The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), established in 1994, is the largest investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance. The NWCR is tracking over 10,000 individuals 18 years of age or older who have lost at least 30 pounds and maintain the weight loss for one year or longer.

People in the registry have some of the following characteristics:

• 80% of persons in the registry are women and 20% are men.
• The "average" woman is 45 years of age and currently weighs 145 lbs, while the "average" man is 49 years of age and currently weighs 190 lbs.
• Registry members have lost an average of 66 lbs and kept it off for 5.5 years.
• 45% of Registry participants lost the weight on their own and the other 55% lost weight with the help of some type of program.
• 98% of Registry participants report that they modified their food intake in some way to lose weight.
• 94% increased their physical activity, with the most frequently reported form of activity being walking.
• There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
  • 78% eat breakfast every day.
  • 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
  • 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
  • 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

 Kirk Suggests:

• Weigh yourself 1-2 times DAILY. It's not about self-judgement, it’s about seeing how your environment effects your weight…It's educational and keeps you from living in denial.
• Television watching for hours, or sedentary time while working on the computer or internet are "death" to your weight loss success. I tell people if they are television watchers get on 'your machine' for at least 1/2 hour, preferably an hour, during your favorite television program EVERY DAY. Or, every half hour get up and exercise for 5 minutes. I highly recommend Tony Horton's 10 Minute Trainer if you say you have 'no time.' I just started doing it and highly recommend it! I don't have a weight problem, but I use it to get in short workouts in my busy day. The "10 Minute Yoga" routine has been a life saver for me!
• Don't add fat to your diet in the form of free oils (or butter). Keep them to a minimum. Get your fats in whole foods – beans, nuts and seeds mainly. 
• Have a HUGE salad as a main meal daily (not a side salad) with a variety of greens, vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts and seeds. No creamy, cheesy or oil-based dressings! (See "Super Salad Recipe")   
• Eat a diet of unprocessed food, with the most micronutrient dense foods to reduce "Toxic Hunger" and allow for real hunger to guide your eating and weight maintenance (see also article "Toxic Hunger the Main Cause of Obesity"). 
• Pick the foods off the BED Diet (Basic Elimination Diet) for a month to check for common allergens.
• Learn how to eat more "good, whole, unprocessed food" than focusing on eating less "bad food". Your weight loss diet should really become your maintenance diet.
• Accountability and support are critical for most people. Have a buddy or group that supports you staying on the program. 

There are many good books on weight loss and maintenance. My favorite is "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman, MD.  

Energetic Nutrition Suggests:

Along with whole foods and increased exercise, try Almased Natural Weight Management and Dietary Supplementation

Lose weight in a healthy way by taking advantage of your body's own metabolic processes. Almased uses your body's own mechanisms and processes to burn long-term fat deposits without the use of stimulants or artificial fillers. Its formula prevents the loss of lean muscle mass, which means more calories burned. It reduces blood sugar and insulin fluctuations that cause cravings during other diet programs.

More about Kirk Hamilton

Kirk Hamilton graduated from the University of California, Davis Physician’s Assistant Program through their Department of Family Practice in 1983. 

Since 1986 he has been a practicing Physicians Assistant at Health Associates Medical Group in Sacramento, California, a nutrient oriented general practice. Kirk has worked in a variety of practice specialties including: Family Practice, Nutrition, Prevention, Cardiology, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, Allergy, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine. He is the author of Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane.

About Kirk’s Book

Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane simplifies the causes and effects of modern chronic diseases by outlining the five dietary changes over the last century that have led to excess calorie consumption, and along with reduced physical activity, have resulted in the epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Kirk Hamilton's website is Prescription2000.com

Follow Kirk:

	www.facebook.com/kirkhamilton.author
	www.youtube.com/thesloppyvegan
	www.twitter.com/kirk_hamilton
	www.prescription2000.com

I was asked on a radio show to give New Year's tips on health and wellness. The first thing that came to mind was that it has been said it takes about three weeks to change habits and tastes. I know from many years of clinical experience cheese cravings go away after three weeks. It's like clockwork.

Since I have three phases to my TRIAD Wellness Program, or, my "9 Simple Steps to Optimal Health", I was thinking of what simple tips I can give for the diet, exercise and mind-body phases. 

