Wednesday, January 28, 2004

Obesity — an epidemic problem

A staggering 61 percent of American adults currently meet the scientific definition of obesity, putting them at increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, arthritis, depression and several forms of cancer.

Obesity rates among US adults have gone up 30 percent since the late ‘70s. Meanwhile, just one third of US adults meet experts’ recommendations for at least 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days per week. This is probably the most sedentary generation of people in the history of the world.

Why people are overweight

• Excess caloric intake from larger portions of food. Portions are twice as big as they were 20 years ago, resulting in hamburgers, fries and soft drinks packing an extra 100 calories per serving.

• The media bombards people with food ads that claim they will comfort and improve their life.

• A toxic environment is overloading the endocrine system. There are numerous foreign chemicals in the environment (insecticides, herbicides plastics, industrial detergents, heavy metals,) that mimic estrogen-like hormones. Even hormones in the food supply (animals being injected with growth hormones) can greatly alter hormones in the body. These endocrine disruptors can lead to obesity due to thyroid, liver and adrenal imbalances.

• Genetic predisposition. Fewer than a dozen genes may have a measurable affect on obesity; many are involved in appetite control. Also, toxic eating habits are very often a learned behavior in the family circle.

• Emotional stressors. People often eat for social and emotional reasons, including when they are stressed, angry, worried, tired or even happy.

Obesity leads to disease

• Diabetes: Because of a diet of refined and dead foods, obese people are often resistant to the effects of insulin and make more insulin to compensate for this defect. This results in the development of Type II diabetes, which has increased 50 percent in the last 20 years.

• Osteoarthritis: Obesity increases the loss of cartilage in the joints, especially in the knees, hips, and lower back, which hampers movement. Loss of structural integrity affects the nerve system and ultimately your health.

• Heart disease: Obesity increases the risk of cardiac hypertrophy (enlarged heart), coronary heart disease and cardiac rhythm disturbances.

• Increased cancer risk: Obese people have a higher risk of death from most types of cancer. Increased level of circulating hormones are known to influence cell growth and contribute to cancer.

• Organ stress: Obese people lose an average of 3 to 13 years on their life span.

Wellness care holds the key

At Health Concepts, we address the CAUSE of obesity: structural, nutritional and emotional imbalances. Our desire is for you to have optimal health and well-being, (not simply temporary symptomatic relief) by following the Wellness Steps to Total Health:

• Re-establish structural integrity. This is the foundation of health. Eighty percent of all conditions improve when the structure of the body is properly re-established to allow a free flow of vital, electrical energy.

• Rebalance electromagnetics. We live in an ocean of electromagnetism. When electromagnetic pollution from power lines, appliances, computers, TVs, cell phones and microwaves begin to accumulate, our entire system becomes stressed to the point of exhaustion. You can protect yourself from harmful fields by wearing a simple multi-polar magnet, no bigger than a credit card, to balance your energy field and protect your body’s DC charge.

• Balance the nutrition of the body by resetting the adrenal glands, reducing infective organisms (viruses, yeasts, parasites, and bacteria), replacing enzymes and/or HCL to aid in digestion, assimilation and elimination, and restoring proper bowel flora. Healthy bacteria in the intestinal tract is extremely important for optimal health.

• Reprogram the body for any allergies and sensitivities. Allergic reactions to foods, environmental toxins, and metabolic byproducts can mimic and a wide range of disorders and lead to a confused immune system. A pain-free and needle-free method of allergy elimination called ASERT has proven to be extremely effective in reducing allergic responses.

• Release aberrant emotional patterns. Emotions are “energy in motion.” Unhealthy emotions can cause chemical reactions in the brain and cells. There are powerful tools at our disposal, such as EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), to help you change and even eliminate unhealthy patterns.

• Remove heavy metals and other toxins from the body. Toxic metals are widely used in industry, food processing, drug industry and agriculture. When accumulated in our cells, these toxins can cause cellular mutation or premature cellular death. These toxins may be eliminated through the use of homeopathic remedies, cold laser techniques, lymphatic stimulation and bio-cleanse devices.

Our body’s natural state is health and wellness, unless it is interfered with. The key to lasting health is at your finger tips. Call for a courtesy consultation and demonstration of our services. It will be a healthy step in the right direction.

— Dr. Veronique Desaulniers

(Dr V. Desaulniers has maintained a health and wellness practice for 25 years. Health Concepts is at 570-D North Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville. The phone number is 770-719-8785.)