Going five to six hours or longer without eating is a type of "eating fitness." Just as muscles can be out of shape, so can systems within the body that sustain energy when food is not being eaten. Your symptoms are typical of a low blood sugar level. Sometimes the symptoms are mild and you can get through OK. As your body learns to use calories more efficiently then these symptoms stop. Other times these symptoms can get worse if food is not eaten – in which case a person needs to eat.

Individuals prone to this problem typically have liver and adrenal issues. A high protein breakfast is mandatory. It is permissible to eat four smaller meals four hours apart, and gradually work towards three meals a day. This is not ideal, but enables the body to learn to go longer without food (which is normal). Extra liver support (such as Daily Balancer™ and Cinnamon Plus™) can be very helpful, as is extra adrenal support (such as Pantethine – which is also part of Stress Helper^® – and coenzyme Q10).

Sometimes this problem stabilizes with a better breakfast and a few extra nutrients. Other times it improves gradually over a period of months. A reasonable length of time to try to improve the problem with diet alone is about three months (using the four meals a day with a high protein breakfast), at which time a person should be able to transition to three meals a day. If not, more liver and adrenal support is a good idea.

This is a sign of a stressed liver that is responding to nerves that are running too hot (too wound up). In this situation, the hormone glucagon is stimulating too much liver production of sugar – which is itself working in a stressed manner. Normal is that glucagon stimulates the release of sugar from the liver (about 60% of calories being used for energy) while simultaneously burning fat (about 40%) – which begins happening when a person hasn't eaten for three to four hours.

An uncomfortable hyper feeling (in response to stress on an empty stomach) or before bed resulting in trouble sleeping, is a sign the liver is out of shape and producing too much sugar compared to the amount of fat being burned. Eating raises insulin, which turns off glucagon, and stops the liver from doing this.

Eating in this situation is one way to get to sleep, but it is not helpful for weight management. On the other hand, not sleeping well isn't helpful for weight management either. One temporary solution is to find the smallest amount of carbohydrate that works, like a few crackers or 1/2 piece of fruit.

Products like Cinnamon Plus™ and/or Daily Balancer™, which support liver metabolic function may be helpful in the evening and/or before bed. RelaxaMag™ helps to soothe nerves, which is part of the problem. These can all be used in combination, towards the goal of being able to get to sleep without the seeming need to eat.

The after dinner time is the key sign of serious leptin-driven imbalance and problems. In general, problems earlier in the day are what set you up for the problems at night. Ensuring you get through the day without any energy problems and ensuring you arrive home with a normal appetite (not ravenously hungry or tired) are the keys to potentially resolving this issue. This means following the Leptin Diet well, Using energy support nutrition like Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™, the Leptin Control Pack^®, Iosol Iodine, and possibly some Q10. After dinner, if still an issue, I would take 1-3 LeptiSlim^®, which helps most people in this evening time.

When leptin problems aren't too bad all a person needs to do is exactly that, cut back on calories and exercise more. Each time a person gains weight it is stressing the leptin system and eventually problems get worse, especially after the age of 40. While eating according to the Leptin Diet is a good idea from day one, in this situation it becomes mandatory to prevent the onset of progressive weight gain and poor health. A core support system of energy-related nutrition is often very helpful, such as the Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™ and Leptinal^®. If metabolism is becoming sluggish then the Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™ with the entire Leptin Control Pack^® makes a great support system for many leptin-related issues that often benefit from nutritional support.

Individuals who eat well and consistently exercise can still have metabolism slowed down for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is stress, and is oftentimes accompanied by a borderline thyroid situation.

Stress impedes weight management efforts for several reasons reasons:

• It raises pro-inflammatory signals, such as TNFa, which irritate body tissues – adversely generating wear and tear driven heat production. The body responds by holding onto water to cool off the stress-generated heat – which stops weight management and may provoke fluid retention and seeming weight gain.
• Stress signals interfere with the activation of thyroid hormone, reducing the conversion of T4 to the active T3.
• It often causes a craving for food, which if eaten will invariably turn to fat as the stress is simultaneously creating metabolic inefficiency.

