Weight Loss & Maintenance Based On Hormonal Balance~
Written: Nov 17 '08 (Updated Nov 17 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: simply fascinating with great advice
Cons: can't think of anything
The Bottom Line: After reading this book and his newer one, I feel more confident that I'll stay healthy and thin by following his/their advice.
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| jankp's Full Review: Byron Richards and Mary Guignon Richards - Masteri... |
There are, you may know, many other hormones besides the sexual hormones (estrogen, progesterone and testosterone). Perhaps you've heard of insulin, cortisol, adrenaline, melatonin, growth, pancreatic and thyroid hormones. Until recently I believed that melatonin was the master hormone because I read a 1994 book by an expert that said that, but after reading Mastering Leptin: The Leptin Diet - Solving Obesity And Preventing Disease Second Edition, published in 2004, I realize that the hormone leptin is the conductor of all hormonal operations. It was only discovered in 1994 in its home of white adipose tissue, which is the fat that multiplies so easily on the abdomen, buttocks and thighs but must now be considered the most important endocrine organ, one to keep in balance.
What good can possibly come from fat? Isn't it just ugly stuff used for storage of extra calories? Well, it may be ugly when out of control, but it's certainly not only used for storage. Leptin in that fat communicates with all other hormones and orders them around, not the other way around, and is essential for our survival. Board-certified clinical nutritionist Byron J. Richards with his wife Mary Guignon Richards were the first to write a book about what scientists have discovered about leptin, but not until they saw the great results from their customers since helping them to balance the hormone.
I read The Leptin Diet: How Fit Is Your Fat?, published in 2006 by only Byron, before Mastering Leptin, but the latter book, the one being reviewed, is much more fascinating and helpful. Both have the five basic rules for balancing leptin, but now I really understand the scope of leptin ‘s importance. When a person has problems with leptin leading to leptin resistance, with insulin and adrenaline resistance usually soon to follow, the stage is set for obesity, anorexia, immune (or autoimmune) problems, bone loss, gastrointestinal problems, liver problems, cognitive problems, nerve problems (including Alzheimer's), heart disease and cancer. Each problem is addressed thoroughly in the book and their nutritional and exercise advice seems very reasonable, even eye-opening.
The five basic rules are: never eat after dinner (which is at least three hours before bedtime); eat a high-protein breakfast; eat three meals a day (no snacking and four may be permitted in certain cases); do not eat large meals (no stuffing yourself); eat fewer carbohydrates. It's not very restrictive in my opinion and, again, seems reasonable. I'm not having leptin problems and don't need to lose weight, but I'm trying to follow them to prevent future problems. As a vegan I don't get as many calories as most people and I sometimes eat a small snack before bedtime. This snack raises insulin right when you want to sleep and stops the fat-burning mode of leptin, throwing the natural cycle off and could keep you from restful sleep. Actually I do take a bit of melatonin before bed to help me sleep. I'm playing with my diet to prevent the need at times for this snack. Going to sleep during leptin 's peak around midnight appears to help with this.
There are three main sections in Mastering Leptin (The Scope of Leptin, The Leptin Diet, Preventing Disease), forty-eight exciting chapters, notes from medical journals, an appendix of nutritional supplements found on their website at wellness resources.com, and an index. I've been to their site and looked it over. With twenty (now twenty-four) years of experience behind them, they've got quite a selection of products that you can choose according to what could help you to balance your leptin. The Richards discuss most of them in the book.
If I told you half of what I found so fascinating with the book, my review would run five pages. I've discussed it briefly with friends who I think would really benefit from reading it and their reactions are hardly what I hoped. Well, I didn't have much of a chance to explain why balancing leptin is so experienced and a few people said they'd ask their doctors if they have heard of leptin. Richards observes that most doctors don't know about it since there's no leptin drug (at least then, but I haven't heard of one). He's recently published a book called Fight For Your Health: Exposing the FDA's Betrayal of America and in Mastering Leptin he encourages us to take charge of our health because nutritional support with drugs or chemo could save your life. Even if there was a leptin drug, it would have severe side effects and the problem wouldn't be solved.
The plethora of information in these 362 pages took me about a week to digest, but pleasantly. I now feel armed with the weapons to fight against the cancer that runs in both my birthfather and birthmother's family. I already knew about the spice curcumin and cruciferous veggies, but I didn't know how important antioxidants are to stop the progression of NF kappaB from being our body's first line of defense to becoming cancer's best friend. Much more is discussed, but this gives you an idea. You can look on their website for more information.
By understanding that weight loss and maintenance problems is not a psychological problem, but a problem of hormonal imbalance, yo-yo dieting and very intense workouts may be finally a thing of your past. It irritates some people to think that just eating nutritious food whenever they want isn't enough to lose all their unwanted pounds, but timing is truly everything if you wish to take charge of your health. I hope you'll check the book out.
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This is an entry in the Resurrecting the Oldies Write-off. Please see http://www.epinions.com/user-msmorvay for more info.
Recommended:
Yes
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jankp
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Member: Jan Peregrine
Location: Lincoln, NE
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Farrah, I'm stunned. Play with the other angels, love.
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