The HCG Diet - What you need to know, Part 2

The HCG Diet is being touted as one of the best ways to lose weight and reset the body's weight to a healthier level.  In this series I will talk about what hCG is and how it works.  This week we'll be looking at how the hCG actually works.

How The hCG Diet Works


The program I administer is the protocol developed by Dr. Simeons.  Over the course of 23 days, patients take hCG injections, follow a strict 500 calorie diet plan and experience an average weight loss of one to two pounds per day – without hunger, decreased energy or other symptoms typical of extreme calorie restriction.  Yes, you heard that right – one to two pounds per DAY!  While the dieter is only consuming 500 calories, the hypothalamus and pituitary are signaling the body to  releasing stored body fat, because of this, the body is actually operating on thousands of calories a day. 

Though a pregnant woman can produce as much as one million units of hCG per day, an injection of only 175 units per day is ample to reduce weight at the rate of roughly one to two pounds per day, even in someone who is grossly overweight, when associated with a 500 calorie diet. While shedding weight this rapidly without the use of hCG shots would be unhealthy, the hCG changes this.  The weight targeted comes from adipose tissue(fat), rather than muscle.  In other words, the weight loss seems to come directly from this fat loss and does not show signs of stripping the body of much needed muscle, vitamins, or minerals essential to maintain good health.  

Almost all hCG dieters report a feeling and appearance of great health and marvel at the correction of negative health problems (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, throid regulation, etc.) they had as an overweight individual.  Most importantly, hCG may reset  the hypothalamus/pituitary and thus restart the dieter’s metabolism.  For this reason, dieters continue to lose excess body fat after cessation of the injections and will not regain the weight – so long as a healthy diet and lifestyle is continued. In fact several of my patient’s while following my instructions for AFTER the injections tend to continue losses up to another 20-25 pounds.  In addition, dieters experience a reduction in size from their problem areas and do not exhibit a sunken and sickly face typical of extreme dieting; hCG reshapes the body and only allows for healthy weight loss – not excessive loss to the detriment of the individual’s health.    

*Next week I'll talk about proper monitoring.

The HCG Diet - What you need to know, Part 1

The HCG Diet is being touted as one of the best ways to lose weight and reset the body's weight to a healthier level.  In this series I will talk about what hCG is and how it works.  This week we'll be looking at hCG basics.

hCG: Weight Loss Panacea

hCG is usually injected

Certainly you have heard of hCG lately; it has all but become synonymous with weight loss success.  Weight loss programs touting hCG have become increasingly popular in recent months.  When it was first introduced, I was not comfortable offering it to patients at my clinics; not enough documentation was available, long-term side effects were not well  known. However, in the past year or two, I saw patient’s utilizing it and they were experiencing overwhelming positive results with virtually no side effects. During that time, I spoke with other physicians around the country that were  using the protocol, I poured over every piece of documentation I could find to study the results and see if there were any reported long-term side effects.  I started  closely monitoring my patients with blood work etc,  as they followed the hCG program.  I am now a proponent of the program and I will explain why.



What Is hCG?

HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, a hormone produced by the placenta in large quantities during pregnancy.  In fact, the substance greatly  controls a pregnant woman's metabolic functions. It was discovered by Ascheim and Zondek in the urine of pregnant women as far back as 1927. The first report on the use of hCG for the management of obesity was published in 1954 by the late Dr. A.T.W. Simeons, a British Physician practicing at the Ospedale Salvatori Mundii in Rome. 


What hCG Is Not

It cannot be sufficiently emphasized that hCG is not a sex hormone, that its action is identical in men, women, and children. Often when people hear the word hormone, they immediately assume it must have something to do with sex functions or reproduction. Thyroid, insulin, cortisol, adrenaline, etc. are also hormones.

What Are The Hypothalamus and Pituitary Glands?

The hypothalamus gland moderates the thyroid, adrenals, fat storage, and more importantly, your metabolic rate.   The pituitary and hypothalamus communication signals most of the body’s hormones. The pituitary gland is known as the MASTER gland. These glands play an important role in obesity and weight loss.

*Next week I'll share about how the HCG Diet actually works.

TONIGHT -The New Medicine is Natural Medicine - Phone in and listen!

Altwaters™ Technology in cooperation with Energy Threads proudly presents 

"Ask the Experts"

Leading professionals discussing today’s hot topics within their field of expertise 

Thursday, May 12th 

5-6PM-PDT & Arizona ~ 6-7PM-MDT ~ 7-8PM-CDT ~ 8-9PM-EDT 

Featured Expert: 

Dr. Donese Worden, NMD 

“The New Medicine is Natural Medicine” 

Dr.Worden is one of the "new" doctors who works comfortably with both traditional and alternative medicine. As owner and CEO of the Worden Medical Specialties, she brings to the practice many unique healing modalities largely unknown or unrecognized by western medicine. 

For almost a decade, Dr. Worden has been using natural , harm-free alternatives to drugs and surgery while teaching her patients not only how to get well, but how to stay well. 

Dr. Worden will be sharing some of her secrets on the next "Ask the Experts" show this Thursday. Mark your calendar right now.  You don't want to miss this one! 

