(Part 3 of a 3-Part Series)

In the last two parts of this series, I covered two of the five weight loss secrets, i.e., the five main contributing factors to Obesity.  In Part One I went over the reasons why MSG and Soy products contribute to both poor health and obesity.

In Part Two, I covered the work by Drs. Starr and Tennant concerning what they perceive as a thyroid deficiency epidemic, and how obesity ties in directly to this plague.

In this article I want to go over the rest of the factors I didn’t cover before . . . and also add a SIXTH FACTOR I consider to be the “Lynchpin” that “primes the health pump” and makes are the other factors work.

Here’s a Revised Recap of the Six Factors contributing to Obesity:

1. MSG / Soy Intake – covered in Part 1
2. Thyroid Deficiency – covered in Part 2
3. Lack of Stomach Acid
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup Intake
5. High Glycemic Food intake, and
6. Lack of Exercise

3. Lack of Stomach Acid

We know from my previous article in this series that the THYROID plays a crucial role in not only weight loss, but our overall health.  But the thyroid is useless unless the active thyroid hormone (T3) enters the cell through the cellular  membrane and gets into the cell’s power station (the mitochondria) where it boosts your metabolism and energy.  In order to do THIS, however, you need an abundance of the substance called GLUTATHIONE. 

Here’s the third part of the puzzle:  You don’t absorb glutathione when you eat it or take it as an oral supplement.  This vital substance is not readily digestible and therefore unusable in tablet or capsule form!  Your body has to MAKE Glutathione from three Amino Acids . . . and you can’t get these amino acids if you don’t have stomach acid to break proteins down!! 

Got that?  No Stomach Acid –> No Amino Acids –> No Glutathione –> No T3 absorption –> Low Energy and Weight Gain!

I know its a bit convoluted, but facts are facts.  The PROBLEM lies with the other fact:  that most people are getting the wrong advice when it comes to stomach acid.  Most of us are fooled into thinking that Heartburn is an excess of stomach acid, when in fact the opposite is true.  Here, again, is Dr. Tennant:

“…if you don’t have enough stomach acid, whole or partially-digested proteins reach the small intestine and are absorbed.  the body recognizes these as foreign since it didn’t make them.  thus you become allergic to the foods you normally eat!  Now about 20-40 minutes after each meal , your body thinks it is being attacked by a foreign protein and attacks it.  Thus it is like having a mini-case of the flu after each meal!  This is why so many people feel sleepy soon after they eat.  they say “I ate too much and it made me sleepy!”  The reality is that their body is attacking the proteins they just ate. 

“The reason for this allergy is lack of stomach acid . . . [which] requires iodine, zinc, Vitamin B1, water, salt, and carbon dioxide.  Americans don’t eat seaweed regularly and are deficient in iodine.  The amount of iodine in table salt is about 1/1000 of what you need, there is no iodine in sea salt, and our soils are devoid of iodine.  About 80% of the population is deficient in zinc.  Thus most people have allergies because they can’t make stomach acid.

“When you don’t have enough stomach acid, the digestive process in your stomach creates gas bubbles.  these bubbles are coated with stomach acid much like soap coats a bubble.  The gas bubble causes you to belch or simply rises up into your esophagus where you taste the acid.  It burns your esophagus so you feel discomfort or overt pain . . .  

“Since it is assumed you have too much stomach acid (and indeed you do have it in the wrong place – the esophagus), you take antacids or drugs that stop the acid production.  Your [heartburn] stops.  However, now you are developing allergies since you can’t digest your proteins!”  (Healing is Voltage, pp. 443-445)

Summary:  Increase you intake of 5% Lugol’s iodine – a few drops in pure water – or eat a ton of seaweed.  You will also need the other items mentioned, i.e., zinc, water, B1, and “real salt.”  This will have the dual effect of reducing your allergies AND dropping your weight because the body is less stressed!

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup Intake

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a major factor contributing to widespread obesity.  According to a study done in 2006 by the Harvard School of Public Health, “Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), particularly carbonated soft drinks, may be a key contributor to the epidemic of overweight and obesity, by virtue of these beverages’ high added sugar content, low satiety, and incomplete compensation for total energy.”

