Who's Monitoring Your Weight Loss?

Who’s monitoring your weight loss?  If you are doing any kind of intense program, it better be someone qualified to diagnose and predict issues that may develop.  In my office, I promote homeopathic HCG, a product you can now find just about anywhere.  So, why not buy it from the health food store?  It costs less, and if you google it, you will find the diet and thousands of message boards with all kinds of information…you don’t need a doctor, its all there.  Wrong, and dangerous. 

You need a doctor because you are taking on a program in which your body is going to change dramatically.  You are lowering your caloric intake to a specific 500 calories and since every person is unique and no one experience is that same as another, things happen that cannot be predicted.  In my practice, I take questions from patients doing the diet even on the weekends, and it is not uncommon for someone to email asking questions daily.  Why?  Because they get symptoms they have never had before, their digestive system may change, their energy and sleep patterns may change, they might not be loosing as fast as is ideal, and if they were on medications at the start of the program, they may reach a point where they need to come off of those. 

If you purchase your HCG at a health food store, and issues develop, who are you going to call?  Your primary care doctor will have little idea how to help, and most likely will tell you to stop the diet immediately, the health food store is not staffed by a medical professionals, and I do not suggest taking the advice of a store clerk just because they did the diet.  Online chat rooms are rife with people who think they are experts because they have completed the process, and I have seen dangerous suggestions on most sites I have visited.  As a result, very often, people who buy the bottle because it is cheaper than following a doctor end up quitting, cheating, harming themselves or having inadequate results.  All of which are common in the mainstream weight loss arena and which should not be common with HCG.

This diet works, but only when fine tuned to each individual.  This diet is a chance at great health, a new beginning, a launch point for future great health if applied correctly.  Do not underestimate the significance or sophistication of the HCG diet.  Every time some alternative medicine becomes commonplace, someone gets hurt because the assumption is, if it is natural, I can apply it myself.  However, we do not lightly apply pharmaceuticals ourselves and no one should apply a program of this magnitude themselves. 

If you truly desire to have weight loss success, work with someone who can guide, teach and hone the process for you, the individual.  The small price variance will save you frustration and will lead to better results. 

Kombucha NOT Antacids

It seems that a lot of people experience indigestion.  At least if television advertising is any guide, Americans feel crappy after they eat terrible food all the time.  I say terrible because if you watch the adds, they always show chili dogs, pizza, fried food and all things ball game as the inciting factor in why you might need Tums or similar products.  Thus, totally negating the fact that feeling poorly after you eat is NOT normal. 

Food is not there to satisfy our unmet emotional needs and it is not necessary to overindulge just to verify that you have had a good time even if it presently seems to be the American way.  Food should represent celebration of the beauty and diversity of life on our planet.  Food should nourish you physically, be part of community and celebration but not at the expense of your health. 

The digestive system is your second brain, it has as much impact on mood, energy levels, immune system health and hormonal balance as any other body system.  The old saying “you are what you eat” could not be more true.  Everything you put into your body has to be broken down into its elemental components.  This is a complex and not fully understood process involving adequate stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, brush boarder enzymes in the intestines, hundreds of strains of bacteria, and muscle movements just to name the basics.  If even one of these systems does not work, the entire process breaks down. 

So, what happens then?  If you don’t have enough stomach acid, you will never break the bonds in the proteins that you eat in order to free up the essential amino acids (the building blocks of all life), if you have low stomach acid, the pancreas does not get all the signals it needs to send enzymes to the Duodenum and consequently, you will not have the chemical mediators needed to break down fats or carbohydrates as they should be. Once this has happened, the food that passes into the small intestine cannot be absorbed and nutrients cannot be gathered from what is there and instead of continuing to be digested, the food starts to rot.  Yes, rot because much like a well turned and tended compost pile, you can create beautiful soil that can then be used to produce beautiful plants or you can produce mold, putrid masses and sludge.  So, back to the antacid.