Diet

I think a very important and actually life changing habit would be to eat a large vegetable salad every day. Not just a side salad, but a large salad that is the main meal full of different greens, 4-5 vegetables, ½ to 1 cup of beans, a tablespoon or two of raw nuts or seeds and maybe some chopped fruit. NO CREAMY, OILY DRESSINGS.

I call this my Super Salad Recipe – "1" Salad a Day for Optimal Health (21 Day Transition Program to Healthy Eating). It is very simple – one salad as a main meal per day. 

Exercise

The first thing that comes to mind is to just take a walk for 1/2 hour every day. Make it easy to be successful. Success breeds success. For most of us it's not so much that the exercise is the problem but it's taking the time out of our busy lives. So just take a 1/2 hour walk a day for three weeks. That's ten and a half hours of walking to help build the habit over 3 weeks. 

Another idea came up for me about how to build the exercise habit and be successful at it, and it only takes "10 minutes" a day. I highly recommend ordering Tony Horton's "10 Minute Trainer."  Tony is the exercise guru who is the creator of the very popular P90X. I am kind of a gym rat and also dance a lot so I didn't want to spend an extra hour per day doing P90X even though it's an awesome program.  But there were areas I wanted to do better in my workouts, or add to my total wellness program. Flexibility was one of them. My yoga/stretching was kind of hit or miss. Well Tony's "10 Minute Trainer"  is perfect for me, especially the 10 minute yoga routine (there are 4 other 10 minute routines that come with the program). I have only missed one day in a month. Why? Because mentally I feel I can always do 10 minutes no matter how busy I am. And, I see results. So give Tony Horton's "10 Minute Trainer" a trial for 3 weeks. You will be pleased if you just do it! "Just 10 Minutes" per day!

Mind-Body

The last tip is for your mind-body effort, probably the most important health maintenance habit to create. It's to just sit quietly in the same spot for 15-30 minutes every day for 3 weeks. Just sit and be physically still. Don't worry about what happens in your mind; what thoughts come and go; if your mind is "empty" or not. Just concentrate on being physically still. I "ask", when I sit, to help me see the next step on my path to be who I am supposed to be, my purpose, to be of service to the planet.   

So take the "three week" challenge of these simple wellness pillars. You won't be disappointed!

Happy New Year and a Prosperous and Healthy 2012!    

More about Kirk Hamilton

Kirk Hamilton graduated from the University of California, Davis Physician’s Assistant Program through their Department of Family Practice in 1983. 

Since 1986 he has been a practicing Physicians Assistant at Health Associates Medical Group in Sacramento, California, a nutrient oriented general practice. Kirk has worked in a variety of practice specialties including: Family Practice, Nutrition, Prevention, Cardiology, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, Allergy, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine. He is the author of Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane.
 

About Kirk’s Book

Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane simplifies the causes and effects of modern chronic diseases by outlining the five dietary changes over the last century that have led to excess calorie consumption, and along with reduced physical activity, have resulted in the epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Kirk Hamilton's website is Prescription2000.com

Follow Kirk:

	www.facebook.com/kirkhamilton.author
	www.youtube.com/thesloppyvegan
	www.twitter.com/kirk_hamilton
	www.prescription2000.com

Evidently we are. The problem is the average American doesn't get that 7 of 10 deaths in the United States occur from chronic diseases that are largely preventable, and many times reversible with low-fat, unprocessed vegan diets like Dr. Barnard recommends in his 21 Day Kickstart Program. Both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) state that these chronic diseases are related to four risk factors: poor diet, inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use.The WHO further states…. if these risk factors were eliminated, 80 percent of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and 40 percent of cancers would be eliminated. That would be the greatest health discovery ever if implemented.  

Why do we keep relying on drugs and surgical procedures to treat these chronic conditions when they are clearly reversible and preventable through diet?

I really believe, aside from ignorance and laziness, it's because insurance companies cover treatments with drugs and surgery that are really ineffective at treating the cause of these illnesses. People would rather take a pill or have a surgical procedure that is paid for by insurance than get off their butts and do an aggressive diet like Dr. Barnard's which has been shown by a variety of researchers using similar diets to reverse or dramatically slow the progression of diabetes, heart disease, obesity related illnesses and cancer (prostate). If insurance companies would only cover catastrophic illness, such as traumas and infections, but not heart or vascular disease related illnesses (except genetic structural disorders), type 2 diabetes, obesity related illnesses and other chronic conditions people would either sink (die) or swim (live)?

It’s Pure Insanity!

