Weight loss: Different causes, different solutions

1. September 2009 William Davis (8)
Heart Scan Blog reader, Kris, related this enlightening story of weight loss (slightly edited for clarity).

Kris learned that excess weight is gained through multiple causes. The solutions are therefore multiple, not just one change in diet or two.


I started studying about my thyroid issue much earlier and did lose some weight. But ever since I started following Dr. Davis’s blog, it has given me confidence that I was on the right track. I did have my thyroid and iodine figured out from other sources, but Dr. Davis helped me to understand the issues with not only the thyroid but vitamin D3, fructose, fish oil, niacin, wheat etc. I have lost 43lb in last 14 months.

It seems to me that there are certain percentages of weight connected with different issues. For example, after I gave up alcohol and sugar, I lost about 14lbs from total weight of 243lbs, weight came down to about 229lb. Then it stopped at 229lb, even though I was in the gym almost 5 to 6 days a week with full workouts.

After I changed my thyroid medication to natural thyroid hormones (took synthetic T4 for over 10 years), the weight dropped down further 13lbs or so in matter of few days, shape of the face changed from moon shape/double chin to ordinary long face. Then it kind of stopped at around 213-216 lbs.

After giving up wheat, reducing carbs, increasing protein intake (whey protein, chicken etc. no soya, no fructose) the weight came down another 14lbs. Now it is around 200-202lbs and I am over 6.2 tall with heavy set of bones.

I feel better than I have ever in my life. More stamina, more clarity/no fog, more confidence and 99% of the time relaxed and being able to see the situation from multiple angles.

I use to be able to drink a liter or more jack denial without a problem in one evening but now can’t stand half a can of beer (I miss JD). Drinking alcohol makes me sick. I sleep well and if I wake up in the middle of the night, I have no problem going back to sleep. No more out of breath stair climbing at all.

One other thing: I used to be the most attractive meal to the mosquitoes, but not anymore. This year I haven’t been bitten once. I take my dog to the park everyday and I do not use any mosquito repellent, what a relief. I don’t know if it is because of thyroid, iodine, wheat or something else. Skin texture has changed dramatically. I do not use full soap or shampoo, 20% borax, 10 percent of my soap or shampoo for scent and rest water, mixed in a 500ml bottle. No more dandruff, dry skin, pimples for me.

Dr. Davis I am thankful to people like you who have the ability to see beyond what you have been taught and have the guts to say the way it is. Most of us work to make living on daily basis but some make their living while spreading their knowledge to save lives. Dr Davis you are one of those few people. Please keep it going.
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Comments (8) -

  • vin

    9/1/2009 2:04:41 PM |

    What a lovely story. Shows clearly the importance of listening to your body and taking control of your own health.

    Dr. Davis keep up the good work. I may not follow up on evertyhing you write but I do look forward to your blogs.

  • Anonymous

    9/1/2009 7:22:52 PM |

    I wonder what other people use for soap and shampoo.  I use a vegetable oil soap (yardley).  I find ordinary soap too harsh on my skin.

  • Anne

    9/2/2009 12:50:10 AM |

    Kris, thank you for sharing your story. I am glad to hear that the mosquitoes don't like you anymore. I do ok with the mosquitoes - its the chiggars that love me. I can get chiggars even if I walk on the dirt instead of the grass.

  • Nick

    9/2/2009 4:22:58 AM |

    This is a great story.  I'm really curious about the change in alcohol tolerance.  I removed processed foods, grains, legumes,  limit fructose consumption and eat about 50 carbs a day.  I find that I have a very hard time tolerating much alcohol now and that it interrupts my sleep.  Sometimes it seems to just make me feel ill.  I didn't intend to stop drinking wine, but it seems that my body is telling me something!

    Anyone have thoughts on why this might be, or is it as simple as being more sensitive to toxins?

  • Hans Schrauwen

    9/2/2009 6:43:55 AM |

    Do not use soap or shampoo, it's MUCH to aggressive. I recommend to not put anything on your skin/hair you would not put into your mouth.
    Just rinse and brush dry and afterwards apply a mixture of coconut oil, sea salt and organic apple cider to quickly restore your skin's protective oily/acidic/salty layer.
    Use less coconut oil for your hair.

    Also : do not use plain toothpaste. Brush with a mixture of baking powder, sea salt and coconut oil.

  • baldsue

    9/3/2009 9:02:26 AM |

    Congrats Kris!

