It’s no secret that America has a weight problem. Almost 75 percent of American adults over the age of 20 are overweight, and this trend seems to start earlier in life with each passing year. Currently, 22 percent of children ages 12–19 meet the criteria for obesity.

Following the ketogenic diet gives the best results for weight management and metabolism. However, a healthy diet focused on protein, fiber, and healthy fats, paired with consistent exercise, is always the foundation of maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism. Furthermore, emerging research shows that other factors may create metabolism and weight management challenges.

Here are 4 key strategies, outside of diet and exercise, that can help overcome your weight loss challenges and stack the odds in your patients favor for long–term, optimal weight management.

1. CONTROL YOUR BLOOD SUGAR

Elevated blood sugar levels can lead to insulin resistance, which causes the body to store excess blood sugar as fat and makes it harder to lose weight.

IS THIS YOUR PATIENT? Excessive hunger, fatigue, a waist measurement that is more than half your inches in height.

WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY:

Clinically Studied Solution for Blood Sugar: Hintonia latiflora

A1C is a blood test that measures average blood sugar levels over 3 months. A botanical called Hintonia latiflora, with over 70 years of research, reduces how quickly carbohydrates are converted into sugar and improves your A1C levels. A study of people with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes already being treated with either a healthy diet, oral medication, insulin, or any combination of these interventions, reported A1C levels improved by an average of 10.4 percent, fasting glucose by 23.3 percent, and after–meal–consumption glucose by 24.9 percent when hintonia was added to their treatment. Additionally, hintonia can be used with most prescription medications for type 2 diabetes.

2. RESTORE YOUR GUT MICROFLORA

An imbalance in your gut microflora, also known as gut dysbiosis, can contribute to weight gain by affecting how the body absorbs nutrients and regulates appetite, potentially leading to increased calorie intake and fat storage. An unbalanced gut microbiome can also contribute to chronic inflammation linked to weight gain.

IS THIS YOUR PATIENT? Bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, fatigue, acne, psoriasis, anxiety, depression, aching joints, long-term use of antibiotics.

WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY:

A Daily Probiotic for Healthy Digestion: 20 Billion Live, Active Cultures.

Research shows that supplemental probiotics, especially Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria strains, can help people lose weight, improve BMI, and decrease waist circumference in about 12 weeks. Look for a non–dairy–based, shelf stable supplement that includes both key probiotic strains.

3. STOP SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION

Chronic, systemic inflammation is especially prevalent in metabolic syndrome, a condition characterized by overweight issues and obesity. Approximately 20 percent of the world’s population is affected by metabolic syndrome.

IS THIS YOUR PATIENT? High blood pressure and blood sugar levels, low HDL cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, large waist circumference, fatigue, blurred vision.

WHAT TO CHOOSE AND WHY:

An Enhanced-Absorption Curcumin Extract: Curcumin with High Curcuminoid Content.

Curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) blended with turmeric essential oils can help. Curcumin supplementation is associated with significant reductions in weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference, and a boost in adiponectin levels, a naturally occurring peptide that helps the body fight heart disease, obesity, and high blood sugar levels. Additionally, research has shown curcumin can suppress fat cell formation, boost metabolism, and regulate appetite hormones such as leptin and ghrelin, helping with satiety or feeling full.

4. KEY LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Remember that when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism, it’s our lifestyle choices that are of absolute importance. In fact, 98 percent of all disease is caused by unhealthy choices when it comes to lifestyle and diet.

To truly live a long, healthy life–and achieve a healthy weight and metabolism in the process–the answer is to eat heartily, focusing on animal proteins and good, healthy fats in your diet.

Without animal proteins and fats, the body doesn’t get the nutrients it needs to survive and thrive. Whole foods and whole fats are what we are supposed to be eating–and also why people generally feel so hungry when they try to get by on processed, refined, and “lite” diets. By depriving themselves of certain foods, they end up facing a huge nutritional deficit.

There is a much better way to eat that satisfies our nutritional needs and our taste buds. It centers on real, whole, traditional foods that were the mainstay in the early 1900s. The diet of our ancestors, a traditional diet (very similar to the ketogenic diet), was high in all the vitamins and minerals the body needed and satisfied the appetite in the process.

Adopt a Traditional/Ketogenic Diet

The traditional and ketogenic diets simply replicate much of what humanity ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two million years. Obviously, there was not a lot of processing going on during that time. These diets include a lot of animal protein (which most likely helped our brains grow and adapt), high animal fat, green, leafy plants, and low carbohydrates.

Our original diet was approximately 30 percent animal protein, 60 percent animal fat, and 10 percent non–starchy carbohydrates, primarily from fruits and vegetables. If you are hoping to get or stay healthy, this is still the ratio to follow!

This means giving up refined grain-and sugar–based carbohydrates is an absolute must. Once that switch is made, your patients will prevent weight gain, insulin resistance, and inflammation. If they were used to consuming carbs, letting them go can definitely be difficult. But once they see the health benefits that a little discipline can bring, they’ll be amazed how easy it can be to adopt this way of eating.

Eat Proteins Every Day

Proteins are our original power food, providing energy and helping to maintain a strong body and a healthy weight. Animal protein is rich in readily– absorbable amino acids, which are the building blocks of the body and mind.

Must-Have Proteins: Grass–fed beef, bison, elk, venison, lamb, rabbit, pork, bacon (free of nitrates or nitrites), salmon, eggs, poultry, and nuts.

Consume an Abundance of Healthy Fats

The fear of fat has led to an epidemic of diseases that have occurred primarily because we have reversed the ratio of our food groups from high animal proteins/animal fats and low carbohydrates, to high refined carbohydrates and sugar and little to no healthy animal protein and animal fats.

Highly processed foods that claim to be non–fat, low–fat, and two–percent fat actually contain hydrogenated fats and trans-fatty acids–the real contributors to cancer and heart disease. Trans fats are especially dangerous. These processed fats have been changed– hydrogenated–to make fully or “partially hydrogenated” trans fat. Hydrogenation is a chemical process in which hydrogen atoms are added to a liquid vegetable fat to change it to a solid– margarine being a prime example. Thank goodness we are getting smarter about trans fats and making progress in eliminating them from foods.

Additionally, trans fats can raise total cholesterol levels and deplete HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol), which helps prevent heart disease. By contrast–and probably a surprise for many–saturated fats do not deplete HDL. In fact, they may even increase it.

Science appears to be catching up to the idea that fats and animal proteins aren’t bad for you. In the meantime, I’d suggest you adjust your diet accordingly, and enjoy the benefits and taste of real food.

Must-Have Fats: Cream, lard, butter, coconut oil, olive oil, raw milk from goats or cows.

Don’t Forget Nutrient-Rich Fruits and Vegetables

It’s also important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day because they provide so many valuable nutrients. Choose colorful fruits and vegetables for their high antioxidant value. Berries, for example, contain anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that provides potent antioxidant activity, protecting cells from the harmful effects of oxidation and inflammation.

Must-Have Fruits and Vegetables:

Apples, blueberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cherries, garlic, grapes, onions, pomegranate, spinach and other greens, sweet potatoes (sparingly).

After a short time of following the traditional or ketogenic diet, they’ll notice a difference. They’ll have more energy, a trimmer body, a healthier waistline, and feel more vibrant and healthy overall! Making healthy daily choices and following a nutritious diet is more effective in preventing and treating diseases than any medications. Food truly is the best form of medicine.