Category Archives: Men’s Health

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites

February 18, 2014

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites-Can this work?

parasites are entirely dependent to their host for survival, this makes them drain the excess calories and nutrients hence weight loss.

Parasites are living organisms that depend on their host for daily living. They do not produce their own food but relay on their host for everything. The common parasites are tapeworms. They are flat segmented worms that live in the intestines of some animals. Animals can become infected with these parasites when grazing in pastures or drinking contaminated water.

Eating undercooked meat from infected animals is the main cause of tapeworm infection in humans. Although tapeworms in humans, usually cause few symptoms and are easily treated, they can sometimes cause serious, life threatening problems. That’s why it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of tapeworms and know how to protect yourself and your family

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites- Signs and symptoms of Parasites (tapeworms)

Most worm infestations cause any or all of these symptoms: diarrhea, perhaps with blood; weight loss; dry hair; general poor appearance; and vomiting, perhaps with worms in the vomit.

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites-Understanding how parasites may be of help.

Despite the extreme “gross” factor of tapeworms, some people have suggested that acquiring one intentionally would be a relatively simple way to lose weight. In fact, tapeworm pills may have been sold as weight-loss aids in the past.

In some ways, it seems to make a certain amount of sense that is, if you can get past the gross out factor. If a tapeworm is absorbing your body’s nutrients and calories, you can eat all you want and enjoy the test. Then the worm diverts it all before it hits your waistline, right? The body gains more weight among other reasons is through the kind of food we feed on and human habits of feeding themselves.

Since parasites are dependents to the host and cannot fend for themselves, they will be there to absorb the excess calories and food nutrient which your body could not contain that would have otherwise resulted in weight gain and eventually development of obesity. Much as it may look strange, this direction of understanding is practical. I know that these parasites should be eradicated from the body; they are not in any way organism to be accommodated in the body however for this one reason of consuming what the body may not need one or two of the parasites may be necessary.

This may not be a good way of eliminating the excess body weight, but in all things we have or do, there will be merits and demerits. To help us understand the merits better, let us look at the case study research by a researcher at the University of Manchester, in this research Mice were infected with a worm called Trichinella spiralis in the study

Healthy Weight loss following infection with intestinal worms is the body’s way of fighting off the parasites, University of Manchester researchers have said.

The immune system hijacks a hormone that controls when to stop eating, their study of mice suggests. This then triggers the type of immune response needed to expel the worms from the gut. The finding could lead to new ways to treat people with intestinal worms, researchers say.

Researchers first saw a potential link when they were measuring levels of a hormone called cholecystokinin in volunteers after they had been fed a meal. One man had incredibly high levels and on further investigation it was found he had an intestinal worm infection he had picked up on holiday.

Joining forces with a team specializing in gut worm infections the researchers did a study in mice infected with a worm called Trichinella spiralis.

Naturally you would think that if you are losing weight you are going to have less energy to fight off infection. But they found out that immune cells called T-cells responded to the worm infection by driving up levels of cholecystokinin. This increase has a knock-on effect of driving down another hunger hormone, leptin, which influences what type of immune response the body needs to produce.

When they artificially added leptin back into the infected mice, the immune system mounted the wrong response and the intestinal worms remained in the gut for longer. As we said before these organisms should not be in the body but for this particular reason there were some merits, however where the parasite is not helpful and causes health problems immediate treatment should follow.

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites-Treatment Options

Healthy Weight Loss Drug Therapies

Your health care provider will choose the drug that is most effective against your intestinal parasite. You may need one dose, or you may have to take the medication for several weeks. Be careful to take the medicine exactly as it is prescribed, or it may not work.

Healthy Weight Loss Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Conventional medical treatments can get rid parasites more quickly and with fewer side effects than most alternative treatments. Alternative treatments may be helpful along with conventional medications. However, your health care provider must find out what kind of organism is causing your problems before you start treatment. The following nutritional guidelines may help keep parasites from growing.

