by Robel Mengistu | Jun 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
Does the number on the scale never budge? OR worse…it only increases?
It can feel so frustrating when you feel like you’re doing everything right: your eating well and
you exercise consistently but your clothes don’t fit well and you feel like a failure for not being
able to lose the weight.
Weight loss resistance is MORE than a vanity problem. Excess weight is a risk factors for many
conditions such as:
● Heart disease (the number one cause of death in women world wide)
● Thyroid disorders
● Diabetes / insulin resistance
● Metabolic disease
● Chronic illness
● + more
If so, here are 6 common triggers to weight loss resistance that have NOTHING to do with diet
or exercise.
1. Environmental toxins
Environmental toxins are found all around us including these common household items:
● Candles
● Lotion
● Shampoo
● Makeup
● Food
● Water
These toxins mimic your hormones, such as estrogen, and can lead to an inability to lose
weight. In addition, if your body is unable to keep up with detoxing the amount of toxins it is
exposed to, it protects the essential organs by storing those excess toxins in fat.
2.Chronic stress
It’s all too common to reach for comfort food after a stressful day which can result in excessive
calorie intake.
Stress also impacts your hormones by causing your body to create cortisol, which is linked to
weight gain and an inability to lose body fat.
3.Hypothyroidism / underactive thyroid
Did you know up to 60% of Americans with hypothyroidism are unaware they have the problem.
Your thyroid is your master metabolic hormone and manages many of your body’s processes.
When it’s underperforming, metabolism slows, and weight gain increases.
4.Hormonal imbalances
Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone also all play significant roles in stubborn weight.
All of these hormones can impact metabolism. Any imbalance in any of these hormones can
lead to a decrease in metabolic rate and an increase in fat storage. Testing to identify any
hormonal imbalances is key to create an individualized health plan.
5.Insulin resistance
Here’s how insulin resistance triggers a hormonal imbalance which can then lead to weight gain.
The individual eats a diet low in healthy fats and high in refined, processed carbohydrates such
as white bread, diet soda and pasta.
These foods cause a rapid rise in blood sugar to which the body manages with a compensatory
rise in insulin. This then causes a drastic decline in blood sugar for a short amount of time and
triggers a compensatory rise in cortisol levels.
The extra insulin travels with the new rise in blood sugar to transport the glucose into the cells
for storage or energy production. But over time the cells lose their ability to take in large
amounts of glucose and this state is called insulin resistance.
High levels of insulin can lead to an increase in production of testosterone in the ovaries in
addition to lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which can lead to an excess of estrogen
in the body. This excess estrogen can lead to excess fat storage, especially around the
abdomen.
6.Poor gut health
This means that your gut has a massive impact on your hormonal balance, and is often the root
of hormonal issues. Here are a few key hormones modulated by your gut microbiome:
● Your gut produces most of your serotonin. An inflamed gut can impair this production
and can lead to low levels of serotonin. Serotonin is best-known for increasing your
sense of happiness, but it also serves as a precursor for melatonin.
● Norepinephrine and epinephrine are also strongly linked to your gut health. These
hormones control your fight-or-flight response. Elevated levels, which can result from
harmful bacteria in your gut microbiome, cause stress, anxiety, and depression. This
triggers more hormonal issues in a vicious cycle.
● Estrogens are also regulated by the gut through the estrobolome.
● The gut and thyroid have a bidirectional relationship. Poor gut health can lead to thyroid
problems and thyroid disorders can contribute to leaky gut.
Which of these 6 hidden triggers surprised you?
Tags:
Guthealth
Bloodsugarbalance
Hormonehealth
Gutandhormones
weightlossresistance
by Robel Mengistu | Jun 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
Are you estrogen dominant? These things might be causing it.
While estrogen dominance is not a true diagnosis, it refers to the overall imbalance of estrogen
to progesterone in the body.
