So many of us wish we could be thinner, mostly because we want to look better. But Dr. Kachmann spent over 40 years as a neurosurgeon, and what he saw convinced him there's more at stake when it comes to achieving and maintaining a normal weight than our appearance.
By eating right and being healthy, you can avoid diseases ranging from diabetes to Alzheimer's - and even cancer.
Which is great, right? But that doesn't make losing weight any easier. So how do you do it?
Having seen plenty of people trying and failing to get the weight off, Dr. Kachmann told himself, "Rudy, keep it as simple as possible." Accordingly, he has reduced the process to a single formula:
Health = Nutrient / Calories
This is the idea underlying what's called a nutrient-dense diet. And the wonderful thing about nutrient-dense food is that it will not only give you health benefits; it will also diminish your appetite.
One of the themes in Dr. Kachmann's lecture this past Wednesday was that appetite isn't just, or even primarily, about how much you eat. It's about what you eat as well. For instance, eating refined carbohydrates or heavily processed foods of any sort (esp. fast food) will actually lead to more cravings. And sugar is even worse in this regard because you can actually become addicted to sugar.
One of the things that keeps people from achieving their ideal weight is stress. You get stressed, you want to do something to feel better. Well, sugary foods give you a dopamine burst, so for a little while at least you'll feel good. Over the long run, however, you'll start to need the sugar just to feel normal. So you eat more. Now, you're in a cycle of addiction.
This means that in addition to eating nutrient-dense food, you may need to do some sugar detox. And, once you've overcome your cravings, you'll probably want to put a plan in place for what to do when the stress starts getting overwhelming. This can include dancing, singing, getting out in nature... anything but succumbing to your urge to overeat or eat the wrong food.
Stress management, nutrient-dense foods, increased physical activity - that's about all it takes. Still, easier said than done, right? The remaining part is motivation... but what more motivation do you need than knowing you'll be living healthier, longer, feeling better, avoiding myriad diseases, and providing a good example for your children.
It's a powerful message. And it's great to see so many people attending the lectures and helping to spread the word.
As usual, after the lecture, Dr. Kachmann treated his friends to a meal (along with a song and dance - see below) at Chappell's.
Thanks to all who attended. If you want to make sure you never miss a lecture, sign up for the newsletter and be the first to know about the topics and dates.
You can see Dr. Kachmann's Access TV Shows Mondays at 6:30 pm or Wednesdays at 6:00 pm on Comcast channel 57.
You can hear him on the radio at 95.7 WELT on Tuesdays at 12:00 pm and Thursdays at 8:00 am.
You can attend one of his monthly evening lectures at the Kachmann Auditorium in Lutheran Hospital (check Facebook for event details).
Or you can visit him after 9:00 am on Fridays at Three Rivers Pharmacy on North Anthony, where he gives free consultations.