Nicole Baird, Certified Holistic Health Care Practitioner  Marion Hauser, M.S., R.D. Sara Cook, Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach

The Hauser Diet is unique in that it explains why there is not one diet for everyone. The Hauser Diet is actually five different diets: Lion Diet Type™ (carnivore), Otter Diet Type™ (mainly carnivore), Bear Diet Type™ (omnivore), Monkey Diet Type™ (mostly vegetarian) and the Giraffe Diet Type™ (vegetarian). It explains why one person needs a particular type of diet and another person needs another. Learn about The Hauser Diet

The attack of the AGING FACTOR!
What can you do about it?

We don’t know about you, but most of us think we are invincible. We don’t think that we are going to get sick, let alone develop any diseases, or even age. We still think we are 20 years old!

No one likes AF! In fact, we have grown to HATE AF! Some people experience it as early as the 20's, where others start in the 30's, and for the fortunate, in the 40's. AF started attacking Dr. Hauser in his 30’s. A young man, having run two marathons, having a thriving medical practice, nice wife, good health, was scared to death of AF. He needed to do something…he returned to one of his mottos “desperate times deserve desperate measures."

Dr. Hauser vigorously started researching hair loss with the help of our staff. Everyday more and more articles about hair, hair loss, and hair growth came across his desk. He did not want to go bald at 38!
 

Aging factor causes many problems, not just hair loss. AF causes a decline in hormone levels so your metabolism slows down. Slowly but surely you lose lean body mass (muscle), and fat begins to accumulate around the body. This change in body composition is not appreciated by most people.
 

When AF started attacking Dr. Hauser he again became obsessed. He bought book after book on diets, herbs, exercise programs, and spent money on weight equipment. When he looked at the scale and he had topped the 180 mark with 28% body fat, he knew something had to be done. He vowed to be in the best shape of his life by his 40th birthday, which he accomplished, having completed an Ironman competition last year! Perhaps you should make a similar goal (but change the age to whatever is appropriate).
 

AF seems to attack women with an even greater vengeance. Women naturally possess a higher percentage body fat. They have more estrogen than testosterone, therefore they are inclined toward more fat and less muscle in their overall body make-up. As women age, this whole phenomenon starts to accelerate. As testosterone and thyroid hormone levels decline, sometimes estrogen levels actually increase, contributing to the AF factor. I have just recently begun to experience this myself. Exercising more and more only keeps the AF at bay. I am not very fond of starvation diets, so I continue to search for other alternatives!
 

The AF journey has been an interesting one, to say the least! We are still immersed in it and continue to work at keeping it in check. Here are some of our own experiences, together with those of our patients.
 

Step 1: Start
You may find this funny, but one of Dr. Hauser's heroes is Richard Simmons. He went from being a depressed overweight kid to head of an empire helping millions of people believe in themselves. Richard Simmons’ legacy should be that he let people know that they are wonderful people…big/little, skinny/fat, rich/poor…sounds like the principles in the Bible. He also let people of all shapes and sizes know that weight loss and body shaping was possible but must first start with the decision to do it. So step one is to Start. Buy some Richard Simmons’ tapes! But do something!
 

Step 2: Set a Goal
Between step 1 and 2 is to get a scale that also measures percent body fat. Because once you step on the scale and realize what your percent body fat is…you will definitely set a goal. Many of the women we see are close to 50% body fat. A realistic goal is to lose 0.5% body fat and one pound per week. The person who is 25 pounds overweight and has 20% too much body fat, with a disciplined weight loss program can be in the shape he/she desires in one year.
 

It is best to weigh yourself at the same time each week, typically first thing in the morning. Remember that percent body fat is somewhat correlated with hydration status so the day before the weigh in it is important to drink about the same amount of water as the week before. Don’t be discouraged initially because muscle weighs more than fat.

Our nutrition and lifestyle coach, Nicole Baird, would be happy to help you set up your fitness and nutrition goals. She utilizes a scale with percent body fat, as well as skin calipers and tape measures to take measurements to the degree that you feel comfortable with.
 

Step 3: Get a Partner
Dr. Hauser has been know to say, “I recruited the sexiest, funniest, smartest training partner I could find…Marion.” There is nothing better than helping reverse AF with your spouse. We have expanded our “partners” to include many old and new friends! Our group of training friends is proudly named “Team Gauntlet.” We cycle in our basement, run and swim together, as well as compete in races together. We can share struggles and victories. Each person on the team comes from a different background and has different athletic abilities. But all of us have a common goal – to fight the AF!
 

Get a partner. Get your out-of- shape spouse off of the couch! Eating correctly, taking supplements, and exercising takes discipline and, at times, will be discouraging. You will need someone to help you get out of bed at 5AM to start your exercise routine. Having a training partner will also make the task at hand more fun, as well as keep you accountable!

Step 4: Have accountability
One of the reasons to have a partner is so you are accountable to someone. This is also where Caring Medical comes in. By coming to Caring Medical at periodic visits to weigh-in and monitor your status, you have a built-in method of accountability. 
 

Step 5: Eat to Keep Insulin or Estradiol Levels Low
There are generally two hormones that keep people fat…Insulin and Estradiol. These are two of the many hormones that are checked when a person comes in for a natural medicine consultation for weight loss. An elevated insulin level (generally under 10 is ideal) is usually indicative of a diet too high in simple carbohydrates. The carbohydrate intake for that particular individual is lowered until the Insulin level falls more in the ideal range.
 

