Dr. Whittaker's Blog

If you’re both weight conscious and health conscious, the question may have come up, as it has for many people, if I want something sweet, which is better, sugar or artificial sweeteners? To a large extent, in our society, sugar has been made the bad guy. As I was growing up, everything was loaded with sugar. People didn’t think much about it, but now many of us are paying the price for it. As people realized that sugar can make us fat and sick, but not wanting to give up the desire for sweet flavors, we turned to artificial sweeteners. Now we’re finding those aren’t such a good choice either. I’ve seen many sweeteners come and go. One will emerge as a safe alternative to sugar, and then we find out that it’s not so healthy after all. So we turn to something else, until we find out how bad it is.

In early days, sugar was not as easy to come by. Our pioneer ancestors had sugar, but it usually came in the form of a brick that you had to work to get a chunk of. The human body is well-equipped to deal with carbohydrates. In small amounts, it can even deal with highly refined sugar. However, it was never designed to have frequent large amounts of it, which cause huge spikes in our blood sugar and wear out both our pancreas and the insulin receptors on our cells.

Our bodies are also not designed to deal effectively with artificial sweeteners, which we would generally classify as chemicals. Let’s take a look at some of these:

Saccharin – I grew up around this one. However, in the 1970’s, it was linked to cancer and thereafter taken off the shelves. The FDA has since decided that it’s not so bad and has lifted its ban. I still don’t really trust it. Besides, it doesn’t taste good anyway.

Cyclamates – This one seemed to come and go fairly quickly. It was linked to chronic toxicity and even implicated in the saccharin/cancer controversy. It is legally used in 55 countries, but not the United States.

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) – “The safety of aspartame has been the subject of several political and medical controversies, congressional hearings and internet hoaxes since its initial approval for use in food products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974.” (Wikipedia) It is a dietary excitotoxin, which can cause pain and trigger flare-ups in people prone to fibromyalgia. Excitotoxins can also make you think you’re hungry when you’re not, causing you to eat more. It is also implicated in fluid retention. So, although the FDA has declared it safe for consumption and it provides sweetness without calories, it could actually contribute to obesity.

Sucralose (Splenda) – This is an extremely sweet chemical sweetener (about 600 times sweeter than sugar). It can also cause you to retain fluid. Many people have some degree of sensitivity to it. Sucralose can cause one to suffer from sluggishness, fatigue, make legs feel like lead weights, mood swings, severe cramps (female), intense pain, painful bowel movements, bloating, dizziness, confusion, and more. As advertised, sucralose starts off as sugar, but then it’s bound to chlorine atoms. The problem is that chlorine reacts with organic material to create chlorination by-products (CBPs) that can trigger chronic symptoms like fatigue, headaches and brain fog, as well as reproductive and immune problems. Sucralose has no calories, but there are sometimes a few calories in the fillers (maltodextrin, etc.) that are often used. In spite of FDA approval and a great deal of usage, I don’t believe it’s been sufficiently studied.

Stevia – This is a naturally occurring substance that’s much sweeter than sugar. A 1985 study indicated that it may cause genetic mutations. However, the World Health Organization has since found that it does not. I don’t yet have much information on it, but as far as I know it’s safe.

Xylitol – This one, although not regular sugar, seems fairly safe. It is actually a sugar alcohol that is found in the fiber of some fruits and vegetables. It’s often used in toothpaste and some chewing gum. It’s not as sweet as sugar and provides less food energy. It’s absorbed more slowly and so it should provide sweetening with less insulin spikes. Don’t go overboard with it though. Although it has fewer calories, it does have about 2/3 the calories of sugar and can have a laxative effect.

So what’s the final answer? Be wary of artificial sweeteners. Do not think that because you’re avoiding sugar, you’re giving yourself a thin, healthy body. Whether you use sugar or sugar substitutes, go easy. If you have strong cravings, see me and we’ll address them.

