While we talk about obesity every other day on various platforms, hormonal impacts on obesity are also on the rise. A major percentage of obese people are also under hormonal medications of which Thyroid is the most common of all. Our lifestyle imbalances have gotten us to a point where every alternate person we meet or speak about are under medications for thyroid. If you are aware of the hormonal imbalances that you have and still try to lose weight by skipping meals, it is only going to harm your body further. It can crash your hormonal functions further leaving you drained.
The first and the best way to cure hormonal imbalance is to keep an eye on your diet.
Learn what you can eat and what you cannot. ESCASO® GDDiET®
has over the years seen various types of hormonal issues faced by a huge chunk of our clients who came in miserably failing with their attempts at losing weight and unable to cope with their hormonal irregularities too. And the only medicine we give them at Escaso is REAL FOOD!
We have seen our clients cry over a bowl of rice because they have been starving and might not have had a proper meal inorder to lose weight. This is where our body's activities tend to go haywire because it isn't getting what it needs to function properly. This could show up on you as a rigorous headache, sharp mood swings, acidity, craving etc. These are your body's way of telling you that, I need to work, FEED ME!
Now let us look at the hormones that impact obesity:
A. Insulin - Insulin resistance is one of the most important studies in obesity. If insulin does not work properly in the body, it causes fat to build up. Insulin is a fat fertilizer. This can only be rectified if your body is fed at regular intervals.
B. Thyroid Hormone - Low thyroid function or Hypothyroidism is the most commonly seen thyroid imbalance that can affect one in five women and one in ten men. Thyroid hormone plays an important role in regulating the body's metabolism and therefore, if the body does not get the right nutrients, its functions could be disrupted. Although many changes in diet can affect the activity of thyroid hormone, the most dangerous to do is skipping meals to reduce calories. Gluten allergies, pesticides, malnutrition, and heavy metal toxins are other causes of thyroid hormone dysfunction. Selenium, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and iodine are essential for the proper functioning of thyroid hormones. Hypothyroidism is a major culprit in weight gain. (Talk to your doctor and check for necessary tests - TSH, Free T 3, T 4, Thyroid Antibody, Thyroid Peroxidase, Anti Thyroglobulin Antibody (TGAb), Vitamin D, Zinc and Iodine - Turn Infections)
It is important to note the following when taking medication for thyroid disease.
The most important thing is to eat right
Under no circumstances should you follow a low calorie diet.
Eat at the right time
Do not skip meals from time to time for any reason. Many people get up in the morning and take their medicine and do not eat breakfast thinking that they are getting fat.
Do not go to bed after taking the medicine in the morning. Some patients with hypothyroidism are seen taking the medicine in the morning as prescribed by the doctor but going back to bed. Never do such things. It will again disrupt the action of such hormones.
Cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli, radish, brussels sprouts etc) should not be eaten uncooked. Eat only boiled.
Eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin D, iodine and zinc. (For example, pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc. Fish and mushrooms contain vitamin D. Sea fish, yogurt, eggs and cheese are all high in iodine)
C. Cortisol hormone (cortisol) - Cortisol or stress hormone is another major cause of weight gain and weight loss. Cortisol is needed to release energy quickly and to cope with an emergency. But when it is produced continuously and excessively, it causes the blood sugar levels to rise and fat builds up around the abdomen. It also causes high blood pressure. Although we cannot completely eliminate stress, we can reduce stress to some extent by eating good foods, increasing the amount of good germs in our digestive system, and by doing breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and other such engaging activities. This increases the body's ability to cope with stress and depression.
D. Sex hormones - Estrogen and Testosterone are the two important sex hormones. The action of sex hormones can cause weight loss even if the rhythm is disturbed. More sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol increases estrogen. Decreased diet rich in fiber and the use of more drugs and antibiotics can adversely affect our digestive system, increase estrogen and make it harder for the body to properly excrete wastes.
Increased estrogen in women can lead to edema, fibroids, and excessive menstrual bleeding. Men are more prone to hair loss, bloating and breast enlargement.
Decreased testosterone in men can lead to premature aging. Nutrient deficiency Alcohol, stress, and environmental toxins can cause testosterone depletion. This causes the muscles to contract. Increases fat, decreases sexual performance, increases fatigue, and causes loss of bone strength.
In short, hormones decides how we do things, our moods, bodily activities etc and in turn let us decide how hormones should act by feeding them with the right food!
So whenever you try to lose weight don’t try to skip your food. This will leads to hormonal imbalances, diseases and cause obesity. In ESCASO® GDDiET® we ask the clients to eat well. Use all normal real foods. Because Food is the real medicine. Real food heal your body. It helps to correct the hormonal imbalances. Real Food is the Real Medicine.