Offsetting stress requires adequate nutrient support. They two key products are Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™ and Stress Helper^®. Thyroid Helper^® can be used to improve T3 conversion and Mangosteen Plus (which contains cranberry) can be used to help offset fluid retention. Note: Stress Helper^®, Thyroid Helper^®, and Mangosteen Plus™ are all part of the Leptin Control Pack^®.

The three most common reasons are:

• A meal or meals that are still too large.
• Too many carbohydrates.
• Not enough exercise.

It may seem quite unfair; however, in individuals who really struggle with weight they may need to make time for two to three hours of exercise per day. It is a small price to pay for living longer – and the improved energy and feeling of vitality oftentimes translates to more productive use of the other hours in the day.

The next most common reasons are:

• Not enough sleep or not sleeping well (prime fat burning occurs during restful sleep).
• Stress
• Congested detoxification systems (GI tract, lymph system, and/or liver function).

After that, issues are more complex such as:

• Toxic fat (fat stores toxins in general) which the body won't give back up.
• Cellular energetic problems, difficulty using calories.
• Really out of shape fat cells that have gone numb.
• Congested liver function (the liver is partially clogged with fat).
• Anti-energy medications – such as statins and blood pressure medications.
• Significant health issues, including fibromyalgia, chronic pain, immune dysfunction, and many other issues.

The good news is that almost any of these problems can be resolved if a person keeps working at it. Mastering Leptin offers many tips for these more difficult issues, and the third edition fully explains natural options to improve even the worst-case metabolic problems.

The Leptin Diet is fundamental to solving weight issues. It is the diet that creates a foundation that enables the potential for safe and healthy weight management. A majority of people respond quite well to the diet and moderate exercise. The Leptin Control Pack^® is designed to help make the whole experience easier, and is an option for anyone.

Triglycerides are how the body stores calories to be used later. Stored fat is composed of triglycerides in white adipose tissue cells. Triglycerides also float in the blood stream, and are broken down to be used as a source of energy when a person hasn't eaten for three to four hours. Higher triglycerides are caused by eating too much and eating between meals, combined with a lack of activity. Elevated levels are known to block leptin entry into the brain, thus they are a major stress to normal leptin function.

Following the Leptin Diet will help lower triglycerides, since they become a main source of energy when a person hasn't eaten for three to four hours. The nutrients in Leptinal^® and Stress Helper^® offer significant support for normal triglyceride metabolism – and of course both products are in the Leptin Control Pack^®.

The Leptin Control Pack^® and LeptiCardio Pack™ are designed specifically to be used together for individuals who are seeking support for weight management and cardiovascular health. By taking two packs of each per day a person reaches higher levels of nutrient support that are most relevant for these situations. Since there is one Leptinal^® in each pack, that will be four Leptinal^® per day – an excellent amount. A person can take anywhere from 2–8 Leptinal^® a day, with common doses in the 2–4 range. Some people find that taking two Leptinal^® before bed assists sleep and metabolism while sleeping. Other great nutrients that support healthy blood glucose metabolism include LeptiSlim^®, Cinnamon Plus and Gluco Plus.

Cholesterol fitness is a new concept for many people. There is a synergistic relationship between the brain, white adipose tissue, the liver/gallbladder, and cells that guides the production and use of cholesterol. All of these systems are guided and controlled by leptin. Restoring proper leptin function and thereby creating the potential to recover healthy cholesterol function is vital to cardiovascular health. The Leptin Diet is the foundation of this plan.

Some carbohydrate is required for efficient fat burning, transporting water and calories to muscles, and electrolyte balance. The eventual and often significant loss of energy on a low carb diet is very unhealthy. It stresses the kidneys, heart, and muscles – inducing a catabolic state of muscle wasting. This is not a good way to lose weight.

As energy is lost on any diet, the brain – following the instructions of leptin – goes into a starvation mode. This means that when the person starts eating more they are likely to gain weight. It is far better to lose weight more gradually with energy fully intact – this is the healthy way to do it and can be accomplished by following the Leptin Diet and adding additional dietary supplements as desired to support and maintain a good energy level. When the program is working properly a person notices they have better energy on less food and the scale is working its way in the right direction.

