Diet/Weight Loss

Conventional Wisdom has failed.

Conventional weight management strategy is based on "calories in vs. calories out."  In this model, weight gain is caused by eating too much and not exercising enough.  This model encourages people to eat less and exercise more. We all know that eating less and exercising more just makes you hungry! Dieters are left tired, hungry, on a yo-yo ride. There is a much more accurate way of describing the problem: the type, not necessarily the amount, of foods we eat affects hormones (notably insulin) that take energy out of the bloodstream and lock it up in storage around the body. The result is weight gain (too much storage), hunger and fatigue (not enough available energy).

The Insulin Model

The insulin model addresses the energy storage problem caused by the foods we eat. We have observed the effectiveness of removing sugar and processed carbohydrate from diets for over 150 years.  Why do these diets work so well?  Why are sugars and processed carbs so fattening?  Why do obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia seem to happen in given populations but not in others?  Are lower carbohydrate diets safe?

Caveat:  It seems like people have very heavy handed opinions about everything nowadays, especially nutrition (many people are almost religious about their diet!).  Low carb diets can be very effective for many people.  Dr. Zerafa is NOT dogmatic or "all-in" about low carb diets, rather he understands low carb diets can be a powerful tool when used appropriately in the right person with the correct monitoring.  There's a lot of nuance with nutrition and Dr. Zerafa wants to help find what works with you, which may or may not include a low carb diet.

Exercise

"Exercise is like brushing your teeth.  It's good for you, you should do it every day, but it doesn't help you lose weight." -Jason Fung, M.D., author of The Obesity Code.

There are many, many benefits to exercising regularly.  Dr. Zerafa exercises 6 times per week for 45 minutes and lives an active lifestyle.  We will discuss specific times and activities as part of our strategy. For many people, weight loss is NOT a benefit from exercise because diet is the main problem.  

So what do we do?

First, we work together to get rid of excess sugar in your diet. We continue on an individual basis to discuss the effects of your medical history, medications, eating patterns and lifestyle on your weight.  Then, we stay healthy and grow old together!!!

Below are Amazon links to a few of the books I would recommend to learn about overall healthy eating. I have scrutinized so much information for you and I believe these books are both accurate and responsible. The first link, to The Obesity Code, is a great place to start. This book also works well on audible if you would prefer, although some of the diagrams are important to see in the actual book.

The Case Against Sugar by Gary Taubes takes the reader through the history of the research demonstrating how sugar CAUSES disease, then how the sugar/agricultural industry has protected this fact from our population. Gary has an uncanny ability to analyze, scrutinize, then recall scientific research. This book uses decades of research (good and bad) to make a clear, convincing case that sugar in the diet has a huge impact on our health.

Dr. Z

***Consult with Dr. Zerafa before making any major changes to your diet, especially if you are diabetic on medications or if you take blood pressure medicine.***

I have no financial relationship with Jason Fung, Gary Taubes, their respective publishers, or www.dietdoctor.com.

This website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional services, including the giving of professional advice. There is no doctor-patient relationship formed. The use of this information and links is at the user’s own risk. The content of this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any condition they have, and should seek advice from their medical professionals for any of their medical conditions.