If you think I am cruel or crazy remember this definition of insanity by Ben Franklin, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." We will never have a chance at real healthcare reform, a viable economy, or a healthy population if we keep eating the Standard American Diet (SAD). In fact, with the tsunami of boomers that are arriving into their senior years, the American fabric of life may be destroyed because we have no means to take care of all these chronic diseases, and we will go bankrupt spending an ever escalating part of our GDP (17% presently) on healthcare. "In the Long-Term Budget Outlook that the Congressional Budget Office released in June 2009, total spending on health care was projected to reach about 31 percent of GDP in 2035 and about 46 percent in 2080 under the extended baseline scenario." If we didn't pay for medication or surgical procedures with insurance, each individual would be forced to change or die, or pay out of pocket. With the latter they might be more motivated to change. Sound extreme? So is the definition of insanity. Think about it.

About Kirk’s Book

Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane simplifies the causes and effects of modern chronic diseases by outlining the five dietary changes over the last century that have led to excess calorie consumption, and along with reduced physical activity, have resulted in the epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

But there is good news! By applying the 9 Simple Steps to Optimal Health TRIAD Wellness Program you can prevent, delay or reverse the course of chronic disease and create real Healthcare Reform.

Within these pages are simple rules for efficient and effective diet, exercise and mind-body practices that make this program easy for even the busiest person. 

Energetic Nutrition Suggests:

Along with whole foods, try Almased Natural Weight Management and Dietary Supplementation.

Lose weight in a healthy way by taking advantage of your body's own metabolic processes. Almased uses your body's own mechanisms and processes to burn long-term fat deposits without the use of stimulants or artificial fillers. Its formula prevents the loss of lean muscle mass, which means more calories burned. It reduces blood sugar and insulin fluctuations that cause cravings during other diet programs.

More about Kirk Hamilton

Kirk Hamilton graduated from the University of California, Davis Physician’s Assistant Program through their Department of Family Practice in 1983.

Since 1986 he has been a practicing Physicians Assistant at Health Associates Medical Group in Sacramento, California, a nutrient oriented general practice. Kirk has worked in a variety of practice specialties including: Family Practice, Nutrition, Prevention, Cardiology, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, Allergy, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine. He is the author of Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane.

Kirk Hamilton's website is Prescription2000.com

Follow Kirk:

	www.facebook.com/kirkhamilton.author
	www.youtube.com/thesloppyvegan
	www.twitter.com/kirk_hamilton
	www.prescription2000.com

A New Year…A New You

Our program combines target specific products with the Almased Synergy Diet. This helps to support your weight loss experience, give you renewed energy and vitality, and improve your overall results that will last far longer than any resolution.   

A few target specific products, such as those offered in our Detoxify Kit, can make things simple and realistic to follow as you start the new year with anticipation and enthusiasm for your health and wellness.    

Basic Guidelines for Success:    

•   KEEP IT SIMPLE! Select your program now.
•   BE PREPARED! Order products and prepare your kitchen.
•   GET STARTED! Pick a date and begin.

Almased Figure Plan Lose up to 10 pounds in 2 weeks with this Figure Plan. Includes a two week meal plan and recipes.	The Weight Loss Program A longer term plan for continued weight loss. Great information about calorie needs and nutrition once your diet ends, and other uses for Almased.	Almased Fasting Figure Plan Lose up to 10 pounds in 2 weeks with this Figure Plan special Fasting edition. Includes receipts for delicious shakes.

Almased

Almased is a scientifically proven formula that contains all-natural ingredients. The patented process combines three ingredients: a unique fermented formula of soy protein, skim milk yogurt powder, and honey enzymes.This one of a kind manufacturing process allows the body to convey 90% of the soy isoflavones and protein the product has to offer. This formula is so safe that even people with diabetes can use it.    

 This is NOT just another diet fad.  Almased:     

• Does NOT contain harmful stimulants  
• Nourishes the body as it stimulates healthy, long-term weight loss
• Reduces blood sugar and insulin fluctuations that cause cravings
• Clinically tested formula to support both proper nutrition and weight loss
• Offers a safe, effective weight-loss solution that boosts energy and preserves muscle mass

Lose weight in a healthy way by taking advantage of your body’s own metabolic processes. With Almased, you will not experience “yo-yo dieting.” Almased uses your body’s own mechanisms and processes to burn long-term fat deposits without the use of stimulants or artificial fillers. Read more about Almased.  

