Homeopathy - Shed Your Winter Weight

By Heather Caruso, B.Sc., DHMS, HD

I am often asked by people in my office, “What is a good supplement for weight loss?” To many, weight is a constant battle. Some are concerned with their numeric weight. We have been programmed to think that lower numbers are better. Compare a bag of cotton balls to a tube of toothpaste. The toothpaste weighs more than the cotton balls. It is the same with weight; if you have a good body fat percentage and muscle mass, it is all right to weigh more. If you have a lot of body fat and weigh less, you still look “fluffy” like the cotton ball.

In my experience weight issues are quite complicated. Two people will not lose weight on the same amount of calories and foods. What accounts for this difference? There are many answers to this question, such as proper food choices, food sensitivities, activity level, organ weakness and metabolism.

Basically, if you eat more calories than you expend, you will not lose weight. If you make the wrong food choices, you will retain weight and have health concerns. Eating low glycemic foods (foods that convert to sugar less quickly and are low in numeric value on the glycemic index) aid in weight loss. There are many helpful books on the market with lists of food’s glycemic index value, such as The GI Diet and The Glucose Revolution. Selecting higher fibre food is beneficial because it slows digestion and keeps blood sugar stable. Eat lean cuts of meat and less fat.

Utilizing a proper portion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats is often all one has to do to lose weight. Some bodybuilders eat a ratio of 55% protein, 30% carbs and 15% fat. This diet can bother the average dieter by giving them high uric acid (which can lead to gout) and constipation from too much protein. Be sure to choose a well-balanced diet with the proper ratio of carbs, proteins and fats. For health, I typically recommend 60% unrefined carbs, 15% proteins and 25% fats. For weight loss I may alter the ratio for quicker fat burning, but it depends on the person.

If you eat too little, your metabolism will slow down in order to protect you from starvation. If you exercise three to four times a week at a moderate to high intensity, follow this formula for daily caloric intake: Your weight times nine is the number of calories you can eat per day to lose weight. If you are 140 pounds, 140 times nine equals 1260. Thus you can eat 1260 calories per day to lose about three pounds per week. As your weight decreases, you must adjust your daily intake of calories to continue losing weight. If you exercise more or less, you can eat more or less calories per day. Eating more calories as you weigh more helps your metabolism to avoid the “starvation mode” that creates a sluggish metabolism.

Exercising builds muscle that burns extra calories. These things are basic to most dieters.
Food sensitivities can affect people’s weight. Sometimes people crave the foods that they are sensitive to. For example, a common food sensitivity is wheat. People eat whole grains, which are healthy, in the right proportions and they still can’t lose weight. I have seen many cases where people who give up the foods to which they are sensitive are able to magically drop that extra 10 pounds. You can be tested by your health practitioner for food sensitivities, the most common of which are to wheat, soya, sugar, citrus, dairy products, corn and nuts.

Another common problem with overweight people is organ weakness. Your health practitioner may have ways of testing and correcting these imbalances. The liver, adrenals, thyroid and endocrine system are often involved in fat retention. The liver is part of the digestive tract. It makes bile to help break down fat, metabolizes toxins and processes hormones. If you don’t digest fats well, you may wear them as weight instead. Toxins are often deposited into fat cells for safe-keeping. Some common homeopathics for cleansing the liver are Lycopodium, Colubrina and Chelidonium. A 6CH potency taken twice a day for two to four weeks is usually sufficient.

The adrenals are small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. They excrete adrenaline, cortisol and produce estrogen. If you have excess cortisol and adrenaline, you don’t digest food well. Under stressful conditions the body sends blood away from the digestive tract into the limbs for the “fight or flight response.” We have this evolutionary mechanism to help us run or fight against a wild tiger chasing us. We would be a lot slimmer if we really did have wild animals chasing us! Unfortunately, we have unseen stresses that have complicated emotional solutions. Chronically elevated levels of cortisol and adrenaline cause weight gain around the middle. Adrenals are affected by the use of cortisone medication, caffeine and excessive emotional stress. Using supplements to support the adrenals are helpful, such as vitamin C, licorice root, ginseng or ribes nigrum. Be sure to check with your doctor about using adrenal supplements if you have any underlying disorder such as hypertension or Cushing’s syndrome.