Estrogen dominance results in many common symptoms, including:
● Brain fog
● PMS
● Depression
● Insomnia
● Reduced sex drive
● Weight gain (particularly in hips, midsection, thighs)
● Anxiety
● Fatigue
● Mood swings
● Bloating
● Fibrocystic breasts
● Abnormal menstruation
● Fibroids
● Endometriosis
● Breast tenderness
Here are eight common root causes of estrogen dominance:
Toxins found in food
The hormones in meat and dairy can mess with your own hormones. Pesticides used on plants
are also common endocrine disruptors. Heavily processed food can increase inflammation
levels within the body.
How to fix:
Follow a nutrition plan that:
● Minimizes processed foods, sugars, and alcohol
● Avoids dairy and find dairy free alternatives
● Chooses organic, hormone free meat
● Chooses organic produce when possible
● Focuses on eating the rainbow
Chronic Stress
Chronic stress devours pregnenolone, a precursor for other hormones, to create cortisol. This
destroys the delicate balance of estrogen and progesterone.
How to fix:
Addressing stress and finding relaxing outlets is one of the best things that you can do for your
health as stress impacts almost every function within the body! Ways to reduce stress:
● Create a list of things that trigger stress for you. What can you do to minimize, avoid, or
change your perspective about those triggers?
● Journal
● Meditate
● Walk for 20-30 minutes daily
● Take 1-2 minutes every hour to take 5 deep breaths to recenter yourself
● Make a list of activities that are relaxing for YOU
Tap water
Public drinking water contains 45 hormone-disrupting chemicals. Plastic bottles and cans also
leach chemicals into the water, causing hormonal issues.
How to fix:
Drink filtered water out of a glass or stainless steel vessel. By filtering your drinking water with a
quality filter, you’re massively reducing your exposure to the dangers of industrial chemicals,
their toxic byproducts, and pharmaceuticals. I’d suggest investing in a heavy-duty carbon filter
that will remove particles 0.8 microns or under.
Xenoestrogens
Xenoestrogens are endocrine disruptors that can mimic estrogen in the body which can block or
bind to estrogen receptors in the body.
When this happens, it typically raises the overall estrogen levels in the body which can result in
estrogen dominance.
How to fix:
Avoid these common ingredients found in everyday household products that have
xenoestrogens:
Food:
● Red dye No. 3 (erythrosine)
● BHA (a food preservative)
● Pesticides / insecticides found on conventional produce
Hygiene products:
● Parabens
● Benzophenone (commonly found in sunscreen!)
● Phthalates
Household products:
● Bisphenol A (found in plastics and receipts)
● DEHP (commonly found in PVC)
● Polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) – (flame retardants found in things such as
plastics, furniture, vehicles, etc)
● Polychlorinated biphenyls
Other:
● Ethinylestradiol (found in combined oral contraceptive pills)
● Many insecticides (can be found in traces on non-organic produce)
● Alkylphenol (found in cleaning detergents)
Impaired gut health
Poor digestion impairs your body’s ability to rid itself of excess estrogen. This excess estrogen
is then stored in fat, particularly around the midline.
How to fix:
The best way to overcome an inflamed gut is through testing to identify WHAT is happening in
your gut. Lifestyle actions that you can begin to take at home include:
● Avoiding toxins
● Eat fermented foods
● Lower stress levels
● Avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners
● Limit alcohol
● Eat the rainbow
● Choose organic produce whenever possible
Hormonal birth control
Hormonal birth control adds synthetic hormones to your body, which suppresses natural
hormone production and disrupts your natural balance.
How to fix:
Speak with your practitioner about other methods of birth control that would be beneficial to you.
Types of hormone free birth control include:
● The copper IUD
● Family planning method
● Barrier birth control (condom, diaphragm, etc)
● Vasectomy (if you have a current partner)
Do you feel like you need more support for your hormones? Sign up for a free introductory call
so we can explore how we might be able to help you. Sign up with the link below:
Tags:
Estrogendominace
Hormonebalance
Metabolicsyndrome
Hormoneimbalance
gutandhormones
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