How Angela solved her obesity problem:
Angela came to my office looking for a solution to obesity, after having failed with multiple diets and exercise schemes to lose weight. I had always thought, like most patients, that their obesity was only related to the amount of calories ingested.
What you'll see in this article
2 concepts were clear from the first consultation
- An adequate weight is a reflection of good health. Therefore the emphasis is on regaining health, not achieving a specific weight.
- It is important to take into account not only the calorie balance but also the other factors involved in weight: intestinal microbiome, sleep, stress, inflammation, hormonal balance, and of course, the accumulation of toxins in the body.
The proper tests were done on Angela and we found that she was storing toxins that were causing obesity. We designed a personalized detoxification plan and he gradually recovered his appropriate weight stably and progressively.
How toxins cause obesity
Have you or someone you know been gaining weight or trying to lose weight for a long time? Toxins may be the cause. Doctors you’ve seen in the past have often focused on reducing the number of calories you consume, but toxins may be playing tricks on you.
For some years now, science has coined the term “endocrine disruptors,” that is, toxins capable of altering the hormonal system, and a few years ago, it coined the term “obesogens,” toxins that cause obesity. Multiple scientific studies explain how toxins cause obesity, the 3 most important mechanisms are:
- Toxins make your fat cells sick by programming them to accumulate fat unlimitedly without releasing a single gram of what they accumulate.
- Toxins alter satiety, preventing you from wanting to stop eating or preventing you from making good dietary choices.
- Toxins alter your set point, making you require less food to gain weight and more exercise to lose weight.
- Toxins create insulin resistance, which forces your pancreas to produce excess insulin. Insulin in turn stimulates fat accumulation.
Where are the toxins that cause obesity?
In many places. The first point to reduce the entry of these toxins is to know where they are. Some important obesogens are:
- Phthalates: present in plastics in general: such as bottles, food packaging, cosmetic packaging, and toys. It is widely used as a carrier for fragrances in cosmetics and personal care products.
- Bisphenols: Plastic packaging, plastic bottles, dental sealants, canned coatings.
- Pesticides: present in non-organic fruits and vegetables.
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): They contaminate multiple foods and in general contaminate extensive ecosystems of the planet.
- Flame retardants: Furniture and electronic devices.
- Perfluoroctanes (PFOAs): Present in non-stick Teflon and lubricants.
Attention parents and future parents:
Your exposure to toxins can program the genetic material found in your eggs or sperm so that your future children will suffer from obesity and be overweight all their lives. The best strategy is to detoxify before becoming pregnant.
Do you want to know where to start? I’ll wait for you in my consultation so that you can regain your health and proper weight.
References
- Environmental Obesogens: Mechanisms and Controversies. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2019 Jan 6;59:89-106. doi: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010818-021304.
- Obesogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals: Identifying Knowledge Gaps. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Sep;29(9):607-625. doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2018.06.003.
- Moving from awareness to action on preventing patient exposure to toxic environmental chemicals. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 May;214(5):555-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2016.03.029.
Written by:
Sebastian Castrillón Restrepo
Functional doctor – Centro EOS,
Expert in detoxification therapies