Year: 2017

What is Cortisol?

The adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys, secrete hormones in response to stress.  Most notably, cortisol and adrenaline are hormones which help mobilize quick energy for a ‘fight or flight’ response. Cortisol is designed to let you know that you are in danger.

How Does Cortisol Work?

Cortisol initially helps break down fat for energy, increases blood sugar and blood pressure. Adrenaline production increases alertness, energy level, and metabolism (releases energy from fat cells). These functions are crucial for survival in the face of danger. For example, this response was essential for our ancestors who were faced with threats such as running from a lion.  When the immediate stress ends, adrenaline quickly returns to normal and cortisol takes over to get the body back into balance.  One way cortisol aids the body in returning to equilibrium is by increasing appetite.  Increased appetite and food intake allows carbohydrates and fats burned during the flight or fight response to be replenished. Therefore, this leads to cravings for simple carbohydrates like sugar as well as for fats.

More About Cortisol

Cortisol is known as “the stress hormone” because it’s secreted by the adrenal glands in response to stress and prepares the body for “fight or flight.” Cortisol functions to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, metabolism, and inflammation. Small increases of cortisol produce positive effects like improved memory, reduced sensitivity to pain, increased immunity, and increased energy. However, elevated cortisol levels from prolonged or chronic stress can cause decreases in thyroid function, bone density, muscle mass and cognition. In addition, it can also lead to increased blood pressure, abdominal fat, and blood sugar imbalances.

High levels of cortisol can also lower immunity and inflammatory responses as well as slow down healing processes. Sustained high levels of cortisol will gradually tear down the body (called catabolism). Excessive acute or chronic stress can impair the functioning of the adrenal glands, eventually causing a decrease in the output of cortisol. This leads to adrenal fatigue or adrenal exhaustion. The main symptom of adrenal exhaustion is overwhelming fatigue that is not relieved with rest.

All forms of stress produce the same physiological sequence of events as mentioned above.   The body reacts the same way to emotional or physical stress so, fat and glucose get released into the blood stream along with everything else from the ‘fight or flight’ response.

In modern society, this response is not necessarily beneficial if the stress is emotional, i.e. an unhappy relationship, worry about paying bills, work pressure, sitting in a traffic jam, smog, worrying about children, to name a few.  These stressful events do not require flight or fight and we don’t need all those calories our body makes available. Therefore, the extra calories get deposited as fat.

More must know tips about cortisol and weight loss in Los Angeles

In today’s world, the stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal. As a result, this leads to elevated circulating cortisol which continually releases glucose into the system. Next, insulin rises to drive the glucose into the cells. If this is not needed for extra energy it gets stored as fat.  Stress induced cortisol weight is usually gained around the waistline and is known as belly fat. This is because fat cells in that area are more sensitive to cortisol. This is a perilous place to gain weight, as it can lead to metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and heart disease. Paul Chek refers to belly fat as Syndrome X

Prolonged physical and emotional stress causes elevated cortisol. Elevated cortisol causes high blood sugar, increased belly fat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and muscle loss. While undergoing chronic episodes of prolonged stress, adrenal glands continue to pump out cortisol. This happens many times at the expense of other hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone). In peri-menopausal and menopausal women, this further disrupts hormones that are already out of balance. As a result, this can cause even more weight gain issues.  Sleeping disturbances, which are common in peri-menopause and menopause can elevate cortisol levels. That being said so can drinking too much caffeine.

Here are a few tips about cortisol and weight loss

• get regular exercise, cardio for 45 minutes daily
• Eat frequent small meals with protein at each meal
• Find stress reduction techniques that work for you, such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises.
• Improve time management skills so life won’t be so hectic
• Wean off caffeine
• get 7 to 8 restful hours of sleep each night

Related Content

Medical Weight Loss
HCG Program
Lipotropic Injections
South Bay Diet
Fitness & Nutrition

Hormones and Weight Loss Part 1: Estrogen Hormones

Why is it so difficult to lose weight around and during menopause?   At these times, weight gain becomes more common and feels different than weight gain at other times of life.   Pounds are easier to gain, harder to lose and show up as love handles, belly fat and/or cellulite. In addition, the usual methods of dieting and exercise don’t work anymore.  Sometimes, weight loss difficulties have nothing to do with diet and exercise.

