Dr. Kovalkov's diet for weight loss remains one of the most effective and popular in the world of nutrition. At its core, it is a systematized food intake pattern that combines all the traditional rules of a healthy diet as holistically as possible.

This technique gained particular popularity thanks to its author, who was able to part with 52 kg of excess body weight in about 6 months. Now he actively shares his experience, speaks on popular TV shows and publishes his own books.

What's the secret?

It’s worth starting with the fact that Alexey Kovalkov is a certified doctor, candidate of medical sciences. At one time, he also suffered from the problem of obesity, so he decided to create his own effective and balanced nutrition system from the point of view of medicine, which would guarantee a quality result.

Dr. Kovalkov's diet has its own characteristics

The main features that distinguish his methodology from others are:

• The need to understand the causes of obesity.
• The importance of accepting the fact that you need to lose weight on your own, and not with the help of miracle pills or outside influences.
• The clarity of the tasks set and the invariable adherence to them.

In essence, the author forces people to accept the fact that it is they who are to blame for their problem, and only they can cope with it. For many, this becomes a revelation, however, the only way to really overcome obesity.

Basic principles

It’s worth starting with the fact that the Dr. Kovalkov diet is a total change in human eating habits. The author himself claims that there is nothing worse for the body than a modern approach to losing weight.

"Do not miss the opportunity to cleanse your body of all toxins and harmful bacteria, as well as restore immunity and normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract.

He claims that frequent food restriction in order to lose hated kilograms leads over time to a breakdown in function, nervous breakdowns and even greater weight gain. Therefore, he recommends not to starve yourself, but to consciously approach the qualitative adjustment of basic eating habits.

The diet of Dr. Kovalkov provides for the division of the technique into three main stages:

1. Preparatory (2-4 weeks).
2. Basic (until the required numbers on the scales are reached).
3. Supportive (1-1.5 years).

During the diet, the emphasis is on increasing protein foods and balancing all the basic nutrients. The daily amount of protein should be at least 70 g.

The obligatory moment is the performance of aerobic exercises while observing the technique. The simplest and most accessible is the usual walking for medium distances.

First stage

The duration of the period is 2-4 weeks. For many, it becomes a real challenge, because you need to “break” your own malnutrition habits and change them to radically new ones.

Dr. Kovalkov's diet has several stages

The main principles that must be observed in this period remain:

• It is necessary to completely abandon light carbohydrates. This includes the exclusion of all confectionery, fast food, sweet soda, chips, crackers and other "sweets". You will also have to give up alcohol. It is very difficult for many to overcome cravings for sweets and they “break down” already at this stage.
• The daily menu should be filled with protein foods (lean meat, fish, seafood). You can eat food with a glycemic index no higher than 60.
• The daily norm of fat should be at least 30 g.

The main goal of this stage is to prepare the gastrointestinal tract for a new style of nutrition without harm to the body. The average weight loss is 3-5 kg. We must not forget about walking. You need to overcome at least 16 thousand steps per day.

Second phase

When the body gets used to a new type of food, it enters a certain "cruising" mode and weight loss occurs smoothly, without sudden weight jumps. On average, it is possible to lose 100-150 g per day.

Fresh vegetables and fruits must be present in the diet to replenish the reserves of lost trace elements and. It is recommended to undergo a special examination to determine the mineral composition of hair, nails and bones.

Be sure to include dairy products in your diet. The diet depends on the individual characteristics and preferences of the person. One more hallmark, which the diet of Dr. Kovalkov possesses, is the absence of the need to count. Everyone eats as much as he needs to feel good.

The final stage

After reaching the desired indicator on the scales, it is important to keep this result longer. The best solution would be to constantly follow the rules of the Kovalkov diet. In fact, this is a continuation of the 2nd stage with a slight expansion of the total diet. It is allowed to eat food with a higher glycemic index. The main thing is to control your weight, and if necessary, return to a more strict diet.

the final stage of Dr. Kovalkov's diet is one of the most important

Everyone can lose weight without harm to the body. Alexey Kovalkov confirmed this with his own example. Positive feedback about his method and hundreds of clients of his clinic confirm the effectiveness of the diet. However, you need to understand that it will not allow you to lose weight in a matter of days. You need to constantly work on yourself.

To scare you a little, let me mention just a few diseases, the main cause of which is obesity. I think it will be interesting, especially since many people do not even know about it.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus ranks first among these diseases. Of course, you have heard about this insidious disease. And who has not heard of him, considering that only in Russia 15 million people suffer from diabetes. Every minute, one person dies of diabetes in the world. Diabetics are 86% more likely to not live past age 90, and in obese people this chance is increased by another 44%. That is, the probability of their longevity is zero.

Let me quote part of a letter from one patient: “The news that I was included in the caste of “sweets” visited me in 1998 ... It was as if the earth shook under my feet, and the world went out! I thought “It's over! How to continue to live with this? I was ashamed to tell my friends and acquaintances about my illness, as if I had picked up one of the illnesses “from pleasure”. How often now you can hear from one friend, then from another: “You know, they found “sugar” in me, they prescribed pills to drink” or “You know, my husband was diagnosed with diabetes.” Now this problem is so acute that there is, perhaps, not a single family in which at least one of the relatives would not suffer from this disease.

The number of patients with diabetes is growing rapidly, not only in our country. It is growing all over the world. In America, in the last 10 years alone, the number of diabetics has doubled. These alarming data were released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, over 23 million Americans have diabetes, and in the last year alone, there have been about 1.6 million new cases of the disease among people over 20 years of age.

In 90% of Americans with diabetes, type 2 diabetes is noted, which is directly related to obesity, unhealthy diet and poor physical activity. Not so long ago, a group of scientists from the University of Cincinnati received direct evidence that the development of type 2 diabetes is promoted by fat cells (and not the immune system, as previously thought). The study was devoted to the study of the function of the PKC-zeta gene, which is involved in the development of tumors. Animal experiments have shown that this gene plays the role of a regulator inflammatory process, and it is used in signaling at the molecular level. In healthy cells, this gene works as a regulator of cellular balance, and thanks to this function, glucose levels are maintained. However, with obesity, the functions of the gene change.

Due to the fullness of the cells lose their sensitivity to insulin. This discovery proves that the overweight glucose tolerance is of a very different nature than previously thought. It turns out that the immune system in this case has nothing to do with it! The correct tactics of treatment should be considered as the impact not on immune cells, but on fat "adipocytes". It is noteworthy that African Americans and Hispanic residents of the United States suffer from diabetes significantly more often than "white" Americans. This is due not only to the genetic characteristics of their organism, but also to certain traditions in nutrition, the development of an abnormal cult of food in some families.

In 2008, diabetes ranked as the seventh leading cause of death among Americans from various diseases. After all, it is terrible because it causes a number of comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, blindness, kidney disease, as well as impaired blood circulation in the small vessels of the legs. Back in the late 80s of the 20th century, scientists stated that diabetes mellitus had become an urgent threat for people of any age, leading to long-term disability and early death of patients. The alarm was caused by the fact that mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications in patients with diabetes was 2-3 times higher than in patients of the same age who do not suffer from this disease, and the risk of amputation of the lower extremities was 40 times! Half of people with diabetes end up with leg amputations! These are terrible facts that are not customary to talk about publicly.

Recently, I had a young woman at my appointment who said that she made the decision to lose weight and consult a nutritionist after her own aunt died in front of her eyes in terrible agony with gangrene of both legs and a stroke. “I don’t want to repeat her path. I choose another life, no matter what!” - she said.

She constantly told me that the doctors who treated her aunt for diabetes were well aware of the cause of the development of this disease, but did not prompt the poor woman to consult a nutritionist in time. “Ah, if only I had known about this before,” she kept repeating. "Perhaps for early stages I would have had time to prevent the development of this terrible disease and save my aunt!”

The connection between overweight and diabetes was identified by Indian doctors over 1500 years ago! And recently it has found its scientific confirmation. British researchers have discovered a gene in human DNA that affects body weight. The scientists found that the weight depends on the number of FTO genomic code sequences. Obesity, as the British found out, is closely linked to type 2 diabetes. It was in people suffering from this disease that researchers first discovered the FTO gene. In addition, in patients with type 2 diabetes, this gene has a certain form, which in turn affects the increase in body weight. It turns out a vicious circle. A team of scientists from the University of Oxford and the Peninsula Medical School reached these conclusions based on a study of blood tests from forty thousand people.

More recently, another group of scientists came to the same conclusion, again proving the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. It turned out that the development of diabetes is based on a special protein (epithelial pigment factor), synthesized by fat cells. In the blood of people suffering from obesity, in an obvious way, this protein is much larger. In addition, elevated levels of this protein can cause heart disease.

“The world is facing a global diabetes epidemic that threatens 400 million people. And unhealthy food and inactive lifestyles continue to “rejuvenate” this disease that is affecting younger and younger age groups.” This statement was made by the President International Federation Diabetes Pierre Lefebvre at a conference in Cape Town. The official statement of the Federation states that the diabetes epidemic is actually out of control, and the world army of diabetics has now reached 246 million people, exceeding the most pessimistic forecasts. As noted in the document, if decisive action is not taken, then in 20 years there will be 380 million people with diabetes. If we take into account that the entire population of the Earth, including the elderly and infants, is about 7 billion people, it turns out that every eighteenth person cannot get away from diabetes. And this is with an optimistic forecast of developments.

Now about 4 million people with diabetes die every year, that is, about the same number as from AIDS! “It is especially alarming that diabetes has become much younger. This is a consequence of the rising rates of obesity in children and adolescents. Fatty fast food and a sharp reduction in physical activity is not the best way for the health of our children,” said Pierre Lefebvre. Personally, I would not want such a prospect for my children, and for this you have to correspond to a positive image and be an example for them in life. After all, children often copy not only the habits of their parents, but also the family way of life.

Diabetes mellitus develops especially brightly with excessive accumulation of visceral (internal) fat against the background of severe insulin resistance (non-sensitivity of receptor cells to the hormone insulin). We are talking about those same "beer tummies" or adipose tissue that accumulates in the abdomen. For some reason, it is generally accepted that obesity most often threatens women. However, lately we have seen a lot of overweight men.

Remember the old joke?

Met two pregnant women. One asks the other: “Who are you waiting for? - A boy. And you? - And I'm a girl. The daughter of one of the women heard their conversation, then she saw a man at the bus stop with a big belly and asked: “Uncle, who are you waiting for?”

Ah, how late men realize. Their stubborn unwillingness to visit any doctors, to change their usual way of life leads to the fact that in our country there are a lot of young widows with small children in their arms.