Leave the Toxins Behind

A natural compliment to a healthy weight loss program is support for the detoxification organs. Energetic Nutrition’s Detoxify Kit contains the perfect combination of nutrients to protect and provide you with the guidance you have come to expect from us.   

Random fat sampling by our EPA shows that all Americans store fat-soluble toxins from common chemical exposures in their fat. Daily we face an onslaught of pollution in our environment and most food resources. Many of these toxins, like PCBs or hormone mimicking chemicals, are proven to become elevated in your blood as they are released from fat cells during weight loss. You must be able to get these toxins out of your system as you lose weight, otherwise your fat will simply not release them easily and you can find yourself struggling to continue to lose weight past a certain point.   

A peer reviewed study published in the Journal of American Neurotoxicology and Teratology states that only small to moderate amounts of pesticides in rats cause excessive weight gain by damaging brain structures like the hypothalamus and the pituitary (Lassiter, 2008).   

When toxins enter your body they can be stored in your fat cells, due to the fact that they are fat soluble. When the toxins attach to the outer cell membrane, it causes the cells to continually release a hormone called Leptin. Leptin tells the brain to burn fat for energy however an overproduction of Leptin can cause receptor sites to become resistant and no longer function properly. Therefore, weight gain that does not respond to exercise or diet is inevitably due to Leptin resistance.   

Toxins also cause the release of chemicals called cytokines that damage Leptin receptors in the brain (hypothalamus). Cytokines cause an inflammation response that impacts optimal liver function. The liver synthesizes stores and metabolizes fats. In other words, a healthy functioning liver supports healthy fat loss and maintenance. Detoxification is a necessary support factor to any weight loss program.   

Detoxification is a process in which potentially harmful compounds are excreted.  The lungs, skin, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract are all responsible for this detox process; while the liver is considered to be the major organ of detoxification. Within the liver cells there are a number of intricate mechanisms involved in the breakdown of toxic substances. Chemicals that enter our bodies, including drugs, pesticides, herbicides, and hormones are broken down by liver cells. If the liver is over-burdened, it has a difficult time performing these necessary functions.   

Our Detoxify Kit contains:   

CoQ10 – Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is essential to human life and is a crucial component in the primary energy production cycle. Research indicates that supplementation of this nutrient may enhance detox function and reduce free radicals. Also known as ubiquinone, is considered to be one of the true cornerstones of health.  Without it, imbalances can occur and our bodily systems won’t work at their optimal level.

Chamae Rose Tea – Chamae Rose helps promote the natural detoxification process of the body with particular effects on the liver, lungs, kidneys, and lymphatic system. When the body is cleared of toxins, especially the liver, one's ability to lose weight can increase. Chamae Rose contains significant levels phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, a well-researched class of flavonoids that possess strong antioxidant activity and are noted for their protection from free radical damage and have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic affects.
 

LifeEssence Master Multiple – LifeEssence offers superior detoxifcation support with its high quality vitamins, mineral and super tonic herbs with antioxidants. It contains a 100% Organic Whole Food Base that includes spirulina, chlorella, oat grass juice concentrate and barley grass juice concentrate. Its vitamins and minerals are the very best that money can buy, and its superior Tonics are the purest, cleanest herbs available.

Additional Support

You can obtain additional benefit from a superfood such as
LifeSource SuperFood to your shakes. Superfood describes
a food that is naturally concentrated to provide all the nutritional elements necessary for optimal health. SuperFoods also contain phytochemicals that scientists believe protecs the body and promotes cellular wellness. A little bit of powder goes a long way in your shakes, or take a few capsules per day.

For additional liver and detoxification support, add Calcium D-Glucarate – Cellular Detoxifier. Many believe that this nutrient aids the body in the elimination of many harmful toxins, including excess hormones, keeping the body well balanced. One tablet (500 mg.) of Source Naturals Calcium D-Glucarate is equivalent to the phytonutrient activity found in 82 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Almased is designed to reduce blood sugar and insulin fluctuations that cause cravings during other diet programs. For those with more extreme blood sugar or insulin fluctuations, consider Ketsumeisei. Ketsumeisei is a proprietary herbal compound that has been formulated to improve metabolic and microcirculatory disturbances like those associated with poor metabolism, Type II diabetes mellitus, and insulin resistance.  Ketsumeisei has been found to help maintain stabilized blood sugar and improve insulin resistance by helping to lower free fatty acid in the body, according to clinical studies. Both Almased and Ketsumeisei are safe for those with diabetes.  

