Mastering Leptin

So... just a few quick questions to start off with:

Are you trying to lose weight?  Have you lost weight and then gain it all back?  Do you have cravings?  Do you have low energy, feel sluggish or have a hard time getting going in the morning?  Do you have problems with sleeping, fibromyalgia, or other health or hormonal problems?

I'm guessing most of you can answer yes to one or all of these questions (and most likely with a big SIGH of frustration because you've tried overcoming these and haven't had success.)  I was recently introduced to a book called "Mastering Leptin" by Byron Richards - thanks Ray & Warren for passing the book along.  It presents the Leptin Diet, which is "a common-sense way to eat that enables metabolism to run faster on less food.  It improves energy, mood, vitality, and the feeling of good health, and significantly reduces the risk for the primary diseases of aging."

First, I have to say that I cannot tell you from personal experience that the principles in this book work.  I haven't had a chance to test it all out yet.  But after reading it, I didn't want to wait to pass along the resource, because it seems like their Leptin theory has the science to back it up - the back of the book is filled with lots of references.  And you know how sometimes when you read something, it just sounds right?  I had that feeling when I was reading, that it just made sense.  My hope is that it will help someone out there who is struggling or who just wants to be more healthy (and shouldn't we all?).  Our bodies are truly a gift from God, so we need to do all we can to take care of them.  Besides, health and happiness go hand in hand.  And we want to be at our best to be able to be there for and help others, like our children.

Here is their website - www.WellnessResources.com/leptin.  Go check it out.

I know a few of you may be rolling your eyes and/or won't go check it out, so here are some quotes from the book and some notes I took, if you're willing to keep reading.  

First off, I'm sure you're wondering what leptin is - it's a hormone secreted by fat cells, and the most important of hormones because of its regulating effect on other hormones.  Leptin provides communication within the body and controls energy balance and metabolism.  Leptin tells the brain how much fat is in reserve.  Problems with leptin involve loss of natural balance in regulating food intake, fat storage, and metabolic rate throughout the body.  Most overweight people have too much leptin.  When the balance is off, the brain doesn't sense leptin levels correctly, building resistance to the hormone.  When there's leptin resistance, the signal to stop eating is missing.  Overweight people are leptin resistant (brain) and insulin resistant (body).  The leptin solution is "science based on restoring health by fixing problems in natural balance... Drugs will always have a relevant place, but not as a prime force in solving the emerging obesity epidemic.... there is no quick fix for obesity."

"Obesity may soon overtake smoking as the number-one cause of preventable death in America.  In addition to mortality, quality of life is seriously affected even in people who are simply overweight and not obese: fatigue, stress, depression, sleep apnea, snoring, and arthritis are just a few of the inflammatory problems directly caused by obesity...  It is now recognized in the scientific literature that leptin problems are a primary cause of cardiovascular disease.  Leptin problems are directly involved with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and risk for stroke and heart attack.  Doctors are complacently handing out cardiovascular medication without understanding of the most current underlying scientific principles actually causing the problems.  While they are asleep on their watch, heart disease continues to be the number-one killer in America."  

"Drugs given to 'manage the symptoms' of a problem frequently adversely interact with leptin, making underlying health problems worse."

I think we all know that obesity is a problem, but how we're trying to overcome it is wrong.  Drugs, fad diets, and inconsistent exercise won't work.  There's not an easy way - if you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to have BOTH consistent exercise and eating right.  You can't have one without the other, although you can lose weight temporarily with just one or the other. But you're likely to actually gain MORE weight in the process if you don't do things the right way.  (But if you're lucky to have naturally good metabolism, you may be able to eat poorly and still maintain normal weight - like me.)  Part of this I have already discovered from personal experience.  I've lost all my pregnancy weight by exercising, but it hasn't been quick weight loss either.  I have been jogging 3-4 times a week for about 10 months.  The part that I have NOT been good at is eating right.  I may look healthy, but I don't FEEL healthy.  I'm hoping that I can gain some more energy and get rid of some of my cravings (especially for sugar).

Back to my notes... some of these may be random points that I wrote down... if you want to know more about it, you'll have to go read up on it.

- "Because of the function of leptin in muscle, the necessity of consistent exercise to maintain health has never been more important."

- The food pyramid induces serious health issues.  There's only one healthy way to eat - to maximize efficient function of leptin.

- Low fat diets (as well as high fat diets) are incredibly destructive.

- Leptin causes metabolism to slow down.

- Eating after dinner seriously disturbs leptin function.

- Eating too many carbs or sweets throws off body rhythm.

