Posts

BELLY FAT; IT’S A REAL TURKEY

UNBUCKLE YOUR BELT, HERE IT COMES

A lot has changed since the first Thanksgiving shared by the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans in 1621.  The “lot” being the growing groaning table of Thanksgiving goodies. Creamed this, buttered that, every kind of carb from mashed potatoes to mac and cheese, tater tot casseroles, and of course sweet potato casseroles with tons of tiny little melting marshmallows. And pies. Don’t forget the pies. All kinds of pies. Overeating has become a tradition. Did you know that the average American gains 1 to 3 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day every year? According to a study published by the New England Journal of Medicine, Americans add on an average of 0.7% of their weight during the holiday season. All that food just dumps itself onto your belly. That might have been jelly before you jumped into the fight for the greasy, crisp turkey skin.

AN ABUNDANCE OF BELLY

But for many people, a big belly isn’t about a holiday belly. Extra pounds park themselves around their middle on an ongoing basis. Potbelly. The pouch. Spare tire. Middle-age spread. Though the term might sound dated, “middle-age spread” is a greater concern than ever. As people go through their middle years, their proportion of fat to body weight tends to increase — more so in women than men. And lower belly fat is hard to shed. Certain body fats hold onto fat around the lower stomach longer than any other part of the body.

ARE YOU A PEAR, OR ARE YOU AN APPLE?

Fat isn’t just “fat”. There are different types that have different effects on different parts of your body. But we’ll focus on subcutaneous and visceral fat here.

The subcutaneous fat is the outermost layer of fat; it’s the fat you can pinch between your fingers. This layer sits on top of the abdominal muscle tissue. If you can pinch a good amount of subcutaneous fat, chances are you have a large amount of visceral fat lurking underneath your abdominal muscles. Subcutaneous fat is less harmful to health and serves as a layer of protection for your organs as well as insulation to regulate body temperature. This is what defines the “pear shape”.

Visceral fat hangs beneath the muscles in your stomach, close to all your organs. Can’t see it and can’t pinch it. This is what is called the “apple shape”. In the mid-1990s, scientists learned visceral fat releases hormones and other substances that affect the body’s functioning. These substances cause inflammation, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. Visceral fat also secretes a protein that makes it harder for the body to use insulin effectively, which increases the risk of diabetes. And because visceral fat is so close to the liver, it may cause the liver to produce too much cholesterol, which raises the risk of developing high blood pressureheart attack, and stroke. It can cause sleep apnea, asthma, and even different types of cancer. Not exactly something to give thanks for.

HORMONAL FEASTING FRENZY

Let’s get into some of those hormones we were talking about. Let’s say you’re doing everything right. You work out and eat healthy meals as much as you can, but your belly won’t budge. The fat hanging over the pants just persists. The same hormones that mess with your libido (estrogen and testosterone), can impact your waistline. Cortisol also plays a major role in metabolism regulation, and basically, chronic stress can lead to chronically high cortisol. That’s a one-way ticket to a big appetite and high blood sugar. (Next stop: belly fat!). You may have leptin resistance. Leptin is the hormone that helps regulate your appetite. It tells your brain when your belly is full. If your body starts ignoring leptin’s messages, that’s called leptin resistance. Another hormonal cause of belly fat? Insulin imbalance. Wild sugar cravings, sudden weight gain, and lack of focus could all indicate insulin issues. A common symptom of an underactive thyroid is weight gain, often around the abdomen. So don’t blame that gut you’ve got on the platters of goodies that have put you in a food coma.

THE SAFEST WAY TO WHITTLE YOUR MIDDLE

Belly fat can be tricky to ditch. Like the day-after-Thanksgiving Day-leftovers, it just keeps hanging around. Belly fat can drive people to some pretty dangerous ways to dump the lump. Extreme or bizarre diets. Starving themselves until they’re ready to pass out. Exercising until they lose it. (And we’re not talking about the fat). Online and over-the-counter meds that might actually do more harm. What you need to do, is see a medical professional who is trained in hormones and the way they affect your weight, and specifically not-beer gut. The hormone experts at Denver Hormone Health can help you carve out a safe and personalized program. It’s called Hormonal Weight Support. Everything you need to help you on your weight loss (belly loss) journey. Including emotional support. At Denver Hormone Health, they understand your frustration and care about you in every way. From hormonal replacement therapy to the guidance of experienced nutrition and exercise specialists. Denver Hormone Health is the way to make that belly be a thing of the past. Be your best. Feel your best. Look your best. Call Denver Hormone Health for an appointment now.

