“I’m completely off my diabetic medicines,” said Steve Smith, who is among the group on Ideal Protein, a medically-managed weight loss program that has the Guthrie community taking charge of its health. ”It’s a health do-over,” said Smith. Smith has been on the plan for three months and has lost 35 pounds.
“This is not just a diet, it’s a pancreatic treatment program,” said Lisa Curtess, the physician assistant who oversees the program at LMC. The primary function of the pancreas is to produce insulin. “Our focus is on getting our patients healthy.” Patients on the program have decreased their medications, while some have gotten completely off their medications, like Smith. Others have decreased swelling so their arthritis is better; most have lowered or are completely off their blood pressure medicine.
“Can you imagine the implications of this program?” asks Curtess. “As a medical provider we want nothing more than to have our patients take control of their health and lead a more productive life.”
Tears come to the eyes of Kim Walker, Guthrie, as she expresses the success she and husband Dell have had since starting on the plan in January. They have lost 30 and 65 lbs. respectively. They feel better about themselves and feel as though they are getting their lives back.
Sitting in a room with others on the program, the conversation turned to the cost of the program. “How do you put a price on your health?” asked Walker. Curtess explains that most insurance companies are covering the cost of the office visits. Participants must weigh in every week and there is no additional cost for the weekly visit. The cost of the Ideal Protein products is approximately $90 per week during Phase I and decreases as participants move through Phase Two – Four. “If you really sit down and put paper to pencil and are honest with yourself about where you spend your food dollars, the cost of the program isn’t far from what you spend in an ordinary day,” said Walker.
The Ideal Protein team encourages people who want to get healthy and lose weight not let the cost keep them from learning about the program.
Education and understanding is strongly emphasized while on the program. Understanding why you gain weight will help you lose weight. The Ideal Protein coaching team at LMC requires participants to attend a free workshop to learn about this pancreatic treatment program.
Ideal Protein was introduced 25 years ago by Dr. Tran Tien, who developed it to help Olympic athletes train. The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method is an easy 4-phase protocol which helps stabilize the pancreas and blood sugar levels while burning fat and maintaining muscle and other lean tissue. The Ideal Protein program gets the body back in balance. More importantly, participants get the tools needed to keep the pounds off after the weight loss goal is achieved. On average, women lose weight at the rate of 3 to 4 pounds per week and men 4 to 7 pounds per week. There is also a modified protocol for Type I diabetics, adolescents and children.
According to Dr. Tien, the cause of most weight issues in today’s society is insulin dysfunction. A diet grossly disproportionate in its share of saturated fats and sugars, such as in breads, cereals, muffins, cakes, pastries, pasta, pizza, rice, corn - very much like the North American diet - causes the pancreas to produce an overabundance of insulin, which stays in the system and puts the blood sugar level in a negative balance. An overproduction of insulin also leads to hypoglycemia or low glycemia, which in turn induces constant sugar cravings and weight gain. Insulin’s primary function is to regulate blood sugar levels; however, it is also the hormone that facilitates the transport of fat (triglycerides) into the fat cells. Even worse, it "locks" the fat in the fat cell, preventing it to be used as a source of energy. Because the blood sugar has dropped (and we can’t access the fat as a fuel source) it creates "sugar cravings' and the vicious cycle begins again. In other words, an over abundance of insulin causes weight gain.
Curtess goes on to explain that the body stores approximately three days worth of carbohydrates. Because of this, the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Method has a beginning and an end. Until 100% of the weight loss goal is achieved, simple and complex sugars are restricted. “As long as sugar is being consumed, the body is not burning fat. It's as simple as that,” said Curtess.
Eating habits of today’s population have produced an increasingly obese nation. Because of this, many people suffer from Syndrome X, which is a cluster of symptoms that may be caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors that increase a person's risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. If you have two or more of these risk factors (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes) you can have Syndrome X. According to The Center for Disease Control, a little more than one-third of the US population could be characterized as having Syndrome X.
The Ideal Protein plan at LMC may be what saves you from Syndrome X. Check it out by registering on-line for a free workshop at LoganMedicalCenter.com.