On the membrane of abdominal fat cells there are a huge number of receptors that are sensitive to lipolytic hormones (contributing to the further accumulation of fat), and very few receptors that are sensitive to insulin. Therefore, insulin is not able to act on these fat cells. They begin to develop rapidly, releasing fatty acids, which, entering the liver, impair glucose oxidation and thereby contribute to the increasing development of insulin resistance. A decrease in the number of sensitive insulin receptors leads to the so-called post-receptor disturbance of glucose metabolism.

A vicious circle is formed, leading to the progression of the disease, from which it is extremely difficult to break out. At this stage, insulin secretion by pancreatic cells may not yet be impaired. And there seems to be no apparent reason to run to the doctor. But a little time will pass, and the insensitivity of receptors to insulin will lead to an increase in its secretion and, as a result, a huge load on the pancreas. Then there is the death of part of the cells of the pancreas, and we get diabetes in all its irreversible "glory".

But, like any problem, there is a solution here too. One has only to break this vicious circle. All violations of glucose metabolism are quickly compensated. And even completely disappear with the elimination of the main cause of the development of this disease - obesity. Those same, familiar to all "beer tummies". But we think that this can happen to anyone, but not to us. And look around, look at yourself in the mirror, at your husband, father, mother. What do you see? What do you understand?

The acquired form of diabetes always develops gradually, imperceptibly, as if gradually. Patients seek medical help only at the stage of occurrence of complications caused by far-reaching and profound violations of biochemical processes. Because of this, treatment for diabetes tends to be about "managing" blood sugar levels and progressive vascular disease.

In our clinic, the approach to the treatment of such patients is fundamentally different. We do not just try to reduce blood sugar levels, but normalize all metabolic processes in the body, restore the functioning of control systems: nervous, endocrine, immune, by normalizing nutrition and eliminating foods that provoke the development of this disease. This, as it were, "returns" the patient to the stage preceding the disease. Not only is he losing weight, he is getting better! And only then, when the laboratory parameters return to normal, we begin to deal with complications together with endocrinologists and other specialists.

Most of our patients suffering from this ailment, following the recommendations, after two to three months of treatment, completely normalized their blood sugar levels. In the future, almost all of them (after consulting with their endocrinologist) were exempted from taking medications. It is worth adding that in such patients, a decrease in body weight per kilogram increases life expectancy by an average of 3-4 months, and in obese people without diabetes, it reduces the risk of developing it by 30%. By the way, this applies not only to active longevity, but also to financial well-being. By losing weight, you can live longer and work longer. But, unfortunately, this is possible only in the early stages of the development of this insidious disease, while the person has not yet been “put on insulin”.

We are talking only about type 2 diabetes mellitus, the cause of which was a gradual decrease in the sensitivity of tissues to insulin. If the cells of the pancreas have already died in an unequal battle with the poisoning of the body with fats and carbohydrates, it will not be possible to completely get rid of diabetes, alas.

I perfectly imagine that many who are now reading these lines will surely think: “Exaggerates! Intimidates. Well, think about it, a little extra fat has accumulated, why all these horror stories ?!

Should upset you. In my practice, I almost never met people, even with the initial stages of obesity, who would not develop insulin tolerance to one degree or another.

In other words, the initial manifestations of type 2 diabetes are present in almost every person who is overweight.

It is a fact! That is, some of us stand with one foot on the way to the same bed and amputated legs.

Do you still have cold feet in the evenings? Not? So while everything is in order, the blood supply has not been disturbed yet, and there is still time.

Sciatica and intercostal neuralgia

Other painful and extremely common diseases that almost all owners of round tummies know about are sciatica and intercostal neuralgia. They threaten systematic thinning and destruction of the intervertebral discs with pinching of the roots of the spinal cord and intercostal nerves. Pain is usually localized in the lumbar and less often in the thoracic and cervical spine. Who among us has not suffered from sciatica! But fat people due to the daily excessive load on the spine, this pathology is much more common and much more pronounced. Most of them suffer from back pain all their lives, actively rubbing all kinds of painkillers into themselves, using massage, manual therapy and physiotherapy, constantly visiting all kinds of spinal treatment centers.

With this pathology great importance has not so much the degree of obesity as the location of fat deposits. If the bulk of the fat is located in the abdomen, the likelihood of lumbar pain increases significantly.

The abdomen, sagging in front in the form of a bag of fat, pulls the spine forward, breaking its shape. This leads to displacement and extrusion of the intervertebral discs, and, as a result, the formation of so-called hernias. And without the elimination of this weight pressing on the spine, there can be no talk of any cure. The maximum that can be done is to relieve the pain syndrome for a while.

arterial hypertension

Another disease for which most of the population has been unsuccessfully treated for years is arterial hypertension. Everyone knows about its danger and complications in the form of hypertensive crises, strokes and even heart attacks. “Something has a headache,” we complain and run to measure the pressure. Then again and again we take headache pills. Half the country “sits” on these pills like drugs, because they have to be taken every day, for the rest of their lives, contributing to the prosperity of pharmaceutical companies.

In most cases, in our patients, the pressure figures return to normal after the first two weeks of the procedure. It is a fact! And there is a simple explanation for this. The fact is that, as you already understood, people who have excess body fat usually develop tolerance (insensitivity) to insulin. At the same time, they have a compensatory increase in the level of insulin in the blood. The pancreas is trying with all its might to bring the body back to normal, throwing more and more portions of insulin into the blood. And in such exorbitant amounts, insulin increases the reabsorption of sodium and potassium in the renal tubules, which causes spasm of the capillaries of the kidneys and increases the overall peripheral vascular resistance. That is, the walls of the vessels are strained, and their lumen narrows. To overcome this resistance and ensure proper filtration of urine in the kidneys, the body is forced to increase blood pressure, pushing blood through the narrowed vessels.

People suffering from this disease have been struggling with high blood pressure for years, not even suspecting that this is just a compensatory reaction of the body. One has only to establish proper nutrition and lose weight - the problem will be solved by itself.

But have you ever heard of such patients being treated with diet therapy? Who needs it?! It is much easier to prescribe an expensive imported medicine for constant use for many years, and then an anesthetic will follow, and then a mountain of all sorts of pills for complications. So is it worth spending so much money on these “pressure” drugs, which still cannot solve this problem in principle? Again, we come to the conclusion that it is necessary to eliminate the very cause of the development of pathology, and not to struggle all our lives with the manifestations of the disease.

Of course, the etiology of hypertension as a symptom is very different, and amateur performance here does not lead to good. In no case should you independently cancel or even temporarily stop taking antihypertensive drugs prescribed by your doctor. But in most cases, it is enough to establish proper nutrition, normalize electrolyte balance, and you will forget about the tonometer! That's when it makes sense to knock on the door of the therapist's office with a proposal to re-examine and revise the old recommendations.

Elevated blood cholesterol

Another problem that we are constantly reminded of on TV screens, and with which many of our citizens are constantly fighting, is high cholesterol in the blood. Who today has not heard about this formidable pathology? After all, everyone probably already knows that this is a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes and a host of other diseases. People who take care of their health already know that cholesterol is taken from animal products - meat, butter, eggs, etc.

On the other hand, if everything was that way, then what would be easier - go on a vegetarian diet, and now there is no cholesterol in the body! But - alas! The most rigid vegetarianism reduces cholesterol by no more than 20%. Paradox? As it turned out, cholesterol not only comes with food, but is also produced inside our body, because the body, in principle, cannot live without it.

Cholesterol is needed to create the membranes of all cells, for brain function, for the synthesis of sex hormones and much more.

So, not everything here is clear. It is also important that cholesterol, it turns out, is different.

There is good - high-density cholesterol (HVP), and there is bad - low and very low density (HNP and HONP). It is these “loose guys” that are deposited inside the blood vessels, gradually narrowing their lumen. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of premature death in all industrialized countries. And if a blood clot also clings to such a plaque, the lumen can completely close - a heart attack will occur (if the vessel is in the heart) or a stroke (if the vessel is in the head). Neither one nor the other makes you happy!

Throughout the civilized world, doctors have been prescribing special drugs for people with high cholesterol levels - "statins" for more than 20 years. Their regular intake reduces the level of total and bad cholesterol, prolonging life and protecting against heart attacks and strokes. But they must be used constantly and throughout life. Taking drugs at this dosage significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with heart disease. But their side effects harm the liver and reduce the tolerance of the drugs themselves. Again we are put on pills - and by no means cheap! Coming to terms with this idea is probably not easy. Or simply?

At the same time, competently, professionally conducted diet therapy (not to be confused with diets from glossy magazines) in almost 100% of cases brings cholesterol back to normal within two weeks after the start of the technique! Why spend money on unsafe pills if the solution to the problem is simply to plan your diet correctly?!

myocardial infarction

On the one hand, drinking a bunch of pills every day is a small joy. On the other hand, for those who are too lazy to lead a healthy lifestyle (that is, follow the diet, regularly engage in feasible physical education, not get fat and not smoke), the ability to replace all this with a single pill can do a disservice. Cholesterol is not the only risk factor for premature death. To live to a hundred years, it is necessary, your heart must work all this long period without interruption: myocardial infarction is the number one killer these days.

When we begin to age, blood vessels lose their flexibility, and cholesterol plaques narrow their gaps. The level of blood pressure rises, the heart begins to work literally “for wear and tear”.

With obesity, the load increases on all organs and systems. But especially the heart suffers. Cholesterol metabolism disorders lead to the formation of atherosclerotic changes in the aorta and coronary (heart) vessels. The more body fat, the more they interfere with the work of the heart. The provision of tissues with oxygen decreases, breathing, blood supply to vital organs is disturbed.

Menstrual-ovarian dysfunction and infertility

Against the background of obesity, women often experience menstrual-ovarian dysfunction and, as a result, infertility. This is no longer just a disease, but a life tragedy for a huge number of infertile women. The female fertility cycle undergoes significant changes under the influence of overweight: plump women are more likely to have problems with ovulation, and they are more likely to have miscarriages.

At the Australian University of Adelaide, researcher Cadens Minge, conducting experiments on mice, found that in obese females, the reproductive system undergoes catastrophic changes. Their ovaries lose their ability to produce healthy full-fledged eggs, which means that healthy offspring cannot be expected. And in especially neglected cases, it will not be at all. Will never!

It's all about a special substance that scientists call "PPAR-gamma" for short. The production of this key substance for the development of the egg is blocked by fat. It was possible to control sexual function in mice with the help of a special medication for diabetes. It triggers the synthesis of "PPAR" in the body and thus restores the activity of the ovaries. It would seem that a remedy has been found. However, so far the experiments have been carried out only on mice. In addition, this medicine itself can have serious side effects. Therefore, further research is needed before doctors can apply it in their practice. In other words, obese women should not wait for a miracle from science yet, but instead should take care of themselves until all “bridges are still burned”.

