This post is part of a series of guest posts for SlimPossible.org from Take Shape for Life co-Founder Dr. Wayne Andersen.

Close to 100,000 people die each year as a result of prescription medications.  Medicines have side effects that manifest over time.  When people get on meds too long, they have adverse effects on the internal organs.  All of the organs are exposed to the medicine, not just certain ones.

No medication ever created health.  The decision to create optimal health really is the first step.  You need to focus on what you want, and the key is optimal health.  My book, “Habits of Health,” is about reaching optimal health.

Focus on what you want and focus on something long term. This is what my book is about: a step-by-step process to getting off medications. Visceral adiposity is the belly around our middle, and it is something that causes a lot of the problems.   This deep belly fat affects cholesterol levels, causes blood sugar to go up many more terrible things.  Get rid of your belly fat.  I am a firm believer in using the portion-controlled meal replacements. Eat every three hours and you’ll start losing weight quickly.

If someone were to ask me: “How do I get off the medications I am taking?” I would respond by asking them, “What is it you really want?”  85% percent of diseases are nutritionally induced and 1/3 of the population has belly fat.  Get rid of belly fat, then get off meds. Develop a more active lifestyle.  In the book you can learn how to create a more active life.  It’s the small choices you make daily that will help you have more overall energy.

I am not advocating for people to stop taking their current medications.  However, I am advocating you begin that path towards optimal health so you don’t have to rely on those medications. A lot of that may be correct when they say they need certain medications, but medicines are a reaction to a symptom that occurs inside your body because you have a disease or are sick. My experience is that once you can get off of them the body will be able to heal itself so it does not need the medications. Once you begin a healthy eating program and gain a healthier lifestyle, you will need to change the doses of medicine because your body will be at a different point in its progress toward optimal health.  The goal is to you turn off your insulin pump and control your energy intake.  Blood sugar comes down naturally, and as you get closer to optimal health, your need for medications will become lower and lower until you don’t need the medications.

———————————-

More about Dr. Andersen…

Dr. Andersen is a a board certified critical care physician, and he is currently Medical Director of Medifast, Inc., an innovative leader in the production, distribution and sale of weight management and health management products. He is also the chief architect of Take Shape for Life. His book, Habits of Health, does not advocate fad dieting or a miracle wonder cure; rather, it provides the knowledge and support to help people achieve optimal health. The book seeks to offer an easy guide to establish long-lasting, improved health. Habits of Health seeks to help people to be the healthiest they can be with what they have. Through his book and the accompanying workbook, Dr. Andersen provides a roadmap and an opportunity for people to choose a better life.

Visit http://drwayneandersen.com to learn more and purchase Habits of Health.
Visit http://totalhealthdifference.blogspot.com/ to read about voluntary participants engaging in the Habits of Health program.