Too Much of a “Good” Thing-Help for Over-Eating or Bingeing

There used to be a commercial for potato chips that bragged, “Bet you can’t eat just one.” What is it about some foods that make them so hard to stop? We could go into the biochemistry of taste buds, and stimulation of receptors in the brain that trigger some natural chemicals that we associate with pleasure. Or we could talk about willpower. But most of us can agree that there are times that we want to just keep eating.

There is a special substance that can help. The name of it is Inositol, and I have used it for years to help kids, my own and others, to balance their blood sugar at holidays and birthdays.

In the past, Inositol was named Vitamin B 8, but now it is known that the body makes Inositol out of glucose, the type of sugar that is in the blood. Inositol actually helps to regulate blood sugar, and may be as therapeutic as Metformin for increasing insulin sensitivity, which allows glucose to be taken up into cells to be used for energy. Ironically, diets high in sugar may suppress inositol, but supplementing with inositol improves sugar handling.[i]

It turns out that higher doses of inositol can help people to stop over-indulging.[ii] And there is more good news. Inositol is naturally slightly sweet, so it blends well as a powder when added to drinks or smoothies. And the tablet form is chewable, so it is easy for kids to take.

As with any new supplement that requires a higher dose, I always suggest starting slowly and working up.  Inositol can be used as part of a weight loss program, or to break a pattern of binging. Inositol will help balance blood sugar, so it can be used for those at risk for diabetes.

Getting blood sugar markers checked is one of the best ways to predict your risk for future catastrophic illness such as cancer or heart disease or the insulin resistance that leads to Diabetes. The immune system and the gut biome are also adversely affected by the foods that lead to binging and over-eating.

No one chooses to eat too much cauliflower or kale. It’s the processed foods, the sugars and simple carbs, and the junk food full of artificial flavors that grab us and turn on the cravings.

You can use inositol regularly to help curb appetite or use it when the junk food junkie pays a visit.

Inositol plays a pivotal role in many types of therapy, as a vital component in more complex molecules. Inositol has often been used for women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is another form of metabolic disease and sugar disregulation.  It has also been helpful for respiratory distress and Alzheimer’s.[iii]

Contact me about either tablets or powder. As usual, Standard Process makes the best Inositol. Other benefits of Inositol include reduction of nerve pain. I have recommended it for shingles and herpes. Inositol is a standard treatment for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which is another type of blood sugar issue. And Alzheimer’s is considered by many researchers to be Diabetes Type 3, so Inositol might be helpful for cognitive issues, as well.

New research shows that, for the first time in human history, obesity is a greater health risk than malnourishment. People are eating themselves to death, if slowly. We need all the help we can get to fight against overeating, since the Big Food companies and Big Farming puts profits before human health. And Big Pharma is only too happy to pick up the pieces and get us on as many drugs as possible to treat the illnesses caused by Frankenstein foods and chemical poisons like glyphosate.

Will power is important, but we are up against some heavy marketing and tough temptations at every turn.

Inositol may be a way to fight back. Contact me if you would like to try some Inositol for yourself or your kids.

[i] https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-inositol#1

[ii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11262515/

[iii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27351907/

10 Hacks For a Slimmer, Merrier Holiday

1.     Choose your treat before the feast.

Decide which type of treat you want to indulge in before each festivity. Choose breads or desserts, for example, but not both. For most people the starch in bread metabolizes like cake, so choosing one or the other prevents a double helping of sugar.

2.     Load up on the healthy stuff when you first arrive at a party. Take the edge off your appetite with the crudité, vegetable dips, olives and other low calorie snacks. Cheese and nuts, although healthy, quickly pile on calories.

3.     Volunteer to bring a dessert and make it sugar-free by using stevia or xylitol. That way you can enjoy a good helping of something sweet without blowing your diet. And you may be surprised how many people enjoy your dessert and ask for the recipe. Here are some recipes made with stevia. http://www.yummly.com/recipes/stevia-desserts  Another sugar-free suggestion is to serve berries with whipped cream sweetened with Stevia instead of the usual pies or cakes. You can use some English Toffee Stevia to give the cream a more Holiday feel. Sweetleaf carries a dozen flavors of liquid stevia and has many recipes to try.

