Whether or not to fast is a question that seems to be on many of my patient’s minds and with very good reason — there is a lot of conflicting information in the media and on the web when it comes to this question.  For the majority of the population, fasting is a healthy and natural process and I recommend it to most of my patients as a part of their healthy lifestyle.

However, I want to be clear that fasting is not for everyone and also can be risky if executed incorrectly.   For this reason, I recommend that fasting, particularly your first fast, should be done only after receiving guidance from a qualified health care professional.

I want to again emphasize that it should be used only periodically, as part of a healthy diet.  Fasting does not mean eliminating calories completely; the number of calories recommended for consumption each day will be dependent on the health and daily activities of the person. It is very dangerous to use it as part of a binge and purge cycle as this will have very negative effects on your metabolic rate, heart, and immune system.

Beginning around 1975, numerous articles regarding this topic have been published in medical and scientific journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Toxicologic Pathology, and the Journal of Neuroscience. These articles reported the benefits listed below.

Benefits of Fasting

1. Raise growth hormone levels
2. Lose weight/trim fat
3. Decrease sugar and carbohydrate cravings
4. Improve immune system
5. Increase life span
6. Reduce risk for heart disease, stroke & diabetes
7. Reduce risk for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
8. Reduce risk of cancer and liver disease

Most of us remember when we were at our “best” – when physical limitations were more about “guts” than they were about strength, flexibility or stamina. We would take on any challenge offered up by our buddies. We could stay up all night just for the fun of it. We tried new things because they looked fun and we laughed at our pals when they failed with heroic attempts. And all the while, never did a bruise, a scrape or even a broken bone deter us from taking on the next challenge once it was brought to our attention.

Now think for a second. How long ago was that for you?

Somewhere in life we begin to “play it safe”. We stop trying new things, taking on the dares of our peers and testing our physical acumen. We surrender to “watching the kids do it” or making excuses for it – like bad knees, an old football injury or “something else” we have to do at the time. If prompted or prodded in any way we might quickly change the subject and reflect back on the time we experienced the [fill in here], in an attempt to somehow say, “You know, I was able to go for it like that at one time in my life…even though you can’t see it now.”

And this transition – from taking on any seductive opportunity to demonstrate physical expression, to waving off all inviters – is one of the many beginnings to the end of healthy living.

Now let’s be clear – there is really no need try to ride a bicycle down the nearest hand rail by the steps of the school or to try a double back flip off the roof into your six year old’s plastic swimming pool. But it does make a lot of sense to explore new physical challenges regularly – wherever you are in life, right now.

And what defines “physical challenge”? It might be walking around the block, or preparing for a 20 mile walk-a-thon or walking across America. It can take the form of starting an exercise program, being more regular in one or entering a fitness challenge at your local gym. Or it could be learning to swim, working your way up to swimming a mile or entering the next Masters Swim competition. Rank beginner to high flier, there is always a new and more challenging place to strive physically.

And at whatever level you start, there IS significant value in looking for and embracing new physical feats.

First, there is the value seen in a shift in your outlook on life. Putting your body and mind through physically challenging – or even demanding – activities literally trains your mind to be open to new ideas, new discoveries and new opportunities. You’ll find yourself seeking fulfillment in the joy of simply exploring – rather than trying to relive old, worn out stories.

Next, regularly challenging yourself physically trains and builds your self esteem and confidence. When you can regain a sense of agility or overcome new challenges for the first time, your self image soars with new confidence and certainty. And that sense of self gets translated to everything you do.

And finally there is the obvious health benefit. After all, how may articles, TV shows, books, infomercials and experts do you need to encounter before you believe that regular physical exercise heads off maladies of every sort and builds resistance to the aging process in total? Exercise is not only necessary for a long and vibrant life, it is required.

So what stories – and the lessons from those stories – will you tell your kids or grandkids at the coming Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? Will it be about when you were young (like them) – or will it be about what new adventure you took on in the past year?

Sugar. Frightening, but many don’t know that it can be more addictive than drugs like heroin or cocaine! Sugar addiction grows slowly, over time, like a thick vine steadily creeps over a tree choking and eventually killing it.  Though sugar is deadly and dangerous, many of us continue to ignore the dangers until we are finally robbed of our health.

Do you crave sugar? Is sugar on your mind all day? Do visions of chocolates, sugary cereals or colorful snack packs dance in your head? If you secretly admit these cravings, or if this describes someone you know and love (your child, parent or best friend) – please read on.

A sure sign of sugar addiction is when a person feels moody when they don’t eat sugar. The smell, sight or touch of sugary foods can give you an instant high or rush and spark a craving. And when you are not eating sugar, you’re thinking about it. You can literally not go one day without it. And worse, when you eat sugar you tend to indulge or eat too much.

