August 2010 Health Newsletter

 PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE PROTOCOL   To lose weight one must obviously consume fewer calories than are expended. However to specifically target fat loss other factors must be taken into consideration along with a maintenance program, which is completely different than the interventional program. The body has four compartments of energy from which to draw to meet its metabolic needs: blood glucose, glycogen (stored glucose), muscle and fat. It draws on these reserves in a very specific order; first burning the glucose in the blood and next the glycogen reserve. Once the glycogen is exhausted, then and only then will it turn to the muscle and fat compartments. If we replenish the glycogen stores the fat-burning stops until it is once again depleted. Two master metabolic hormones, insulin and glucagon, mediate how the body shifts from one compartment of energy to the next. OUR RESULTS ARE PREDICTABLE AND REPEATABLE   Most popular weight loss programs advertise with testimonials and striking "before and after pictures". Invariably these are followed by a disclaimer that states "these results are not typical". Our clients will lose between 3 to 7 pounds per week (women typically losing 3 to 5 pounds and men 5 to 7 pounds). These results are typical and we have a record of 7 million successful dieters in our 23 years of experience.   WHY WE ARE SUCCESSFUL   Any hypo-caloric diet will result in weight loss and most popular programs base their protocols on a "balanced diet". If we take the standard USDA recommendations of approximately 60% of calories derived from "good carbohydrates", 25% from protein and 15% from "healthy fats" and cut the amounts in half (keeping the ratio of macronutrients the same), we will have a "balanced diet" with one-half the calories.....and people will lose weight. But there are a few problems with this seemingly logical approach. First, if we continue to replenish some of the glycogen stores every day (60% of calories coming from carbohydrates, most of which will be converted to glucose in vivo) our fat-burning will stop until that has been depleted. This will lead to an erratic weight loss. Second, and more importantly, decreasing the minimal daily requirements of protein will lead to muscle loss. As blood glucose drops (from the hypo-caloric intake) the body will burn fat but will also break down muscle via gluconeogenesis as a way to maintain proper glucose homeostasis. As we lose muscle our metabolism slows, also the heart is a muscle and losing some of its mass is not a good thing (remember the Phen-Fen diet?). Now when these folks have achieved their goal weight, what is the predictable result? They go back to eating "normal size" meals but their metabolism is slower and they regain the weight, often times ending up heavier than when they started the diet. Our protocol takes a different track - for a relatively short time we will use an "unbalanced diet". We keep the minimum daily protein requirement the same (roughly 1/2 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight) and build the diet around this. Understand, this is not a "HIGH PROTEIN DIET". We give only the minimum and we do this to spare the muscle. Loss of muscle is unacceptable to us during a diet. Next, if we want to lose fat it is logical that we would eliminate most fats from the diet (but giving ample amounts of essential fatty acids). Now we are left with carbohydrates. Because we do not want to replace glycogen stores, we keep these at a bare minimum, approximately 20 grams per day. This forces the body to stay in the "fat-burning