Carol West talks to Patricia Vine about the problem of obesity for the over 50s, which she says is the time the body starts to give out signals that it is struggling to cope!
With recent reports claiming that nearly one in four people is now obese in older age, the need to tackle the problem of obesity and overeating has never been greater.
Carol and Andrew West, who were once overweight and unhealthy themselves, have changed their eating habits and lifestyles to live longer and more active lives and are now helping others to do the same.
Their programme is firmly based on scientific research into the part that diet plays in health and disease. It has broken new ground in managing obesity, diabetes, cancer and other serious conditions. Carol and Andrew (say or believe) they have set new standards for the prevention of disease and the optimisation of good health.
The dangers of obesity
Obesity is a lifestyle condition fuelled by our Western diet which is made up of cheap food high in salt, sugar and fat all too readily available in our supermarkets. This is compounded by the rise of fast food establishments and the coffee shop culture which all add up to extra calories. As a nation we are more sedentary than ever before and as a consequence we are getting fatter and fatter.
Most of us know that being considerably overweight increases the risk of developing a number of serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, such as type 2 diabetes which is increasing at an alarming rate in the UK, high blood pressure, circulation problems, heart disease, stroke, and even some types of cancer such as breast and colon cancer.
Change of diet
Carol and Andrew are advocates of a are advocates of a diet that is basically alkaline, as part of their Obsidian programme, which puts the body in the best position to lose weight both quickly and safely. It ensures that more nutrients per calorie are consumed by the body, as it combines plant-based food that is free from animal products and rich in essential nutrients. The Obsidian diet is grounded in scientific research spanning 30 years and is essential part of their weight loss programme.
“A plant based diet can clean the cells of the body very quickly,” explains Carol “it is a form of detox, the high nutrient base of the foods feeds the body and allows it to clean itself up.”
“Juicing is very effective because it is a fast way of pumping lots of nutrition into the body – by juicing, we bypass digestion
and the nutrition from the juice is absorbed into the body within 15 minutes of drinking it. Because our bodies do not recognise calories but are always searching for nutrition, juicing also means that the body does not need to give the hunger signal all the time because it has all the nutrients it needs.”
If you are interested in juicing go to www.thejuicingclub.com which provides free recipes and information.
Diet and exercise
Weight loss programmes require commitment and can be challenging as they involve an on-going change in lifestyle and eating habits, but they are successful for people who are prepared to stick to them.
Their programme takes a holistic approach and is made up of four distinct areas that include diet, exercise education and mind set.
The exercise is tailored to the individual’s needs and ability; the aim is to get the body moving and to tone up while mind set is possibly the most important part of the programme.
Many people struggle to keep the weight off long term as it often requires a complete change of lifestyle, so the programme helps them change their thought processes and old habits, ensuring that the weight loss results achieved are sustainable by providing on-going support with personal contact.
Type 2 Diabetes
Research has shown that is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes and decrease blood sugar, medication and the risk of complications with the right diet. Studies show that a plant-based low fat diet like the Obsidian diet combined with exercise gets outstanding results.
Simply put, the cells in the body carry insulin which is released into the blood to reduce glucose levels, especially after eating. The cells become blocked with fats (especially animal fats) which cannot effectively release insulin anymore.
“Many of our guests have reduced their medication of insulin injections and metformin tablets while others are now off diabetes medication altogether.” says Carol.
Tips and advice
There is no natural alternative to losing weight except through a combination of diet and exercise for anyone with a weight problem or suffering from type-2 diabetes.
Carol says, “My best advice is to firstly reduce your dairy and meat intake, next be aware of the amount of additional fats that are in your diet and don’t cook with oils etc. Also make sure that you drink plenty of water, 2 litres a day will help the body to flush out toxins. Reduce your intake of acidic drinks like coffee and tea – you can replace these with herbal teas like peppermint and fennel.”
The Obsidian programme goes much further than this of course and a visit to their website will provide information if you are overweight or obese, or want to reverse type 2 diabetes www.obsidianretreat.com.
