The 2024 NHA Conference...
...once again did not disappoint in any way! The speaker presentations, hiking to a waterfall, live music, compliant foods, Dandy-blend frappaccinos, and meeting old and new friends was a wonderful experience indeed.
A Few Takeaways - the Nut-Shell Version
Dr. Greg Fitzgerald, a physician from Australia: His talk focused on ENERGY. You cannot achieve a higher level of health without achieving a higher level of energy; you need energy to heal. Stimulated energy (from coffee, energy drinks, etc.) is not REAL energy; the provide temporary energy and then you'll crash. Tired people will not lose weight because that takes energy. Exercise is not the answer. Don't PUSH yourself when you're tired. You need REST and SLEEP, the right food, balanced activity, and emotional poise (such as not trying to change other people).
Dr. Frank Sabatino: Body fat is now a global pandemic. As body fat increases, every known cancer to man increases as well. You can be normal weight and have a normal BMI - and still be over fat. His new book, Weightless: Compassionate Weight Loss for Life, explains 6 pillars that follow the PAMPER acronym: Plant nutrition, Adrenal recovery, Microbiota support, Pyschological poise, Exercise (and environmental toxins), and Rest/Sleep. I purchased a copy and look forward to reading it.
Dr. Neal Barnard: Talked about his latest book, The Power Foods Diet. He talked about foods that tame our appetite, trap calories, and boost metabolism. He suggests to his clients to spend one week just thinking about what they'll eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack, and to write all the options down. He reported that they always have long lists after thinking about it for an entire week. Then they spend the next 3 weeks DOING it.
Dr. Alan Goldhammer: Food addiction was one of his biggest points. He explained why chemicals in Sugar, Oil, and Salt laden foods are so addictive, and how they lead to visceral fat (belly fat). Visceral fat produces inflammation and leads to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and more.
He said having visceral fat is like having a 2-pound tumor in the belly. 72% of people in industrialized countries are overweight or obese. He also explained that losing weight permanently is even tougher than staying sober when recovering from alcohol or drug addiction, but that it CAN be done. His latest book was also on display, Can Fasting Save Your Life?
Dr. Joel Furhman: There's an optimal weight for each person. You cannot be overweight AND healthy, because fat cells produce inflammation issues, hormone changes, and glucose/insulin resistance problems. Eating the right foods makes you desire LESS calories, while eating the wrong foods makes you desire more. Eating fewer calories slows the aging process. He described the "caloric rush" - caloric concentration in the blood stream, and showed charts of the calories in our blood after eating high fat meals. One more tip I though was worth noting: If you plan to eat healthy desserts (such as frozen fruit nice cream), desserts should be PART of your meal, not in addition to your meal.
You Can Watch ALL of it
Other doctors who presented included Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Laurie Marbas; cooking demos were provided by Cathy Fisher, and Jane and Ann Esselstyn. Plus Chuck Carroll from the Exam Room Podcast shared his incredible transformation story.
You do have the opportunity to watch every one of these presentations (including the music on Saturday night; Dr. Sabatino plays a MEAN harmonica! They were rockin'.)
Visit the NHA's Website and click on the Conference tab to purchase the conference replays. The 2024 Conference replays should be available shortly.
Also consider becoming an NHA member - it's only $35/year, and you'll receive a quarterly, high quality, ad-free magazine in your physical mailbox (not email inbox) which is amazing! Lastly, tickets are now available for the 2025 conference, being held June 27-29, 2025. We plan on attending again would love to see you there!