Metabolic Weight Loss Program

The adverse effects of being overweight or obese have been a prominent topic in recent news. The Surgeon General recently warned Americans that the nation's obesity epidemic has gotten so bad it soon may overtake tobacco as the leading cause of preventable deaths. He warned that some 300,000 people a year die from illnesses directly caused or worsened by being overweight and reported that 60% of adults and 13% of children are overweight or obese.

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that 1 in 5 Americans (47 million) have Metabolic Syndrome, a disorder recognized since the 1920's and characterized by a cluster of symptoms including excess abdominal fat, elevated blood pressure, blood sugar and triglycerides and low levels of HDL, or good cholesterol. Metabolic Syndrome greatly increases the risk of diabetes, heart attacks and stroke, the leading causes of death in our culture.

Many of us need to take a fresh look at our eating and exercise habits with the goal of losing weight and improving health. Too often, your weight loss goals end in failure because we set unreasonable goals or lack the support and self discipline to make positive changes.

At SOMA, we have worked with many people over the years dealing with weight loss, and have seen what often works and what does not. It is important to reframe the issue in the beginning from one of weight loss to health enhancement, as improving diet and activity levels and correcting metabolic imbalances are the keys to healthy weight loss. We know that Metabolic Syndrome is largely caused by lifestyle factors, and progressive positive lifestyle changes yield big rewards.

Quick fixes, such as herbal and pharmaceutical products which act as stimulants, laxatives, diuretics, etc., may show dramatic short-term weight loss but are ineffective and sometimes dangerous in the long run. Crash diets typically fail quickly and can promote future fat gain.

If you are trying to lose a few pounds or suspect you may have Metabolic Syndrome, we are here to help you meet your goals of health improvement and healthy weight loss. We have developed a program that assesses your risk factors for Metabolic Syndrome using current guidelines and appropriate laboratory testing, and will work with you to develop and achieve an effective plan to help you meet your goals.

"Smart" eating and physical activity are cornerstones to our approach, and we help you set achievable and effective goals. We look for signs of metabolic imbalances such as poor blood sugar control or hormonal imbalances and help develop strategies to bring these systems back into balance.

We may recommend nutritional supplements and herbs to promote proper function, such as supporting healthy cholesterol levels and managing blood sugar problems. Sometimes we use acupuncture to reduce cravings and correct imbalances which can block progress. As always, your plan is individualized to meet your specific needs and goals.

In more difficult cases, we recommend Pure Weigh Premeal Beverage, formulated to provide metabolic support for food-mood responses, satiety, and glucose and insulin metabolism. It is designed to be taken before meals as opposed to meal replacement, and the research behind it is impressive. We have some brochures on this product if you are interested in knowing more.

The metabolic weight loss program consists of two focused office visits. During the first visit you will fill out a questionnaire evaluating your goals and relevant history. We will review risk factors, recent relevant lab tests, and do a physical examination.

If it is necessary to run lab tests to check cholesterol, triglycerides, or blood sugar, we would send you to a local lab, and there would be some costs involved for the tests. The labwork may be covered on your insurance.

At the second visit, you will be given an analysis of your risk factors and we will review steps to improve your health and help you lose weight healthfully using diet, exercise and other support specific to your needs.

SOMA Acupuncture & Natural Health Clinic Carl Hangee-Bauer, ND, LAc 1615 20th St • San Francisco CA 94107 • 415-643-6600 Website: www.SOMAacupuncture.com Naturopathic Medicine • Acupuncture • Herbal Medicine • Supplements Nutrition • Women's Health • Weight Loss • Breast Thermography Smoking Cessation • Work-Related Injuries