Even a slight correction of body weight in most cases leads to the normalization of the cycle and the restoration of fertility. And even a slight decrease in body weight can be a good impetus to restore the entire hormonal background.

Recently, fortunately, gynecologists have also begun to understand this. Kudos to them for this! Not only from me, but also from dozens of our patients. I see this in the flow of people who come to us on referrals from these doctors. Many of us have already been able to help. After all, the causes of their female pathology were that adipose tissue interfered with the exchange of sex hormones. Therefore, many women for years, trying to cope with female diseases, drank tons of hormonal drugs instead of eliminating the very cause of these disorders. And how much time is spent waiting in line at the gynecological office, at antenatal clinics? But, of course, the main problem for any woman is the unfulfilled desire to become a mother. Fortunately, more than one couple was able to solve this problem and give birth to a child, as soon as the woman got rid of a dozen or two extra pounds.

The development of feminization in men

But, in fairness, it is worth noting that sexual function suffers not only in women. Recent studies suggest that overweight in men can also worsen the condition of the gonads and reduce the quality of sperm.

Over the years, in obese men, the amount of testosterone (male sex hormone) becomes 10-20% less!

Adipose tissue is a trap even for those sex hormones that the body is still able to produce, transforming the male sex hormone into a female one. Therefore, obese men often develop feminization - the figure becomes effeminate (buttocks spread, breasts grow, hair disappears in places where they used to be).

Cholelithiasis

Now let's talk about stones. What stones do you wear? Some of them, while not precious, cost us dearly. I am now talking about the stones that we ourselves grow in our gallbladder.

Gallstone disease refers to diseases that are fairly well diagnosed, but very difficult to treat. While studying at the institute, I worked as a nurse in the surgical department and noticed that most of the women are there with just such a diagnosis. This disease sooner or later ends with an operation to remove the bladder along with all its contents. But even such a cardinal decision will not relieve the violation of the entire digestive system and can lead to severe upset of the entire gastrointestinal tract. Now a new generation of drugs has appeared that can dissolve stones, saving the patient from surgery, but they only dissolve cholesterol stones, and even then not for everyone. And you need to take such medicines for years. And even a miraculous deliverance from grown stones does not save a person from the appearance of new ones in the future, especially if the patient returns to his usual way of life. So it turns out that it is difficult to treat, it is painful to operate, which means, probably, it is easier - to warn! Not?

According to official statistics, approximately 640,000 people are hospitalized annually in the United States with a diagnosis of gallstones. On average, one in four Americans will experience stone problems at some point in their lives. Approximately the same statistics in our country.

Most people with gallstone disease are "happy" owners of cholesterol stones. They are formed as a result of the adhesion of cholesterol crystals, which is part of bile. This is due to a change in its physico-chemical properties and a violation of the outflow. By the way, overweight people often develop complications after surgical treatment, and they die more often from anesthesia and these same complications. Some are simply not taken for surgery because of the extreme degree of obesity.

It has long been known that dietary disorders (preference for fatty, fried, smoked foods, frequent overeating, especially in the evening and at night) are, although not the only, but a very significant risk factor for the development of gallstone disease. A properly composed diet for such patients, normalization of cholesterol levels, lipid metabolism, as a rule, is guaranteed to prevent the appearance of this “jewelry” disease.

Oncological diseases

Obesity, in the end, leads to the development of not only the pathologies listed above, but also to some types of cancer.

Here you need to understand that the process of developing a cancerous tumor usually lasts from several years to decades. During this time, precancerous cells, in which mutations (changes in genes) have occurred under the influence of carcinogens, should become more active and tenacious. Then they form something like microtumors - clusters of malignant cells that do not bother a person in any way, and they are almost impossible to diagnose. After that, vessels that feed them grow into these clusters of cells, and they turn into real malignant tumors. Of course, I am not an oncologist and I understand that every doctor should mind his own business, but in my opinion, cancer is a disease of degeneration caused by the combined effect of many factors. The surge in oncological diseases is the result of the fact that our food, and indeed the entire environment, have become very far from the natural conditions in which generations of our ancestors lived. We have exhausted all the body's ability to cope with what is unnatural to its very nature.

The factors that act in a complex, weakening our body include the use of chemical fertilizers, the introduction of toxic additives in food, improper cooking methods and environmental pollution in general. By exerting their harmful influence over a long period of time, these factors gradually weaken our defense mechanisms.

Behind the symptoms, manifested in the form of a tumor, lies a much more extensive problem of unbalancing all the vital cycles of the body. A healthy body cannot get cancer!

If we think about this statement, we will understand that it is obvious. After all, a healthy body cannot be sick at the same time. However, cancer is often treated as a local disease, as if the whole problem is only in a particular tumor, and otherwise the patient is completely healthy. In my opinion, the human body should be considered as a whole - this is the secret of healing. From this we draw a remarkable logical conclusion: if it is possible to restore the normal, healthy state of the body, it will cope with any disease in response to this. It will even eliminate all tumors, wherever they are. And there are such examples in the work of every oncologist.

You can object to me: “These theoretical calculations are good on paper, but when your life depends on it…” I agree. But sometimes there is no alternative!

How to restore the "normal", "healthy" state? Where to start?

At present, it can already be considered a generally accepted fact that nutrition, lifestyle plays the most important role in the occurrence, as well as in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Surprised? Perhaps this is one of the real mechanisms of influence on the dynamics of morbidity and mortality from tumors in the population. Although there are still many controversial, debatable issues that are being addressed by specialists of various profiles (oncologists, nutritionists, biochemists, hygienists, etc.).

Let's think - the human body is constantly updated. Every minute, the basic structures of the body wear out and are replaced with new tissues and biochemical components. About 98% of the body's cell composition is thus completely renewed within a year! The raw material your body uses to replicate itself comes only from food and water. This means that your body is literally made up of what you have eaten over the past year.

With this in mind, it is easy to appreciate the contribution that nutrition makes to our health and cancer prevention. Many types of this terrible pathology are based on malnutrition. For example, it has long been scientifically proven that the incidence of colon and rectal cancer is directly related to poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles.

It has long been noticed that where people still earn their living by hunting and fishing, where it is customary to move not on wheels, but on foot, where the air is saturated with the smells of earth, pond and mowed grass, and not gasoline and asphalt, about this disease was never heard of. The main reason for the development of oncology is the so-called "Western diet", which is based on animal fats, refined foods and preservatives. These products help slow down the movement of contents through the intestines. Toxins formed as a result of their decay, lingering in the body for a long time, cause dysbacteriosis and disruption of the liver. They literally poison our body. Meat and animal fats accelerate the growth of intestinal bacteria that produce carcinogens. And when fried or smoked, these products become much more dangerous. And vice versa. Plant foods contain a lot of fiber, which improves intestinal motility, as well as antioxidant vitamins with anti-carcinogenic properties.

In the list of countries that are unfavorable for colon cancer, the United States is in the lead (half a million people suffer from it there), as well as Canada, Israel and Australia. All these are traditionally "meat" countries. While in India, Latin America, China, Japan and other Asian countries, where vegetarian food is preferred, as well as seafood, this disease is a rarity.

The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that early stages it may not manifest itself in any way, except perhaps with an unstable stool and "heaviness" in the rectum. "The intestines are upset again." Who among us will pay attention to such trifles! In addition, such minor symptoms are often attributed to the so-called irritable bowel syndrome, and bleeding from the anus is often attributed to hemorrhoids. While the last symptom is a direct indication for colonoscopy - examination of the entire colon through a colonoscope.

Once the famous English morphologist Dux, who devoted his life to developing a percentage prognosis for recovery for patients depending on the stages of cancer, was asked what he himself would do if he got colon cancer. He replied that he would first find a good surgeon, then he would ask him to get a good night's sleep before the operation. And only then would I trust him with my life. Today, great progress has been made in the field of surgical treatment of colon cancer. Therefore, in most patients, the chances of recovery are quite high. Especially when compared with the 80s, when every second patient died after surgery on the rectum or colon. With surgeons who own modern microsurgical technologies, 80% of patients survive. Although we again return to the idea that it is best, of course, to prevent the disease than to fight it later.

Impotence, frigidity, hypertrichosis…

I often ask my patients, “What made you put off seeing a nutritionist for so long? Not only did you look pretty unsightly aesthetically, but now you understand that this is only the “tip of the iceberg”. The impossibility of leading a full life, difficulties in everyday life - this, as you now understand, is still "flowers"! Already with the second degree of obesity, a person has constant shortness of breath, a taste of bitterness in the mouth, legs swell and joints ache. And with the IV degree of obesity, a person practically turns into a disabled person. He is only interested in food. He can eat day and night. Men develop impotence, women develop frigidity and hypertrichosis - increased hair growth all over the body. In addition, the voice becomes rougher, and menstruation may stop. Hence infertility and premature aging. Don't you want to live longer, see your grandchildren, meet a vigorous old age? Or do you want to feel like a helpless disabled person at the age of 40?”

Understand! I am not trying to intimidate you by listing these formidable ailments. I want you to understand where the true causes of many diseases lie and how you can get rid of them without resorting to expensive drugs.

To do this, it is enough just to lose weight. And just something!

After all, with a decrease in body weight, the progression of atherosclerosis slows down, blood pressure normalizes or decreases,

Methodology of Dr. Kovalkov. Victory over weight Alexey Vladimirovich Kovalkov

Natural vegetable oils - truth and fiction

Natural vegetable oils - truth and fiction

Natural vegetable oils are a concentrate of biologically active substances that plants produce from soil, water and solar energy for their growth and maturation. All of them contain many vitamins, trace elements and other compounds that have many beneficial properties for humans. However, the amount and ratio of these substances in different oils is different. Therefore, you need to choose the most suitable oil for yourself not only by its composition and the recommendations of your friends, but also by listening to your own feelings. And I will share with you my feelings and modest knowledge about the features of each of them.

“Finally got the scarce milk thistle oil, exceptionally lucky! Snatched up on the fly! “I bought grape seed oil for big money - and I’m also insanely happy!” Linen, hemp, pumpkin and, for some reason, the most “fashionable” palm oil have now appeared on the shelves of shops and pharmacies. Each of us, having become more mature and wiser, began to intuitively understand that he does not eat exactly what he should. We are all subconsciously looking for new, less harmful products than those that the industry of production and trade can offer us. Hence the craze for "brown" sugar, hence the fashion for the consumption of long-forgotten or exotic oils.