At The Renewal Point we have helped hundreds of people break the grip of this powerful obsession.

Once identified, we are relentless in resolving this common issue because it most often leads to even more devastating health problems such as obesity (and the poor self esteem associated with it), heart disease, diabetes and depression.

If you or someone you love is experiencing sugar addiction or its associated and dangerous implications, it is critical to find a physician with expertise in this field. For example, powerful brain chemicals and hormone imbalances must be corrected; and, specialized support for behavioral changes is a must. Meanwhile, medication to correct addictive cravings and depression is often necessary. Under Dr. Watts’ direction, we offer all of this.

The Renewal Point invites you to attend our next complimentary educational seminar and meet Dr. Watts and his staff. Please join us and bring your family and friends. You’ll hear the latest science and solutions for breaking sugar and carb urges. This positive message is sure to give you hope!

Guys, there’s really good news on testosterone replacement and it is changing the way we think about our hormones.

Testosterone replacement is now being endorsed by Harvard doctors, the New England Journal of Medicine, and researchers at the University of Cambridge and Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Long known to increase virility, sexuality, brain power, and energy, testosterone has been used by men seeking an “anti-aging tonic.” But the questions safety and risk still lingered in the minds of many.

After years of research and extensive literature reviews, it is clear that low testosterone levels are not good for men. And, that restoring testosterone to optimum healthy levels turns back the clock for our aging symptoms. Here are some of these breakthrough studies that I’m excited about:

Researchers at the University of Cambridge studied 12,000 men for 10 years to see if testosterone levels were a factor in men’s health. They found that men with the lower serum testosterone levels had a marked increase in heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, weight problems and cancers of all types including prostate cancer. When they restored testosterone to optimal levels in these men they found a reversal of all these degenerative aging problems (American Heart Journal of Circulation, Nov 2007). 

At the same time that this research was being done in Cambridge, Harvard Urologists were reviewing the medical literature for 60 years back and were also testing men for prostate cancer. Their research proved the exact same thing. Men with lower testosterone levels were at a higher risk for all prostate problems (i.e.: benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer). Restoring these men to optimal levels did not increase their risk; it lowered it! (New England Journal of Medicine, 07). 

Now men can literally “have their cake and eat it too”. At the Renewal Point, we have long promoted testosterone replacement for men. Our research and experience had shown what is now being printed in the most prestigious of medical literatures. We can continue to feel confident that by restoring our testosterone levels as we age we can enjoy a return to our youth, virility, and sexuality. And a big bonus comes as well: decreasing the risk of the degenerative health problems which plague us all. 

To your good health, 

Dr. Dan Watts.

While a balanced diet and moderate exercise program is certainly necessary for healthy weight loss, many people express frustration as they describe “even though I’m following a strict diet plan and an exercise routine, I still can’t seem to lose the weight”.

Why is that true for so many? It’s about your metabolism.

Even the best weight loss plan can fall short or fail when your metabolism is not working for you.  It may seem unjust, but as you gain in wisdom and age, your metabolism begins to slow.  As your metabolism changes, you gain unwanted pounds around the middle and the thighs.  Throw in our modern day lifestyle of skipping meals, restricting calories, unhealthy diets, stress, sugar, carb cravings and junk food binging and you set up a condition of slowing the metabolism even more.

At The Renewal Point, our answer is to balance your metabolism and hormones, and, if necessary, to test for food sensitivites that could be causing an inflammatory response in your body.  This is the primary difference in our approach to weight loss.  By readjusting your body to work for you, rather than against you, you’ll see that weight loss becomes possible, and much easier.

Let us help you or someone you love.  Find out about our innovative and healthy way to lose weight.

Hear what our satisfied patients have to say:

I tried everything and failed. My “systems” were not cooperating with my efforts!  Well, The Renewal Point Team put “it” all together with me. I immediately began to feel better, more balanced and in control of my life. – Erin

It has been five months since I started at The Renewal Point and I have lost 50 pounds and 12% body fat!  I feel fantastic, look great, and I am enjoying my life so much more! I have a wonderfully restored life.  Thank you, Renewal Point. – Phyllis

The Renewal Point Team has been a wonderful guide in my weight loss efforts. I love the fact that the program helps you not only with weight loss issues but also   creates healthy habits you can use the rest of your life. – Vickie

Like the surge of a sudden summer storm, the onset of menopause can overtake you with bolts of hot flashes, humid sweats and an overall feeling of darkness and gloom. Or perhaps it creeps up on you like a slowly choking vine with increasing fatigue, languishing libido, fuzzy memory or a daily dance with the “blahs”.

Humor for this time of change in a woman’s life has been popularized in Suzanne Somers’ “The Seven Dwarfs of Menopause: Itchy, Bitchy, Sleepy, Sweaty, Bloated, Forgetful, and All-Dried Up”; satirized in plays like Menopause the Musical;and of course, taken the brunt of men’s jokes for years.

However, “the change” is no joking matter as any woman going through menopause can tell you. I personally have seen the bitter side with my own wife, friends and patients as I witnessed the mental and physical anguish it caused.  As a doctor, I was also increasingly aware of the health problems that would soon ensue. 

Menopause leads to an abrupt absence of the very hormones that make a woman feminine and healthy. The symptoms of sleeplessness, hot flashes and moodiness are only the tip of the iceberg. Menopause trumpets the onslaught of much more vicious enemies to a woman’s health: the degeneration of her heart, brain, bones, skin and the essence of her sexuality.

Previously, the only course of treatment for these maladies was a cornucopia of prescription drugs such as anti-depressants, sleeping pills, tranquilizers and synthetic hormones. All of which caused a multitude of possible side effects. 

Luckily, there have been breakthroughs in the management of menopause with Bio-identical Hormone Therapy, which has leveled the playing field for women against this foe. Bio-identical hormones have changed everything. Growing old does not have to include becoming emotionally and physically sick, or losing sexual desire. Now women can preserve their health and sanity, enjoying the wisdom, security, and gracefulness that can and should come with healthy aging. 

My patients and family are enjoying the benefits of my specialization in this promising field of medicine. As a physician, I find it rewarding to be practicing medicine in these times when we now have the tools to restore the quality of life safely, adding healthy, happy and satisfying years to my patients’ lives.

 

“Spare tire”, “beer belly”, “pot belly”…call it what you may, extra abdominal fat on men and women is usually unwanted and always unhealthy!

Here are some facts about this type of fat:

• The fat that causes a “beer belly” or “keg belly” is mostly made up of a type of fat called visceral fat. This fat is tucked deep inside your waist-line, wrapping around your vital organs, making it the most dangerous kind of fat!
• Visceral fat comes from ingesting too many processed carbs, be they from beer, wine, white bread, sugar, pastas, chips, pretzels… etc.

• It is especially common for men after 35 and women after menopause. And, as it is very hormonally and metabolically active, it is also the cause of hormone imbalances and inflammatory diseases.  In this respect, it can easily lead to arthritis, fibromyalgia, GERD, gastritis, and inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Visceral fat contributes to this nation’s leading causes of death and disease: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
• “Yo-Yo Dieting” encourages visceral fat.
• Someone can be considered healthy by looking at the numbers on the scale, but they could still have fat tucked deep inside their abdomen. This is usually the case for adults who don’t exercise. A body fat analysis is key in determining if this is the case.

As an integrative doctor, I can say that the good news lies in the fact that most people with this problem are aware of it and want to get rid of it. 

For those of you ready to take the reigns on this problem, here are some tips:

• Eating whole foods (low-sugar fruits and vegetables) rather than refined, processed foods. 
• Most people will lose visceral fat by eating more monounsaturated fat, such as those fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olives. These fats have also been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease.  Just make sure the portion sizes are reasonable.
• Exercise can help you lose fat and keep it off, particularly when it comes to visceral fat. Strengthening the belly with crunches and sit-ups can make you look thinner and lighter, but you’ll want to add aerobic exercises as this will cause the fat to melt away. This means participating in exercise that makes you sweat!
• Limit alchol consumption to 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men (1 drink = 1.5 oz distilled spirit = 12 oz beer = 5 oz wine) and be careful of the type of mixer you use with distilled spirits (soda water with the lime/lemon twist is the lowest carb option)

And if, like most us, you need help and support to change, please email, call, or come to one of our upcoming seminars! 

In theory, losing weight should be easy, right?  You simply need to “eat less and exercise more”.  However, the true fact is that many who try this simple formula fail…sometimes over and over again.  Why? Because obesity, weight gain and weight loss are regulated by the brain.

Powerful brain chemicals are sending signals to your body telling you to eat more and hormone imbalances governed by your pituitary gland in your brain are telling your body to slow down your metabolism.  Essentially, your brain is telling your body to store fat and not burn fuel (food).

Two very contradictory messages coming from your own body often leading to frustration and giving up. Our goal is to get all of you on the same winning team.

Pow-Wow! Powerful Brain Chemicals

• Leptin and Adiponectin – The “thermostatic” control called Leptin and Adinopectin receptors tell your body how fat it should be.  Trying to lose weight without these strong brain chemicals in balance will end in failure.
• Dopamine – By increasing dopamine and its related neurochemicals, norepinephrine and acetylcholine, you can reduce fat cravings.
• GABA – By increasing GABA, you can tell nervous eating patterns goodbye.  Additionally, when GABA is increased, it helps us fall into a deeper sleep which in turn helps to regulate the leptin receptors.
• Serotonin – When serotonin, sometimes called the “joy hormone” is low, the brain sends out a signal that it needs carbs, especially chocolate.

