If it wasn’t hard enough already, new research out of Monash University and now published in Nature demonstrates that as we age key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger!
We aren’t talking about REALLY OLD here, according to Dr. Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist at Monash University:
“People in the age group of 25 to 50 are most at risk. The neurons that tell people in the crucial age range not to over-eat are being killed-off.
“When the stomach is empty, it triggers the ghrelin hormone that notifies the brain that we are hungry. When we are full, a set of neurons known as POMC’s kick in.
“However, free radicals created naturally in the body attack the POMC neurons. This process causes the neurons to degenerate over time, affecting our judgment as to when our hunger is satisfied.”
In simple English, what is happening is that as we age (25 and up), free radicals are destroying one of the critical mechanisms that tells us not to eat when we are full… scary!
It’s pretty hard to lose weight when your brain fails to tell you when you’re full…
It turns out that one of the main culprits here are carbohydrates, especially simple sugars. So in order to reduce this effect, it would be wise to temper your sugar and junk carb intake. There definitely has to be some more research into this.
ARE WE DOOMED?
I think this research coupled with a lot of other factors in the Western world make it harder and harder to eat right. We all know if we are honest with ourselves that the only way to get to a healthy weight is to eat right and exercise consistently.
This means:
*Eating the appropriate amount of calories based on how many we expend
*Controlling insulin by reducing sugar intake
*Exercising regularly to normalize our system
*Having some kind of basic plan or general eating guidelines that we follow
*Getting our thyroid checked
*And measuring our results
A Shameless Plug and a Special Offer
Now for the shameless plug! Dr. Temes’ hypnosis program for weight loss addresses the issues above and although it won’t restore the POMC neurons, it will help you eat the right foods, eat smaller portions, follow your plan, etc…
So while you have all kinds of things going on in your brain that make it harder to lose weight, this program works with your brain to neutralize this effect.
I think this statement by Ann Carlo of Sag Harbor, New York says it best:
“Enjoying Weight Loss is fabulous. Thought I forgot all about it yesterday, until I realized that I ate breakfast (which I rarely do), drank a lot of water, had a veggie dinner and DIDN’T EAT ANY SUGAR . . . A MIRACLE!
Can’t convince me that this system does not operate on some level . . . even though you’re not always conscious of it at the time. Thank you, Hypnosis Network.”
So that was my shameless plug! If you are reading this post, I will let you into to our special offer page where you can get this program at a nice discount AND TRY IT FOR 28 DAYS FOR JUST THE PRICE OF SHIPPING.
Here is the link:
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/ewl/special
I hope you found this interesting and don’t mind the plug - please comment.
Michael
http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/endorsed_by
Monash University (2008, August 22). “Killer Carbs: Scientist Finds Key To Overeating As We Age.” ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 26, 2008.
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Michael,
I know you aren’t claiming this, but can hypnosis trigger my POMC faster?
w/ gratitude,
Ben
Ben,
That would be wonderful but I am afraid it would take quite a research project to figure that one out. It is theoretically possible, but as you know a lot of stuff that doesn’t work is theoretically possible!!!
The best thing for now is laying off the simple carbs as far as we know
This is great information - I knew there was a reason!!!
I might just try those hypnosis CDs and your plug wasn’t THAT SHAMELESS
Right now I am on this ice cream desire and I am starting to feel the effects of those carbohydrates. Perhaps it is time to consider your pitch and invest in the CDs to control this desire. Thanks — I will seriously consider this.
If the only real culprit is free radicals then just eating better and trying to cut out the amount of free radicals would help this, right? I know it’s not as easy to just eat better in our culture. There are also vitamins that are antioxidants that cut down on free radicals in our systems. Another theory is that there are chemicals in processed foods that actually trigger increased hunger. It will be interesting also to see how hypnosis plays a part in this.
I think there are also a lot of mental and emotional issues that come into play with increased hunger. Definitely not just a physical thing, but having those nasty free radicals screwing with our brains doesn’t help at all. Hypnosis would be great to help battle the emotional factors.
