The Pleasure of Food and Obesity
Monday, October 15, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) The acquisition of food is vital for survival. Due to this important fact the pleasure-related reward circuitry in the brain is designed to make eating and pleasure go hand in hand. Indeed, when mice have this pleasure circuitry knocked out then they won’t even bother to acquire food in easy reach and starve. While this principle is vital for survival, it is also fundamental to overeating and almost all other addictive tendencies are founded on food acquisition brain circuitry. Men Lose More Weight Taking Fish OilWednesday, October 10, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that men taking fish oil lost the most weight while on a diet, an additional 3 pounds over 8 weeks (for a total of 10 pounds). Eating salmon was also helpful. Leptin Problems Cause DiseaseThursday, October 04, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A new study echoes numerous earlier studies and explains that signals coming from fat cells, especially extra leptin due to obesity, is intimately involved with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and heart failure. Indeed, fat itself is an active metabolic organ and until individuals learn how to regulate leptin as a life skill they are simply asking for trouble. Resveratrol Improves Insulin Function and LongevityThursday, October 04, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Resveratrol is a natural antiseptic compound produced in plants when they are under attack, especially by mold. It is highly concentrated in red grapes that grow in damp or moldy areas. It is also contained in roots of plants used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine, such as Polygonum cuspidatum. Snacking Dooms the French ParadoxWednesday, September 26, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) The French have always eaten a complex carbohydrate rich diet containing three times the amount of saturated fat as Americans – and never gained weight. Red wine, garlic, onions, olive oil, home cooking, fresh ingredients, a larger lunch, no snacking, and a smaller dinner were cited as reasons for the success of the French to maintain their proper weight. Then, in 2000, the unthinkable happened. French public health officials identified the French were getting fat, 33% were overweight or obese, a rate comparable to Americans back in the in the 70s. Fast food companies and junk food machines had invaded France, the 30 billion-a-year snacking industry swooped down upon France - a culture that did not know what the word “snack” meant. Almonds Help Weight ManagementFriday, September 21, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Almonds, an excellent dietary source of vitamin E, magnesium, fatty acids, and fiber are not only a great part of a healthy weight management program they help lower LDL cholesterol. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when woman who ate 344 calories worth of almonds per day felt more satisfied and did not gain weight. There is nothing worse for a person than eating a really light lunch thinking they are on a great diet only to have a power outage and food cravings set in by mid afternoon. Eating enough quality fat at lunch helps prevent this problem. Dietary Fat and Exercise Stimulate Fat Cell MetabolismTuesday, September 18, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Contrary to much faulty dietary advice, new science shows that fat is required, along with exercise, to stimulate fat cells to break down stored fat in overweight individuals. It is quite true that eating too much fat, especially in combination with refined sugar, will lead to weight gain. However, this new information shows that a low-fat diet is not the best way for an overweight person to stimulate weight loss. Aerobics and Strength Training Improve Blood Sugar ControlTuesday, September 18, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) I am often asked what exercise is best for weight loss and health in general. The answer is: any exercise – and many new studies show a combination of various types of exercise are superior to any one form of exercise by itself.... Even a Moderate Weight Problem Increases Heart Disease RiskTuesday, September 11, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) One-third of Americans are obese, two-thirds are overweight. A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine issues a major wake up call. The risk for developing heart disease in moderately overweight people is 32%, for obese people it is 81%. Even if a person has normal levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, being moderately overweight still increases the risk by 17%, compared to 49% for an obese person. Proper Appetite Signals Improve ImmunitySaturday, September 08, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A new study shows that the hunger signal ghrelin, as well as leptin itself, enhance the ability of the thymus gland to properly maintain the healthy function of immune cells during aging. The shrinking of the thymus gland during aging corresponds with a lack of immune cells that want to go out and get the job done. Instead, there are too many arm-chair generals that would rather sit around and tell war stories than do anything meaningful. You can learn more about ghrelin by reading chapter 25 in Mastering Leptin. Toddlers Need Iron to Protect Against ObesityWednesday, September 05, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A lack of dietary iron is now linked as a contributing factor to the development of obesity in toddlers. Instead of adequate iron intake such toddlers often had extra sugar consumption in the form of fruit juice. Either low iron or high sugar intake will induce obesity and the combination is not good. Researchers found that obese toddlers had an incidence of 20% obesity, compared to 7% in non-obese toddlers. Iron is required for the formation of hemoglobin which carries oxygen and the cellular utilization of thyroid hormone, important factors in healthy metabolism. Veggies Cut Diabetes Risk 24%Monday, September 03, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Eating 1 cup of veggies per day as part of a healthy diet is now proven to reduce the risk of diabetes by 24%. Vegetables contain fiber as well as numerous plant