Healthy Weight Loss Nutrition and Supplements

  • Avoid simple carbohydrates, such as those found in refined foods, fruits, juices, dairy products, and all sugars, except honey.
  • Eat more raw garlic, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates, beets, and carrots, all of which have been used traditionally to kill parasites. In one study, researchers found that a mixture of honey and papaya seeds cleared stools of parasites in 23 out of 30 subjects. Drink a lot of water to help flush out your system.
  • Eat more fiber, which may help get rid of worms.
  • Probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus planetarium, Saccharomyces boulardii, and bifidobacteria help keep your digestive tract healthy. Probiotics may not be appropriate in some severely immune compromised patients. Talk to your doctor.
  • Digestive enzymes will help restore your intestinal tract to its normal state, which makes it inhospitable to parasites. Papain is an enzyme from the papaya plant that may help kill worms when taken 30 minutes before or after meals.
  • Vitamin C supports the immune system. Lower the dose if diarrhea develops.
  • Zinc (20 – 30 mg per day) — also helps support the immune system. Zinc may interact with certain medications, particularly some antibiotics, and it may not be appropriate for people with HIV/AIDS. Talk to your doctor.

Healthy Weight Loss Herbs

Herbs are a way to strengthen and tone the body’s systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to diagnose your problem before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). People with a history of alcoholism should not take tinctures.

Many of the herbs used to treat intestinal parasites have toxic side effects or interfere with other medications. Use them only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. Your health care provider should treat you with the gentlest herb that is effective for the type of parasite you have. A few of the herbs that your health care provider might consider include:

  • Garlic (Allium sativum)
  • Barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
  • Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
  • Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium)

Healthy Weight Loss Homeopathy

As with other treatments, your health care provider must first diagnose the kind of parasite you have. Before prescribing a remedy, homeopaths take into account a person’s constitutional type — your physical, emotional, and intellectual makeup. An experienced homeopath assesses all of these factors as well as any current symptoms when determining the most appropriate remedy for a particular individual. The following remedies may be used:

  • Cina
  • Cuprum oxidatum nigrum
  • Indigo
  • Teucrium

Healthy Weight Loss and parasites-Can this work?

 

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Weight Loss and Adrenal

February 17, 2014

Weight Loss and Adrenal-Could it be a hindrance?

Andrenal

Is stress causing you to Gain Weight? your adrenal glands initiated a “fight or flight” response

We go through periods of time in our lives when the demands are greater and the stress load is heavier. Regardless of the reasons – illness, relationship difficulties, work struggles, caring for an aging parent or ailing child – there can be a physical impact. We may turn to food for comfort, or we may not nourish ourselves adequately. During times of stress there are actual physiological changes that happen in our bodies, one of which is weight gain. It may not happen overnight, but if we do not pay attention to our body’s needs, over time we may notice we are putting on the pounds.

Our adrenal glands govern our stress response, by secreting hormones relative to our stress levels. They actually help control many hormonal cycles and functions in our body. When the adrenal glands are overworked, the body prepares for disaster, by storing fat and calories. We crave foods, we lose precious energy, and we gain weight. So how can we keep the heavier stress load from equaling heavier bodies?

Weight Loss and Adrenal-How stress becomes physical

For millions of years, humans were forced to protect themselves from environmental factors. From the earliest days of dinosaurs and cavemen, nature has proven its ability to put fear in human beings. Life and death circumstances have evolved around the ability to understand danger, and seek protection and survival. If you were being chased by a predator, your adrenal glands initiated a “fight or flight” response, releasing adrenaline and cortisol into the body. These hormones provided extra physical energy and strength from stored carbohydrates and fats.

While most of our stressors are not the same our earliest ancestors, the body’s natural course of evolution has maintained this original fight-or-flight stress response. But whether we are being physically threatened or not, with any increased stress our body looks to its stored fuel, and then replenishes it when used. Also, with increased levels of cortisol, our body also does not respond as well to leptin, the hormone that makes us feel full, so we eat more.

Modern-day stress may be more psychological than physiological, but it is also more constant. Many of us face chronic stress as a way of life, which means we have consistently elevated levels of cortisol. Now the body thinks it continually needs extra fuel, and typically stores that as fat around the abdomen, or as it’s commonly referred to, the old “spare tire.”

