What Do You Eat? posted on 31 January 2016 by Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, DC

Or This?

Do You Eat This?

We just saw a list of the top 8 most unhealthy restaurant meals from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Some of these you might not be familiar with, but please keep reading on…

1.)    Red Robin Gourmet Burgers’ Monster Meal: 3,540 Calories

2.)    Joe’s Crab Shack’s The Big “Hook” Up: 3,280 Calories

3.)    The Cheesecake Factory’s Bruléed French Toast: 2,780 Calories

4.)    Famous Dave’s The Big Slab, St. Louis-Style Spareribs: 2,770 Calories

5.)    Maggiano’s Little Italy, Prime New York Steak Contadina style: 2,420 Calories

6.)    The Cheesecake Factory’s Farfalle With Chicken and Roasted Garlic: 2,410 Calories

7.)    BJ’s Signature Deep Dish Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza (Small): 2,160 Calories

8.)    Chevys Fresh Mex Super Cinco Combo: 1,920 Calories

Okay, we know what you are thinking…?

“I don’t eat at this restaurants OR I have never even heard of them.”

We hope this is the case, but what we also know is that there are plenty of local restaurants that would top this list, but they are just not large enough to be seen by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Not sure what are the best foods for you? There is a simple way to find out. 

Get checked by Dr. Sherry Yale, DC at TLC Holistic Wellness in Livonia, MI if you are not sure what foods are best for you to eat. Dr Yale uses a simple, non-invasive method called NRT or Nutrition Response Testing to evaluate what your individual body needs are, and what foods your body wants. 

Contact Dr. Yale today at (734) 664 - 0339 to schedule your no-charge initial consultation & screening evaluation.

Healthy Weight Loss posted May 28, 2015 by Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, DC, ND

Healthy Weight Loss

By Dr. Carol Ann Fischer, D.C., N.D.

Originally Published July 2010 in Body Mind Spirit Guide

People believe that weight loss can occur if calories or fat are reduced in the diet. Another common belief is that eating only one meal a day, starving the body, or eating only certain foods will help with weight loss.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that caloric intake alone was not sufficient to predict weight loss. The body adjusts to a lower calorie diet by lowering its demand for energy. Restricting calories only results in weight loss short term. Once the old eating habits return, the lost weight is regained. Calories are the measurement of the potential energy in food. Eating high calorie food too frequently will result in fat storage, as there is not enough time for the body to use the food for fuel. When more calories are consumed than the body can use, the body will convert the extra calories into fat.

Weight loss can occur with a balanced diet where less carbohydrate or sugar calories are consumed compared to what the body needs. The body can then break down stored fat to make energy, resulting in weight loss. A balance of the hormones related to digestion and weight is key for the breakdown of stored fat.

The three glands that make hormones relating to weight loss are the adrenal glands, the thyroid, and the pancreas. The pancreas determines whether food is converted into energy or fat. Carbohydrates and sugars are broken down during digestion into simple sugars. Insulin moves the simple sugars from the blood into muscles to use for energy.

According to Stanford University School of Medicine, the average American consumes over 120 pounds of sugar each year. The pancreas produces higher and higher amounts of insulin to handle this overload. Over time the cells of the body become resistant to insulin and stop allowing insulin to move the sugar. Insulin then builds up in the blood. This is known as insulin resistance.

The pancreas makes glucagon, another hormone, to break down stored fat into simple sugar. Glucagon is released when there is not enough simple sugar in the blood to provide energy. Only when insulin is low will glucagon be released to break down stored body fat. This is how weight loss occurs. When the body becomes insulin resistant glucagon is no longer released, preventing weight loss even with a lo w calorie intake.

The adrenal glands also respond to sugar. They secrete many hormones, including cortisol, which breaks down fat into sugar, which then activates the pancreas. The adrenal glands also produce cortisol in response to stress. Ongoing stress causes prolonged adrenal production of cortisol, which results in increased weight gain especially around the abdomen. Indicators of stressed adrenals include fatigue, digestive difficulties, cravings for sugars or carbohydrate-rich foods like breads, pasta and potatoes, difficulty sleeping, poor concentration, allergies, feeling stressed or overwhelmed, and unwanted weight gain.

