Tags: diet drug, FDA, Qnexa, weight loss
OMG – New Diet Pill! Posted on February 27th, 2012
Apparently the FDA is concerned about a new diet drug that’s about to hit the market – without adequate testing! The new drug Qnexa is a combination if two existing drugs: phentermine, which is a psycho-stimulant (remember phen-phen!) and the epilepsy and migraine drug topiramate or Topomax. With 60 percent of Americans either overweight or obese, this drug could provide an option to bariatric surgery or the traditional diet and exercise route, not-to-mention a huge boon to the drug manufacturer. But like all other drugs, Qnexa has potential side effects especially to pregnant women, where studies show the use of topiramate during pregnancy increases the risk of “oral clefts” or cleft lip by a ratio of two to five. Drug manufacturers are pushing for the new drug to be released without further testing and, it looks like this could happen! Not a good idea in my opinion.
When are people going to realize that weight loss is not a mystery? My bestselling diet book The Body Knows Diet ~Cracking the Weight Loss Code, clearly defines the five components of successful weight loss – not one of them includes the use of drugs. It is scary to think of the lengths to which some people will go to lose weight, when simple guidelines will net results. Alas, many physicians are unaware that subclinical-low thyroid and imbalanced hormones are often the root of stubborn weight problems. Why not follow that trail on an individual patient basis? Unless habits are changed, testing done and simple guidelines followed, no drug will ever be a permanent solution to the weight loss game.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/18/health/fda-still-wary-of-diet-pills-side-effects.html
Tags: Candida Albicans, childhood obesity, Michelle Obama, weight loss
Michelle Obama Tackles Childhood Obesity Posted on February 24th, 2010
First lady Michelle Obama tackles a subject that will have serious future implications unless something is done. Michelle is a competent mother of two and from all accounts there is no obesity in that family. She works out every day, has planted an organic garden and sees that her children are being raised with healthy foods. Not so in every household. With both parents working and many single parent families, home cooked meals have gone by the boards for over two decades. Most people think that childhood obesity is caused by too much food and not enough exercise – valid reasons. But where did the problem originate? In my opinion a little known cause that packs a big punch is the culprit behind the over-consumption of starch and sugar by adults and children alike. I am referring to a strain of yeast called Candida Albicans which gets out of control after a course of antibiotics and a high starch, high sugar diet. Antibiotics are not just over-prescribed but they are also widely used in the beef, dairy, pork and poultry industry. These factory farm animals are fed an unnatural diet and in order to prevent sickness or death, the widespread use of antibiotics is the norm – a good reason to eat organic. In my opinion, every adult and child that I have counseled is dealing with an overgrowth of yeast. Candida Albicans lives in the gut and in healthy people exists in concert with multiple strains of beneficial bacteria in the lower colon. But once the yeast, like a weed in the garden gets out of control, uncontrollable cravings for starch and sugar result – thus promoting over eating. Easy solution: following a course of antibiotics – take probiotics. This re-colonizes the lower colon with beneficial bacteria and prevents an over growth of yeast. Sure let’s get the home cooked healthy meals moved from the back burner to the front. Sure let’s get the consistent exercise going. Sure let’s get the kids outside and away from the TV and video games. But let’s tackle the real problem – Candida yeast one child at a time.
Tags: children, weight loss
Fat Kids – Big Problem Posted on September 26th, 2009
It’s no surprise that obesity rates among US children are soaring. With complications resulting from junk food, super sizing and the Big Mac, alarming numbers of kids are showing up with heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.
Recently the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council released a study suggesting taxing junk food and giving tax breaks to grocery stores that build bike trails. It’s just an observation but in the US, look around you – every second person is overweight if not obese. Cross the border into Canada and this is not the case. The average person in Canada has an average, normal body weight. What’s going on? I have always felt that the reason for all these overweight kids in the United States is the over use of antibiotics both by prescription and through the food chain. Once a course of antibiotics is given, this wipes out the normal bacterial flora in the GI tract thus creating massive cravings for sweets and starches. Antibiotics flow thorough the food chain in the dairy and meat industries. Everyone is exposed to them unless they eat organic, antibiotic and hormone free. So choose food wisely, eat less, exercise more, have more fun, get away from the computer and limit the use of antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. In 2005, I wrote the best selling book The Body Knows Diet ~ Cracking the Weight Loss Code where I outline the major food allergies and how they contribute to weight gain, why antibiotics lead to cravings and how the big diet books fail the reader.
Tags: allergic, diet, food sensitivity, Kirstie Alley, Oprah, weight loss
Kirstie Alley Has Regained All the Weight Posted on May 17th, 2009
Recent show on Oprah – Kirstie Alley had regained all the weight that she’s lost in 2007.
I could have to told you so. I wrote about Kirstie in my best selling book: The Body Knows Diet – Cracking the Weight Loss Code.
In my opinion Kirstie Alley is intolerant or allergic to common foods – especially the ones she eats frequently. It doesn’t matter that she is the spokes person for a well-known weight loss center. If she consumes foods to which she is sensitive, intolerant or allergic, she WILL gain weight. Alas after she left the controlled conditions of the diet facility all her weight returned and then some.
Weight gain is related to multiple sensitivities to common foods, an overgrowth of yeast in the digestive tract hence uncontrollable cravings, high carbohydrate consumption plus imbalanced hormones. Not enough exercise is a factor too. Kristie, get with the program ~ I would love to guide you with permanent weight loss.