Weight loss leads to saggy skin

November 6, 2012 By

Q: I have been on the No Flour, No Sugar diet for five months and have lost 35 pounds, going from 216 to 181. I feel great and am buying new pants. My problem is with the excess skin all over my body and at 76 years old I don’t have a lot of time to reabsorb all that excess. If I could tighten up the skin, I will lose another 10-15 pounds. Have you got any ideas?

A: Significant weight loss can cause sagging skin, especially fast weight loss from crash or fad diets. Skin is elastic and as we move, grow, and gain (or lose) weight, it stretches and contracts. This elasticity naturally decreases as we age (the cause of wrinkles). The elasticity is also dependent on skin health, consuming a proper diet and being hydrated. When we gain weight the skin is forced to stretch to continue [Read more…]

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NFNS diet questions

May 15, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I love your No Flour, No Sugar diet but I am confused about one thing. I am a lacto-ovo-vegetarian (I don’t eat any meat but do consume eggs and dairy). Once in a while I like to eat the vegetarian meat substitutes that are on the market. Your list of approved foods in the No Flour, No Sugar book lists vegetarian meat substitutes as okay, but I have yet to find a brand that is totally void of sugars. I can tell by the ingredient list that the amount is minute, as the nutritional label lists one gram of sugar per burger. Some have a small amount of whole grain flours in them as well. Are these still okay to eat?

Also, I notice we can have low-fat mayo and soups, but again, I have yet to find a broth-based soup like lentil or veggie that doesn’t have a teeny amount of sugar it. There are no mayo products on the market that are totally sugar free, although the label lists 0 sugar gram [Read more…]

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Are probiotics the answer?

May 4, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 66-year-old male who has undergone two small bowel resections in the past year to free up adhesions caused by a previous colon resection for diverticulitis. I am worried my system may never get back to normal. I went from 240 to 200 pounds after the first procedure and from 200 to 180 pounds following the second one. I think I am suffering from malabsorption because I am very low on energy and my thyroid medication (Synthroid) needed to be increased despite the weight loss.

I have also become very lactose intolerant which I have read can result from small bowel surgery and antibiotics. I think probiotics are a good idea to repopulate the gut with good bacteria after being on any type of oral antibiotics. Do you feel it is necessary to take a probiotic daily or would I get the same results if I take one every other day, as the better brands are very expensive? [Read more…]

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Diet causes blood pressure changes

April 18, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been on your diet since February and have lost 10-15 pounds. I didn’t realize that it could lower my blood pressure in addition to the weight loss. I began noticing dizziness periodically during the day so my cardiologist reduced my blood pressure medicine. Recently I noticed I was still having some dizziness and got winded with little exertion so my doctor had me hospitalized where I was diagnosed with hypotension. All’s well now but I suggest that you make it clear that your diet can also cause lowered blood pressure so that those on medication can be alert to the problem of hypotension. Thanks.

DEAR READER: I do specifically mention that weight loss in general as well as from my diet, can reduce blood pressure (as well as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more) in my book “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet”. I have also recommended weight loss as an aid to [Read more…]

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Weight gain may be due to menopause

March 26, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 57-year-old post-menopausal woman. I have been gaining weight despite the fact that my diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, eating meat as a condiment rather than the main event, drinking lots of water and getting regular exercise. Several times a week I bicycle 12 miles, walk three miles a day and use the stairs to my 4th floor office. Despite all this, I continue to gain weight. Is there a supplement I should consider taking or something else I should be doing? Until my mid-40s, I was slim and fit.

DEAR READER: My first thought for your weight gain was menopause. In the peri-menopause phase leading up to menopause, symptoms can include vaginal dryness, decreased fertility, irregular periods, mood swings, thinning hair, loss of breast fullness, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, [Read more…]

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NFNS diet questions answered

March 14, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: Thank you for your wonderful book. I’m sure you hear this a “bazillion” times a days but this I the only diet I can stick to. I’ve done Atkins’, Weight Watchers, MediFast, VLCD, and more but yours is just wonderful and I don’t feel deprived.

I have quick question. With the Ezekiel 4:9 bread, how many slices are allowed per day? I know you explained not to go “hog wild” and to watch portion control but at 80 calories a slice, I’ve been eating a slice with avocado for breakfast and then a 2-slice sandwich with eggs for lunch. Is this allowed?

Also, are other Ezekiel products allowed if they are sans flour and sugar? Their cereals and pastas are also made from sprouted grains and a flourless.
[Read more…]

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Diet becomes a lifestyle change

February 21, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing because I have been a Dr. Gott follower for years. Thanks to a column years ago in which I read about thyroid symptoms, I went to my doctor and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I have battled my weight since my 30s. I lost weight on the Atkins diet but gained it back after a few years. Finally, this year at 52, I decided to try the No Flour, No Sugar Diet with my husband. I wanted it to be a lifestyle change that we could follow, not a diet. Of course, I wanted to lose weight but it wasn’t my number one priority, my health was. Four months later, I am 20 pounds lighter! Thank you. It’s easy and I feel better. My husband has lost about the same. We feel that it’s an easy lifestyle change that we can follow each day.

DEAR READER: Congratulations to you and your husband for not only losing the weight, but for taking an active role in improving your health.
[Read more…]

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Weight gain blamed on prescription drug

February 2, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 32-year-old male who has been struggling with weight ever since I started on Nardil in 2004. During that time my weight ballooned from 180 to 220 pounds, despite lowering my caloric intake to 1500 calories a day and doing two hours of high intensity cardio five days a week. The Nardil gave me a heightened energy level so it wasn’t difficult to maintain, though I didn’t experience any weight loss.

Since going off Nardil in 2009 I have had low energy and sleep disruptions. My weight has dropped to 210, fluctuating occasionally between 205 and 215. Despite my best efforts, I cannot drop my weight any further, though adding vitamin B has helped with my energy. Hormone tests have come back normal, so there is not an issue there.
[Read more…]

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Obese man won’t diet

November 8, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My 48-year-old husband of 12 years is obese. When we married he was a large man but not obese. This condition has affected our lives in many ways. How do we get information concerning options for him other than diet? He has high blood pressure and cholesterol that are both controlled by medication. I am at my wits’ end. Please help!

DEAR READER: Your note is very brief and doesn’t give me much to go on. Why are you interested in options other than diet? Is he already on a diet? Does he consume normal portions of healthful foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish? Has he refused to make necessary modifications to his eating habits?
[Read more…]

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Stress causes multiple health concerns

September 21, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been reading about the benefits of meditation and dietary changes, and I now realize that stress (sometimes intense) is a major contributor to my current condition. I need guidance in dealing with my overall well-being.

I am a 56-year-old woman, 5 feet 5 inches and 175 pounds. Most of my excess weight is belly fat, and I am beginning to experience discomfort in this area. My eating habits are not particularly good, but I do avoid sweets, an abundance of carbs and excessive portions.

Exercise has been limited by fortitude, energy and perseverance. I swim and want to do more than I currently am. I was a heavy smoker but quit 11 years ago. A heart attack six years ago has me taking ongoing medication. I also take drugs for depression, anxiety, migraines, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and back pain caused by scoliosis and sciatica.
[Read more…]

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