The following guidelines are not all required in my weight loss system. However, it contains a lot of helpful information. I got these from a highly respected colleague — Dan Murphy, D.C.

• Do not eat late at night
• Never eat after dinner
• Never go to bed with a full stomach
• Try to finish eating dinner at least 3 hours before bed
• Try to allow 11-12 hours between dinner and breakfast
• Do not snack between meals
• Eat only 3 meals per day
• Try to allow 5-6 hours between meals; eating 20 grams (.7 oz) of protein minimum with each meal will help one to do this
• Avoid eating large meals
  • Eat slowly. It takes 20-30 minutes for the leptin signals to turn off the hunger centers of the brain
• Always eat breakfast, including at least 20 grams (.7 oz) of protein
• Avoid refined carbohydrates, including sugary drinks (limit juice), all sugary foods, breads, pasta, potatoes, rice
• Do not consume MSG or aspartame. They damage the brain so that the brain thinks you are hungry and you will eat more food. Remember that MSG has dozens of names on food packaging (see www.truthinlabeling.org).
• Avoid high-fructose corn syrup. It causes insulin resistance, producing more insulin and increased storage of fat.
• Do not consume grains because they are carbohydrates.
• Do not drink alcohol. This includes wine and beer.
• Keep your stress as low as possible.
• Eat lots of raw and steamed vegetables, some fruits – especially apples and raw nuts. These fruits are NOT okay because they are high in sugar and low in fiber: bananas, dates, figs, raisins, canned fruit, dried fruit and mangoes.
• Exercise. A combination of weight training and aerobics is best.
• Sleep a minimum of 7 hours every night.
• Avoid abnormal sources of estrogen and estrogen-like compounds:
  • Birth control pills
  • Hormone-replacement therapy
  • Soy based foods
  • Eat organic produce only. If the foods you are eating are not organic fruits, vegetables and meats, you are consuming foods that have been exposed to pesticides, insecticides, antibiotics, herbicides, fungicides and estrogens. All of these stop fat burning and increase fat storage.
  • Plastics that contain the chemicals Bisphenol-A and phthalates. The adverseness of these chemicals is increased by a factor of 55 if the plastic contains hot liquids or is microwaved. Many skin creams, makeup, shampoos and perfumes contain these chemicals and are easily absorbed through the skin.
• Take the anti-inflammatory dose of fish oil in supplements. This requires 3 grams (3000 mg) per day.
• Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement every day.

We eat to sustain life, because we’re hungry, right? If only it were that simple, many people would not have so much excess weight. There are many reasons why we eat. We eat because we’re happy and want to celebrate. We eat because we’re sad, depressed, bored, lonely, upset, frustrated, angry, etc., etc. We eat to be social, perhaps because it’s time to eat and our family or friends are eating. We eat because we associate certain activities with eating, such as watching TV, movies, sporting events, etc. Many of these situations are acceptable, but some are not. For instance, some people eat because they’re depressed. They’re depressed because they’re obese. The more they eat, the more obese they become, which leads to more eating, which leads to more depression and so it continues.

In an ideal world, the amount and timing of our eating would correspond perfectly to the actual needs of the body. That is probably not a reasonable expectation. The best solution is to create a healthy balance. We want to eat with our family and friends, but not to excess and not the wrong things. We don’t want to miss out on eating as part of celebrations, but we also don’t want to overdo it. We don’t always have the luxury of eating at times other than scheduled breaks. For the most part, these are all workable.

What do we do when things get out of control and our eating becomes destructive? If you’re like many people, you get angry with yourself, perhaps even hate yourself. When that happens, more destructive behavior ensues. Stop beating yourself up about it. Find out why it happens. Then set goals to work on it little by little. One of the wonderful things about the Ohana Ideal Weight Loss System is that we are addressing some of the underlying reasons for these behaviors, such as trapped emotions, hormone imbalances, etc. It will still require some effort on your part to change the old patterns. However, your treatment should make it easier, helping you ensure long-term success.

