A High-Protein Regimen and Auriculomedicine for the
Treatment of Obesity: A Clinical Observation - Part 2
- continued -
METHOD
Subjects
We enrolled 42 patients with clinical obesity. Each patient
underwent a history and physical examination. All patients had lipid panels, fasting
blood sugars (FBS), creatinines (Cr), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) studies. We
excluded electrocardiography, thyroid, and urine studies, unless the history and/or
clinical examination justified further evaluation. Patients having elevated TC, TG,
LDL, and low HDL were not excluded, but further work-up was performed to determine
suitability for our program. Patients with elevated FBS levels were excluded.
High-Protein Regimen
1. Meat
- Red (cooked) meat: unlimited
- Chicken: unlimited
- Low-fat fish: unlimited
2. Vegetables
Green vegetables only. Small portions (slightly less than half-a-cup)
with at least 2 meals. Example: greens, spinach, peas, asparagus, green beans, broccoli,
lettuce, and cucumbers.
3. Fruit, Juice, or Bread
2 (8-oz.) glasses of fruit juice, or 2 pieces of fruit, or 6 slices of
low-calorie bread per day (40 calories per slice). They may be mixed, e.g. 3 pieces of
bread and 1 fruit, or 3 breads and 1 juice, or 1 juice and 1 fruit. Meat must be eaten
with all meals, i.e. apple and meat.
4. Salad Dressing
1 tablespoon of salad dressing a day of any variety is acceptable.
5. Beverages
6 (8-oz.) glasses of water a day must be consumed, with an optional
twist of lemon, lime, or orange.
Unlimited diet caffeine-and sodium-free drinks are permissible.
Caffeine-free coffee and tea are permitted.
6. Excluded
- No sugar products: cakes, cookies, candy, or soda.
- No starch products
- No potatoes, rice, noodles, or cereals,
- No sauces, gravies, mustard, or ketchup
- No tomatoes, onions, or any vegetables that are not green.
- No dairy products: eggs, cheese, or butter.
- No alcoholic beverages.
- No yellow vegetables.
- No ice cream.
We adhered to and recognized the need to meet the minimum nutritional
requirements of the American Dietetic Association Food Guide Pyramid as found on the
Internet at Http://www.eatright.org and the United
States Recommended Dietary Allowances (7). As a consequence, we modified our regimen
by increasing the amount of low-calorie bread (40 calories per slice) from 4 to 6 slices a
day. In addition, we added calcium 500 mg, and a multi-vitamin tablet daily (7).
Auriculomedicine
Auriculomedicine served the purpose of suppressing bingeing. The
therapy was started one week after initiation of the high-protein regimen. The
auriculomedicine procedure is very simple, consisting of 3 or 4 points: Appetite
Control Point, Shen Men, and Point Zero. Tranquilizer Point may be added or
substituted for Point Zero (8). The treatment should have a duration of 15
minutes. We have found in some instances, a mild suppression of appetite with
therapy over 15 to 20 minutes; this should be avoided. One wants the patient to
indulge in eating meat to prompt a weight loss. Seirin blue-topped needles were
employed: No. 3 (0.20) x 30mm J type with tube.
Statistical Analysis
Both the pre-treatment and post-treatment samples of the five groups
(weight, TG, TC, LDL, And HDL) were first tested for normality using a one-sample
Kolmogorov_Smirnov test. Based upon the results of this test, differences between
pre-treatment and post-treatment means of the five groups were then compared using either
one of two tests. If both the pre- and post-treatment samples of a given group were
normal, then a two-tailed paired-differences t-test was used for that group. If
either the pre- or post-treatment sample of a given group was nor normal, then a
two-tailed Wilcoxen signed ranks test was used for that group (Table
A). Table B depicts follow-up
data on patients that were contacted by telephone. We were interested in determining
a relapse rate based on weight gain over time, and other parameters such as no change in
weight or weight loss.
Statistical Results
Weight decreased in a statistically significant manner an average of
19.2 lbs over a 12-week period starting at week 0, going from an average value of 206.2
lbs at week 0 to an average value of 186.9 lbs at week 12 (Figure
1).
TG levels decreased in a statistically significant manner an average of
89.0 mg/L over a 12-wek period starting at week 0, going from an average value of 175.1
mg/L at week 0 to an average value of 86.1 mg/L at week 12 (Figure
2).
TC levels decreased in a statistically significant manner an average of
14.7 mg/L over a 6-week period starting at week 0 to an average value of 191.4 mg/L at
week 6. Changes thereafter were not statistically significant (Figure 3).