4.     Try using coconut flour or nut flours instead of wheat for your holiday baking. These grain-free substitutes are higher in protein and lower in carbs. And you may start a new Holiday tradition. Here are other suggestions for making healthier cookies. http://www.cbsnews.com/media/healthier-holiday-cookies/

5.     Drink a glass of water for every alcoholic drink you have. Pace yourself, set your drink down, switch to a bubbly water with lemon. Alcohol metabolizes like sugar, and it is toxic for the liver. A clear head and engaged mind makes you a more interesting party guest!  Milk Thistle before and after indulging will help you avoid a hang-over. We have the best in our Livco from MediHerb.

6.     Avoid chocolate when you are enjoying other rich, fatty foods. Chocolate is particularly difficult for the liver/gall bladder to process. If you suffer from any kind of migraines or headaches, try eliminating chocolate and see if the headaches subside. Even the best dark chocolate may cause headaches for some people. Chocolate may be particularly aggravating right before the menstrual period. Try taking extra magnesium at that time.

7.     Get family and friends active with games and walks and activities that keep people away from too much food or alcohol. Americans gain an average of 7 pounds at Christmas and many don’t lose it throughout the year.

8.     Don’t skip meals just because you are busy. Plan ahead so that you keep your blood sugar stable by including protein and fat in every meal and eating every few hours. Decide that you don’t have to sample every cookie that is offered or indulge in the treats around the office. Keep a supply of fruits, veggies and other healthy snacks around so that you aren’t starving when the parties start. You can also make pots of soup to enjoy for a filling treat to take to the office or enjoy when you come home tired.

9.     Indulge yourself in other ways than goodies and food treats during the Holidays. Get a massage. Ask for one for a gift or treat yourself. Enjoy herbal teas. Try Slippery Elm tea to soothe the tummy and Licorice tea to support the adrenals. Indulge your senses with essential oils. Peppermint essential oil is a wonderful pick-me-up in the morning or before a night out. Eucalyptus essential oil eases breathing and congestion. Lavender is a classic for relaxation and sleep. Essential oils can be used simply by putting a few drops on a hanky and breathing the scent. Children love them. You can also mix a few drops with a carrier oil like coconut and rubbing on temples or chest.

10. On the days between celebrations eat a simple diet with lots of salad, protein of choice, and dressings of good oil and lemon or vinegar. Give your digestion and your pancreas a break and stick to a Paleo regime.  Look at your calendar ahead of time and decide which days you will stick to a healthy plan. Write it down so you don’t forget.

Don't forget your supplements during the Holidays, especially if you are traveling. We can mail to you if you don't have time to come to the office. If you are stressed, try our wonderful herbal line that is sure to calm and soothe in just a few minutes. Enjoy this Holiday Season, with all its blessings.

True Stress Relief With Herbal Medicine

Plant medicine is the oldest form of medicine on the planet. Over thousands of years, herbalists have identified the key benefits of various plants, long before they knew why they worked. Thousands of years of research have demonstrated the fact that plants have amazing medicinal ingredients.

Today we know what those ingredients are, and why correct preparation pulls out the active constituents. With modern tableting technology these powerful medicines are readily available. The important thing about herbal medicines is to choose companies that understand how to prepare them. Without regulation, your money will be well spent with companies you can trust.

Here are some other ways that herbal medicine can help you. With the Holidays on us in full stride, stress may be a part of the preparations for the merry making.

If you are experiencing stress and anxiety, herbal medicine offers some of the fastest relief. Licorice, Rehmannia, and Ashwaganda, Rhodiola, Schisandra and Kava are all herbal remedies that can handle stress quickly. Some of my herbal preparations can knock out those frazzled feelings in just a few minutes. Think nutritional medicine for long term handling, and herbal medicine to calm things down when you need it right now, as well as supporting the body’s ability to adapt to stress.

For example, Schisandra with Rhodiola supports lung and adrenal gland function, boosts energy and stamina, helps to cleanse the liver, eases the effects of everyday stress, enhances memory and mental clarity, promotes vitality and stamina, supports physical endurance, maintains feelings of general well-being, supports and maintains the body as it ages. Nothing in the drug world can come close to this.

You may not believe how well these herbal complexes can work, whether it is a matter of stress on the job, physically over-doing it, or experiencing an emotional response. Your body does not know what kind of stress it is; only that it needs to go into high gear to deal with it.

This puts a strain on the systems that can lead to over-indulgence in drugs, alcohol, sugar, salty foods or comfort foods. These herbals remedies can help you curb emotional and stress eating, as well, which will ease the strain on your waistband over the Holidays! For further help with cravings, ask us how Gymnema can magically help you avoid sugar altogether.