This is a GREAT explanation as to why those “low carb” diets work! Since the POMC’s are being “eaten away”, a low-carb diet “manually” replaces what is now gone naturally. Of course, it is a fact that as we grow older, we are dying (not a pleasant thought, I know!) and the POMC’s being attacked by the body could be the body’s way of trying to live longer (thinking it needs MORE food/nutrition to prevent the effects of aging). Suffice it to say, many Americans eat too much, anyway! A low-carb diet, combined with this fortifying hypnosis program seems to be the key!
I bought the Dr. Temes weight loss hypnosis CDs a while ago. I dislike it because it buys into certain beliefs about dieting: drinking excess water, eating low fat. The diet plan I chose doesn’t concern itself with that. What if I didn’t choose a popular diet industry plan? My father-in-law dropped a LOT of weight the old fashioned way - eating less.
This may sound strange, but I feel her tone of voice is bossy. Maybe it’s the New England accent to a Chicago ear.
it is around that age that we stop growing, and I think there is more mechanism we dont yet perceive. Also, for the greater duration of human genomes, the starch situation was radically different, and diseases like celiac, sprue and gluten intollerance are relativly new a few thousand years, or since the agri - revolution decided to gather grain, dry and grind it and then make library paste loaves, which may in themselves cause the ghrelin response which sounds much like the gluten response. But we can suggest to ourselves that we dont need it! thanks for the coaching
My first take, without yet bothering to look at their data -I’m writing a book about nutrition- is that it pegs the B.S. meter. The explanation, far more plausible, about why people between 25 and 50 become overweight, is because of insulin resistance, from too much life-long dietary carbs, combined with a reduction in exercise (I have a 10 month old son, it’s a struggle to get to the gym; I also cut WAY down on sports after leaving college). With proper diet, no part of the body generates enough free radicals to damage another part of the body. In a high-carb, modern, processed-food, mineral-depleted-farmland, grocery-store diet, the food we eat does not have the vitamins and minerals we need to prevent free radical formation. Again, without looking at their data, I’m guessing that some people’s reaction to excess free radicals may well be loss of appetite suppression (but if the neurons are killed, why do we seem to regain them in our 50s?), the way some people’s individual response is an immune attack on nerve sheaths (aka, multiple sclerosis) or formation of cholesterol plaques on artery walls. Again, if they are looking at a corelation with high-carb diet, I’d be more inclined to think that the appetite suppression center is similarly affected by the lifelong insulin roller coaster, and thus would be just another early symptom of “adult onset” diabetes (aka, extreme insulin resistance).
Even a peer-reviewed journal like Nature does not prevent a load of B.S. from being published; most “orthodox” modern dieticians still posit that a low-fat, high-carb diet is most healthy, despite many obvious facts (physiological and biochemical), and one-time conventional wisdom, and dietary research in the last 80 years, to the contrary. By taking the contrary view, I feel I should be explaining myself further, but I really think more people would be helped if I actually spent the time getting a book done!!
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for the comments. I don’t think Dr. Temes directly says to go low fat - just low on the bad fats. It is mainly so you can follow the plan or guidelines that you set for yourself. A lot of dieticians use it with their clients who are on specific diets they recommend.
It has been recommended by followers of a very wide variety of plans - so it is pretty much plan agnostic.
There is also a lot on portion control so yes - about eating less!
About her voice - it is all personal preference. There are folks who simply don’t like it and hence it won’t be effective. For those people, they just get their money back!!!
Take care - and truly - thanks for the feedback.
Michael
Interesting, This my first time to hear of Monash University.
There are many factors in weight gain, I blame the next size up in clothing. Ass to big? buy bigger pants. Or work toward keeping your
self in shape as if it matters to you. I would guess the 25-50 age group
also sees a large drop in physical activity.
I have been using Dr. Temes program for the past month and have noticed a huge difference. I do not think about food all the time. I drink more water. I actually want to exercise. (This is a big deal.) Even my husband noticed. He was surprised when I suggested we go for a walk after dinner instead of just sitting around and watching TV like we usually do. I have lost 7.3 lbs. without even trying. I just naturally eat less. And I feel more relaxed too. I can’t wait to see what I lose in the next month!