Antacids shut off stomach acid production because the conventional medical world has incorrectly assumed that if our stomach hurts we have too much acid.  Chronic use, causes a virtual gut paralysis.  The longer this goes on, the less functional our digestive system gets.  And since our brain activity is directly linked to our gut health (60-80% of your serotonin is made in your gut, not your brain), you are shutting down your brain.  This even to the most uninformed person must sound like a bad idea.  So, what do you do?

First, quit the antacids, they are poison.  Second, get off of all acid blocking drugs (with supervision of course) and third, start adding probiotic rich fermented foods to your diet every day.  The easiest is Kombucha.  Kombucha has been used by humans since the time of Confucius.  It is fermented black tea that when consumed provides the body with essential probiotics, B vitamins, and helps to energize and normalize body function.  It takes a while for some to get used to the taste but its effervescent clean flavor grows on you over time.  If you do overindulge or eat those undesirable foods, consume a few ounces of this long lived health drink to balance you out.  Remember, anything that stops your digestive system, stops your brain.

Meat Glue?????

I know my views on food are radical compared to mainstream America.  However, I started where everyone else did, I did not grow up on an organic farm, or with from the dirt hippie parents, I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit.  I ate whatever was at the store for much of my life.  Along the way, I began to learn and from that learning apply what I knew.  Even two years ago, I would still eat at the margins, 80/20 rule.  However, the alterations to food that have accelerated in the past year alone, have made it impossible for me to deviate from my path.  In my practice, I apply this, teaching every patient what foods will help them, which foods to avoid and how to source the good foods local to where they live.  Consequently, when more information is disclosed on the practices of the food industry, their methods and the lack of conscience behind them, I am bound to comment.  Therefore....

The following link describes the use of meat glue.  A compound designed to meld in an undetectable way pieces of meat to resemble a steak.  This glue is a health hazard all by its self, but for many that is not motivation, I know.  So, consider that you go to the store or to your favorite restaurant and buy a steak, you pay premium prices for steak, and unknown to you, what is served is meat pieces glued together.  This should get you angry, it should make you irate, it should make you demand your butcher or your restaurant owner certify that what you are getting and paying for is steak not glue meat. 

This personifies the problems with our food supply.  Bear in mind, I am not calling for more government oversight, or new rules.  I am calling for a food conscience.  As consumers, we have all the power to influence how and what happens to our food before we eat it, if you demand that the places you buy food certify personally that what you are getting is not glue meat, it won't be glue meat, but you have to speak up, stay informed and direct your money to those who are willing to be honest about what you are eating. 

The best way to avoid all this: buy grass fed and pasture raised meat processed at organic meat processing places in your local area.  In Michigan there are a few family owned meat processing plants, all of them ethical, open and honest and no meat glue! 

Meat Glue

Mayo

So many people love Mayo but the store bought ones are full of terrible fats, and can cause inflammation and cellular damage due to their rancid oils, canola content and most now have added sugar, flavorings and of course preservatives to enhance shelf life.  But there is another option....make your own!  Such an idea, I had to share it.  This is from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, the guidebook to real food cooking and it tastes great and if you have access to raw milk, the addition of the whey makes it a fermented food! 
Enjoy!
Nourishing Traditions Mayonnaise
Makes 1 ½ Cups
1 whole egg, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon-type mustard
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon whey (only if applies if you have access to raw milk) – Optional
3/4 -1 cup extra virgin olive oil or expeller-expressed sunflower oil or a
combination.
Generous pinch of sea salt
In your food processor, place egg, egg yolk, mustard, salt and lemon juice
and optional whey.  Process until well blended, about 30 seconds.  Using
the attachment that allows you to add liquids drop by drop, add olive oil
and/or sunflower oil with the motor running.  Taste and check seasoning.
You may want to add more salt and lemon juice.  If you have added whey,
let the mayonnaise sit at room temperature, well covered, for 7 hours
before refrigerating.  With when added, mayonnaise with keep several
months and will become firmer with time.  Without whey, mayonnaise with
keep for about 2 weeks.

A GMO Guidebook For Everyone!

