So Much Misinformation
Today I was reading an article called \”10 Weight-Loss Tricks That Really Work\”. I won\’t divulge the author\’s name or information but I will mention that the article was written by a medical doctor (M.D.). Apparently according to this doctor, to shed the weight, you need to eat healthy and exercise regularly. She also mentioned that crash diets and weight-loss pills don\’t work. At least, I can agree with her on these points. As far as the hacks are concerned, I disagree with most of them.
First, she recommends that you keep fresh fruits and veggies on hand. Fruits contain fructose (sugar), which will definitely spike insulin. Unfortunately, snacking multiple times during the day will also spike insulin. Veggies will not spike high levels of insulin but it will spike. The reason why this is bad is that insulin is a storage hormone. Any time you eat carbohydrates, it metabolizes as glucose (sugar). Once, glucose or fructose is produced, the rising glucose levels signal the pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin binds with the receptors on the cells in order for the cells to receive the glucose. When this occurs daily over several years, the cells develop a resistance to the insulin, basically saying, \”I\’m full and I can\’t take any more.\” This is called insulin resistance. The longer this goes on, the more the resistance. This can lead to pre-diabetes or even Type 2 diabetes.
The second trick was to eat mindfully. I guess I can agree on this one. I would recommend, \”Don\’t eat because of boredom, eat when you are hungry.\” To illustrate this point, for example, you have the ability to go to the store and buy several liters of alcohol. Now, we can all agree on this, based on our financial and grocery budgets. And that\’s great. Having the convenience and ability to do this is everything. But, just because you can, doesn\’t mean you should go out a be a glutton with alcohol. Obviously, it is extremely unhealthy, and unsafe and it damages our liver. Please think about it. Just because the food is available doesn\’t mean you should consume it whenever possible.
The third trick she listed is \”Chew Food Fully\”. I guess it is good advice when you eat.
The fourth trick was to spice it up. She recommends chili peppers and other \”spicy\” spices like capsaicin to speed up metabolism and create the feeling of \”fullness\”. But the benefits of spices do not end with just the spicy ones. According to healthline.com,
- Cinnamon will lower blood sugar levels and have an anti-diabetic effect by slowly breaking down carbohydrates during digestion.
- Sage can improve memory and brain functionality, possibly slowing down Alzheimer\’s disease.
- Peppermint can relieve the pain associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and has been used in aromatherapy.
- Turmeric has anti-inflamatory effects because it contains curcumin, a powerful antioxidant.
- Holy Basil (not the regular or thai basil) can boost the immune system by inhibiting bacteria, molds and yeasts, as well as well as treat depression and anxiety.
- Cayenne Pepper, which contains capsaicin mentioned above, may increase fat burning and reduce hunger cravings.
- Ginger has been found to prevent nausea and can prevent inflammation.
- Fenugreek can reduce blood sugar levels.
- Rosemary which contains rosmarinic acid, can be used to help with nasal congestion and allergies.
- Garlic can help prevent the common cold, lower chloestrol levels and reduce blood pressure.
Refer to 10 Delicious Herbs and Spices With Powerful Health Benefits (healthline.com)
The fifth trick was to avoid liquid calories. My opinion on this is she was half right. The \”fancy\” coffee drinks, beer, and cocktails contain an enormous amount of sugar (spikes insulin). Fruit juice is literally sugar water that was pasteurized and contains at most, 10% real fruit juice. Pasteurization is the heating to kill off any germs and unfortunately, it kills a lot of the nutrients.
The sixth trick was to drink water before each meal. This is under the assumption that the water will fill you up. Once again, she emphasizes breakfast, lunch, and dinner which will spike insulin. I have found that for most people, eating occurred not because they were hungry but because it was time to eat. Fear of going so long without eating, they would feel that they would run out of energy or be lethargic. The longer you go without eating, the less insulin you will spike which leads to insulin resistance.
Trick number seven was for you to start with soup to once again fill you up before the meal.
I do agree with her trick number eight, which was using smaller bowls and plates. We have an overwhelming need to finish our meal, probably stemming from our childhood. Larger portion lead to overeating. Larger portions at restaurants give us the feeling that we are getting so much more for our money. Here\’s a little side story. We had a visitor from Australia come to see my company in Los Angeles. Since , it was the first time he had been to the states, he was asked what he thought of Los Angeles. I still remember his response. He said, \”It was really nice but the one thing he didn\’t understand is why you get so much food when you eat at the restaurants. It\’s too much food.\”
The ninth trick was to brush your teeth and floss after dinner to prevent the need to snack or have dessert.
I can\’t believe that this doctor recommended buying wrapped candy as trick number ten. If your goal is to be healthy and lose weight, all candy and sugary products should be avoided. She claims the wrapped candy will disuade you from eating so much because their is an amount of work to unwrap it. I personally think that if you are addicted to needing sugary candy, this won\’t stop the cravings.
I hope this helps clear up the confusion and misinformation on nutrition.
David Komin
