Omaha's First and Best HCG Weight-loss Program

Omaha's First and Best HCG Weight-loss Program

by Stacy Urbanski DTR, Nutritionist

2015 is almost here, it’s time for envisioning goals and setting a plan of action to achieve what the heart desires.  If your desire is to look and feel healthy by losing weight- Alternatives has a plan for you. 

The HCG weight loss program is a 12 week medically supervised program for women and men divided into 4 phases. By focusing on one phase at a time, the program is simplified and easy to follow.  We will meet with you throughout each phase in order to assess your weight loss, overall health and where adjustments can be made in order to ensure your success.

Along with a detailed food plan and HCG cookbook, daily HCG shots are prescribed. The shots last for 6 weeks and will help suppress the appetite and assist the body in burning stored fat.  Stored fat accumulates in hard to lose areas such as the abdomen, hips, upper arms, buttocks and breasts.  Without the HCG, other fats are burned first such as structural fats needed to protect organs.  When given the HCG shot, 2,000 – 4,000 calories of stored fat are released and burned for energy.  This is why our patients don’t feel hungry, and lose an average of 1 pound per day!

Dr. Simeons, a British physician and renowned expert on weight loss theory, discovered HCG’s unique ability to promote the body to use fat as fuel.  This was discovered when he used the HCG hormone on boys diagnosed with Froehlich’s disease.   Froehlich’s disease is derived from damage of the pituitary gland resulting in endocrine abnormalities.  When Dr. Simeons treated the boys with HCG it helped them come to sexual maturity and changed their shape by decreasing fat and increasing muscle.

In the late 1950’s Dr. Simeons opened an obesity treatment clinic in Rome.  The HCG diet plan has been successfully used all around the world ever since.

What exactly is HCG?  HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin hormone) is a hormone extracted from pregnant women which assists in the release of stored fat to nourish the fetus.  A pregnant women produces several thousand units of HCG a day while only 125 units are given to our HCG patients daily.  This is why there are no sexual side effects and HCG can be used by both men and women.

Why choose Alternatives for HCG support?  We have experience supporting patients on the HCG diet and Michelle McCaslin, our Nurse Practitioner, has had success following the HCG diet herself.  We also require the HCG diet process is closely monitored and completed in a healthy way. 

At Alternatives, we carry the best quality lines of supplements available on the market. We also have the knowledge it takes to combine those supplements with the HCG diet in order to keep you feeling energized and balanced during all phases of the plan. In fact, we were the first in Omaha to offer the HCG diet and have more experience than anyone in the area.

The HCG plan is designed for individuals who are ready for a long-term lifestyle change.  The plan gives overweight patients an opportunity to jumpstart this process by losing weight fast and learning to be more aware of food choices and portions.

I will be available for nutritional support during this entire process.  This is especially important in the last phase of the diet as certain foods are reintroduced into the body.  Once you have lost the weight and feel energized, you will be inspired to continue with a new approach to food.  Together, we will devise an individual plan for you and remove any obstacles that might stand in the way of your everlasting healthy weight.

Is Gluten-Free a Fad? A Gluten-Free Diet Decreases Inflammation and Supports Immune System Health

Is Gluten-Free a Fad? A Gluten-Free Diet Decreases Inflammation and Supports Immune System Health

by Michelle McCaslin

The term “Gluten-Free” is everywhere. There are gluten-free menus at restaurants and whole sections in the grocery store are devoted to this phenomenon. It is a word that gets thrown around a lot in conversations these days, but why? Is it a fad?

At Alternatives, we know going gluten-free is indeed NOT a fad. We have seen the elimination of gluten greatly improve the quality of life for many of our patients. (Including myself and Dr. Ryan-Carlson!)

There are an increasing number of individuals who are showing signs of gluten intolerance. As a result, these people notice that when they eliminate gluten from their diets, they feel better.

Gluten intolerance involves an immune response in which the end result is inflammation. When consuming gluten, individuals exhibit symptoms that relate to inflammation within the gut lining such as abdominal discomfort, bloating and gas. And some have no symptoms what so ever but have a familial line of autoimmune diseases.

Most people notice that various gut symptoms will be treated with trial elimination of gluten, which reduces inflammation and supports the immune system, resolving many underlying gut issues.

In addition, we have seen a number of other symptoms resolve from simply going on a gluten-free diet:

·      Migraines

·      Headaches

·      Rashes

·      Joint pain

·      Neuralgia

·      Depression

·      Endometriosis

·      Obesity

The body is multifaceted and there are many causes to various symptoms. At Alternatives, we pay attention to the whole person and all the various causes in order to help significantly decrease inflammation and assist patients in achieving optimal and quality health. Elimination of gluten is but one tool that helps decrease overall inflammation. 

In practice, I have had many experiences with treating gut issues and autoimmune diseases by suggesting a gluten-free diet with great results. It is profound to help people understand the effects of diet choices and how the body responds to the quality and choice of foods we ingest.

