Weight Gain
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Colleen
Posted on: July 22, 1998

Over 40; I have experienced that I have gain 22 pounds, my eating habits have not changed nor my routine. I have never been a eater, just coffee or herbal tea and small dinner are my routine for close to 15 years. My waist size has increased by four inches and thighs by 9 inches. I’m active although, basically what I consume becomes fat. I takes 14 different types of herbs, some twice a day including herbs for fluid retention. I would like to find a herb that will deteriorate the fat and flush it from my body. I take cleanse herbs at night before I go to bed. I have nice clothes but can not get into them due to my waist and thigh size increase.

First, I suggest that you request hormone and thyroid tests from your doctor. Weight increase can be due to insufficient thyroid hormone or excess adrenal hormone. If you are having trouble with water retention, you should ask your doctor to check your heart and kidneys. If the tests show any deficiency, specific herbs would be recommended.

If these tests show no problems, (and even if they do!) have a look at your diet. You should be eating 3 meals a day that include lots of fruit and vegetables, and exclude fatty meats, white sugar and white flour products, food additives, colourings and preservatives. Fruit should be eaten before a meal or between meals to ensure good digestion.

Look at the possibility of food allergies which will inhibit digestion, by keeping a diet diary that includes symptoms of indigestion with foods eaten. Common food allergens are milk products, eggs, oranges and gluten. Eliminate any likely food allergens from your diet. You should be drinking 8 glasses of water a day to flush out wastes.

Some drugs can cause a weight gain, including corticosteroids, birth control pills and Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Examine the herbs that you are using. Diuretics (for water retention) are not meant to be used on a long term basis. They are meant to be used as cleansers or to get rid of excess water, but long term use can have a negative effect on the functioning of the kidneys.

If no problems have been found with any of the above, Dr. Dean Ornish’s book "Eat More, Weigh Less", (Harper Collins Publishers) should help. It describes the basic philosophy behind a fat free diet and includes hundreds of delicious recipes.

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