Much of what I post, and educate patients about comes from good books and websites I have found over the years.  At times, there are resources that should be read by anyone who cares about the impact of food on their health and on everyone else on the planet.  The problem is, food production has been purposely altered for profit which has resulted in a dramatic shift in food, its effect on humans, animals, soil quality, and farmers.  Yet, many have no knowledge of these changes, most people assume that what they buy today is the same as it was 10 years ago, but that is just not the case.  Seeds of Deception is an excellent book, written to expose the lies and deceit continually applied by the food and seed manufacturing industries with little regard to the effect on human health or the planet.  The link I have listed here provides an overview of this book, hopefully it will inspire everyone to read more, develop an understanding and take action for their own health.
Seeds of Deception Overview

Neotame....Toxic, Dangerous, And Found In Organic Foods

In an ever growing desire to provide sources of information from which to make better food choices, I offer you this article on Neotame. It is in some ways just another compound made by that "little" company Monsanto, however, this compound is toxic, and like it's cousin Aspertame causes nervous system damage and has been directly linked to numerous health conditions.

Hopefully this is useful, and please pass it on to others.

http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/monsantos-neotame-molecule-allowed-in-usda-certified-organic-foods/

Have Your Dessert!

I used to be overweight, and like many who have been or are, I limited desserts as part of a continuing attempt to get thinner. And yet, after having great success with homeopathic HCG followed by crossfit, I have discovered an amazing thing…..desserts help me keep my weight stable! Now, I must preface this by saying, I follow a strictly clean food modified paleo diet, allowing for the inclusion of Raw Milk and Raw Milk cheese. I do not however, eat grains, legumes and most starches or sugar. However, that does not mean that dessert is out of the question.

Many people find it difficult to stick to a Paleo or carbohydrate balancing program because they have been programmed to crave sweets, with recent studies even showing that our food addictions stimulate the same areas of the brain that are stimulated by cocaine and other drugs. So, it is no wonder that many find it painful to restrict these foods. However, in my experience, it is all about detoxification and a little bit of reset. This is where I have found great success with HCG.

In my opinion, an HCG detox allows the body to successfully complete a total break from many of the foods that cause brain, hormonal, digestive and metabolic dysfunction. As part of the detoxification process, and for weight loss to be successful, all of the most commonly offensive foods are eliminated. Because it takes the body 6 weeks minimum to have diminished inflammation as the result of specific food exposures, HCG allows for successful avoidance and weight loss.

However, where many fail and therefore do not experience metabolic reset is in the stabilization/food reintroduction phase. Here, foods are reintroduced one at a time to see how the body reacts to them, and if they cause any type of reaction, then that food must be eliminated for the time being to maintain proper weight and inflammatory balance. I have used my body’s responses to guide me on what foods allow me to feel strong, maintain my weight and improve my strength and ability to train. As a result, one of my great joys was finding that desserts on an almost daily basis help me feel my best! Reminding me of something the director of my masters program used to say: “people who avoid or limit all sweet in their food often miss out on the sweet in life.”

HCG is not the only way to accomplish this avoidance, nor is it the only way to lose excess weight and reshape the body, it is just a way that proved highly successful for me. Any program in which you avoid toxic foods, allow the body to rebalance and reset, and pay close attention to nutrient quality, rest, digestion and movement will work to produce good results for body balance or weight loss.

So, you can have your dessert and eat it too, using clean ingredients, good fats, and quality sweeteners. The following recipe is an amazing pie that will impress even the strictest skeptics and is sure to please, so enjoy!


Chocolate Coconut Pie

2 cups of almonds (or choice of nuts) or almond flour
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of arrowroot powder, or sprouted wheat flour (only use wheat flour if you can have gluten)
2/3 cup of coconut oil softened (or butter)
1/4 cup of coconut sugar, honey, rapadura, maple sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure it’s gluten free, if needed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place almonds in a food processor, and process until a coarse flour, add the rest of the ingredients and process until it forms uniform dough. Press down into the greased pan and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.
Take out of the oven and cool. Once the crust is cool, making the filling.