Belly fat: a common sign of adrenal fatigue

Adrenal imbalance causes a number of issues, including an expanded waistline. The science behind it is quite interesting. Normally when we feel begin to feel hungry, our blood sugar drops and the brain sends a message to the adrenal glands to release cortisol. Cortisol activates glucose, fats, and amino acids to keep our body fueled with energy until we eat. Cortisol maintains blood sugar levels, and insulin helps our cells absorb glucose. When we have long term stress, both insulin and cortisol remain elevated in the blood, and the extra glucose is stored as fat mostly in the abdomen.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Scientists have discovered that fat cells actually have special receptors for the stress hormone cortisol, and there are more of these receptors in our abdominal fat cells than anywhere else in our bodies! In addition, scientists have shown that belly fat is actually an active tissue, acting as an endocrine organ that responds to the stress response by actually welcoming more fat to be deposited! This is an ongoing cycle until we take steps to correct this adrenal imbalance. How do we do that?

Weight Loss and Adrenal-Eat well for healthy adrenal glands

What you eat matters. Although it sounds ironic, if you want your body to believe that it is not in danger of starving to death, you need to eat healthy food at regular intervals. Since cortisol helps regulate blood sugar, keeping glucose levels balanced will take some of the stress off the adrenal glands. Three nutritious meals and two healthy snacks spread out across the day will keep our adrenal glands steady.

When you eat matters. Our natural circadian rhythms can help us know when our bodies need nourishment and fuel. Cortisol’s cycle complements our body’s own rhythms, although is highest in the morning and declines gradually throughout the day. When we eat we elevate our cortisol, so it’s ideal to consume larger meals earlier in the day, which also helps our body prepare itself for restful sleep at night.

Have healthy foods on hand. It may be easy to reach for sweets and caffeine for quick energy, but these actually backfire on us, dropping our blood sugar levels rapidly. Reaching for micronutrient-rich foods, such as lean protein, avocado, fresh fruits and vegetable, garlic, and ginger will more adequately support adrenal functioning.

Supplement your daily diet. Adrenal expert, Shawn Talbot, PhD, says, “When it comes to dietary supplementation for stress adaptation and cortisol control, the first line of defense appears in the form of a comprehensive multivitamin/mineral supplement.” The benefits of a daily multivitamin enhance many of the functions in our body. Consider the high-quality multivitamin mineral complex we have in our Program at Women to Women.

For more information on healthy eating and adrenal glands, see my articles about how to eat for your adrenal health.

Weight Loss and Adrenal-Pace yourself to heal

Our fast-paced world is never unplugged. We rarely have time to disconnect from technology, our cell phones, the Internet, email, and even television. And our adrenal glands notice! Instead of being tired, wired, and overeating, consider slowing down and restoring balance to your adrenal glands, and your life. You may think that by moving fast you will lose weight, but in fact, when stress levels are high and our adrenals are working overtime, we will stay in a perpetuating cycle of adding pounds. Here’s how we can learn to pace ourselves.

Sleep

Many of my patients complain of being tired all day then having trouble sleeping at night. They are in an upside down circadian rhythm, which affects cortisol levels, causing irregular sleep patterns. You can correct these by eating less food late in the day, turning off all technology including television, by 8 p.m., and by trying to be in bed and asleep by 10 p.m. The goal is to have at least eight hours of sleep, so our bodies can rest and regulate our hormonal cycles.

Exercise

Our adrenals respond to stress, even if we think it is positive. Exercise is positive, and can help us reduce stress, but only if it does not make us feel tired. When we are exhausted, our adrenals are already working hard, and exercise can put added strain on them. The goal is to keep your heart rate under 90 beats per minute when working out. If you don’t regularly exercise, walking 15 minutes once or twice a day after meals, outside in fresh air, makes our adrenal glands, and our mind and body, very happy.