The thyroid is a gland that sits in the throat area. It regulates body temperature and metabolism. If you have a sluggish thyroid you will feel cold and tired, have dry skin and hair, and gain weight easily. The thyroid is fueled by iodine. Certain conditions can cause a thyroid imbalance — eating excessive starches, diet, genetics and poor digestion. Make sure you get adequate iodine-containing foods, such as fish, kelp and dulse. Table salt contains iodine but it is not healthy to dose up on too much salt as it increases water retention and blood pressure in some people. Christine Northrup, MD, recommends a simple test to check if you are deficient in iodine. Paint a 2” square patch of liquid iodine (2.5% solution) on your skin. This patch should last about 24 hours, don’t wash that spot. If the patch does not last 24 hours (the patch is completely gone from your skin) you are deficient in iodine. If it does last 24 hours, you don’t need to supplement with iodine. This mineral can be toxic if taken internally when it is not needed. Therefore applying it to the skin is a good way to monitor your body’s need for iodine. You can stop applying it when it lasts the full 24 hours. Be sure to change the spot you apply the iodine as it can irritate the skin.

A few case histories will highlight how diverse weight loss regimes can be. Individuals have different needs and health issues. Case one is 28-year-old Mary. She complained of weight issues, and had fought with her weight since her teens. Her food choices were excellent, with low glycemic and healthy fats, although it seemed she ate mostly carbohydrates and very little protein. She had several symptoms of hypoglycemia. When Mary missed meals she became irritable, had headaches and became shaky. She complained of heart palpitations and feeling sluggish and irritable in the morning. This is a symptom of adrenal gland and liver stress, confirmed using electrodermal screening. Although I am trained primarily in homeopathy, I do use some excellent supplements for weight loss. I recommended CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) 1,000 mgs before meals, as it is helpful in reducing abdominal fat. I also prescribed chromium 200 mcgs and omega 3 fish oil, 1,000 mgs twice daily of each with meals. These help to keep blood sugar stable. And I prescribed Kali Phos 6X tissue salt for the adrenal gland stress. She had symptoms of a Kali Phos type — she had a lot on her plate, an overactive mind and difficulty falling asleep. I recommended she do some form of exercise three times a week and eat a higher amount of protein (60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fat). I have kept her on this regime for about three months. As a result, she has made a tremendous change in her physique and physical complaints. She lost 17 pounds and has no symptoms of heart palpitations, morning sluggishness or hypoglycemia. She is no longer irritable and exercise is her new form of stress relief.

Case two is 42-year-old David. When he came into my office it struck me how his shape was the typical “apple shaped” obesity. This body shape is a marker of insulin resistance and warning sign for heart disease. He was complaining of high triglycerides, blood pressure and heart burn. When I looked at David’s diet, it was all refined carbohydrates, which included too much bread, sugar and beer. He was literally addicted to white bread, buns and pastries. When I tested him using electrodermal screening, he had some food sensitivities, particularly to wheat, sugar and barley. I prescribed for him Nux Vomica 6CH, twice daily for one month. This remedy is good for people who like to over eat, drink and have a sedentary lifestyle. They can be irritable and overindulge in life’s pleasures. I recommended he abstain from the foods he is sensitive to and use other types of whole grains, such as brown rice, rye and spelt.

I also suggested that half of his plate be covered with vegetables at lunch and dinner and to eat fruit or nuts for snacks. Honestly, I was not hopeful that he would do any of my recommendations because he seemed to be so upset by my findings! I had taken his best friend (food addictions) away.

I was shocked when I saw him only after one month — he had lost 20 pounds. His blood pressure was now in the high normal range, instead of severely high range. He said he started to go to the gym. I hadn’t even mentioned exercise at the first visit, as I thought I might swamp him with too much information. He said he forgot to mention that he had severe knee and low back pain in the past. These pains disappeared. He realized how sick wheat and sugar made him because he tried them once again and he got diarrhea and heartburn from them. This is an excellent example of how food sensitivities can affect someone. Last time I spoke to him, he had gone from 230 pounds down to 195 and his blood pressure, triglycerides and digestion are all normal. Not everyone responds to such simple changes, but this story highlights how food sensitivities can create symptoms of cravings and ill health.

Many people eat to comfort themselves in times of stress. It is natural to enjoy eating. As a health professional, I recommend people ask themselves at what is this behaviour costing me? It is fine to indulge occasionally. It is a problem when you make bad choices daily. There is a saying: “If it is meant to be, it is up to me.” We are all responsible for our choices. Uninformed or poor decisions about our diet lead to many health consequences. Make the right choices for you today!