Tag: Weight Loss

How worried should we be about the extra pounds we’re putting on while stuck at home? 

With the effects of the pandemic stretching on far longer than most people had any idea that it would, a lot of us have begun to worry about the extra pounds that we are putting on. It was kind of fun to joke about a common experience in the beginning. Some were playfully calling it the COVID-5 or referring to COVID curves, but, as the months have gone by, COVID-15 doesn’t seem quite as amusing. 

Should we be worried? Have we stepped out on a slippery slope that there may be no getting off of? How important is it to try and stick to healthier food choices or even dive into a full-fledged weight loss regimen?

First of all, give yourself a break. This is not a situation in which any of us have the benefit of training or experience. Whatever your life was like before, it’s very different now. And not just for you. For everyone. Stress levels are off the charts. People are afraid. And isolated. No one really knows what to do or how long this is going to last. 

Eating As An Emotional Coping Aid in Los Angeles during Covid-19

Is a little emotional eating such a terrible way to cope? No, but…

Science tells us that when anxiety and stress levels go up, so does the production of the hormone cortisol, which has the effect of increasing our appetite. This has us reaching for cake, cookies, bread and other high sugar or high carb foods. Not just because they are our go-to comfort foods, but because they trigger the release of dopamine, which makes us feel better, at least temporarily. 

In normal times, if this is a common occurrence, it can certainly be a problem. In a global crisis, it helps to keep some perspective.  According to Mary Anne Cohen, a psychotherapist and the director of the New York Center for Eating Disorders, “This is not a normal time that we’re in. Your eating will not look normal. And we need to cultivate some humor about our foibles and a lot of self compassion.”

Perhaps the best approach is one that generally serves us well; balance. This would mean not beating ourselves up for reaching for a cookie while watching the evening news and, at the same time, developing other ways of dealing with our stress and anxiety.

Suggestions for Reducing Overeating During the Pandemic

• Make sure you are eating enough so that you aren’t hungry and anxious at the same time
• Practice being kind to yourself and avoid negative “self-talk”
• Try to consistently get enough sleep
• Do something physical every day, if only a walk around your neighborhood
• Meditate
• Find a new hobby or take an online class
• Lessen feelings of isolation by staying connected to family, friends and co-workers with email, text, phone and internet-based technologies
• Take advantage of the super-popular Zoom for sharing mealtime, having a book club, poker game or other types of group activity 

The more you stay engaged and connected, the less likely you will be to rely solely on food to cope with the current situation. And remember that “this too shall pass”. If you do end up with a few extra pounds, the Southern California Center for Anti-Aging is here to help with a weight loss program designed specifically for you.   

The Southern California Center for Anti-Aging focuses on the practice of advanced, preventive and regenerative medicine. We strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition, along with improving fitness and balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, can help with creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life. To learn more about our holistic approach or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form. 

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Does lack of sleep have anything to do with weight loss?

There are a lot of reasons that we should get a good night’s sleep. Starting with childhood, parents have always attempted the herculean task of getting their children to bed at a reasonable hour. This is despite the ever-increasing array of distractions that produce variations on the same pleas that have been used for generations. Some of these include,  “just five more minutes”, “just one more story”, or even “just one more video game”. The struggle continues through the teenage years and, if we are honest, remains with many of us throughout our adult lives.

There is a ton of research that tries to convince us of the benefits of good sleep habits. Despite this, it is estimated that somewhere in the range of 40% of adults in the U.S. get less than the recommended minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night. What is especially interesting is that, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), almost the exact same percentage, 38.9%, of U.S. adults are classified as obese. What are the chances that this is nothing more than coincidence?

There have always been people who brag about their ability to function at a high level with very little sleep. These are undoubtedly the same ones who profess to enhanced productivity through multi-tasking. Haven’t we always believed, on some level, that both of those claims were suspect? We do better when we bring our full focus on a single task. In addition, our overall health, performance and well-being is enhanced when we get an optimum amount of sleep. This is true in multiple areas. Not only do we experience positive impacts on mental concentration and cognition, our athletic ability is improved and so are our social interactions. Lack of sleep has been linked the following:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Depression
• Blood sugar imbalances leading to diabetes and impaired immune system function.

How Sleep Affects Weight Loss

However people are starting to realize that sleep IS important. Not getting the proper amount of sleep is also strongly believed to be a major factor in weight gain and the inability to lose excess weight. Studies point to poor or an incorrect amount of sleep as contributing to the following:

Too little sleep:

• Slows the body’s metabolism
• Causes the body to produce more insulin and cortisol. Thus, resulting in increased fat storage – usually in the area of the abdomen
• Affects hormones that regulates hunger (ghrelin) and the feeling of being full (leptin)
• Poor sleep is linked to increased cravings for sugar, fat and carbs

Too much sleep:

• Increased levels of depression, anxiety and mood issues. This can lead to excessive eating
• Less physical activity
• Disruption of body’s biorhythms

So What Is The Connection Between Sleep and Weight Loss? (Conclusion)

We lead extremely busy lives, and there are times when it really is difficult to get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Healthcare professionals recognize that this is inevitable but caution that doing so consistently will be detrimental to health. This includes our physical, mental and emotional well-being. Furthermore, it also has a major impact on our ability to reach and maintain our most healthy body weight. It is time to add “consistently getting a good night’s sleep” to our list, right next to a proper diet and sufficient exercise.

The Southern California Center for Anti-Aging focuses on the practice of advanced, preventive and regenerative medicine. We strongly believe correcting imbalances and deficiencies in nutrition. This is in addition to improving fitness. Furthermore, balancing and restoring hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help with creating the foundation for a healthier and happier life.

To learn more about our programs or if you have questions about any of our services, take advantage of our Free Consultation by clicking here to use our convenient online form.

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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

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