When it comes to hormones and weight loss, things like nutritional imbalances, chronic inflammation, metabolic issues, leaky gut, toxins and even genetics can cause weight loss issues. However, for women in perimenopause and menopause, the difficulties are most likely due to hormonal imbalances.  It becomes almost impossible to lose weight. This is of course until hormones are replaced and balanced.  Hormone fluctuations in perimenopause and menopause directly impact appetite, fat storage, and metabolism.   The causes of hormonal weight gain and resistance to weight loss in menopause and perimenopause are explained below.
The first important hormone to know about is estrogen.

Changes In Estrogen Levels and Weight Loss Difficulty

One cause of weight loss difficulty around and during menopause is the changing and fluctuating of estrogen levels. The ovaries produce more estrogen relative to progesterone during this time but levels of both these hormones start to decrease dramatically.  The body will find other sources of estrogen. Since fat produces estrogen, the body will increase fat production to make more estrogen.

Avoiding Weight Gain and Estrogen Dominance

Too much estrogen (estrogen dominance) can be due to dietary issues such as excess sugar, refined carbs, alcohol and red meat, and low fiber intake.  Too many antibiotics damage the gut leading to estrogen spikes because the body can’t properly detoxify or excrete waste. Environmental toxins such as phthalates and biphenyl A mimic estrogen in the body. They bind to sites that estrogen normally does. Furthermore, excess estrogen can cause the following:

• Cellulite
• Weight gain in the hip and thigh areas
• An increase in breast size and tenderness
• Fluid retention
• PMS and Irritability
• Fibroids
• Heavy periods
• Ovarian cysts

Estrogen dominance can be controlled by limiting red meat, alcohol, and cutting way down on sugar and carbs. Getting your estrogen level evaluated and balanced by a physician specializing in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help alleviate these serious symptoms.  In addition, balancing estrogen has lifelong benefits for health including the following:

• Losing and maintaining weight loss
• Preventing bone breakdown
• Aiding with mineral absorption
• Keeping skin hydrated
• Helping regulate menstrual cycles.

Estrogen is also important for the health of the brain, and cardiovascular system.

Hormones and Weight Loss Part 2: How The Insulin Hormone Affects Weight Loss

During perimenopause and menopause, some women notice it becomes more difficult to lose weight and easier to gain it.   Weight is not distributed the in the body as it was in younger years.  Thus, body shape can change subtly or drastically, with love handles, abdominal, breast and arm weight appearing.  Fat in these areas is an indicator of hormonal imbalance, which, in large part, is due to the hormone insulin.

WHAT ARE THE FUCNTIONS OF INSULIN AND HOW IS IT MADE?

Insulin, produced in the pancreas, regulates the digestive system by facilitating the break down and conversion of food into energy. Another major function of insulin is to regulate and stabilize blood sugar levels.  All food eaten is broken down into proteins, nutrients, and glucose for use in metabolism.  Insulin processes glucose (the body’s key fuel source) in the bloodstream and carries it into cells to be used as fuel. Once cells have received enough glucose, any excess gets stored as fat.

INSULIN RESISTENCE & TYPE 2 DIABETES

Chronically high levels of insulin can lead to a pre-diabetic condition called insulin resistance and possibly even type 2 diabetes.  Insulin levels rise in almost all women during menopause due to the hormonal imbalance triggered by changes in estrogen and progesterone. Elevated insulin levels can also be triggered by a high sugar, high refined carbohydrate diet, excessive alcohol as well as lack of exercise, stress, high blood pressure and/or a family history of diabetes.