Insulin is made by the pancreas in response to high blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels are generally elevated when a person eats sugar, breads, pastas, grains, and other starchy foods. The best way to lower insulin levels is by eating more protein and less simple carbohydrates. Please beware, however, that eating too much of any food, can raise insulin levels.
 

This is a key principle for anyone trying to lose weight - keep insulin levels low! Insulin helps the body store fat. For the person desiring to decrease his/her percent body fat, keep insulin levels down. It is that simple.
 

For many women, the problem is not insulin but estradiol. The woman with high estradiol often has many of the problems that come with this hormone including: menstrual cramps, water retention, irregular menses, fibrocystic breast disease, menstrual headaches, migraine headaches, chronic pain, poor musculoskeletal healing, and weight problems. Estradiol also places the woman at risk for cancer including breast, uterine, cervical, and ovarian cancer.

Estradiol is lowered by a low fat, high vegetation diet. This is the classic vegetarian diet, except remember that a diet of too many carbohydrates may contribute to elevated Insulin levels. Leaner sources of protein are incorporated into this diet including fish, chicken, turkey, and soy products, especially Tofu. 
 

Step 6: Eat to the first sign of fullness
Most of us just simply eat too much food. Consuming an extra 100 calories per day will put on 10 pounds per year. From this statement, you can deduce that in order to lose 10 pounds per year, you must decrease your caloric intake by at least 100 calories per day or the equivalent of one piece of bread per day. The other option is to walk or run one mile per day. For the person who does a combination approach, one can easily see that it is very doable to loose 30 pounds in a year with just some minor lifestyle changes.
 

Many people need to learn to eat only to the point of the first sign of fullness. I know I do! I love eating and the whole “food experience.” These kinds of things are very difficult for people like us!
 

If you are able, try fasting from food for one day or even part of a day. This is best done on a weekend when you do not have to work. During that day drink nothing but water. The next day eat substantially less than you normally would eat. Try to sense the first signs fullness. This is when you should stop eating. I know I know – that is not fun at all – especially if you love to eat! Before AF, we could get away with eating past the satiety point, but unfortunately, we cannot do this any more. Try eating 4-6 times/day only to the fullness point. Every 2-3 hours, intake only small amounts of food. This should help you stop overeating, but also keep insulin levels low which will help burn fat.
 

Step 7: Decrease appetite with fasting and water
Fasting is one of the healthiest disciplines you can do for the body. Fasting is clearly a biblical principle. You may want to do this semi-regularly, once or twice per month or even weekly. Then try to eat only to the first point of fullness throughout the week. About 15 minutes before meals, drink two eight ounce glasses of filtered water. This also acts as an appetite suppressant.

Step 8: Speed metabolism through aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise is not something that everyone can just jump into, so please have a check up by a natural medicine specialists before proceeding. Exercise that speeds the heart rate (aerobic) is what is needed to lose weight. Weight lifting is helpful, but not as much as aerobic-type work outs. These can include brisk walking, running, jogging, bicycle riding, swimming, tennis, basketball, and any other activity that will increase a the heart rate. If you have not walked across the room in awhile, it may be helpful to have a treadmill test done to make sure your heart is in good shape to handle the exercise.
 

It is important to realize that exercise should be done everyday. (For those who practice the Sabbath rest, then six days/week). Exercise needs to be as commonplace as the daily bowel movement. Do not believe in the notion of 20 minutes of aerobic activity three times per week is sufficient. Belief in this will keep you fat. For the person who is very out of shape, just start walking around the block. Just make sure the amount of exercise you are doing is increasing month to month either in duration, intensity, or frequency. Your fitness goals should be outlined and monitored by your natural medicine physician.
 

Step 9: Speed metabolism through natural hormone replacement
Many people are obese because their fat building hormone levels are healthy and their muscle-building ones are low. Getting a comprehensive natural medicine evaluation is a must for the person struggling with weight. A good laboratory evaluation for the weight-challenged individual may include checking the levels of Insulin, estradiol, cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, IGF-1 (Growth Hormone), progesterone, thyroid, melatonin, albumin, protein, and glucose. By supplying the missing hormones through supplementation, the metabolism is put in the muscle-building mode. As long as you are performing activities to build muscle, and are not overeating, you should accomplish your goals.
 

Step 10: Discipline your lifestyle: The person desiring to be healthy in a sea of unhealthy people is not easy. Losing weight in a sea of people gaining weight is also not easy. If you desire to be the status quo and be like everyone else, buying bigger and bigger clothes every year, doing less and less, and getting more and more fatigued then just keep doing what you are doing. But the folks that we see at Caring Medical don’t call this living. They desire something better. Vibrant living involves having no limitations because of tremendous health. Optimum health is what natural medicine is all about.
 

For the person who does a combination approach, one can easily see that it is very doable to lose 30 pounds in a year with just some minor lifestyle changes.

Weight lifting should be added to your workout regime in order to help you build muscle and lose fat. Many of us do one or the other, but not both. Aerobic exercise, in combination with weight-lifting, can have some profoundly positive effects on the physique!
 

If you are ready to make a change, give us a call! We’re ready to help you! 708-848-7789.

Patient Information: Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services
715 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60301 (708)-848-7789
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• The information in this website are the opinions of the authors and should not be used as a self-help guideline. We are not responsible for the use or misuse of this information. The information presented here does not constitute a physician-patient consultation. Every attempt is made to insure accuracy, however, it is up to the reader to confirm any information through other sources. Not responsible for errors or omissions.

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Lion Diet Type™, Otter Diet Type™, Bear Diet Type™, Monkey Diet Type™, Giraffe Diet Type™ are registered trademarks of Ross A. Hauser and Marion A. Hauser.