Let's go back to our roots. To how our grandparents, generations of Russian people ate. Traditional Russian linseed and hemp oils, unfortunately, have been exhausted a long time ago! Along with the flax itself and hemp in the regions where they were grown. Now it suddenly turns out that traditional Russian oils are useful for both beauty and health. “They didn’t fight with those! We wanted the best, but it turned out ... ”And some traditionally used oils - the same herb of milk thistle, sea buckthorn or pumpkin - are directly called medicinal and are recommended to be taken for diseases of the liver, stomach and gallbladder. Among fashionistas who take care of their skin, oils of grape and apricot kernels, rose hips and tea tree, some kind of overseas ylang-ylang, not to mention roses and jasmine, have become popular. It seems that they replace not only anti-aging creams, but also some expensive cosmetic procedures such as a face lift or Botox. Actually healing properties unusual and unaccustomed to us "miracle oils" are largely exaggerated.

Olive oil

Olive oil- vegetable oil obtained from the pulp of olives; the best varieties called olive oil. Of all vegetable oils, olive oil is the most nutritious. It is completely digestible, rich in fatty acids. The ancient Greeks, wanting to fill their genitals with strength, barely getting out of bed, drank a little olive oil on an empty stomach, eating it with a large spoonful of fresh honey. In ancient times and the Middle Ages, it was traditionally used for lighting. In Christian traditions, olive oil (fir) was used in the rites of worship.

Olive oil contains quite a lot of monounsaturated oleic acid (75%), belonging to a separate class omega 9 fatty acids. Its there in 3.5 times more than any other. This fatty acid is less oxidized and has a beneficial effect on cholesterol metabolism and the condition of the biliary tract. Therefore, olive oil is well tolerated by people suffering from digestive disorders, diseases of the liver and gallbladder. Moreover, such patients are even recommended to take a spoonful of olive oil on an empty stomach. This stimulates the secretion of bile, normalizes the functioning of the biliary tract, thereby reducing the risk of gallstones.

Since the gallbladder secretes bile only when fats enter the duodenum, if you completely refuse to consume them daily, you risk getting bile stasis, which over time will inevitably lead to the formation of gallstones. The more bile acids are excreted from the liver, the more cholesterol is spent for these purposes. Therefore, olive oil can lower blood cholesterol levels. If the stomach and intestines are your weak points, then olive oil will help ensure the normal functioning of these organs.

It has been found that oleic acid slows down the oxidation of cholesterol, so cholesterol cannot penetrate the walls of arteries, destroy them and cause heart attacks and strokes. It helps to increase the level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in the blood, which transport cholesterol from tissues to the liver for disposal, and normalizes lipid metabolism. Olive oil prevents the development of ischemia, atherosclerosis, cancer, diseases of the nervous and immune systems, skin problems. And all women know that over the years the skin loses moisture, acquires a tendency to premature aging, and gets an impetus to the development of dermatoses.

The countries of the Mediterranean, where olive oil is traditionally consumed daily, have the lowest rates of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, in contrast to countries Western Europe. Harvard researchers found that Greek women who consumed olive oil more than once a day were 35% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who rarely consumed olive oil. It has been observed that in areas where a lot of olive oil is traditionally consumed, mortality from cancer of the breast, colon, ovaries, uterus and prostate is much lower. There is evidence that olive oil promotes the release of the carotenoid lycopene found in tomatoes. Lycopene is a cancer protector and antioxidant. It is especially active against prostate cancer.

This is confirmed by studies carried out at the Northwestern University of Chicago. They prove that oleic acid significantly reduces the risk of malignant tumors and increases the effectiveness of their treatment. These results were published at the time in the Annals of Oncology. As Chicago scientists found out, oleic acid suppresses the activity of a cancer gene called “Her-2/neu”. At the same time, the production of a protein that causes breast cancer is reduced by 46%. And for those who are still “lucky enough” to get sick, olive oil can help to some extent even get rid of the tumor - it increases the effectiveness of the well-known medicine Herceptin, which saved the lives of thousands of patients.

Olive oil contains less essential fatty acids and vitamin E than some other vegetable oils, but the antioxidant vitamin E fights free radicals more effectively in the presence of monounsaturated fats. Everyone knows the positive effects of olive oil on the entire digestive system of the body. It reduces the acidity of gastric juice and protects the stomach from the occurrence of gastritis and ulcers.

Olive oil also promotes calcium absorption. Therefore, the consumption of olive oil is of great importance for children during the period of active growth, the formation of the skeleton. For the same reason, it is necessary for older people, because it promotes bone mineralization and prevents calcium loss, preventing the development of osteoporosis.

A group of American scientists from the Center for the Study of the Physiology of Sensory Perception. A. Monell (Monell Chemical Senses Center) published an important discovery. It turns out that extra virgin olive oil contains a natural anti-inflammatory agent, which they decided to call oleocanthal. By its non-steroidal nature and action, it is close to the well-known antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug - ibuprofen. The pharmacological effect of ibuprofen and oleocanthal is the same, although they have a different molecular structure. Ibuprofen is certainly stronger than olive oil, but note that ibuprofen is a pharmaceutical drug with a lot of side effects. What are the side effects of drinking olive oil?

However, it is known that vegetable oil (even the real olive oil) is actually a capricious and perishable product. Olive oil, unlike some red wines, does not improve over time. On the contrary, the longer it is stored, the more it loses its taste. To not lose it precious properties, learn how to choose and store oil correctly.

Refining, that is, cleaning, as a rule, olive oils are not of very high quality. They are light yellow or golden yellow in color. Connoisseurs appreciate unrefined extra virgin olive oil - the so-called Provencal. It has a specific smell and taste, and its color is not golden, but slightly greenish, but it is the most useful.

The most useful extra virgin olive oil is extra virgin olive oil. This is the highest quality oil. Its acidity usually does not exceed 1%, and it is believed that the lower the acidity of the oil, the higher its quality.

Even more valuable is the "cold-pressed" olive oil, although this concept is rather arbitrary - the oil is heated to some extent even during "cold pressing". It is advisable to use it for cooking dishes without heat treatment, such as salads. A lower quality oil, pomas, is made from a mixture of olive pit oil and extra virgin oil.

The highest quality is Greek, especially Cretan olive oil. It has even been found that one type of fatty acid, "insaturi", found in extra virgin olive oil, is very similar to the fats found in mother's milk. This olive oil is 100% digestible! Even in stores, you can find oil marked virgin olive oil (without the prefix extra). It is a natural olive oil, but made up of 20% extra virgin olive oil and 80% refined olive oil.

Real olive oil is actually quite easy to distinguish from fakes and surrogates. To do this, simply put it in the refrigerator for several hours. In natural oil (whether refined or not), white flakes form in the cold, which disappear again at room temperature. This is due to the content in olive oil a large number solid fats, which solidify when cooled and give these hard flocculent inclusions.

Salads with olive oil should become as commonplace on your table as brushing your teeth in the morning.

By the way, all progressive mankind has long ceased to eat salads dressed with mayonnaise. In the best restaurants in Europe, all salads are now dressed with olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar. Coming to a good expensive restaurant, you will never find a cold snack in the form of a salad with mayonnaise. Now it is considered bad form to invite guests home and put tubs of mayonnaise salads in front of them. Keep this in mind.

Although many continue to believe that any fat, even salad dressing, is something that spoils the figure and health. In fact, seasonings and dressings for salads and vegetable dishes based on olive oil are very useful. A small amount of fat fresh vegetables helps the body absorb anti-carcinogenic compounds such as lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotenes. If you consume vegetables without fat, then the body will not be able to absorb these life-saving substances that prevent the development of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system. Just 10–20 g of olive oil or 1–2 tablespoons with a salad can be quite an adequate norm for maintaining good health. Fans of adding cheese, ham, fried chicken, egg yolk and avocado to the salad, unfortunately, should give up salad dressings, their fat limit will have already been exhausted. If you assume that the main dish of your table will also contain a lot of fat, then it is better not to add oil to the salad - everything is good in moderation.

Linseed oil

Olive oil is good for everyone, but, unfortunately, it lacks some essential fatty acids for our body. However, they are abundant in rapeseed and soybean oils. The record holder for the content of essential fatty acids is linseed oil. Omega-3 fats contain three special essential fatty acids. These are alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Flaxseed oil is a very good source of alpha-linolenic acid. But in terms of EPA and DHA content, nothing compares to fish that lives in the northern seas and fish oil.

For many years, all our ideas about the use and benefits of the unique flax culture were limited only to the contemplation of simple patterns of linen fabric products, and even stacks of flasks and bottles of drying oil in hardware stores. However, it turned out that in addition to flax fibers, from which literally everything can be made - from medical underwear that prevents the formation of bedsores, to furniture and even roofing, flax seed oil contains vital substances for humans.

If you are looking for information about vegetable sources omega-3 and omega-6 fats, you are sure that you will immediately stumble upon flaxseed oil. Many authors talk about the incredible, some simply fantastic benefits of flaxseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Probably, there is still a rational grain in this, because omega-3 and omega-6 fats in flaxseed oil are found in an ideal ratio. The real secret to maintaining good health, preventing various diseases, is to maintain a certain balance between two - omega-3 and omega-6 - fatty acids. Flaxseed oil is twice as rich in omega-3 fatty acids as even fish oil, plus it contains fat-soluble vitamins in excess, which are necessary for the brain and gonads.

It is used to prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, rectal and breast cancer. It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, reduces blood pressure, improves kidney function and vision. However, linseed oil is produced in very small quantities and is much more difficult to find than other types of oil.

Use flaxseed oil with caution - its overdose or staleness can lead to food poisoning. Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids have one significant drawback - they are extremely susceptible to oxidation. Oxidation occurs especially rapidly when fats are heated and when interacting with air. As a result, a huge amount of free radicals are formed, which cause many negative reactions throughout the body. Moreover, the oil can quickly oxidize, even if the bottle is in the refrigerator.

You can easily buy flaxseed oil from us in a pharmacy, and, for example, in France, the sale of flaxseed oil in bottles is prohibited due to the too high level of peroxides. Therefore, decide for yourself whether you need it or not. I think it would be better not to risk it and do without it. But if you still decide to buy it and eat it, be sure to check the expiration date. Never fry with linseed oil. When heated, it instantly oxidizes. Flaxseed oil should be stored in the refrigerator, in a dark glass bottle with a tightly closed lid. This will allow you to slightly reduce the amount of free radicals.