Almased Wellness Tea  stimulates detoxification by increasing kidney function and promotes restfulness and sleep. The tea can be used during the Almased Synergy Diet.  It is naturally decaffeinated.

We feel everyone can benefit from adding Life Essence (part of the Detoxify Kit) into their regimen, because we believe virtually everyone needs the levels of nutrition it provides. However, if you simply can not bring yourself to take more than one tablet per day, then One ‘n’ Only should be the supplement of choice.

Look for these products to be offered on our Customers Only Weekly Sale during the month of January.  Check your email or click below to login to your account for the current weekly sale.  

Order your products & prepare the kitchen   
       
   

In your kitchen you will need: 

-Blender or shaker
-Purified or spring water
-Ingredients for Almased shakes
-Supportive products  

(Please follow instructions for Almased program in guide.)  

Get started! Mark your calendar and enjoy!           

Well, yes. But, it comes down to more than just calories consumed vs. calories burned!

Most often, the blame for this epidemic gets placed on poor eating habits: Too many French fries, not enough vegetables. This philosophy is no doubt frustrating for people who are making lifestyle changes, eating better, exercising, and still not losing weight. Recent studies, however, may be able to shed some light on this. The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity along with many research studies are now reporting that while eating a balance diet certainly plays a vital role in healthy weight management, there is also another critical factor that plays a part in how well our bodies can manage weight: Hormones.

Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that work much like a switchboard operator, transferring information and directing cells to do one thing or another. When hormones become out of balance (and there are many ways for this to happen), then weight control can become hard to manage.

How Do Hormones Become Out of Balance?

Hormones can become out of balance in several ways.

If your body is not able to adequately metabolize hormones, which is common today due to a myriad of factors including genetics, stress, and diet and lifestyle, then excess hormones may begin to circulate and get stored in your body. This would be considered an endogenous, or, internally influenced hormone imbalance, as it is caused by an insufficient internal biological function (detoxification). Long term circulation of hormones can lead to an excess of certain hormones, particularly estrogen, in the body tissue. We will further discuss estrogen’s role in weight management later in this article.

Additionally, if your body is exposed to exogenous, or, external hormones or hormone like substances, then this too, can throw your body off kilter. You may be surprised to learn that most of us are being exposed to many hormone like substances every day that may be directly contributing to weight gain and persistent poundage. These substances, which are actually able to mimic hormones in the body, are now being called “obesogens”, a term coined by biologist and UC Irvine professor and researcher, Bruce Blumberg. Obesogens may be a contributing factor in why so many people today are struggling with frustrating and stubborn weight gain.

Examples of EDCs/obesogens that many of us encounter every day include:

• Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides found on conventional produce and in tap water. Instead, try to buy organic, or at least wash your produce thoroughly. Be sure to drink pure filtered water.
• Conventionally raised meat and dairy which often contain hormones and antibiotics.
  Instead, buy organic or hormone and anti-biotic free.
• Plastic cans and bottles, many of which contain Biphenyl-A (BPA). Instead, use glass jars or metal (try to avoid aluminum) water bottles. Avoid leaving plastic water bottles in the sun or exposing to heat, especially microwaves.
• Non-stick Pans (Teflon pans), which contain Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Instead, use cast iron or hard anodized aluminum (processed so that aluminum cannot leech into food).
• Vinyl products and air fresheners, which contain Phthalates. Instead, use natural products.
• Creams and lotions containing estrogenic ingredients like parabens. Instead use natural products and oils. See Energetic Nutrition’s all natural EDC free RegenaCell anti-aging cream.
• Common cleaning chemicals which omit toxic fumes. Instead use natural, non-toxic formulas. You can even make your own cleaning supplies.

Why Do Obesogens Make Us Fat?

Blumberg and other researchers have concluded, following much study on endocrine disrupting chemicals/obesogens, that they are actually able to disrupt normal function of metabolic hormones. Metabolic hormones are produced in the endocrine system, and are responsible for a wide range of functions in the body. Metabolic hormones do everything from regulating hunger, to deciding where and how body fat is stored and/or burned in the body.

The endocrine system consists of:

• The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, also known as the “master glands” because they control much of the other endocrine gland functions.

• The thyroid gland, which regulates metabolism, temperature, and weight.

