The Complexities of Weight Management: Optimizing Health, Performance, and Longevity

Let’s face reality, diets really don’t work! Although most do work in the short term, what’s the point if you can’t stick to them and make them part of your new Healthstyle? What good is it to lose 15-20 plus pounds for a month or two, only to put it back on plus another 5 to 10? A lot of research supports the belief that yo-yo dieting may be worse than just staying overweight. We won’t get into that other than to agree that neither option is optimal.

Clearly, weight management plays a crucial role in overall health, performance, and longevity. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight goes beyond aesthetics, as it impacts various aspects of our well-being. While traditional approaches like diet and exercise remain essential, there are progressive methods and interventions that can further optimize body weight and composition.

If excess weight and body fat are one of your health challenges, call to schedule a consultation to learn how we can assist you in achieving your body composition goals. We are not a ‘diet clinic,’ so if you’re looking for a mostly diet pill-based quick fix, we are not it, there are plenty of those around. We are about building health and supporting long-term healthy body composition. This can only be accomplished through proper attention to exercise, physical activity, healthy eating, properly balancing metabolism, digestion, and restoring both the microcirculation and mitochondria functioning. There are NO shortcuts that work long term.

weight-loss

Let’s explore the complexities of weight management and discuss the importance of progressive approaches such as hormone balancing, EWOT (Exercise with Oxygen Therapy), resistance training, stem cells, light therapy, peptides, and more.

1. Hormone Balancing: Hormones play a MAJOR role in weight regulation, metabolism, and body composition. Imbalances in hormones like insulin, cortisol, thyroid hormones, and sex hormones can impact weight management. Hormone balancing, through appropriate medical interventions and lifestyle modifications, can help optimize weight loss efforts. Research has shown that hormonal imbalances can affect appetite, fat storage, and energy expenditure, making hormone balancing an important consideration in weight management. (Reference 1)

2. EWOT (Exercise with Oxygen Therapy): Exercise is a fundamental component of weight management, but adding oxygen therapy to exercise can provide additional benefits. EWOT involves exercising in an environment with increased oxygen levels, which enhances cellular metabolism and energy production. This technique promotes calorie burning, increases endurance, and supports efficient fat utilization. Incorporating EWOT into a comprehensive weight management program can enhance results and improve overall fitness levels. (Reference 2) Additionally, EWOT helps to open and reset one’s microcirculation which is one of the most crucial aspects of overall health, performance, and longevity.

3. Resistance Training: While cardiovascular exercise is commonly associated with weight loss, resistance training is equally important if not MORE important. Resistance training helps build lean muscle mass, which increases resting metabolic rate and improves body composition. It promotes fat loss, enhances strength, and provides numerous health benefits. Combining resistance training with aerobic exercise can optimize weight management efforts, as it improves both muscular and cardiovascular fitness. (Reference 3)

4. Stem Cells: Stem cell therapy is an emerging field with potential applications in weight management. Research suggests that stem cells have the ability to differentiate into various cell types, including adipocytes (fat cells). By harnessing the regenerative potential of stem cells, researchers are exploring their role in replacing damaged or dysfunctional fat cells, potentially aiding in weight loss and body composition improvement. While this field is still evolving, it holds promise for the future of weight management. (Reference 4) Even more promising is their role in modulating whole-body inflammation since many now realize that obesity is interrelated with inflammation. Stem cells are also very effective at helping to restore joint health and integrity which is vital to exercising and being active. Chronic joint pain is one of the things that leads many people down a path of reduced activity and an inability to exercise creating a downward spiral. Stem cells also have the capacity to help restore proper function to damaged glands and other organs that might be contributing to the metabolic imbalances associated with being overweight. As you can see, there are multiple ways that properly utilized stem cells might help in weight management.

5. Peptides: Peptides are short chains of amino acids that regulate various physiological processes. Certain peptides have shown potential in weight management by influencing appetite, metabolism, and fat breakdown. For instance, peptides such as ghrelin mimetics can suppress appetite, while others like growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) can enhance fat oxidation and lean muscle mass development. However, it’s important to note that peptide therapies should be administered under medical supervision and in compliance with appropriate regulations. (Reference 5) Unfortunately, it looks like the FDA is cracking down on the current sales and use of peptides. This will lead to tighter control of those substances going forward.

