With nearly two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, weight loss strategies are all important for individual health as well as for the health or our economy. When viewed as a problem discussion of obesity often focuses on finding a magic bullet; a drug, a superfood, an exercise routine...the one thing that will make the pounds melt away quickly and forever. While this is a critical way to find certain kinds of answers, another alternative is to view obesity as a symptom of a system out of balance. In this holistic view, focus shifts to ways to support the system and opens the discussion to a wider variety of variables, some a bit unusual, that might be overlooked in the narrower view.

Stash Yummy Foods. Or perhaps we should say out of sight, out of mind, fewer pounds. Researchers at the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab found that office workers ate 48% more chocolates when they were on their desk in easy reach compared to when they were just 6 feet away. Even putting candies in a desk drawer reduced consumption 25%.

Oil Pulling. Oil pulling means swishing a tablespoon full of oil around your mouth and through your teeth for about 15 minutes. Based on an ancient Ayurvedic practice, there are several research studies which show that oil pulling is good for the health of your gums. What's the connection? A 2007 article in the Journal of Periodontology found that prediabetes can worsen gum disease and gum disease can negatively affect glucose metabolism possibly leading to diabetes.

Watch Less TV. In a 2009 study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, Jennifer Otten, the lead researcher reported that subjects who cut TV time in half but didn't change the number of calories they ate burned 120 more calories per day, equivalent to walking a mile.

Drink Oolong Tea. Oolong comes from the same plant, camilla sinensis, as do green and black teas, differing only in how it is processed. A 2001 human study by William Rumpler published in the Journal of Nutrition studied oolong tea and fat metabolism. Results showed that subjects who drank full strength oolong tea burned 67 more calories per day and increased fat burning by 12% making it a good home remedy for weight loss.

Avoid artificial sweeteners. Several studies show that people who use artificial sweeteners may actually gain more weight than if they had stayed with sugar. Susan Swithers, a researcher quoted in the June 29th edition of Purdue News suggests that artificial sweeteners may cause a disconnect between the body's ability to give correct feedback based on a food's sweetness. The result is you overeat...not a good thing if you are trying to lose weight.