight loss.
Hormonal imbalances or deficiencies, such as low thyroid, high cortisol, estrogen dominance or low sex hormones after menopause, all contribute to impaired metabolism and abnormal fat storage. Low testosterone leads directly to less muscle-building and more fat storage. Undiagnosed or under-treated hormone imbalances are present to some degree in about half of the patients we treat!
Digestive health is truly a foundation of good overall health. Many people who struggle with weight have impaired gut function. This may be from a lack of the beneficial bacteria that do so much to promote health, including production of important metabolic B vitamins, activation of thyroid hormone, metabolism of excess estrogens, and more.
“Leaky gut” may be allowing toxins and undigested food particles through the gut wall which causes the immune system to be constantly agitated leading to chronic elevations of inflammatory chemicals and the stress hormone cortisol. This can cause elevations in blood sugar and insulin eventually ending in insulin resistance or diabetes. Even long before full-blown diabetes the insulin resistance is causing trouble and slowing metabolism.
Delayed food allergies are another major cause of impaired digestive health and weight gain. As with “leaky gut” a food allergy can stoke the immune system for years leading to the same cortisol-insulin resistance issues. Unlike the “immediate” allergies involving histamine (e.g. hives, hayfever) the “delayed” allergies take 12-72 hours to get going thus making it hard to correlate a food with an allergic reaction. Patients are therefore unaware that certain foods they are eating every day are causing weight gain.
FULL MEDICAL SUPPORT
I would never support a crash diet, which only serves to slow the metabolism and promote rebound weight gain. Under the right conditions the HCG diet will lead to weight loss, and this gives people a better chance of then maintaining ideal weight.
Our program involves a medical doctor, registered nurses, medical assistants and an exercise physiologist. In depth medical evaluation, nutrition and exercise education, and psychological support all combine to ensure success.
Of course, maintaining a healthy weight involves great nutrition, regular exercise, healthy sleep and management of stress. If our long-term diet involves junk food or too much processed food, sugars, etc., then weight gain will inevitably occur. The HCG diet isn't a magic cure... but it is a dynamite “kickstart” to long-term healthy nutrition and weight management.
===========================
Scott Rollins, M.D., is board certified with the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He is founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (www.imcwc.com). Call 970-245-6911 for an appointment or more information.
He is also medical director of Integrative Weight Solutions, a holistic, physician-supervised HCG weight loss program. For more information see www.integrativeweightsolutions.com or call 245-0373 to arrange a free consultation.
In my experience, the HCG diet is a good starting point for long-term healthy nutrition as it eliminates sugar and junk food, allows for lean proteins, veggies and fruits, while it helps us to see that our current portion sizes are way out of control.
Another thing I like about the HCG diet is that it gets people away from sugars, dairy and gluten. After a few weeks without sugar, it will lose its appeal and be easy to resist from that point forward. Gluten and dairy are common food allergens. For this reason alone most people feel highly energized throughout the program — many feel way better than they did before they started.
HCG is “human chorionic gonadotropin,” a hormone that women produce in pregnancy which, amongst other things, helps to mobilize fat stores to ensure sufficient energy for mom and baby. The HCG diet involves taking a daily dose of the HCG hormone while eating a limited calorie diet.
One of the first questions people ask is “will I get hungry?” on the diet. No, since the HCG seems to increase the body's ability to access energy stored in those stubborn fat reserves, patients on the HCG diet will break down enough fat for needed energy beyond the limited calorie diet. As a result they don't feel hungry.
A second question is how much overweight do you need to be in order to consider the HCG diet? There is no certain weight to qualify… Whether patients are 10 pounds or 100 pounds overweight the HCG enables the body to break down excess fat. We have had several patients lose over 100 pounds, while most lose 20-40 pounds, and some have needed help losing the last stubborn 10 pounds. We've even had a few patients successfully lose immovable fat accumulations without losing any weight.
