More on diets... and gaining weight.

One of the many things that call my fascination is the issue of weight loss/gain. There are many, many aspects to these. From the image related ones to the health related ones, going through psychological, cultural, etc. etc.

I am not an expert on the topic. However, it is interesting that the research I have done usually brings more information on suggestions and ideas for people wanting to loose weight, not gain it. Have you ever talked to someone that wants to actually gain weight? They would tell you that it is very, very difficult. Some have attempted to eat all day (in fact some do eat quite a lot) but they just cannot gain weight.

So this post has my total support for them, not the weight loosers. Must say, though, I wonder if the key for both is the same. By accident I found a comment on a you tube video that mentioned some system (they didn't talk about the specifics) that helped people loose weight through working directly with the hypothalamus.

This is totally new for me (although it is pretty obvious when you look at it closer). The hypothalamus is the one that regulates some functions related to metabolism and the Autonomic Nervous System. In relation to weight, it sets the 'program' that specifies the 'normal' weight for that person (whatever that may be, even if it does not seem 'normal' nor 'healthy').

I was reading wikipedia (which, yes I admit is the basic of basics, but can give a general idea on something). It says the following:

The hypothalamus is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the Autonomic Nervous System. It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called hypothalamic-releasing hormones, and these in turn stimulate or inhibit the secretion of pituitary hormones. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, ^[1] fatigue, anger, and circadian cycles.

The hypothalamus is a complex region in the brain of humans, and even small nuclei within the hypothalamus are involved in many different functions. The paraventricular nucleus for instance contains oxytocin and vasopressin (also called antidiuretic hormone) neurons which project to the posterior pituitary, but also contains neurons that regulate ACTH and TSH secretion (which project to the anterior pituitary), gastric reflexes, maternal behavior, blood pressure, feeding, immune responses, and temperature.


As I said before, I know very little about the topic, which seems immense, so I will post some open questions that perhaps will seem odd, but might bring some clarity in the future.

The questions come from thinking about a person I met recently, and linking this person's case to other people I have seen that cannot gain weight. They also arise from combining my interests in astrology and emotional issues and my general interest in people's issues. Some, however, are just questions to which I would have to write a whole treatise if I wanted to explain how I came up with them.

I'll call the person in this case 'FB'. FB is someone that cannot put on weight. FB is usually hungry and eats quite often, not limiting the diet, except for red meat, which only is included very rarely.
When talking to FB, a single woman in her 30s, other possible clues come to the surface. She mentions that she doesn't have a good relationship with her mother and that she has trouble sleeping at nights. She also says that she often has trouble digesting food and that she feels tired despite taking a nap in the afternoons.

From an astrology perspective, an astrological influence that seem to jump out is the moon. The moon has to do with nurturing (this includes food), the mother, and deep rest and letting go.

Now thinking about another couple of cases (one of them a man), they also had issues related with their mothers. In his case, his mother died when he was young, leading to deep grief and loss. In her case her mother was absent through her childhood due to work.

So, my questions:

- could there be a relationship between the hypothalamus and the moon astrological force?
- is it possible that by working out the mother issues these people carry, their weight would go up?
- what is really happening in the hypothalamus of these people or people like them?
- what could be done in the hypothalamus to change and influence a different 'normal' weight and a metabolic balance that will target their perfect weight?
- could genetics be the main factor here?

Suddenly I am fascinated with the hypothalamus.

Perhaps someone with more knowledge will read this one day and point to something that might be a key to solving the issue of weight gain or loss in this case.