- Why diets don't work:  You will initially burn stored fat because your metabolism is set for a higher calorie amount.  As the diet continues, leptin levels drop, initiating genetic response to starvation.  This slows down stimulation of fat cells to conserve fuel.  Metabolism slows down and weight loss stops.  This is why you may hit a plateau 15-25 lbs. from your goal, even though starving on a low calorie diet.

- Ideal aerobics for weight loss:  3 times a week for 1-2 hours duration.  The timing is important too.   You should exercise between meals (on empty stomach) or first thing in morning before eating.  After exercising, don't eat until you get a hunger signal.  
- Consistency in exercise is more important than intensity (longer rather than faster).  This is good news for those who don't like to run.  You can benefit just as much by walking for 1-2 hours as you can from a quick jog.  (I personally don't have time for 1-2 hours of walking or aerobic exercise, so I have to jog).  However, even small amounts of exercise helps with insulin resistance.  Exercise beyond 20 minutes is good, but 30-40 minutes is better, and 1 hour 3 times a week is best.  Antioxidants prior to exercise may help (they suggest co-enzyme Q-10).

Craving food before bed is a sign of leptin resistance.

Properly functioning leptin enables a person to not crave sweets.

Morning fatigue or taking a long time to feel energized are signs that cortisol is poor.

 
AVOID aspartame, MSG, all soda pop, high fructose sweetened beverages, artificial sweeteners, high salt, high fat, high sugar foods, potato chips and french fries.

Here are the leptin rules:

1.  Don't eat after dinner.  Allow 11-12 hours between dinner and breakfast.  Finish dinner at least 3 hours before bed.  (sleep is prime metabolic time.  The fastest way to disrupt sleep is to eat after dinner, eat too large a meal, or too late - it increases leptin resistance, raises adrenaline, which causes insomnia, light or restless sleep, sleep apnea)

2.  Eat 3 meals a day.  Allow 5-6 hours in between.  Don't snack.  (pancreas doesn't have time to prepare insulin for next meal.  Even a healthy snack is a problem - the snack causes insulin to rise and the liver to excessively secrete cholesterol.  The book says you might have to work up to just eating 3 meals, starting with 4 meals.)

3.  Don't eat large meals.  Finish when slightly less than full.  Eat slowly. 

4.  Eat a breakfast containing protein.  (Protein helps metabolism turn on.  Metabolism can increase by 30% for as long as 12 hours from a high protein meal, the calorie-burning equivalent of a 3-4 mile jog.  It also says to avoid fruit juice at breakfast.  It recommends eggs or cottage cheese.)

5. Reduce carbohydrates.

-It's not just the amount of calories that influences ability to lose weight, but the type of calorie and timing of eating.

- Higher calcium intake improves thyroid function and metabolism; settle down excess production of adrenaline.  Vitamin D (from the sun) enhances calcium absorption.


Here's some leptin diet recommendations:

milk (doesn't have to be skim), eggs, lean meat, chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, cottage cheese, pork, veal, lamb  (only occasionally - cheese, cream cheese, peanut butter, nuts, avocado, hamburgers, steak)

6-8 glasses of water, avoid all fruit juice, avoid all soda pops regardless of sweeteners, avoid alcohol  (I would add avoid coffee and tea - I don't know why, but it's in our religious code of health, which we believe is inspired revelation.  I'm going to trust that God knows more about that than we do.)

eat veggies and salads (unlimited with meals, except carrots, corn, peas, pumpkin)

2 fruit servings a day with meals - don't snack on fruit

Go easy on salad dressing.  Avoid partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Carbs:  whole grain wheat product, pasta, oats, yogurt, milk, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, sweet potato, beans, carrots  (only occasionally - rice, peas, corn, potatoes, low sugar cereals)

sweeteners:  chocolate, honey, maple syrup, white sugar  (it says for serious weight loss, avoid all sweeteners.  Occasional thumb-sized portion acceptable).  Learn to use herbs, which enhance flavor, to help control cravings

Avoid ice cream  (ouch!  that's a hard one...)


Butter and olive oil - good
Omega 3 oils

Minimize fried foods

Things that will halt weight loss:  lack of sleep, infection, backed-up toxins (no bowel movement = no progress), stress, sugar, high fat


The Leptin Diet is friendly on vitamin supplements, depending on your specific need.  It minimizes use of drugs  (although they may be used temporarily).  It aims for the restoration of natural balance in your body.

The main thing I got out of this book is that balancing leptin is a lifestyle change.  Whether you like it or not, you have to exercise AND eat right, but timing is also important.  There's no easy solution - if you want to lose weight and be healthy, it's going to take time and consistency to get everything in balance.