Have fun

Don’t forget that having fun, laughing, and enjoying your time is a very important way to relax! We all need to make having fun a priority, the benefits are amazing!

Don’t forget to breathe

Deep breaths in and out of your nose can not only slow your heart rate down, but will calm your entire body. Sometimes when we are under stress our breathing becomes shallow, and fast. It only takes three or four deep breaths to feel better. Try to remember that slowing down our breath, as well as our life, even for a few minutes, can make a big difference in reducing our stress level.

Weight Loss and Adrenal-Just let it all go

It isn’t always easy to let things go. We put pressure on ourselves to meet the demands in our lives, to take care of others, to do well in our endeavors, and to make everyone around us happy. But when we forget about ourselves in that equation, the stress will appear as extra pounds, or other things that impede our health and our functioning. When we live with continually elevated levels of stress, our body adjusts to the “crisis mode” and sometimes needs help learning how to live in a calmer state. The first step is to heal your adrenals. By following some of the tips in this article, giving yourself time, and being patient, you will begin to replenish your energy, lose extra weight, and most importantly, feel better.

Weight Loss and Adrenal-Could it be a hindrance?

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Treatment Options Available For Heroin Addiction

February 17, 2014

New Treatment Options Available For Heroin Addiction

Treatment for Heroin Addiction-What is heroin?

Heroine

heroine addiction is oppressive, disastrous and unhealthy. Good news it is treatable.

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.” Although purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine.

Treatment of Heroin Addiction-Symptoms and Effects

Heroin produces a “downer” effect that rapidly induces a state of relaxation and euphoria (related to chemical changes in the pleasure centers of the brain). Like other opiates, heroin use blocks the brain’s ability to perceive pain. Heroin abusers, particularly those with prior drug abuse history may initially be able to conceal signs and symptoms of their heroin use.

Loved ones or co-workers may notice a number of signs of heroin use, which are visible during and after heroin consumption:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Dry mouth
  • Constricted (small) pupils
  • Sudden changes in behavior or actions
  • Disorientation
  • Cycles of hyper alertness followed by suddenly nodding off
  • Droopy appearance, as if extremities are heavy

Treatment for Heroin Addiction- Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine (byoo-preuh-nor-feen) is a medicine for treating heroin addiction. Buprenorphine works a lot like methadone, but instead of getting it at a special clinic, a doctor prescribes it in the office and you can take it at home – which can make treatment easier for you.

Why Is It Important to Treat Heroin Addiction?

Heroin addiction is a disease. Heroin use can cause many problems:

  • Overdose and even death.
  • If you inject heroin and share needles, you can get HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C, or give these diseases to someone else. Injecting can also cause infections of the skin, muscle, and heart.
  • Because heroin is illegal, you may have to go through a lot of trouble or do something illegal to get it. You can end up in jail if you get caught with even a small amount.

When you use heroin for a long time, your brain and body change and become dependent on it (your body needs the heroin). If this happens, you may need dot take medicine every day for a long time to treat your addiction, just like people take other medicines to treat other health problems, like people who have diabetes and need to take insulin shots.

For many years doctors have used methadone to treat heroin addiction. But people who take methadone have to go to their methadone clinic often their medicine. This may be a help to people who need the supports services at their clinic, but for others it can be a barrier to treatment. Many communities do not have methadone clinics, or their clinics do not have room for new patients.

How Can Buprenorphine Protect You from HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)?

Buprenorphine blocks symptoms of withdrawal and craving and helps you to not use heroin.

If you are in withdrawal or craving heroin, you might share needles or works because taking heroin seems more important than protecing yourself or others from HIV infection.

If you are high on heroin, you may not think straight. There is a better chance that you will not use a condom to protect yourself and others from infection.

Treatment for Heroin Addiction- How Does Buprenorphine Work?

If you are ready to quit, buprenorphine can help you use less heroin, less often until you can stop using altogether.

It blocks the effects of heroin

Buprenorphine stops heroin from getting you “high” and stops withdrawal symptoms and heroin craving (the strong feeling that you need to have it).