mode" 24 hours a day and is therefore called a "ketogenic diet". Our dieters will consume four cups of non-starchy vegetables and 2 green salads daily. This will provide fiber to prevent constipation and they will be given a multi-vitamin, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sea salt to ensure proper electrolyte balance. We only provide what they would normally be getting from food groups that we are temporarily taking away (i.e. dairy, fruits and grains). OUR FOODS   The centerpiece of our protocol is the wonderful protein based foods the client will consume during the weight loss phases of the program. These are high biological value proteins, containing all nine essential amino acids and are derived from non-GMO sources. We employ five different proteins: whey isolates, soy isolates, whole milk protein, albumin, and hydrolyzed collagen. This gives the client many options and is designed so folks with sensitivities to dairy, soy, or folks who are vegetarians may participate in the program. Our products are delicious and we currently have over 35 different products including shakes, juices, bars, soups, chili, pancakes, oatmeal, stew and many others. These are foods that are very satisfying - providing hot and cold foods, different textures and sweet, salty and crunchy snacks. The client will use these products to build complete meals, adding vegetables and salads. Each sealed envelope ensures full potency and contains about 18 to 20 grams of protein with very little to no fat or sugar. These are easy to prepare and can be incorporated into a busy lifestyle very nicely. SYNDROME X: INSULIN RESISTANCE AND HYPERINSULINEMIA   Syndrome X, arguably the "epidemic of the century", is the name given to a general disorder characterized by four hallmark symptoms: central obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. Gerald Reaven, MD (Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Stanford University) was the first person to use the term and to show a link between the hyper-secretion of insulin and subsequent insulin resistance and these four hallmark symptoms. Pharmacological treatments of the symptoms of Syndrome X never affect a cure, and many times will exacerbate the symptoms. We commonly prescribe medications to help the pancreas produce even more insulin, give drugs to increase insulin receptor sensitivity or even give insulin directly in an attempt to regulate the blood glucose levels of these patients. This is a "Catch-22" situation because while the insulin receptors on muscle cells may be resistant and require increased amounts of the hormone to effect glucose uptake, other tissues and organs retain their sensitivity to insulin and prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone invariably will lead to complications. At Ideal Protein, we believe that Syndrome X is a problem caused by food (too many carbohydrates, i.e. sugar) and the treatment is food. When we put clients on a ketogenic diet we immediately decrease insulin levels and many symptoms quickly improve. Moreover, by keeping insulin levels low, we now allow the cells to regain their sensitivity to insulin and the pancreas' production of insulin returns to normal. This has been confirmed by hundreds of before and after fasting insulin levels in clinics seen in clinics that have adopted our protocol. There are many misconceptions about protein-based diets and "ketosis". Ketosis is a normal metabolic function like glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, or glycolosis and is totally safe as opposed to the pathological condition of ketoacidosis. Benefits of the program include:

• Weigh loss is quick, and this motivates patients to continue. Any diet’s success depends on patient adherence.
• As only a 5-7% weight loss is recognized for improving cardiovascular and metabolic parameters (blood pressure, blood lipids, waist circumference, blood sugar, etc.) VLCD meet and exceed this loss rapidly. A loss of 15-20% over 12-16 weeks is typical.
• Some studies correlate long term maintenance with greater initial weight losses. The initial weight losses are high in a ketogenic VLCD.
• Weight regain, if it occurs, is not accompanied by return to baseline of metabolic parameters. In other words, a patient may regain some weight, but does not regain the hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glycemia present before the VLCD.
• Quick reduction in waist circumference and corresponding ventral adiposity.
• Fast and impressive changes in glycemic control. Hemoglobin A1c improve and often normalize in only weeks. Post prandial (after meal) blood sugar excursions do not occur.
• Glycemic improvement occurs quickly necessitating reduction and/or elimination of pharmacologic agents. This begins within days of starting the VLCD.
• Blood pressure improvements begin even before appreciable weight losses.
• Diabetic, lipid lowering, and blood pressure medications are typically greatly reduced or eliminated. Many, if not most clients want to reduce the number of medications they take.
• Insulin sensitivity improves even without exercise. This increased sensitivity occurs in peripheral tissues as well as the liver.
• Serum (blood) levels of fasting insulin are reduced.
• Liver volume decreases significantly, and liver enzymes improve.
• Pancreatic insulin (endogenous, or the clients own insulin) secretion is enhanced
• Hepatic (liver) glucose output is reduced.
• Triglycerides drop drastically if elevated, and this occurs early in the diet. HDL-C (good cholesterol) increases, but this is over a longer period of time. LDL-C (bad cholesterol) may or may not improve in by total LDL-C measures. However, the LDL-C ratio of apoB (bad, dense component of LDL) and apoA (better, less atherogenic component of LDL) improves.
• Protein has protective effects on kidney function in healthy patients.
• Lack of hunger aids in diet compliance. Protein has the most satiating properties among the macronutrients.
• Ketones have an anorexic and euphoric effect. The anorexic effect can be profound. This appetite suppressing effect may be so strong it that patients must be reminded to eat mandatory food and supplements.
• Carbohydrates tend to stimulate hunger, and restricting intake helps with appetite control and reduced cravings.
• Trend towards better weight maintenance. Weight gain that does occurs tends to be gains of lean body mass, where as regain after low protein diets tends to be more fat mass.
• Thermal effect of food is enhanced with protein.
• Weight loss from fat is greater while loss of lean body mass is minimized with adequate protein.
• Reduced waist circumference and ventral adiposity. Losing belly fat is very aesthetically appealing for many patients and is a strong motivator.
• Meal replacement in weight loss strategy enforces portion control and has demonstrated significantly greater weight losses than a prescribed diet of self- selected conventional food.
• For type 2 diabetics, meal replacement and weekly sessions in a supervised setting are found very effective for weight loss.
• Can be used for as first line treatment before, after, or as adjunct to other weight loss therapies. These include short and long term pharmacologic agents and surgery.
Summary: Overweight patients want fast results and a program they can adhere to. Providers want a safe program with clinically measurable outcomes. The VLCD with convenient, palatable protein meal supplements is an effective treatment tool to offer patients.   References 1. Albu J, Pi-Sunyer FX. Association between obesity and diabetes. In: Bray GA, Bouchard C, eds. Handbook of Obesity: Etiology & Pathophysiology. 2^nd ed. New York: Marcel; Decker; 2004: 899-917. 2. Case CC, Jones PH, O’Brien E, Ballantyne CM. Impact of weight loss on the metabolic syndrome. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2002; (4): 407-414. 3. Colles SL, Dixon J, Boyd P, Strauss BJ, O’Brien PE. Preoperative weight loss with a very-low-energy diet: Quantitaion of changes in liver and abdominal fat by serial imaging. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006; 84:304-11. 4. Despres, JP, Kraus RM. Obesity and lipoprotein metabolism. In: Bray GA, Bouchard C, eds. Handbook of Obesity: Etiology & Pathophysiology. 2^nd ed. New York: Marcel Decker; 2004: 845-871. 5. Fujioka K. Weight loss clinics: Range of capabilities, benefits, risks, and cost. In: Bray GA, Bouchard C, Eds. Handbook of Obesity: Clinical Applications. 3^rd ed. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2006: 593-605. 6. Gardner C, Kiazand A, Alhassan S, Kim S, Stafford R, Balise R, Kraemer H, King A. Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight premenopausal women. JAMA; 2007; 297(9):969-977. 7. Makris, AP, Foster GD. Diet composition and weight loss. In: Bray GA, Bouchard C, eds. Handbook of Obesity: Clinical Applications. 3^rd ed. New York: Informa Healthcare; 2006: 269-290. 8. Rocchini AP. Obesity and blood pressure regulation. In: Bray GA, Bouchard C, eds. Handbook of Obesity: Etiology & Pathophysiology. 2^nd ed. New York: Marcel Decker; 2004: 873-897. 9. US Department of Health & Human Services. Very low-calorie diets. Weight-control Information Network. June 2006. NIH publication No. 03-3894. National Institute of Health. www.win.niddk.nih.gov