Sunflower oil

It is especially popular with housewives in Russia. I would like to clarify right away that sunflower and corn oils do not contain omega-3 fats at all, but there are a lot of omega-6 fats in them. Unfortunately, many people underestimate the benefits of sunflower oil, preferring only the currently fashionable “foreign” oils (olive, almond, sesame, etc.) to it. And absolutely in vain! After all, it is the omega-6 class that includes the two most important essential fatty acids for us: linoleic and, most importantly, gamma-linolenic, which is invaluable in diabetes, arthritis, skin diseases and multiple sclerosis. Without it, we would not be able to produce prostaglandin E1 (abbreviated PGE1) - one of the greatest protective equipment body in the fight against premature aging, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases and many other misfortunes of mankind. Gamma-linolenic acid is so important for stabilizing metabolic processes that its price on the world market reaches astronomical figures.

But this is a double-edged sword. The bias towards excessive consumption of omega-6 fats is the main cause of premature aging and a near-epidemic spread of arthritis, cancer, heart disease and other diseases. Probably because sunflower, corn and other similar oils are consumed by us constantly and in excess. And this invariably leads to the accumulation in the body of certain inflammatory eicosanoids, which can constrict blood vessels, reduce the lumen of the bronchi and increase blood pressure. Nevertheless, representatives of this class of fatty acids remain essential for our health and for life itself. Since only omega-6 fats can turn into the most valuable gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), amazing in its properties.

Sunflower oil, in my opinion, has more valuable elements than many other oils. For example, there is twelve times more vitamin E than in olive oil. Try to use only unrefined oil, as it contains an important anti-cholesterol compound - lecithin. It is absent in purified (refined) oil. The presence of sediment in sunflower oil does not always indicate its low quality. This precipitate is formed from useful biologically active phosphatides, which are predominantly suspended in the oil.

Sunflower oil, perhaps, will not benefit only patients with dermatosis (psoriasis, eczema, neurodermatitis). Since using these oils every day, you do not contribute to the healing of the skin, but, on the contrary, aggravate the course of inflammatory and allergic processes.

hemp oil

Like other oils, it contains omega-3 fatty acids plus vitamins A, B, C and D. But do not rush to rejoice. In vain you just thought that buy yourself a bottle of oil, you will drink it a tablespoon a day, and the issue of saturating the body with omega-3 fats will be resolved.

No, it will not. Unfortunately, in this oil, the amount of omega-6 fats is 3, 4, 5 times higher than the content of omega-3 fats, which we usually lack sorely. Omega-3 and omega-6 fats compete with each other for the same enzyme systems, so the more oils you eat with a huge amount of omega-6, the more difficult it is for omega-3 fats to realize their beneficial effects in the body. By consuming these oils, you load your body with omega-6 fats even more. For the normal functioning of the body, the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the diet should be from 1:1 to 4:1. Today, this ratio is sharply broken and looks like 10:1 or 20:1 in favor of omega-6 fats. The amount and ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids depends on the nature of the food consumed. If polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-6 class we get in sufficient (even excessive) amounts daily, then we all are sorely lacking in omega-3 fatty acids.

Hemp oil is used for insomnia, neurosis, rheumatism, boils, senile sclerosis. Hemp oil is obtained from special varieties of hemp that do not contain narcotic substances.

pumpkin seed oil

Milk thistle oil

It is obtained from the seeds of milk thistle, or milk thistle, a plant that has been used since ancient times to treat diseases of the liver and gallbladder. It contains, in addition to the same useful set as other oils, a rare substance - silymarin, which specifically protects liver cells from all kinds of poisons, as well as compounds that have an antispasmodic effect. It is used for all kinds of diseases of the liver and biliary tract, even with cirrhosis and fatty degeneration. Useful for pharyngitis, rhinitis and diseases of the oral cavity. Indispensable in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. Protects against toxic side effects of drugs. Rejuvenates the skin.

Cedar oil

Each of the oils, as you probably already noticed, has its own set of different useful substances, but the basis is all the same fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements. Cedar oil contains five times more vitamin E than olive oil. But the most important thing that is contained in pine nuts is L-arginine(arginine). This substance is an amino acid, which is an indispensable assistant in the long-term fight against excess weight. Therefore, I will allow myself to devote a few more minutes of your precious time to her.

This amino acid is almost not produced by the human body, but comes from outside. Its main function in metabolism is that it is responsible for the production of nitric oxide. This is a gas that, bypassing cell membranes, is able to control the functions of cells, transmitting information from cell to cell. The lack of nitric oxide in the body invariably leads to the formation of a "deadly quartet": obesity, as a result - diabetes, hypertension and cancer. The reason for the appearance of this "quartet" is a metabolic disorder in our body due to a lack of NO.

Today it has already been proven that obesity in the abdomen, leading to an increase in insulin levels and the development of diabetes, develops with a lack of nitric oxide in the body. The results of the studies have shown that nitric oxide is a universal and unique regulator of metabolism. This is a very small signaling molecule, and it only "lives" for about 10 seconds. Nitric oxide is produced by the cells of the blood vessels that line them from the inside. Put your hand on your chest. With every beat of your heart, as your cells stretch and contract, nitric oxide is expelled, allowing the muscles in your arteries to relax and allowing blood to flow through them more easily. The production of nitric oxide is accompanied by complex chemical reactions in which many other elements are involved.

So, arginine is an indispensable factor in the release of nitric oxide. We are constantly getting less than enough arginine - " building material» to produce nitric oxide, which leads to its deficiency in our body. Lack of arginine is usually the result of an unbalanced diet and lifestyle. Eating semi-finished products, the lack of full-fledged high-quality protein in our diet does not allow us to get the right amount of arginine, which means that the formation of a full amount of nitric oxide is disrupted. Foods rich in trans fats and simple carbohydrates hinder the release of NO by vascular cells.

Recent discoveries by scientists have shown that nitric monoxide not only acts as a signaling molecule in nervous system(a kind of blood pressure regulator and distributor of blood flow to various organs), but also contributes to the transport of the famous hormone leptin into the cells. And leptin is responsible for the processing of fats in the same way that insulin is responsible for the processing of carbohydrates.

Nitric oxide increases stress tolerance by limiting the release of stress hormones. But this is not yet its main property!

If you remember, in the topic of physical activity, I mentioned growth hormone (aka growth hormone). We had a long and dreary discussion about its importance in the nightly metabolism of fats. So, this most important hormone is released only under the influence of "nitrogen monoxide" and strictly in the interval from 00:00 to 03:00. The common belief that the night is the time for love is fundamentally wrong! At least when you are over forty and struggling with being overweight. If during this period of time you are awake and, accordingly, do not receive growth hormone, consider that the night (in terms of fat burning) will be in vain. So it's better to postpone your sexual marathons in the morning or on a day off.

Pine nuts have the highest amount of protein of any other nut or seed. In Siberia, a handful of these nuts is a traditional addition to food in order to create a feeling of satiety. What is the secret? Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid, which actually stimulates the production of two powerful hunger-suppressing hormones. Both hormones play a key role in signaling to the brain that you are no longer hungry. This discovery was made by researchers at the University of California. The greatest effect occurs after 30 minutes. In the body, the content of cholecystokinin increases by 60% and glucagon-like peptide-1 by 25%. These hormonal changes persist for about four hours. Cholecystokinin and glucagon-like peptide-1 send satiety signals to the brain. Already half an hour after eating pine nuts, the appetite decreased by 29%, and the “expected amount of food” by 36%.

I strongly recommend that my patients include a small amount of pine nuts in their diet. Perhaps some of my readers, having heard such advice, will twist a finger to their temples. Everyone knows that nuts are full of fats, and even more so in their oil. But you must admit: it all depends on the quantity, right? A small handful of cedar kernels contains about 200 kcal and 14 g of fat. In terms of energy value, this handful of nuts can be compared to a jar of low-calorie yogurt. However, the benefits of nuts will be greater at times! In addition, nuts better than yogurt satisfy hunger, and you will forget about chocolate and candy snacks, which have an insidious property to be reflected in waist volumes.

walnut oil

But in walnut oil contains a lot of iodine, iron, phosphorus, cobalt. Agree, a rather rare set of trace elements? Not so long ago, American scientists conducted a study confirming the positive effect of walnuts on cholesterol levels, and most importantly, the rate of lipid metabolism. In their opinion, it walnuts should serve as a light snack during the day, as well as be contained in daily meals. True, it should be remembered that the recommended daily intake of nuts is only 20–28 g! Especially here you will not roam!

Sesame oil

AT sesame oil, oddly enough, a lot of calcium, and in a well-digestible form. A tablespoon of this oil per day increases the calcium content in the body by 2-3 times. By the way, common property Nut oils have a strong aroma, which is why they are used in small quantities in aromatherapy. And also to give bright flavors to salads, pastries, fruit dishes and cheeses. In addition, nut oils are very unstable in storage and quickly oxidize. But, by the way, we seem to have already discussed this. Therefore, it is not worth buying them for the future.

Grape and apricot kernel oil

All these oils can be used internally, but they are perhaps too expensive for this. Therefore, they are mainly used for cosmetic purposes. Grape seed oil is rich in linoleic acid and vitamin E, both of which help to retain moisture in the skin, which maintains its elasticity and healthy color. This oil is as rich in antioxidants as grapes themselves. Grapeseed oil, according to some reports, can inhibit growth cancer cells. Apricot kernel oil helps the synthesis of collagen in the skin, which ensures its firmness and elasticity. It is used for creams, masks and directly on the skin of the face and problem areas of the body. Apricot kernel oil is indispensable for baby skin care - with prickly heat, dermatitis, etc.

Palm oil

Palm oil obtained from the fleshy part of the fruit of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). It has a red-orange color and is a "heavy" product for the body, and in particular for the liver. Recently, thanks to the ubiquitous advertising, this oil has become especially popular with some segments of our population. You know, there's this group of people who are constantly looking for something exclusive, but instead often find adventure on their own head.

You ask: “What do I care about him if I don’t eat him and have never even seen him?” The point is that in last years it is shoved into almost all pastries and into many other products sold in stores, as well as into various mayonnaises, margarines and so-called "light oils". The name is reminiscent of "light cigarettes", but the harm does not decrease. Palm oil is found in some varieties of chocolate and "disposable" noodles.

However, to be objective, this oil from the distant tropics also contains one useful fatty acid - oleic. But it is almost two times less than in olive oil, and slightly less than in lard and beef fat.

In addition, these animal fats also contain biologically active substances, which, although partially, still neutralize the negative effects of the harmful acids contained in them. Therefore, products with palm oil should never be present on your table.

Which oil to choose

I am often asked: “So what kind of oil should we choose? What's better?"