• Don’t compare yourself to others. You are unique. All that matters is getting from where you are to where you want to be.
• Eat breakfast, always. Don’t eat within two hours of going to bed.
• Stay within the program. Don’t cheat. Be sure to record cravings that you have. If you do end up cheating, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just be sure to write it down so we can address it at the next follow-up visit.
• Stay positive, have faith. Shake off discouragement. Replace the negative thoughts and feelings with upbeat, productive thoughts and feelings, which will be made easier by our removing trapped emotions.
• Enjoy the program. If it ever feels like torture, that’s something we need to address.
• Drink plenty of water. There are many reasons to stay hydrated. Don’t confuse hunger with thirst.
• Avoid fast food, greasy food and soda pop. Where possible, avoid artificial sweeteners.
• Focus on protein and vegetables.
• Do not obsess about your current weight. Focus on the program, your health and keeping a positive attitude. This is more about health than what the scale says you weigh. You should only weigh yourself weekly… or better yet, let us do it in your weekly follow-up visit.
• If you wake up at night and want a snack, just drink water. If you have trouble sleeping or crave food in the middle of the night, notify us and we’ll address it.
• Setbacks may occur from time to time. This is normal. In fact, they can be helpful since we can use those as opportunities to learn more about your body and how it reacts to various changes. With each follow-up visit, we obtain more information about your body, remove more barriers to weight loss and further prepare you for lasting success.

One of the causes of excess weight is excess fluid in your body. The reason for this is often due to generalized inflammation. There are a number of possible causes for this. Minor food allergies are a common issue. Not every food allergy will result in hives or closing of the throat. They can be seen as irritants by the body. Inflammation is often an inappropriate immune response by the body. If the body perceives something as foreign or “unwelcome”, it activates white blood cells. However, in this case, there is no invading organism for these cells to attack. Their activity results in retention of fluids around the tissues – inflammation. With food allergies, it is generalized throughout the body. So part of the excess weight and inches can be from fluids, not just fat.

Using the Body Code or NAET (Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Technique), food allergies can be identified and in many cases, eliminated. As part of the Ohana Ideal Weight Loss System, we will be checking with your body regarding the foods that you typically eat to see if allergies or intolerances exist. Where possible, these sensitivities will be removed. These foods can then be eaten without any problem. In some cases however, your body knows that, allergy or not, it cannot lose weight effectively with certain foods. We will also be checking for non-food irritants that may be causing generalized inflammation in your body.

Certain types of foods naturally contribute to inflammation. One of these is omega-6 fatty acids. While this is an essential fatty acid that we need to have in our diet, many Americans eat far too much of it. This is safflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, etc. It’s found in great abundance in french fries, potato chips, and other deep-fried foods. Not only should these foods be avoided, but the omega-6 fatty acids need to be balanced out with omega-3 fatty acids. A good source is fish oil or krill oil. We recommend taking one of those supplements every day. Make sure that what you’re taking has been purified to remove mercury, which is extremely toxic and can be concentrated in fish oils.

Gluten is another food that creates inflammation for many people. We can often eliminate your sensitivity to it. There are also many gluten-free products on the market, especially in health food stores.

A while back, I went to Lagoon, an amusement park here in Utah. That morning I weighed myself. I weighed myself again the next morning. I was six pounds heavier! I ate a few things that I don’t normally eat, but I didn’t pig out all day. I know for a fact that my body didn’t deposit six pounds of fat into my tissues in that one day. Even if it were capable of it, I didn’t even eat that much food. So what was it?

When you step on the scales, what you see is the sum total of the mass of everything comprising and residing within your body. That includes bone, muscle, fat, connective tissue, undigested food and waste products within your digestive tract, fluid throughout your body, blood, lymph, etc. In this case, the primary cause of my additional weight was fluid. Due to some previous injuries, I had a foot and knee that were significantly swollen. Also my body was retaining more fluid in general. As I worked to decrease my inflammation, my weight also decreased and gradually returned to normal.