It is safe

Buprenorphine does not get you high if you use it the right way and it does not cause strong side effects. It is hard to get sick or overdose from it.

You can take it at home

Doctors prescribe buprenorphine and you can take it at home. It comes in tablets that you put under your tongue and let them melt.

Treatment for Heroin Addiction- How Does Buprenorphine Treatment Work?

There are three steps, or “phases”:

1. Induction phase

This period usually lasts for about one week. The goal is to figure out the dose of buprenorphine that works best to relieve your withdrawal symptoms and craving.

  • You take the first dose when you are in the early stage of withdrawal – about 10 to 24 hours after your last dose of heroin. First you take a test dose, followed by another dose to relieve withdrawal symptoms.
  • Your doctor may ask you to stay in the office for several hours after your first dose to see how the early doses affect you.
  • During the first week, you may have to see your doctor several times. The dose can be raised if you still have withdrawal symptoms.
  • You may not be able to drive or use machines and power tools.

2. Stabilization phase

The goal in this phase is to use less heroin or no heroin and not feel withdrawal symptoms or craving while you keep taking buprenorphine.

  • Usually lasts about 1-2 months
  • You visit your doctor’s office for check-ups regularly.
  • You get a prescription for and take buprenorphine at home. Your doctor may increase your dose so that you do not have to take buprenorphine every day.
  • Doctors may test your urine to make sure you are not taking heroin or other drugs.

3. Maintenance phase

  • You visit the doctor’s office to get a refill of your buprenorphine about once a month.

What Are the Side Effects of Buprenorphine?

  • The most common side effects are constipation and nausea. Usually these are not strong.
  • If you feel light-headed at first, you may not be able to drive or use heavy equipment until you get used to the medicine.
  • You cannot take buprenorphine at the same time as some pain medicines, like morphine and codeine, because buprenorphine will block their effects. Use medicines like Tylenol® or ibuprofen instead. If you need surgery or have a long-term pain problem, you will need to stop buprenorphine for a while.
  • Do not take buprenorphine with sedatives to help you sleep or tranquilizers (like anti-anxiety medicine such as Xanax® or Valium) unless prescribed by your doctor. High doses of these drugs mixed with buprenorphine may cause an overdose.
  • If you have hepatitis or other active liver problems, your doctor may check your liver tests from time to time.
Treatment for Heroin Addiction-Natural way

There are a few highly effective homeopathic ingredients that can be used on a heroin addict to get rid of the addiction in a natural way.

Plantago Major is the first ingredient that has been used for a very long time for treating various ailments, conditions, even as salad dressing, and also for treating heroin addiction; it is a dark green looking weed and it enhances the growth of cells in human body and releases a chemical compound in the body that makes the person stay away from tobacco and heroin. Not only is it effective in overcoming heroin addiction but smoking as well.

 

Tabacum is a diluted replacement that will work in place of heroin. This is the best way of gradually leaving heroin addiction and taking a step down. If you cannot just leave heroin right away; this treatment will make you gradually leave it.

Abies Nigra also known as Black Spruce; it is a natural relaxant. It’s not easy to coupe with withdrawal symptoms. In order to make these symptoms less pleasant, the patient can make use of Black Spruce. The nerves will calm down and the patient will no longer feel the thirst for heroin.

Natural methods for overcoming heroin addiction are very effective but they should always be combined by other medicinal treatments as well in order to make sure that they results are surely positive.

New Treatment Options Available For Heroin Addiction

 

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Stress and Obesity the Missing Link!!!

February 13, 2014

Stress and Obesity-Not a Union

Stress

Research has found that stress leads to specific reactions in the body that cause induced cravings and lead to obesity

Obesity is a burgeoning problem in the developed world, and certain behaviors, such as increased portion sizes and reduced physical activity, can help explain why the obesity epidemic is spreading. Job strain might also contribute to the prevalence of obesity, and the current study addresses this issue in a cohort of civil servants followed over time. Obesity continues to be one of the largest public health concerns of the developed world. Analysis of data from the 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity among US adults were 31.5% and 30.5%, respectively. The prevalence of overweight in children was 16.5%. Compared to the previous NHANES survey (1988-1994), the body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 among adults had doubled. (Of note, the prevalence of overweight and obesity were fairly stable between the 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 examination periods.)

