It’s not a secret any longer; struggle with weight loss is uncomfortably common. Diet books, magazine articles, declarations from our government, informercials – they are all screaming that we have a problem… as though we didn’t already know. And if you are like most that are uncomfortable with the dress or pant size you surrendered to on your last shopping trip, you have tried it all: Hollywood diets, miracle pills, torture gadgets, gym memberships – even starving yourself from everything that tastes good! And none of it works. “There must be a better way”, you say. And there is.

First let’s look at why weight loss is a struggle in the first place – especially for women. It goes all the way back to prehistoric times when food was scarce and the climate was colder. Women needed extra “padding” for their special role as child bearers and over tens of thousands of years, women’s bodies developed special mechanisms for regulating various hormones. As a result, women metabolize insulin, progesterone, estrogen and cortisol (the stress hormone that builds up fat) differently than men and therefore accumulate fat quickly and burn it slowly. Now that might be a terrific survival mechanism if you’re wardrobe consists of tiger skins and you live in a cave, but this is not good news when your lifestyle is intentionally more comfortable and when sugars and carbohydrates are abundantly available.

Modern thinking has presented dieting as the solution; that is, limiting calories and restricting intake of fats or carbohydrates. But the problem with dieting is that it usually doesn’t support healthy body function and often causes loss of muscle, further retention of fat or other severe health risks. You may weight less, but you won’t be as healthy. The real key to successful weight loss is in adjusting the body’s metabolism. This means balancing hormones, getting rid of toxins and giving the body a chance to restore its natural equilibrium.

Judy came to see me at The Renewal Point after diligently trying to lose weight without success. Though she was eating healthy food and exercising for a year, the extra pounds would not come off. Extensive blood analysis showed that she had high lead and mercury levels and hormonal deficiencies. Once we began to eliminate the toxins and then balanced her metabolism she started to lose weight seemingly without effort. Soon her energy increased and she happily reports, “I am waking up feeling refreshed and ready to go. I feel better now than I ever have before.”

Judy’s results are not unusual. At The Renewal Point we have developed a 6 to 9 month weight management program that has consistently produced tremendous results. On average, women lose 5 to 10 pounds a month.

Cathy is another Renewal Point patient. She was surprised to find how easily the program fit into her lifestyle when, after three months, she had dropped two sizes and lost 17 pounds. And her persistent knee pain had disappeared!

The Renewal Point Weight Management program is a health program, not just a weight loss cure. The idea is to build the body up, improve blood pressure, cholesterol, glycemic and insulin levels and balance hormones. As a result, many patients find that after several months other metabolic problems such as fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety and certain gastrointestinal disturbances disappear as well. They become both healthier and slimmer at the same time. Our goal is to create a healthy body composition therefore retaining or increasing muscle tissue while eliminating excess fat. This requires a three-pronged attack:

• Motivation and support
• Balancing neuro-endocrin hormone levels
• Exercise and eating healthy food

While all three are essential for success, neuro-endocrine balancing is the linchpin of the program. Through medication, I adjust the levels of the brain hormones serotonin and dopamine, which control our cravings. Once patients eliminate sugar and carbohydrate addictions, most that could not lose weight before suddenly finding it easy to shed those extra pounds.

Renewal Point Weight Management patients start with a comprehensive assessment that determine body composition, hormonal and toxin levels and a metabolic history. We review the results, set goals and agree on a diet and an exercise program. It is rare that the program calls for a restriction calorie intake or food volume.

Replacing sugar and carb laden fare with natural, healthy food is the answer for all but a very few. Medication is often prescribed, if necessary, to break sugar and carbohydrate addition. Patients come in for required checkups at least once a month, but if greater support and encouragement is requested, we can set up appointments to meet with a nutritionist or the doctor as often as once a week.

Results speak for themselves. As Lisa, says, “After three years of struggling with weight, a simple hormone balancing has changed my life for the better. Had I known years ago, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.”

By Dr. Dan Watts

– artiicle as printed in August 2006 issue of West Coast Woman –