Now what if I had been desperately trying to lose weight and thought that every pound that increased or decreased on the scale was due to fat? I know from working with many people how they would have reacted. It would have led to discouragement, frustration, self-loathing and depression. As if that weren’t bad enough, how do many people with weight issues respond to these emotions? They eat, especially comfort foods such as ice cream and chocolate. Had I have reacted in this manner, before long I would have replaced fluid with actual fat. I believe that too often, this kind of “misunderstanding” is responsible for unnecessary weight gain.

There are many factors that determine the number of pounds reported by the scales. If you are “big boned”, it takes less fat to account for more weight. As you’re probably aware, muscle weighs more than fat. If your primary concern is how much you weigh, you might shy away from building muscle. However, having more well-toned muscle tissue enhances your ability to burn away excess fat. You don’t need to become a body builder to get a lean body, but you do need healthy muscles. As you build them up, you could even become a little heavier, although you will get thinner, which is more important.

Hormones play a big part in this. A weak thyroid will slow your metabolism and cause you to deposit more fat. Excess estrogen will cause you to deposit not only fat but muscle tissue as well (not the healthy toned muscle discussed above). This kind of excess weight is harder to get under control and requires special attention. Adrenals are also a large factor.

It isn’t necessary to avoid the scales altogether, but one should not be obsessed with them or always assume that changes in weight mean an increase or decrease in fat. Inches (especially around the waist and hips) are an important measurement. Also get checked for percent body fat.

In my last posting, “Journey of the Hesitant Healer”, I talked about how I’ve been getting great results with alternative forms of healing, as well as how I got to that point. From the time we first got married, my wife has struggled with her weight. So all through chiropractic college and my career as a chiropractor, I sought for answers for her. While still in school, I worked as a weight loss therapist for a popular weight loss program. It primarily used aversion therapy and education to help people overcome weight problems. In school and in practice, I paid particular attention to principles of endocrinology, metabolism, and anything else that could affect body weight. And yet, although we were able to bring her obesity somewhat under control, she was never able to lose the weight as she desired. Finally she had gastric bypass surgery, after which she exercised faithfully and avoided carbs. The weight did come off, but over time, much of it gradually returned.

What I’ve learned about obesity over the years is that for many people, it’s a very complex issue. There are people who eat large amounts of junk food and sweets and don’t exercise. Their weight problem is pretty obvious and can often be corrected with simple lifestyle changes. For some people however, it’s not such a simple matter. Many people can attest to the fact that it’s not always just calories in vs. calories out. Some people can do just about any reputable weight loss program and take off the weight. However, there are other people who don’t respond to typical weight loss programs, or if they do, the weight quickly returns once they go off the program. Why did my wife’s weight return after the surgery (which is fairly typical)? While the exact reasons may be complex, there’s one basic reason. It’s the same reason why people have a difficult time losing weight and why it keeps coming back. It’s because the underlying causes of the obesity were not corrected.

There are many possible reasons for excess weight, both physiological and psychological. There is no program that can simulateously address every possible cause of obesity. The tests and evaluations to find the issues for every person, using standard methods, would be almost unreasonably extensive. As soon as I got proficient at using energetic healing techniques to get information from the body, it became apparent that I could use those techniques to essentially ask the body what’s getting in the way of losing weight. As I do so, many issues can surface, including emotional blockages, hormone imbalances, toxins, allergies, etc. We can also use these methods to determine types and amounts of foods and exercise that are optimal for losing weight. It’s very individualized and somewhat intensive. So it may be overkill for those who easily lose weight under standard programs and can keep it off. But for those who have struggled a great deal, who have tried multiple programs and not found a successful, permanent solution, this is a great solution.

Here is a brief presentation that explains it further: