Page 17 - The Wave Holistic and Metaphysical Journal Sept/Oct 2016

Your Brain Controls Your Appetite
by Dr. Gerry Snelling, DC Holistic Chiropractic
So why________(fill in the blank) Am I always hungry? Never Feel Hungry? Never feel full? Feel tired after eating? Feel Bloated/Gassy? Why can’t I concentrate?
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone! There are multiple systems within your body that are ‘wired’ to the brain and determine your weight loss and gain, your energy-balance system, and your appetite control center. While this ‘wiring’ may seem out of your control, with the right mindset, it can be managed and even controlled.
Each person has an internal energy-balance system, the Hypothalamus System, which constantly monitors incoming hormonal inputs from the gut and blood stream to determine the timing of food intake. It is through the function of the hypothalamus system that the body/brain figures out a set-point for body weight. If your weight goes up or down beyond a genetically defined range, your brain identifies whether or not you should eat. Hence the problem! Weight loss is difficult to maintain when you are fighting against your own brain!
Your hypothalamus is the high-tech center of biological weight control. It works by precisely monitoring your gut and blood hormone levels, particularly leptin and insulin. Leptin comes from the fat cells and indicates fat reserves stored for a future energy need. Insulin comes from the pancreas and indicates your blood glucose supply, which is vital to brain function. (How many people do you know walking around with brain fog? They don’t have enough blood glucose to run the brain!) Under normal circumstances, these two hormones
reach the brain and tell it - EAT NOW or I’M FULL!
BUT what if conditions are not normal? What if you have developed resistance to both insulin and leptin in the hypothalamus? How does that happen? Increased cellular inflammation in the hypothalamus makes it less and less responsive to these hormones. One of the main causes
of cellular inflammation is poorly timed eating habits and poor food choices! Unless you ‘break’ this eating cycle, your only option to avoid constant hunger is to grab more sugar
(including carbs that convert to sugar quickly) or fat.
To reduce insulin and leptin resistance, the number one best thing you can do is EDUCATE YOUR BRAIN! Learning to eat IN THE ZONE is the first step to getting your system(s) in SYNC. The ZONE is a real place as far as your brain and gut
are concerned. When you eat on time and include adequate protein, low-sugar (low glycemic) carbohydrates, and good fats, cellular inflammation is reduced, the hypothalamus is better able to manage insulin and leptin, and your brain and wellbeing are rewarded. Who doesn’t want fewer cravings, more energy, clearer thinking? Weight loss or (weight gain) is all based on how well you understand and eat using the concept of THE ZONE.
Dr. Barry Sears, one of my mentors and teachers, developed the mechanics of eating in THE ZONE over 25 years ago based
on his patented research involving the effect
of the correct dosage of cancer fighting drugs on individual cells. Being in THE ZONE meant using the exact amount of a drug to attack
the cancer cells without killing the patient! In reference to food intake, Dr. Sears, discovered the precise ratio of protein to carbohydrates
to fat (30% 40% 30%) to control insulin and provide the right amount of fuel to cells to create the energy supplies needed for the body to function optimally. THE ZONE way -of- eating is the foundation of a holistic, anti-ageing, lifestyle allowing true integration of body-mind-spirit. Dr.
Sears has written a series of very helpful books on The Zone Diet, (which is really a life-long way of eating), available at your local bookstore, or on Amazon.com.
At SNELLING TOTAL WELLNESS, one of the first ways we address our patients’ health is to actually measure their future wellness! A simple finger prick blood test is used at the time of an office visit; sample is mailed to a specialized lab; results are emailed and available within a week. The report reveals a ratio of pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory markers in the blood and is an objective way to gage patient
progress.
Be one of the first 20 people to book an appointment in the next month and you’ll receive, along with a complimentary one hour health scan and treatment, a free inflammation profile! In the meantime, the journey of 10,000 steps starts
with your next meal! Bon appetite!
Yours in health,
Gerry Snelling,
Holistic Chiropractic Doctor 415-295-7249 www.SnellingTotalWellness.com
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