The fact is, HFCS has the same effect on the body, particularly the pancreas, as does sugar in other forms.  It’s simple:  avoid this substance if you want to lose weight!

5. High Glycemic Foods Intake

Similar to the last item, “High Glycemic” foods are foods that rapidly convert to sugar and cause the pancreas to release insulin. High and prolonged levels of insulin leads to inflammation and illness.  Therefore, too much sugar intake, as any school kid could probably tell you, is bad if you want to stay slim and trim!

Refined carbohydrates are the high glycemic culprits here, not complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables. The latter – as well as proteins – take much longer to convert to sugar.  this puts them in the category of “Low Glycemic” foods. I’m talking about foods with empty calories . . . like candy bars, cakes, cookies, pizza, spaghetti, french fries, chips, beer, and all foods made with refined flour and/or sugar (and don’t forget the “plastic” fats used to cook these monster foods!).

Again, Dr. Tennant writes:

“When you eat carbohydrates, they are digested to glucose, and this causes the pancreas to put out insulin.  The glucose is used to fill up the liver. the liver can hold about onae and a half hours worth of glucose for the brain.  The remainder is placed into fat cells. 

“One of the problems is that insulin turns glucose into fat, but it cannot turn fat back into glucose.  Thus once glucose becomes fat, insulin cannot access that energy storage for placing glucose in the liver. 

“Let’s say your liver is full of glucose.  then an hour goes by.  Your brain ‘looks’ down at the liver and says, ‘Oh my! There are only thirty minutes worth of fuel left for me – hurry and eat a Snickers bar and drink a Coke so I don’t run out of fuel!’ Your brain encourages yu to eat rapidly-digested carbohydrates. 

“When you eat proteins, a part of them is converted to glucose.  However, eating protein causes the pancreas to make Glucagon instead of insulin.  The glucagon fills the liver with glucose and then deposits the rest in fat cells.  However, there is a big difference between glucagon and insulin.  Glucagon can turn the fat back into glucose.  so when the hour goes by and the brain notices that the liver is getting low on fuel, it doesn’t really care because it realizes that you have a two-year supply of glucose in that belly that hangs over your belt. With glucagon present, it isn’t worried that it will run out of fuel, so it doesn’t insist on you eating some carbs.” ((Healing is Voltage, p. 257)

Dr. Tennat goes on to say that this is the basis of the “Atkins Diet,” but that too much protein in the absence of alkalyzing fruits and vegetables can also harm your body and cause it to go into acidosis and collapse.

6. Lack of Exercise

I’ve read in almost every book or article on weight loss that exercise is the key!    This is the ONE FACTOR that can get the proper nutrients flowing in your body again.  If you were to eat a crappy diet – but still exercise three times a week for 30 minutes or more – you would lose weight and be overall healthier.

The reason for this is that your lymphatic system, which allows toxins to be flushed out of the body, can only operate when muscles are active.  That means exercise is the ONLY way to get those toxins stored in your fat cells OUT of the body through one of the eliminative organs – the bowels, bladder, or skin (through the sweat glands).

“But Dr. Craig . . . I don’t have any energy to get out and exercise!”  If this is your complaint, I understand.  I’ve been there myself . . . too weak and disinterested to even THINK about walking, riding, or working out.  If this is you, try this:  go back to the article on Hypothyroidism and find a good doctor who can help you kick up your thyroid function and balance your hormones.  Once you start regaining some energy you will naturally want to get out and play!

If you want to lose weight, set up an exercise routine for three days a week.  Even if you can only start out at 5 minutes, get those muscle moving! I’ve found that, because I hate going to the gym, I much prefer cycling and bouncing on the small rebound trampoline we have at home.  That’s what works for me.  Whatever method works for you, just get moving!

So that concludes my 3-part series on Weight Loss Secrets for Coaches and Clients.  I hope you got something out of it . . . and if so, I would appreciate your leaving me a comment below.

Thanks!

Dr. Craig