Obesity must be distinguished from being overweight, which refers to an excess of body weight relative to height.  A person is usually considered overweight if their weight is 20 percent more than the average desirable weight for men and women of a given height.  For example, a muscular athlete may be overweight, yet have a very low body fat percentage.

There are two primary types of obesity: Male-patterned obesity and female-patterned obesity.  Male-patterned obesity refers to fat deposits that are primarily located in the upper body, the abdomen and trunk.  Measurements would show an increased ratio of waist to hip girth.  Female-patterned obesity refers to fat distributed primarily in the lower body, the hips and thighs.

It appears that each one of us has a programmed “set point” weight.  It is suggested that individual fat cells control this set point.  When the individual fat cell becomes smaller, it sends a message to the brain to eat.  The obese individual often has fat cells that are larger in number and size, creating an overpowering urge to eat.

This explains why most diets don’t work.  The obese individual can fight off the impulse for a time, but eventually the signal becomes too strong to ignore.  The result is a rebound effect, with the individual often exceeding their previous weight.  The set point climbs to an even higher level, making it even more difficult to lose weight the next time the individual diets.

A successful program for obesity must be consistent with the basic tenets of proper diet, adequate exercise and a positive mental attitude.  All of these components are interrelated and equally important.  Improvement in one area may result in some positive changes, but attention to all three objectives yields the greatest results.

The important thing to remember when beginning a weight loss program is to be patient.  It takes time for the body to reset its programmed weight.  Gradual weight reduction is in harmony with healthy dietary and exercise habits and is more likely to result in permanent weight loss. “Crash diets” can bring rapid weight loss but not long-term success, and may also impose health risks as they stress the body.

Royal Recommendations for Prevention and Treatment

1.                  Avoid refined foods (e.g., white sugar), processed foods (e.g., white flour), fatty foods.  Check your food allergies.  Often, you will have allergies to foods you eat the most.  In fact, food craving is a sign of food allergy.  (See “Allergy—Foods.”)

2.                  Increase your fiber intake.  A diet low in fiber but high in refined carbohydrates and fats is believed to be the major factor responsible for the frequency of obesity in western countries.  Obesity is extremely rare in cultures that consume a diet high in fiber.  This means increasing your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and grains.  Oat bran, guar gum, pectin, and psyllium husk are good sources of fiber which act as bulking agents in the stool to induce a feeling of fullness, improve glucose tolerance, and increase excretion of fat.  (See “Constipation.”)

3.                  Increase your water intake.  This is especially important if you are increasing your fiber intake.  Usually 6-8 glasses of distilled, spring, or reverse osmosis water is adequate.

4.                  Chew your food thoroughly, eat slowly, and refrain from drinking liquids with your meals.  Eating slowly provides time for digestive juices to start flowing before the food passes by.  Chewing your food stimulates saliva production that begins the process of digestion even before you swallow.  Drinking fluids with meals may dilute enzymes needed for digestion.

5.                  Check your thyroid.  (See “Hypothyroidism.”)  While too much thyroid hormone may make you jittery, not enough can make it difficult for you to relax as well.  Take your basal body temperature by placing a thermometer under your arm for 10 minutes before arising in the morning on two consecutive days.  Your basal body temperature should be greater than 97.8.  If not, then you could probably benefit from natural thyroid supplementation.  DHEA, pregnenolone, and progesterone should be considered as well.

6.                  A low-calorie, protein-sparing modified fast program will produce significant weight loss. The basis of the diet is that providing high-quality protein with a small amount of carbohydrate will have a sparing effect against the breakdown of muscle to meet energy needs.  Instead, weight loss occurs as a result of burning fat for energy.  Total consumption of 1500 calories per day is adequate for this weight loss approach.  If this approach is chosen, you should also remember to increase your water intake and add fiber to the diet to maintain bowel function.

7.                  A dietary regimen that espouses the principles of the Pritikin Diet is another option.  This means eating a diet that is 70% complex carbohydrates, 20% proteins, and 10% fats.  You can eat as much as you want as long as you eat the right foods.  Dr. Julian Whitaker has referred to this as “weight loss without dieting.”  In this case, natural snacks between meals, such as carrots or juice, are encouraged.  This helps to keep the blood sugar up, enabling the liver to convert inactive to active thyroid.

8.                  Don’t forget to exercise.  Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, for 20 minutes three or four times a week is a good way to start.  Studies have shown that weight loss is more likely maintained when dieting is combined with exercise.

9.                  Supplements that should be considered as part of a weight loss regimen include digestive enzymes with meals, pancreatic enzymes between meals, Choline, L-Methionine, L-Carnitine, magnesium and Potassium Aspartate.  Coconut oil, a source of saturated fatty acids, will provide the thyroid with what it needs to make its hormone.  1-6 tablespoonfuls daily has been shown to increase satiety, improve thyroid function, and stimulate weight loss.

10.             Herbs that stimulate weight loss are those that stimulate adrenal function and or support the liver.  These include ephedra, green tea, and dandelion root and should be used in conjunction with other dietary measures.

11.             Homeopathics known to be of benefit in obesity include:  Calcarea Carbonica  (where there is an underlying depression, extreme feelings of weakness and apathy), Fucus (if goiter is present), Graphites (timid, indecisive individuals with tendency to develop skin disorders), Natrum Muriaticum (when there is fluid retention), Phytolacca (used daily at very low potency to reduce craving for snacks), and Thyroidinum (low potency for dry skin and falling hair often associated with constipation).

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