Natural Appetite Suppressants

Natural Appetite Suppressants

This program is NOT designed for anyone to feel hungry at any time.  We don’t tell our patients to ignore hunger.  If you are following your customized program closely, you should be getting plenty of protein, fiber, healthy fats & nutrition.  IF you are getting hungry , let your health coach know immediately by emailing us at the email address in your manual & at the end of this article.  There are some things you may not be aware of that can create hunger.  Take a look at this article to “curb your appetite” naturally & safely.

Foods High in Fiber, whether from food sources or in concentrated supplement form, have been used for hundreds of years to promote fullness, improve gut health and digestive functions, and help maintain strong immunity and heart health.  High-fiber foods help slow your body’s digestion of glucose (sugar), keep you feeling fuller for longer and help beat cravings.   Feel full on the right foods faster and longer by consuming more high fiber foods, including fresh veggies like spinach, kale and greens, fruit (especially berries),and seeds.  The upgraded manual/guides have these foods highlighted.

Drinking more water can help suppress appetite and promote weight loss. We know that our cells are depleted of energy when we are not properly hydrated. Therefore, people tend to eat more food, thinking they are lacking energy; when, in fact, the body is really thirsty. So, drinking more water actually helps ward off hunger and keeps you from picking up snacks throughout the day because your energy is low.  Eating enough protein and healthy fats are just as crucial for controlling hunger pangs, as is fiber.   Remember to drink no more than 1/2 your body’s weight in ounces…as you lose weight you should drink less water.

Fats are Key!  It may seem counterintuitive, but eating more fat is a smart weight-loss strategy – as long as it’s the right kind. Researchers at UC Irvine discovered that oleic acid, a good fat, helps trigger the small intestine to produce oleoylethanolamide, a compound that finds its way to nerve endings and transmits a hunger-curbing message to the brain. Great sources include nuts, avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and extra virgin olive oil. Bonus: fat also delays stomach emptying, which keeps you fuller longer.  They keep you full and signal the satiety neurons in the brain, meaning they tell your brain you are satisfied.

Sleep – Researchers found that people who slept only four hours a night for only two nights had an 18% reduction in leptin. Leptin is the hormone that tells you that you are full and tells you to burn fat. It also creates a 28% increase in ghrelin, which tells you you’re hungry! That’s only in two days’ time! Imagine an ongoing situation of reduced sleep.  One of the larger studies released out of the Univ. of Chicago in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that dieters who slept for 8.5 hours lost 55% more body fat than dieters who slept 5.5 hours. They also noted that the dieters who slept less reported feeling hungry throughout the course of the study, even though they ate the same diet, same multivitamins and performed the same type of work or leisure activities as those who received adequate sleep.

Exercise – In one Brazilian study, researchers found exercise can restore the sensitivity of neurons involved in satiety, which in turn, naturally curbs food consumption.  Another study from the University of Exeter found that taking a 15-minute walk, rather than a 15-minute break, cuts snacking at work by 50%.  Just make sure you are doing the right exercise!

Green Apples suppress hunger for a number of reasons. First, apples are filled with soluble fiber and pectin, which help you feel full. Green apples also regulate your glucose and boost your energy level. They have to be Green – other apples have to much fructose to fiber ratio. Finally, apples require lots of chewing time, which helps slow you down and gives your body more time to realize that you’re no longer hungry. Plus, they just taste good!

Green Tea Extract – Certain antioxidants and substances in green tea extract have been tied to beneficial effects on metabolic diseases and improvements in regulating appetite hormones.

Naturally Spicy Ingredients like cayenne, black pepper, curry, turmeric, ginger or cinnamon might help increase your body’s ability to burn fat, suppress hunger levels, normalize glucose levels, reduce free-radical damage associated with aging and reduce your appetite for sweets.  Studies have found that eating spices like cayenne and red pepper increases diet-induced thermogenesis (heating the body and burning of fat) and lipid oxidation.

Gingerol, the active compound in fresh ginger root, is so powerful it can be used as a natural supplement to ward off obesity, according to research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. In the study, done on rodents, a daily gingerol supplement helped reduce body weight and moderate leptin (satiety hormone) levels, helping to fight off uncontrollable hunger.

Peppermint has long been used in essential oils for stress relief, but the scent can also help curb hunger. Research from the Wheeling Jesuit University found when people sniffed peppermint every two hours for five days, they ate 2,800 fewer calories in a week. Another study from the University of Rhode Island found chewing peppermint gum can also reduce calorie intake and increase energy expenditure.  Just make sure that the gum is not tainted with sugar, or worse, artificial sweeteners.  We recommend Spry or Xyloburst gum, which you can find at health food stores, Whole Foods or Amazon.

Cinnamon is one of the most powerful spices you can eat. Cinnamon serves as an appetite suppressant by stabilizing blood sugar levels and delaying gastric emptying as nutrients from your stomach pass into the upper intestine to be absorbed, according to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  Add it to smoothies, coffee, and various foods.

Vinegar – research published in MedGenMed found vinegar can thwart the glycemic response (the rise and drop in blood sugar) from a high-carb meal by 30 percent, which can diminish extreme swings in hunger.

Grapefruit’s Benefits for Weight Loss – whether consuming the fruit or the essential oil, grapefruit has been the focus of dozen of studies, due to beneficial acids, antioxidants, volatile oils and enzymes that help reduce your appetite, lower cravings, help stimulate the lymphatic system and give you a mild dose of uplifting energy.  Research regarding grapefruit’s effects on olfactory stimulation (how smelling the aroma affects the central nervous system) shows that inhaling the fruit’s smell can positively alter autonomic nerve signaling, lipolysis (fat metabolism) and appetite regulation. Several findings from a number of studies show how grapefruit essential oil impacts appetite and body weight, as well.  Try adding several drops of pure grapefruit essential oil either to a diffuser in your office/home, to your shower or bath soap, or with a carrier oil to be massaged right onto your skin.