Question

I am 47 years old and I weigh 75 kg. For my age and height, I should be 55kg, but I cant seem to reach this weight. 

For breakfast, I normally have oatmeal. For lunch, I usually have 3 chapattis, then dinner is 2 chapatti or cornflakes. For snacks, I usually have an apple, papaya and some biscuits.I also go for a one hour brisk walk every morning and do half an hour of other exercises too. Despite my efforts, I have not lost any weight. What should I do?

Answer

Here are a few points I recommend you think about to get yourself on track with losing the excess weight:

1. Too few calories

From the brief diet recall you shared it looks like your calorie intake could be on the low side. I do not recommend dropping your calories below 1200/day. A calorie intake that is too low interferes with your metabolism and will make your body weight loss resistant. If your calorie intake is less than 1200 I recommend gradually increasing.

2. Exercise intensity

Evaluate the level of your exercise intensity. Burst/interval training and cross training are very effective. Keep mixing up your routine to keep your body guessing and constantly adjusting to the workout. This will maximize your calorie expenditure to promote weight loss.

3. Muscle building

Be sure to include strength training in your fitness routine. You need to build muscle to keep your metabolic rate higher all day long, not just during a workout.

4. Sleep

Shoot for 7-9 hours of sleep every night. A lack of sleep interferes with hormone balance making weight loss difficult.

There are just a few of the factors that play a role in weight loss. A colleague of mine, JJ Virgin, just started another session of her program Fast Track to Fat Loss specifically geared towards helping individuals bust through weight loss plateaus. If you are interested in joining a program and receiving support to get over this hurdle I believe there is still time to enroll.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

Last year I was diagnosed with a moderately blocked bicuspid aortic valve and the aorta tube is swollen to 5.2cm. I am supposed to have surgery but in the meantime I wondered what herbal-vitamin supplements may help my condition?

Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks for this service

Answer

I’d encourage you to increase your intake of omega 3 fatty acids either through foods, such as fish, or a supplement.

The American Heart Association recommends that individuals without heart disease eat a variety of fish twice a week, use heart healthy oils (flaxseed, canola, soybean oils), and consume flaxseed and walnuts.

For individuals with heart disease, the AHA recommends 1 g of EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) + DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) daily, preferably from fatty fish.

The AHA recommends 2 to 4 g of EPA + DHA daily, under physician’s care only, for individuals that need to lower triglycerides. High doses, > 3 grams/day, can result in excessive bleeding. (Do not self medicate! Talk to your MD before supplementing greater than 2 grams.)

The omega-3 content of common some foods:

• Wild Salmon, 4 oz. 1700 mg (DHA 700 mg, EPA 400 mg)
• Tuna canned in water, 4 oz. 300 mg (DHA 200 mg, EPA 50 mg)
• Cod, 4 oz. 600 mg (DHA 160 mg, EPA 50 mg)
• Flaxseed, 1 Tbsp. 1000 mg (ALA – alpha–linolenic acid – 1000 mg)
• Soybeans, dried, cooked ½ cup 500 mg (DHA/EPA 250 mg, ALA 250 mg)
• Walnuts, 1 oz. 2570 mg (ALA 2570 mg)
• Pecans, 1 oz. 280 mg (ALA 280 mg)
• Wheat germ, ¼ cup 210 mg (ALA 210 mg)
• Canola oil, 1 Tbsp 1300 mg (ALA 1300 mg
• Olive oil, 1 Tbsp 100 mg (ALA 100 mg)

As far as a supplement it’s important to look at the nutrition label.

You want to find a supplement with a high level of DHA + EPA per 1 gram of fish oil.  The ideal is 850 mg of DHA + EPA per 1 gram fish oil, which can be difficult to find.  I’ve been able to find a Spring Valley product at Walmart that provides 684 mg DHA + EPA per 1 gram.  A highly recommended brand you may want to consider is Nordic Naturals.

Discuss all supplements with your physician.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.

Question

I am looking to lower my triglyceride and cholesterol levels without the aid of drugs.

My cholesterol levels went up on Lipdil but my triglyceride levels were coming down. I had a lot of nausea and was exhausted all the time so I stopped taking it. My triglyceride level is 6.4 (should be under 2) and my cholesterol level is over 7 with only 1 point good cholesterol.

I only have one kidney as I lost the other with my spleen and part of my pancreas when I had a liposarcoma (cancer). My remaining kidney has about 50% function.

I use a product named Monavie Pulse which has worked to lower levels for many friends and associates but not for me. I take salmon omega, garlic and green tea extract. I exercise 4 days a week for half an hour at the gym and do at least one extra fast paced walk per week. I am well within my healthy weight range.

My doctor has me off carbohydrates except for cereal for breakfast and there is a small amount of sugar in my low fat, low sugar yogurt. I don’t eat fatty food and only eat red meat once per month. I eat two serves of fruit per day and a lot of vegetables. Neither of my parents had heart problems. I have battled this problem for many years.

What other natural means can I try that won’t harm my kidney?

Thank you.

Answer

Here are some tips for lowering your triglyceride levels:

1. Limit simple sugars. 

Unlike other types of cholesterol, triglycerides are affected by sugars you eat.  You need to limit foods such as soft drinks, candy, baked goods, syrup, table sugar, jelly, and honey.  A high intake of fruit juice can also raise triglyceride levels since juice contains a high content of natural sugars.

Does your doctor know you use Monavie Pulse? Is he in favour of your using it? I have a good friend that promotes this product. However, I do not recommend you use this in your situation. I encourage you to do a little trial and error. Discontinue to supplement for ~4-6 weeks and have your levels rechecked. It’s very possible the drink is causing your triglycerides to be high.

2. Limit alcohol. 

If your triglycerides are borderline high or high risk, discuss your alcohol intake with your MD.  My recommendation for borderline high (200-500 mg/dL) is to limit alcohol to no more than 1 drink per day for women, 2 drinks per day for men.  One drink equals 12 ounces beer, 4 oz wine, or 1 ½ ounces liquor.  If your triglyceride level is high risk (great than 500 mg/dL) I recommend NO alcohol.  Again, discuss your situation with your MD.

3. Lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight. 

Many times weight loss alone will lower your triglycerides.  Losing as little as 10% body weight could drop your triglycerides back to the normal range.

4. Choose a low-fat diet.

To achieve lower triglyceride levels, maintain a dietary intake of 30% or less of total calories coming from fat

A healthy diet for normal triglyceride levels should consist of whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meat.

5. Increase your physical activity.

Boosting your activity can lower your triglycerides up to 40%.  If you’re not currently active, talk to your MD before starting an activity program.  To reduce triglycerides, be physically active at least 30 minutes on 3 or more days each week.  The more activity the better.

All the best,

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.