Stress and Obesity-Understanding obesity

While the problem of obesity has been well publicized, clinicians should also understand that societal factors play a prominent role in obesity. In research sponsored by the World Health Organization involving 26 different populations worldwide, surveys of over 30,000 subjects found an inverse trend between BMI and highest educational level attained. Women with lower educational attainment were significantly more likely to be obese compared with men with similar educational backgrounds, although lower educational levels in both sexes were associated with higher obesity. Moreover, the negative association between educational attainment and obesity increased over the 10-year study period, indicating that the obesity gap between well-educated and poorly educated individuals was increasing. To reinforce these data, another study limited to developed countries found that increased income disparity was associated with not only higher rates of obesity, but also diabetes mortality as well among subjects at the lower end of the income scale. Other societal trends can affect obesity as well. In the United States, more individuals are choosing to eat at restaurants than at home, and the easiest and least expensive option in dining is often preferred. Such choices can increase the risk of developing obesity. Ecological research from 21 developed countries found that girls who ate fast food at least twice a week were more likely to become obese compared with those who ate fast food less frequently. Unfortunately, the assimilation of other cultures into American society may not help improve the obesity problem. In one study, while regularly eating at fast food restaurants increased the risk of overweight in adults and children in Mexican-American families by a factor of 2.2, the risk of overweight associated with eating at buffet-style restaurants was slightly worse (odds ratio = 2.8). Families who ate food at Mexican restaurants, however, were less likely to be overweight.

Stress and Obesity-The Environment

The work environment can contribute to obesity as well. In a study of 208 male workers in Japan, obesity was associated with psychological tension and anxiety, much of which was derived from high demands and poor decision latitude at work. The authors also found that higher degrees of stress negatively affected subjects’ diets, which contributed to higher rates of obesity. The current study examined the 10,308 civil servants from the Whitehall II study, all of whom were between the ages of 35 and 55. Work stress was assessed by the Job Strain Questionnaire and defined by poor work social support, high job demands, and low job control. Overall, work strain was associated with increased risk of BMI obesity by a maximum odds ratio of 1.73, and of waist obesity by a maximum odds ratio of 1.61. There was a dose-response relationship between the number of reports of stress and obesity. There were some interesting nuances related to the study’s main finding. Men were more likely than women to suffer the negative effects of job strain in terms of obesity, to the point that women did not experience a significant increase in waist obesity with stress. Overall, poor social support at work was the most important singular factor of job strain in increasing the risk of obesity in this study. The study was strengthened by analyzing individuals prospectively over time and employing repeated measures of job stress as participants advanced through their careers. However, the study was limited by examining a very specific group of employees — civil servants — in a first-world country.

Stress and Obesity-Health Risk

Obesity may just be a part of the overall increased health risk associated with work stress, with the sum of these risks being an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease. In a study of nearly 7000 individuals, the prevalence of smoking was elevated among subjects with greater job strain, while men with low degrees of decision latitude were also more likely to be sedentary. However, no job environment factor in this study was independently related to increase BMI. A case-control analysis of 609 workers in France found that job strain increased the risk of developing hypertension. The odds ratios for hypertension associated with job strain were 3.20 in women and 2.60 in men. Low social support at work was not related to hypertension, and, moreover, higher levels of social support did not mitigate the effects of job strain on hypertension. Another study of female nurses and male factory workers generally corroborated these results. Researchers found that increased duration of shifts during work was associated with increased systolic blood pressure among men over age 30. Both BMI and waist-to-hip ratio increased with increasing shift duration among nurses. The study of nurses and factory workers failed to find an association between blood glucose levels and the duration of shift work. In another analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study II cohort, working overtime was associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while women who worked less than 20 hours per week had a lower risk of diabetes. There is also evidence that serum markers associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease may increase with job stress. A study of adults in Sweden found that men reporting high effort and low reward at work had increased levels of total cholesterol and the total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio after adjustment for possible confounders. Women whose jobs required more effort had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The association between stress at work and cardiovascular risk factors such as BMI, hypertension, and lipid levels points to a possible larger relationship between work stress and cardiovascular disease. The researchers of the Whitehall study have previously examined this issue in their study cohort. They demonstrated that the hazard ratio for coronary heart disease was increased with low decision latitude among men (adjusted hazard ratio 1.43), but low decision latitude did not significantly increase the risk of coronary heart disease among women. However, both men and women experienced increased risks of coronary heart disease with higher demands at work. This increased risk of coronary heart disease was increased with job stress at all employment grades in the organization. This research echoed previous studies in that greater social support at work failed to improve cardiovascular outcomes associated with significant job stress.