The Key: Natural Hormone Balancing

Hormones, such as insulin, estrogen, testosterone, cortisol, and growth hormone (just to name a few), must be balanced in order to achieve good body composition.  I have always advocated using a natural approach, such as bio-identical hormone balancing to accomplish this.

How to Succeed

Successful lasting weight control first depends on controlling these powerful chemicals, not in counting calories, fat grams and carbohydrates.  Following a restricted diet that chooses one nutrient group over another might appear successful at first, but it can’t last when your body continues sending out internal mixed messages.  I advocate eating a healthy diet, increasing your nutrient content by eating natural foods, taking vitamin and mineral supplements and balancing your hormones.  Fresh fruits and vegetables, organic lean meats, “real foods” (not Twinkies and Fruit Loops) are the keys to a healthy, longer, and yes… thinner life.  I hope you will join me at one of my seminars so I can share the most current information on taking better care of yourself and educate you on how to bring these powerful chemicals under control.

To Your Good Health,

Dan Watts M.D.

One key substance in a man’s body that is more powerful than any other health factor is testosterone. It is linked to nearly every major degenerative disease: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer’s, etc. Sadly, testosterone deficiency is a most commonly under-diagnosed and misunderstood syndrome. Andropause, often called “male menopause”, used to be seen as part of an aging process that was to be accepted gracefully. This decline in male health is marked by a slow or sometimes abrupt drop in blood testosterone levels.

Symptoms of Male Menopause

• Decrease in sexual function and the desire for sexual intimacy.
• Decrease in mental sharpness and creativity, “burned out” tiredness.
• Feeling of depression, “blahs”, apathy in marriage or work.
• Sore body syndrome: aches, joint or muscle pain.
• Decrease in athletic performance: endurance, strength, muscles.
• Increase in cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.
• Increase in fat distribution: belly, hips and breasts.

Facts about low testosterone in men were recently published in the prominent peer-reviewed medical journal, Circulation.

After studying 12,000 men for 10 years, Cambridge doctors found that those men with the lowest testosterone levels had an increased risk of dying early from all causes, including cancer. When their levels were brought back to normal, those risks were markedly improved.

Thankfully, today this grim milestone in a man’s life can be rolled back. The answer is found in preventative medicine with simple natural  testosterone replacement.

If you have symptoms of male menopause, have our office run a simple blood test called a Male Hormone Profile to see if you have low testosterone levels.

These symptoms can be reversed!

Due to changes in my own health, I have personally implemented and benefited from this health strategy. My own experience has then helped many of my friends and family, as well as hundreds of my patients. – Dr. Watts

If you have ever had trouble falling asleep and tuned into late night television to distract yourself from the mind spin that can so often occur, you are probably all too familiar with infomercials about Cortisol. As it is commonly and rightly called the “death hormone” or the “fat hormone”, it is extremely important that you begin to educate yourself about its impact in order to regain control of your overall health.

Cortisol and its maker, the adrenal glands, haven’t always given us so many problems; the adrenal glands were originally designed to manage the flight-or-fight stress response, a reaction that was needed from time to time when fighting for food or protecting our children from predators. But now, in modern times, with our constant “pedal-to-the-metal” lifestyle and wide range of stressors, we have started to overburden the adrenal glands resulting in cortisol levels that are completely out-of-balance and devastating for our health and well being.

High levels of cortisol, called “hypercortisolemia”, cause anxiety, panic, sleep disturbances, sugar cravings, and weight gain. Low levels of cortisol, called “hypocortisolemia” cause “burn-out”, fatigue, depression, fuzzy thinking, and weight gain. So, either too much or too little cortisol causes weight gain, principally around our middle and thighs.

If left unbalanced, cortisol makes it very difficult to lose weight, and regardless of the time and effort that you put into dieting and exercising, the fat will stay put. The good news is that we are now able to detect and correct these imbalances. At The Renewal Point, under medical supervision, we are able to help you bring these very powerful hormones under control and lose the fat for good.

First, we test your cortisol levels with blood or salivary labs. Then, we identify your specific imbalances in order to develop the precise program that your body needs. Finally, bringing hormones back into balance, we monitor your health to make sure that your Cortisol levels remain stable. For you, this means less sleepless nights watching Cortisol infomercials and more quality days doing the things that you want and need to do.

For more information on the effects of cortisol and other hormones… https://www.therenewalpoint.com/education/blog/hormone-balancing-made-simple/