Healthy Living With TAU: FIBERS AND PROTEINS - The perfect duo for weight loss without hunger

Jun 19, 2017, Updated 19 hrs ago, Monday, June 19, 2017, http://www.thesuburban.com/blo...53-376d9be04fe8.html

One in every two Canadian, including many children and teenagers, are afflicted with excess weight.  The repercussions of being overweight on one’s health can be serious and hamper daily life for many years.

BASAL METABOLIC RATE

After following numerous diets, the body lowers its basal metabolic rate.  The basal metabolic rate is simply the energy (calories) spent on breathing, heart beats, digestion, etc.  The basal metabolic rate also has a tendency to diminish with age and while taking certain medications. 

To increase your basal metabolic rate and avoid storing fat and lessen the sensation of hunger, it is important to divide your food intake in 3 meals and 1 to 2 snacks.  Doing regular physical exercise also allows your basal metabolic rate to increase.

FIBERS

Psyllium seeds, grounded flax seeds, oats and PGX fibers are soluble fibers.  The more the fibers’ viscosity is high, the more its effect on the control of one’s appetite and cravings, weight loss, glycemia and cholesterol will be effective.

PROTEINS are necessary to:

• Maintain and increase muscle mass and bone density
• Reduce fats and carbohydrates intake (calories), which accelerates fat loss
• Obtain a lasting energy source by stabilizing glycemia, which lessens hunger and helps the body to burn more fat
• Facilitate stress management and cravings linked to stress

With an additional amount of FIBERS and PROTEINS, glycemic roller coasters that cause sugar cravings, drops of energy, an appetite that’s hard to satisfy and weight gain are a thing of the past!  Moreover, while regulating appetite and glycemia, fibers and proteins also help improve sleep quality and provide a better stress resistance; two other important factors to attain and maintain a healthy weight.   These factors are important because stress and lack of sleep jeopardize weight loss.  Use protein formulas in powder or bar with a low glycemic index to complete all you needs and regulate your appetite.

STRESS JEOPARDIZES WEIGHT LOSS

In response to stress, the body secretes “stress hormones”, adrenaline and cortisol.  When the stress lasts too long, the cortisol secretion increases and triggers various physiological processes that increase blood sugar levels and lower the insulin rates. The consequence is that when the excess sugar isn’t used, it is stored as fat.

Here are a few solutions to limit the harmful effects of stress and favour better sleep:

• DAY: To relieve your chronic stress exhaustion symptoms while improving your stress resistance, choose the plants called “adaptogens”, like ashwagandha, rhodiola, holy basil or ginseng, because their action improve your capacity to “adapt” to stress.  To nourish your nervous system properly, add a B complex vitamin.
• DAY AND EVENING: To promote relaxation and a fast relief of anxiety and nervousness, try L-theanine or GABA, since their calming effect is fast without provoking drowsiness.  Studies have shown that people who are anxious and suffering from insomnia were not producing enough GABA, a calming neurotransmitter.  For its calming effect on the nervous system, magnesium is also recommended.
• EVENING: If needed, melatonin or a fomula that contains it.  Melatonin has shown its efficacy to promote sleep, maintain a deep and restful sleep.  It acts gently and doesn’t create dependence.

By Lise Guénette, ND.A.

Member of l'Association des naturopathes agréés du Québec