So what is gluten? Wheat is made up of starch, water, fats and proteins. The total protein is broken into albumin, globulin and gluten. Gluten is then comprised of gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is what gives breads the doughy texture, helps the process of rising and gives the shape of the bread. Over the years, the amount of gluten in breads has increased and the amount of wheat flour used in foods has increased as well. On top of increasing amounts of wheat flour in our diets, the wheat in the US is often (but not always!) sprayed with Glyphosate or Round-up prior to harvest. Wheat is obscurely in many of the foods Americans eat and it is chemical laden.

There are three types of people who will benefit from a gluten-free diet:

1)   Those with Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the small intestines. Those with Celiac will have unwanted immune reaction to gluten that causes the body to attack the healthy cells within the small intestines, which induces inflammation and destruction of small intestine cells.

2)   Those with an actual wheat allergy. Having a wheat allergy elicits an immune system response to a component of wheat, which results in a histamine release and inflammation.

3)   Those with gluten-sensitivity. Gluten-sensitivity is when there is an immune system response to the gluten that causes symptoms similar but not as severe to what Celiac patients report.

Aside from the three immune responses to wheat or gluten, wheat is chemically laden with glyphosate, which also contributes as another source of inflammation (Samsel & Seneff, 2013). The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a handout that explains the difference between Celiac Disease and NCGS (Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). In the handout it states:

“The research on NCGS is only in its infancy, but it is estimated to affect 6% of the population, or 18 million Americans and Celiac disease affects 1% of the general population; 1 in 133 Americans.”

A study done in 2011 (Sapone, Lammers et al., 2011) showed that both Celiac Disease and gluten-sensitive are different, although patients may have similar symptoms. Celiac is a disease that can be diagnosed with labs and biopsy, while the term “gluten-sensitivity” is not as easily diagnosed.

Regardless of the diagnosis, gluten is a common cause of inflammation. Most people notice that various gut symptoms will be treated with trial elimination of gluten, which reduces inflammation and supports the immune system, resolving many underlying gut issues.

Several other studies also show how elimination of gluten helps decrease inflammation, such as the 2012 Italian study (Marziali, Vemza, et al., 2012) in which women with endometriosis were put on a gluten-free diet for 12 months. 75% of the women in the study reported significant pain relief. While another study done in Sweden in 2011 (Sapone, Lammers, et al., 2011) actually found that women with Celiac Disease were actually more at risk for endometriosis.

In the practice of Functional Medicine, diet is key in treating people. Our highly qualified Nutritionist, Stacy, is critical in helping heal our patients. She can assist with diet modification by meal planning and removing roadblocks while partnering with you in your health quest for going gluten-free and increasing your overall quality of life!

Marziali M, Vemza M, Lazzaro S et al. Gluten-free diet: a new strategy for management of painful endometriosis related symptoms? Minerva Chirurgica 2012;67(6):499-504

Sapone A, Lammers K, et al. Divergence of gut permeability and mucosal gene expression in two gluten-associated conditions: celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. BMC Medicine 2011;9:23

Stephansson O, Falconer H, Ludvigsson JF. Risk of endometriosis in 11,000 women with celiac disease. Human Reproduction 2011;26(10):2896-2901

Natural Beauty for Winter Skin: Eminence Organic Arctic Berry Peel System

Natural Beauty for Winter Skin: Eminence Organic Arctic Berry Peel System

by Leanne Rangel, MA, Aesthetician

What are the things you think about when it comes to your skin? Would you change anything if you could? What if you could target aging, hyperpigmentation, as well as sensitive-, rosacea- and acne- prone skin in just 3 steps?  Do you feel you keep applying different products and see no results? Do you want to awaken your skin to go with your smile?  If you answered “YES” to any of these, you need this easy system!

We need to exfoliate our skin in a healthy and safer way, especially as winter starts to settle in and our skin becomes dryer.  The Eminence Arctic Berry Peel and Peptide Illuminating System is a great solution. By combining a professional treatment with an at-home kit used once a week, you keep your skin radiant with proven results; and, it’s 100% organic!

The first step in the Peel and Peptide System is the Arctic Berry Enzyme Exfoliant. The enzymes break down and remove dead skin cells on the skin’s surface while refining the skins texture to promote healthy skin renewal and smoother skin tone. Skin appears more luminous and even! Harnessing the power of organic arctic berries, lingonberry seed oil and hibiscus seed extract, the skin is also protected with antioxidants and calmed by anti -inflammatory properties.

Forget the pain, irritation and redness that can sometimes accompany a peel! The second step is the Arctic Berry Peel Activator. It gently removes layers of skin to reduce hyperpigmentation and inflammation, fine lines and wrinkles, and is suitable for even SENSITIVE skin types! It will lighten the appearance of skin while improving the skin’s elasticity and tone for younger-looking appearance!

The third and final step of this system is Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream - a very soothing cream for all skin types. This all-powerful moisturizer nourishes the skin with ultra-hydrating organic oil. The cream targets collagen loss, dehydration and inflammation, acting as an anti-aging powerhouse! These peptides will gently relax muscles and diminish wrinkle size to provide a Botox-like effect as well as boost collagen production naturally!! WOW!

The benefits of the complex are supported by the mix of organic arctic berries, lingonberry seed oil and gotu-kola stem cells to reduce skin sensitivity, increase hydration and protect from free radical damage.

Real results in three easy steps! Pamper yourself with a professional treatment and at-home regime today!