It is very rare that I will sit on the couch and watch TV. I am
the type of person who needs to be constantly busy. If I sit down for any
length of time when the sun is still up I start to think about all that needs
to get done and I cannot relax. With that said, last week I got hit with the
most horrible flu bug. Getting this flu, in part, was exciting (I'll explain
this in a minute) but mostly it knocked me off my ass! I was stuck on the couch
for a few days with such bad nausea that all I could do was chill (very unlike
me) and I watch regular TV with commercials *gasp*. It is amazing how many drug
commercials there are these days. One in particular struck a chord with
me.
There is a new weight
loss drug out there called Contrave (clever name). The pill claims that it
works on two areas of the brain to control your craving (pleasure center) and
to make you feel fuller longer (hunger center). With possible side effects of depression
and suicide. The commercial shows women working together to form a brain and
shows women in restaurants refusing dessert. Why is this such a big deal? Why
is this so frustrating for me?
There are a few key
points this ad is leaving out about what exactly this pill is doing to your
brain. Any time you take a medication there is going to be some effect. As long
as you are taking this pill you will be stifling your pleasure center in your
brain that area that makes you feel good and the area in your brain that tells
you are hungry. By clogging those receptor sites in your brain you'll also be
blocking your natural hormone production of the hormone leptin. As well as the
hormone ghrelin. The "hunger hormones," leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is
a hormone, made by fat cells, that decreases your appetite. Ghrelin is
a hormone that increases appetite, and also plays a role in body weight. If you
block your own bodies production of these two hormones you will never be able
to control your cravings and therefore weight gain.
You cannot block these hormones without having
some seriously negative repercussions. Not to mention blocking the pleasure
center of your brain (the one this drug claims will help you stay away from French
fries and ice cream) what other pleasures are you going to be blocking? It’s no
wonder the two biggest side effects are depression and suicidal thoughts. Don’t
mess with your brain people. Our body knows exactly how to heal itself, it
knows exactly how much to eat and when to stop. There are other problems at
play here and there is no magic pill to cure them. Especially not if you want
long-term results. You cannot take a drug to cure cravings.
If you or someone you know is seriously
struggling with an uncontrollable appetite or cravings and uncontrolled weight
gain, please know there are bigger things at play and there is no one pill. Get
yourself a coach, or call me and we can work on it together. Please let me know
if I can be of any help to you. My goal is for lifetime success and longevity!
Be well friends!
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