nutrients that are protective to health and help maintain a healthy digestive tract. Australian researchers tracked 2000 people for 10 years and found that vegetables, legumes in particular (beans, lentils, chickpeas), were superior to fruit or whole grains in terms of reducing diabetes risk. Prenatal Programming of ObesityWednesday, August 29, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A new study confirms a growing body of information that the health of the mother during pregnancy has a profound affect on the potential for future obesity. In the new study it was shown that high blood sugar during pregnancy doubles the risk for obesity between ages 5-7. Women entering pregnancy in an overweight condition and/or who eat poorly during pregnancy are at risk for this problem as well as multiple other pregnancy issues.... Viral Induced ObesityTuesday, August 21, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) The Washington Post reports on recent intriguing work linking obesity to viral infection. Scientists isolated adult stem cells from fat that had been extracted during liposuction. Such stem cells can potentially turn into many different cells. Culturing these stem cells with the common adenovirus-36 (Ad-36), which causes respiratory and eye infections, caused new fat cells to form which were also more active than normal fat cells at promoting fat storage. Stem cells not exposed to the virus did not form into fat cells. Leptin and Food DesireTuesday, August 14, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) The media is beginning to catch on to what I have been reporting for the past five years – leptin problems drastically influence the perception and desire for food, leading to excess consumption and weight gain. There are only 12 humans that have been identified that have a genetic mutation preventing them from making leptin at all.... Waistline Predicts Heart Disease RiskMonday, August 13, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Using the fanciest and most sophisticated high tech cardiovascular imaging equipment researchers at the Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have just saved the world a bundle of money in cardiovascular diagnostic testing. As it turns out all you need is a tape measure placed around your waist.... Leptin-Weight Problems and Heart Attack: Bad CombinationMonday, August 06, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Researchers measured the leptin levels in heart attack patients and found that those with the highest levels of leptin were the most non-responsive to therapies designed to thin the blood... Do You Eat to Live or Eat to Die?Saturday, August 04, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Science is now very clear that eating too much food causes leptin resistance and insulin resistance in the subconscious brain, especially as one ages. Unfortunately, these malfunctioning brain signals also cause a person to eat more than is needed in order to feel full, setting up a vicious catch 22 that sends a person on the path to serious health problems. The Genetic Variance in Fat BurningWednesday, August 01, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Carbohydrates and fat are the primary fuels our bodies use as fuel, just like gas in the tank of your car. New research at the Monell Chemical Senses Center demonstrates clear genetic variance in the innate ability to burn fat as fuel. In essence, this means that some individuals eating a high fat diet have a genetic weakness to burn dietary fat and are more likely to become overweight.... Is Obesity a Social Disease?Thursday, July 26, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that if a friend is overweight your chance of gaining weight goes up 57%, if it’s a sibling your chance goes up 40%, if it’s a spouse your chance goes up 37%. The researchers concluded that obesity appears to spread through social ties. What now? Never hang out with someone who is overweight? Obesity and Prostate CancerThursday, July 19, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) The University of Southern California has an NIH grant to explore the relationship between obesity and cancer. Researchers are now reporting what I have been stating since the release of Mastering Leptin in 2002, obesity is a significant risk factor for aggressive prostate cancer.... Pregnancy and Obesity Do Not MixFriday, July 13, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Being overweight entering pregnancy is a serious health risk to both the mother and child. This is because leptin controls the growth of the placenta during pregnancy. It is vital that women of childbearing years eat according to the Leptin Diet and manage their weight prior to and during pregnancy... Psychotic Stress is Associated with Imbalanced Fat CellsMonday, July 02, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) Fat is now recognized as a metabolic organ. Leptin is the primary hormone secreted by fat cells, as fully explained in The Leptin Diet. A companion hormone that is also secreted by fat cells is called adiponectin. Adiponectin maintains insulin sensitivity, especially in the liver. When leptin resistance sets in and an individual gains weight, adiponectin levels drop. As they drop a person becomes insulin resistant, thus setting the stage for eventual diabetes. A new study shows that adiponectin levels and mood are directly linked. Leptin Abuse - Parents Making their Own Toddlers FatTuesday, June 26, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) A new study shows that soft drinks and sweetened fruit drinks between meals and at bedtime double the risk for a child to be overweight by age 4 ½. It is obvious these children don’t buy their own food, so it is parents who are doing it to their own kids – a problem that significantly worsens based on the economic and educational status of the parents. Fat Fitness and Cardiovascular HealthThursday, June 14, 2007 - (Byron J. Richards, CCN) On the cover of my book, The Leptin Diet, is the million dollar question, “How fit is your fat?” Scientists are now catching on to this concept and actively studying how a fit leptin system results in a fit metabolism and proper body weight that are likely to provide significant reduction in the development of cardiovascular disease.
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