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| | ALERT for patients on Hormone Replacement Therapy:
Please be aware that as of August 1, 2010, all female patients that elect to have their Hormone Replacement Therapy prescribed through our office will be required to maintain their annual exams (pelvic/pap, breast exam, etc.) and mammograms directly through our office.
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Weight Management
IMA newsletter article |
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I continue to be impressed with the results of the Ultra Lite Weight Management Program. I keep learning new things from our clients and relearning old things at a deeper level. Some of these might be of help to you, so here are a few nuggets related to weight management:
1. A surprising number of people do not tolerate potatoes, and this food causes them to gain weight. Once clue to foods you're allergic to is that they usually cause you to retain water. This can show up as a sudden weight gain on the morning after eating these foods. If you have this symptom – occasional sudden weight gain – you may be able to trace it by recording what you eat and weighing every morning. If you have a sudden weight gain, look at the foods you ate the day before. Other common water-retaining foods are sugar, breads and milk.
2. Allergies are harder to identify than I previously imagined. Often, is isn’t until you’ve eaten a clean and simple diet – free of milk, breads and cereals, soy, and other common allergens – that your body will noticeably and immediately react to eating an allergenic food. Allergens often just cause vague symptoms like fatigue and foggy thinking (an impediment to will power!) that don’t appear to be linked to eating any particular food. Allergies are important to identify, because they can cause cravings, tax your immune system and almost always cause weight gain.
3. As little as two teaspoons of healthy oil at an afternoon snack or dinner can prevent hunger after dinner. Fats have a high satiety value, causing us to feel more satisfied and less hungry. Eating enough calories early in the day (especially from protein or fat rather than carbohydrate), even if you don’t feel hungry, can make a difference in how much we eat at dinner and after dinner.
4. Getting plenty of water early in the day can significantly decrease hunger later in the day. Dehydration can cause the same symptoms as hunger, such as a feeling of being more empty or feelings of weakness. Dehydration can also cause us to think less clearly, weakening our ability to have will power, and increasing the chance that we’ll eat something we’ll regret having eaten.
5. A certain number of people are very sensitive to nitrates. If you are on a diet that you think should be working for weight loss, and it isn’t, try eliminating all nitrate-containing foods. These include ham, sausage, hot dogs, all packaged luncheon meats, bacon and all turkey products unless specified as nitrate-free.
6. Toxicity causes a “fog” in the body’s ability to communicate clearly to the brain. The more we clear out toxins, the more our bodies tell us truthfully what they want. Our cravings can actually change from breads to vegetables, from processed foods to simply, natural flavors.
7. I have always felt compassion for those who struggle with overweight, as I once did. Now I have a new appreciation of just how many unseen obstacles people face in trying to overcome the physiological and psychological barriers that drive their weight and their appetites up. I see just how difficult it would have been for most of the people I work with to lose their weight on their own, without any guidance to walk them through the mine fields and pitfalls that can cause them to stumble and fall.
The longer I work with Ultra Lite, the more I appreciate the beauty of its design. If you have struggled with a stubborn metabolism, please come to one of our Ultra Lite introductory talks (even if you decide not to use the program, you’ll learn valuable tips for weight management) or make an appointment to sit down with me and design a diet that is right for you.
Jari Serra, R.D.
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