Do not stop your choice on any one type of oil. It is necessary to alternate vegetable oils correctly, but the basis of your diet should be high-quality olive oil.

"Quality oil? But where can I get it?

Now almost every bottle of oil says that it is an ideal product of the first extraction, does not contain cholesterol, etc. Indeed, cold-pressed oils are considered the most useful. With this method of processing, the seeds are not heated, but simply processed mechanically. Therefore, the final product contains almost the entire set of vitamins and biologically active substances.

Now let's look at the shelf with vegetable oils. How we rejoice in their pure and transparent view, bright color. Do you know how this wonderful vegetable oil is obtained? Tell?

The technology here is quite simple, and little has changed in it in recent years. After cleaning the seeds from the husk, they are pressed, squeezing out everything that can be squeezed out from there in a cold way. This is the real first cold pressed, as a result of which a high-quality oil is obtained, which has all the natural nutritional properties of the feedstock. I'm just afraid that it is this oil that you are unlikely to find on the counter.

As a result of hot pressing, oilseeds are heated and then go under a mechanical press. This oil has a bright color, and it is stored for quite a long time. And the golden liquid has a rich aroma. This is explained by the fact that in the manufacturing process there is no deodorization, which is aimed at removing volatile and aromatic substances. Unrefined oil most useful for "internal use", as it retains all natural components: vitamins, enzymes and other biologically active substances.

True, frying and stewing food in unrefined oil is not recommended, since toxic compounds are formed in it at high temperatures. Best for salad dressings.

The question arises - what to do with the remnants of oil production? There are many options here, the goal is the same - to get as much oil as possible. If you read on the label "First cold pressing" - do not flatter yourself. Now it is written by all manufacturers. In fact, no one is going to throw out the cake after the first cold pressing described above. This is irrational - after all, the remaining cake still contains quite a lot of oil.

But to extract it from the cake completely (up to 98%) is possible only by "cruel" methods. As a solvent for extraction, a substance with a beautiful name can be used - hexane. In its chemical structure, it resembles gasoline - it dissolves fat well, thereby transferring it from the substrate to the solution. Then this substance (you can’t call it otherwise), which looks like dirty sour cream (I better keep silent about the smell), undergoes a multi-level purification, as a result of which the most wonderful, light and sun-playing vegetable oil is obtained. Its final properties largely depend on the methods and degree of purification. After that, it remains only to carry out distillation(evaporation) of hexane. This is how in high-tech production the first cold pressing can be the last at the same time. Can't believe it? Read on!

Extract from the technological instructions: “...by extracting the dried pulp of vegetable raw materials with an organic solvent HP-3 (the same hexane solvent similar to gasoline), in order to increase the yield and improve the quality of the product, the pulp is poured with a mixture of acetic acid and butyl alcohol before drying, heated , filtered, the filtered pulp is washed with hot water until neutral and mixed with pure quartz sand, extraction is carried out, while the HP-3 solvent is activated with absolute ethyl alcohol before extraction.

Do you like unscented vegetable oil? To remove odor residue, the next step in the production of these oils is usually deodorization. Refining, deodorization, bleaching - all these processes take place at high temperatures, and at the end you get not oil, but pure fat with a lot of free radicals. Refined oil of the author Lydia Ivanovna Dmitrievskaya

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From the book Encyclopedia of Essential Oils author Elena Yurievna Tumanova

Other vegetable oils Rapeseed oil. Canadian breeders have developed a safe variety of rapeseed that does not contain toxic erucic acid. In some countries, rapeseed oil is abbreviated as Canola (Canadian Oil). It is in second place after

Why do some eat kefir and spend their days in the gym, but do not lose weight a single gram, while others gorge themselves on fast food and at any moment can get up from the couch and go to the podium? Can children of slender parents become fat? How to lose weight while on vacation eating pickles from the hotel buffet? A well-known Russian nutritionist and specialist in the relationship between hormones and excess weight, Alexei Kovalkov, answers these and other questions - especially for the site.

The story of two glasses

In order to visualize why and how hormonal failure leads to obesity, imagine two glasses (or even put them in front of you for greater clarity). One glass symbolizes energy, the other - weight. Water that can be poured into glasses is food. In a healthy newborn child, all of whose life systems are in balance and harmony, the level of fullness of the glasses coincides perfectly: the child receives nutrition, which is distributed in equal shares for energy and growth.

However, as the child matures and hormonal factors or carbohydrate abuse (or both) come into play, the situation changes.

"Breakdown" of weight regulation mechanisms leads to the fact that nutrients from food do not provide energy, and weight increases, but not because the child is stretched; it grows wider. The glass-energy is half empty, but the glass-weight is constantly replenished. And it's not about the quantity of food and not even about its quality - the problem is in the state of health.

The schoolboy is scolded that he is lethargic, fat, a mattress, cannot run a hundred meters. The hormonal problems that caused failures in growth and development become more complicated, and acquired eating disorders are added to them, when in desperation a child or teenager who is actually sick tries to limit himself in food. But willpower has nothing to do with it, he is physically unable to not eat or eat less, his energy level is already below the baseboard, and carbohydrate addiction and insulin sensitivity are such that without food he begins to literally shake. Eats a piece of bread or a chocolate bar - lets go. And so without end.

Here you need the help of an endocrinologist, an experienced nutritionist, and not "education of character", a fitness trainer or a psychotherapist.

But, unfortunately, few people seriously think about it. And a person lives his life with one glass half empty and another full, dieting, suffering from eating disorders. Because his parents did not understand that hormones control the weight and desires of a person. Well, now we will try.

Proper nutrition is a complex science. In order not to anger the almighty hormones, you can neither starve nor force yourself to eat!

Weight loss hormones: growth, masculinity, drive!

The balance of three main hormones (often referred to as fat-burning hormones in women) is responsible for maintaining a healthy weight in our body: growth hormone, testosterone and adrenaline. How do they work?

• 1 growth hormone

This is the same hormone of growth and redistribution of resources, the defects in the production of which can manifest themselves early in children. You don't have to be a doctor to tell the difference between "baby fat" and unhealthy overweight. But for help, you should still contact a specialist so as not to turn the case into a neglected one and switch the somatrotropic hormone from the fat accumulation mode to the energy / growth combination.

By the way, vitamin D is also responsible for the growth and physical development of children in combination with somatotropic, for which the hormone status has also been established in the medical environment since literally last year. It is these two substances that provide the amazing effect of “waving over the summer on the head”, which parents and teachers never get tired of being amazed at. The condition for the production of a sufficient amount of vitamin D is regular exposure to the sun, and you should not give your child his preparations without a reasoned doctor's prescription. In adults, vitamin D is also involved in fat burning - in the background, but quite effectively.

• 2 Testosterone

Known as the “hormone of masculinity,” however, do not assume that women do not need it at all. In the beautiful half, testosterone is produced from cholesterol up to and plays a crucial role as a "regulator" giving orders for the transformation of adipose tissue into muscle and bone. Testosterone is the real fat-burning hormone.

It is important that in the female body, testosterone is maintained by sufficient production of estrogen. For those very lush hips that their owners do not like so much, but men usually like it very much, it is worth thanking the latter. Sufficient estrogen production protects women from cardiovascular disease; cases and before the onset of menopause - a rarity. And that's why men have weaker hearts - not because they have a harder life, but because estrogen is absent.

If there is too much estrogen, it suppresses testosterone and it is unable to regulate weight. At the same time, if there is too much testosterone, this is also a problem. Oddly enough, "testosterone" women are getting fat - moreover, according to the "apple" type, which is characterized by a pronounced "lifebuoy" at the waist and thin limbs. It’s easier for them to lose weight than for hip “estrogen women”, but the difficulty is not that a woman’s waist is larger than her hips or her figure resembles a pear, and she cannot wear a fitted dress, but that such a pronounced “fruitiness” in appearance - an occasion to visit the endocrinologist.

• 3 Adrenalin

The last of the main fat-burning hormones and the most effective. Adrenaline is a drive hormone, and it is produced episodically. In the body, adrenaline appears during a period of stress, and stress does not necessarily mean trouble - it can be a shake-up filled with excitement and delight. Therefore, one often hears that someone recovered because of a measured life - and this did not affect family happiness with borscht, but a lack of adrenaline.

A common side effect of adrenaline is that it not only starts the process of splitting fats (lipolysis), but also makes you forget about hunger. Falling in love, enthusiastic work on a project, hectic preparation for an exam, when strength comes from nowhere at all without any food at all - this particular hormone should be thanked for all this. As well as for situations when on vacation, despite all inclusive and a buffet, you lose weight - a combination of rich "adrenaline" experiences and vitamin D can work wonders.

Chemically, the adrenaline reaction is triggered by ephedrine and its derivatives. "Thai pills" and fast-acting fat burners, from which a person runs on the ceiling, are based on the provocation of adrenaline receptors. Therefore, games with the most effective of fat-burning hormones are bad: constant stimulation of its production depletes the adrenal cortex, affects the brain, and quickly exhausts the resources of the cardiovascular system.

Did you order the assembly and disassembly of fat?

Three dominant hormones help us burn fat, and if factors of the opposite direction did not interfere with their action, we would simply lose weight constantly and without any effort, without hesitation. But a powerful force works to increase weight and sensitively guards fat reserves. This is hormone insulin.

If you have ever bought large furniture for the home, then you know that it is delivered unassembled - the parts are brought into the room, assembled, and now the table or wardrobe is ready. If it needs to be moved from the room to another place, then it will not completely crawl through the door, it must be disassembled again, but whether it will work out, and how quickly is the question. And such processes of assembly and disassembly occur in our cells every second. Only small formations, fatty acids, can penetrate the cell membrane. Inside, they are assembled into triglycerides, obeying the command from insulin, and in order to leave the cell, they need to undergo a reverse transformation - again, at the signal of this hormone.

Neither running, nor yoga, nor fitness, nor athletic triathlon will help to change the processes of fat storage or deal with existing accumulations, if there is no hormones will.

Insulin is anti-catabolic. It does not allow cells to decay, takes care of their restoration and growth. And it can become a good helper if you have an understandable honest relationship with this hormone: it captures not only glucose and fats, but also amino acids from the blood, so athletes eat a carbohydrate product after training so that the release of insulin blocks the destruction of muscle fibers.

A person's relationship with insulin is largely determined by their genetics, specifically the number of receptors on the cell surface that respond to insulin. Someone has extremely few of them, and this person eats like crazy without any consequences, but someone, on the contrary, has a lot, and this is the case when a person literally gets fat from the air and it is very difficult for him to lose weight.