6. Light therapy: There has been a lot of hype about Red Light therapy for weight loss with some thinking that it is a new magic bullet. It is NOT; however, it can be a useful adjuvant along with a sound eating system and appropriate exercise program. There are several mechanisms by which light therapy can help to mobilize fat stores, however, there’s a lot more to it than laying under some red-light pads.

Conclusion: Weight management is a multifaceted endeavor that goes beyond simple calorie counting and exercise routines. Embracing progressive approaches like hormone balancing, EWOT, resistance training, stem cells, and peptides can further optimize body weight and composition. These interventions address underlying factors that influence weight regulation, metabolic function, and body composition, allowing for a more comprehensive and personalized approach to weight management. Consultation with healthcare professionals who specialize in these areas can help individuals design tailored strategies to achieve their weight management goals, supporting overall health, performance, and longevity.

At ARTC we have both programs and multiple technologies that can support you in achieving your weight management goals. It all starts with a consultation to see if we are a fit for each other. For those just looking for diet pills and prepared foods, there are lots of those kinds of weight loss clinics, but that is not what we do.

References:

1. Löfgren P, et al. Role of the Gut Hormone GLP-1 in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2009 Oct;25(7):606-16.

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3. Flier JS. Obesity wars: molecular progress confronts an expanding epidemic. Cell. 2004 Feb 20;116(2):337-50. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(04)00161-3. PMID: 15016376. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15016376/)

4. Goodpaster BH, Chomentowski P, Ward BK, Rossi A, Glynn NW, Delmonico MJ, Kritchevsky SB, Pahor M, Newman AB. Effects of physical activity on strength and skeletal muscle fat infiltration in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2008 Jun;104(6):1648-54. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01307.2007. Epub 2008 Apr 17. PMID: 18420710. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18420710/)

5. Baglioni S, Cantini G, Poli G, Francalanci M, Squecco R, Di Franco A, Borgogni E, Nesi G, Liotta F, Francini F, Vannelli GB. Functional differences in visceral and subcutaneous fat pads originate from differences in the adipose stem cell. PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e36569. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036569. Epub 2012 May 4. PMID: 22574195; PMCID: PMC3348104. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22574195/)

6. Altman R, Szydlarski T, Zhang Y, Thiemermann C. Glycine: a new anti-inflammatory immunonutrient. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2007 Dec;64(24):843-53. doi: 10.1007/s00018-007-6444-z. PMID: 18040752. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18040752/)

7. Slominski AT, Zmijewski MA, Plonka PM, Szaflarski JP, Paus R. How UV Light Touches the Brain and Endocrine System Through Skin, and Why. Endocrinology. 2018 Feb 1;159(2):199-214. doi: 10.1210/en.2017-03230. PMID: 29325025; PMCID: PMC5771857. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29325025/)

8. Perry RJ, Samuel VT, Petersen KF, Shulman GI. The role of hepatic lipids in hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Nature. 2014 Sep 4;510(7503):84-91. doi: 10.1038/nature13478. PMID: 24899309; PMCID: PMC4678582. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24899309/)

9. Brestoff JR, Artis D. Immune regulation of metabolic homeostasis in health and disease. Cell. 2015 Feb 26;161(1):146-60. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.02.022. PMID: 25815984; PMCID: PMC4391976. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25815984/)

10. Kirchner H, Rüttiger L, Günzel D, et al. Zinc finger protein PHLDA2 deficiency protects mice against acute lung injury and restores lung homeostasis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2012 Jun 15;185(12):1357-68. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201110-1916OC. Epub 2012 Apr 5. PMID: 22492987. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22492987/)

11. Iriondo A, Fernández-Quintela A, Zulet MA, et al. Exercise-based interventions to counteract obesity-driven insulin resistance and its cognitive-related brain impairments: a review. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 11;12(11):3463. doi: 10.3390/nu12113463. PMID: 33187322; PMCID: PMC7694291. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33187322/)

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