The Luteal Phase Of Your Cycle Is The Time To Optimize Sleep
In one study, as little as 4 days of sleeping less than 5 hours per night increased insulin resistance by 30% in healthy individuals.
Multiple studies showed that sleeping less than 5 hours per night significantly increased body weight. For every hour less than 8 hours of sleep, the expected difference in weight compared to an adult who got 8 hours was about 3 pounds.
This is huge because so many of us are chronically sleep deprived! And since we are prone to having blood sugar imbalances in the second half of our cycle, then this is a critical time to WORK that sleep schedule. No more burning the candle at both ends in the second half of our cycle, because it is contributing to weight gain!
What You Can Do: Stop Overeating The Foods That Cause Insulin Resistance
How do we ensure our insulin levels remain balanced? First, we need to stop eating too much. Its a known fact that overeating leads to insulin resistance, especially when we eat too much food thats no good for our bodies and minds. When we eat too much sugar, too much fast food, and too many processed carbohydrates, insulin goes haywire. These elevated insulin levels lead to weight gain and low-grade inflammation. A 2010 study published in the journal Diabetes found that even eating too much of these foods in the short term leads to insulin resistance and weight gain.
You may also want to restrict carbohydrates in your diet. According to a study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, a low-carb diet prevents metabolic syndrome and the insulin resistance that causes it. Other findings show drinking green tea, consuming omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, and eating adequate amounts of protein all help balance insulin levels.
Reduce Exposure To Exogenous Oestrogens
Hormonal imbalances may also be affected by our exposure to exogenous oestrogens. Eating cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and collard greens may help balance the body’s oestrogen . My previous article on exogenous oestrogens discusses the effects of exogenous oestrogens and what you can do to reduce exposure to these chemicals.
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How To Balance Insulin For Weight Loss:
One small step you can take is by starting the day drinking filtered water with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. This will help you regulate your blood sugar first thing in the morning.
If apple cider vinegar sounds too harsh for you, ease into it or at least drink 16 oz of water every morning before you eat or drink anything else.
This acts as a natural body flush.
Other ways to naturally balance your insulin levels include:
- Getting enough protein with every meal
- Eating smaller, healthy meals more often
- Eating low-glycemic carbs
- Eliminating added sugars from your diet
The bottom line is this: if youve been struggling to lose weight but cant figure out what youre doing wrong, your hormones may be to blame.
You can ask your doctor to test your hormones, as well as use the above information to try different techniques to bring suspected problem hormones back into balance.
Its your body, and you should know everything you can to not only lose weight but feel happy, healthy and whole.
Am I Destined To Gain Weight In Menopause
Lets stop for just a second and look at menopause and weight. So many women come to me with incorrect assumptions about menopause including the false notion that weight gain is inevitable and theres nothing they can do to stop it.
But theres always something you can do. That doesnt mean I think its easy, and Im certainly not saying that its all about willpower. Its more than that. Its not about having the desire to change its about having the tools! And the first tool you need is information.
Its really no surprise that so many women struggle with weight gain in menopause. Hormone production is changing while at the same time, stress is hitting an all time high.
Parents are aging but children are still young careers are heading towards their peak women are pulled in so many directions, tending to everyone else and forgetting to care for themselves!
You cant always change these stressors, or when they hit. What you can change is your attitudes and beliefs. Rather than being a period of life that is feared, perimenopause and menopause should be celebrated!
With the right perspective, this can be the best time of your life. And that starts with not throwing up your hands and giving in when a few extra pounds mysteriously appear. Instead, stop and take a close look at all the areas that can impact your hormonal health and stall weight loss. I can help get you started.
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How Are Hormones Used In Agriculture And Horticulture
They are used in agriculture and horticulture to have a specific effect. Auxins were the first class of plant hormones to be discovered. Their main function is to help plants grow and auxin stimulates plant cells to elongate . The apical meristem of a plant is one of the main places where auxin is produced.
The Latest Thinking On How Things Like Testosterone And Estrogen Imbalances May Or May Not Add Pounds
by Janis Jibrin, AARP, August 6, 2020| 0
En español | If you’re like most Americans age 50-plus, your waistline is six centimeters wider than it was in your 20s or 30s, and the numbers on your scale reflect this, too. We can all tick off the reasons: genetic predisposition, supersized portions, too much sitting and not enough moving. But there’s another theory circulating through the weight-loss world: hormonal imbalance. And balancing those hormones is the promise behind books like The Hormone Fix, diet programs such as BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers and countless dietary supplements like Female Balance or DIM, a compound marketed to men as a testosterone protector.”