Next time you are in, ask for a sample and see how you feel after taking a herbal supplement. Let us know about any medications you take, as that may determine which herbal remedy is right for you.

Enjoy a safer, saner, happier and healthier Holiday season by tapping into the healing power of Nature.

Anne Dunev, PhD, C.N., is a Naturopath/Nutritionist in Los Angeles. With 25 years of clinical experience her Functional Medicine approach has helped thousands of people recover their health by rebalancing hormones, and removing the barriers to the body healing itself.

How Much Sugar Is Too Much- Part 2

See Part 1 https://anne-dunev-gqev.squarespace.com/natural-health-and-nutrition-blog/2015/9/19/how-much-sugar-is-too-much

10. Maple syrup is mainly sucrose, but contains some minerals and amino acids (building blocks of proteins) because it is made from boiling the tree sap from Maple Trees.

11. Honey is flower nectar acted upon by enzymes that make is suitable for long-term storage by the bee. To further assist the storage the bees fan the honey to speed up the evaporation process, making the honey thicker. Beeswax, a secretion from the abdomen of the bee, is used to seal the honey into the comb. Honey will keep indefinitely once the process is complete. Honey is 82% sugar and 40% of the sugar is fructose. Honey has trace minerals and antioxidants. Honey will raise blood sugar, but not as much as white sugar. It also appears to lower inflammation. Honey should only be eaten raw and it is antibacterial and safe to put on a wound for healing (but should not be used on a puncture wound.)

12. Xylitol is made from birch trees. It contains 30-40% less calories and is slowly absorbed compared to other sugars. Xylitol can reduce cavities and is a good choice for chewing gum. It has also been shown to reduce the incidence of middle ear infections in children. Xylitol is a better choice for individuals who are suffering from hypoglycemia or Diabetes. It may cause gas and diarrhea if consumed in high quantities. It is toxic for dogs.

13. Coconut sugar is also made from tree sap. Coconut tree sap is heated until the water has evaporated and the crystals are left. Coconut sugar contains trace minerals and a fiber called inulin, a prebiotic, which helps feed healthy gut flora. It contains the same calories as refined white sugar.

14. Stevia is an extract of a South American plant leaf. It is not technically a sugar, but it stimulates the sweet receptors on the tongue and is perceived as sweet. It is 200-300 times sweeter than white sugar, so should be used in small quantities. It is safe for Diabetics to use.

Americans consume over 19 teaspoons of sugar per day, on average, not including fruit juice. This is added sugar, and does not include the sugar Nature provides in fruits, vegetables and grains. Regular soda contains one teaspoon of sugar per ounce.

We obviously enjoy the sweet stuff. And the body was designed to extract the sugar from whole foods and use glucose for fuel. When we consume refined sugars, the sugar does not have to be extracted, but transports directly into the blood, and that is what creates havoc. In a sense the body can become drunk on sugar, just as too much alcohol causes inebriation. Either too much sugar at one time, or not enough sugar when we skip meals or starve, throws off the balanced flow of energy to the cells. Too much sugar sends our pancreas and livers into over-drive to try and compensate for the deluge. There is a delicate mechanism to maintain a correct balance of sugar so the brain, as the central computer system, works optimally. Sugar has a “burning” effect on cells and may well be the main cause for inflammation in the arteries leading to heart disease. Cancer and candida cells love sugar and feed off sugar. Excess sugar is quickly converted to fat cells and does not just get deposited at waist and hips. Fat deposits in the liver interrupt normal liver function.

So, basically there is nothing helpful or healthy that comes from eating too much sugar. There is nothing healthy about eating any processed, refined sugar at all. We may be able to handle a few teaspoons a day, but we don’t need any added sugar in our diets. If you are trying to lose weight, eliminate fruit also, and see if your body lets go of excess pounds more easily. Think of bread and pasta as sugar, also, since the body will metabolize (break down) grains and starches as sugars.

To end sugar cravings, you have to eliminate it. Just like alcohol (which also breaks down to sugar) you have to go on the wagon to stop the cravings. Add in more protein and healthy fats, and that will help. Get your adrenals checked, as both sugar and salt cravings are indicators of adrenal fatigue.

Do our 10-day Sugar Detox program and see how good you can feel off sugar! Have more energy, sleep better and tame the sugar monster, while also doing a detox. Book a free 15 minute consultation to find out more. 818-562-1400.