LDL levels did not change in any direction in a statistically
significant manner during the 12-week period (Figure 4).
HDL levels decreased in a statistically significant manner an average of
3.8 mg/L over a 3-week period starting at week 0 to an average value of 42.6 mg/L at week
3. Changes thereafter were not statistically significant (Figure
5).
The number of patients participating in the study steadily decreased
over the 12-week period. If the number of patients had remained steady, then it is
possible that the increasing changes observed in some of the measures toward the end of
the study, which were not statistically significant, would have been significant. It
is also possible that these increasing changes would have disappeared.
Table B and Figure 6 show that 50% of the patients did not gain weight,
while 38.9% did; 11.1% desired to lose more weight, for whatever reasons. The
data goes out to over 91 days and thus, no final conclusions should be made.
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RESULTS
Forty-two patients successfully completed a clinical program
incorporating a high-protein regimen and auriculomedicine. Each patient reached his
or her desired weight goal. The average weight loss was 1.61lbs. per week.
There were no clinical complications. Compliance was excellent throughout the
course. It was the unanimous opinion of the patient group that the auriculomedicine
greatly decreased an urge to binge. There was a significant decrease in weight, TG,
TC (up to week 6), and HDL levels (up to week 3). No clinically significant changes
occurred in LDL, FBS, Cr, or BUN levels. There were no adverse effects reported by
patients from the high-protein regimen or auriculomedicine.
The number of patients participating in the study steadily decreased
over a 12-week period as individual goals were met. We telephoned our patients and
fond a long-term relapse rate of 38.9%; 50% were still maintaining their weight, and 11.1%
decided to lose more weight by employing the high-protein regimen alone (Figure 6). Table B only represents 18
patients. Our military patient population is geographically unstable.
Several patients stated that the protein diet was expensive and
increased their weekly grocery bill by $45. Others stated that the diet did not add
to their food expenditures.
DISCUSSION
This paper is not a research endeavor nor was it designed as such.
Instead, we are reporting on a very efficient clinical treatment for simple obesity that
combined a high-protein diet and auriculomedicine.
There are many popular "crash" diets: The One-Week
Cabbage/Chicken Soup Diet Plan, the Cambridge Diet, the Doctor Kretnzman No-Diet Diet
Program and others, which can be easily found in various references, including the
Internet. Although it is not the purpose of this paper to compare and contrast other
programs, we state our observation and make no claims other than the data presented.
The true test of obesity is the relapse rate.
The high-versus-low-protein diet controversy is more an issue of fear
and confusion than fact. From the above data, it appears that the high-protein meat
regimen does not produce an acute elevation of lipids; the fact is that there is a
significant drop in TG levels. None of the patients complained of fatigue.
There was no negative impact on kidney function.
It is believed that a high-protein and low-carbohydrate regimen
apparently causes the body to burn its stored body fat to meet energy needs throughout the
day. Large amounts of meat must be digested and this, in turn, requires
energy. The amount of energy to digest large amounts of protein in the presence of
low and simple carbohydrates may lend itself to the rapid metabolism of adipose
tissue. It is also well-known that a high-protein diet suppresses insulin peaks and
false hunger pains.
One patient, who was no part of this group, requested only
suriculomedicine. He was not able to eat a high-protein regimen because of possible
kidney disease, and was being treated medically for hyperlipidemia. It is
challenging to understand why he also lost weight, and his triglycerides an dcholesterol
values normalized for the first time since the onset of his condition.
Auriculomedicine and the choice of the Appetite Control Point, Shen Men,
Point Zero, and the Tranquility Point attenuate cravings more so for carbohydrates.
The role of auriculomedicine as reported by patients allows them to comfortably pass up
the need to return to their previous dietary carbohydrates errors. It was noticed
that sessions over 20 minutes seemed to mildly suppress the appetite for a few days.
Omura reported that acupuncture can induce decreases in TG, TC, and
phospholipids. It may also provide a regulatory mechanism towards homeostasis, which
depends on pre-treatment levels. The significant changes for TG and TC that we noted
may be due to this homeostatic effect (9,10).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this paper demonstrates a practical high-protein diet
that is very successful for the treatment of obesity caused by poor carbohydrate
management. When coupled with auriculomedicine, patients report a very subjective
but definite increase in the quality of the program and prevention of bingeing. The
homeostatic effect of auriculomedicine on serum lipids needs to be further
investigated. An effort to obtain an increased patient population size and data
points would be of significant interest in determining the long-term effects of our
program on weight, TG, TC, LDL, and HDL levels.
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