To suss out whether your hormones are colluding with your fat cells, first a little Hormones 101. Made by our bodies, these chemical messengers have wide-ranging effects: controlling growth, developing sex organs, directing blood sugar levels and, yes, influencing body weight, body fat and muscle mass.
Levels of certain hormones change with age and they can occasionally cause weight gain, says Kenneth Burman, M.D., director of endocrinology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and professor of medicine at Georgetown University, both in Washington, D.C. But, he says, For the vast majority of people who are overweight or have obesity, hormones are not main the cause.
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Hormones And Weight Gain
Its difficult to get motivated to lose weight, eat healthily, exercise regularly, and lose weight when hormones are being affected. Hormones have an impact on mood, energy levels, and your ability to burn fat and feel control over food. Its difficult to lose weight when you dont feel great and youre hungry all the time, you feel me?
Keep in mind that its possible to lose weight when hormones are imbalanced. You have to be in a calorie deficit to burn fat BUT, its possible to gain weight even when youre in a calorie deficit when your hormones are imbalanced. Hormones can cause weight gain even if youre dieting and exercising like a pro!
How Hormones Affect Weight After 50
Almost all traditional diet information, left out the most important aspect: our hormones regulate our metabolism, fat storage, weight gain or loss, hunger, and satiety.
Weve all heard, Eat less, exercise more.
Or statements about all calories are equal. We need to eat less calories than we burn.
These are both dangerous beliefs because they leave out the most important part of managing your weight.
Your hormones!
Im going to be blunt here. The hormone responses that lead to you gaining weight are also wrecking your health.
When your insulin is continually elevated and your cells are insulin-resistant, you are heading down a path of not just being fat, but of suffering disease that is preventable. In addition, you damage your skin and increase overall inflammation in your body.
Research is showing that almost all disease begins with inflammation. Inflammation aint no joke!
Ladies, this is not good. And I would say, many of you are headed down this path. Look around. You can see how food is literally wrecking your body and that of those around you.
Also Check: Estradiol And Progesterone Side Effects
Do Hormones Affect Your Ability To Lose Weight
When it comes to losing weight, conventional wisdom emphasizes the calories in / calories out approach. In other words, the thinking used to go, as long as you burn off more calories than you take in, you should be trim and healthy in no time.
However, that approach ignores the fact that calories are attached to foods with significantly different chemical structures and impacts on your body. It also ignores that your body may not be equipped to burn off calories because your hormones are out of balance.
At Low Testosterone & Weight Loss Center in Allen, Texas, our health experts take a holistic, whole-body approach to weight loss. That includes examining your hormones and correcting imbalances with hormone replacement therapy .
Estrogen Helps You Recover Fast And Reduces Muscle Damage
As the dominant female hormone, estrogen plays the role of protector.
It reduces fatigue and muscle damage, meaning you can tolerate higher levels of volume during weight training , without negative effects.
Estrogen also helps to blunt pain.
During the follicular phase of your cycle, in particular, youll develop machine-like tolerance and stamina when weight lifting.
This means your time-to-exhaustion and general stamina in the weights room will be optimal during the follicular and ovulatory phases.
Key Points on estrogen:
- Heavy weight training sessions with lots of volume are best during the follicular phase when estrogen is high.
- Youll experience lower levels of muscle damage and fatigue when estrogen is elevated, so youll be able to train hard and recover much faster.
- Your exercise performance is optimal during mid-to-late follicular phase and through to ovulation when estrogen is at its highest.
Read Also: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Testosterone Therapy
Hormones That Affect Your Weight
A large number of hormones important to your body can significantly affect your weight. It can help to talk to your doctor about your weight concerns and to find out if, perhaps, your hormone levels may be imbalanced enough to lead to the problem. Below, youll find some of the most common hormones that can cause weight fluctuations.
Free Phone Consultation With Our New Patient Coordinator
Our providers at Leigh Ann Scott, M.D. are devoted to understanding our patients health concerns and symptoms. We use scientific-based protocols to find the root cause of hormonal imbalances, thyroid dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies and more. We believe that spending quality, personalized time with each patient provides the necessary foundation to help you achieve optimal health and wellness. Our system incorporates provider consultation, comprehensive health assessment, and laboratory testing in a warm and caring environment.
Contact our New Patient Coordinator for a Free Phone Consultation. She can explain our protocols and fees in more detail, answer any questions or concerns you have, and explain how our approach can help with hormonal balance, anti-aging, and disease prevention, so that you can enjoy a vibrant and healthy life!
Please contact her directly or complete the form below and she will contact you. There is no obligation with this consultation. If you feel we are a good fit for you, our New Patient Coordinator can also get you booked for your first appointment.