Stress and Obesity-Effects
Stress

The harmful health effects of stress-induced obesity.

The effects of stress at work constitute a major public health issue. As clinicians, the best we can do is counsel patients about the potential cardiovascular and metabolic events associated with high levels of stress and encourage healthy life choices for patients at risk. While it may be unrealistic to ask employers to reduce job stress at all levels in our competitive economy, these same employers should understand that their employees’ health is critical to their success. There is a dearth of data regarding stress reduction programs at work and cardiovascular outcomes, and future researchers should address this issue. The phenomenon of obesity being among chronic diseases makes Dr. Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center very resourceful for you. She will help you achieve optimal weight loss, the Dr. Focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. With the help of Dr. Akoury your problem is sorted out for good.

Stress and Obesity-Not a Union

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Female hormones and weight loss

February 10, 2014

Female hormones and weight loss-what you need to know

Female hormones and obesity

Female hormones and their sites

A quick observation at a male versus a female body tells you right away something is different. While we can certainly recognize the obvious, we ignore these differences when we talk about diet and exercise for fat loss. The standard health and fitness advice of eat less and exercise more often does not work once people get out of their twenties and into their thirties, forties and beyond, and women are especially impacted.

So what are the difference between men and women, what determines where women store fat, and what can women do to address the fitness and fat loss issues that are unique to them?

The differences between men and women:

Women usually have smaller waists and more fat storage on the hips, thighs, and breasts. Estrogen and progesterone have much to do with this.

Estrogen is largely responsible for greater fat storage around the hips and thighs while both estrogen and progesterone impact larger breasts.

Because wom en experience monthly hormone fluctuations through the menstrual cycle, they know from experience that hormones impact how they feel, function, and look. They seem to intuitively get the fact that hormones play a role in determining whether they store fat or burn fat and where on the body it is lost or gained. To understand why women are so different, you have to understand their hormones.

Brief review of the menstrual cycle.

No discussion of female fat loss can take place without understanding the normal female menstrual cycle. The first day of bleeding for a woman represents day one of the menstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle can then be divided into two phases, the follicular phase (named for the maturing of the ovarian follicle) and the luteal phase (named for the corpeus luteum which ovarian follicles become after ovulation). Ovulation, the release of an egg from the ovaries separates these two parts of the cycle.

The follicular phase is associated with higher estrogen levels compared to progesterone, while the luteal phase is the reverse. The relative ratios of these two hormones can have an impact on female related fat loss and health.

Estrogen and progesterone balance

A key fat loss measure in women is the estrogen and progesterone balance and how those hormones interact with other hormones like cortisol or insulin. Bigger hips and thighs on a women suggest greater estrogen levels relative to progesterone. The reverse of that, larger breasts and smaller hips and thighs, MAY indicate the opposite balance of these hormones.

The menstrual cycle is another key indicator of hormone balance. Since the time just before menses is usually a progesterone dominant time, PMS is a strong indication there is a progesterone deficiency relative to estrogen.

A woman can have higher than normal progesterone levels but still have a relative deficiency if estrogen levels are much higher in comparison. Many women with low progesterone relative to estrogen will report feeling like a completely different person before ovulation (the first two weeks of cycle) vs. after ovulation (last two weeks of cycle), where they feel much worse. This ill feeling usually manifests as depression, breast tenderness, moodiness, fatigue, lack of motivation, bloating, and other complaints.

