One Main Reason You Can’t Lose Weight – Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal Imbalances

The hormone that has the greatest connection to weight gain and disease is insulin – specifically too much of it. Every week I speak to new clients who tell me that they’ve started to put on weight since hitting their 40s/50s ! Insulin resistance is often to blame! ⠀
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One of the more obvious consequences of a diet too high in sugars and starches is that thick roll of tummy fat. That fat itself produces pro-inflammatory compounds and inflammation, which can also cause inflammation in the brain.⠀
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Foods that cause high blood sugar and insulin resistance when consumed regularly and over consumed include sweet fizzy drinks, sweet coffee drinks, sweets, pastries, pasta, bread, processed grains, fruit juices and other high-glycemic foods. But sometimes just a diet high in any carbohydrates. ⠀
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Many women find that they gain weight– sometimes a significant amount – during peri menopause and menopause. And, to make matters worse, their old tried and true ways of getting the weight off simply don’t work.⠀

It’s a complex issue that includes a combination of poor diet (i.e. eating too many of the wrong carbohydrates,) sedentary lifestyle, stress, and many other factors. But, the truth is, whatever the underlying cause, insulin resistance is a major cause of peri and menopausal weight gain and those with a genetic variant on their genes involved in insulin balance will be at greater risk. The key to reversing it and achieving lasting weight loss is to keep insulin levels low.⠀See my recent Blog post on Insulin Resistance.

There are other hormones that are dynamically interacting every minute, which also affects your weight and health. The hormones most likely to affect your weight are thyroid, cortisol, and sex hormones.  See my recent Blood posts.

Thyroid

Research shows hypothyroidism, or low-thyroid function, affects one in five women and one in ten men. Unfortunately, in over half of these cases, this condition isn’t diagnosed.

A common cause of hypothyroidism is gluten intolerance.

Other major culprits that interfere with thyroid function include pesticides and heavy metals. Nutrient deficiencies can also slow things down. Your thyroid needs specific nutrients to run optimally including selenium, zinc, iodine, and omega-3 fats.

Most doctors don’t test for thyroid function correctly. Even when they do diagnose it, they don’t treat it effectively by optimizing thyroid function through diet, supplements, and the right thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

That’s unfortunate since thyroid function plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy weight and hypothyroidism is a major player in weight-loss resistance. Among my clients, I’ve found these four strategies can optimise thyroid function and weight loss:

1. Get the right tests. Ask your doctor to check your thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH and free T3 and T4, as well as thyroid antibodies including thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb). IOr you can do the at home finger prick test (see lab testing). Some people may need to dig deeper to learn if something like heavy metals (mercury), pesticides, yeast, or nutritional deficiencies like selenium, vitamin D, zinc, or even iodine could block thyroid hormone function. Reverse T3 is the brake that stops your thyroid hormone from working at the right times. Unfortunately, toxins and inflammation increase levels of reverse T3. You can see you genetic predisposition for RT3 in the Thyroid DNA report.

2. Eat right for your thyroid. Limit soybeans, raw kale, and other raw cruciferous veggies, which might contain thyroid-blocking compounds called goitrogens. I know this sounds confusing. After all, I usually recommend plenty of cruciferous veggies. In this scenario, I am saying it’s okay to eat them…just not raw! You should limit the kale juice and kale salad. . I also recommend wild-caught, low-mercury fish, and seaweed for additional iodine – the mineral your thyroid hormones are made from. Since people eat less iodized salt, you might be iodine deficient. Over-exposure to fluoride and chlorine also create iodine deficiencies. Pumpkin seeds and oysters are excellent sources of zinc, and Brazil nuts provide selenium and iodine.

3. Use quality supplements for thyroid health. A good multivitamin that contains the above nutrients, plus fish oil and vitamin D, makes an excellent nutrient base. Some people may benefit from iodine supplements.

4. Replace the right thyroid hormones. Most doctors will only prescribe T4 (such as Thyroxine), the inactive form of thyroid hormone your body must convert to its active form, T3. Many of my clients do well on Thyroid glandulars which a functional practitioner or nutritionist can recommend.

Cortisol

Another source of weight-loss resistance is stress. Yes, you actually can think yourself fat or think yourself thin, and science proves it. Stressful thoughts activate metabolic pathways that cause weight gain and insulin resistance.

Stress creates hormonal responses that cause weight gain and insulin resistance. Cortisol is an adrenal hormone that helps you to run faster, see further, hear better, and pump fuel into your bloodstream for quick energy. It is the hormone that helps us survive in the face of true danger.  It also shuts down digestion and slows your metabolism.

All of this is perfectly normal in the short term, yet if left unchecked, prolonged stress and high levels of cortisol cause high blood sugar, increased belly fat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and muscle loss.

You can’t eliminate stress completely, but you can reduce it with meditation, yoga, or deep relaxation. These activities activate pathways that promote weight loss and health.

Sex Hormone Imbalances

Sex hormone imbalances, such as oestrogen and testosterone, can also cause weight problems. Having too much oestrogen causes weight gain whether you’re a man or a woman. See my recent Blog post on oestrogen detox.

For both genders too much sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol spike oestrogen. Keeping your gut healthy also cultivates healthy sex-hormone metabolism. Too little fibre or too many antibiotics damage the gut, triggering oestrogen spikes because your body can’t properly detoxify or excrete waste. Environmental toxins, like for example pesticides, are called xenoestrogens. This is because even at low doses, they act like oestrogen in your body.

Symptoms of excess oestrogen in women include breast tenderness, fluid retention, bad premenstrual syndrome, fibroids, and heavy menstrual bleeding.

Low testosterone causes men to lose muscle and gain fat, leading to sexual dysfunction, low sex drive, fatigue, mental fogginess, and bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis.

Interestingly, cholesterol produces testosterone and other sex hormones. Eating a low-fat diet and taking statin drugs that block cholesterol production can negatively impact your sex hormones.

If you suspect imbalances, you’ll want to get tested. Please see Female Health DNA and Dutch Test.

These five strategies can help get you started:

1. Eat a hormone-balancing diet. Low sugar, good fats, and high in fibre, can help balance hormones.

2. Bulk up on fibre. Ground flaxseeds provide optimal fibre and lignans, which balance hormones. Even adding two tablespoons a day to a shake or a salad can help. You’ll also want to eat fibre-rich organic fruits and veggies.

3. Foster daily elimination. Constipation is bad for your hormones. Take magnesium citrate, vitamin C, probiotics, and flaxseeds daily to help maintain regularity. It’s a foolproof combo for most people.

4. Limit or remove alcohol. Excess alcohol can compromise liver and kidney function, which inhibit detoxification and create hormonal imbalances, high triglycerides, and fatty liver.

5. Get moving. Exercise helps balance hormones, reducing oestrogen and increasing testosterone, which helps you lose fat and build muscle.