For decades, I’ve helped people discover the root cause of their disease—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Sometimes, internal “dis-ease” manifests into excess weight or obesity and is often rooted in adverse childhood experiences—ACEs.
This is something I’ve seen repeatedly in my decades of work alongside Dr. Felitti and the ACE Study.
Interestingly, I’ve had patients who realized they were using their excess weight as a form of protection from the outside world and the opposite sex. In childhood, they experienced sexual trauma. Since then, in an attempt to make themselves invisible or undesirable, they purposely—albeit sometimes unconsciously—kept on weight.
This realization usually didn’t come right away.
They thought their overeating was unrelated to their childhood, and instead, they attributed it to their genetics or a simple lack of willpower. Some wouldn’t bother to try to lose weight while others would join weight loss programs half-heartedly. Frustrated, they’d give up because, really, they never actually wanted to lose the weight in the first place.
For anyone who can resonate with this, any program promising weight loss through exercise or healthy eating alone will never, ever work (especially in the long-term or sustainably). If the underlying trauma is never addressed or resolved at a root level, the self-sabotage will always win.
When the underlying trauma is unveiled, it’s much easier to see the “why” behind the behavior in order to change it.
Dr. Vincent Felitti, the Co-Principal Investigator of the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, and I collaborated for decades with groups and individual patients, including thousands with high ACEs suffering from an unhealthy relationship with food.
Dr. Felitti (left), Dr. Ray (right)
In March 2020, Dr. Felitti and I teamed up with Relish Life to offer a comprehensive weight loss program that integrates the science of ACEs, and it’s an ideal solution for those whose weight is a symptom of a high ACE score. The Relish Life program offers a root-cause approach to weight loss that combines the best of psychology, behavioral health, holistic wellness, fitness, nutrition, medication, technology, and more to help people heal from trauma, lose weight and keep it off.
Dr. Felitti is an advisor for Relish Life and I’m the Chief Behavioral Officer. Dr. Al Ray, who worked intimately with the ACE Study for over two decades at Kaiser Permanente, is Relish Life’s Chief Medical Officer.
The world needs Relish Life now more than ever.
Relish Life solves the root neurological and physiological issues that cause obesity using a personalized and comprehensive approach. We help bring down the barriers that lead to weight gain and retention so members can experience the free, happy, and healthy lives they deserve.
The program includes:
- Personal Physician: Monitoring your health and progress with regular calls, check-ins, and unlimited text/email support
- Personalized Medication Plan: FDA-approved, stimulant-free, scientifically proven, and delivered right to your doorstep
- Designated Health Coach: An initial strategy session and ongoing support and accountability via live check-ins and text/email
- Expert Psychological Support: Weekly small support group counseling sessions with experts to uncover your ACEs and heal your relationship with food
- Daily Inspiration, Meditations, Tips, and Tools: Elisa, a friendly chatbot and pocket cheerleader, helps keep you motivated and on track every step of the way
- Members-Only Educational Portal: A library of mindfulness, hypnotherapy, fitness, and nutrition programs (with live guidance) for lasting change
- Private Community: Gain access to our private Facebook group to connect with others and leverage the power of community on your path to health and happiness
- A Mobile App: For even more access to the treatment team and resources (coming soon!)
If you or someone you know might be using excess weight as a form of protection with ACEs, Relish Life might be a perfect fit to heal and lose the heavy, unresolved trauma from the inside out.
Learn more about the program here and be sure to use code “PACES25” at checkout!
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