Controlling the body's levels of leptin and cholesterol are key to sustainable weight control and overall health. While many people will insist that you must resort to prescription medication to control these substances, that is hardly the case. With proper diet regulation, you can bring your leptin and cholesterol levels under control. If you, or someone you know, is suffering from excessive leptin or cholesterol, choose from these diets.
Leptin and Low-Carbohydrate Diets
In the long-term, low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to reduce the body's leptin levels. Leptin is a signaling hormone that provides the "go-ahead" for the body to use adipose (fat) tissue as energy. Production of leptin is strongly associated with production of insulin. As insulin is normally triggered by consumption of carbs, a low-carb diet prevents these insulin spikes, thus bringing leptin levels under control as well.
Cholesterol and Low-Carbohydrate Diet
Although it might seem counterintuitive, eating a low-carb diet can also positively affect cholesterol levels. At the end of a one-year study published in the May 2003 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, participants on the Atkins diet increased their HDL ("good") cholesterol by 18 percent over the course of a year, while simultaneously lowering their triglyceride level by 28 percent. When compared to the control group, which saw a 3 percent reduction and a 1 percent increase, respectively, this is a substantial change.
Consider Atkins
As the Atkins Diet was the one used in the study, it is only natural to consider it for your leptin and cholesterol-lowering needs. During the first two weeks of the Atkins Diet, eat no more than 20 grams of carbs per day. This will prompt your body to make the transition into ketosis, a fat-burning state. After the first two weeks, increase daily carb intake to 40 grams, and try to reintroduce vegetables and small amounts of fruit. Remain in this phase until you are five pounds away from your target weight. At that point, begin to increase daily carb intake until you are losing no more than a pound per week. Once you hit your target weight, increase carbs further to find your "set point," which is the number of carbs you can eat without gaining or losing further weight and remain there indefinitely.
Caveman Diet
If Atkins is not appealing, consider the Caveman Diet. This diet simply cuts out consumption of all grains, beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar and salt. Eat the following items instead: meat, eggs, fish, chicken, fruit, veggetables, berries and nuts. The Caveman Diet is modeled after the diets of Earth's remaining hunter/gatherer tribes, like the Eskimos and Inuits. As these populations have some of the lowest disease rates in the world, following their diet could provide you with similar benefits.
Considerations
If neither of these plans seem attractive, nearly any low-carb diet can help you to regulate both cholesterol and leptin levels. Make sure that the carb intake on your chosen plan is relatively low (less than 100 grams a day), and you should see similar results. Although modern medicine might encourage you to solve your problems with drugs, appreciating the benefit of attaining natural medical solutions will allow you to regain control over your health without having to bear the burden of costly medicines and numerous side effects.
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