Not that I do not believe use of a hypnosis script can help butt!!!
*Eating the appropriate amount of calories based on how many we expend
*Controlling insulin by reducing sugar intake
*Exercising regularly to normalize our system
*Having some kind of basic plan or general eating guidelines that we follow
This does not take a great deal to implement, though sadly because of the nature of our fast food culture it is out of step with 80% of peoples priorities.
Very interesting ,is a 77 yrs young effected the same way?I have read that when aperson craves ice cream they lack a certain vitamin,read ingredients in the kind of ice cream they eat and consult with there Dr. all of the comments were interesting,meanwhile I am using the one for quit smoking ,will let you know results of cd.
Brad Lichtenstein’s comment is sharp to the point
“In a high-carb, modern, processed-food, mineral-depleted-farmland, grocery-store diet, the food we eat does not have the vitamins and minerals we need to prevent free radical formation.”
Yes, the foodstuff offered pushes the carb intake far over the limit, not once in a while but day in day out. Which brings me to my point. Overeating needs training which means we do train our body until it becomes a psychological issue because we are unable to stop. Or may I say we get trained since childhood and can’t reverse the pattern. Yes, a decline of physical activities during the aging process, seemingly decreasing after we get out of school is a fact as Brad observed correctly. Less physical activities reduce muscle mass and slow down our metabolism. If this fact is combined with overeating, the result can only be obesity and this in return may be the cause of a lot of illnesses.
I’m a herbalist and involved in research about adaptogenic herbs and their applications to protect our body from internal and external stress factors (free radicals) and to increase metabolism. Adaptogens provide excellent support to reverse the pattern mentioned above.
I can’t comment of the research but I think the issue is a lot more complex. At least it offers a good excuse for a few of us… lol…Rudy
Yes we eat too much and can’t seem to control what we put in our mouths. We don’t exercise like we should. I have been using the Hypnosis Network Weight Loss program and it has helped in changing my attitude on the way I eat and exercise. Low carbs, low fat, etc., are all reasons that help you to lose the weight, but if you can’t change your attitude and habits then all that is written is useless.
Your body has the ability to heal itself. The way to do this is to eat more natural foods from the earth fruits, veggies and grains. Avoid process foods and process sugar. You need to eat a balance of good fats, proteins and carbohydrates I have been doing this for the last four years. I have not had a cold or the flu during that time. I no longer take any prescription drugs for cholesterol or arthritis. I also eat many different herbs.
The solution is simple eat less calories than you burn. Is it easy no if it was everyone would be healthy and slim.
One way to help control how much food you eat is to eat very slow I take an average of 45 minutes to eat a meal. Chew the food move it around in your mouth before you swallow. Put your fork down between bites. They say it takes an average of 20 minutes for the brain to sense the flavor or taste of the food and to sense that you are full. This will allow your brain to sense the food in your stomach. You will end up eating a lot less food if you start this process. You will be surprised at how much less you eat at each meal if you do this. Your stomach will shrink back down to its normal size. Drink a lot of water many times you may think you are hungry but your body is just dehydrated. Do some type of strength exercise.
Most of us have developed bad habits over the years. You can change your habits you have right now. You will need to make the choice what works for me may not work for you but if you are wanting to change then take the first step. Remember doing the same thing in life will get you the same results.
Changing your thought process what you think causes things to happen. Thinking I have a healthy body that heals itself will be a start. Drink plenty of water eat slowly be grateful for the food. Take one day at a time before you know it you will have a new healthy habit.
Okay, I will admit it I am overweight. I look at food and all I want to do is eat everything I see. Food taste so good. Now after reading all these comments, it is finally getting into my head that it is “me” that needs to change. I now realize that I cannot continue to eat and eat as I am only hurting myself. As I write, I am answering my own questions and I have to take control of my life and nobody can do that for me. I need to read more about hypnosis as I do have a few concerns, but the weight loss program looks very interesting and might just be solution for me to alter my habits.
Just and FYI:
Manash University is Australia’s largest University.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monash_University
Monash University won over $50 million in National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants in 2007.
This topic certainly generated quite a bit of discussion!