• The adrenal glands, which moderate mental and physical stress.

• The reproductive organs or, gonads (testes/ovaries), which produce sex hormones including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.

• The pancreas, responsible for blood sugar regulation and enzyme production.

• The pineal gland, responsible for secreting melatonin, the “sleep” hormone.

Obesognes affect the endocrine system in several ways.

According to Blumberg’s study, obesogens are actually able to target signaling proteins to tell a growing fetus (yes, it really does matter what you eat and what you are exposed to while pregnant) to make more fat cells. This can have lifelong consequences, and increase the likelihood of body fat accumulation as a person ages. It can also make it more difficult for a person to lose excess weight. This may be a key factor in the rising childhood obesity epidemic.
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals can promote weight gain and obesity in that they increase the number of fat cells a person has. This can change the amount of calories burned at rest, affecting energy balance and the metabolisms of ghrelin and leptin, the chemicals which control hunger and satiety.

Estrogen and Weight Gain

Many Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals/obesogens, including those listed above, can also be known as xenoestrogens, or substances that mimic estrogen in the body. Xenoestrogens work by docking onto estrogen receptor sites in the body, and in doing so, can actually mimic estrogen. This can create a circumstance of too much estrogen, also known as estrogen dominance. It is important to note that both women and men can be estrogen dominant. Estrogen Dominance can occur as a result of too much estrogen, or as a result of insufficient progesterone, or both. Read more on estrogen dominance here. Symptoms of estrogen dominance include:

• Thyroid dysfunction
• Adrenal fatigue
• Excess weight, particularly in the abdomen and chest
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Uterine fibroid tumors
• Endometriosis
• Estrogen positive cancers
• Prostate problems
• Fibromyalgia
• PMS and/or painful cramping
• Irregular or heavy menstruation.

Estrogen dominance can play an important role in stubborn weight gain, and likewise, weight gain plays an important role in estrogen dominance. Excess weight, particularly around the abdomen, thighs, and the back of the arms are common in people who are estrogen dominant. When a person is overweight, often excess estrogen is produced by a process in which an enzyme called aromatase converts adrenal steroids (hormones) into estrogen. Then, in a cruel twist of biological fate, that estrogen prompts the formation of more fat cells, and the cycle perpetuates itself. This can be especially troublesome for men and women in middle age, as hormone production shifts from the gonadal glands to other parts of the body, including the adrenal gland and adipose (fat) tissue. Because the body is trying to find ways to maintain adequate hormone production as we age, we will often hold on to body fat, as body fat can synthesize hormone production. So, if a person is overweight, then likely they have excess estrogen in their tissues, which as we now know, promotes the creation and storage of more fat.

Stress Plays a Part

Also important to consider is stress. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone produced by the adrenal gland, blocks weight loss. This is a basic biological function intended to protect us from starvation. When we experience high levels of stress, we produce high levels of cortisol, and our bodies store fat, sort of like an emergency backup plan. So if you’re leading a high stress lifestyle, and wondering why you can shed those pesky pounds despite your best efforts, finding a way to de-stress is a must.

Creating Hormone Balance to Support a Healthy Weight

There are many components to a successful weight management program, including a healthy diet, exercise, stress management, and hormone balance. If EDCs/xenoestrogens and/or poor biological estrogen metabolism are contributing to hormone imbalance and excess fat storage in your body, then ensuring you take the steps to restore hormone balance is a must. This means eliminating xenoestrogens from your everyday life, limiting phytoestrogens, and supplementing with high quality products designed to support healthy estrogen metabolism and hormone balance.

