Hormones and Weight Loss
by Ross
Marchegiani
When
struggling with weight gain, the traditional recipe is to restrict calories and
to get on the treadmill six days a week. This may work for some, but for most,
it is a recipe for disaster. The severe calorie restriction slows down thyroid
function, which helps to regulate our metabolism, and the long-duration aerobic
activity taxes what are probably already low-functioning adrenal glands.
At this
point, the body is being thrown into a pseudo-survival tailspin and will
innately place priority on survival rather than reproduction by stealing sex
hormones to make adrenal hormones for dealing with the stressors that we are
inflicting on ourselves. One way to combat this vicious cycle is by consuming a
diet high in healthy fats.
It is
important to break the mindset that consuming fat makes us fat. By consuming
healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass-fed
butter, tallow, duck fat, seafood, nuts and seeds, we provide our body with
cholesterol, the primary building block of hormones. In order to make any
hormone in our body, cholesterol is needed. We can make cholesterol internally
(De novo synthesis).
Consuming
a high-fat regimen such as a ketogenic diet may improve hormone production,
reduce insulin spikes (insulin causes fat storage), and control blood sugar
swings, which helps us to refrain from finishing an entire bag of potato chips.
A ketogenic diet consists of 60 to 65 percent of calories coming from fat and
limiting net carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day. By following this type of
diet, we can work with our hormones, rather than against them. Consult a
healthcare professional about customizing a ketogenic diet to support overall
good health.
Ross
Marchegiani, DC, MSCN, specializes in hormone dysregulation and weight loss
with an emphasis on a sound nutritional foundation at Turnpaugh Health and
Wellness Center, located at 107 West End Dr., in Manheim. For more information,
call 717-879-9899, email [email protected] or visit Turnpaughhwc.com.