After coaching people for a decade specifically to control their weight, I can say absolutely without a doubt that successful, permanent weight loss does NOT have to do with diet alone (otherwise, only one diet would be successful, but I’ve seen it happen with different types of nutrition plans) and does NOT have to do with exercise alone (I’ve watched runners, weight lifters, swimmers, yoga practitioners and everyone in between do it, so it’s not a type of exercise).
Sure, nutrition and exercise are important elements but I think trying to focus on “is it this carb” or “that fat” completely misses the point. It’s sort of like my car going into the shop for repair … you can tell me it’s due to this, that, or the other, but the bottom line is I want it fixed so I can drive.
I believe the point IS that mindset plays a major role in controlling whatever program we focus on, so any successful program is going to address the mental aspect of living healthy and not just specify “x diet” or “y exercise.”
The study IS interesting but it comes back around to the bottom line: our greatest tool for permanent weight loss is our mind.
Jeremy
Wow what a great discovery. Even if we can’t conquer the physical effects on our appetites, it’s comforting to know hypnosis is a great option to help control it. I will be checking out Dr. Temes’ progam.
I believe what Michael Lovitch is telling us is that we all know that we have to do the right thing to get in shape and stay there. The problem lies in overcoming those subconscious blocks that keep you from treating yourself healthy.
Think of where you put your car keys: You know where you put them so often that you don’t think about it when you find them again.
The same applies to your lifestyle: Certain habits of eating and exercise (or laziness) are done subconsciously through repetition.
My guess is that Dr. Tame’s program replaces those old unhealthy subconscious thought patterns with new, healthy ones.
We also need to prevent the bottomless pit caused by processed foods no matter how healthy mainstream media is training us (while the experts leave out important info):
MSG is a neuro-toxin that not only causes migraines, but consistent hunger - read the label on your food products.
Microwaving your food destroys proteins and other essential nutrients at the molecular level. In turn, by destroying essential nutrients in your food through microwaving, you cause your cells to suffer from “internal hunger,” so you are always craving more to eat.
These are just two pieces of advice that I found at Dr. Mercola’s site. Oh Yes, I found Dr. Mercola’s endorsement of the Hypnosis Network.
You better damn well look at all the facts and discipline yourself if you want to stay healthy.
I bought the Dr. Temes weight loss hypnosis CDs about 2yrs ago and listened to them before going to bed each night…usually falling asleep while listening to them but always waking up when they ended…maybe I had actually been hypnotized. Well nothing changed for about a 9 months, and i almost returned the program for my money back. Then in November 07, I had a desire to cut back on caffeine and diet drinks and try to drink more water. By January 1st, 2008 I had given up all caffeine, diet drinks and sugar and started drinking water. I had lost about 10 pounds. It is now Aug 08 and I have lost a total of 44pounds. I eat whatever I want but cut back to about half or more of what I was eating in quantity. It is funny but I got hung up on the program saying that I needed to choose a weight loss program but that cutting back would not work. It must be reverse psychology but that is how I have lost the weight. It has been easy really and I’m not stressed out if I don’t lose a pound a week or even if I gain. I have never been able to stick to any weight loss program or diet to lose much weight ever. This time is completely different. I just have an inner peace about losing the weight and that it isn’t a diet it’s more of an attitude change. I will lose more weight but I am not in a hurry or setting any dates to have a certain amount of weight off in. I tend to beat myself up for failing to meet goals or resolutions so I stopped setting any as far a weightloss goes. I believe that the only thing different in my life that enabled me to lose the weight was the hypnosis cd’s. Nothing else changed.
The information given by a lot of people is very useful and a lot to learn.
I appreciate and enjoyed reading different views.
Recently I saw a photograph of group of people from Ethiopia. I could not believe my eyes. I trembled to see those tiny bodies where bones were just about to come out. I see the inequality. We talk about weight loss and dieting but those people do not have any thing to eat.
May be it is a good idea to skip a meal and have two very good meals and donate one. Surely we are going to be more happy and healthy and definitely we live longer
cheers
From this point of view, the western concept of “being overweight” does seem ridiculous. What a “problem” to have.
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