Products to Support Healthy Estrogen Metabolism

	DIM is a phytonutrient found naturally in cruciferous vegetables. DIMPRO, an exceptional bioavailable form of DIM, promotes beneficial estrogen metabolism and healthy hormonal balance for both women and men. This optimizes the ratio of estrogen metabolites that is crucial for breast, uterine, cervical, and prostate health, and for healthy weight management. Dr. Michael Zeligs reports that DIMPRO reduces the levels of estrodiol (the problem or “active” form of estrogen) and promotes its conversion into more healthy estrogen metabolites that can actually burn fat.
	Myomin is a Chinese herbal blend suitable for both men and women. Myomin has been shown to help metabolize unhealthy estrogens and promote proper hormonal balance within the body. Studies show that Myomin can effectively inhibit aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens (testosterone) into estrogen.Additionally, Myomin competes with estradiol at estrogen receptor cites, and may therefore be especially effective for estrogen-dominant conditions including hormone related weight gain.
	Calcium D-Glucarate is a relatively common nutrient found in many fruits and vegetables. Many believe that this nutrient aids the body in the elimination of many harmful substances and helps to lower abnormally high levels of steroid hormones including estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone.One tablet (500 mg.) of Source Naturals Calcium D-Glucarate is equivalent to the phytonutrient activity found in 82 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. This nutrient is currently the subject of numerous clinical studies and is proving to have great potential for addressing various health concerns.Supplementing with Calcium D-Glucarate can help support healthy estrogen metabolism and detoxification, thus promoting healthy and sustainable weight loss.
	Natural progesterone like that found in Progesta-Care is used to maintain a normal level of progesterone and a balanced ratio of estrogen to progesterone. It is especially helpful for those who are estrogen dominant due to a deficiency of progesterone. Symptoms of progesterone imbalance include: Moodiness Hot flashes Depression Weight gain Bloating Low libido Breast tenderness Premenstrual syndrome Menopausal symptoms  In the right amount, bioidentical progesterone can help: Have a calming effect Enhance moods Normalize sleep Increase sex drive Use fat for energy Regulate fluid balance Reduce symptoms of fibrocystic breasts Decrease the risk of osteoporosis Stabilize blood sugar, thyroid function, and mineral balance
	Cleansing is an important component of weight loss, as we now know how accumulated toxins can affect the body. The Complete Body Cleanse Kit offers a 14 day program that is designed to help improve your health by dealing with the toxins that accumulate in your body. It not only supports the body's own detoxification mechanisms, but at the same time enhances them, while addressing the areas of greatest concern, including the liver and gastrointestinal tract.

The Role of Diet in Balancing Hormones and Losing Weight

It is important to note the critical link between insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to bring glucose into cells and balance blood sugar) and body fat. Many people today are on a low fat, high carbohydrate diet that includes an abundance of processed foods like bread, pasta, crackers, etc. When we consume more carbohydrates than our body can burn, our blood sugar rises. Over time, this creates what is known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance promotes fat storage and long term “communication damage” to insulin receptor sites, meaning that if you have become insulin resistant, even the best diet will likely not be enough to shed the pounds. To counter insulin resistance, a low carbohydrate diet high in non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and a moderate amount of good quality fat, along with moderate daily exercise is recommended.

Ketsumeisei, a proprietary herbal blend, has been formulated to improve metabolic and microcirculatory disturbances like those associated with Type II diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance.Ketsumeisei has been found to help maintain stabilized blood sugar and improve insulin resistance by helping to lower free fatty acid in the body, according to clinical studies.Insulin resistance and free fatty acid have been identified as being contributing factors to the onset of diabetes. Our rapidly changing modern lifestyle has also resulted in a sharp increase in the incidence of Type II diabetes mellitus, which is now a major problem for society.

Weight loss can be a very complicated and frustrating topic. As we begin to understand the important roles that hormones play in weight loss, however, it becomes easier to better tackle the increasing problem of obesity in America. If you are dealing with frustrating weight gain and can’t seem to shed the extra pounds, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Then, take the information provided above, and put it to good use! Diet, exercise, and healthy hormone balance, along with avoiding those substances known to disturb hormones and health, will go a long way to living a happy, healthy, energetic lifestyle.

References:

Connelly, A., Zeligs, M, . (2000). All About DIM. New York: Avery a Member of Penguin Putnam Inc.

Lee, J. (2004). What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. New York: Time Warner Book Group.

Mercola, J. (2011). Complications Regarding Progesterone Cream. Mercola.com. April First, 2011
http://www.mercola.com/article/progesterone/cream.htm

Pick, M. (2005). Estrogen Dominance- Is It Real? WomenToWomen.com. April 1st, 2011.http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/estrogendominance.aspx

The Endocrine Society. (2009). Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. The Endo-Society.org. April 1st, 2011
http://www.endo-society.org/journals/ScientificStatements/upload/EDC_Scientific_Statement.pdf

University of California, Irvine. (March 2009). Endocrine Disrupters as Obesogens. PubMed Central. April 1st, 2011.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2713042/

U.S. Surgeon General. (2003) The Obesity Crisis in America. Surgeongeneral.gov. April 1st, 2011. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/news/testimony/obesity07162003.htm

White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity. (May 2010). Solving the Problem of Childhood ObesityWithin a Generation. Let’s Move.gov. April 1st, 2011. http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/TaskForce_on_Childhood_Obesity_May2010_FullReport.pdf

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Join us for this FREE Webinar series and take charge of your health
~Ask your Questions Live~

Energetic Nutrition is pleased to sponsor Webinars and eLectures by Kirk Hamilton PA-C. Kirk is the host of Staying Healthy Today Radio and a practicing physicians assistant in nutrition and integrative medicine for more than 25 years. He is the author of the book “Staying Healthy in the Fast Lane: How To Be and Stay Well In The Busy, Modern World" available in early 2010.