3-4 TBSP of unsweetened organic coco powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil (butter can be substituted)
1/4 cup of coconut sugar, plus two tablespoon honey, or more coconut sugar (all honey can be used as well. Honey will be sweeter than coconut sugar. Rapadura or maple syrup/sugar are also options).
1 1/2 cups of coconut cream (if you can’t find coconut cream, you can use a full fat coconut milk and skim the fatty top of the top. You will need two 14 ounce cans for that. Cream can be substituted.)
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons brewed coffee or espresso
1 Put Coco Powder, coconut cream, coconut oil, sweetener, salt and espresso in a food processor and blend until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap once all the way cool. Will keep at least three days in the fridge (if you can resist that long!).

Waking Up

Someone had hijacked my grocery cart and I wanted it back. I woke up one day and realized the food I had been buying was replaced with life like replicas. What I had been eating was no better than the standard American fast food diet, but it was mostly fresh, minimally processed and from SUPPOSED reliable sources, but my food wasn’t real.

Because companies were masking the food origins, these same companies who had built their reputations on offering so called healthy options, were using pretty packaging and selling them in designer grocery stores. I used to be a whole foods shopper, I admit, it’s hard to say, but it’s true. I bought into the idea that their foods were cleaner and boy was I was wrong. I overpaid dearly for this mistake. I could have just bought my groceries from anyone, for a lot less.

Just because it looks pretty or has been packaged to attract the eye doesn’t mean its better grown. It doesn’t mean the animals were fed an ideal food for their species. I didn’t realize farmers and indigenous people lost their land and lives for it to be on my and your tables. I bought into the idea this food is fresh, less processed and unaltered, but this was just a front. I did not take into account these seeds were created in a lab and not nature grown!!!

In food production, genetically restructured genes are made to make the plants hardier, and to even create its own pesticides or to resist them. I started to realize what I had been doing was further poisoning myself and my family with my good intentions. I woke up! I changed my patterns by finding local farmers growing food from reliable truly organic heirloom seeds. No chemicals or synthetic fertilizers and without genetic manipulation of the seed. I sought out meat where the animals were raised in a natural environment, eating grass and bugs and seeds instead of piles of grain, and I got to know my farmer. I stopped eating at restaurants, ordering out and expecting food to be fast. I took pride in my cooking and began to see just how much I could do for myself and it started to be fun!

The kind of change I did isn’t always easy, and I think people need a resource to develop an understanding of how food affects us, what has gone into processing, creating and growing food and why the food supply as we know it has become so contaminated, we may never be able to reverse or overcome the damages, the damages we so freely buy into.

But it is my position that we have to try, not just because our health depends on it, but because the vast implications of food growing and production affect every living being on this planet. It is our humanitarian duty to care, and to change and make it possible to no longer produce suffering and devastation. I know I cannot live with the possibility someone else will have to suffer for my comfort and ease. In a literal sense, we are at the point where many of the ingredients commonly used in packaged food production in the US alone have resulted in the destruction of a human life somewhere on the planet.

That all being said, good clean food should be comfort and joy; it should evoke connection and celebration, strong emotions and be a part of family. We can do this and support life and prosperity, we can eat well and let others do the same, it is possible in every region of the world without fancy stores and pretty packages. It costs less, it preserves land and life and it makes our health better in the process.

As a doctor, I have an obligation to make it possible for others to do the same as my family does. This will be a place where information will be at your disposal, you can learn and try new things and get comfortable with real food.

At the Comfort Food Militia you will find:
• Resources for growing, sourcing and cooking food
• Intelligent discourse about how to make the transition from commodity based foods to clean foods
• Recipes for true “Health Food”
• Links to scientific studies and literature about food, food politics and health
• Commentary on the most prevalent dietary “wisdom” being propagated today
• Amazing ways to reinvent your daily menu with desserts, decadent breakfasts, lunches and dinners without breaking the bank
• How to take part in your local food community
• Sources for milk, meat, education and all things food
• Resources to understand how food production affects humans through land destruction, forcible relocation and even death and how to avoid taking part through purchasing power.



Add this to your favorites, pass the information on to family and friends because together we can fix this and enhance the life of all the earth's peoples.