 How to travel with the Ideal protocol! Hey, this thing is so easy to travel with! Just pack the "magic bullet" or your Shaker cup, and bring the easy food ( like the oatmeal/ cocoa/ cap/ peach mango/ bars) and eat one in the am / and one before bed... in the middle of the day ( lunch and dinner) make it the same: Proteins/ veggies (ask them to steam or grill) and salads ( use only vinegar/oil and your seasalt ( put in your purse).... I have done it and it is really not hard if you are prepared.. If you have a long business day- eat the protein bar in between, or some soy crisps, or a ready made drink. On the airplane ask the flight attendant for hot water and mix your oatmeal into it for a great breakfast on the plane!!!! You can do it!! * A Side note: if you have a water bottle, say Zephyrhills, or the like, all you need to do is take a sip or two out of the bottle, carefully pour your packet, a little at a time, shaking in between while filling and WALA! you have your protein, even without your shaker cup!!

 How to travel with the Ideal protocol! Hey, this thing is so easy to travel with! Just pack the "magic bullet" or your Shaker cup, and bring the easy food ( like the oatmeal/ cocoa/ cap/ peach mango/ bars) and eat one in the am / and one before bed... in the middle of the day ( lunch and dinner) make it the same: Proteins/ veggies (ask them to steam or grill) and salads ( use only vinegar/oil and your seasalt ( put in your purse).... I have done it and it is really not hard if you are prepared.. If you have a long business day- eat the protein bar in between, or some soy crisps, or a ready made drink. On the airplane ask the flight attendant for hot water and mix your oatmeal into it for a great breakfast on the plane!!!! You can do it!! * A Side note: if you have a water bottle, say Zephyrhills, or the like, all you need to do is take a sip or two out of the bottle, carefully pour your packet, a little at a time, shaking in between while filling and WALA! you have your protein, even without your shaker cup!!

 7 Traits That May Be Keeping You Overweight

Alcohol's Effect on the Liver

     Heavy drinking can cause fat to accumulate in the liver.  In time the liver cells dia and are replaced with scar tissue.  This is known as fibrosis which can lead to a serious life threstening liver disease called cirrhosis.

Alcohol's Effects on Blood Sugar

     The liver has many funtions, one of which is to help regulate the blood sugar.  If the blood sugar levels fall too low, it's the liver's job to release sugar and raise the blood sugar to a safe level.  The liver can release sugar that it had stored previously or can make new glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis.

     We know alcohol is metabolized in the liver.  The most important thing to know: when the liver is breaking down alcohol, it can't make new glucose in response to low blood sugar.  It takes about 1-1.5 hours to metabolize one drink.  If you are diabetic and on insulin or medication that can cause low blood sugar, alcohol poses a special risk for you.  If you get low blood sugar from medication your liver can't adequately raise your blood sugar levels because you ingested alcohol, your blood sugar can end up going lower and lower.  After a drink or two you may not feel the symptoms of low blood sugar and you may not realize you need to eat some carbohydrates.  If your blood sugar severely drops, you may be stumbling instead of walking.  Everyone thinks you've had too much to drink and not realize you need help.  This is very dangerous.

     Alcohol-induced hypoglycemia is preventable.  Some people choose not to drink, therefore are at no risk. If you choose to drink, drink safely and responsibly.  Here are a few tips:

     Use moderation: Limit yourself to one or two drinks.

     Don't drink on an empty stomach! Make sure you eat carbohydrates.

     If you are a diabetic monitor your blood sugar.

     Don't drink after heavy excercise.  Strenuous or long duration excercise can increase your risk for low blood sugar.  Excercise induced hypoglycemia can occur hours after the excercise.

Alcohol's Effect on Weight

     When you are on a weight loss program, alcohol calories add up fast.  Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram, and both carbohydrate and protein have 4 calores per gram.  Calories from alcohol are empty calories because they do not offer any significant vitamins or minerals.  The mixers are an additional source of carbohydrates and calories.  When on a weight loss program you can use diet sodas, diet tonic, club soda or water as mixers.

LIQUOR: Calories & Carbs

     The following table provides information on serving size, and carbohydrate content of various alcoholic beverages.  The exchange system equivalents are provides to help you account for the calories.  For example, a beer is counted as one starch exchange and one fat exchange.  That's because beer has some carbohydrate from barley, malt and hops, which count as a starch exchange.  The alcohol in beer is counted as a fat exchange. Alcohol is not a fat, but since it's metabolized similary to fat, it's counted as a fat exchange.  Wine is very low in carbohydrates with the exception of desert wines.  The grape juice that wine is made from has been converted to alcohol in fermentation process.

     Liqueurs and mixed drinks vary in calories and carbohydrate content, depending on the beverage and the portion size.  For example, a coffee-flavored liqueur can have as much as 175 calories and 25 grams of carbohydrate in just a 1.5 ounce portion.

 Liquor: A Look at Calories and Carbs

Get a Grip on Insulin's Ups and Downs
One of the endocrine system's most important hormones is insulin, which plays a critical role in how your body uses food. When you eat, your digestive system breaks food down into glucose, and the glucose circulates in your bloodstream (where it's often referred to as blood sugar). In response to the rise in glucose after a meal, the pancreas releases surges of insulin, whose job is to clean the glucose from the blood. Insulin directs some of the glucose to the body's cells, which use it for energy. Some of the glucose is diverted to the liver, where it's converted into glycogen (stored glucose) for later use by the muscles. Insulin then helps turn any leftover glucose into fatty acids and stores them in fat cells, where they can be tapped later for fuel.

