The discovery of “leptin” in 1994 created an explosion of interest in the “biology of white adipose tissue” — otherwise known as FAT. You probably remember those photos of seriously obese mice sitting next to their slender littermates — and the only difference between them was that the thin ones had been given this magic substance called leptin?

Major pharmaceutical companies embarked on a flurry of research, trying to discover the next “Blockbuster Drug for Weight Control,” and hoped to make a killing selling expensive drugs to desperate people.

But the results of what scientists, clinicians, and consumers have discovered since then, may turn out to be more useful to you and me than to the drug companies. I’ve been talking about FAT as something that promotes inflammation for a very long time. I’ve also been warning my patients about dangers of the downward spiral from FAT and inflammation into serious and life-threatening illnesses.

“Managing’ your FAT is a very complex process and there probably isn’t any one single pill that will ever be able to act as a “magic bullet,” and do the whole job for you. But the good news is that there are some practical strategies that may also have emerged from all the research that’s been done. And the LaValle Metabolic Institute (LMI) has more than a decade of clinical experience treating FAT and inflammation — and preventing the illnesses they can cause.

The bottom line is — all of us can manage our own FAT — and without spending a single dime on expensive drugs.

Here’s what the scientists have learned about what “FAT” does in your body. It doesn’t actually just “sit there on your hips and belly.” Instead, it makes and releases a variety of “signaling proteins.” These are called adipokines, and they play a very active role in taking our nutritional and lifestyle choices and transforming them into “molecular events” in our bodies.

These events can then send us into a downward spiral of metabolic syndrome, inflammatory and/or autoimmune conditions, and rheumatic diseases. Leptin is one of these adipokines; so are adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin. And the wrong levels of each of these can have very unpleasant effects on our metabolism, our immune systems, and our overall health.

Adipokines all contain some “pro-inflammatory” substances, and the levels at which your body maintains each of these is critical to whether it acts “for you” or “against you.” The wrong amounts of any of these can contribute to a number of very unpleasant and potentially life-threatening diseases.

Specifically, leptin may be involved in insulin resistance — leading to type 2 diabetes along with intestinal inflammation — leading to food intolerances/allergies, hepatitis and both osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.

Adiponectin has some very positive effects.1 It increases insulin sensitivity and oxidation of fatty acids — helping our bodies to “burn” calories more efficiently. But in the wrong amounts, it can also contribute to osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and liver injury — not to mention obesity. Resistin and visfatin are also implicated in the development of most of these illnesses.

So while we all wait for the drug companies to develop a “magic pill,” here’s what you can do right now:

1. Change your diet to one that’s high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and contains the “good” fats. This helps your body produce healthy levels of insulin and maintain healthy blood glucose levels.2 It also increases the chance that you will burn many of the calories you take in as fuel, rather than storing them as FAT.3
2. Eat organic foods whenever possible. Studies increasingly show that they are more nutritious than their “commercial” alternatives.
3. Help your body manage cravings for carbohydrates and sweets by keeping your serotonin levels up. Dietary supplements like Relora®, Rhodiola, and 5-HTP can help.
4. Do eat some carbohydrates — but eat the right ones.5 You can still have small quantities of “sweets,” but will avoid paying a high price for eating them if you add large quantities of nutrient rich, non-starchy vegetables and high fiber foods like beans to your diet.6
5. Replenish your body’s supply of vital nutrients such as chromium and magnesium by taking the right vitamin and mineral supplements.4 Essential nutrients are often depleted in the typical American diet. It’s a good idea to embark on a program of dietary supplements with the help of a professional caregiver, knowledgeable about nutrition.
6. Help your body reduce inflammation by avoiding foods to which you may be allergic. Common food allergies include dairy (from cow’s milk) and wheat. Eating “organic” can help you avoid taking in the unhealthy chemicals and preservatives often found in processed foods. Substitute healthy fats like olive and (organic) canola oil for butter and (stick) margarine.
7. And finally, commit to drinking 6-8 eight-ounce glasses of high quality water — preferably purified with reverse osmosis — and to exercising for 30 minutes a day a few days a week.

The bottom line is that all the efforts of research scientists have not produced any suggestions for dealing with the adverse effects of FAT on your life. Common sense says you should eat the right foods in moderation and get some exercise. And, if you do, the odds are that you’ll never need any of those pills the drug companies may eventually figure out how to make.7

References

1. Lago, F et al. Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 3(12):716-724, 2007.
2. Boden G et al. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2005, 142;403:411.
3. Bray, GA Annals of Internal Medicine, Editorial, 2005, 142(6)469-70.
4. Liu, S, Archives of Internal Medicine, 2006;166:1438-1439.
5. Connor WE, et al. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2005;7(6):428-34.
6. Vladeva SV, et al. Folia Med (Plovdiv). 2005;47(3-4):59-62.
7. Belin RJ and He K. Magnes Res. 2007;20(2):107-29.

[Ed. Note: Jim LaValle is an educator, clinician and industry consultant in the field of integrative healthcare. He is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist and doctor of naturopathic medicine with more than 20 years clinical practice experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. Named one of the "50 Most Influential Druggists" by American Druggist for his work in natural medicine, LaValle has authored 13 books, including his latest, Cracking the Metabolic Code. For more information, click here.]

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