Estimated read time: 6-7 minutes
"To be honest, when Debbie came to the clinic, I was worried," explained Health Utah's Dr. Whit Roberts, DC. "At barely 5' 2" she weighed 360 lbs. The weight wasn't my concern, I had helped many, even heavier people, lose weight and regain their lives back. But Debbie was different.
"The problem of obesity in her family went back generations," he says. "As far back as she was aware, everyone struggled with weight - so much so that no one in her family had lived past the age of 57. They had all suffered heart attacks."
Roberts says his primary worry was not the genetic cause for her obesity, a family trait so strong that she believed no dieting could help. Instead he said that his main concern was the years of self deprecation and self doubt she experienced. He was concerned that she didn't really believe she could lose the weight after years of trying and failing.
Although there are 97 genetic markers that have been linked to obesity, recent research by the Genetic Investigation of ANthropometric Traits or GIANT consortium found that if a person had all 97, they would only have an average increase in BMI of 2.7%. In most cases that wouldn't even raise a patient's BMI 1 point.
In fact, the FTO gene, the gene most closely associated with obesity, is responsible for only a 0.34% difference in people's weight, according to a review of research cited in the National Library of Medicine.
"It's true that someone with these genes might have to work harder to maintain optimal weight. But the bigger issue is breaking the habits associated with failure and self-doubt," he says. "People like Debbie have beat themselves up for so many years that they often don't feel they are capable, worthy or important enough to make the effort."
Roberts says the sad reality is that oftentimes weight gain is not the fault of the individual even though that's where doctors most often lay the blame. The two main causes of obesity are actually the food industry and poor physical and mental health, he says.
Roberts references an article by Dr. Deborah Cohen, a physician and a senior natural scientist at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization. She writes that the food industry is primarily focused on profits rather than nutrition and that it deliberately takes advantage of traits that make people easily manipulated into making decisions that are not in their own best interests. She calls on the government to "Bring more regulation to the food environment, making sure that what is available is healthy, and that the contents of foods are transparent and easily understandable."
Roberts' opinion is also supported by studies reported in the National Library of Medicine in 2022.
As a result, Roberts says the weight loss specialists at Health Utah focus on the two causes mentioned above.
With Debbie, weight wasn't the only problem, Roberts explains. She was in extreme pain with fibromyalgia and neuropathy and she had very severe insomnia. She was exhausted all the time and she rated her energy a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10. She also struggled with knee and low back pain, depression, diarrhea and was prediabetic. She had a weakened immune system and she had pneumonia three times the year before she sought help from Health Utah.
The first step at Health Utah is to evaluate possible pathophysiological causes. Some of the more common are insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, leptin resistance, autoimmune disease, thyroid disorder, food sensitivities and adrenal fatigue.
Roberts and his team of doctors and other health professionals evaluate each case with a variety of tools such as their proprietary health survey, an extensive review of your health history, blood tests and a body scan.
Debbie tried for years to lose weight without addressing her underlying health issues. During a 12-week intensive program, Roberts and his team worked with Debbie to resolve the health issues preventing her effective weight loss.
The program included some dietary changes but no calorie counting. It included some supplementation to help restore homeostasis to her systems and to balance her hormones.
She also benefited from weekly coaching sessions that addressed life skills, nutritional counseling and accountability. A variety of therapies were prescribed to speed up weight loss, engage her subconscious mind and flush toxins.
Of course Debbie didn't lose 200 pounds in 12 weeks. Following the intensive program, she followed up with the team at Health Utah on a regular basis during the two years it took to lose the weight. She particularly liked a form of hypnotherapy performed at Health Utah which helped her focus on her journey back to optimal health and weight.
Health Utah's approach is unique. It is designed to provide the health, balance, knowledge, skills and habits you need to lose the weight and sustain the weight loss indefinitely. There is nothing like it anywhere.
The first step is to take the proprietary health survey, get the body scan and have a consultation with Roberts. It is just $59 and they encourage you to bring a friend or partner with you at no additional cost. The appointment will take around 90 minutes but the time is worth it. The insights you will gain in regard to your health are very valuable.
Call 801-609-3478 and tell them you read this article or click here to schedule your appointment.
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