Five Simple Strategies for Deep Sleep.
January 10, 2015“Its simple, just eat less and exercise more”. This used to be the weight loss recipe. However, for a person trying to lose weight, this can be a frustrating strategy and may not even be effective.
As a naturopathic doctor specializing in weight loss, I work to address possible underlying causes of the person’s weight gain beyond counting calories and attempts to be more active. There are many other contributing forces that will determine one’s ability to lose weight, or not. Here is a list of important but often overlooked variables that are critical to the weight loss equation.
1. Low Thyroid Function
Your thyroid is your bodies metabolism engine. When working properly, it helps your digestion, your energy levels, your mood and especially your fat metabolism. You have thyroid receptors all over your body and your thyroid function is especially connected to your levels of stress hormones. Too much stress will block your thyroid from working properly. Many people trying to lose weight actually have an underactive thyroid and don’t know it.
2. Dysregulated Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone and Other Hormones
All too often, these key hormones are out of balance causing symptoms like PMS, fatigue, menopausal symptoms and most importantly weight gain. Hormone imbalances can come from the foods we eat ,the beauty products we use, birth control medications, estrogen replacement therapy and more. Furthermore, because hormones are mostly made in the liver, if your liver is overburdened, you will experience more problems with your hormones.
3. Environmental Toxicity
I believe this is a huge source of why our bodies hold onto fat. Many toxins get stored and stuck in our fat cells, causing excess weight. Also, these toxins are difficult to get rid of. Many people are exposed to toxins from their workplace. For example exposure to paints, solvents or radioactive material. Other toxins are less obvious but wreak havoc on our bodies. Examples of these are the bisphenol A found in plastic products, parabens, phthalates and sodium lauryl sulfates found in beauty products. Numerous herbicides and pesticides added to our food get stored in our bodies. Glyphosate (commercially called Roundup) is currently being added to wheat crops. This disrupts the body’s normal detoxification pathways and hormonal system. It is important to aid the body in safely getting rid of these toxins so the body can work more efficiently.
4. Stress
Simply put, stress makes you gain weight. When the body is under constant stress (poor diet, lack of sleep and emotional stressors for example) Stress hormones especially cortisol get stored in fat cells leading to weight gain. When your body is under stress, it also “turns off” your digestion, disrupts your sleep and causes your brain to go into survival mode. This causes more imbalance in your nervous system and an inability for your body to come back into balance and lose weight.
5. Emotions.
In my opinion, this is a big root cause of why people fail at weight loss (and other things). We often eat emotionally, using food to comfort us or make us feel better -using food as a way to avoiding feeling certain emotions. This process self sabotages us and sets us up to feel worse, thus perpetuating the cycle. When we can become aware of these patterns, we can shift and make healthier choices.
As a naturopathic doctor, I am trained to look at the underlying cause of dis-ease and unbalance in my patients. Also, I treat the individual, not just the name of the condition or disease. Each person is unique and each person needs individual treatment recommendations.
Naturopathic doctors also address the mental and emotional obstacles that prevent health and healing. We work with the mind/body connection to reach a more unified whole outcome. Additionally, my training in yoga helps me teach people tools to relieve stress and to become more self aware, getting to the root of our feeling disconnected and feeling more alive.
WEIGHT LOSS PROMO FOR THE NEW YEAR!
Let me help you be healthier in mind body and spirit!
Book a weight loss appointment with me before January 14th and receive 20% off!
Click here to get started on the path of renewed health and optimal body weight! Just send me an email (doctorbrenna@gmail.com) or call 303 320-1174 to get started!
I look forward to working with you
Yours in health
Dr. Brenna