Dr. Worden specializes in unique medical therapies from Europe and around the world. She uses Western diagnostic methods including a thorough history, physical exam, lab work and imaging studies. She utilizes alternative methods such as cold laser, clinical nutrition and energy medicine techniques for diagnosing disease in the body. Dr. Worden is licensed in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, spinal manipulation, botanical medicine, counseling, homeopathy, neural therapy, apitherapy (bee venom injections), live cell therapy and other natural healing modalities. She uses her knowledge of both systems of medicine to integrate the best treatment for the individual patient for their physical and/or emotional ailments. http://www.wordenmedicalspecialties.com/ 

Dial Direct 5 minutes before to: 641.715.3620

then access code: 375138# 

*Please check your local time 

Part 4 - Looking Great Naturally

This is the final week of my series on women's health and my discussion of various approaches I use to help restore the health and wellbeing of women. 

In this post, Part 4 of my series on how I apply naturopathic medicine to approach women’s top concerns, I'll be addressing  

Looking Great Naturally

Women want to feel great and look great which is why the beauty industry is alive and flourishing. But not all beauty products and treatments are healthy for us to use or even effective.  At my clinic we want to focus on bringing you to your peak health so you glow on the outside and skin’s health is radiant. This, in and of itself, is the best beauty treatment you can give yourself-- glowing good health.  


Take care of your health first and you will find your beauty greatly restored already.  If you still feel your skin or face needs some special attention we also are open to the use of natural medicinals to help eliminate wrinkles. One of our most popular treatments is The Italian Biolift, which uses homeopathic injections to improve skin tone and elasticity and build collagen. The results are amazing, giving the entire face and neck a lift. It’s particularly effective for the neck, a difficult area for many women. We’ve had amazing results and there’s nothing else out there short of surgery, which many women don’t want.

Part 3 – Natural Weight Loss in Women

Whether they’re busy professionals or busy moms, more and more women are finding that they are the ones in need of some extra care and attention. This week and next week I'll continue to discuss various approaches I use to help restore the health and wellbeing of women. 


In this post, Part 3 of my series on how I apply naturopathic medicine to approach women’s top concerns, I'll be addressing

Natural Weight Loss

Many women struggle with their weight.  This is why fad diets and quick fix scams abound.  Weight issues in women are frequently caused by inflammation, and removing foods that trigger inflammation is one of the most powerful ways to establish optimal weight. I have had patients lose between 20 and 60 pounds by simply finding and eliminating problem foods.  Working to balance hormone levels is also a way that I may go about using to help women return to a healthier weight.  Another approach is total body detoxification to remove heavy metals. Often the body holds onto fat where it stores toxins in order to protect itself from having the metals released into the bloodstream where they could do even more damage to the body. Our total body detox program uses colonics to clear and cleanse the lower intestinal tract in addition to chelation therapy to bind and pull heavy metals out of the cells. If these first line measures don't work and the weight problem persists, we will recommend our HCG program to help reset the metabolism.

Part 2 – Digestive Health and Constipation in Women

Whether they’re busy professionals or busy moms, more and more women are finding that they are the ones in need of some extra care and attention. In the coming weeks I’ll continue to post about various approaches I use to help restore the health and wellbeing of women. In this post, Part 2 of my series on how I apply naturopathic medicine to approach women’s top concerns, I'll be addressing an issue that many women struggle with 

   

Constipation

I have a saying that all on-the-go busy women are constipated. My patients laugh but it’s true. It could be a business professional with a never ending to-do list or a mom who’s always pushing herself hard. These women are constipated because they’re in stress mode and overdrive all the time. Their digestion shuts down and in addition to constipation, they may have gas, bloating, and impaired absorption of nutrients. 

 Ninety percent of the happy I’m okay brain chemical, serotonin, is made in the gut. Some of the sleep, depression, and low libido issues may stem from the gut. So, nothing works well without the bowel working well. 

Step one of treatment usually involves testing the blood to determine which foods are triggering inflammation. Simply by eliminating those trigger foods, digestive problems begin to clear up.  Adding in stress reduction techniques may also be beneficial in helping the intestinal tract return to full and proper function.   

Hormones, Sexual Health and Loss of Energy in Women

Too pooped to play?

So many women burn their candle at both ends. Whether they’re busy professionals or busy moms, they may be finding that this time, they’re the ones needing some care and attention. Based on my experience with over a thousands of patients, here’s how I apply naturopathic medicine to approach women’s top concerns which include weight loss, low libido and sexual health, low energy, hormone balancing, pain management and aesthetics.  Over the coming weeks I’ll be posting about various approaches I use to help restore the health and wellbeing of women.

Part 1 – Hormones and Sexual Health and Loss of Energy in Women

Many women have gone to a GP for years without ever being asked about their sexual health status. Often it’s because conventional physicians themselves aren’t comfortable with this topic. Good sexual health is important to overall physical health and wellbeing so suffering from a loss of libido, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, or other sexual health concern should be addressed.  In my clinic we do a thorough analysis to check for hormonal imbalance, adrenal exhaustion, inflammation in the body, or any psychological issues (naturopaths are also licensed in counseling since the mind is key to healing).

Loss of energy is an important but easily overlooked issue that can be one of the earliest signs that chronic degenerative disease is taking hold in the body. If we catch it early, we can often prevent disease from developing. Low energy is commonly caused by adrenal fatigue, which in turn causes weight, energy and blood sugar issues. I use doctor’s line nutraceuticals to repair the adrenals and support the body’s self-healing.  Stress management techniques may also be useful in reducing the high stress levels that aggravate hormonal problems.

In making recommendations regarding hormones my goal is to address the root of the problem first. I use a special blood test to analyze if certain food are triggering inflammation in the body and disrupting the hormone levels, too. As a naturopath, I can introduce homeopathic, herbal and other natural solutions to help support the body naturally. Depending on a person’s needs and lab findings, I can also recommend compounded bio-identical hormones customized to achieve a steady level of hormones in the amounts needed.