Therefore, it is important to understand that waist fat has grown not because you ate fat, but because of carbohydrates, which increased insulin levels and that gave the body the command to stock up.

Practical dietetics solves one major problem - in many ways it does not allow insulin to rise. Due to this, popular diets work:,. But in cases where the cells are hypersensitive to insulin, or the situation is even worse, for example, a person has insulinoma, and his insulin is constantly elevated, you can sort out diets for a very long time and suffer, you will not be able to lose weight.

According to statistics, only 5% of people who are trying to lose weight by 20 kg or more on their own achieve some obvious success, and only 1% of them manage to keep the result for more than a year, the rest fail - and then, with a high degree of probability, the lion's share of this tiny percentage of winners. Heroin addicts cope with their addiction more successfully than those who depend on fast carbohydrates and profit from this eating disorder.

Hot topic: what to eat to lose weight

What about those who want to finally do something about carbohydrate addiction and help their hormones find balance again? To begin with, to realize that it is not blood sugar itself that is terrible, but the insulin that is secreted to it. And here knowledge about (GI) and (AI) products will help. The first makes it clear how intensely the blood is filled with sugar in response to the use of certain dishes, and the second shows how much insulin comes to this sugar.

These two indicators coincide in the vast majority of cases, there are only two examples when the AI ​​of a product exceeds its GI - we are talking about yogurt and oranges.

In my work, I do not use index tables, they are interesting only from the point of view of demonstrating the basic principle of a healthy diet. Moreover, any person who has taken the trouble to more or less understand the basics of dietology will unmistakably name the most dangerous products for the figure and weight - potato, White rice, refined sugar, bread and all their combinations and derivatives.

Somewhere at the intersection of ideas about GI and AI - the degree of saturation that different products can give. It is due to many factors, including individual ones: someone eats cottage cheese perfectly and for a long time, and someone, perhaps, a lettuce leaf does not make you feel hungry all day long. But from a scientific point of view, two main foods provide long-term satiety by controlling insulin spikes and slow absorption: soft-boiled eggs and lamb (boiled or baked without oil and sauces). "Lamb Diet" - the secret of the harmony of many stars.

A Short Course on a Happy Hormonal Life: Four Frequently Asked Questions to Dr. Kovalkov

Is it true that if you try not to let insulin rise all the time, the cells will develop hypersensitivity to it and then you will get better, and nothing can be done about it?

Not true. It is physiological for a person to eat protein, fat and vegetables, in which carbohydrates are absorbed slowly and do not provoke insulin surges. Humanity is 2 million years old, of which only 200 of them we are short-lived with sugar, and this acquaintance did not bring us anything good - sugar acts on cells like an acid and destroys them, which provokes the most various diseases from atherosclerosis to diabetes.

Therefore, a return to the roots and the rejection of fast carbohydrates, convenience foods, as well as a large amount of fruit will only bring benefits, and if parents follow this, they will insure their child of carbohydrate addiction and related problems. There will be no breakdown in metabolic engineering due to the control of insulin release.

Is it true that the main thing is not to eat after six, and then you will definitely lose weight?

This is not exactly a myth, but there is confusion about cause and effect. Many will agree that if you hang out at night in front of a computer or TV, then the result in the form of extra kilos will not be long in coming. Of course, television or Internet traffic does not have calories, and again it's about hormones. Somatotropic hormone (“growth hormone”), which you already know, is released between 0:00 and 1:00 in the deep sleep phase. Accordingly, in order for it to be synthesized, two conditions are needed: undisturbed sleep and the absence of an insulin surge a few hours before the “scheduled exit”. Fast carbohydrates in the evening block the production of somatotropic hormone and by eating ice cream or drinking beer under the evening series, you do not burn fat at night. And during the day, the body does not have the opportunity to burn them, all lipolytic processes are launched in the dark. The conclusions are clear!

Is it true that breakfast is the main meal of the day, and even if you don't want to, you have to force yourself to eat in the morning?

Continuation of the adventures of somatotropic hormone: if you long time midnight, the time of its production from the physiological period "about midnight" is shifted to more late deadline. Or you get up too early. Therefore, waking up on an alarm clock, you do not want to eat and even feel disgust for food. This means that the hormone has entered the bloodstream and is still working on fat burning.

In this case, you can not force yourself to eat breakfast! In response to food intake, insulin will be released and block the action of growth hormone. Listen to your body, not general advice. If you don't want to eat, don't.

Is it true that it doesn't matter what you eat and how much, if you constantly play sports, especially fat-burning cardio exercises?

The fitness and beauty industry is actively claiming to help with weight loss, but in fact they have neither the ability nor the competence to help with really serious problems. Regular exercise is great, but it doesn't work against the root of the problem. On the treadmill, you can use up the fat from the dinner you received three days ago, which floats in the blood in the form of tiny droplets and sits in the fibers of the tissues, but this will not affect the formed fat reserves in any way.

On the contrary, having spent the available energy, a person with a carbohydrate addiction will half-faint reach for a cake or a chocolate bar, and then eat another one - because he was in training and “deserved”. Do not overeat, so as not to unbalance the body, then you will not have to kill yourself in the gym.

On the other hand, if everything was that way, then what would be easier - go on a vegetarian diet, and now there is no cholesterol in the body! But - alas! The most rigid vegetarianism reduces cholesterol by no more than 20%. Paradox? As it turned out, cholesterol not only comes with food, but is also produced inside our body, because the body, in principle, cannot live without it.

Cholesterol is needed to create the membranes of all cells, for brain function, for the synthesis of sex hormones and much more.

So, not everything here is clear. It is also important that cholesterol, it turns out, is different.

There is good - high-density cholesterol (HVP), and there is bad - low and very low density (CNP and HONP). It is these “loose guys” that are deposited inside the blood vessels, gradually narrowing their lumen. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of premature death in all industrialized countries. And if a blood clot also clings to such a plaque, the lumen can completely close - a heart attack will occur (if the vessel is in the heart) or a stroke (if the vessel is in the head). Neither is happy!

Throughout the civilized world, doctors have been prescribing special medicines for people with high cholesterol levels for more than 20 years - "statins". Their regular intake reduces the level of total and bad cholesterol, prolonging life and protecting against heart attacks and strokes. But they must be used constantly and throughout life. Taking drugs at this dosage significantly reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with heart disease. But their side effects harm the liver and reduce the tolerance of the drugs themselves. Again we are put on pills - and by no means cheap! Coming to terms with this idea is probably not easy. Or simply?

At the same time, competently, professionally conducted diet therapy (not to be confused with diets from glossy magazines) in almost 100% of cases brings cholesterol back to normal within two weeks after the start of the technique! Why spend money on unsafe pills if the solution to the problem is simply to plan your diet correctly?!

myocardial infarction

On the one hand, drinking a bunch of pills every day is a small joy. On the other hand, for those who are too lazy to lead a healthy lifestyle (that is, follow the diet, regularly engage in feasible physical education, not get fat and not smoke), the ability to replace all this with a single pill can do a disservice.

Cholesterol is not the only risk factor for premature death. To live to be a hundred years old, your heart must work all this long time without interruption: myocardial infarction is the number one killer these days.

When we begin to age, blood vessels lose their flexibility, and cholesterol plaques narrow their gaps. The level of blood pressure rises, the heart begins to work literally “for wear and tear”.

With obesity, the load increases on all organs and systems.

But especially the heart suffers. Cholesterol metabolism disorders lead to the formation of atherosclerotic changes in the aorta and coronary (heart) vessels. The more body fat, the more they interfere with the work of the heart. The provision of tissues with oxygen decreases, breathing, blood supply to vital organs is disturbed.

Menstrual-ovarian dysfunction and infertility

Against the background of obesity in women, there are often observed menstrual-ovarian dysfunction and as a consequence - infertility. This is no longer just a disease, but a life tragedy for a huge number of infertile women. The female fertility cycle undergoes significant changes under the influence of overweight: obese women are more likely to have problems with ovulation, and they are more likely to have abortions.

At the University of Adelaide in Australia, researcher Cadens Minge, conducting experiments on mice, found that obese females undergo catastrophic changes in the reproductive system. Their ovaries lose their ability to produce healthy full-fledged eggs, which means that healthy offspring cannot be expected. And in especially neglected cases, it will not be at all. Will never!

It's all about a special substance that scientists call "PPAR-gamma" for short. The production of this key substance for the development of the egg is blocked by fat. It was possible to control sexual function in mice with the help of a special medication for diabetes. It triggers the synthesis of "PPAR" in the body and thus restores the activity of the ovaries. It would seem that a remedy has been found. However, so far the experiments have been carried out only on mice. In addition, this medicine itself can have serious side effects. Therefore, further research is needed before doctors can apply it in their practice. In other words, obese women should not wait for a miracle from science yet, but instead should come to grips with themselves, until all “bridges are still burned”.

Even a slight correction of body weight in most cases leads to the normalization of the cycle and the restoration of fertility. And even a slight decrease in body weight can be a good impetus to restore the entire hormonal background.

Recently, fortunately, gynecologists have also begun to understand this. Kudos to them for this! Not only from me, but also from dozens of our patients. I see this in the flow of people who come to us on referrals from these doctors. Many of us have already been able to help. After all, the causes of their female pathology were that adipose tissue interfered with the exchange of sex hormones. Therefore, many women for years, trying to cope with female diseases, drank tons of hormonal drugs instead of eliminating the very cause of these disorders. And how much time is spent waiting in line at the gynecological office, at antenatal clinics? But, of course, the main trouble for any woman is the unfulfilled desire to become a mother. Fortunately, more than one couple was able to solve this problem and give birth to a child, as soon as the woman got rid of a dozen or two extra pounds.

The development of feminization in men

But in fairness it should be noted that sexual function suffers not only in women. Recent studies suggest that being overweight in men can also worsen the condition of the gonads and reduce the quality of spermatozoa.

Over the years, in obese men, the amount of testosterone (male sex hormone) becomes 10-20% less!

Adipose tissue is a trap even for those sex hormones that the body is still able to produce, transforming the male sex hormone into a female one. Therefore, obese men often experience development of feminization- the figure becomes effeminate (buttocks spread, breasts grow, hair disappears in those places where they were before).

Cholelithiasis

Now let's talk about stones. What stones do you wear? Some of them, while not precious, cost us dearly. I am now talking about the stones that we ourselves grow in our gallbladder.