The thyroid gland also responds to sugar, cortisol and, insulin. This gland secretes hormones that control the rate of sugar conversion in order to keep the body temperature at 98.6 degrees. A slow thyroid results in a slower metabolism and difficulty with weight loss. Some symptoms of a slow thyroid included dry skin, fatigue, hair loss, depression, cold hands and feet, poor digestion, constipation, and difficulty thinking.

Look for hidden sugars in the foods that are eaten. Many hidden sugars are listed on labels asan “ose”. This includes dextrose, maltose, sucrose, glucose etc. Sugar increases the calorie count, causes an imbalance in the hormones, and results in unwanted weight gain. Visit www.TLCHolisticWellness.com for more information on the Many Names of Sugar.

Insulin levels can be controlled with diet by eating lean protein, complex carbohydrates, which are found in whole grains and vegetables, and by adding good fats, like flaxseed or Omega 3 oil, into the diet. A meal with low sugar intake decreases insulin and increases glucagon, resulting in a reduction in stored fat and weight loss.

If a dietary change along with exercise does not result in weight loss, correct the underlying hormonal imbalance between the adrenals, thyroid, and pancreas with a combination of diet, lifestyle changes, stress reduction, and nutrition. Take advantage of our Spring into Summer Special and get tested to determine if hormonal imbalance is causing you unwanted weight gain. Call  (734) 664 – 0339 during the month of June for this No Charge Evaluation with Dr. Linda Solomon, DC, CCWFN, natural hormone balance and weight loss specialist in Livonia. Visit www.TLCHolisticWellness.com for more health information.

A New You in the New Year

A NEW YEAR, A  NEW YOU

Did you ever make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and then not lose the weight you wanted? Here are some simple tips to lose weight to start you on the road to a New You for the New Year.

These tips include what you drink and what you eat. It is true that you are what you eat.

To lose more weight this year you need to stop eating fat storing foods and eat fat burning foods.

Sugar is a fat storing food. Sugar is hidden in all processed and man-made foods. Sugar is the product of digestion of all carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include fruits, vegetable and all grains. Your body converts natural and man-made foods like potatoes, corn, pop, fries, chips, breads, pasta, cakes, candies, juices and cookies all into sugar. Eating more sugar than your body needs will cause you to gain weight.

By the end of the day you may be consuming anywhere from 1 cup to 3 cups of sugar. What the body cannot process or use, it will store as excess body fat around your waist, hips and thighs. To lose weight, look for the hidden sugars that you consume and begin to eliminate them from your diet.

Protein is a fat burning food. Your body is primarily composed of protein. Protein is broken down into the amino acids that make your entire body structure. If you are someone who avoids protein or who does not eat protein with every meal, you are increasing your weight with what you eat.

Eating protein increases your metabolism, allowing your body to lose weight as it builds muscle tissue. The energy provided by protein stabilizes your blood sugar, keeping your energy high. This eliminates the highs and lows you will feel from eating sugar. Look at your protein and sugar consumption and see if you are eating the correct amounts for your age, weight, height and body type.

To lose weight, eat good fat. Eating fat does not make you fat. It actually increases weight loss. Eating the wrong fat, or following a low fat diet, deprives the body of the essential fatty acids that it needs. Without sufficient good fat in your diet, you may experience low energy, poor concentration, dry skin and weight gain.

The key to weight loss is eating a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, fruits and good oils, as well as drinking water. Your body adjusts to the calories you put in, so reducing your caloric intake alone will not result in permanent weight loss. You need to eat the right foods for your body. Combining good food choices with a simple exercise program can start you on the road to a New You in the New Year.

For help with creating a balanced diet, visit TLC Holistic Wellness in Livonia, MI or call (734) 664 - 0339 to schedule a no charge consultation to find out how you can simply and easily lose weight.