Female fat distributions

Progesterone & estrogen both play a role in keeping the waist of women smaller. This is because estrogen works against the action of insulin (and testosterone a belly fat storing hormone in women) while both estrogen and progesterone oppose the action of cortisol.  Insulin and cortisol, together with testosterone and low estrogen, are implicated in belly fat deposition in women.

Estrogen is the biggest factor in increasing fat storage at the hips and thighs providing the hour-glass shape. Progesterone with estrogen halts the storage of fat around the waist, but stress can have more of a negative impact on progesterone’s action. High stress has been shown to negatively impact progesterone, so women who see fat accumulating around the waist may want to work to reduce stress and raise progesterone.

Estrogen is a little different. Estrogen works to increase fat storage by up-regulating what is known as alpha-adrenergic receptors in female fat depots around the hips and thighs. Adrenergic receptors are like the gas and brake peddles on your car and work to accelerate or decrease fat usage. Beta-adrenergic receptors increase fat burning while alpha adrenergic receptors block it. The hips and thighs of a woman have higher amounts of alpha adrenergic receptors compared to men. This is also the major reason it is so difficult for some women to lose fat from the hips and thighs.

It is interesting to note here that one of the best ways to decrease the action of these alpha receptors is by using a low carb diet. This is why many women find fantastic results when they switch from the standard high carb diets and adopt more low carb eating patterns.

Many women have plenty of fat to spare in the hips and thighs but instead of burning it, they will become smaller in the torso and breast first and remain bigger on the bottom. This is a very frustrating scenario for many. Estrogen increases alpha-adrenergic receptor numbers while progesterone decreases it. Progesterone, like testosterone in men, MAY increase beta-adrenergic receptors. In this way, estrogen and progesterone work to influence the ability to burn fat and determine from which areas it will be taken from. This is an issue of hormone balance not calories.

 

Female hormone changes: age, lifestyle, and the environment

Female hormones and weight loss

Female hormones have a great contribution to loosing weight

Women are often duped into believing the low calorie diet and aerobic exercise myth. This approach to weight loss rarely works and often creates damage to their body as a consequence. As a woman ages, as a consequence of stress, or because of environmental estrogen mimicking compounds several things begin to occur. The ovaries decrease their production of estrogen and progesterone. This exacerbates estrogen and progesterone balance, further pushing the body more towards estrogen dominance.

There are also many estrogen mimickers in our food and environment. At the same time, fat cells continue to produce estrogen through an enzyme called aromatase present in fat cells. This also leads the estrogen/progesterone balance to shift more towards estrogen. At the same time slimming and muscle building hormones, like human growth hormone (HGH) and DHEA, decline. Together this creates the perfect storm for female related fat gain and most of it occurs in the mid-section.

DHEA, HGH and progesterone are all hormones that act to keep a woman lean and block the storage of fat in the middle of her body. The tricky part is that a low calorie diet and a focus on aerobic exercise makes this worse because they do nothing to restore these powerful hormones and may actually worsen the estrogen progesterone imbalance in the long run.

Solutions to the problem:

Women should be focused on eating more of the right things and exercising smarter. This means eating higher amounts of vegetables and “estrogen free protein as well as engaging in weight training over cardio. There are only three ways to reliably restore HGH in the body: sleep, adequate protein, and intense exercise using weights.

Weight training is perhaps the most important aspect of this and is critical for female health especially to stop the belly fat that accumulates during aging. HGH is to women what testosterone is to men. It keeps them looking young, lean, and firm. Once progesterone levels fall due to stress, menopause, or other factors, HGH is all that is left to keep belly fat in check

Women falsely believe less intense exercise like walking and yoga will give them the desired “look” of their younger years. While these activities are exceedingly healthy, they will not be adequate to generate the hormonal effect needed to raise HGH. However, they will work synergistically with more intense exercise to lower the negative impact of cortisol.

Female hormones and weight loss-what you need to know

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