OBESITY (overweight) is a problem to various degrees in all industrialized nations and, in particular, the United States. Obesity has various causes and combinations of causes and is not a simple problem. Rendered down to its simplest terms, obesity is consuming and storing more calories than you are using. Starvation only complicates the correction of the problem as a starving body will shut off calorie consumption as an energy conservation move. To avoid this body maneuver, be sure to consume at least 1,000 calories per day. This way, a gradual but permanent loss of pounds and inches will occur. Moderate exercise in the form of walking, tennis, golf, swimming, and/or low impact aerobics (i.e. Chi Gong) is adequate. Don’t forget the base line nutritional supplements, as your need for nutritional supplementation becomes critical when you are on a calorie-restricted diet. Ninety percent of obese people over eat and binge because empty calorie diets result in “pica”, a nibbling behavior caused by the body's search for trace minerals! Use colloidal minerals to supply these needed minerals. Test for food allergies with the pulse test and do a six-hour glucose tolerance test to determine if you have hypoglycemia or diabetes. Remember a single fasting blood glucose test will miss 99.9 percent of all hypoglycemics and 85 percent of all diabetics.

“Treatment" of obesity is, in fact, a change in life style and habits requiring a complete commitment, just like the one required to stop smoking. Avoid offending food allergens, avoid sugar in all forms (i.e. solids as well as liquids), avoid caffeine which lowers blood sugar and makes you hungry, avoid carbonated soft drinks which ALL are loaded with phosphates which will cause osteoporosis over the long haul especially when you are already on a restricted diet, and drink filtered —not distilled—water. Distilled water is “hungry” water and will demineralize your bones over a long period of usage. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day. Forty percent of your water normally comes from food. It only makes sense if you restrict your food, you will also restrict water unless you make a conscious effort to drink enough. “Compulsive” trips to the refrigerator are most often subliminal searches for water, especially if they occur right after meals. Use special salts to flavor meals (potassium salt with kelp is excellent).