Problems arise when your body starts creating too much insulin, which can happen for several reasons. One of the most common is that you ate too many highly processed, refined carbs, such as white bread or pasta. Such carbs increase blood sugar dramatically, requiring a rush of insulin to clear the blood. If your blood sugar surge is really dramatic (as it would be if you ate those refined carbs on an empty stomach), insulin overreacts and works twice as hard to clean the sugar from the blood. This overefficient removal of sugar means that your blood sugar concentration drops, with the result that you feel hungry again and crave (and probably eat) more carbs. That's the postsugar "crash and binge" cycle, the root of sugar addiction. In addition, when your muscles are still fueled from your last snack, the insulin converts those extra calories into fat. And as long as large amounts of insulin remain in the bloodstream, your body won't have a chance to tap into your fat stores for fuel — so you won't burn any fat, either.

This cycle can eventually lead to insulin resistance, a condition in which your body produces insulin but the cells become insensitive to it — as a result, the insulin can't do its job to lower the glucose concentration in the blood. Insulin resistance is a precursor of type 2 diabetes and is common among overweight people. Elevated levels of glucose in your blood is a surefire sign of it.

There is hope for preventing the problem. The key is to maintain low levels of insulin by eating whole foods, pairing carbs with protein, and avoiding highly processed carbs. When your insulin-release mechanism works the right way, it helps keep your weight in check. When it's not working, you're in trouble. If you can take control of your insulin's ups and downs, you'll be primed to lose weight and restore your body's hormone power!

Baby Bam (Homemade Taco Seasoning – No MSG)

3 TBS paprika

2 TBS salt

2 TBS dried Parsley

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp black Pepper

1 tsp dried Oregano

1 tsp dried Basil

1 tsp dried Thyme

½ tsp Celery Salt

Taco Salad

Brown 1# ground turkey

Add 1 TB tomato paste (I freeze the rest in ice cube trays and transfer to Ziploc for future use) 2 tsp chopped garlic, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp Baby Bam.

Stir and add ½ cup chicken broth. Serve with no-sugar added salsa* and Greek yogurt (phase 3) over lettuce. Sprinkle with raw onion.  Could also add any other veggies to the salad to make it more filling….

Created by a dieter… Jessica Harris!

Thank you!

Japanese researchers have found home-based exercises to be more effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain than prescribed NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). While NSAIDs can reduce inflammation and pain, they are a form of passive care that fails to address functionality issues such as limited motion, muscular weakness and muscular imbalances, not to mention the many negative side effects associated with NSAID use. Home-based exercises are not only natural and far safer, they specifically address functional issues and deficiencies in a proactive manner. And thus, it goes to reason that both men and women (mean age of approx. 42 years) who participated in the home-based exercises versus the NSAIDs during the 12-month study experienced more significant improvements in both reported low back pain and overall disability.

New research indicates vitamin D may be effective at reducing infections and colds. In this new study, researchers found that a group of young military men who supplemented with 400 IU’s (international units) daily for 6 months versus those who supplemented with a placebo experienced a significantly higher likelihood of having no days missed from work due to a respiratory illness. Moreover, of those taking the vitamin D supplement half remained healthy during the 6-month study as compared with approximately just one third of those taking the placebo. While more studies are needed, this new research does appear to indicate some benefits of vitamin D in reducing sickness or at least, the severity of sickness. It should be noted that vitamin D when taken in higher dosages is toxic and negative side effects can and do occur beyond 2,000 IU’s per day.

Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to those suffering from autism. However, past research hasn’t been able to provide evidence that antidepressants are actually useful for those diagnosed with autism. A recent U.S. government funded study reported that antidepressants, more specifically Celexa, was no better than a placebo for improving repetitive behaviors in children with autism. Researchers have now completed a new review of this study along with six other related studies present in the medical literature. Their findings – there was no evidence that antidepressants were any better than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors or any other symptoms in children suffering from autism. According to the researchers who conducted this recent scientific review of medical literature, there is no basis for recommending the routine use of antidepressants in the treatment of austism.