Another big concern is whether the weight will stay off. Most of us have done crazy crash diets in the past, with no long-term benefit. After a 20-day cycle of the HCG diet, there follows a critical three-week stabilization period of eating higher calories combined with low sugar and low starches. This teaches your body to burn fat readily, and after that, so long as reasonably healthy patterns are maintained, there is no rapid rebound weight gain.
KEEPING WEIGHT OFF HOLISTICALLY
I first came across and studied the HCG diet over 10 years ago. As there is not much published literature on the diet I was initially reluctant to implement it into clinical practice. Over the years I met other doctors, both allopathic and naturopathic, that prescribe the HCG diet in their practices. After hearing their experiences were nothing but successful, it was encouraging to proceed.
A second hurdle for me in starting to prescribe the HCG diet was having a program that would address the whole person. The HCG may be the “catalyst” that people need to really get the weight off but it is critical to address all the underlying reasons that people have excess weight to begin with.
In order to maintain healthy weight, people need to take a holistic approach that really addresses both the body and the mind. A medical program should consider the hormone, digestive and immune systems. For many patients the excess weight is an embarrassment that plays havoc with their self-esteem. For others, food is a comfort or psychological tool that interferes with healthy eating habits. Addressing both the physical and mental aspects of metabolism and weight gain are important for successful weight loss.
Hormonal imbalances or deficiencies, such as low thyroid, high cortisol, estrogen dominance or low sex hormones after menopause, all contribute to impaired metabolism and abnormal fat storage. Low testosterone leads directly to less muscle-building and more fat storage. Undiagnosed or under-treated hormone imbalances are present to some degree in about half of the patients we treat!
Digestive health is truly a foundation of good overall health. Many people who struggle with weight have impaired gut function. This may be from a lack of the beneficial bacteria that do so much to promote health, including production of important metabolic B vitamins, activation of thyroid hormone, metabolism of excess estrogens, and more.
“Leaky gut” may be allowing toxins and undigested food particles through the gut wall which causes the immune system to be constantly agitated leading to chronic elevations of inflammatory chemicals and the stress hormone cortisol. This can cause elevations in blood sugar and insulin eventually ending in insulin resistance or diabetes. Even long before full-blown diabetes the insulin resistance is causing trouble and slowing metabolism.
Delayed food allergies are another major cause of impaired digestive health and weight gain. As with “leaky gut” a food allergy can stoke the immune system for years leading to the same cortisol-insulin resistance issues. Unlike the “immediate” allergies involving histamine (e.g. hives, hayfever) the “delayed” allergies take 12-72 hours to get going thus making it hard to correlate a food with an allergic reaction. Patients are therefore unaware that certain foods they are eating every day are causing weight gain.
FULL MEDICAL SUPPORT
I would never support a crash diet, which only serves to slow the metabolism and promote rebound weight gain. Under the right conditions the HCG diet will lead to weight loss, and this gives people a better chance of then maintaining ideal weight.
Our program involves a medical doctor, registered nurses, medical assistants and an exercise physiologist. In depth medical evaluation, nutrition and exercise education, and psychological support all combine to ensure success.
Of course, maintaining a healthy weight involves great nutrition, regular exercise, healthy sleep and management of stress. If our long-term diet involves junk food or too much processed food, sugars, etc., then weight gain will inevitably occur. The HCG diet isn't a magic cure... but it is a dynamite “kickstart” to long-term healthy nutrition and weight management.
===========================
Scott Rollins, M.D., is board certified with the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. He is founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (www.imcwc.com). Call 970-245-6911 for an appointment or more information.
He is also medical director of Integrative Weight Solutions, a holistic, physician-supervised HCG weight loss program. For more information see www.integrativeweightsolutions.com or call 245-0373 to arrange a free consultation.
The next free seminars are “Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for Women” 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, and “Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for Men” 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, at the IMC. Seating is limited so RSVP at 245-6911 or online at rsvp@imcwc.com.
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