Health-Focused Weight Loss: Stop Trying To Lose Weight Alone And Start A Supervised Program
Stop Struggling, Get Started
Weight management is a struggle for most us. Especially when there are underlying health conditions that play a factor. There are a ton of diet trends and weight loss options out there; how do you select an approach that will not only prove successful, but address underlying imbalances or dysfunction so you can keep the weight off for good?
You Won’t Know Until You Get Evaluated By A Professional
It starts with a health assessment. The only way to know if hormones are at the root of your weight issues is to have them evaluated. The same goes for gut health, the only way you’re going to know if it’s food sensitivities versus a gut dysbiosis or bacterial overgrowth is to get evaluated. Are both hormones and your gut health playing a role? Get evaluated. How much does your stress impact your ability to lose weight? Get evaluated. Are the food choices I’m currently making healthy for my body? Get evaluated. Get the message?
Health-Focused Weight Loss Is The New Way to Think About It
A naturopathic doctor is a highly skilled and educated professional that focuses in health promotion, disease prevention and approaches your health with optimal body function in mind. We know how dysfunction manifests. We understand the key signs and symptoms for specific diseases, how to test for them and how best to treat them while keeping your weight goal in mind.
Take the Guess Work Out Of It
I get asked questions about specific diets all the time. Is keto really safe? How long should you do it for? Should someone with my stress levels be intermittent fasting? Does Whole 30 and the Wild Rose Cleanse work? Will you just gain the weight back from hcg? What do you think about Paleo? Should everyone be on plant-based diet? Someone I know did a juice cleanse and coffee enemas, and they look amazing now, is that something I should do? A co-worker swears by removing food sensitivities, do you do you believe in that testing?
The answer to all of these questions is, it depends. It depends on the person asking. This is why patients coming to me for weight loss go through a full health intake, including family history, what they’ve been doing up until now and their emotional relationship with food. Based on their history and any physical exam findings, I will often recommend various testing, and many times we begin by correcting underlying health dysfunction rather than focus entirely on weight loss.
In short? Not everyone is a candidate for keto, intermittent fasting can be great, plant-based is generally speaking, awesome, and some of these cleanses or rapid weight loss programs can be incredibly effective when done safely.
Health-Focused Weight Loss
By approaching their weight goal with overall health in mind, my patients end up losing weight, but more importantly, improving their overall health and their understanding of their body and how to best protect and care for it.
Use Your Benefits To Your Advantage
Good health requires an investment, often there is a front loaded cost with initial visit and testing, but if you have extended health-care, chances are you have some coverage for naturopathic medicine. Utilize this to your advantage, the year-end is fast approaching don’t let your benefits go to waste! For most people it’s between $500-$1000. Many of my patients use their benefits to see me for a 6-Week Program which gets them well on their way.
For BC residents, there is also this amazing Weight Loss Grants Program, successful applicants can get up to $2500 to use towards visits with me or any other weight loss professional.
In Health,
Dr. Alaina