Kirk is the originator of the TRIAD Wellness Program highlighting his “9 Simple Steps To Optimal Health” with diet, exercise and mind-body practices. He has interviewed more than 1,000 expert researchers and physicians from around the world since 1995 and has been educating health professionals with newsletters, interviews and nutrition research databases since 1989. His website is www.Prescription2000.com.

Join us for one or more of these important and informative webinars sponsored by Energetic Nutrition. All webinars include a talk with slideshow, followed by a Question and Answer session, and are approximately 1 hour long. 

Staying Healthy In the Fast Lane – Part I
How To Be Well In the Busy, Modern World
(Overview)

Kirk Hamilton, PA-C teaches busy people how to be well in our rapidly changing, modern world. Good health is very simple. It is not a mystery, and is achievable by almost everyone. By using the TRIAD Wellness Program “9 Simple Steps To Optimal Health," chronic diseases can be prevented, delayed, stopped or reversed by efficient and effective diet, exercise and mind/body practices.  
Read more…

Staying Healthy In the Fast Lane – Part IIHow To Be Well In the Busy, Modern World
(The Practical "How To") 

Kirk Hamilton, PA-C provides educational handouts he uses daily with patients to make the “9 Simple Steps To Optimal Health” real and practical. This is a “how to” hour of practical habits that lead to wellness. 
Read more…

The Disease That Doesn’t Have to HappenReversing the Diabetes Epidemic

 Kirk Hamilton, PA-C discusses adult onset diabetes, a silent killer leading to heart disease, hypertension, vision loss, and more. An aggressive diet and exercise program, the “carbohydrate myth,” the concept of ‘intramyocellular” lipid accumulation (fat in the cell), and healthy mitochondria are discussed. 
Read more…

What Can Gorillas Teach Us About Weight Loss?
Reversing the Obesity Epidemic with the Gorilla Diet and Weight Loss Program

Kirk Hamilton, PA-C speaks frankly about the U.S. obesity crisis. This talk will emphasize the concepts of low calorically dense and high nutrient dense diets in the context of changing basic individual metabolic energy expenditure through diet and exercise. A review of why healthy aging populations stay lean, and their simple, time-tested secrets are revealed. 
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Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease
Putting the World's #1 Killer To Rest

Kirk Hamilton, PA-C shares how heart disease can be prevented and reversed by the application of strict diet, exercise and stress management practices. Credible and proven physician directed programs will be discussed along with important and simple cardiovascular screening tests that can be done at any physician’s office to show progress and disease risk.  
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Healthy Aging
Living Long and Living Well in the 21st Century

Kirk Hamilton, PA-C reveals what healthy centenarians from around the world have to tell us about living long and living well in the 21st century. How do these successful aging populations from around the world live functionally into their 90s and 100’s? What are the common diet, exercise, lifestyle, social and spiritual threads that connect these different populations from around the world and prevent and delay the chronic diseases plaguing modern societies?
Read more…  

More about Kirk Hamilton, PA-C:

 Kirk Hamilton, PA-C (Physicians Assistant Certified) graduated from the University of California, Davis Physicians Assistant Program through their Department of Family Practice in 1983.

Since 1986 he has been a practicing Physicians Assistant at Health Associates Medical Group in Sacramento, California, a nutrient oriented general practice. Kirk has worked in a variety of practice specialties including: Family Practice, Nutrition, Prevention, Cardiology, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, Allergy, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine.

He speaks on a wide variety of health topics with a focus on disease prevention and treatment. Mr. Hamilton specializes not only in disease prevention but treatment with tailored nutritional therapy. This includes the biochemical assessment and therapeutic use of nutraceuticals including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and compounds innate to normal human biochemistry as less invasive approaches to disease treatment and prevention.