Non-physiological signals can have a profound influence on food choice, quite independent of the physiological signals e.g.: Social custom—This may over-ride physiological hunger. Celebrations held for recreational or spiritual reasons invariably centre around food and drink. In some societies the obligation to eat can go beyond feasting. In the South Pacific in earlier times, for [...]
Eating disorders can arise from biological imbalances, emotional turmoil, and cognitive distortions. The best treatment is one that takes all of these components into account. Let me illustrate. Imagine a car with bad brakes careening out of control down a steep hill during the middle of a rainstorm. Behind the wheel is someone who never [...]
During college, Robert Kilroy was so tall and thin—6 feet tall and 160 pounds—that his friends called him Stick. But within a few years of graduation, he literally outgrew his nickname. Stick was stuck at 200 pounds. As a flight officer in the U.S. Navy, Robert bounced from one military base to another, spending between [...]
It’s important that we watch what we consume. But it’s just as important that we live life fully, enjoying eating as much as possible. Most of us can’t follow a strict, stringent diet for long. We wind up frustrated, convinced that we might as well forget the whole thing. That’s why we should give ourselves [...]
Avoid fad diets. In the early 1980s I treated many people who had lost weight (as well as their health) on dangerous fad diets. Some had even used cocaine to slim their bodies. (It does work, but its effects on health are disastrous.)Moreover, with Chitosan, they are unnecessary. Now there is an alternative that is [...]
As you already know, fat is intimately linked to both heart disease and cancer. Fat, especially saturated fat, causes an increase in blood cholesterol, which can lead to sticky deposits on artery walls. These deposits can cause blockages that lead to heart attacks and strokes. The sticky buildup (called atherosclerosis) also increases blood pressure, making [...]
The heart, a simple mechanical wonder, beats some 100,000 times per day, perhaps 3 billion times over a lifetime. Every 60 seconds, the heart pumps out between 5 and 6 quarts of blood. In order to continue beating, the heart muscle needs a continuous supply of energy, which it gets from oxygen in the blood. [...]
Carbohydrates, whether they enter your mouth in the form of simple or complex carbohydrates, are eventually broken down into glucose. The glucose is then used for energy or stored in the muscle cells and liver for future use. This stored glucose is called glycogen. Excess glucose is also driven into the fat cells and stored [...]