THE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIFE – Stress!

11-15-stress-blogTHE DAILY GRIND

There’s no getting away from it.  Stress is around you day and night. 44% of adults report that their stress level has increased in the past 5 years. Although there are stressors almost all people feel, they change from person to person and situation to situation. Take a minute and try to list the top 20 stressors in your life. I’m sure your list will go on and on.  More than 54% of people are seriously concerned over the issue.

IT’S NOT ALL IN YOUR HEAD

There are two types of stress. One is internal and makes you feel like you’re going bonkers. These thoughts come from psychological or emotional feelings, like being depressed or worried, or putting pressure on yourself to be perfect. Sometimes even the little things, like daily chores, feeling unattractive or even gaining weight can seriously stress you out.

Other stressors come from external factors, which are forces that you can’t easily control. Examples are a major life event, like worrying about finances, the state of the world, the safety of your kids, and the security of your job. Internal and external stressors can have the same physical and psychological effects. You may have trouble sleeping, lose your appetite or lose interest in daily activities. You may be irritable, have headaches, stomach pains or find that you cry easily. Both external and internal stress can be short term or long term.

WHEN IT ALL GOES HAYWIRE

Stress in any form can have negative effects on your body including:

  • Increased or constant anxiety
  • Compromised immune system
  • Endurance & strength
  • Weight & body fat
  • Sexual performance
  • Sex Drive and motivation
  • Blood pressure
  • Skin & wrinkles
  • Memory
  • Depression & low mood
  • Body composition
  • Metabolism
  • Cholesterol LDL/HDL
  • Mental Clarity & focus
  • Anti-Aging
  • Menopause & andropause

THE CORTISOL CONNECTION

Cortisol which is produced by the adrenal glads, is often called the “stress hormone” because of its connection to the stress response. However, cortisol is much more than just a hormone released during stress. The benefits of cortisol include blood pressure management, reduced inflammation and a stronger immune system. This stress-fighting hormone converts protein into fuel when you’re under physical or psychological stress evoked by traumatic events.

Cortisol can help control blood sugar levels, regulate metabolism, help reduce inflammation and assist with memory formulation. It has a controlling effect on salt and water balance and helps control blood pressure. It can help prevent and resolve all of the problems listed here. All of the amazing functions it controls make cortisol a hormone essential to protect overall health and well being.

It is very important to know your adrenal/cortisol status which can be determined with a laboratory and medical evaluation.

OH YEAH, TRY THIS

There are people who are told there are other ways to combat stress, no matter the severity of it. They are told to relax, take biofeedback, and eat better. Learn yoga, practice mindfulness and exercise to name a few. There’s the use of passionflower, music, massage, (sure, we can all afford that), limited cell phone and internet, self-hypnosis, sex, hugging, pets, chewing gum, guided visualization, art therapy and gratitude journals. To name a few. Ask how many people follow these suggestions on a regular basis. Uh, not many. Nice thoughts. Just not permanent solutions.

WANT A WAY TO AVOID ALL THIS STRESS AND RELIEVE ITS SYMPTOMS? IT STARTS WITH A CALL TO DENVER HORMONE HEALTH AND AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE STEPHEN GOLDSTEIN M.D.. DR. GOLDSTEIN HAS SPENT YEARS RESEARCHING AND LEARNING ABOUT STRESS AND ITS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE BODY. WITH SIMPLE TESTS, DR. GOLDSTEIN CAN ASSESS HOW MUCH YOUR HORMONE BALANCE IS OUT OF WHACK AND WHAT VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR PROBLEMS. IT’S ABOUT AS STRESSLESS AS IT GETS.

SO CALL NOW OR REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.