When a woman is insulin resistant, she is producing adequate amounts of insulin but her body is not responding to it normally. Thus, Glucose is less able to enter the cells. The pancreas detects this excess glucose and increasingly pumps out insulin to push the extra glucose into the cells. Because insulin is unable to facilitate pushing glucose into the cells, excess levels of glucose build up in the blood and get stored as fat. Because this process deprives body cells of energy, a stressful situation in created leading to craving for sweets, carbohydrates, and further weight gain.

Anyone can become insulin resistant, but as just illustrated it is more common in women during perimenopause and menopause. The best way to treat insulin resistance and begin losing weight is through lifestyle changes.  Below are a few suggestions:

1. Keep glucose levels stable by eating 5-6 mini meals/day with protein and complex carbs at each meal. Proteins and complex carbs are harder to digest and keep blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
2. Don’t skip or delay meals because this slows metabolism and will cause glucose level to drop below normal.
3. Eliminate white food such as bread, pasta, and sugar.
4. quit smoking, limit alcohol, and get 7-8 hr. sleep/night.

Other Weight Loss Services

• Medical Weight Loss LA homepage
• Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Los Angeles HCG Diet
• South Bay Diet
• Personal Weight Loss Plans
• Fitness & Nutrition Plans
• Lipotropic Injections

Is being exposed to heavy metals something that should be taken seriously?
The National Institute of Health defines heavy metals as “naturally occurring elements that have a high atomic weight and a density at least 5 times greater than that of water.” Some metals that fall into this category are arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, mercury and zinc. While some are actually essential nutrients that are required for different biochemical and physiological functions, the necessary dosage is extremely minute. In larger amounts, these substances can build up in the body or the environment and create significant health hazards.
Everyone comes into contact with toxic substances, and, more and more, heavy metal testing is confirming that this is taking place on a daily basis. How harmful that contact may be depends upon the strength of the concentration and for how long, as well as the particular vulnerability of the individual exposed. While there are other factors that make someone vulnerable, in general, the members of the population most susceptible include:

• The very young
• The elderly
• The poor
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Anyone with a compromised immune system, enzyme deficiency or genetic vulnerability
• Organ transplant recipients
• Those dependent on natural resources for food, clothing and shelter

Exposure alone does not necessarily mean that there is a health danger, which is good because these metals are, seemingly, everywhere. One of the reasons it is so difficult to limit contact with heavy metals is that they can be found in the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Lead-based paint was banned by the government in 1978 but many houses exist that were built before that. Commercial products, industrial sites, farming operations and numerous other places are apt to have varying levels of concentrations of these metals.
In the event someone is exposed to a large amount of a heavy metal all at one time, like if a child managed to swallow a lead-containing toy, acute poisoning can occur. This can be quite serious causing long term health damage or even possibly death. Symptoms that may indicate acute poisoning from heavy metals range from confusion, numbness, nausea and vomiting all the way to coma.
Exposure over a longer period of time to lower levels of concentration, rather than a significant amount all at one time, is referred to as chronic heavy metal poisoning. Symptoms, which may be severe but less obvious and develop gradually, making diagnosis much more difficult, include:

• Headaches
• Increasing weakness
• Aching muscles and painful joints
• Constipation
• Decreased energy

Health issues related to heavy metal exposure can pose a serious threat and should be brought to the attention of your healthcare professional as soon as possible. There is also evidence that toxic buildup can contribute to difficulty in losing weight, in much the same way as hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies and stress. With any of these contributing factors, calorie cutting and exercise will often not be enough in the weight loss struggle.
At the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging, we strongly believe that a patient should fully understand his or her health and metabolic profile before choosing a weight loss plan. Testing to rule out heavy metal exposure is just one step of our advanced testing and analysis process. To learn more about our heavy metal testing, take advantage of our Free Consultation by calling (424) 247-4962 or click here to use our convenient online form.