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How Hormones Affect Weight Loss + How To Reset
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Learn how hormones affect weight loss and if they are the reason that you have hit a plateau and the scale wont budge no matter what you do.
Youre working on shedding another ten pounds or so, but your body seems to have hit a major plateau. No amount of exercise, dieting, or healthy meals appears to be working.
A sudden decrease in weight loss may not have anything to do with your effort. In reality, it may have everything to do with your bodys hormones.
Wait a minute. What do hormones have to do with weight loss?
Hormones control a lot of functions in our bodies, from immunity to behaviors. How we think, act, stay motivated, and even how our internal processes work all boil down to good old hormones.
And, yes, they have control over our weight loss.
If youre having problems losing weight, you may want to check with your doctor to rule out a possible hormone issue. Dont worry, though it is possible to reset your body and get those stubborn hormones back on track.
How Hormonal Imbalance Can Affect Weight Loss
Hormones are chemical messengers that let your brain know what your body needs including how fast your metabolism needs to work, and how much fat you need to store for leaner times. But heres the problem those messages often get distorted, and your body ends up holding on to fat even when youre survival isnt threatened.
The levels of specific hormones circulating through your body can vary hour to hour or even minute to minute, depending on the signals your brain is receiving. Different levels of hormones are released at different times of day, and change throughout your menstrual cycle as well.
As we age, some hormones naturally decrease, which isnt a problem on its own. Difficulties begin when the levels are out of balance with each other. Ratios between certain hormones are important, and if the balance is off weight loss becomes incredibly difficult no matter what you do!
Hormone production begins with the HPA axis, and so many things can go wrong right from the very beginning of the process. Thats why its so important to look for the root cause of weight loss resistance instead of taking drastic measures to try and drop the weight. That weight is a symptom and you need to know what caused the gain in the first place if you want the interventions you choose to be effective.
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Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Restores Hormone Balance
A sure way to reverse the effect of a hormone imbalance on your weight is to restore your hormones back to normal levels. The great thing about regaining your hormone balance is that it does more than help you lose weight it also helps to reverse and prevent the multitude of health problems that arise due to low hormones.
Here at BioAge Health, you receive personal attention and customized hormone replacement. We review your medical history and run advanced lab tests to determine your hormone levels. If you have any imbalances, your hormone therapy is individually developed to replace the precise amount and type of hormones you need.
Dr. Kodama prescribes SottoPelle® bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for several reasons. Bioidentical hormones are identical to those produced by your body, so they exert the same effect. Additionally, the hormones in your SottoPelle therapy are made from natural botanicals.
While youre on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, we routinely check your hormone levels to be sure you maintain optimal, healthy levels.
Do you want to learn whether a hormone imbalance factors into your weight gain? Call BioAge Health or use the online booking feature to schedule an appointment.
Other Factors That Influence Hormones
Sleep, activity, and stress can also affect hormones that influence body weight.
Getting enough sleep is essential for optimal health. Not getting enough sleep is associated with hormonal dysregulation.
Sleep deprivation is linked to insulin and leptin resistance and hunger hormone derangement, which may lead to increased appetite, decreased fullness, overeating, and weight gain (
- improve the bodys sensitivity to insulin
- increase testosterone levels in men
- reduce leptin levels in people with overweight and obesity
- improve response of fullness hormones after meals
Controlling stress is important for healthy hormonal response as well. Chronic stress may alter the hormones responsible for appetite regulation, which may contribute to increased calorie intake and weight gain .
For this reason, managing stress is an important part of promoting optimal hormonal health and maintaining a body weight thats healthy for you.
Summary
Many factors may impact hormones that influence your weight. Following a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, staying active, and managing stress are evidence-backed ways to promote hormonal health.
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What Is A Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones play an integral role in maintaining many of the important processes within the body. Hormones are produced and dispersed by your endocrine glands. They act as chemical messengers, which travel through the body within your bloodstream. Hormones act as an important trigger for bodily functions such as metabolism and reproduction.
Hormonal imbalance occurs when you have too much or too little of a specific hormone. Even small changes in hormone levels can critically affect your health. Because hormones play a significant role in regulating your metabolism and the way your body uses energy, hormonal imbalance can cause weight gain.
Hormone disorders that affect your hormone levels such as Cushings Syndrome can lead to significant weight gain. Hypothyroidism is another condition that disrupts hormone levels and can lead to weight gain.
Other factors such as age may lead to a hormonal imbalance that causes an increase in weight. Hormonal imbalance can interfere with healthy food cues and regulate energy levels. This can eventually lead to significant weight gain and obesity.