A new book by Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S., The New Fat Flush Plan, has just released and already it’s a New York Times bestseller. The first edition of this book was an all-time favorite with me and my clients when I first started working as a nutritionist. I’m really pleased to see she has a new edition and I am loving the updates.
I especially enjoy the new sections that address the Top 10 Hidden Weight Gain Factors (the notes in parentheses after each hidden factor are mine):
Hidden Factor #1: Your Tired, Toxic Liver (she has always been an expert on this topic)
Hidden Factor #2: False Fat (this one is intriguing, isn’t it?)
Hidden Factor #3: Fear of Eating Fat (I’m constantly amazed this fear still exists)
Hidden Factor #4: Insulin Resistance and Inflammation (a big factor in so many diseases)
Hidden Factor #5: Stress as a Fat Maker (we know all about this one, don’t we?)
Hidden Factor #6: Messy Microbiome (we’re seeing so much new research on this topic)
Hidden Factor #7: Poor Quality Bile (we don’t hear much about bile so I’m going to share more on this topic – I shared some of it from the Medicinal Supplements Summit here)
Hidden Factor #8: Tuckered Out Thyroid (more and more people are experiencing thyroid issues)
Hidden Factor #9: Hidden Hitchhikers – Parasites (you heard her share her expertise on this topic in our Parasite-Anxiety interview on the Anxiety Summit)
Hidden Factor #10: Missing Magnesium (this one is also a big factor for anxiety)
As you can see much of the above applies to both weight-gain and anxiety. I’d like to share some of the excellent information on poor quality bile because it’s not something we hear much about. Because it’s tied to fluctuating blood sugar levels, toxins and fat digestion, it has a direct impact on anxiety.
If you’ve been taking or are currently taking prescription anxiety or depression medications (SSRIs or benzodiazepines) or other medications then there is also the need for more liver and gallbladder support.
Let’s start with the function of bile:
Made from lecithin, cholesterol and bilirubin, your bile has two jobs. First it emulsifies and digests fat, breaking it down into small particles so that your intestines can absorb them. Second, it helps escort toxins that your liver has removed out of the body.
Ann Louise shares how bile deficiency affects your overall health, prevents weight-loss and encourages weight gain:
You know that erratic blood sugar levels, haywire hunger hormones, a tired toxic liver, and poor detoxification prime the body to accumulate excess fat.
What she shares next is very interesting:
Each of these factors are rooted to some degree in low quality bile as well as other causes. As a matter of fact, bile has such an important role in weight regulation that improving bile quality has been shown to increase metabolism by 50 percent. If you thin the bile you thin the body. Period.
I really enjoy the signs and symptoms she shares in the book. Here are some of the signs and symptoms of low quality bile:
- Queasiness after a fatty meal (impaired bile flow)
- Light-colored or floating stools (lack of bile output)
- Nausea (not enough bile)
- Dry skin and hair (lack of essential fatty acids)
- Constipation (inadequate bile for lubrication)
- Constant feeling of fullness
- Inability to lose weight
- Pain under the right rib cage (reflective pain from the gallbladder)
- Hemorrhoids (congested liver)
- Varicose veins (pressure from constipation due to thickened bile)
- Pain between the shoulder blades (reflective pain from the gallbladder)
- Bloating or gas
- Headache over the eyes (gallbladder meridian passes over this region)
- Bitter taste in the mouth after meals (sign of bile regurgitation)
- History of prescription or recreational drug use (need for more liver and gallbladder support)
- Sensitivities to chemicals
- Easily intoxicated (need for more liver and gallbladder support)
- Fibromyalgia (sign of liver and gallbladder overload)
- Hypothyroidism (sign of deficient bile to stimulate active thyroid hormone in fat cells)
Here is a quick summary of the advice she offers to improve bile production:
- Elimination of food allergies
- Addressing low levels of hydrochloric acid or stomach acid
- Controlling stress
- Adding bitter greens to the diet
- Hot lemon water in the morning (a favorite of the original Fat Flash Plan)
- Adding non-GMO lecithin from soy and sunflowers to your morning smoothie
- Using castor oil packs
- Using a bile building formula that contains choline, taurine, beet root and pancreatic lipase
Here is the link to the New Fat Flush Plan on Amazon so you can check out the bile chapter in detail and read about all the other hidden factors and tools for weight-loss and overall health.
Get a copy for yourself as a gift or get a copy for a friend or sister or other family member. And let us know what you think? And how you do with improving your bile production?
