A lot of women who have weight problems also tend to suffer from depression, fatty liver, high levels of cholesterol, gallbladder problems, or pre-diabetes. Unexplained weight gain has also been associated with hormonal imbalance which is a very common problem among women.
Every hormone in the body is like a key that needs to be turned into a lock in order to do its job. The lock is the receptor site and it can be affected by numerous inflammations and thus, reduce the effectiveness of the hormone. These are only some of the reasons why the receptor sites may be ineffective:
- Too much grain from wheat, rye, barley, and corn products that are usually genetically modified
- Exposure to xenoestrogens-substances that mimic estrogen; they’re present in the food, environment, and personal care products
- Foods like meat, dairy, and eggs that come from animal that have been given growth hormones
- Excessive intake of alcohol, sugar, and caffeine
- Too much fructose coming from high fructose corn syrup, unsweetened apple sauce, and tomatoes
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
In order to reset the hormones, you need to make the needed changes in your day to day routine and balance the hormones. This will result in a healthy weight loss and a new, healthier you.
Estrogen 101
When not balanced with progesterone, their imbalance leads to water retention, loss of memory, and migraine, as well as fat deposits in the hips and thighs and it may also speed up the aging process.
How to balance it:
Apply a topical progesterone cream to prevent estrogen dominance
Exclude foods rich in copper like nuts, avocados, chocolate, seeds, and shellfish because copper has been associated with estrogen and women who take birth control pills are more prone to having problems with estrogen dominance
Always wash fruits and veggies before consumption to remove all harmful substances like fungicides, herbicides, etc.
Avoid reheating food in plastic containers
Drink water from glass and stainless steel bottles, not from plastic ones
Avoid using personal care products which have parabens and phthalates
Add 2 to 3 cardamom seeds to your soups, stews, and other bean dishes since cardamom can cleanse the liver which is pivotal for the balance of hormones
Take 100 mg of DIM, two times per day, with meals, to control the estrogen metabolism
Insulin
When a person drinks too much alcohol and caffeinated drinks and also smokes too much, the risk of insulin spikes is higher. Also, an unhealthy diet and too much intake of fat may increase the blood sugar levels and thus, speed the accumulation of fat. When the receptors are blocked, insulin resistance occurs and causes high blood sugar levels and high level of triglycerides.
How to clean the insulin receptors:
Take one glass of water mixed with a tsp of apple cider vinegar with every meal
In the morning, prior to breakfast, drink warm lemon water, not coffee
Avoid adding sugar to drinks, smoothies, and baked goods. Instead, use Stevia- a natural herb that doesn’t lead to high levels of sugar in the blood
Add cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon to meals for easier metabolism of sugar
Leptin
Leptin is the hormone of satiety and if you feel hungry soon after a meal, your leptin receptors may be clogged. The problem may worsen if you consume less healthy fats and more fructose.
How to clean the leptin receptors:
Avoid foods rich in fructose
Drink a plant-based protein smoothie 30 minutes after waking up
Black currant seed oil can help you improve the metabolism, fight off inflammation, and have shiny and healthy hair, nails, and skin
Cortisol
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is activated when a person is stressed, doesn’t sleep enough, or if they’re exposed to EMF. Wireless devices can also increase the production of cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been associated with poor immunity, body fat, salt and sugar cravings, and inflammation.
How to clean the cortisol receptors:
Drink a cup of coffee with a tbsp of coconut oil and vanilla whey protein to prevent the cortisol levels from increasing
Do yoga and meditate
Avoid using electronic devices before going to sleep and watch TV or read a book instead
Thyroid hormones
Thyroid gland problems may lead to depression, joint ache, constipation, tiredness, cold hands and feet, dry skin, hair loss, etc.
How to clean the thyroid receptors:
Avoid foods which are rich in gluten and instead of flour, use arrowroot or tapioca for thickening
For cooking and baking, use coconut oil because it is rich in medium chain fatty acids which better the thyroid function and the metabolism
Consult your physician for evaluation tests
Human growth hormone
The human growth hormone is responsible for growing, but also for strong bones and a healthy heart. Its functioning may be disrupted when a person consumes too much meat, dairy, and eggs and this may lead to body fat, depression, loss of muscle mass, anxiety, a low libido, and high blood pressure.
How to clean the HGH receptors:
Eat Montmorency tart cherries which are rich in melatonin that can increase the levels of this hormone
Do interval training because it can increase the levels of this hormone more than 500%
Avoid dairy products like yogurt, sour cream, cheese, butter, etc. to stay away from growth hormones
Buy only organic meat and eggs that come from animals that haven’t been given growth hormone
Detoxification
Heavy metals, leftovers from medications, excess hormones, chemicals, etc. may accumulate in the fat cells and cause weight gain. In order to remove them from the body, you should detox. Let’s see how:
Soak in bathwater mixed with 2 cups of baking soda and 2 cups of sea salt until the water cools off. Then, wrap yourself in a towel and don’t shower for 4 hours. This will bring the toxins to the skin’s surface and out of your body
Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water daily and cranberry water as well
Include flax and Chia seeds to your diet, that is, 2 to 4 tbsp daily
Use activated charcoal which can absorb toxins from the stomach