Do you find it difficult to lose weight no matter what you do?

Do you lose weight only to regain it again?

Are you sick of being told to eat better and exercise more?

If the answer is yes than naturopathic weight loss is for you!

Every body is different, which is why there is no one weight loss program that will work for everybody.

Because naturopathy treats the whole person, it looks at the causes of weight loss and has solutions that work to address these causes.

There is no doubt that a good diet and exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy weight, however there is often more to weight loss than this.

Katherine specializes in helping achieve weight loss by addressing the factors which may be preventing you from reaching your weight loss goals. On your first consultation, Katherine will take your full health history to determine the best path to weight loss for you.

There are several factors which are most likely to prevent you from losing weight, or make you gain weight.

1. The thyroid gland

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located in the middle of the throat, attached to you oesophagus. The thyroid has the very important job of regulating metabolism in the body. It controls your hormonal levels, body temperature and the building or breakdown of fat in the body.

Low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, is one of the major causes of weight gain, often going undiagnosed.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

• Gaining weight easily
• Difficulty losing weight
• Dry skin
• Cold body temperature (feeling the cold more than other people)
• Constipation
• Depression or feeling down
• Fatigue

If you present with any of the above symptoms Katherine will send you for a blood test to assess your thyroid function. It is important to note that you can still be medically “in range” but have subclinical hypothyroidism. Most GPs will only test TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) which is not the best indicator of thyroid function.

2. Blood sugar imbalance / pancreatic dysfunction

Blood sugar imbalances occur due to poor dietary choices over a period of time, usually high carbohydrate intake or erratic eating patterns. When your blood glucose levels are too high, it can lead to insulin resistance, which is when the hormone insulin (required to get glucose into cells) can’t get the glucose into the cell effectively, which leads to further high blood sugar levels.
Studies have found that even mild insulin resistance can prevent weight loss.

Signs of blood sugar imbalance include:

• Constant thirst
• Frequent urination
• Waking during the night to urinate
• Craving sweet foods
• Feeling irritable, shaky, cranky, dizzy or weak with long periods between food

If you experience more than 2 of these symptoms you may have a blood sugar imbalance.  Treating this imbalance using nutrients and herbal medicine will help to reduce these symptoms. Treatment can help to drastically reduce sugar cravings, which can help guide you in your dietary choices.

3. Nutrient deficiencies

Nutrients are required in the body as cofactors in many chemical reactions that keep things balnced and working well. Fat metabolism is no exception to this.

For the body to metabolize fat, which leads to weight loss, nutrients cofactors are needed. Carnitine is needed to utilize fats for energy, vitamin D is needed for metabolism and B vitamins are part of the fat oxidation pathway. These are a few examples of how basic nutritional deficiencies can impair weight loss.

If nutrient deficiencies are expected Katherine will order a test to assess your fat burning pathways, and find out if any nutritional deficiencies may be preventing them from working effectively.

4. Hormonal problems and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Hormonal imbalances, particularly high oestrogen can make it difficult to lose weight. This is why many women tend to gain weight while on the oral contraceptive pill. Hormonal imbalances can be corrected with the use of herbal medicines, which help to reduce any excesses.

Fat is a hormonally active tissue, so weight loss can help with many hormonal conditions.

PCOS is a metabolic condition that involves both hormonal imbalance and insulin resistance, which makes it difficult to lose weight. PCOS treatment will help weight loss, but weight loss will also help PCOS. Naturopathic treatment of PCOS looks at both supporting weight loss and balancing hormones.

5. Excess toxin build up

Toxins are in our everyday environments, from the food we eat to the air we breathe we are exposed to toxins on a daily basis. When there is a toxic build up in the body it prevents weight loss.

Due to high levels of toxins within the fat cells the body prevents them from being metabolized as a protective mechanism to stop high levels of toxins being released into the body.

Common causes of toxins are:

• Pollution
• Pesticides and herbacides
• Non-organic foods and meats
• Plastic bottles
• Smoking
• Alcohol

Detoxification is frequently needed to kick start the weight loss process. Katherine uses advanced detoxification methods which involve specific nutritional supplements to help speed up the detoxification process.

Clinic details

BRISBANE NATURAL HEALTH
Suite 5, 2 Baroona Rd (corner or Milton and Baroona Rds, upstairs)
Milton QLD 4064

Hi-Caps is available for claims on the spot with participating private health funds.

Make an appointment today, call (07) 3137 9617.