"Magic" foods
 

I saw this message on another board I frequent, and thought it might be interesting to post here. It basically describes a Dr. Stephen Gullo who has an article in "Woman's World" magazine.

I have my doubts about some of the claims made. Is cinnamon really magic? I dunno, if it were, one might think that it might be bigger news. And while I am certain that eating fiber is a good thing, I'm not sure that those of us who have over a hundred pounds should try to choke down 300 grams of the stuff.

I dunno. Some of this sounds legit, but my BS detectors are still flashing a yellow warning. But here it is, and I'd love to hear what you all think.

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Thought I would share this information from a 'Woman's World' article about Dr Stephen Gullo who get $1,500 for a consultation at his 'Institute for Health and Weight Sciences' (success rate is 15 times higher than other programs).

Adding 1/2 tsp of cinnamon causes the body to metabolize sugar 20 times faster for more stable blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar reduces hunger and the fat storage hormone insulin. Also works well for PMS related sweet cravings.

Protein (especially fish) stimulates metabolism and bolsters the appetite-reducing hormone leptin. Dieters who eat fish every day lose 22% more weight than dieters who don't. Aim for 1 to 2 5-6 oz servings per day.

Fiber blocks calories and expands in the digestive tract, triggering the release of anti-hunger hormones and making you feel full. Aim for 50 grams per day to triple the amount of weight you can lose [GG Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads recommended].

A diet high in dairy can make you up to 70% thinner than a diet with no diary. A diet low in calcium leads to production of calcitriol, a hormone that hoards calcium in our fat cells and makes it harder for our bodies to break down fat. Aim for 3 to 3 1/2 servings a day to readily release fat stores.

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You can find the original thread I have quoted here.

Dr Gullo has been around for a long time. Most of this info is true, but I'm not sure about cinnamon. I've heard the same thing about cayenne pepper. Bah.


Your quote doesn't match what you posted:


"Fiber blocks calories and expands in the digestive tract, triggering the release of anti-hunger hormones and making you feel full. Aim for 50 grams per day to triple the amount of weight you can lose [GG Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads recommended]."

Yes, eating more fiber is a good idea. But going from no fiber to 50 grams overnight IS NOT RECOMMENDED. You don't have to believe me on that if you don't want to, as I'm not a doctor. :lol: No medical degree here, but you will have the tummyache of your life. Gradually increasing your fiber makes you feel fuller for longer periods of time. That is why I laugh every time I see the WHOLE GRAINS screaming at me from General Mills cereals now. All you have to do is flip the box over & see that it's the same amount of fiber that it ever was (little to none). But I'm wondering how many consumers don't know that & will buy it anyway?

Increasing your dairy works, too, unless of course you are lactose intolerant. :o At the 100#club forum, we had a girl lose over 100# & her daily meal plan included 2-3 servings of milk a day, usually skim milk to drink or a lowfat yogurt.

As for the seafood, think of it in the same way the WW people do the points, it's maximum nutrition & protein for minimal calories. It's just too rich for some of our bloods to be eating shrimps every day.

The other thing I heard that is maybe related to your 300 grams comment is: take your body weight & divide it in half--this number is the ounces of water you should be drinking every day. For me that is 165oz of water & my kidney doc says :nono: to that.

I take most diet tips I read in magazines w/a grain of salt, but Dr Gullo seems to know what he is talking about. I'd love to hear what others think of him though.

I have never read this article, but I'm in maintenance -- I eat fish almost every day, use lots of cinnamon and get at least 50gm of fiber/day and lots of dairy (mostly cottage cheese). So it certainly can't hoit! :)

There was an article about this on WebMd a while back:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/78/95675.htm

It appears they have been testing it on diabetics. However, I can't find any data to support the claim that your body will metabolize sugar 20 times faster.

Cinnamon contains a compound known as MHCP that improved insulin sensitivity in mice, and it is currently being tested on humans. I've not heard anything valid linking it to actual weight loss, though. It might only be beneficial if you are diabetic or have been diagnosed as insulin resistant. I don't think they have done any tests on otherwise healthy people. I just don't know, lol.

You might want to see your physician before trying cinnamon for medicinal purposes, because large doses can be toxic. If you are already taking medication, then the addition of the cinnamon might impact your blood sugar levels, and you should be monitored closely.

If you do want to add more cinnamon, here's a good way to get it in -- I love apple smoothies. I add unsweetened applesauce to plain yogurt and a little milk, with Splenda and cinnamon. Whirl in the blender. It tastes like apple pie :)

Just a comment on the GM cereals: Yikes, have you looked at the sugar content in there. Even assuming it has some whole grain (and as posted above, not much more fiber), what is the point of trying to make a healthier cereal and continuing to add SUGAR to it! :)

Re the cinnamon thing, well ... since cinnamon is such a common substance, wouldn't ya think there'd be less people with weight problems if it was helping everyone metabolize sugar 20 times faster. Better just not to eat the sugar, IMO! :)

Yes, yes I have. :lol: No way, Jose!

We're just focusing on different parts of the quote, is all. If you bold this part...


"Fiber blocks calories and expands in the digestive tract, triggering the release of anti-hunger hormones and making you feel full. Aim for 50 grams per day to triple the amount of weight you can lose [GG Scandinavian Bran Crispbreads recommended]."

I interpretated that (perhaps incorrectly) to mean that he is suggesting eating 3 times the amount of fiber in grams for each pound that one wishes to lose. For me, that would be about 300 grams.

I didn't mean to make it sound like I was dissing on fiber. I'm eating alot more fiber now than I had before, even taking fiber tablets. And I think that I'm happier for having done so (though the first week was a bit rough). I just think that this article is exagerating the amount that is really reasonable for most people.

Alot of what the good doctor says does sound plausable to me, also. Sure, eating more seafood and dairy (the low or no fat kind) probably is a really good idea. I'm still real skeptical about the cinnamon thing though. I mean, he's making a pretty clear, and bold statement with "Adding 1/2 tsp of cinnamon causes the body to metabolize sugar 20 times faster for more stable blood sugar levels." How does he know it's 20 times faster, not 10 or 30? To me, this sounds just like the sort of claim you hear about oddball diets like cider vinegar and whatnot. If cinnamon really did do this, then I would think that the news would knock out coverage of the Pope's funeral.

That said, that apple smoothie Suzanne posted does sound pretty tasty. I might give that a try.

Ahhhhh, ok. I think 300 grams of fiber a day would blow out your insides, please be careful!!! :eek:

Well I lost my weight by increasing my protein, fiber and dairy intake. I eat a lot more fish these days and grew to love yogurt...something I'd always hated before. I've never heard the thing about cinamon, but there could have been tests run for those who used cinamon and those who didn't and how much more weight they lost using it, and in what time frame. That's how they can calculate how much faster. But just using cinamon alone isn't an answer. You pretty much have to take it all in, and follow a good diet all around in order to lose weight. It's just saying you could lose more and faster than someone else who isn't doing these things and is trying to lose weight too.

Just HOW would I be able to get 300 grams of fiber into my body each day? I don't think I could get out of the bathroom......

However, I did hear Michael Thurmond state on Extreme Make-overs show that he feeds his clients fish because it metabolises quickly......(no back info. on this one, it was an episode this past winter)