Hormone health is a buzz word among wellness professionals as we learn more and more about how dependent the quality of our health is on healthy hormone function. However, it's still not something commonly considered among the general public when it comes to weight loss.
This is unfortunate because so many people struggle with their weight and are so often going about it all wrong.
There is a vast amount of "weight loss" solutions available on the market. We have things like trendy diets, cleanses, and appetite suppressing stimulants to choose from.
Guess what? If followed properly they ALL likely work.
But then what?
The likelihood of gaining the weight back is very high because
A. These solutions teach you nothing about how to eat to sustain your health and weight for the long term and
B. It's likely you haven't uncovered the underlying factor/s of why you have excess weight in first place.
That's a recipe for failure and disappointment.
This is heartbreaking because too many women feel shame and discomfort when it comes to their weight and that's because they are confused, overwhelmed and never completely sure of what to do to manage their weight. This creates feelings of defeat and even low self-esteem or self-image.
So what's a girl to do?
The #1 most effective thing you can do that is both easy and sustainable is balance your blood sugar.
So what does this really mean?
Blood sugar instability (often referred to as dysglycemia) is extremely common. This is because things like refined foods, high-glycemic foods and beverages, as well as stimulants are so readily available that we are consuming too many of them too often. The other factors are toxic load, lack of exercise, mental stress, and gut imbalances.
That's a lot of factors. It's no wonder many aren't experiencing optimal health.
What these factors create is a roller coaster of highs and lows in our blood glucose levels. When this becomes chronic and it most often does because many of us are unaware that it's even happening, our adrenal glands become exhausted and we store fat as a result.
To makes matters worse, fat is metabolically active meaning fat actually produces it's own hormones. The more fat tissue we have the more hormones we make and this puts additional stress on the body. That's right, that spare tire is not as innocent as you might think.
Signs and symptoms of dysglycemia include:
Fatigue
Irritability
The hangries
Brain fog
Forgetfulness
Excess weight around the middle
Cravings for sugar
Poor sleep
Feeling tired after meals
Blurred vision
Feeling agitated or anxious
Lightheadedness
Here's the bad news...
Long-term insulin abuse leads to metabolic syndrome and conditions such as PCOS, heart disease, dementia, cancer, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hypertension. We all know somebody who has at least one of these things.
The good news...
Dysglycemia is the calm before the storm - meaning it hasn't developed into a state of dis-ease yet. By improving blood sugar balance now, the storm may not come after all.
So what are some ways to improve blood sugar balance so that we can get off of the glucose roller coaster, lose weight and improve our health?
Kick the sugary beverages for good. If you're still in the habit of drinking sodas and juices, make this your priority before trying to do anything else. Many people have watched their weight melt away simply by doing this.
Remove all refined breads, cereals, crackers and snacks.
Avoid stimulants as they elevate blood sugar.
Limit high-glycemic carbohydrates and starches.
Eat insoluble and soluble fiber. Both control inflammation, provide satiety, and help with weight loss.
Exercise. Strength training is wonderful for improving blood sugar levels
Eat protein at each meal including plant sources like beans.
Eat fat with each meal such as sliced avocado, flax oil, hemp oil, coconut oil, and olive oil.
Eliminate toxins from your foods, cosmetics, and household cleaners.
Eat onions and garlic. They have blood glucose-lowering effects.
Avoid fried foods such as the ones found in fast-food restaurants. Deep fried foods contain inflammatory fats which trigger inflammation and inflammation effects blood sugar.
As you can see there are many dietary steps to improving blood sugar balance so it's a good idea to begin making small changes that build over time so that you don't feel overwhelmed and restricted.
Bottom line, if you want to lose weight and maintain it balancing your blood sugar is key.