Some individuals notice they can lose 5-10 pounds in a day or two – they are mostly dumping off stagnant water which is stuck in connective tissue. As soon as they eat carbohydrates or drink any other beverage than water, they tend to retain water again. This makes it look like they are gaining and losing weight (fat), when in fact they are dumping and regaining water.

Individuals who have been eating poorly are often carrying 10 pounds of stagnant water in their connective tissue – completely getting in the way of true fat burning that results in actual weight management. This issue is always made worse by stress – since stress heats up the connective tissue in turn promoting fluid retention. Stress and a bad diet are the fastest ways to retain water.

In addition to following the Leptin Diet, basic nutrient support is for energy production, stress management, and fluid balance. The key products here are Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™, Stress Helper^®, and Mangosteen Plus™. A more comprehensive approach is Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™ and the Leptin Control Pack^®. In some cases taking extra Mangosteen Plus™ (which contains cranberry), up to six capsules per day, can help break through this issue.

I am not an advocate of making carbohydrate cripples. Excess carbohydrate consumption is the downfall of many individuals, especially the consumption of too much sugar. And many individuals need to restrict carbohydrates enough to kick in water dumping and weight management – although this approach has limitations and very low carbohydrate intake is cardiovascular stressful for just about anyone after one month. The Atkin's diet readily leads to the excess consumption of saturated fat, which will clog organs and arteries. While saturated fat in and of itself is just fine in moderation, excess saturated fat, like excess sugar, are two of the most common dietary blunders. The Leptin Diet allows moderate amounts of fat and carbohydrate.

No. Blood types are of secondary importance when considered next to leptin. Leptin is about survival, and is a far more fundamental truth. It is unlikely that blood types evolved in relationship to diet. Immunologists readily assert that blood types evolved in relationship to various diseases – not due to foods. Thus, the theory of blood types as an important dietary factor lacks credibility. As with just about any form of dietary restriction, if it seems to help a person in one way or another it is fine to do (assuming important nutrients are made up elsewhere), it is just not an essential or fundamental principle of health.

The weight management plateau is a fragile time. The brain has not yet reset your body weight perception to your new weight, thus the ease with which you may regain weight. One remedy is to increase the amount of exercise – which demands more calories to be burned as fuel. In many cases individuals need to exercise far more than they think, up to three hours per day, especially when weight management is not progressing.

Sometimes adjusting the timing of your supplements may help. If there is any time in the day when you tend to lose energy, like mid afternoon, that dip in energy is an “anti metabolism time.” You could try taking a Leptin Control Pack^® at that time, specifically to prevent the drop in energy – rather than at dinner. Most people take two Leptin Control Pack^® a day to support metabolism, while others find that 3 or 4 per day really help.

It is actually fine to stay at a plateau for a month or two, as long as you increase exercise enough so that a moderate increase in calorie intake does not induce weight gain.

Another factor is that individuals store toxins in fat and sooner or later on a diet an individual may hit one of these toxic layers. The body does not want to give up the toxic fat if the person's detoxification systems are not adequate – a type of defense mechanism to prevent self-induced excess toxins in the circulation. This is often signified by irritable feelings that are now occurring on the diet, which did not exist before – along with the weight plateau. Products like Activator Plus™, Daily Balancer™, Fiber Helper™, and/or Immune Plus™ can be used to support natural detoxification, as needed, which will help get a person on track to resolve this issue.

Athletes, especially those who are performing intense exercise on a daily basis, can typically eat four meals a day due to the excessive calorie demand and general fitness of the insulin/glucagon system. This may not be true if the athlete is overweight.

In general, such a person should eat one meal an hour before intense exercise, and then eat the next meal within an hour of finishing exercise or as soon as a hunger signal occurs following the exercise. The rest of the day should then be divided up based on the hours left. This might leave two smaller meals four hours apart or one larger meal 5-6 hours later. Avoid eating within three hours of bed. There are many variables based on when in the day a person is exercising and how many times a day they are exercising. It is not difficult to extrapolate the principles of the Leptin Diet to meet the demands of an athlete or other individual with significant physical energy output.