    Mosquitos and other bugs don't like me anymore, either.  This is the second summer I've been ignored and the second summer I've been following the same diet.  Coincidence?  I also don't use big-box soaps.  Maybe it's the diet, maybe it's the soap that keeps the bugs away?  Maybe it's the combo.

  • Plamen Ivanov

    9/8/2009 12:39:58 PM |

    Thank you for sharing this.

  • alen mcmilan

    10/11/2010 3:59:10 AM |

    I really glad to read your awesome article on weight loose, I also suffering from this bad weight loose problem so I really enjoyed to read it and I got some nice information from your blog so thanks for sharing nice information.
    Phentermine

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More on ASTEROID

More on ASTEROID

16. April 2008 William Davis (3)
Since we are on the topic of the ASTEROID trial and rosuvastatin, I'd make one more point before I start to sound like I'm plugging this drug (which I definitely am not).

In an informative Roundtable Discussion (open to subscribers to the American Journal of Cardiology; sorry) amongst Dr. Steve Nissen, principal investigator behind ASTEROID; and Drs. Vincent Friedewald, Christie Ballantyne, P. Shah, and William Roberts, Dr. Nissen made some interesting comments:


Dr. Shah: In ASTEROID, was the magnitude of atheroma volume change seen across different levels of LDL-C and HDL-C?

Dr. Nissen: No. There was no plaque regression seen in the 17 persons with LDL-Cs >/= 100 mg/dl, and there was little change in persons with LDL-Cs of 70 to 100 mg/dl. Only in persons with LDLs less than or equal to 70 mg/dl was there significant regression. The study was not powered to look for an HDL-C(which increased by 14.7%)-raising effect.



Interesting. In other words, ASTEROID, in a fairly internally consistent way, suggests that the lower the LDL is reduced, the more likely plaque regression is obtained. This is consistent with the Track Your Plaque experience, in which we've advocated reducing (calculated) LDL cholesterol to 60 mg/dl for the past several years.

Unfortunately, the message that the ASTEROID Trial sponsors, AstraZeneca, as well as the roundtable discussion panel (later in the discussion) try to make is that there is something magical about Crestor, that it yields benefits superior to other statin agents or other means of reducing LDL.

I disagree with this message. In the Track Your Plaque experience, we do aim for a similar LDL target. But we also employ a number of other strategies. We have also succeeded in regressing plaque without use of any statin drugs (though, admittedly, many people do require statin drugs to obtain LDLs in this range). We also witness magnitudes of reversal that often far exceed that seen in ASTEROID.

The Rountable Discussion is unfortunately tainted, as is the ASTEROID Trial itself, with deep drug industry financial involvement of the Roundtable participants. In fact, the discussion begins with a listing of the financial disclosures of the participants, a listing that occupies a full column of a two-column page. The potential biases of the participants doesn't necessarily invalidate the arguments, but to me suggests that participants are more likely to argue in favor of the sponsor's drug, or that participants were chosen because of these biases.

Why bother to even mention the ASTEROID Trial in a venue (the Heart Scan Blog, that is) that purports to seek unvarnished, unbiased truth in coronary plaque reversal? Because useful information can sometimes be found in unlikely places. Just like the four-year old child who blurts out an unexpected pearl of wisdom, so it can happen with the gobbledy-gook that emerges from the drug industry.

Every once in a while, they are worth paying attention to.
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Comments (3) -

  • Naruwan

    4/19/2008 11:54:00 AM |

    Dr. Davis, your readers may be interested to listen to a recent BBC Radio 4 program which takes a close look at some impressive-sounding figures obtained from statin drug trials and shows how they are in fact not in the least bit impressive (e.g. a reduction in mortality from 3 in 600 people to 2 in 600 being hyped by statin manufacturers as being an over 33% reduction! Brings to mind Disraeli's adage about damned lies and statistics.

    The take home message is that statins appear to be hugely over-subscribed - the UK is gaining on the US in this regard - and statins are of no benefit for 99% of people taking them for primary prevention of heart disease.

    You can listen to the program online using the BBC Real Player at this link. Click Listen Live at the top right of the screen.

  • Naruwan

    4/19/2008 12:11:00 PM |

    My apologies, it appears that the BBC radio 4 program (The Investigation) about statins is no longer available. I think the show's transcript will be made available in due course.

    If anyone would like me to send them the mp3 file of the show (shhh, don't tell the BBC!), please leave a comment here. It's a worthwhile listen.

  • Anonymous

    8/22/2008 8:41:00 PM |

    I would like to know how long one can expect to lengthen their life by taking a statin How many actual years does it add to your life and what about the risk of cancer from taking statins over a 20-30 year period?

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