Cholelithiasis refers to diseases that are fairly well diagnosed, but very difficult to treat. While studying at the institute, I worked as a nurse in the surgical department and noticed that most of the women are there with just such a diagnosis. This disease sooner or later ends with an operation to remove the bladder along with all its contents. But even such a cardinal decision will not relieve the violation of the entire digestive system and can lead to severe upset of the entire gastrointestinal tract. Now a new generation of drugs has appeared that can dissolve stones, saving the patient from surgery, but they only dissolve cholesterol stones, and even then not for everyone. And you need to take such medicines for years. And even a miraculous deliverance from grown stones does not save a person from the appearance of new ones in the future, especially if the patient returns to his usual way of life. So it turns out that it is difficult to treat, it is painful to operate, which means, probably, it is easier - to warn! Not?

According to official statistics, approximately 640,000 people are hospitalized annually in the United States with a diagnosis of gallstones. On average, one in four Americans will experience stone problems at some point in their lives.

Approximately the same statistics in our country.

Most people with gallstone disease are "happy" owners of cholesterol stones. They are formed as a result of the adhesion of cholesterol crystals, which is part of bile. This is due to a change in its physico-chemical properties and a violation of the outflow. By the way, overweight people often develop complications after surgical treatment, and they die more often from anesthesia and these same complications. Some are simply not taken for surgery because of the extreme degree of obesity.

It has long been known that dietary disorders (preference for fatty, fried, smoked foods, frequent overeating, especially in the evening and at night) are, although not the only, but a very significant risk factor for the development of gallstone disease. A properly composed diet of such patients, normalization of cholesterol levels, lipid metabolism, as a rule, is guaranteed to prevent the appearance of this “jewelry” disease.

Oncological diseases

Obesity, in the end, leads to the development of not only the pathologies listed above, but also to some types of cancer.

Here you need to understand that the process of developing a cancerous tumor usually lasts from several years to decades. During this time, precancerous cells, in which mutations (changes in genes) have occurred under the influence of carcinogens, should become more active and tenacious. Then they form something like microtumors - clusters of malignant cells that do not bother a person in any way, and they are almost impossible to diagnose. After that, vessels that feed them grow into these clusters of cells, and they turn into real malignant tumors. Of course, I am not an oncologist and I understand that every doctor should mind his own business, but, in my opinion, Cancer is a disease of degeneration caused by the cumulative effect of many factors. The surge in oncological diseases is the result of the fact that our food and the entire environment have become very far from the natural conditions in which generations of our ancestors lived. We have exhausted all the body's ability to cope with what is unnatural to its very nature.

The factors that act in a complex, weakening our body include the use of chemical fertilizers, the introduction of toxic additives in food, improper cooking methods and environmental pollution in general. By exerting their harmful influence over a long period of time, these factors gradually weaken our defense mechanisms.

Behind the symptoms, manifested in the form of a tumor, lies a much more extensive problem of unbalancing all the vital cycles of the body. A healthy body cannot get cancer!

If we think about this statement, we will understand that it is obvious. After all, a healthy body cannot be sick at the same time. Nevertheless, they often try to treat cancer as a local disease, as if the whole problem is only in a specific tumor, and otherwise the patient is completely healthy. In my opinion, the human body should be considered as a whole - this is the secret of healing. From this we draw a remarkable logical conclusion: if it is possible to restore the normal, healthy state of the body, it will cope with any disease in response to this. It will even eliminate all tumors, wherever they are. And there are such examples in the work of every oncologist.

You can object to me: “These theoretical calculations are good on paper, but when your life depends on it…” I agree. But sometimes there is no alternative!

How to restore the "normal", "healthy" state? Where to start?

At present, it can already be considered a generally accepted fact that nutrition and lifestyle play the most important role in the occurrence, as well as in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Surprised? Perhaps this is one of the real mechanisms of influence on the dynamics of morbidity and mortality from tumors in the population. Although there are still many controversial, debatable issues that are being addressed by specialists of various profiles (oncologists, nutritionists, biochemists, hygienists, etc.).

Let's think about it - the human body is constantly updated. Every minute, the basic structures of the body wear out and are replaced with new tissues and biochemical components. About 98% of the body's cell composition is thus completely renewed within a year! The raw material your body uses to replicate itself comes only from food and water. This means that your body is literally made up of what you have eaten over the past year.

With this in mind, it is easy to appreciate the contribution that nutrition makes to our health and cancer prevention. Many types of this terrible pathology are based on malnutrition. For example, it has long been scientifically proven that the incidence of colon and rectal cancer is directly related to poor diet and unhealthy lifestyles.

It has long been noticed that where people still earn their living by hunting and fishing, where it is customary to move not on wheels, but on foot, where the air is saturated with the smells of earth, pond and mowed grass, and not gasoline and asphalt, about this disease was never heard of. The main reason for the development of oncology is the so-called "Western diet", which is based on animal fats, refined products and preservatives. These products help slow down the movement of contents through the intestines. Toxins formed as a result of their decay, lingering in the body for a long time, cause dysbacteriosis and disruption of the liver. They literally poison our body. Meat and animal fats accelerate the growth of intestinal bacteria that produce carcinogens. And when fried or smoked, these products become much more dangerous. And vice versa. Plant foods contain a lot of fiber, which improves intestinal motility, as well as antioxidant vitamins with anti-carcinogenic properties.

In the list of countries that are unfavorable for colon cancer, the United States is in the lead (half a million people suffer from it there), as well as Canada, Israel and Australia. All these are traditionally "meat" countries. While in India, Latin America, China, Japan and other Asian countries, where preference is given to vegetarian food, as well as seafood, this disease is a rarity.

The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that at the initial stages it may not manifest itself in any way, except for an unstable stool and "heaviness" in the rectum. "The intestines are upset again." Who among us will pay attention to such trifles! In addition, such minor symptoms are often attributed to the so-called irritable bowel syndrome, and the release of blood from the anus to hemorrhoids. While the last symptom is a direct indication for colonoscopy - examination of the entire colon through a colonoscope.

Once the famous English morphologist Dux, who devoted his life to developing a percentage prognosis for recovery for patients depending on the stages of cancer, was asked what he himself would do if he got colon cancer. He replied that he would first find a good surgeon, then he would ask him to get a good night's sleep before the operation. And only then would I trust him with my life. Today, great progress has been made in the field of surgical treatment of colon cancer. Therefore, in most patients, the chances of recovery are quite high. Especially when compared with the 80s, when every second patient died after surgery on the rectum or colon. With surgeons who own modern microsurgical technologies, 80% of patients survive. Although we again return to the idea that it is best, of course, to prevent the disease than to fight it later.

Impotence, frigidity, hypertrichosis…

I often ask my patients, “What made you put off seeing a nutritionist for so long? Not only did you look aesthetically rather unsightly, but now you understand that this is only the “tip of the iceberg”. The impossibility of leading a full life, difficulties in everyday life - this, as you now understand, is still “flowers”! Already with the II degree of obesity, a person has constant shortness of breath, a taste of bitterness in the mouth, legs swell and joints ache. And with the IV degree of obesity, a person practically turns into a disabled person. He is only interested in food. He can eat day and night. Men develop impotence, among women frigidity and hypertrichosis- increased hair growth all over the body. In addition, the voice becomes rougher and menstruation may stop. Hence infertility and premature aging. Don't you want to live longer, see your grandchildren, meet a vigorous old age? Or do you want to feel like a helpless disabled person at the age of 40?”

Understand! I am not trying to intimidate you by enumerating these formidable ailments. I want you to understand where the true causes of many diseases lie and how you can get rid of them without resorting to expensive drugs.

To do this, it is enough just to lose weight. And just something!

Indeed, with a decrease in body weight, the progression of atherosclerosis slows down, blood pressure normalizes or decreases, insulin sensitivity is restored in the initial forms of type 2 diabetes mellitus. And life itself is changing!

Often in letters and personal conversations, people complain to me: “We didn’t even suspect before that there was such a profession as a dietitian and that getting rid of excess weight would be so easy.”

During my work, I realized that all people suffering from fullness can be divided into two large groups. First- desperately experience all the “miracle pills” for weight loss and constantly torment themselves with new and new diets. It doesn't make much sense, but at least they're trying to fix the problem.

Second group people have long "put a cross on themselves." They decided: “Let it be what will be. Nothing will help me anymore, and you shouldn’t deprive yourself of the last pleasure in life - to eat plenty and tasty food and lie quietly in front of the TV. They tell themselves that all these doctors, healers and pills are just a way to siphon off money. Moreover, in the last group there are also very poor people. So it's not about the money. Then what? What do you think?

It seems to me that such an indifferent attitude of some obese people to their life is connected with its quality. I know from my own experience the pain they live in. How does a fat person tie his shoelaces? How do you cut your toenails? It is something groaning and sweating. A disgusting spectacle! And in the toilet, and in the bathroom? Details should probably be left out.

I know this firsthand, because for many years I myself was fat. I weighed over 160 kg. But I lost weight, in just six months I got rid of 70 kg of excess weight.

And since I could, why can't you? “So what are you pulling and pulling with the solution of this problem? What makes you put off going to the doctor again and again? In response to my question, I usually hear two reasons:

1) lack of time and money for treatment;

2) complete disappointment and uncertainty in achieving the result.

So how much does it cost to lose weight?

For some reason, the people have a false idea that the treatment of obesity requires a lot of effort and money. This is not entirely true.

The cost of a course of treatment, even for “expensive” privately practicing experienced nutritionists, is rarely an exorbitant amount. Although it must be said honestly that some of them receive quite high fees, but this is more the exception than the rule. The services of nutritionists are expensive all over the world. This is an established practice. A nutritionist costs even more than a good psychotherapist. And this is not a whim or greed - I am convinced that in the first place it is - albeit partial, but the solution to the most difficult task of motivating the patient.

Usually money plays an important role in motivation. If you received recommendations for free or paid mere pennies, there is a good chance that you will violate them in a day. But if the consultation was expensive and serious funds were invested in the treatment, elementary greed will not allow you to easily squander them. It is paradoxical that greed turns out to be stronger than hunger, stronger than laziness: you must admit, it’s ridiculous to sneak to the refrigerator and steal a piece of sausage from yourself if consulting a nutritionist and prescribing treatment cost you (let’s say) 3 thousand dollars. What now, throw them into the wind? Rather, in the toilet?

“Fat people are ready to part with excess weight for the sake of money!” This trend originated in the US and has now crossed the ocean and conquered the European market. The essence of the "revolutionary" way to lose weight is very simple - lose pounds and earn.

So, imagine: a program participant joins a certain group of like-minded people. The entry fee is about $100. Thereafter, each month participants must pay a maximum of another $30 per month for as long as they wish to continue competing and compete for prizes. Each lost kilogram brings them income, and if participants pass through pre-designated conditional points (5 kg, 10 kg, 15 kg, etc.), then bonuses are transferred to their account.