Category: Reference Sheet

Anyone who has consistently high levels of uric acid in the blood is at risk of having a gout attack. However, obesity—especially, centrally-located (visceral) obesity—greatly increases the risk. And even if you don’t develop gout, elevated uric acid has other negative effects: 📌 It irritates the lining of your blood vessels causing a  [Read more...]

The stomach is built to withstand acid. The food pipe is not, and when acid rises into it (acid reflux), a person experiences burning pain. The muscle at the end of the food pipe is called the 𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳. This sphincter allows food into the stomach and helps to keep it from  [Read more...]

Most people who have Celiac disease don’t know they have it; and then there are those who don’t have it but still can’t tolerate gluten. I meet these folks because, unfortunately, many gluten-free products are way higher in calories and refined carbs (sugars) than their gluten form. Thus, slim people diagnosed with Celiac often  [Read more...]

Fiber is an important nutrient that’s often overlooked. As a matter of fact, the average fiber intake of adults in the United States is less than half the recommended levels and is lower still among those who follow low-carbohydrate diets. Those folks are so busy avoiding carbs, they forget that these foods provide  [Read more...]

In the simplest terms, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a health condition linked with both hormone imbalance and insulin resistance. Women with PCOS have greater chances of developing several serious health conditions, but perhaps of utmost importance is that PCOS is the #1 cause of infertility issues affecting women of child-bearing age.    [Read more...]

Potassium is an essential mineral—sometimes referred to as an electrolyte because it carries a small electrical charge that activates various cell and nerve functions that is needed by all tissues in the body—that we use to maintain our body’s fluid and electrolyte balance. It is needed for the optimal function of muscles and nerves;  [Read more...]

Eating out can be fun and social. When trying lose or control your weight, however, going out to eat can be stressful without preparation. It is important to be familiar with a restaurant menu 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you get there. Choosing your food 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 you arrive makes it easier to avoid snap decisions you might  [Read more...]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel habit. Needless to say, IBS is a condition that can strip people of their quality of life. Diets that are low in fiber, high in saturated fats, and high in fermentable carbohydrates are contributing factors  [Read more...]

Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium (and regulates it in the blood), which is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth. And when it comes to your bones, Vitamin D and calcium aren’t only essential to prevent fractures but also to help fracture healing. Additionally, low levels  [Read more...]

The relationship of obesity to insulin resistance (and type 2 diabetes) is long-recognized. I’ve read, over time in countless published research papers, that as high as 85% of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight and obese.     The risk for insulin resistance (and diabetes) rises as body fat content increases from  [Read more...]

Iron deficiency and obesity during early childhood are common nutrition-related disorders and are linked with adverse health outcomes later in life. Since early childhood is a sensitive time for brain development and maturation, iron deficiency may lead to serious effects on the brain and subsequent developmental delays. Overweight children are more than twice  [Read more...]

We often talk about metabolism as if it is a single mechanism in our bodies. But it’s not. Metabolism—including resting metabolism—is actually a series of functions that are happening all the time. The rate at which those functions occur is your metabolic rate. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is often used interchangeably with basal  [Read more...]

Anyone who has consistently high levels of uric acid in the blood is at risk of having a gout attack. However, obesity—especially, centrally-located (visceral) obesity—greatly increases the risk. And even if you don’t develop gout, elevated uric acid has other negative effects: ✔️ It irritates the lining of your blood vessels causing a  [Read more...]

Hypoglycemia (also called low blood glucose or low blood sugar) occurs when the level of glucose in our blood drops below normal. “Low blood sugar” may also be referred to an “insulin reaction” or “insulin shock.” We know that people with diagnosed diabetes have to be vigilant about their blood sugar levels, but  [Read more...]

Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the common type of diabetes, type 2 diabetes, so it’s no surprise it’s what brings many clients to me. For people newly diagnosed (within the past six years), type 2 Diabetes is a reversible condition. Just as proper diet, weight loss and exercise can  [Read more...]

One of the things I hear a lot in my office is someone telling me how they can’t stand their cellulite, how they want to get it liposuctioned out (yeah, right; but that’s a topic for another blog), and how losing their cellulite is a big catalyst in why they want to lose  [Read more...]

You had a bad Saturday night; you fell off your diet. You weigh yourself Sunday morning. No gain. You look to the heavens and praise the Lord and vow to got right back on track. Sunday is perfect: the right foods, the right portions. Lots of water. You weigh yourself  [Read more...]

Cholesterol is not exactly a barn-burner of a topic, but it is one of the reasons why so many people make that first phone call to us AFTER their physician tells them their levels are high. And that’s a result almost always because an upward change in one’s weight results in an upward change  [Read more...]