I’m going to work on improving my bile production and I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Almost every box was ticked for me about low quality bile. Is there a way to increase stomach acid without HCL? I use ibuprofen occasionally and get nervous about the ulcer warnings for combining the two.
Abby
Yes apple cider vinegar and addressing low zinc would be a start. But I would focus on addressing why you need the ibuprofen and fix that or use something else so you can use HCl if you need it. Liz Lipski talks more about all this and shares how to do the HCl challenge in our Anxiety Summit interview too https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/anxiety-digestion-microbiome-stomach-acid-bile-vagus-nerve/
Thank you!
Hi Trudy, Heres my experience with low Hydrochloric Acid. I used to go to Dr. Jonathan Wright years ago. (he was too far from me to continue! Love him) He does a Heidelberg test that tests stomach acid. They found I was achlorhydric. Which means I don’t have any. Since then have always used HCl with enzymes. I didn’t even have symptoms of low acid. But it was one of the BEST tests ever. Not sure if any other docs use this. You swallow a bobber and its attached to a meter that measures the acid. After a 1/2 hr. they challenge it and you swallow baking soda. The whole test takes an hour but its concrete evidence. Luv, Kaye
Kaye – thanks for sharing and yes this is a great test. I wish more doctors would offer it! I do the HCl challenge with my clients – starting low and going up until you feel a burning sensation. When that happens your dose is one less.
What happens to bile production when you’ve had your gall bladder removed? Mine was removed more than 10 years ago due to gall stones.
Peggy
You make bile but there is not gallbladder to store it so it’s harder to maintain the correct amount the body needs when you eat fats. Ox bile (as a supplement) is often helpful to include during meals. She addresses this in the book
Sorry if this question is as a bit unrelated to the exact
topic but I could not find a way to post in other areas
as the reply button was unavailable.
I was reading Dr Lams site on liver congestion.
He makes it seem impossible to take anything
to improve digestion if you have Adrenal fatigue.
I would imagine most of us here
Have some issues with adrenals.
His articles on adrenal crashes, and adrenal exhaustion,
Constantly emphasize to be careful to ‘such a point’ to
where he makes you feel gunshy to try any kind of
supplements/aminos, even breathing excercises, saying
All of these techniques, etc can often make ones adrenals
crash and the person Become ‘so’ exhausted that they can’t
work or may have to lie in the bed for days or even weeks.
things as little as supplements, taking a long walk??)
Trudy in your experience with your patients
is this typical or something to be overly
concerned about? Is that something that is more
so relevant with elderly?
The reason I ask is that right now I’m trying to fix
A nasty case of brain fog/anxiety, from just too many
Bad things happening all at once- which ran
my energy down, and am sensitive to most
supplements.
(I was going to try Zinc 10 mg,
GABA, B12, Folate, Coconut Oil)
Is there of way of knowing if the liver is congested?
(I’ve never had elevated enzymes,
And even had an ultrasound done
several years ago)
Dr Lam says that most cases of brain fog
are caused from adrenal fatigue and liver clearance.
I have a bunch of kids to take care of so I can’t Afford
to be gun-shy but at the same time can’t afford those
types of “crashes” either as you can imagine.
Thanks for any clarity you can provide!
Hi Henna
I’m working on helping my clients feel the best they can feel from day 1 so I use adrenal support protocols and amino acids and dietary changes.
Digestion is impaired when there are adrenal issues so tackling things from all directions is key – adrenal support and digestive support.
When someone feels cautious we start low and very slow and do one nutrient at a time (for a week or so) to observe benefits and any possible negative reactions.
I wonder if you may know of any alternative treatments for varicose veins.
In the past I had a superficial blood clot and a venous ulcer which has healed.
I’m being offered laser ablation and surgery but im unhappy to chance the possible complications such as permanent nerve pain and footdrop.
I’d really appreciate your opinion.
Thank you
Linda
I’d also be unhappy by possible complications. This approach also doesn’t address the root cause and they come back in other places. It’s not my area of expertise but this article looks helpful https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321703#ten-home-treatments. I’d find a herbalist to work with
Hi Linda,
For varicose veins, consider researching Vitamin C with bioflavonoids and Vitamin K2; the herbs Butchers Broom and Horse Chestnut; Hesperidin from citrus; possible liver congestion. Exercise and movement are also important to prevent venous stagnation. Ann Louise Gittleman has written on the subject. Per Dr. C. Northrup, estrogen dominance can lead to increased blood clotting. Per Dr. John Douillard, eating the white pith of citrus fruits helps veins and lymph.