Weight Loss Can Be Dangerous To Your Health

My last post explained how chronic dehydration impedes weight loss because of the complex relationship between fluid intake, fat cells and chemical toxicity. I have been making this point for a number of years (as have other nutritional therapists) and always write about it in my books. So I was interested to see a New Scientist article describing research in support of my argument.

The research shows that dieting can lead to an increase of “persistent organic pollutants”, or POPs, in the bloodstream. POPs are derived from pesticides and other chemical sources and are associated with increased risk of cancer, dementia, and diabetes. If the body can’t eliminate these substances at the time of exposure it will store them in fat cells because that is where they will do the least damage (fat cells being the least metabolically active cells of the body). So when we start a weight loss program these chemicals can be released into the bloodstream where they can cause serious health risks. This process is also one of the major reasons why dieting can make one feel groggy, irritable and fatigued.

No one wants to feel unwell or put their health at risk. So here are some strategies that you can adopt to help you lose weight and protect your health at the same time:

1. Avoid very low calorie diets and any kind of fad diet

The truth is that diets don’t work. 95% of people simply regain the weight or even more. Low-cal or faddy diets are likely to overload your system with released chemicals and you will probably feel awful. The best way to succeed is to commit to eating healthily and to lose weight at a slow yet healthy pace (which is about 2lbs a week). This might not be very exciting but it will produce results, and it is results that count at the end of the day. My book Lose Wheat Lose Weight outlines detailed recommendations for healthy weight loss.

2. Support your elimination channels

Help your body’s efforts to remove fat and POPs by keeping your elimination channels functioning optimally. These include strategies such as having enough fluid intake (see earlier post), eating a fibre-rich diet (plenty of vegetables, nuts, seeds), and getting regular exercise (to stimulate lymph flow).

3. Make sure you get enough minerals

The body uses a process called chelation to remove toxic chemicals. In order for this to work properly you need sufficient detoxification minerals, such as zinc and selenium. Foods high in zinc include pumpkin seeds, wheatgerm, meat, and shellfish. One of the highest sources of selenium is brazil nuts. Other selenium-rich foods are fish, shellfish, and shitake mushrooms.

I’ll outline additional detoxification supplements in a later post, but these three strategies will definitely get you on the path to healthy weight loss that will reduce the side effects of toxic chemical release. It is gratifying to see research finally catching up with strategies we have been using for years and know to work.

Tagged As: chemical toxicity, detox, diet, water, weight loss