An athletic event, such as a long distance run, may require a regular intake of fluids, electrolytes, and simple carbohydrates to maintain energy during the event. This is due to the rather abnormal situation of intense ongoing exercise – wherein the short term demand is to consume enough nutrients to keep going as efficiently as possible. In general, athletes during training should follow the Leptin Diet as closely as possible to maximize energy efficiency and conditioning.

Digestive problems do limit the amount a person can eat at any one time. I suggest four smaller meals per day, four hours apart. I also suggest taking Digestive Enzymes with meals along with GI Soother and GI and Muscle Helper, in an effort to find a combination of support that enables you to eat more without having digestive distress.

The key to getting on track is getting your energy level to be more consistent throughout the day. If your energy falters or crashes out you will get food cravings or metabolism will simply stop burning calories efficiently. When a person has multiple health issues it means there can be multiple problems that adversely affect energy level. This complexity of issues is often overwhelming to the individual – and it ends up feeling like nothing is working or anything tried doesn't work very well or work for very long.

The key is getting started and then adding nutrient support to facilitate energy improvement. Many individuals are surprised to find that following the Leptin Diet, especially after a few days on it, is really quite easy and readily starts to improve their energy. Others do indeed struggle to make it five to six hours without eating, and should begin with four meals four hours apart and gradually work their way to the three meals a day.

Basic energy support is the Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™, Thyroid Helper^®, and Iosol Iodine. It is fine to try Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin™, Iosol Iodine, and the entire Leptin Control Pack (which contains Thyroid Helper^®) – or you can add pack products one at a time to see which seem to help you the most.

Invariably, individuals with multiple health issues must have their plumbing and detox systems working well to support normal metabolism. This typically means extra fiber (like Fiber Helper™), liver support (like Daily Balancer™) and lymphatic support (like Immune Plus™). Waste products must get out of the body efficiently in order for metabolism to regain a better quality of energy.

A person does not necessarily need all of these things, but one must find adequate support to sustain energy more consistently during the day while simultaneously improving the removal of waste products. When such a combination of support if found, a person will begin to feel on track – energetically speaking. Once this is achieved, they are then more likely to begin dumping stagnant water, accessing stored fat to use as fuel, and have some energy to exercise. Getting on track opens the door to a better quality of energy and a more consistent ability to exercise, which over time is likely to help the individual manage their weight more effectively.

Yes, this is because leptin receptors on fat cells, especially abdominal cells, tend to go numb following transition. Many women who have not previously struggled with weight management may now enter a surprisingly difficult time. The Leptin Diet should be followed as closely as possible, as there is little margin for error.

Because the Leptin Control Pack^® is designed to comprehensively support metabolic efficiency, it is our most popular grouping of supplements for weight management – and is often used by women going through menopause or following this period of transition.

The Leptin Diet^® improves energy status in multiple body systems, including the female (and male) reproductive systems. Hot flashes always indicate inadequate energy to cope with hormonal signals (in this case a brain signal, FSH, that is trying to ripen an egg). It is actually common to hear that hot flashes as well as other sex hormone-related problems improve as a side benefit of following the Leptin Diet. Any of the nutrients in the Leptin Control Pack^® may offer assistance for the same reason – helping to improve general energy efficiency. Since energy is so fundamental to anything else in the body working properly, it is oftentimes amazing what the Leptin Diet is able to improve.

Yes, and there are two primary reasons this occurs. As mentioned in the last answer above, improving energy tends to help with the energy intense demands of running a menstrual cycle (which is the equivalent of eight hours of construction work a day on top of whatever else the person needs to do).

Secondly, leptin problems are one primary source of inflammation. Painful menstrual cycles invariably mean that general anti–inflammatory reserves are lacking and the monthly energetic test called the menstrual cycle is not going so well. Other factors always make matters worse, such as a high stress month, poor diet, or a lack of sleep – but leptin-driven inflammation is a major factor in all kinds of physical wear and tear situations (especially joint pain). Thus, the Leptin Diet, moderate exercise, and any dietary supplements that naturally support healthy leptin function form a core foundation that facilitates healthy structure and function of the body. One great choice to support the menstrual cycle is Female Plus™, 2 capsules per day taken all month.