Post by erictalmant on May 19, 2009 8:05:51 GMT -5
This is from a fellow MT advisor. I thought I would pass it along:
In addition to all of the possibilities for weight gain previously mentioned,the placement of the fat on the body is a key indicator of the body type/endocrine dominant gland as posited by Elliot Abravanel, M.D.
I came aqcross his work 20+ years ago and found it fascinating. To test his ideas I checked out the body shapes of friends unobserved, noticed the bone structure, fat deposits if any, and then asked what they would binge on if they didnt have any considerations as to health, weight factors, etc. Without fail their responses aligned with Abravanel's observations as to primary food choices, body structure, and fat deposits. At the beach I routinely scrutinized adults and children and found it fairly simple to determine body type and fat placement. To check my own observations, I began asking people if I could "guess" what their food cravings were, and I was almost always spot on.
This information has provided me with valuable clues as to the personality and tendencies of my clients, including both therapy clients and nutritional consulting/health eduation clients.
With the dynamic,maturing processes of the human organism, it is to be expected that the body will change, just as a child's facial bone structure goes through many changes as it matures.
Weight gain is not an absolute with maturity. Ethnicity, genetics have a lot to do with the "thickening" of the body. With maturity,an adrenal body type (northern cold climates), male or female, may thicken through the waist area without fat gain. Thyroid body types (warmer climates) may become more "stringy", an adaptation to that genetic background...etc etc etc.
We women freak out about this "maturing" more than men it seems. If there is excess energy (food) eaten, MT not balanced, etc etc etc, then there will be excess fat, and it WILL be deposited in the area the dominant endrocrine gland (body type) dictates;sometimes throughout the middle of the body, in front of the body (pot belly), throughout the waist/love handle area, etc.
In addition to using the Advanced Assessment questions re body type, I go into greater detail with clients to determine body type, using the questions and diagrams in Abravanels early books. If their dominant gland is tired, it is possible their secondary gland is trying to take up the slack, and we need to know that as well to modify the food plan if necessary.
Abravanel's original books are hard to find these days, but used are generally available. He was the first to come out with endrocrine/body type supplements, a revolution 20+ years ago. His research resulted from hundreds of his personal patients who came to him for weight management issues as an M.D. To my knowledge he was not aware of any of the Eastern medical systems, such as Ayurevedic Vata, Pitta, etc. This information is well worth the time to study and integrate with your MT clients.
Shirley Michael, Ph.D.
In addition to all of the possibilities for weight gain previously mentioned,the placement of the fat on the body is a key indicator of the body type/endocrine dominant gland as posited by Elliot Abravanel, M.D.
I came aqcross his work 20+ years ago and found it fascinating. To test his ideas I checked out the body shapes of friends unobserved, noticed the bone structure, fat deposits if any, and then asked what they would binge on if they didnt have any considerations as to health, weight factors, etc. Without fail their responses aligned with Abravanel's observations as to primary food choices, body structure, and fat deposits. At the beach I routinely scrutinized adults and children and found it fairly simple to determine body type and fat placement. To check my own observations, I began asking people if I could "guess" what their food cravings were, and I was almost always spot on.
This information has provided me with valuable clues as to the personality and tendencies of my clients, including both therapy clients and nutritional consulting/health eduation clients.
With the dynamic,maturing processes of the human organism, it is to be expected that the body will change, just as a child's facial bone structure goes through many changes as it matures.
Weight gain is not an absolute with maturity. Ethnicity, genetics have a lot to do with the "thickening" of the body. With maturity,an adrenal body type (northern cold climates), male or female, may thicken through the waist area without fat gain. Thyroid body types (warmer climates) may become more "stringy", an adaptation to that genetic background...etc etc etc.
We women freak out about this "maturing" more than men it seems. If there is excess energy (food) eaten, MT not balanced, etc etc etc, then there will be excess fat, and it WILL be deposited in the area the dominant endrocrine gland (body type) dictates;sometimes throughout the middle of the body, in front of the body (pot belly), throughout the waist/love handle area, etc.
In addition to using the Advanced Assessment questions re body type, I go into greater detail with clients to determine body type, using the questions and diagrams in Abravanels early books. If their dominant gland is tired, it is possible their secondary gland is trying to take up the slack, and we need to know that as well to modify the food plan if necessary.
Abravanel's original books are hard to find these days, but used are generally available. He was the first to come out with endrocrine/body type supplements, a revolution 20+ years ago. His research resulted from hundreds of his personal patients who came to him for weight management issues as an M.D. To my knowledge he was not aware of any of the Eastern medical systems, such as Ayurevedic Vata, Pitta, etc. This information is well worth the time to study and integrate with your MT clients.
Shirley Michael, Ph.D.
